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.
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.
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 & Weight
Dimensions: About 7.48mm x 73.8mm x 160.1mm Weight: About 164g
Display
16.34cm 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+
Platform
MKT Helio P95 CPU type& Speed : 8-core, 2.2Ghz
Storage
8GB RAM LPDDR4 128GB ROM UFS 2.1 Dual-SIM, Micro-SD can be extended to 256 GB. 3 card slot
When Xiaomi introduced the Mi 9T and Mi 9T Pro last year, the device became a sensation. It was one of the best value-for-money buys that you can make in the year 2019 and it was something that really caught our attention. It performed admirably too, definitely one of the best smartphones to come out of 2020. Then comes the big question. How do you follow up from such a smartphone?
Last night was Xiaomi’s answer to that question of replacing the Xiaomi Mi 9T series. The answer was a plain and simple Xiaomi Mi 10T series. Of course, the series branches out into three devices to cover three different market segments.
Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro
Source: Xiaomi
The most powerful device in the series is obviously the ‘Pro’. It is quite expected at this point, with that naming moniker. Obviously as well, the device packs the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 System on a Chip (SoC), the most powerful Qualcomm SoC before the Snapdragon 856+ launched.
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 is a rather powerful chip still though. That powerful SoC with Adreno 650 GPU combined with 8GB of RAM is sure to make the Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro the most powerful smartphone the Chinese manufacturer has seen in their stables. All that power will be accentuated by the write and read speeds of the 256GB (up to) UFS 3.1 memory module.
Source: Xiaomi
This Android 12 with MIUI 12 device runs on a large 5,000mAh battery to keep everything running from morning to night, and even more. If not, the Xiaomi Mi 10T super-fast charges at 33W. All that is wrapped in a mix of glass body and aluminium frame.
The front of the device is mostly plain Corning Gorilla Glass 5 housing the large 6.67-inch TrueColor DotDisplay. At 144Hz the Full HD+ display feels smooth and snappy, a real difference in experiencing MIUI 12. Yes, you read that right; 144Hz, not 120Hz.
Source: Xiaomi
That super-fast gaming-centric display is not just fast though. It is a properly pretty display with P3 colour gamut and TrueColor for more accurate colours. They also understand that not all contents are displayed at 144Hz, so the display also comes with AdaptiveSync and Motion Estimation, Motion Compensation (MEMC) technologies to match framerates and make it seem like your 60Hz videos play at 120Hz or even 144Hz.
At the corner of the display is a 20-Megapixel front facing camera to ensure your selfies look good. Of course, that is not the only camera that the device has. It is a modern flagship after all. Out the back then is a large 108-Megapixel sensor supported by a 13-Megapixel ultra-wide camera and 5-Megapixel macro camera. No telephoto nonsense here. That 108-Megapixel shooter gives the Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro the ability to shoot videos at 8K resolution.
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Xiaomi Mi 10T
Source: Xiaomi
A step down from the Pro is the regular Xiaomi Mi 10T. Technically, there is not much in difference between the Xiaomi Mi 10T and Mi 10T Pro. The Xiaomi Mi 10T packs the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 SoC as the Mi 10T Pro.
You can even get it with up to 8GB RAM arrangement with 128GB of memory in tow too, comparable to the Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro. Both packs the same sized display with the same refresh rate and colour calibration. Both also pack the same battery size at 5,000mAh.
The difference is out the back of the device. The Xiaomi Mi 10T also still has the same smaller 13-Megapixel Ultra-wide shooter and 5-Megapixel macro camera at the back. But instead of the powerful 108-Megapixel camera, it is a 64-Megapixel sensor in place. This could be the next best value device of the year, we think.
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Mi 10T Lite
Source: Xiaomi
If you are looking for something that is more considerate for your wallet, then there is the Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite. As its name suggest, this is sort of the baby Xiaomi Mi 10T. Of course, you cannot expect it to be anywhere near as powerful as the bigger brother, the Xiaomi Mi 10T and the Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro too.
It packs the power of a Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G SoC for big performance at a budget. The 750G also packs 5G capabilities for good measure, in case you want a taste of it when it is available. But it is also still powerful enough to run your PUBG Mobile smoothly.
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G that is paired with 6GB of RAM space is powerful enough to power MIUI 12 based on Android 11 on the 120Hz 6,67-inch Full HD display. The display is nicely protected against weather and other abuse via a Corning Gorilla Glass. Under that same glass at the top of the display is a 16-Megapixel front-facing shooter.
Source: Xiaomi
Out the back, you also find a Corning Gorilla Glass 5 to house a 64-Megapixel main shooter. That main shooter is paired with an 8-Megapixel ultra-wide camera, a 2-Megapixel Macro lens, and a 2-Megapixel depth sensor making it a quad-camera set-up effectively.
Keeping everything running all day long is a 4,820mAh battery. While that is still smaller than the Xiaomi Mi 10T and Mi 10T Pro, it is a decent battery size. If you need to get it charged, the 33W charger in the box should fix you up quickly.
