WhatsApp, at least in Malaysia, is the most popular messenger app that has ever existed. It is a common bridge between iOS and Android users. Some Nokia devices running proprietary operating systems (OS) can also support WhatsApp messenger these days. When everything becomes more integrated, they introduced WhatsApp web, an official workaround for you to use your WhatsApp messenger on your PC, and without flipping between devices. Then they introduced WhatsApp Desktop app, a sort of workaround if you are too lazy to turn to your browser to type “web.whatsapp.com” into it to use WhatsApp web.
WhatsApp Desktop though was one of the best things to happen to WhatsApp users. It allows users direct access to their WhatsApp messages on their PC or Mac devices without having to go anywhere else. With just a click of a button or icon, your PC or Mac turns into your answering machine powered by you. The app is based on the Electron framework, details of which we will not get into. What you need to know is that the WhatsApp Desktop experience is very close to what you get on WhatsApp web, just without having to type a URL into your browser.
A few months ago, WhatsApp revolutionized again finally with an official native Windows app simply called WhatsApp. It looked nothing like WhatsApp web or WhatsApp Desktop. It looks cleaner and feels smoother, and rather fitting to the designs of Windows. Naturally, we switched to the native app. Not everyone switched to the new app however and remained with WhatsApp Desktop, to the point that WhatsApp is now forcing users to switch their native app.
They do that by shutting down their old WhatsApp Desktop app and encouraging users to switch to the native app instead. The first indication to WhatsApp shutting down their old WhatsApp Desktop app is when WhatsApp notified users of the app about a month ago with a countdown on the app’s main screen. If you try to access the Desktop app now, the main page will only tell you that the app has expired and offers you a link to the new app, at least to its Microsoft Store page.
Since WhatsApp has not introduced a native app for the MacOS currently. That also means that you will still have to rely on your WhatsApp Desktop app if you are on a Mac or work with WhatsApp web for the time being. That does not mean that WhatsApp will not have a native app for Mac though, you can safely expect the native app to also come to Mac devices and the old Desktop app to be retired.
The Nintendo Switch was launched in 2017. The global release of the world’s most revolutionary handheld gaming console was on the 3rd of March in 2017 specifically. Counting today, the Nintendo Switch, considering its v1 iteration, is now six years, three months, and 25 days old. To put that into context, the PlayStation 4 Pro, with significantly more powerful hardware than the handheld, was launched on the 10th of November 2016, just about four months prior to the Nintendo Switch. The PlayStation 5 was announced on the 4th of April 2019, about three years after the upgraded PlayStation 4 was released, and officially launched on the 12th of November of 2020, about a year later and four years after PlayStation 4 Pro. While it is fair to say that the gap between the original PlayStation 4 and the PlayStation 5 is about seven years, you must consider that the PlayStation 4 Pro came with a significant update enough that it looked more like the next-gen console over the original hardware. So yes, the Nintendo Switch is old even with the consideration of the OLED variant they announced just a few years ago, with no realistic announcement or indication of a replacement coming anytime soon.
While it is not Nintendo’s most successful hardware, it is one that really put Nintendo on the main map of mainstream gaming consoles while also pushing their own exclusive titles and existing assets to the next level. In that case, despite Nintendo’s poor history in product continuity, it only makes sense for Nintendo to prolong and expand the Nintendo Switch line-up especially with updated hardware. Their shareholders meeting notes from last week seems to confirm that, which is a relief to those of you that have been patiently waiting for Nintendo to update the Switch.
In the meeting notes, the President and CEO of Nintendo, Shuntaro Furukawa mentions that the next-generation console, whatever it will be called, will support games from the aging Nintendo Switch. That also means that if you have a Nintendo account with the switch, you should be able to transition to the new hardware system as smoothly as just signing in, pretty much like PlaySation and Xbox. Whatever you have bought from the Nintendo eStore will be carried over to the new system.
The same cannot be said with the cartridges you have bought previously though. They also did not reveal any specifics on the hardware of the next-generation console. There are also no real dates that have been mentioned for the next-generation console. Nintendo just had their Nintendo Direct announcement as well that showcased plenty of new games and DLCs for older games, which is further indication that the next-generation console will not make it to the shelves anytime soon. The meeting notes are confirmation though that they are working on a next-generation console, a consolation at least.
