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HUAWEI Y6P In-Depth Review – Another Missed Opportunity

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It has been more than a year since the United States of America vs. HUAWEI debacle. That issue has affected the smartphone industry a major way. HUAWEI is not just banned from the United States of America (U.S.A.), but vendors from the country are not allowed to deal with HUAWEI. That also means that HUAWEI loses the majority of their suppliers and clients alike. The lose important partners like Google. That loss of support also means that modern HUAWEI devices for 2020 does not come with Google’s Play Store.

It started with the HUAWEI Mate 30 series introduced last year, the HUAWEI AppGallery. That app aggregator is supposed to replace the missing Google Play Store on HUAWEI devices, a sort of filling for a hole left by Google. AppGallery was not perfect though, far from it. It is still only the third biggest app ecosystem in the world at this point. While that may not seem to be entirely a bad thing, you have to remember that there were two major superpowers in the app ecosystem, and they are leading in the region of billions of apps available to users. The HUAWEI AppGallery, in contrast, has not even hit 100,000, in app population.

This also means that all HUAWEI devices are a little crippled when it comes out of the box. Surprisingly though, Malaysia holds itself as HUAWEI’s biggest market outside of China. Proof? The HUAWEI Mate 30 series’ first batch to Malaysia sold out within the first day.

Those are flagships with very compelling hardware to go though, the Mate 30 devices. They embody the best of HUAWEI and the latest of their innovations in almost every aspect. What about the more budget options? What about a HUAWEI Y6P, for example?

The HUAWEI Y6P is an MYR 559 package that seems basic enough to be a secondary smartphone. It is even wallet friendly enough that it could be your kids’ first smartphone. But is this a better buy than, let us say, a Xiaomi Redmi 9 for example? Is it a good buy at all, since you still do not get Google Play Store on the device? We delve in and find out.

Design

By now, if you are a regular, you should know that we like to start by looking at the entirety of the device and see if it is anywhere near attractive enough to make it into our pockets or not. In reality, smartphones look pretty much the same most of the times now. The HUAWEI Y6P is two slabs of thin and ultra-strong glass panels stuck together with nothing more than glue on what seems to be its aluminium chassis.

At least it looks modern with bezels so thin, you could get a papercut (not really, but you get the point). The lip bezel at the bottom of the device seems to be a little thicker to suggest that the display is perhaps not as high-end as you want it to be. It is a budget package that costs well under MYR 1,000 after all.

You pull your gaze further up the display and everything looks sublime until you reach the top of the device. You spot an old school notch that houses a front-facing camera. While the front-facing camera notch is not something from a decade ago, it still feels a little old compared to modern smartphones of today; a little old-fashioned.

Not that it is a bad thing though. The little notch is a still an elegant and valid solution to the near bezel-less displays of today. Still, we are never huge fans of notched displays or punch-hole displays.

You move to the back, and you see pretty much what you can expect from a modern smartphone. You see a multi-camera set up surrounded by the usual glass or plastic material. In the case of the HUAWEI Y6P, you see a triple-camera set-up surrounded by glass.

There is another old-fashioned feature on the device too, at the back. There is a proper, physical dip for a fingerprint sensor. These days you get plenty of devices with their fingerprint sensor under their displays. In our opinion, the old physical fingerprint sensors are still the best to work with. They are still more accurate and faster compared to the modern under-display fingerprint readers.

Thing is, while this looks like a device that is a whole lot older than modern flagships, the design cues on the device is common in a non-flagship that sets you back less than MYR 1,000. The traditional fingerprint sensor out the back of the device, the notched display, and the fat bottom lip of the bezel are not that old as well. In fact, we saw these designs two years ago at most. Most of these design decisions were also made to counter one or two problems with trending designs at the time if you think about it.

Underneath the glass at the back is a unique design that looks like a wave under the lights. Again, this is the sort of design you can expect from smartphones from last year and two years ago maybe. That does not mean that it does not look good though.

The unit we have is a Phantom Purple variant, and we quite like the patterns from the glass back of the device. We think that some flagships should come with these kinds of backing instead of entry-level or mid-range devices. Still, we suspect that this kind of look might not age well.

Overall, there is nothing really that stands out for the device. It looks plain and simple enough to pass as a smartphone. It looks perfectly fitting as a secondary smartphone, a spare smartphone, or your kids’ first smartphone. The price fits too.

Hardware

Unlike its more premium siblings, the HUAWEI Y6P has to make do with a MediaTek MT6762R System on a Chip (SoC). It is still an octa-core processor though, which means it should still be a capable machine. Multi-core also means that this should be able to run most mobile made apps and processes smoothly and quickly enough. Of course, again, it will not be perfect. It only packs 4GB in RAM and its display is not even a Full HD+ panel.

Specifications

ProcessorMediatek MT6763R Helio P22
Octa-core 12nm
4x Cortex A53@ 1.5GHz
4x Cortex A53 @ 2.0GHz
Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)PowerVR GE8320
RAM4GB
Memory (as tested)64GB
MicroSDXC slot
DisplayIPS LCD 6.3-inch
1,600 x 720 pixels ~278ppi
Operating SystemColorOS 7.1 based on Android 10
BatteryNon-Removable Li-Po 5,000mAh
Fast Charging 10W
ConnectivityDual SIM
Wi-Fi WLAN 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax
GPS/A-GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS
A2DP
Bluetooth 5.0 LE
OTG Support
MicroUSB
Camera (s)REAR:
13-Megapixel (f/1.8, wide angle)
5-Megapixel (f/2.2, ultra-wide angle)
2-Megapixel (f/2.4, depth sensor)
HDR
Full HD 1080p video recording (30fps)
FRONT:
8-Megapixel (f/2.0)
Full HD video recording (30fps)
SensorsAccelerometer
Proximity
Fingerprint
Ambient Light
Gyroscope
Face Unlock
Compass

User Interface

Nope, it does not run HUAWEI’s proprietary operating system (OS). It is still the very familiar EMUI 10.1 that is based on Android 10. There is no word yet on EMUI 11 that should be based on Android 11. Still, Android 10 is still a very capable OS by Google.

Again, sadly there is no Google Play Store available here. You cannot even install Google Play Services and Framework for that matter. Which also means that while it is an Android device, it is devoid of plenty of apps and functions that makes an Android device an Android device.

HUAWEI AppGallery – an Improvement, But Not Google Play Store Replacement

We have to give it to HUAWEI and the team that is responsible in responding to the whole issue with not having Google Play Store. They have been doing a good job maintaining a straight face in the whole crisis and developed the HUAWEI AppGallery anyway. Like EMUI, the app marketplace has gone from strength to strength and has become a unique app marketplace on its own.

Of course, they like to point out that the AppGallery is now the third largest app marketplace there is in the world. Take it with a pinch of salt though. They are currently not up against huge players in the market. There are only two other large names in the field of distributing mobile apps to the world. Those two names are, of course, Google and Apple.

Still, that claim to third should not be discounted too much though. The AppGallery is growing consistently. We do not think that it will ever reach the heights and the sizes that are the Google Play store and Apple App Store in the next five years. We even hope that a change in the U.S.A. political conditions might allow Googe’s Play Store to find its way back to HUAWEI’s devices.

That is not to say that AppGallery is not a pleasant space to be though. There are apps that you are used to that will not be there, and there are apps that you will not normally use recommended to you. There is also something they call QuickApps within the app.