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Specifications
Mi 10T Pro
Mi 10T
Mi 10T Lite
Display
144Hz 6.67″ TrueColor DotDisplay 20:9 aspect ratio, 2400×1080 FHD+, AdaptiveSync display: 30Hz/48Hz/50Hz/60Hz/90Hz/120Hz/144Hz Support MEMC Support DCI-P3, HDR10 Brightness: 500 nits (typ), 650 nits max brightness (typ) Color contrast ratio: 1500:1 (typ) Sunlight display 3.0, Reading mode 3.0 TÜV Rheinland Low Blue Light certification 360° ambient light sensor
144Hz 6.67″ TrueColor DotDisplay 20:9 aspect ratio, 2400×1080 FHD+, AdaptiveSync display: 30Hz/48Hz/50Hz/60Hz/90Hz/120Hz/144Hz Support MEMC Support DCI-P3, HDR10 Brightness: 500 nits (typ), 650 nits max brightness (typ) Color contrast ratio: 1500:1 (typ) Sunlight display 3.0, Reading mode 3.0 TÜV Rheinland Low Blue Light certification 360° ambient light sensor
Alongside the Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro, Mi 10T, and Mi 10T Lite, Xiaomi introduces their new Mi Watch (not to be confused with Apple Watch). The Mi Watch is made for the active Mi fans with its bright AMOLED display measuring in at 1.39-inch in diameter displaying all the things you need to know about your lifestyle.
The Mi Watch can keep track of up to 117 kinds of exercises in all different modes. There are six different sensors and a GPS tracker to offer you all the sorts of information you need for a healthy lifestyle. The best part though, is that you only need to charge the Mi Watch once in every 16 days.
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Availability and Pricing
The Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro, Mi 10T, and Mi 10T Lite will be launching in Malaysia very soon. In fact, it is supposed to be launched locally on the 6th of October 2020. The Xiaomi Mi Watch is also expected to make an appearance at the local launch. There are no confirmed prices yet at this point. We will be updating this page very soon with that information.
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
UPDATE: The Xiaomi Mi Watch will be available in Malaysia from December 6th onward in Malaysia. No prices have been announced at this time, but we are expecting it to be priced well below the MYR 1,299 mark. The Xiaomi Mi 10T series will be available in regular and Pro variant for MYR 1,699 (8GB + 128GB) and MYR 1,999 (8GB + 256GB). The Xiaomi Mi 10T and Mi 10T Pro is available 9th October onward in all Mi authorised stores, official concept stores, and partner online retailers across Malaysia. No news on the Mi 10T Lite.
Source: Xiaomi
UPDATE 2: Xiaomi is holding their first ever roadshow for the Mi 10T and the Mi10T Pro in four locations across Malaysia. The road show will be held on the 9th to the 11th of October 2020 in Sunway Pyramid, One Utama (Mi Store), Gurney Plaza Penang (Mi Store), and Paradigm Mall JB (Mi Store). If you are one of the first 450 customers to buy the Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro, you are entitled to get a free Mi LED 4S 55-inch television alongside a Mi True Wireless Earphone 2 Basic. The first 3,000 customers are entitled to the Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 Basic. Your purchase of the Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro also comes with 6-months of Netflix Mobile Plan subscription for free.
UPDATE 3: The first sales roadshow of the Xiaomi Mi 10T and Mi 10T Pro is now exclusively online, in light of the current pandemic situation. The first sales campaign will still happen on all Xiaomi’s online sales platforms including their official store on Lazada from 9 October 2020 onward. The exhibition planned at Sunway Pyramid on the same day will still happen for experiential purposes only.
The question of ‘hackability’ and the overall security of our smartphones is one of those issues that seems to pop up in the news. After all, we use our smartphones for just about anything – sharing photos, ordering food, shopping online, sending emails and messages, banking and financial services, etc. – without realising all of the ways we could be putting our device and ourselves at risk, allowing cyber-criminals to get access to our sensitive data.
While many of us are better informed today about the potential dangers of being connected on our smartphones, hackers and cyber-criminals are also changing their methods of attack. As the global pandemic have left many of us stuck at home and more reliant than ever on our mobile devices, cyber-criminals have also adapted new ways to target users. Over the Movement Control Order (MCO), cybersecurity cases spiked by 82.5% compared to the same time last year, with 18% attributed to attacks against local companies and the remaining linked to home users and others[1].
Recognising Cyberattacks and the Need for Cyber-resilience
Among the new waves of attacks brought on by the pandemic are COVID-19 themed phishing lures, high-risk fake domains, and scams[2]. These new methods employed by cyber-criminals are aimed at taking advantage of the public fear of the virus, combined with heightened stress levels from unfamiliar ways of working. The most common attacks in Malaysia can be attributed to phishing attempts, the spread of malicious code via untrustworthy websites, and passwords, as below:
Phishing Emails – Reports have found that 91% of all attacks begin with a phishing email to an unsuspecting victim, with 32% of all successful breaches involve the use of phishing techniques[3]. While many of us have been educated on recognising phishing emails, these attacks are still effective, and can fool even tech-savvy individuals.