We get asked this question all the time; “What smartphone can I buy for less than MYR 1,000? The cheaper, the better”. The answer to that, obviously, is not as straightforward as choosing one smartphone amongst others. Well, it could be, but we just like to either mess with people, or we want to be sure that they are getting the right devices for themselves. Then again, modern smartphones are so good, you can hardly go wrong going with any one of them even if they set you back less than MYR 1,000.
Take the newly launched realme C53 for example, it will set you back MYR 599 and it comes with all the latest features you can expect a mid-range smartphone or even flagship smartphones to have. Of course, if it comes with everything that a flagships smartphone should come it, it will be rather expensive. For MYR 599, there are some compromises.
The first compromise comes from within the device. You get a UNISOC Tiger T615 system on a chip (SoC). It is not the most advanced integrated chip in the market at 12nm, but it does the job well enough. You cannot expect it to be a world eSports beater, but it does play games well enough when the mood takes you.
Alongside the SoC is a 6GB RAM that can be bolstered with another extra 6GB borrowed from the 128GB of storage. Obviously if you allocate an extra 6GB of storage for RAM use, you get less storage space. If you are filling up the storage fast though, you still have a MicroSD slot that you can utilise to expand its storage, not even your Samsung Galaxy S23 can do that.
The SoC should also run Android 13 with realme UI just fine as well on the large 6.74-inch display that offers Full HD+ resolution. It is a fast one too at up to 90Hz in refresh rate for hat extra smooth feel. For outdoor use, the display peaks out at 560nits, which may not sound very bright, but it works.
Above the display is a notch that houses an 8-Megapixel selfie camera that you can also use for video calls and record up to 720p videos at 30p. At the back though is a high-resolution 50-Megapixel main camera that is paired to another camera that they did not specify. We suspect it is a depth sensor.
Inside the device, keeping the realme C53 running an entire day is a 5,000mAh battery that can be charged at 33W at the maximum. While 5,000mAh should keep you running more than an entire day, it is nice to know that you can get the realme C53 plugged in and charged within just two hours before you have to get going again.
Price and Availability
As mentioned, the realme C53 entry-level smartphone will set you back MYR 599. It is now available in Champion Gold and Mighty Black colour options. You can get your hands on one via realme’s official store on Shopee and Lazada, their Official TikTok Store, and their official brand stores and dealers across the nation. For more information on realme’s latest C53, you can visit their website.
At WWDC 2023, the one that just happened, we expected a new iOS, and we got a new iOS for the not so new iPhone, and it is a major one. The iOS 17 replaces the iOS 16 and it is technically better than the older iOS in some ways. No, you do not get a new iPhone to come along the new iOS. Yes, it is still the same iOS that you have come to know and love. The people from Cupertino have made a few minor improvements that might majorly change your user experience though.
New Phone App, Who Dis?
Source: Apple
Source: Apple
Source: Apple
Source: Apple
One of the minor things they changed is the Phone app. It is a minor change but huge experience improvement, supposedly anyway. Instead of a boring plain screen with the usual ‘swipe to answer’ slider and a few other buttons, you can now customise what appears on the caller screen. You can choose a photo that not only appears in a small circle, but fill the entire screen with the photo, just so that you know is calling. You can even change the fonts that shows the name of the caller, just to add some flavour to your friend’s caller ID screen. If you want, you can even add emojis to it. They call it Contact Poster and it does not just work with the default phone app. Apple says that Contact Poster is also available for third-party apps, so you can expect your Telegram and WhatsApp calls.
If you are not available to listen to voicemails, the app also now does real-time transcriptions. That way you can just read your voicemail like it is a text from your friend. You can either choose to reply to your friend via messenger apps or the default messaging app. It even cleverly filters out identified spam calls even when they leave a message.
New Messages Too, Who Dat?
Source: Apple
Source: Apple
iOS 17 also updated the iMessage app. While stickers have been a feature for the iMessage app for a while now, they have improved the experience with the 17th iteration of iOS. You can now create Live Stickers, allowing users to quickly create stickers out of their everyday subjects and environments in an instant. All that can be done through the iMessage app itself.
Apple has also overhauled the search engine for their messaging app. It is more precise, more powerful, and much more accurate this time. There is a new catch-up arrow tat allows users to know where their conversations trailed off or where they left their conversation. You can easily reply to different text lines too on the app by just swiping the desired bubble. Live Locations is also a new feature added to the app. Even audio messages can be turned into a text with the new app with Live Transcription. Rather than texting your loved one that you have arrived at your destination safely, the app allows you to quickly Check In to quickly send out notifications to your family members and friends with is a single click. Your emergency contact will also receive information on your location, battery level, and cell service status when you are not making any progress to your destination.