You can have WhatsApp on your smartphone and even Facebook on the HUAWEI Y6P via the AppGallery. They are not exactly on the app though. They are still the official download links on the official app, so you are quite safe. On the AppGallery as well, you can find iflix as well, if you want, or Viu, if you prefer that. You can download and get Netflix to work, but not via AppGallery, so you are using the app at your own risk as well.

Most importantly though you still can find shopping apps like Shopee and Lazada on the AppGallery, and almost all the banking apps in Malaysia. This is important because that also means that there is some localisation going on here.

EMUI 10.1 – The HUAWEI Ecosystem, on the Front Page

It is not all bad though. EMUI 10.1 is still and Android based OS. You see the marks of Android on it too like widgets and folders. It is the familiar EMUI that you know from before too (if you are familiar with EMUI). It does not feature an app menu tray, and it never will.

Like any modern Android, EMUI 10.1 feels smooth, snappy, and easy. You can get it to work with gestures from the beginning if you want to. That also means that there are no visible buttons to work with. Instead you swipe from the left or right to go ‘back’, swipe up to quickly go back to ‘home’, and hold after you swipe up for ‘recent apps’.

What that does is make your home screen looks much cleaner and a lot more expansive. But a device with no clear buttons might be confusing to some people, trust me plenty of friends gets confused on how an Android works these days. We do think that gesture control is still the way to go though.

The EMUI 10.1 on this device is a little different from the EMUI 10.1 of a flagship device though. Of course, that is to accommodate for the hardware present on the device. At the same time too, of course you are not going to get the full EMUI experience with this one, it is a sub MYR 1,000 device.

Some of things missing from EMUI on this device is things like HUAWEI Share and Multi-Screen Collaboration. Oh yes, it does not get Meetime as well, sadly. Or even air gesture controls like the HUAWEI P40 series.

So, what you are getting here is not really the full EMUI 10.1 that you get on flagship devices. Instead, it is the simplified version, the basic version that does just what you need a regular smartphone needs to do. It texts, it calls, and it plays videos, and that is just about it.

But it is not just because HUAWEI wants to encourage you to spend more money on your smartphones for all these features though. It is because they want you to buy this device as your secondary device, or just simplify it enough that it can truly be your first smartphone experience. That is why EMUI is simplified, for a simple device.

It does not have NFC, so why do you need HUAWEI Share? You might not need to use it on your PC or tablet, since it is a secondary device, so multi-collaboration is not needed. Air gesture would be clever and useful, but the hardware requirements will make it a lot more expensive that it is, so no. Camera? As an added bonus, the software will not be the bottleneck of the device, which also means you still get a smooth Android experience without spending an arm and a leg for it.

In that sense, the HUAWEI Y6P has done EMUI right. Our experience with the HUAWEI Y6P has been a smooth one. There are some noticeable lags here and there and plenty of apps open slower than what you can expect from flagship device. That is quite expected though, coming from a budget device. In that case, if you rely on your device for work that much and need to load a custom app quickly, maybe you want to consider using that app on your daily carry instead. We are quite confident that it will still run okay without any issues if you give it time though.

Sure, there are plenty of things that you might not be able to do with the HUAWEI Y6P over more expensive HUAWEI devices. Again, this is a budget device that is designed for a completely different market in mind. Expecting this to perform like a flagship device is quite unrealistic to begin with. The only drawback is that you do not have Google Play Store with it. But there are workarounds for that as well, if you are willing to take some risks and go through a little bit of hassle. Of course, you cannot be using any Google apps, since most Google apps need Google Framework installed, and this device does not have Google Framework installed within the system.

Performance

Of course, as we mentioned within the UI segment, you cannot expect magic to come out of the HUAWEI Y6P. It packs a MediaTek MT6762R SoC, which is not the most sophisticated or the most powerful SoC available for Android devices currently. While it is not the most powerful, it is good value and keeps the prices of the devices it powers cheap. It still has eight cores within the construction with four high-power cores and four low-power cores, the normal Big Little architecture that we see plenty of in today’s smartphone market.

It only packs 4GB in RAM as well, with 64GB in memory, to keep the device as budget friendly as possible. The amount of memory that the device has access to is also a good indication of how much processes it might be able to run at the same time. 4GB, while plenty for a mobile device, may not be adequate for high-load applications. Though, whether 4GB of RAM is enough really depends on how you work with your device.

We are not able to run any regular benchmarks for the HUAWEI Y6P because the regular apps we use for benchmarking a device does not exist on AppGallery. Downloading the apps via a third-party app aggregator works, but there is no guarantee that it works the same or is the most updated version. In that case we skip the benchmarks and continue the experience of the device.

Call Quality and Connectivity

We used the HUAWEI Y6P as our main driver. We stuck to Maxis because we are Maxis customers anyway. The device supports dual SIM capabilities, but we did not have a secondary SIM card to put into the device. It could also take a MicroSD card on the three-card slot tray, we stuck a 32GB MicroSD card in the device.

A three-card slot tray also means that you can have two SIM cards and a MicroSD card together in the device without compromise. We always thought that a flagship device should also include this kind of SIM tray, but none of the major flagships has gone this route yet. In that sense, we thought that his arrangement is the best there is.

The HUAWEI Y6P does not yet support 5G though. So, if you are trying to purchase a secondary smartphone or even a main driver that supports 5G; bad news, turn around, save up a little bit more. But 5G is not the point of this HUAWEI Y6P. 5G is not even commercially available in Malaysia just yet.

Making a call on the HUAWEI Y6P is as straightforward as making a call with any other smartphones. The layout of the buttons has never changed, the icon even looks somewhat the same with everything else in the market. That also means that it should come as a second nature to you at this point.

Of course, as a secondary device, you might want to use it for work mostly. That also means that you need to be making a lot of calls or even receive them. You are going to use this for your prime work conversation device. You will need good data signal too, to ensure you get all the messages in immediately and quickly reply.

In those departments, the HUAWEI Y6P excels as expected from a modern smartphone. Conversations are crisp and clear when you hear it from the earpiece. Unless the other person is on speakerphone, calls should not sound muddled or muted. But all those also depends on their environments.

On the other end, calls are reported to be mostly clear when there is a strong enough signal (at least one bar). Of course, with poor signal, you might get some dropped calls. In most cases in Kuala Lumpur though, you are going to be alright. The only times where signals are dropped is when you enter some basement parking areas, elevators, or known ‘black’ spots. Other than those, signals are usually more than 2 bars at a time. Of course, the other thing that you have to give credit to in modern smartphones are their dual mic configurations for noise cancellation.

If you are going to have a meeting with the device, the speakers might be loud enough that the crowd in a tiny meeting room can hear it. But not necessarily everyone in the room could have a proper conversation with the person on the other end of the line. You might want to be closer to the mics on the HUAWEI Y6P for that or get a wireless Speaker with Mic combination for conference calls.

Gaming

The HUAWEI AppGallery does not actually contain a lot of games that we play. Games like PUBG: Mobile, or Call of Duty Mobile is not available on the AppGallery, so you would have to download it via a third-party app aggregator. There is a problem with that though, you do not have Google Play Games on the device, which also means that if your progress is tied to your Google account, you have start from scratch.

If not though, you can technically get some of these games to work on the device and get your progress back with whatever you registered your accounts with. That may work for PUBG: Mobile or AOV since you can choose to use your Facebook account to save your progress with. Games like Brawl Stars, or Sky Force: Reloaded can work, but you will not have your previous progress.

When we do get them to work though, graphics are not impressive. All these things are quite expected from a device with 720p display though. PUBG also optimizes itself on difference devices, and that is why it reduced its graphical detail to ensure you get the best experience on the HUAWEI Y6P.