Malicious Websites – Compromised websites is a main avenue for spreading malware infections on mobile devices. Limiting your browsing activity to reputable websites can reduce the possibility of infection.
Password Security – A survey revealed that 59% of respondents use the same password for multiple accounts, citing convenience and a fear of forgetting their password as the reason for this practice[4]. However, this allows cyber-criminals to access all your accounts easily through one single credential. Therefore, it is advisable to use different passwords across accounts.
Cyberattacks continue to grow day-by-day, and it is crucial that we learn to minimise risk, with good cyber habits being a pivotal and essential first step in combatting threats.
Defending your Smartphone, the Moment it is Turned On
As such, while it is important to take steps and measures to protect yourself online, it is also crucial to have a strong security platform on your smartphone, helping you encrypt and secure confidential data. Most smartphone breaches happen because they may not be equipped with advanced security measures, have outdated systems that may not be able to withstand current attacks. Similarly, smartphone owners may also not consider the importance of securing their phones or performing regular security check-ups. However, there are certain devices that come with a safe and secure in-built mobile interface to keep your personal data protected.
For example, Samsung Knox sets a foundation of security to users at both the hardware and software level as a security platform that’s integrated within Samsung smartphones, tablets, and wearables to protect it against malicious threats. Whether it is protection against phishing attacks or potential malware infections, the Samsung Knox platform has security integrated into its DNA, providing multi-layered security with data encryption and run-time protection within Samsung devices to keep sensitive information safe from online threats. Users can safeguard passwords, save private files under a secured folder, and even secure mobile transactions with Samsung Knox. Getting to know your security platforms is just as important when considering the range of services that is available to ensure that it is updated to meet global information and technology security requirements. This helps its users stay ahead of the modern-day threats with its game-changing security features.
Given that smartphone usage has only grown exponentially over the past few years, it is important that we have more security platforms allowing us the freedom and peace-of-mind in staying connected. Similar to how Samsung Knox have.
On top of having a top-tier security platform for your data, having that protection extended to all the essentials in a mobile device is equally important. While many of us are familiar with installing apps on our phones, we may be unfamiliar with the authenticity of the sources producing these apps. Learning to identify unverified and suspicious sources can help users identify potentially harmful apps.
Similar to how Samsung devices come built-in with Google Mobile Services (GMS) to help ensure that your vital applications have the latest updates and patches from verified sources, using trusted sources from well-known app stores like Google Play can help protect you from downloading and installing apps that can harm your devices.
Staying Secure, Safe, and Savvy about Security
Cyberattacks are nothing new, the challenge is in identifying and combatting the updated approach that many cybercriminals are using when it comes to their targets and the frequency of their attacks. Whether it is a hacking attempt by a third-party app or a fraud email redirecting you to a malicious website, most cybercriminals have one common goal: exploit your personal data and use that data to make profit. As such, it is critical that we keep our sensitive information protected at all costs, with the help of a smartphone built with highly advanced security features to always keep you safe from unwanted threats.
The Samsung Galaxy S20 was launched earlier this year in March. It was touted as a very capable device with what plenty of fans wanted from a Samsung Galaxy device. In theory, it sounded like the Samsung Galaxy S20 was a capable smartphone with all its bells and whistles. In reality, its price point is a little steep for its price point and that made it a little less desirable.
It has come to this, the new smartphone that will correct all the problems with the ultra-premium S20 line-up. The regular Samsung Galaxy S20 line-up starts at MYR 3,599. The new Samsung Galaxy S20 Fan Edition (FE) will go for MYR 3,399 instead, even cheaper than the regular Samsung Galaxy S20 device.
Source: Samsung
What do you get for MYR 3,399? You get the best parts of the Samsung Galaxy S20 device in a package at a more reachable price point, in short. You get a 32-Megapixel front-facing camera greeting you as you lift the device to face you. This is an even higher resolution than what you are getting from a regular Samsung Galaxy S20.
The display might seem like a little bit of a downgrade at first with no curved edges. It is not technically a downgrade though as you are still working with a Full HD+ 120Hz display for a super smooth experience. It is not like you are getting a much smaller display with the Super AMOLED Infinity-O display measuring at 6.5-inch.
Source: Samsung
Turn it around and you see a sort of matte textured back that makes it stand out in the crowd a little bit. It comes in six funky colours too, to fit your personalities and moods. It comes in Cloud Red, Cloud Orange, Cloud Lavender, Cloud Mint, Cloud Navy, and Cloud White. These colours are completely new to the Samsung Galaxy S line up and is more inline with the Samsung Galaxy Note20 series colours as well, so some premium touch there.