Autocorrect and dictation is now better than ever. Instead of just picking predicted words, you can form full sentences with Autocorrect now. Based on how you type, and the kind of words you like to use, the algorithm can easily complete your sentences as quick as you can hit the spacebar. There is a new speech recognition model too that is supposed to be more accurate for Dictation.
FaceTime, Now on Apple TV
Leaving voice messages is one thing, you could never have left a video message, not like what you do with FaceTime now. Instead of hanging up the video call, you can just directly leave a voice or video message right on the FaceTime app itself. You do not have to hang up and then record a video, or a voice mail and send it to them via your messenger anymore, which adds a layer of convenience to FaceTime that has never been seen before.
FaceTime now also allows users to express like never before. You can be more expressive with the addition of Reactions in FaceTime now. For iPhone users, it is not just FaceTime that gets the feature though, other video calling apps can also take advantage of the new features.
They also made FaceTime even more accessible than ever before. The Apple TV 4K now supports FaceTime with the new update. In fact, the new update will also install FaceTime to Apple tvOS by default. Users can now start video calls directly from their Apple TV hardware and use the cameras from their iPhones or iPads. You can even start the call from your iOS devices and pass the call on to the Apple TV. Center Stage also makes it to FaceTime for Apple TV.
AirDrop, NameDrop, Drop Whatever You Want to Each Other
Source: Apple
Source: Apple
AirDrop is the one feature that Android users wish they had, and it is now better than ever. NameDrop now allows users to quickly share contact information by just putting their iPhones close to the other iPhone they want to share information with. You can even do that with Apple Watch devices. AirDrop now also works with SharePlay feature to share music quickly from one iPhone to the other. They also say that you can share a game session with another iPhone user all from using AirDrop bringing all kinds of possibilities for mobile multiplayer gaming.
Everything Else
Source: Apple
Source: Apple
Source: Apple
Source: Apple
Source: Apple
Source: Apple
Source: Apple
Source: Apple
Source: Apple
Source: Apple
Since wireless charging and docking has been a thing now, your iPhone with iOS 17 can be more than just a smartphone you put on the wireless charging station. It can sort of become a quick info hub on the side of your bed, or your workstation with the new StandBy feature. There is also a new Journal app that helps users take notes and keep a log of their daily lives. You can even include photos and videos in the journals app to keep tabs on what you have been up to. They have improve Safari and its Private Browsing functions and protection. There is a new Health app that offers new mental health check and measuring features. Maps is also now available in offline mode, if you need to still find your way around without data. They even improved the Home app so that you can track your use data in the past 30 days. Of course, your Privacy is now more important than ever in iOS 17 with more parental control options and a new Sensitive Content Warning feature that also helps adults navigate the web safely.
Availability
iOS 17 is now available on Beta for developers on the developer link. You technically can sign up as a developer and try out the beta version for yourself. If not, they are releasing a public beta in a month’s time. They have not mentioned the availability of the full-fledged iOS 17 just yet. We are guessing it will be available about a month after the public beta is released. More information on iOS 17 can be found on their website.
Razer’s Hammerhead series of headphones has been one of the go-to wireless earphones when it comes to mobile gaming. To be fair, while there are better sounding earphones out there, the Razer brand has made themselves known to be some of the best gaming brands in the world. It also does not hurt when the Razer Hammerhead line-up is some of the more decent sounding earphones on the market. There is room for improvement though and Razer delivers that in the Razer Hammerhead Pro HyperSpeed they just introduced.
As the name suggests, it is made with their HyperSpeed technology that ensures an almost wired connection-like latencies. Again, the disadvantage to that is that the HyperSpeed technology relies on a proprietary 2.4GHz dongle that you need to connect to your devices like the PC, or smartphone. It is a USB Type-C dongle though, so you technically can use it with the likes of the Nintendo Switch. They claim a latency of less than 40ms with the HyperSpeed technology on this Hammerhead Pro.