The thing is the device is not really made for these things. It is not made as a gaming device, not even a budget gaming device for that matter. It is made to be a value-for-money all-rounder. In that mindset, games are not on the priority list for the device.

Battery Life

This is probably the device’s best feature, considering everything else on the device is nothing to shout about. The HUAWEI Y6P packs a 5,000mAh battery. That is a larger battery size than any of the modern flagships currently. No doubt we will start seeing 5,000mAh battery packs in flagships in a few years’ time.

Still, there are no flagship at this point that packs a 5,000mAh juice pack within the device. Without a SIM card, the device could be on standby for nearly a month from a single charge. With a SIM card, you could leave it for about three days and still have enough battery to make a phone call and reply messages. You might even be able to look through your emails for a while before the battery dies. If you leave the device purely on standby with your SIM card plugged in and kept it in a WiFi environment, we believe it could even last for a whole week.

In normal use case, where we reply a few WhatsApp messages, Telegram messages, make or receive one or two phone calls, have one Whatsapp video call with a friend later in the day, and more Facebook and Instagram scrolls than anything, the device could last you about two days. The ultra-long battery life though is not only thanks to the low-powered processor that consumes little power for processes. Thanks to a lower resolution display at 720p as well, the battery life can be preserved even longer.

Display

As mentioned earlier, this only packs an HD+ 720p display, not even Full HD. That also means that when you put it against its competitors, the display of the other devices will look better and sharper. You cannot even compare them in terms of colour accuracy and aesthetics.

On its own though, you might not notice a difference between your HUAWEI Y6P and other devices at its price. Sure, there is only 1,600 by 720 pixels on board, but the 720p still looks decent. Colours are at least still sharp enough that you can enjoy YouTube (via the browser) videos on it. You can of course, enjoy Netlfix videos on the display but you cannot expect contrasts to be that great.

Of course, it is not an OLED display. While colours are sharp, they can look a little dull and washed out. Blacks are not truly black either, because this is not an OLED display. Again, nothing impressive in this department.

There is a good side to all this though. We did say the lower resolution helps in battery consumption, and that is true. Thanks to the lower power consumption in total, the device could last a little longer than its competition from a single charge. Of course, again, you might not be able to enjoy or appreciate details as much. Then again, this is not exactly an entertainment powerhouse is it?

Camera

The HUAWEI Y6P packs a 13-Megapixel main shooter supported by one 5-Megapixel ultra-wide shooter and one 2-Megapixel depth sensor. On the front is an 8-Megapixel shooter that sits pretty in the notch of the 6.3-inch display. Considering what most 12-Megapixel shooters can do today, 13-Megapixel as its main camera does not sound like a bad thing.

The thing is, the HUAWEI Y6P does not pack the same processor as its more premium siblings. The HUAWEI Y6P is also sort of a testament to the importance of processors for image processing and image quality. What you see from the 13-Megapixel sensor from the HUAWEI Y6P might shock your initial expectations to what photos should look like.

We tested it out first in a slightly darker conditions to be fair. In that sense lighting is at a premium and photos with most devices might not look good anyway. What we did not expect is how grainy and washed out the photos turn out. This is with HUAWEI’s clever AI turned on.

When there is enough lighting on your photos, they look fine. Not stellar, not breathtaking, simply fine. There is nothing to really shout about with the photos. They are not the most detailed photos or sharpest photos you can get from a smartphone. They are still useable though, and enough for Social Media use. We let the photos tell their own story though.

We are not particularly good with selfies. That is one reason why we did not upload a selfie photo for the review. The other reason is that the selfie camera is not particularly great as well. Photos look extremely washed out and cheap. They look like they are taken with a cheap polaroid with wrong the wrong colour contrast settings. Images from the 8-Megapixel sensor look soft on the edges.

Gallery

The HUAWEI Y6P – A Flawed Contender

The subheading might lead you to believe that the HUAWEI Y6P is a bad device. Let us get that out of the way first. We are not saying that it is a bad device. The HUAWEI Y6P does everything right, technically. We may not like its camera too much, but we do not expect this to replace our daily carry or even a DSLR anytime soon. It works just as it is intended.

There is nearly nothing wrong with the UI too, it is smooth and consistent. We never had anything against the UI because it is genuinely responsive. We only found that the lack of Google Play Store a little crippling.

Then there is the price. At MYR 559 (official price from HUAWEI’s Online Store), it is not expensive. If you put other devices of its class side by side though, it actually seems like a reasonable smartphone to work with. The Xiaomi Redmi 9, for example will set you back MYR 599 (equivalent spec). The OPPO A53 too is about MYR 699. Even Realme’s best offering that closely matches this device is MYR 150 more expensive. The closes thing to it is an HONOR 9CA that is MYR 549. You get 1GB less in RAM size though with the HONOR device.

We think that the HUAWEI Y6P should not be your first Android smartphone, just because it is so crippled by the lack of proper Google Play Store support. But we do think that as a second device the HUAWEI Y6P shines. Then again, you might still want Google Play Store support. In that case, the Xiaomi Redmi 9 seems like a good option.

Android, iOS, Mobile, News

WhatsApp Jumps on Disappearing Messages Bandwagon

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Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, Telegram – that’s the growing list of apps that are allowing users to send expiring or disappearing messages. The latest app to join is none other than WhatsApp. After what seems like an eternity behind other apps, it seems like the feature is now coming to WhatsApp.

Evidence first popped up in March showing options which allow users to send messages with an optional expiration time for the platform. If a user enables the feature, all message that sent individually or in groups will be automatically erased after seven days. Users can configure the setting for individual chat while only group admin able to turn on the feature for group chats.

internet connection technology business
Photo by Oleg Magni on Pexels.com

The feature seems to also work with with media files. However, the media file will not disappear if the user turn on the auto download for receiving any files. This may be one of the more convenient implementations of the feature as not everyone wants media to be downloaded to their phones.

WhatsApp has recently updated their FAQs to include a new answer regarding the new feature. In their response about the feature they clarify, ” Once enabled, messages sent in the individual or group chat will disappear after seven days. The most recent selection controls all messages in the chat. This setting won’t affect messages you previously sent or received in the chat. In an individual chat, either user can turn disappearing messages on or off. In a group chat, only group admins can turn disappearing messages on or off.”

With the FAQ is live on the WhatsApp website, it seems like the feature will be making its way to users in the coming weeks. The features will be available to users on Android, iOS and KaiOS.

WhatsApp has also published tutorials for enabling and disabling the features on their website.

Android, Mobile, News

The HUAWEI Mate40 Series is Here Finally, Still Without Goole Play Store

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The wait is finally over. All the main flagships of 2020 have launched. All you have to do is select the best one for you. You can either choose to get a Samsung Galaxy S20 or Note20 device, or an Apple iPhone 12 device, or now, you have a third option – the HUAWEI Mate40 device.

You could easily deviate and get a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 or a Samsung Galaxy Z Flip, or even get a completely different flagship like an ROG Phone 3, or something like the new Lenovo Legion Duel gaming smartphone for that matter. But we will talk about that later. Today, we are focusing on the big three that every other person will think about. Well, technically one, because the Chinese tech giant just launched their flagship device and this article is actually dedicated to that.

Source: HUAWEI

There is plenty to talk about too, with the new HUAWEI Mate40 series. For one is the new design language that is not too different from last year’s Mate30 design language. They call it the Space Ring design, basically moving the camera arrangement from being contained in a circle to now being a ring that encircles, well, a circle with ‘Leica’ printed on it.

