Category Archives: Android

Android, Mobile, News

Samsung Unpacks Galaxy Z Flip for the Stylista; Priced at USD$1,380

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The smartphone is changing; it’s a fact that we can’t deny anymore. Samsung officially unfolded their revolution with the Galaxy Fold last year. This year, they’re going to make you flip for the new Samsung Galaxy Z Flip. The Z Flip refines some of the features we saw with the Galaxy Fold and gives it a new form factor. Samsung touts the new flip phone as a perfectly compact, statement smartphone.

Premium Design with Cutting Edge Materials

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip comes with a new design which isn’t just eye catching, it takes the fold of the Galaxy fold and flips it. (Yes, pun very much intended!). The Z Flip unfolds to the reveal a 6.7-inch foldable display within its sleek square body. The display on the Z Flip has a Full HD+ resolution of 2636×1080 pixels with a pixel density of 425ppi. Samsung claims that, unlike its competition and the Galaxy Fold, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip comes with an ultra thin, flexible Glass Super AMOLED display. This is possibly the first product available to consumers with flexible glass. It’s also Samsung’s first 21.9:9 aspect ratio screen.

The hinge of the Galaxy Flip Z has been improved. Taking feedback and lessons from the launch of the Galaxy Fold, the Flip Z comes with a new Hideaway Hinge. This hinge literally hides away when you open the Flip Z. The hinge silently tucks itself between the two halves of the Flip. The new hinge also comes with nylon fibres in between that help keep dust and particulates out of it.

Unique User Experience, Natively Supported by Android

The User Interface (UI) of the Galaxy Z Flip has also been enhanced; it now comes with a unique feature which allows the phone to be used at different folding angles. The new Flex mode on the Flip allows the phone to be used in a similar way to that of a laptop. The smartphone will be able to be used at three different angles thanks to the three stop hinge. The 6.7-inch display is split into two smaller 4-inch displays. The bottom portion of the display becomes a dedicated interaction area while the top continues to behave as a display.

The new interaction mode is supported natively by Android 10. During the Unpacked event, it was announced that Google Duo and YouTube Premium will support Flex Mode out of the box. Google also announced that the APIs for development on other multi-mode devices are already available. So, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see more apps hit the Google Play Store soon.

The Galaxy Z Flip also come with a 1.1-inch display on the front. This display is activated when the phone is closed. The Cover Display displays notifications, the time and also acts as a screen for selfies when the phone is closed. The new Flip Z is able to use the dual camera setup on the phone to take a selfie on the cover display.

Compromised Specifications

The Flip Z comes with a dual camera setup with two 12-megapixel sensors. The main sensor is a wide angle with a 78 ° field of view and an aperture f/1.8. It supports Super Speed Dual Auto Focus, tracking autofocus, HDR10+ video recording, up to and optical image stabilisation (OIS). The secondary sensor is an ultra wide sensor with a 123 ° field of view with a f/2.2 aperture. The front camera is a 10-megapixel sensor with an 80 ° field of view with an f/2.4 aperture.

The Samsung Galaxy Flip Z comes with a Snapdragon 855+ processor which supports 4G LTE. This is paired with 256GB of internal memory and 8GB of RAM. It will have support for eSIM and a nano SIM. The smartphone will be powered by a 3,300mAh dual battery which is only capable of QuickCharge 2.0 (15W fast charging). On the connectivity side of things, the Flip supports NFC, WiFi a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS, Galileo,GLONASS and BeiDou. It connects via a USB Type C cable for wired charging. It also supported wireless charging.

Pricing and Availability

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip will initially be available in Mirror Purple and Mirror Black in select markets starting February 14,2020. The only two announced so far are the U.S. and South Korea. A Mirror Gold colour will be available at a later date.

The Galaxy Z Flip will be retailing for USD$1,380 (MYR 5,704.54).

Samsung is also collaborating with Thom Browne, a renoun American fashion designer for a special limited edition version of the Z Flip. Details of this special edition will be unveiled at New York Fashion week.