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
While HyperSpeed technology is impressive, you are probably going to be using this pair of wireless earbuds with a smartphone or tablet via Bluetooth. For that, it has Bluetooth 5.3, the latest standard in Bluetooth technology. That also allows the Hammerhead Pro HyperSpeed to offer an impressive 60ms latency when connected via Bluetooth, just 20ms shy of HyperSpeed. If you are gaming mostly on your smartphone, you can start thinking about losing the cable with this one.
On top of the HyperSpeed dongle and Bluetooth 5.3 capabilities, the Hammerhead Pro HyperSpeed is also capable of wireless charging. The fast-charging case that offers an additional 24 hours of listening time to the earbuds can be charged wirelessly with any wireless charging base you can find in the market. Or charge your device via USB Type-C, there is nothing ever wrong with wired charging in the first place.
It is a ‘Pro’ level item from Razer, so you can safely expect hybrid active noise cancelling to be a thing here. The Hammerhead Pro HyperSpeed offers an array of microphones that act as noise cancelling feedback microphones for better sound cancelling and isolation. You can even adjust how much noise cancelling you want via a proprietary app. To keep you isolated and undisturbed while gaming, the Hammerhead Pro HyperSpeed even offers a clever Do Not Disturb mode that silences all incoming Bluetooth notifications. The mode can also prevent calls and texts from coming through though, so you might want to have an apology message to go when your significant other cannot reach you.
Of course, the main thing about a wireless earphone should be its sound quality. The Hammerhead Pro HyperSpeed is a THX certified gear. While it may not mean too much, since Razer technically owns THX and can slap THX branding on any of their products; the THX brand is still one of the most recognizable one in the audio industry, which also should mean that the Hammerhead Pro HyperSpeed should sound great, and at least decent if not excellent. At the same time, the Hammerhead Pro HyperSpeed cannot be a Razer product without Razer Chroma RGB and that is what these pair of earbuds have to offer. You can even control the RGB lighting with Razer’s app.
Price and Availability
The Razer Hammerhead Pro HyperSpeed is now available from Razer.com and all Razer’s authorised retailers across Malaysia, including their official online stores. There are no colour options for this one, just the black that is known for Razer’s most premium gears. It will set you back MYR 999, which is about MYR 100 less than Sony’s most premium wireless earbuds currently. More information on the new wireless earbuds can be found on their website.
HUAWEI launched the P60 series of devices not too long ago this year. Of course, being HUAWEI’s biggest market outside of China, you would expect them to launch the P60 series sometime soon in Malaysia. They did just that.
They launched the P60 Pro last week alongside a few new shiny devices, including a rather interesting foldable smartphone that we thought looked rather slick. No matter though, the star of the show was supposed to be the HUAWEI P60 Pro, their latest photography flagship smartphone.
To recap, the HUAWEI P60 Pro was launched in China sometime in March 2023. Within the device is a powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ gen1 4G platform. No 5G technology here, no thanks to the trade ban. You get up to 12GB of RAM and up to 512G of on-board storage with the powerful System on a Chip (SoC).
It is not Android that powers the device either, as we all have come to expect it. Instead, you get an in-house developed EMUI 13.1. While the main architecture and design of EMUI 13.1 is based mostly on Android, HUAWEI’s P60 Pro will not be coming with Google Play Store on-board.
Source: HUAWEI
EMUI 13.1 is displayed in all its glory on a 6.67-inch LTPO OLED display that offers up to 120Hz in refresh rate. It is not a Full HD display; you get 1,220 by 2,700 pixels, not quite QHD either. Still, the display offers brilliant OLED vividness and saturation at P3 wide colour gamut.
Out the back is a powerful 48-Megapixel main shooter that can also capture 4K videos. There is also a 13-Megapixel ultra-wide shooter alongside a 48-Megapixel telephoto camera to support the main camera and offer users more variety in their photos. Out the front is a 13-Megapixel selfie camera that also offers 4K video recording capabilities.
Keeping the device running and charged up the entire day is a 4,815mAh internal battery that should last for more than a day even with constant usage. If that is not enough, you can charge the device at up to 88W with a compatible charger and cable combination. If you prefer to keep your device unplugged, the device can still be charged at up to 50W using Wireless HUAWEI SuperCharge technology.