The matte backing surrounds a triple camera module that is the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE’s main shooters. It houses a main 12-Megapixel camera flanked by a 12-Megapixel ultra-wide sensor and an 8-Megapixel telephoto sensor making the photo trinity. You can take advantage of all the cameras at a single touch via Samsung’s Single Take feature in the camera app. The telephoto lens and main shooter combination give the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE the very impressive 30X Space Zoom capabilities too.
Within all the prettiness and IP68 rated body is an immensely powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 865. No Exynos here, they have listened to the fans. Paired to the chipset is an ample 8GB of RAM too (up to). Thanks to the chipset too, you get 5G connectivity out of the box.
Source: Samsung
Source: Samsung
Source: Samsung
Source: Samsung
Source: Samsung
Source: Samsung
Source: Samsung
Source: Samsung
To top it all off is a big 4,500mAh battery that should keep the device running all day. The large internal battery is also a Super-Fast Charging capable battery as well, so if you do have a charger capable of 25W of output, your device can charge from an empty battery to full in less than one hour and a half. The charger that is included with the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE though is a 15W charger, a regular Fast Charging wall adapter.
Dual SIM model (Hybrid SIM slot) – One Nano SIM and one Nano SIM or one MicroSD slot (up to 1TB)
Battery
4,500mAh (typical)
Charging
Fast Wireless Charging 2.0 USB PD 3.0 (PPS) certified Fast Charging for wired charging (AFC and QC2.0 compatible) *WPC certified Wireless charging *Wireless PowerShare
OS
Android 10
Network
[5G] 5G Non-Standalone (NSA), Sub6 [LTE] Enhanced 4×4 MIMO, Up to 5CA, LTE D/L Cat.19 (1.6Gbps),LTE U/L Cat.18 (211Mbps) [Wi-Fi] Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax 2.4G+5GHz, HE80, MIMO, 1024-QAM, Up to 1.2Gbps Download / Up to 1.2Gbps Upload [Bluetooth] Bluetooth® v 5.0, USB type-C, NFC, Location (GPS, Galileo, Glonass, BeiDou)
Lock type: pattern, PIN, password, Fingerprint sensor, Face recognition
Audio
[Stereo speakers sound by AKG] Surround sound with Dolby Atmos technology (Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus included.) – [Ultra high quality audio playback] UHQ 32-bit &DSD64/128 support PCM: Up to 32 bits, DSD: DSD64/128 * DSD64 and DSD128 playback can be limited depending on the file format. [Audio playback format] MP3, M4A, 3GA, AAC, OGG, OGA, WAV, WMA, AMR, AWB, FLAC, MID, MIDI, XMF, MXMF, IMY, RTTTL, RTX, OTA, APE, DSF, DFF [Bluetooth] Dual Audio: connect two Bluetooth devices to the Galaxy S20 FE to play audio through the two devices simultaneously. * The two connected devices may exhibit a slight difference in sound output. Scalable Codec: Enhanced Bluetooth connection under ambient radio frequency interference. * Available only for certain accessories made by Samsung. [Recording] Recording quality is improved with the High AOP Mic that minimizes distortion in noisy environments. * AOP: Acoustic Overload Point
Video
[Video playback format] MP4, M4V, 3GP, 3G2, WMV, ASF, AVI, FLV, MKV, WEBM [TV connection] Wireless: Smart View (screen mirroring 1080p at 30 fps) Wired: supports DisplayPort over USB type-C. Supports video out when connecting via HDMI Adapter. (DisplayPort 4K UHD at 60 fps)
Water Resistance
IP68
Price and Availability
The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE is now available for pre-order from Samsung Experience Stores, Authorised Partners and Samsung Malaysia’s E-Store until the 8th of October 2020. As mentioned, there are six colours available for the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE – Cloud Red, Cloud Orange, Cloud Lavender, Cloud Mint, Cloud Navy, and Cloud White. If you pre-ordered your device, you get a UV Sterilizer Wireless Charger box, Samsung’s One-Time Screen Crack Protection, and a Clear Standing Cover worth MYR 586 in total. You can get your hands on one for MYR 3,399 (US$ 699.99*) onward.
*Official U.S. pricing based on Samsung U.S. website
Samsung just launched their Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 5G device last week globally. It is coming to Malaysia soon too with the global availability. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 is probably the most anticipated and exciting devices to come out in these two years. Naturally, we are quite excited to see and review the device itself.
Before we can review the device though, we brought Jeff Sandhu in to our studio for a podcast. In this podcast we discuss all things foldable. When we say that, we mean smartphones and gadgets that are foldable, including the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2.
Jeff Sandhu was formerly from BFM. His 10 years experience in BFM includes producing his own talkshows featured on the radio channel itself. He joined BFM when the channel was only 2 years old. He recently left BFM to join a Sunway iLabs and Sunway Education Group initiative called 42 Kuala Lumpur. He is currently heading the media team in the initiative. He is an avid tech enthusiast like us though.