Official Specifications

Android, Mobile, News

Samsung Galaxy Note10 Lite, S10 Lite, A51 & A71 Go On Pre-order in Malaysia

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The Samsung Galaxy of devices is about to get a whole lot bigger and more affordable with four new devices. The new devices will be available in the market starting from February with pre-orders starting on February 3, 2020.

Meet the new Samsung Galaxy A51 & A71

The South Korean tech giant silently launched their new Galaxy A series towards the end of last year. The new entries into the company’s mid-range offerings are the Galaxy A51 and A71. These devices succeed the popular A50 and A70; and also continue Samsung’s partnership with popular K-Pop band, BlackPink.

Keeping with the Galaxy A series’ ethos, the new entries into the line up continue to offer compelling specifications at an affordable price point. Both the Galaxy A51 and A71 are coming below MYR2,000. The A51 will be retailing for MYR1,299 while the higher specc’d A71 will be retailing at MYR1,799.

Samsung Galaxy A51

For the price, the two devices come with 128GB of internal memory with support for up to an additional 512GB via microSD card. The smartphones also support dual SIM connectivity through a triple card slot. The A51 is powered by a quad core Exynos 9611 with 6GB of RAM. On the other hand the A71 comes with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 730 with 8GB of RAM. Both come with a Super AMOLED display with Full HD+ resolution of 1080×2400 pixels. That said, the A71 clocks a slightly larger 6.7-inch display to the A51’s 6.5-inch display. Both have under display fingerprint sensors.

On the camera front, both the A51 and A71 come with a quad camera setup. The A71 has a larger 64-megapixel main sensor while the A51 has a 48-megapixel sensor. Both are capable of phase detection autofocus (PDAF) and have a wide 26mm focal length. These are complemented by a 12-megapixel ultrawide sensor, 5-megapixel macro sensor and a 5-megapixel depth sensor. The front cameras are a single 32-megapixel sensor with a 26mm focal length.

Samsung Galaxy A71

The A51 has a 4,000mAh battery while the A71 has a 4,500mAh battery. Both have fast charging; however, the A51 only supports 15W fast charging while the A71 supports 25W. Both charge with USB-C.

Cheaper Flagships with the S10 Lite and the Note10 Lite

Earlier this month, at CES in Las Vegas, Samsung unveiled two more additions to their flagship Galaxy S series and Galaxy Note series. Both the smartphones come in below the MYR2,700 mark.

Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite

The smartphones share a lot in common including a large 6.7-inch display and dual SIM connectivity. Both also have 128GB of internal storage and 8GB RAM. Both have support for microSD card expansion of up to 512GB.

Both the devices have triple camera setups and a front facing 32-megapixel camera. The Note10 Lite has three 12-megapixel sensors while the the S10 Lite has a 48-megapixel main sensor, a 12-megapixel macro sensor and a 5-megapixel macro sensor. The S10 Lite is powered by a Snapdragon 855 while the Note 10 Lite comes with an Exynos 9810. Both come with under display fingerprint sensors and 4,500mAh battery with support for USB-C fast charging.

Samsung Galaxy Note10 Lite

Pricing and Availability

The Samsung Galaxy A51 will be retailing at MYR1,299 while the A71 retails for MYR1,799. Both will be available in Prism Crush Black, Prism Crush White (Silver for the A71) and Prism Crush Blue .

The Samsung Galaxy Note10 Lite will be retailing for MYR2,299 while the Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite will be retailing for MYR2,699. The S10 Lite will be available in Prism Black, Prism White and Prism Blue; while the Note10 Lite will be available in Aura Glow, Aura Black and Aura Red.

Pre-orders for the smartphones will start on the 3rd February, 2020. There are special freebies as per the table below.