There is also the five lensed HUAWEI Mate40 Pro+ and that gives it the ability to zoom up to 100x (digital zoom) in its camera app. Of course, there is an ultra-premium version they only know as the Porsche Design HUAWEI Mate40 RS that could go with your Porsche Design Acer Book RS that was launched just a few days ago. And, there is a new Operating System (OS) based on Google’s latest Android 11. There is still no Google Play Store on the device though.

HUAWEI Mate 40 Pro+

Source: HUAWEI

We start with HUAWEI’s most overkill of a device, the HUAWEI Mate40 Pro+. There are multiple HUAWEI Mate40 devices, but this is the most powerful. It is just slightly less powerful that the Porsche Design HUAWEI Mate40 RS, but the Mate40 Pro+ is technically just missing a small ingredient that might not change the experience that much anyway.

HiSilicon Kirin 9000 – The Most Powerful Ever

Source: HUAWEI

HUAWEI leapfrogged Samsung and Qualcomm in this department for now. They introduced the world to what seems to be the most advanced and their most powerful System on A chip with the HUAWEI Mate40 series. This is quite expected also, mind you.

What is unexpected is just how sophisticated this chip was going to be. You get 15.3 billion transistors packed into the octa-core unit, 3.5 billion more than Apple’s latest A14 Bionic. This goes without saying, the Kirin 9000 also has two more cores than the Apple chip. This is achieved with 5nm process, obviously. We are expecting the new Qualcomm and Samsung chips to be based on th 5nm platform as well though, so only time can tell whether or not this device stands the test of time. HUAWEI did promise a smooth Android performance even after 36 months though. That is 3 years of smooth Android with a speed drop off at only 2.5%.

Embedded within the chip is a larger, more powerful dual Neural Processing Unit (NPU) for even more complex compute power for more special and handy features like HUAWEI’s brilliant air gesture control. Then there is a bigger, more powerful 24-core Mali-G78 GPU that HUAWEI claims to surpass any other smartphones that comes before. That also means better looking games and better video and photo editing experience on the smartphone itself.

But that is not all the NPU offers though. Combined with a new, more powerful image processor chip, photos and videos are even better than before. AI Tracking of a subject is smoother and better, you do not even have to move your smartphone for that, and it looks like the camera is moving to the subject’s movements. The front camera now can shoot videos in 240fps slow motion mode now too, creating more creative possibilities. Of course, stabilisation is even more enhanced now with the combined power of the NPU and Image processor.

5G is not new anymore in these devices. The 5G chip that is on the Kirin 9000 though is a more advance chip that support 5G Super Uplink and 5G Downlink CA technology. That also means that 5G is even faster than before with up to triple data download speeds on supporting networks.

This powerful chip is the beating heart of HUAWEI’s most advanced and most expensive Mate flagship series to date. At least for the HUAWEI Mate40 Pro+, the HiSilicon Kirin 9000 should pack enough power to get the best out of the 5-camera set-up. Of course, there is the matter of powering the EMUI 11.

EMUI 11 – Better Than Ever, More Powerful Than ever

Source: HUAWEI

We have pointed out before that HUAWEI’s Android based EMUI has come a long way from the early days of being and ‘iOS copy’. EMUI has matured to become a unique ecosystem and OS in its own rights.

While Always-on Display (AoD) is not all that new, there is a new revamp anyway on EMUI that makes AoD even better than before. Rather than just having a static display with preset layouts and graphics, EMUI allows you a little bit more creative space with AoD. They call it Dynamic Graphic AoD, you can take a short video or even put up different photos to spice up your AoD or completely change the layout of the AoD just to get the right looks on your HUAWEI Mate 40 device.

Source: HUAWEI

It does not stop there though, they also developed something called Eyes-on Display (EoD). That means your display only turns on when you look at the device. We are guessing that the mechanism uses the front-facing camera to track your eye movement to turn on the display just for the moment you look at the display. It displays the same AoD graphics that you have set for your device too, but it only displays when you look at the display. That is a nifty way to cut back on battery consumption and allow your device to last even longer.

Of course, multi-window is still possible. With the right apps you can have up to three apps open at the same time on the device. Of course, you are going to struggle a little bit with screen real estate at that point, but if you need to multitask with three different apps, EMUI 11 can handle it. The mechanics are exactly the same as well on EMUI 10.1.

Source: HUAWEI

They have improved multi-screen collaboration on HUAWEI devices with the new Mate40 series though. You can have your PC, HUAWEI Share enabled of course, running at least three different instances of your HUAWEI Mate40 device all running different apps or instances of a single app. It looks amazing, and we are betting that they should be amazing to work with in terms of productivity. You have to be using a HUAWEI smartphone with a HUAWEI notebook PC though.

The native email app received a little bit of an overhaul. Now you can opt to make your emails look like a chat or a messenger style chat app. The layout is sort of an optimisation for mobile devices and make full use of the small display real estate. It makes your email app looks better too somehow.

Speaking of apps, EMUI also introduced a new navigation app they call Petal Maps. We have not tried it, but it is a HUAWEI developed app that looks like a cross between Google Maps and Waze. In addition to the navigation app, they have Petal Search as well; a Google alternative to search engines made for mobile devices. They say that Petal Search also does not collect your information, does not track your location, and does not expose your preferences or data. We look forward to trying those.

On top of those new features, they took away a few things too. No, that is not a bad thing. It is to protect your privacy from prying eyes.

For example, to prevent unknown eyes from looking at your notifications on your lock screen, HUAWEI automatically hides the notifications from eyes and faces it does not recognise. If you gaze on it, it opens up with more information on the notification. When you share your screen or cast your screen to a smart display too, notifications will only be contained on your own smartphone display instead of the smart display. You can now make plans with your friends on the side while watching a movie casted from your HUAWEI Mate40 device.

The Penta-Camera Combo – HUAWEI’s Most Advanced Camera Ever

Source: HUAWEI

Before we start, we have to clarify that HUAWEI’s penta-camera set-up is not actually the first in the market. That honour has to go to Nokia and their PureView smartphone that has not seen the light of the market just yet. This is the first HUAWEI device to feature five cameras pointing out of the back of the glass back though.

The HUAWEI Mate40 Pro+ packs one 50-Megapixel Ultra Vision Camera with HUAWEI’s signature RYYB (Red Yellow Yellow Blue) sensor and built in Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS) out of the ceramic back. That main camera is supported by three other lenses that can do ultra-wide photos (20-Megapixel Cine Camera, 100o angle), optically zoom up to 3x ( 12-Megapixel Telephoto Cameaa), and even super zoom up to 10x optically (8-Megapixel SuperZoom Camera). There is an extra ToF 3D sensor in the array for depth information, so you can get stunningly accurate depth-of-field information on your photos. With the zoom lenses too, the HUAWEI Mate40 Pro+ can digitally zoom images at up to 100x, technically. You might not use that on a gallery poster though.

The cameras are not just for high-resolution photos though. They are also made for breath-taking videos. With cleverer image stabilisation, your 4K videos should look like they are shot on gimbals and big stabilisation rigs. HUAWEI really pulled all the stops for this one as well with AI Active Tracking. We mentioned earlier too that you do not have to move your device to capture a moving subject zoomed in, the image cropping algorithm just follows the subject and keeps the subject in consistent scale on your frame.

You can shoot videos at up to 3,840fps too, for ultra-slow-motion videos, but that mode is restricted to 720p resolution. Speaking of slow-motion videos though, you can now shoot at 240fps with no limits on your HUAWEI Mate40 device. Of course, it stops when your device overheats or when storage runs out.