In this podcast we explore, with Jeff, some of the upcoming foldable devices. We discussed what we liked about the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2, and what we do not like about the Samsung Galaxy Fold.
If you look back into 2019, the Samsung foldable smartphone series was born. It started with the Samsung Galaxy Fold that made it into Malaysia eventually. Then the blue South Korean giant brought the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip, a smaller, pocket friendlier foldable smartphone boasting the same mechanism.
Of course, foldable smartphones are going to be a thing. Samsung set the stage for the most anticipated device to come out of 2020 this year too with their recent Unpacked event. Unfortunately, they had to follow up with another Unpacked 2020 event just for the sake of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2.
Weirdly, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 is only the second device in Samsung’s Galaxy Z series. The first Samsung Galaxy foldable was simply known as the Fold. To be fair though, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 5G is still utilising the same sort of butterfly folding mechanism and is based off the same concept with the Samsung Galaxy Fold, hence Fold2.
If you have missed our international coverage of the launch of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 5G though, you can head there for more technical information on the highly anticipated device. To recap though, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 is one powerful device with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ System on a Chip (SoC). To really take advantage of all that power, the device comes packing 12GB or RAM and 512GB in memory.
It has 4,500mAh in battery capacity, which should be just about enough for a whole day of use. You have to remember that it has a 7.6-inch tablet sized display inside. The 7.6-inch display can also take full advantage of the powerful SoC and ample RAM size with multiple app windows (up to 3 apps) running at the same time. Close it up though and you get a more compact and sensible 6.2-inch display.
You can use it a variety of positions though with the new Flex mode you first see in the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip. With the larger display on the Z Fold2 though, there is plenty more flexibility and possibility in terms of application and usage.
Out the back are three 12-Megapixel sensors to shooting out of Ultra-Wide angle, Wide angle, and Telephoto lenses. There are two more cameras to be found on the device though; two 10-Megapixel cameras placed on top of the two useable displays on the device. In that sense, this is no slouch either in the camera department.
Price and Availability
Now, for the availability. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 is available in Malaysia 25th September 2020 onward, as per the title. It will be priced at MYR 7,999, just a little bit more than the international pricing (United Stated price, to be precise). The second-generation foldable flagship from Samsung comes in either Mystic Black or Mystic Bronze.
Of course, as with any other Samsung product, it is available for pre-order. Pre-order starts from the 11th September 2020 onward. If you can fork out MYR 7,999 in the pre-order period, you get a free Samsung Galaxy Buds Live and a Mont Blanc leather card holder with your purchase. You would want the Samsung Galaxy Buds Live, because there is no 3.5mm AUX jack on the device. For more information on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2, you can check out their website.
Samsung’s approach to mobile seems to be changing with the company putting more emphasis on their foldable smartphones. The company zoomed in to their new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 during their Unpacked Part 2 event. The new foldable is possibly a start of a new era of flagships from Samsung.
The new Galaxy Z Fold2 builds on the DNA of the original Galaxy Fold which was released last year. It’s also a clear indication that Samsung has been listening to its users as one of the main gripes of the original Fold has been improved. The new Galaxy Z Fold2 comes with a larger 6.2-inch HD+ Super AMOLED Display with a 25:9 aspect ratio. Of course, this isn’t the main screen of the foldable, the main display is a 7.6-inch QXGA+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a 22.5:18 aspect ratio. The displays have pixel densities of 386ppi and 373ppi respectively.
On the inside, the Galaxy Z Fold2 is running on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ octacore processor with 12GB RAM. This is complemented by either 256GB or 512GB of internal storage with no support for micro SD cards. The 512GB version of the Fold2 will only be available in selected markets. Similar to the original, the Fold2 is powered by a 4,500mAh dual battery. The dual battery architecture basically splits the battery pack into two smaller units which work in tandem to provide the overall battery capacity.
When it comes to cameras, the Galaxy Z Fold2 isn’t as over the top as it’s predecessor; instead it comes with a total of five cameras – three on the back, a single selfie camera inside, and a single selfie camera on the front. The main camera on the back is a triple camera array consisting of a 12-megapixel ultra-wide sensor, a 12-megapixel wide sensor and a 12-megapixel telephoto sensor. On the selfie front, both the cover and the front facing cameras are a single 10-megapixel sensor.
The Fold2 will be coming with all the usual bells and whistles you’d expect from a Samsung flagship including Samsung Pay compatibility, Fingerprint authentication, stereo speakers and Samsung’s Knox protection.
Pricing & Availability
The Galaxy Z Fold2 will be available in Mystic Black and Mystic Bronze. It will also have customisations for the hideaway hinge in select markets. Users in these markets will be able to select from Metallic Red, Metallic Blue, Metallic Gold and Metallic Silver hinges.
The Galaxy Z Fold2 will cost USD$1,799 (MYR7,458.87). No release date has been announced just yet.