Product RRP Colour Availability Pre-Order Rewards
Galaxy S10 Lite RM2,699 Prism Black Prism White Prism Blue Complimentary Galaxy Fit worth RM369
Galaxy Note10 Lite RM2,299 Aura Glow Aura Black Aura Red Complimentary Galaxy Fit worth RM369
Galaxy A51 RM1,299 Prism Crush Black Prism Crush White Prism Crush Blue Complimentary Protection Plus worth RM119 inclusive of:
1 Year Extended Protection
1 Time Screen Protection
Galaxy A71 RM1,799 Prism Crush Black Prism Crush Silver Prism Crush Blue Complimentary Protection Plus worth RM185 inclusive of:
1 Year Extended Protection
1 Time Screen Protection

Samsung Galaxy A51 & A71

Galaxy A71Galaxy A51
Display6.7-inch, Full HD+ (1080 x2400)6.5-inch, Full HD+ (1080 x2400)
Super AMOLED PlusSuper AMOLED
Infinity-O DisplayInfinity-O Display
Rear CameraMain: 64MP, F1.8Main: 48MP, F2.0
Depth: 5MP, F2.2Depth: 5MP, F2.2
Macro: 5MP, F2.4Macro: 5MP, F2.4
Ultra Wide: 12MP, F2.2Ultra Wide: 12MP, F2.2
Front CameraSelfie: 32MP, F2.2Selfie: 32MP, F2.2
Body163.6 x 76.0 x 7.7mm / 179g158.5 x 73.6 x 7.9mm / 172g
APOcta Core (Dual 2.2GHz + Hexa 1.8GHz)Octa Core (Quad 2.3GHz + Quad 1.7GHz)
Memory8GB RAM6GB RAM
128GB Internal Storage128GB Internal Storage
Micro SD slot (up to 512 GB)Micro SD slot (up to 512 GB)
SIM CardDual SIM (3 slot)Dual SIM (3 slot)
Battery4,500 mAh (typical), 25W Super-Fast Charging4,000 mAh (typical), 15W Fast Charging
Biometric AuthenticationsOn-Screen Fingerprint, Face RecognitionOn-Screen Fingerprint, Face Recognition
ColorPrism Crush BlackPrism Crush Black
Prism Crush SilverPrism Crush White
Prism Crush BluePrism Crush Blue

Samsung Galaxy Note10 Lite & S10 Lite

Galaxy S10 LiteGalaxy Note10 Lite
Display6.7-inch Full HD+6.7-inch Full HD+
Super AMOLED Plus Infinity-O Display,Super AMOLED Infinity-O Display,
2400×1080 (394ppi)2400×1080 (394ppi)
CameraRear: Triple CameraRear: Triple Camera
– Macro: 5MP F2.4– Ultra Wide: 12MP F2.2
– Wide-angle: 48MP Super Steady OIS AF F2.0– Wide-angle: 12MP Dual Pixel AF F1.7 OIS
– Ultra Wide: 12MP F2.2– Telephoto: 12MP AF F2.4 OIS
Front: 32MP F2.2Front: 32MP F2.2
Body75.6 x 162.5 x 8.1mm, 186g76.1 x 163.7 x 8.7mm, 199g
AP64-bit Octa-core processor (Max. 2.8GHz + 2.4GHz + 1.8GHz)64-bit Octa-core processor (Quad 2.7GHz + Quad  1.8GHz)
Memory8GB RAM with 128GB internal storage8GB RAM with 128GB internal storage
Battery4,500mAh (typical)4,500mAh(typical)
OSAndroid 10.0Android 10.0
Android, Mobile, News

HUAWEI’s New nova 7i Lands in Malaysia on 14 February 2020

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HUAWEI’s nova series has always been a strong contender in the mid-range space with compelling specifications. The main draw of the series has always been its flagship class camera with a price point that makes it one of the most accessible offerings that’s worth your money on the market.

That said, the company recently announced the availability of their nova 6 series in China. It looks like the 6 isn’t making its way to Malaysia. Instead, HUAWEI is teasing a new entry: the nova 7i which will be available in Malaysia from 14 February 2020!