Out the front is a combination of two cameras so that you can create stunning contents as well. There is a 13-Megapixel Ultra Vision Selfie Camera that can go up to 100o for a wider shot and a ToF 3D sensor for more accurate Depth information. This also means that the front-facing camera can shoot videos at up to 4K and even shoot unlimited 240fps videos at 1080p. Again, the limit is when you overheat your camera, when your battery runs out, or storage is full.

On both ends though, HUAWEI’s AI eliminates lens distortions. That means that your ultra-wide angle photos or wide-angle selfies will look like they were taken with a regular lens. Your face will not be stretched out and your subject will not look extra funky. This is brilliant stuff.

Everything Else

Source: HUAWEI

You see all of the greatness projected out to you via a large 6.76-inch display. It is an OLED panel that projects more than Full HD at 2,772 by 1,344 pixels. Of course, a modern smartphones needs a fast refreshing display and this keeps up at 90hz together with 240Hz sampling rate.

The curve on the sides are sharper than ever at 88o angle. That also means that your palms are technically touching the sides of the display when you hold it. You can still control the volumes using the virtual volume slide on the sides though, but the display is not your main source of interaction with the device anymore, the volume rocker button is back.

That is not all though, thanks to Kirin 9000’s cleverer NPU, air gesture controls are now much more powerful and precise. You do not even have to touch your device to interact with the device. Useful when you get your hands dirty. You can pick up calls, you can change screens, you can control your volume, you can even pause and play videos or music just via your hands moving in front of the display, like magic.

Of course, the processor is just part of the recipe for a smooth running, powerful device. You need a large RAM too, and the HUAWEI Mate40 Pro+ has 12GB of it. To contain all the content that you will be making with the HUAWEI Mate40 Pro+, there is a 256GB storage to boot.

Of course, HUAWEI is known for their super long-lasting battery. They are touting the Kirin 9000 to be more efficient than the current generation of SoCs out in the market. That also means that the 4,400mAh battery shoehorned into the device should last you a full day of use and maybe even more, depending on how you use your device. If you ever run out of battery and you need to get it going quick, the battery can take on 66W via HUAWEI SuperCharge (included in-the-box) through the USB Type-C port, and 50W wireless charging (Wireless HUAWEI SuperCharge sold separately).

Specifications

ProcessorHiSilicon Kirin 9000 5G w/ Dual NPU
Octa-core
1 x Cortex-A77@3.13 GHz
3 x Cortex-A77@2.54 GHz
4 x Cortex-A55@2.05 GHz
Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)24-core Mali-G78
RAM12GB
Memory (as tested)256GB
DisplayOLED 6.76-inch
2,772 x 1,344 pixels ~513ppi
HDR
90Hz refresh rate
240Hz response rate
100% DCI-P3
Operating SystemEMUI 11 based on Android 11
BatteryNon-Removable Li-Po 4,400 mAh
Fast Charging 60W (HUAWEI SuperCharge)
Fast Wireless Charging 50W (Wireless HUAWEI SuperCharge)
ConnectivityDual SIM
Wi-Fi WLAN 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax
GPS/A-GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS
A2DP
Bluetooth 5.2
OTG Support
USB 3.1 Type-C
NFC
Camera (s)REAR:
50 MP Ultra Vision Camera (Wide Angle, f/1.9 aperture, OIS) 
20 MP Cine Camera (Ultra-Wide Angle, f/2.4 aperture) 
12 MP Telephoto Camera (3x Optical Zoom, f/2.4 aperture, OIS)
8 MP SuperZoom Camera (10x Optical Zoom, f/4.4 aperture, OIS) 
3D Depth Sensing Camera, support AF
HDR
LED Flash
4K Video recording
720p@3,840fps
FRONT:
13 MP Ultra Vision Selfie Camera (Wide Angle, f/2.4)
3D Depth Sensing Camera
4K video recording
1080p@240fps
SensorsGesture Sensor
3D Face Recognition
Gravity Sensor
Infrared Sensor
Fingerprint Sensor
Barometric Pressure Sensor
Gyroscope
Compass
Ambient Light Sensor
Proximity Sensor
Laser Sensor
Colour Temperature Sensor
MiscellaneousStereo Speakers
IP68

HUAWEI Mate40 Pro

Source: HUAWEI

You do not need five cameras, you tell yourself. You do not need to spend as much money, you say. But you want that power, the same one as the HUAWEI Mate40 Pro+. Then the HUAWEI Mate 40 Pro is for you.

The HUAWEI Mate40 Pro is technically a twin sibling to the HUAWEI Mate 40 Pro+. It packs the same large 6.76-inch display with a very steep curve on the side. The body is made out of roughly the same materials too. Well, save for the ceramic back; the HUAWEI Mate40 Pro has a regular glass back.

Source: HUAWEI

It packs the Same HiSilicon Kirin 9000 though. That also means the HUAWEI Mate40 Pro’s EMUI 11 can work as well as the HUAWEI Mate 40 Pro+. You get the same air gesture controls, the same AoD or EoD, and probably around the same battery life with the 4,400 mAh battery.

The biggest visual difference, other than the variety of colour options, is the cameras. Up front, they are still the same sensors; a 13-Megapixel sensor with a ToF 3D depth sensor. It can still record 4K videos and 240fps 1080p videos as well.

The difference is at the back. There are two cameras less on the HUAWEI Mate40 Pro. You lose the ToF sensor and one telephoto lens. Instead you get a 50-Megapixel main sensor (same one as the HUAWEI Mate40 Pro+), a 20-Megapixel Ultra-Wide Cine Camera (same on as the HUAWEI Mate40 Pro+), and a 12-Megapixel Telephoto camera with 5x optical zoom capabilities.

Source: HUAWEI

You get the same camera modes too as the HUAWEI Mate40 Pro+. In that case, if you are looking at a slightly tighter budget, the HUAWEI Mate40 Pro might seem like a good choice. While there is only an 8GB RAM for the HUAWEI Mate40 Pro, the differences in experience should be minute enough that you might not notice at all.

Specifications

ProcessorHiSilicon Kirin 9000 5G w/ Dual NPU
Octa-core
1 x Cortex-A77@3.13 GHz
3 x Cortex-A77@2.54 GHz
4 x Cortex-A55@2.05 GHz
Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)24-core Mali-G78
RAM8GB
Memory (as tested)256GB
DisplayOLED 6.76-inch
2,772 x 1,344 pixels ~513ppi
HDR
90Hz refresh rate
240Hz response rate
100% DCI-P3
Operating SystemEMUI 11 based on Android 11
BatteryNon-Removable Li-Po 4,400 mAh
Fast Charging 60W (HUAWEI SuperCharge)
Fast Wireless Charging 50W (Wireless HUAWEI SuperCharge)
ConnectivityDual SIM
Wi-Fi WLAN 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax
GPS/A-GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS
A2DP
Bluetooth 5.2
OTG Support
USB 3.1 Type-C
NFC
Camera (s)REAR:
50 MP Ultra Vision Camera (Wide Angle, f/1.9 aperture, OIS)
20 MP Cine Camera (Ultra-Wide Angle, f/2.4 aperture)
12 MP Telephoto Camera (5x Optical Zoom, f/3.4 aperture, OIS)
HDR
LED Flash
4K Video recording
720p@3,840fps
FRONT:
13 MP Ultra Vision Selfie Camera (Wide Angle, f/2.4)
3D Depth Sensing Camera
4K video recording
1080p@240fps
SensorsGesture Sensor
3D Face Recognition
Gravity Sensor
Infrared Sensor
Fingerprint Sensor
Barometric Pressure Sensor
Gyroscope
Compass
Ambient Light Sensor
Proximity Sensor
Laser Sensor
Colour Temperature Sensor
MiscellaneousStereo Speakers
IP68

HUAWEI Mate40

Source: HUAWEI

Then there is the most regular and basic of the bunch. The HUAWEI Mate40 is the entry level to the series of high-end devices. It is also a smaller device with a 6.5-inch display. It is still an OLED panel with 90Hz refresh rate and 240hz response rate. But it is not as high-resolution as its other siblings at 2,376 by 1,080 pixels (Full HD+).