Together with the Fold2, a special Thom Browne edition of the Galaxy Z Fold2 will be available. This special, limited edition will only have 5,000 units made and will be costing USD$3,299(MYR13,679.72).
Official Specifications
Display
Main Screen* – 7.6” QXGA+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X Display (22.5:18) Infinity Flex Display (2208 x 1768), 373ppi
Cover Screen** – 6.2” HD+ Super AMOLED Display (25:9), 2260 x 816, 386ppi
*Main Screen: Screen measured diagonally as a full rectangle without accounting for the rounded corners. Actual viewable area is less due to the rounded corners. **Cover Screen: Screen measured diagonally as a full rectangle without accounting for the rounded corners. Actual viewable area is less due to the rounded corners.
Dimension & Weight
Folded: 68.0 x 159.2 x 16.8mm (Hinge) ~ 13.8mm(Sagging), 282g Unfolded: 128.2 x 159.2 x 6.9mm(Frame) ~ 6.0mm(Screen) , 282g
Cover Camera
10MP Selfie Camera : F2.2, Pixel size: 1.22μm, FOV: 80˚
12MP Ultra Wide Camera : F2.2 ,Pixel size: 1.12μm, FOV : 123˚ 12MP Wide-angle Camera : Super Speed Dual Pixel AF, OIS, F1.8, Pixel size: 1.8μm, FOV: 83˚ 12MP Telephoto Camera : PDAF, F2.4, OIS, Pixel size: 1.0μm, FOV: 45˚ Dual OIS, 0.5x out and 2x in optical zoom, Up to 10x digital zoom, HDR10+ recording, Tracking AF
12GB RAM with 512GB internal storage (UFS3.1)* 12GB RAM with 256GB internal storage (UFS3.1)** *512GB internal storage is only available in select markets including mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Actual storage availability may depend on pre-installed software **Actual storage availability may depend on pre-installed software
Battery
4500mAh (typical) dual battery* *Typical value tested under third-party laboratory condition. Typical value is the estimated average value considering the deviation in battery capacity among the battery samples tested under IEC 61960 standard. Rated (minimum) capacity is 4365mAh. Actual battery life may vary depending on network environment, usage patterns and other factors.
Charging
Fast Charging compatible on wired and wireless* Wireless PowerShare** *Wired charging compatible with QC2.0 and AFC, Wireless charging compatible with WPC and PMA **Wireless PowerShare is limited to Samsung or other brand smartphones with WPC Qi wireless charging, such as Galaxy Z Fold2, Galaxy Note20, Galaxy Note20 Ultra Galaxy S20, S20+, S20 Ultra, Galaxy Z Flip, Galaxy Note10, Note10+, Galaxy S10e, S10, S10+ S9, S9+, S8, S8+, S8 Active, S7, S7 edge, S7 Active, S6, S6 edge, S6 Active, S6 edge+, Note9, Note8, Note FE, Note5, and wearables such as Galaxy Watch Active, Gear Sport, Gear S3, Galaxy Watch, and Galaxy Buds. May not work with certain accessories, covers, or other brand devices. May affect call reception or data services, depending on your network environment.
OS
Android 10
Network
[LTE]*: Enhanced 4X4 MIMO, 7CA, LAA, LTE Cat.20 – Up to 2Gbps Download / Up to 200Mbps Upload [5G]**: Non-Standalone (NSA), Standalone (SA), Sub6 / mmWave *Actual speed may vary depending on market, carrier, and user environment. **Requires optimal 5G connection. Actual speed may vary depending on market, carrier, and user environment.
Connectivity
[Wi-Fi] 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax HE80 MIMO, 1024QAM [Bluetooth]* Bluetooth® v 5.0 (LE up to 2Mbps), USB type-C, NFC, Location (GPS, Galileo, Glonass, BeiDou) [Ultra Wide Band] *Galileo and BeiDou coverage may be limited. BeiDou may not be available for certain countries.
SIM Card
One eSIM and one Nano SIM *SIM card sold separately. Availability may vary depending on market and carrier. *eSIM requires a wireless service plan and allows you activate a mobile network plan without the use of a nano SIM. eSIM availability may vary depending on software version, market and carrier. Check with your carrier if your mobile network plan supports eSIM.
Payment(Samsung Pay)
Credit & debit cards: supports MST and/or NFC Membership cards, Gift cards, Transit cards, Reward point service *Available in select countries. Payment solutions and available features may vary depending on market, carrier, and service providers.
Lock type: pattern, PIN, password Biometric lock type: Fingerprint sensor*, Face recognition *Galaxy Z Fold2 has a Capacitive Fingerprint sensor on the side.