The HUAWEi P60 Pro is now available for pre-orders at MYR 4,699 until 19th of May 2023 at select HUAWEI Experience Stores. You can select between Rococo Pearl and Black colour options. Device collection can be done the day after the pre-order period ends. Each pre-order entitles you to a selection of gift vouchers for various services and products. If you collect your device on the 20th of May 2023, you are also entitled to an MYR 200 Touch n Go voucher and a chance at winning a HUAWEI Vision S television worth MYR 3,499. You can learn more about the HUAWEI P60 Pro on their website.
Pre-orders will also get access to an enticing selection of vouchers from renowned brands including:
Sony’s Xperia flagships is always something we look forward to. Since its rebirth, the Xperia 1 brand is a household name for those who wants a unique flagship that is completely different from the ones you see in the regular stores. If you noticed, the Xperia 1 smartphone has never really been sold via the network carriers. They are sold almost exclusively by retail partners and Sony flagship stores. That is only one reason why the Xperia 1 series smartphones are so unique.
Another thing that really sets the Xperia 1 series devices is also its design. It is a very distinctive and classic design; one that has not changed over its 5 generation of flagship smartphone. Yes, it is in its 5th generation now, hence the ‘V’ in its name. The design is not only classic though, but also functional, timeless, and rather unique for a market that focuses so much on curved and rounded edges. While it might look like an uncomfortable piece of slab in your hands, it is surprisingly one of the most intuitive shapes you might find in the industry. It also feels industrial, we admit.
As industrial as it feels, the device does come packing a lot of power. It is not built for the masses though; you can feel it when you first pick up the device. The device is made for those who are in the know, who wants function over form, who wants their smartphone to be a complete extension of themselves and their lifestyle. It is made for content creators and professionals. The new one, the mark V, might just be another game changer.
Same Old Shell, But Better Internals
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
The Xperia 1V, as we might have expected, shares mostly the same look as the older Xperia 1 devices. It is a rectangular slab with hard edges all around. The design, as we mentioned as well, is timeless, classic. But for Sony, looks is rather secondary; it is function over form and that is where the Sony Xperia 1V might appeal to you, it does to us anyway.
We do have to start with the boring stuff though. It comes with Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 8 Gen2 platform, the most powerful mobile integrated chip you can find on an Android smartphone today. Of course, it goes without saying that the Sony Xperia 1V also comes with 5G thanks to the platform. Alongside the powerful System on a Chip (SoC) is 12GB RAM for better multitasking experience. You get up to 512GB of storage too, for all the photos and videos you are going to be taking with the Xperia 1V. If that is not enough, the Xperia 1V also comes with a dedicated MicroSD expansion slot, a pleasant welcome for modern flagships.
Out the front though is an Xperia special. This is still one of the only flagship smartphones in the industry to pack a 4K resolution display. Measuring in at 6.5-inch, you get an OLED panel that refreshes at 120Hz for that extra smooth feel on your interface and games. Entertainment is in Sony’s blood, so they also outfitted the Xperia 1V with some low-noise speakers for the best-in-class audio performance. They even have a “Game Enhancer” mode that is supposed to improve gaming performance on the device itself and even allow players to stream their games on YouTube without additional hardware.
The Exmor T for Mobile – The Game Changer
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
This device is made for the content creators though. It packs a brand-new innovation from the camera division. It packs Sony’s latest Exmor T sensor for mobile. While it is not quite a 1-inch sensor, the newly developed sensor for mobile platforms is clever. It is a stacked CMOS image sensor with 2-layer Transistor Pixel. What that means for users is that the newly developed sensor is supposed to offer better low-light performance than ever before. It is also a much faster sensor offering higher levels of detail than older mobile camera sensor technologies. They also claim that the new sensor offers photos with less noise and dynamic range closer to what you can get out of a full-frame system. On top of the Exmor T for mobile 48-Megapixels sensor is a 24mm Zeiss lens with T* coating for less distortion and better clarity. There is also a 16mm 12-Megapixel ultra-wide shooter and another telephoto lens with 12-Megapixel sensor behind it. The unique thing about the telephoto lens though is that it offers an optical zoom between 85-125mm (3.5x-5.2x).
One big thing about the Xperia 1V is also the improvement of the S-Cinetone colour gamut. The S-Cinetone colour gamut can be considered a cinematographer favourite when it comes to shooting contents. With the Xperia 1V, S-Cinetone for mobile has been improved to offer better skin tones and offer more cinematic footages even before a comprehensive colour grading work. Since the new sensor offers better colour and detail performance, you also get enhanced saturation over the older smartphone. Of course, the low-light performance of the sensors helps with S-Cinetone too.