It is still virtually as powerful with the HiSilicon Kirin 9000E (one less NPU core, 22-core Mali G78) SoC though. Like the Mate40 Pro it packs an 8GB of RAM, though storage is a step smaller at 128GB. Unlike both the Mate40 Pro and Mate40 Pro+, it only has a single 13-Megapixel front-facing camera for selfies but still support the same 4K video recording and 1080p@240fps videos.

Source: HUAWEI

The back of the device shares more similarities with the HUAWEI Mate40 Pro though. It only has three cameras mounted at the back, like the HUAWEI Mate40 Pro. The 50-Megapixel camera stays but the Cine Camera is a 16-Megapixel unit rather than a 20-Megapixel shooter. The telephoto lens an 8-Megapixel shooter is capable of 3x optical zoom.

It even has a slightly smaller battery compared to the other devices in the series. It has a 4,200mAh battery compared to the 4,400mAh on the two bigger devices. We suspect that the battery size difference is also due to the size constraints of both devices. The battery charges at 40W with HUAWEI’s SuperCharge technology via USB Type-C, and the device features no wireless charger.

Specifications

ProcessorHiSilicon Kirin 9000E 5G w/ Dual NPU
Octa-core
1 x Cortex-A77@3.13 GHz
3 x Cortex-A77@2.54 GHz
4 x Cortex-A55@2.05 GHz
Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)22-core Mali-G78
RAM8GB
Memory (as tested)256GB
DisplayOLED 6.5-inch
2,376 x 1,080 pixels ~513ppi
HDR
90Hz refresh rate
240Hz response rate
Operating SystemEMUI 11 based on Android 11
BatteryNon-Removable Li-Po 4,200 mAh
Fast Charging 40W (HUAWEI SuperCharge)
ConnectivityDual SIM
Wi-Fi WLAN 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax
GPS/A-GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS
A2DP
Bluetooth 5.2
OTG Support
USB 3.1 Type-C
NFC
Camera (s)REAR:
50 MP Ultra Vision Camera (Wide Angle, f/1.9 aperture, OIS)
26 MP Cine Camera (Ultra-Wide Angle, f/2.4 aperture)
8 MP Telephoto Camera (3x Optical Zoom, f/2.4 aperture, OIS)
LED Flash
4K Video recording
720p@3,840fps
FRONT:
13 MP Ultra Vision Selfie Camera (Wide Angle, f/2.4)
4K video recording
1080p@240fps
SensorsGesture Sensor
3D Face Recognition
Gravity Sensor
Infrared Sensor
Fingerprint Sensor
Barometric Pressure Sensor
Gyroscope
Compass
Ambient Light Sensor
Proximity Sensor
Laser Sensor
Colour Temperature Sensor
MiscellaneousStereo Speakers
IP68

Porsche Design HUAWEI Mate40 RS

Then there is the one that HUAWEI has been saving for last. This is the most premium Mate series going to be in production. The Porsche Design HUAWEI Mate40 RS is here.

When I say more premium though, I am referring to its price point. Everything that is built into the device points to the fact that it is a HUAWEI Mate40 Pro+ under the skin. It is a Porsche Design product, so it looks different with the Ceramic back and colour options too. Instead of a clean round shape of the Space Ring, the Porsche Design HUAWEI Mate40 RS has an octagonal shape to it, more angular. The plain smooth back of the Mate40 Pro+ is now littered with powerlines that is inspired from the modern Porsche sports cars.

  • Source: HUAWEI
  • Source: HUAWEI
  • Source: HUAWEI
  • Source: HUAWEI

The only big differentiator in performance is the extra temperature sensor that is encircled by the five-camera set up. Even the camera set-up is similar to the Mate40 Pro+, save for the extra temperature sensor. The differences, in this case, is only skin deep. Oh, of course the other difference is on the price tag.

Specifications

ProcessorHiSilicon Kirin 9000 5G w/ Dual NPU
Octa-core
1 x Cortex-A77@3.13 GHz
3 x Cortex-A77@2.54 GHz
4 x Cortex-A55@2.05 GHz
Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)24-core Mali-G78
RAM12GB
Memory (as tested)256GB
DisplayOLED 6.76-inch
2,772 x 1,344 pixels ~513ppi
HDR
90Hz refresh rate
240Hz response rate
100% DCI-P3
Operating SystemEMUI 11 based on Android 11
BatteryNon-Removable Li-Po 4,400 mAh
Fast Charging 60W (HUAWEI SuperCharge)
Fast Wireless Charging 50W (Wireless HUAWEI SuperCharge)
ConnectivityDual SIM
Wi-Fi WLAN 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax
GPS/A-GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS
A2DP
Bluetooth 5.2
OTG Support
USB 3.1 Type-C
NFC
Camera (s)REAR:
50 MP Ultra Vision Camera (Wide Angle, f/1.9 aperture, OIS)
20 MP Cine Camera (Ultra-Wide Angle, f/2.4 aperture)
12 MP Telephoto Camera (3x Optical Zoom, f/2.4 aperture, OIS)
8 MP SuperZoom Camera (10x Optical Zoom, f/4.4 aperture, OIS)
3D Depth Sensing Camera, support AF
Colour Temperature Sensor
HDR
LED Flash
4K Video recording
720p@3,840fps
FRONT:
13 MP Ultra Vision Selfie Camera (Wide Angle, f/2.4)
3D Depth Sensing Camera
4K video recording
1080p@240fps
SensorsGesture Sensor
3D Face Recognition
Gravity Sensor
Infrared Sensor
Fingerprint Sensor
Barometric Pressure Sensor
Gyroscope
Compass
Ambient Light Sensor
Proximity Sensor
Laser Sensor
Colour Temperature Sensor
MiscellaneousStereo Speakers
IP68

Pricing and Availability

  • Source: HUAWEI
  • Source: HUAWEI
  • Source: HUAWEI
  • Source: HUAWEI
  • Source: HUAWEI
  • Source: HUAWEI
  • Source: HUAWEI
  • Source: HUAWEI
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  • Source: HUAWEI
  • Source: HUAWEI
  • Source: HUAWEI
  • Source: HUAWEI
  • Source: HUAWEI
  • Source: HUAWEI
  • Source: HUAWEI

They did not mention when the devices will start shipping out to customers. The HUAWEI Mate40 and the HUAWEI Mate40 Pro will be available in Mystic Silver, White, Black, Green (Vegan leather), and Yellow (Vegan Leather) colour options. The HUAWEI Mate40 Pro+ and Porsche Design HUAWEI Mate40 RS will be available exclusively in Ceramic White or Ceramic Black.

The HUAWEI Mate40 (8GB + 128GB) will be available for EUR€ 899 (MYR*). The HUAWEI Mate40 Pro (8GB + 256GB) will set you back EUR€ 1,199 (MYR*). The HUAWEI Mate40 Pro+ will be priced at EUR€ 1,399 (MYR*), while the Porsche Design HUAWEI Mate40 RS will be available for EUR€2,295 (MYR*). We will be keeping a close ear to the ground for local pricing and availability.