The new HUAWEI nova 7i looks to be coming with a HiSilicon Kirin 810 which was featured in the HONOR 9X and 9X Pro. That said, the new chipset promises power savings thanks to the 7nm fabrication process which allows the chip to have more performance while keeping the battery life. The processor is paired with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. If 128GB isn’t enough, you’ll be able to add up to 256GB of extra memory with a nano memory card (NM card).

The display on the nova 7i is a 6.4-inch LTPS IPS LCD capable of reproducing 16 million colours. It’s a Full HD+ display with a resolution of 1080×2310 pixels. Unlike its flagship brethren, the new mid-ranger comes with a side-mounted fingerprint sensor. HUAWEI included a large, 4,200mAh battery for all-day battery life. It also supports 40W supercharge charging which can provide 70% of battery with 30 minutes of charging.

More Cameras, More Better Pictures?

The camera setup on the smartphone is a quad camera array with a 48-megapixel main sensor. It is also capable of ultrawide and macro shots. HUAWEI hasn’t clarified if the ultrawide and macro features are due to individual sensors on the camera array. That said, the main sensor is a wide sensor with an f/1.8 aperture for better low light performance.

HUAWEI is touting the front camera’s enhanced selfie features. This is powered by a dual selfie camera setup. HUAWEI hasn’t divulged the exact sensors used in the setup. That said, the company has touted that the new setup will enable users to get “golden selfies”. In addition, it looks like the nova 7i comes with enhanced software that will allow users to get better performance on video calls and even when posting to social media such as TikTok and Instagram.

We don’t have any information on the price. However, given the previous price point of the nova 5T, we expect the nova 7i to be about MYR1,599. It is likely the smartphone may be priced higher due to the HUAWEI Y9s released last year.

Android, Mobile, News

HUAWEI Mate 30 Pro 5G Coming to Malaysia?

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If you kept up with the tech scene as of 2019, there would be one topic that is a little more outstanding that others. No, not foldable devices. Nope, not even flexible glass, or roll-able TVs like LGs. The hottest topic all year long was the dawn of 5G connectivity.

At this point, if you ask us about when you can expect 5G, we can only say this year 2020. You can bet on that though. The three major network providers in Malaysia have started testing out 5G networks as of late 2019 last year. Celcom, Maxis, and Digi have been looking into 5G implementations and have been talking about upgrading their towers for 5G connectivity roll-out. They also claim that some towers are already ready for a 5G switch. Celcom, for example have successfully tested out their 5G network in their own office tower in 2019.

Of course, there is a big problem when our network providers turns on the switch to 5G. That problem is not on their ends. Sadly, we are limited to our devices; we do not have plenty of choices when it comes to 5G ready devices. Even the Samsung Galaxy Fold that comes to Malaysia will not have 5G connectivity. The only 5G ready smartphone that was launched last year was from Vivo.

This year looks to be different though. Other than the expected 5G roll-out, you can expect more smartphones to come with 5G connectivity. One of those smartphones that is confirmed to come as a 5G ready device is the HUAWEI Mate 30 Pro 5G (codename: LIO-N29). How do we know? It just passed through SIRIM’s inspections as of January 2020.

Source: HUAWEI

Yes, the HUAWEI Mate 30 Pro is not that new of a smartphone. It launched late last year 2019 in Malaysia. It packs HiSilicon’s most powerful Kirin 990 with 8GB of RAM. The Malaysian model comes with 256GB of storage too for good measure. The Huawei Mate 30 Pro continues with their super powerful quad-camera set-up as well as a large 4,500mAh battery. The device is void of any physical buttons. Instead, the beautiful Horizon display takes on the traditional volume rocker function. Of course, to power on the device, there is still a haptic button on the right side. For 2020, it will have 5G to get it up to speeds with Malaysia’s introduction of 5G.