Audio
Stereo speakers Surround sound with Dolby Atmos technology (Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus included.) UHQ 32-bit &DSD64/128 support*, PCM: Up to 32 bits, DSD: DSD64/128 Audio playback format : MP3, M4A, 3GA, AAC, OGG, OGA, WAV, WMA, AMR, AWB, FLAC, MID, MIDI, XMF, MXMF, IMY, RTTTL, RTX, OTA, APE, DSF, DFF *DSD64 and DSD128 playback can be limited depending on the file format.
Video
Video playback format: MP4, M4V, 3GP, 3G2, WMV, ASF, AVI, FLV, MKV, WEBM TV connection: Wireless: Smart View (screen mirroring 1080p at 30fps) / Wired: supports DisplayPort over USB type-C. Supports video out when connecting via HDMI Adapter. (DisplayPort 4K UHD at 60 fps)
Security
Knox protection: real-time monitoring and protection. Virus, malware prevention. (Powered by McAfee) Secure Folder: a secure space on the device to keep content such as apps, photos and videos, secured by fingerprint scanning. *Virus and malware prevention solution providers may vary depending on market. Availability may vary by market and carrier.
Colors
[Essential Color] Mystic Black, Mystic Bronze [Customization Hinge Color]* Metallic Silver, Metallic Gold, Metallic Red, Metallic Blue * Hideaway Hinge color customization will be available in 21 markets, including Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, New Zealand, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, UAE, United Kingdom, United States and Vietnam.
In the Box
Galaxy Z Fold2, Data Cable, Travel Adapter, Ejection Pin, Quick Start Guide, Earphones (USB Type-C) with sound by AKG, Galaxy Z Premier Service Leaflet, Brand Story Leaflet *Actual components, including earphones, may not be available depending on the model you purchase or the market or region you live in. Package and cover color may vary depending on device color.
Buying a new gadget is always special. Somehow it feels like an achievement. I remember the first time I bought my smartphone a Samsung Galaxy S. That was in the turn of the millennium and it felt like a big achievement. It was a great feeling, a special feeling.
Then you unbox the device, a delicate mix of glass, and plastic, and metal these days. It felt like a trophy at that time. Then you have to set it up, which is a pain in the butt.
Setting up your device for the first time is always quite a painful process. It takes out plenty of your time. You have to transfer as much data as possible from one smartphone to the other. In the old days, some of the most important data on your device is your contacts. You can do that with a simple Google sign in now. But the rest of the device, not so easy.
Since I switch to a smartphone, the Samsung Galaxy S, I have never turned back to switch to another manufacturer. Since I have switched to the Note series from the Samsung Galaxy Note2, I have never turned back. Now, the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra is here, and we have to get our hands on it.
First Set-Up
We did, and then we have to set it up like any other phone. In that regards, I switched out from a Samsung Galaxy Note9 to this Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra. Thank the heavens, we have the Smart Switch app that simplified data transfer from one phone the other, to a certain degree.
The first set-up of the device is quite painless. Since I am coming from another Samsung device, it is a simple turn on the Smart Switch app on the older device and get them to pair. When I switched out my Samsung Galaxy Note5 to a Samsung Galaxy Note9, I had to do the transfer via a wire. Now, the Samsung Galaxy Note20 does it wirelessly with the Samsung Galaxy Note9; neat.
Smart Switch App
The whole process is quite painless if you do it correctly and should be done within an hour depending on your smartphone. We did something wrong and had to reset twice to get the data transferred correctly. It took us about 40 minutes (when we got it right) for all the necessary data to reach the Galaxy Note20 Ultra.
It was worth it though, once done the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 looks exactly like the Note9 in terms interface. You get the same background you’ve set on your older device and even the same lock screen. Of course, you have to set up your fingerprint sensor and facial recognition again.
Things like your Google Account has already been signed into and you can access almost everything else that is singed in with Google account without having to sign in again. Of course, you have to sign into your Samsung account and Microsoft account again. Facebook is mostly already set up too if you transferred your data with Smart Switch app. Other things like Twitter and Instagram requires you to sign in again though.
If you want to, you can even transfer all the older photos that you took with your older device to the Samsung Galaxy Note20. That is what we did, and everything we had from the old Samsung Galaxy Note9 is now in the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra. We only wish that the app also helps us mimic all the app settings and accounts we had. We were quite annoyed to find that certain apps are not signed in and most of our games progress has been reset.
Naked and Vulnerable
The Samsung Galaxy Note20 review unit that we got does not come with a device case to protect it from the world. When we checked with Samsung’s rep, there is a chance that the retail unit might not come with an included case too. In that case, we do suggest that you procure one the moment you get your Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra unit though. You would want to slap a case on its back because of the huge camera bump.
The device is not particularly thick, which makes the camera bump a little bit of an odd stand out. It is half the thickness of the S Pen and definitely thicker than your 50cent coin. You might need to stack two coins and it will just clear the height of the bump.
It is not a small bump either. It has to fit a large 108-Megapixel sensor along with two supporting sensors at that. Just in case you do not remember, the camera sensors are now larger as well. The term ‘stick out like a sore thumb’ plays very well here.