*Based on approximate exchange rate of EUR€ 1 = MYR 4.91 as of 23/10/2020

Android, Computers, Lifestyle, Mobile, News

Google Assistant Is Now Integrated Deeper Than Ever With App Actions

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It is completely fair and not overstating to say that the Google Assistant has become one of the Google’s most important products. While people are still fantasizing of contact-less computing experience, which is still not realized by most people, Google Assistant has already worked its way into the society through variety of products like the Google Home and Chromecast. Google Assistant, we can safely say, has become a big part of plenty of people’s lives.

Google has added several new features to the Assistant this year, making it better and more helpful to users. The virtual assistant is now gaining the ability to open up, search, and perform general tasks across your favorite apps. As long as you have an Android phone that is Assistant-enabled, you will be able to open and search within Android apps just by calling; “Hey Google,” or “Okay Google.”

Google has kicked off this deeper integration by partnering with over 30 of the top apps on the Google Play store. Here a list of some of the apps such as Nike Adapt, Nike Run Club, Spotify, Snapchat, Twitter and of course more.

Source: Google

The new integration will allow you to do things that need several taps in the apps themselves. For instance, apps like Nike Run Club can be easily accessed without needing users physical input. This can be huge time saver.

For all the apps that support Google Assistant, you can simply create a shortcut phrases for it and it will perform whatever preset actions for you. Nike’s Adapt training shoes could be a great example. Through Google Assistant, could create a preset action command and get your shoes to automatically tighten itself on your feet. All done via Google’s voice command, something that dreams are made of.

Source: Google

The new usefulness is a major advance towards Google offering a totally without hands processing experience. While Android 11 previously included some genuinely incredible voice control openness choices, this adds much greater usefulness to the Google Assistant.

Google says the Assistant will be able to work with more apps in the near future. You could be a part of this exciting future though by creating these shortcuts and allow developers to map users’ intent to get Google Assistant to integrate with their favourite apps. Stay tuned and be excited for more fantasy acts.

Android, Mobile, News

Samsung Galaxy F41 – The New Kid in Town

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Samsung is one of the world’s largest smartphone manufacturer. They are larger than anyone else for a reason though. They never fail to amaze and surprise the likes of us, for example. One of the surprises that they came to is their new Galaxy F series launched on the 8th October.

The Samsung Galaxy F though is designed and made in India. The Galaxy F series will start in India as a mid-range option. The mid-range option from Samsung will emphasize camera functionality. That is culminated into the first Samsung Galaxy F device that is the Samsung Galaxy F41

Source: Samsung

That being said, the Samsung Galaxy F41 comes with a relatively high-resolution camera. Samsung’s new Galaxy F41 comes with a triple camera – a 64-Megapixel main camera, an 8MP Ultra-Wide sensor and a 5-Megapixel depth sensor. According to GeekBench scores that has been running around the internet lately, the party of cameras are apparently running on the Samsung Exynos 9611. The Samsung Galaxy F41 packs 6GB of RAM, and runs on Android 10.

Out of the 6.4-inch Full HD Super AMOLED display up front is a 32-Megapixel front-facing camera with smart beauty function. We are not kidding when we say that Samsung wants this to be a photography beast.

Source: Samsung

The Samsung Galaxy F41 does come with a large 6,000mAh battery that is quoted to last up to 26 hours with non-stop videos. That also means that the device should last more than a full day on a single charge. 15W USB Fast-Charging takes you from zero percent to full in just only 160 minutes, in case you need that kind of power.

In the box is a modern USB Type-C to USB Type-C data cable and a USB Type-C 15W Fast Charger, among other usual things. Curiously, the Samsung Galaxy F is only made for the Indian market. In Malaysia we see Samsung launching the M31 entry-level device with very similar specs to the Samsung Galaxy F with some extras in the camera department.

  • Source: Samsung
  • Source: Samsung
  • Source: Samsung
  • Source: Samsung
  • Source: Samsung
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  • Source: Samsung
  • Source: Samsung
  • Source: Samsung
  • Source: Samsung

The Samsung Galaxy F41 is available in Fusion Black, Fusion Green, and Fusion Blue colour finishes. You can choose between a 64GB storage option or a larger 128GB option. The device is an India exclusive device and is already available for purchase. It will set you back from INR 15,499 (Approx. MYR 875*) onward. More information on the Samsung Galaxy F41 on their website.

* Based on approximate conversion rate of INR 100 = MYR 5.65 as of 19/10/2020

Android, Mobile, News

Samsung Galaxy S20 FE Touchscreen Issues Reported

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Samsung is no stranger to touchscreen issues with reports having surfaced for their past models including the Galaxy Note 9. But, after the lackluster performance of one of their biggest flagships with the S20 series, you’d think that they would have ironed out the issues when it comes to the Galaxy S20 Fan Edition (FE). The Galaxy S20 FE is Samsung’s effort in making their flagships more affordable and bringing the fight to devices such as the Pixel 5 and the OnePlus Nord.

While it seems like the new Galaxy S20 FE budget flagship might be Samsung’s magic pony, reports have surfaced that its well priced Full HD+, 120Hz screen has been a pain for some users. The reports highlight issues with the accuracy of the touch input on the touchscreen. The reports aren’t an isolated issue as they are now trending on Reddit and Samsung’s own Community forums.

Source: Samsung

In addition, users are also reporting issues with input lag, keyboard failure, poor input response and even jittery scrolling on the Galaxy S20 FE touchscreen. Some users are also reporting issues regarding the screen being overtly sensitive and registering taps as swipes. Guess what? Some of them have had to reboot the phone in order to get the touchscreen working again.

Considering the phone only went on sale recently, we can’t be sure that the issue isn’t a few isolated cases. However, issues like these will still irritate users. However, the prevalence of the issue is worrying with more reports surfacing since the initial reports. We can only hope that the issue isn’t one with the panel itself and Samsung rolls out a software patch to fix it soon. Samsung has yet to respond since the initial report.

Android, Mobile, News

Bixby – Your Personal Assistant No More…Maybe?

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Rumours have been spreading about Samsung’s digital assistant being retired in favour of deeper integration of the Google Assistant. Lending more credence to the rumour is Samsung’s apparent removal of several AR features from Bixby Vision.

Samsung has already sent notices to its users that they will be discontinuing some of the features in Bixby Vision. The notice sent out late last month mentioned the removal of features such as Styling, Home, Decor and Places by the end of October. These features may return in some form with partnerships to enhance the AR features but the likelihood of that happening at this point seems slim.

While the discontinuation and removal of a bulk of AR features from Bixby may seem like a sudden move, it’s not surprising. Samsung was a late player to the game when it came to virtual assistants with companies like Google, Amazon and Microsoft spearheading development. However, more recent rumours point to Google actually offering Samsung a large sum of money to drop Bixby in favour for deeper Google Assistant integration into the company’s ecosystem.

That said, minimising or removing Bixby would be counter intuitive for Samsung. The company announced a few years ago that the Bixby would be the cornerstone of their Galaxy Ecosystem. In fact, they went in depth during their Southeast Asia – Oceania (SEAO) forum held in Singapore. They were detailing the integrations that would be pursued.

That being the case, this development is definitely one we’ll be keeping our eye on.