Source: SIRIM

From the screenshot, HUAWEI’s Mate 30 Pro 5G comes with three 5G bands. The devices comes with a 700MHz, 3,500MHz, and 3,700MHz bands. Nope, not gibberish; the global band for 5G has been reported to be somewhere between 3,300MHz to 4,200MHz. There are also reports of 700MHz spectrums being used in Malaysia for certain telcos. Which also means that the HUAWEI Mate 30 Pro will be perfectly ready for Malaysia’s 5G push.

We do not know when the HUAWEI Mate 30 Pro 5G version will be going into the market. We do know though that SIRIM has approved the specifications within the screenshot. That also means that we can expect the HUAWEI Mate 30 Pro 5G to go on sale very soon. Price? We are guessing about MYR 4,499. Do not take our word for it though, we could be wrong.

Android, Mobile, News

Android 10 Coming to Samsung Galaxy Note9

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Despite the new thing that is the Samsung Galaxy Note10 that came out in 2019, there are still many that regards the previous Samsung Galaxy Note as one of the best, if not the best Samsung Galaxy Note to date. To be fair, the Samsung Galaxy Note9 was a remarkable smartphone that holds very high regards in our hearts and minds. It was also still a very formidable flagship smartphone even today if you look at it.

While Samsung has stopped officially manufacturing the Samsung Galaxy Note9, you may still be able to head down to your favourite local smartphone store and get your hands on one for not very much money today. Yes, we are talking about getting one from the likes of Lowyat Plaza, or other large retailers in the Klang Valley. Still, there is one drawback about getting the Samsung Galaxy Note9 today; it still runs on an outdated One UI based on a now outdated Android 9.0 Pie.

That is about to change however with Samsung’s rollout of their new update on the Samsung Galaxy Note9. The new update promises One UI 2.0 that is based on the Android 10 Q. Obviously the One UI 2.0 update will also come with the new Android in the box.

For those that are not yet familiar with One UI 2.0, you can expect some really nice things to come with the new update for the Samsung Galaxy Note9. For one, you get better, more powerful camera app with something called Director View. There is a new dark mode that is ever so popular these days too. The slow-mo selfies that are made popular by its bigger sibling, the Samsung Galaxy Note10 will also make it into the Samsung Galaxy Note9 with the update. All this makes quite a lot of sense since the Samsung Galaxy Note9 hardware is still quite powerful by today’s standards. It can still hold itself against the Note10, that is for sure.

Of course One UI 2.0 comes with more things that we have just listed. The One UI 2.0 and Android 10 rollout for the Samsung Galaxy Note9 is reported to be rolling out now in Germany first. Malaysia will definitely get our share of One UI 2.0 love very soon, considering that the market is also one of the first market’s to launch the Samsung Galaxy Note9.

Source: SamMobile, XDA Developers

Android, Mobile, News

Android AirDrop? Yes Please.

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When you own a device from the fruity manufacturers from Cupertino, you do not get the privilege of transferring files between devices other than using AirDrop. Technically, AirDrop is a combination of using Bluetooth and WiFi Direct to drag and drop files between Apple devices. While Android devices can plainly use Bluetooth to share files, WiFi Direct between devices have been a little finicky from one Android device to another. So we are stuck to using slow Bluetooth file transfers if you use an Android device from Xiaomi and I am using one from Samsung.

Of course WiFi Direct is an option, but only if you use certain smartphones that are from the same manufacturer. This may no longer be the case though. Fast file transfers between Android devices could be made possible with the “Peer-to-Peer Transmission Alliance”. The Alliance is made to allow high-speed file transfer and sharing between devices. In that case, you get AirDrop like performance from Android devices; 20MB/S over-the-air file transfer speeds.

The only issue is that the Alliance currently consists of three manufacturers. The three manufacturers are OPPO, Vivo, and Xiaomi. Not even HUAWEI is part of that alliance, which also means that you only get fast file transfers between these three manufacturers until anyone else joins the Alliance. Still, nothing wrong with being hopeful.

Source: Android Central, Mi Blog