Still, the bronze that was presented on the Samsung Galaxy Note20 is a unique touch to smartphones. While every other manufacturer is doing all they can to get their device’s backs to look like they came out of the North Pole, Samsung goes back to basic with their flagship productivity machine.
The bronze is not even in a glossy shade for style points. They didn’t really bother with creating fancy effects either. It is just a matte finish that even feels nice in your hands. The only thing about it is that it is quite slippery in your hands. That is why we advise you to buy a case too.
We do really like the matte texture to the back of the device though. While it is nothing new, it is quite refreshing at this time and it does look good to a certain degree. Still you might just cover it up with a case anyway.
Battery Concerns
Out-of-the-box, the Samsung Galaxy Note20 comes with about 50% in battery charge when you turn it on. That should be enough for you to do your set ups or the data transfer. Once set up is done, the battery is still good enough to play around with and to do all extra set ups. While that is good news, it might disguise its actual battery life though.
The Samsung Galaxy Note20 houses the biggest battery of all the Note series that came before. The thing is, we do feel like it has about the same battery life as the Samsung Galaxy Note9 though. It is not great, but it is not bad either. If you constantly keep your device on, the battery does dwindle a little bit. We suspect that the battery life is driven down by the 120Hz refresh rate.
Once you start to charge it though, the Samsung Galaxy Note20 will prompt you if you want to fast charge it if fast charging is available. That is quite clever as well. If you tend to leave your device charging overnight, you might want to consider turning that function off. That is also a very clever way to preserve your battery shelf life.
120Hz Goodness
Once you start working with the smartphone, you first notice how smooth everything is. The Samsung Galaxy Note20 turns on 120Hz refresh rate by default but limits your resolution at Full HD. If you want the full quad HD treatment, sorry. Still, 1080p is still plenty good looking on the AMOLED display, so we left it that way.
The smoothness of the interface is uncanny though, everything flows really nicely with each swipe. Even the Samsung Keyboard is made to take on 120Hz, the suggested words just flow along as you type, which was a nice touch.
Of course, the other benefit to the fast display is gaming. Unfortunately, this aspect will have to wait until we properly review the device though. Why? We have not even launched any of the games we have on the device.
S Pen – Mightier than the Pen
Okay, that was an exaggeration. It is technically a digital pen, and we maintain that the stylus experience still cannot beat an actual Pen experience. But this, in our first tests, does feel quite close to an actual pen.
No, not the actual pen on paper experience. Instead, you still know that you are writing on glass, a smooth surface. We can liken it more to using market pen on whiteboards. That said, this S Pen is unlike any other stylus experience we are used to. This is coming from a Samsung Galaxy Note9 user.
It is faster than before, they say at 9ms. That means that response is near instant with the S Pen. Before we can start though, S Pen has some setting up and tutorial to do when we first take it out of its housing at the bottom left this time (used to be bottom right).
The first set up is to teach us how to use the three gesture controls that is available for the S Pen. If you do everything correctly, you will get that done within 30 seconds and you are good to go. You have to set up your apps with gesture controls first though, if you want to use them. We have not.
Then we fired up the S Notes app that is native to Samsung devices. We started writing and comparing to older Samsung Galaxy Note devices like the Note10 and the Note9. We fell a little in love after that. The experience is much changed and different now. While it is only a small difference between in the speed, the difference can be clearly seen. Especially when you are scribbling quickly, the scribbles on the Samsung Galaxy Note20 appears to really follow the pen without any visible breaks. We suspect that the 120Hz play a small role in this.
First Impressions After 24 Hours
This, in our humble opinions, could be Samsung’s most important and significant Samsung Galaxy Note ever. They are realising it into a highly volatile and uncertain market. No, not because Samsung is doing badly or that the smartphone market is doing badly. Those are provided also because of the bigger global concern that is the COVID-19 pandemic at this time.
For most, it is business as usual like Samsung. The Samsung Galaxy Note20 is sort of a new normal too. It is bigger, faster, and cleverer than before. It is a statement to the world that the digital pen is ready to take on paper and pen for speed and practicality. It is a new way to work on things.
It does not have the same camera prowess that is the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra’s 100x zoom. But it is a productivity beast when it comes to things that matter. You can use it as your alternative work device if you really want to. It refined the Samsung design philosophy a little bit with better ergonomics on the sides. The top and bottom are flat now, which does give it a slightly edgier and fresher look.
It is huge, even compared to the previous Samsung Galaxy Note devices. But it is never uncomfortable to hold (save for that big camera bump, we have nothing to complain about). It is even more powerful too, with bigger stamina tank. But it is not obnoxious in looks. It looks understated and we like that.
All in all, the experience is one that we have quite enjoyed. We have not gone into detail on the missing 3.5mm jack just yet. We have not even explored the Super-Fast Charging capabilities on the Note20 Ultra just yet. We also have not started talking about the big cameras yet.