Android, Mobile, News

Vivo Introduces a New Smartphone Concept – Detachable cameras

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Vivo is that one smartphone brand that is not shy in introducing new and funky features in a smartphone. This is especially true with it comes to camera placements on a smartphone. They introduced the world to the idea of a deca-core smartphone. They were also the first to hide their front facing camera in a pop-up mechanism that appears only when you need it. This year, Vivo Apex spearheads the under-display selfie camera era. Today, Vivo is taking the spotlight once more with a novel smartphone camera that is not even on the smartphone.

The new concept device from Vivo comes with a front camera that they call IFEA. It is a camera front facing camera that can be detached from the body of the device. For all intents and purposes, it is still a regular pop-up front-facing selfie camera. It just happens to be removable once it has popped out and has been activated. Once detached, the camera module is supposedly voice activated. This modular design from the Chinese company has won the Red Dot Design Award.

It does sound like a very interesting feature, this pop-up detachable thing. This new IFEA smartphone design aims to provide consumers with a new photography system and experience which is totally different from what usually offered by a smartphone. It integrates enhanced users-friendly shooting features anytime and anywhere.

Beside, there is another one on the Red Dot website that shows the display and the back of Vivo phone. The screen is seamless, without notches or punch holes. The back features a dedicated main camera as well to suggest that the detachable stuff is only for the front camera.

Source: Vivo/Red Dot

Vivo also stated that the IFEA module will come with multiple accessories and support mechanisms with different modes to increase the stability and storage of the device. Some accessories were also shown such as a magnetic attachment, clips for wrists and a collar mount for dogs, to make better use of the removable camera.

It’s unclear how Vivo plans to use this modular camera design. So far, the device is just in its concept phase and there are no clear intentions from Vivo themselves to make the device commercially available. Stay tuned though, we are keeping our ears close to the ground, just in case Vivo changes their mind.

Source: Android Central

Android, iOS, Lifestyle, Mobile, News

New Features in Waze, New Experiences on Waze

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Finding it difficult to search for routes while driving? Waze’s new features are helping drivers to get back on the road safer and faster (Not driving faster, mind you). So far there are seven new features from Waze that is now available in app.

Nearly everyone uses Waze to get to another destination these days (at least in Malaysia). Thanks to users everywhere, Waze is able to partner with municipalities and transit authorities to ease traffic and reduce congestion. The community based app, in some sense, has done more for the motorists than governments.

Source: Waze

Waze will now provide all sorts of new information to drivers before even leaving for a drive. Waze delivers information such as travel times, or even traffic predictions based on past and current driving history. It even gives you personalised recommendations based on your driving data.

Waze can now also show drivers the recent destinations so that drivers would not need to keep searching for an address again within the Waze app. They are now what Waze calls “Front and center” on the app for easy access. No more fumbling with your smartphone in the car.

Source: Waze

The app now also saves Live data for your convenience. Again, using past and current driving and navigation data, even your input, Waze keeps your itinerary for you. That allows you to technically just turn on the app every morning, for example, and start driving to work, wherever it is. The app will also tell you when is the best time to leave for work depending on the conditions on the road on specific days.

It is dangerous for you to work with your smartphone on-the-move, especially when you are driving. You would want to minimise your interaction with the smartphone. Thing is, when your car is running out of fuel, you might panic and start fumbling the device to search for the nearest petrol kiosk. Panic not, quickly open the Waze app and with the quick search, helpful location badges and bubles, including fuel stations will appear to you.

Source: Waze

Lane Guidance is a livesafer in a lot of cases. It is a feature that is long awaited on the ever popular navigation app. The new feature Lane Guidance will tell users which lane to be in to ensure that you do not miss a turning.

2020 is an odd year. With the pandemic situation, it is difficult to not just move around. It is difficult to predict traffic. Waze has somehow improved their brilliant ETA (Estimated Time of Arrival) algorithm. That means it is even more accurate in areas with less drivers, and it is better at predicting changes in traffic patterns.

  • Source: Waze
  • Source: Waze

The most exciting new feature is the Batman Theme. The Waze users can activate the Batman experience on Waze either selecting the famous voice of Batman (Kelvin Conroy) or The Riddler (Wally Wingert) to let them drive with new experience with English, Portuguese and Spanish until 30 October 2020. The Waze app is a free app available on Android and iOS devices on Google Play Store and Apple App Store respectively.

Android, Mobile, News

OPPO Spices Up Mid-range Line up with the A93

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OPPO’s not letting the current state of affairs get it down. Instead, the company has released one of its most affordable midrange smartphones yet – The OPPO A93.

The OPPO A93 is third generation of OPPO’s mid range A series. The A series kicked off slightly over a year ago with the A90 which brought OPPO’s camera technology to the forefront of their midrange. The tradition continues with OPPO equipping the new A93 with a whopping 6 cameras – 2 in the front and 4 at the back. The selfie cameras are a 16-megapixel main camera with an f/2.4 aperture and a 2-megapixel depth sensor for the portrait shots that OPPO is known for. On the back, the quad camera setup consists of a 48-megapixel main sensor with an f/1.7 aperture and phase detection autofocus (PDAF), an 8-megapixel sensor with an f/2.2 aperture, and two 2-megapixel mono sensors with an f/2.4 aperture for depth sensing.

Aside from the camera, the OPPO A93 comes with a large 4,000mAh battery with support for 18W fast charging. The battery powers an octacore MediaTek Helio P95 clocked at 2.2GHz. The processor is complemented by a 8GB of RAM and 128GB of on board UFS2.1 memory. It also supports up to an additional 512GB of memory via the microSD card slot. The OPPO A93 has a triple card slot which houses the microSD card as well as 2 SIMS.

The smartphone is equipped with a 6.43-inch display. The panel is an AMOLED panel with a Full HD+ resolution of 2400×1080 pixels. The screen supports a 60Hz refresh rate with a pixel density of 409ppi with a 20:9 aspect ratio. The screen covers 90.7% of the phone’s facade. It is also equipped with Gorilla Glass 3+ scratch resistance.

The OPPO A93 will be running ColorOS 7.2 a top Android 10. It will bring most of the features that OPPO phones have become well known for including the personalisation options that the Android skin allows.

Pricing & Availability

The OPPO A93 will be up for pre-order starting 6 October 2020. Pre-orders end on 9 October 2020. Pre-orders will be entitled to free gifts, an exclusive umbrella and an OPPO fre It will be available in stores starting 10 October 2020.

The A93 will be available in Matte Black and Metallic White. It will cost MYR1,299 (USD$312.74).

Official Specifications 

Dimensions & WeightDimensions: About 7.48mm x 73.8mm x 160.1mm
Weight: About 164g  
Display16.34cm Dual Punch-hole Display
2400×1080 pixels;
FHD+
AMOLED
60HZ Refresh Rate;
20:9 Screen Ratio 90.7% Screen to Body Ratio;
409 PPI
Gorilla Glass 3+  
PlatformMKT Helio P95
CPU type& Speed : 8-core, 2.2Ghz  
Storage8GB RAM LPDDR4
128GB ROM UFS 2.1
Dual-SIM,
Micro-SD can be extended to 256 GB.
3 card slot
Battery4000mAh
18W Fast Charge
Fingerprint SensorIn-Display Fingerprint 3.0  
Rear Camera48MP Main（F1.8）1/2” Sensor 8MP Wide Angle（F2.2）1/4” Sensor 2MP Mono（F2.4）1/5” Sensor 2M Mono（F2.4）1/5” Sensor
Front Camera16MP Main Camera（F2.4）1/3” Sensor 2MP Depth Camera（F2.4）1/5” Sensor  
ColorOSColorOS 7.2 based on Android 10  
ColorsMatte Black / Metallic White