Thanks to Real-time tracking and Eye AF functions, the Sony Xperia 1V is a powerful tool for video and photo work when you really have nothing else to work with. If you are too lazy to post process your photos or videos, the smartphone also offers colour presets in Creative Look mode. When you need it to, the Sony Xperia 1V can capture photos at up 30 frames per second while tracking moving objects rather accurately. For vloggers reviewing products, there is a Product Showcase setting that forces the camera to focus more on the product on hand over the reviewer’s face. There is also a new voice priority mic within the camera that ensures that the creator’s voice is clearly heard in every situation.
Battery – Still As Big, But Better and Longer-Lasting
Source: Sony
Of course, for the Xperia 1V to be an extension of yourself, you need it to work an entire day and probably even more. The 5,000mAh battery within the classic body ensures that you have at least 20 hours of battery life even when you play videos at 4K the entire time. It also supports fast-charging technology so you can fully charge your device in just about an hour. With some new technologies and know-how, Sony has managed to improve the battery lifespan of the battery, which means that battery life anxiety might not be a thing for the Xperia 1V for years to come.
Price and Availability
The Sony Xperia 1V is not known for its colour options. It comes in three colour options still – Black, Khaki Green, and Platinum Silver. While some markets are getting the device in June, Sony Malaysia has confirmed that Malaysia will get the Sony Xperia 1V treatment on the 3rd of July 2023 onward. Sony Malaysia has also confirmed that the Sony Xperia 1V will be priced at MYR 6,399 onward. More on the Sony Xperia 1V can be found on their website.
ASUS launched their flagship smartphone, the ROG Phone 7 last month in April 2023. As promised, ASUS has brought the new flagship gaming smartphone into Malaysia. They are also available for purchase now as we speak; if you are interested, you can check out their roadshow happening now to the end of this weekend (14th of May 2023) at Pavilion Bukit Jalil.
To recap, the ROG Phone 7 comes in two variants, the regular vanilla ROG Phone 7, and one ROG Phone 7 Ultimate flavour. The vanilla ROG Phone 7 is still a powerful device packing Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 platform. You still get up to opt for up to 16GB in LPDDR5X RAM and up to 512GB in storage space if you do not mind spending a little bit more money.
Whichever ROG Phone 7 series device you pick, it comes with a large 6.78-inch AMOLED display that offers Full HD+ resolution at 165Hz refresh rate and up to 720Hz in sampling rate for a smooth and near instant input feel. The AMOLED display also offers the best-in-class viewing experience with up to 1,500 nits in brightness and ΔE<1 colour accuracy. For the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate, you get an extra matrix display shooting visuals out of the back of the device (ROG Vision).
The ROG Phone 7 Ultimate also has a trick up its sleeve over the regular ROG Phone 7. You not only get the latest AeroActive Cooler active cooling solution and attachment for your ROG Phone 7 Ultimate, but the cooler also activates a flap they call the AeroActive Portal that will increase an airflow channel to allow for better cooling. The result is up to 20% thermal efficiency from the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate. That, alongside the Boron Nitride thermal compound, bigger vapor chamber,a graphite sheets on the CPU means that the CPU can be pushed to its limits for longer periods of time without compromising gaming performance.
Other updates on the series include better audio tuned by Dirac Virtuo, X Sense software, better AirTrigger, and new gesture controls including Gyroscope aiming. Within the new ROG Phone 7 devices are 10 motion controls with an X-axis liner motor for powerful and immersive haptic feedback like the one you get on your console controller. You can even adjust the haptic feedback for better response, or just all-around better feel for your controls.
Price and Availability
As mentioned, the ROG Phone 7 series is now available in Malaysia. You can get your vanilla variant of the ROG Phone 7 in either white or black colour options. The ROG Phone 7 Ultimate will be available 15th of May 2023 onward in Malaysia. There is no colour option for this one, unfortunately, just white. The white does bring the ROG Vision out a little bit more though. The ROG Phone 7 will start at MYR 3,599 (12GB + 256GB) while the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate starts at MYR 4,999 and comes with the AeroActive Cooler 7 out-of-the-box. More information on the ROG Phone 7 series can be found on their website.
The idea of an official Google Tablet has always been on the table for years. To be fair, the idea of a Google Tablet did not exist in the early days of Android, not until Apple introduced their iPad to the world. There was not too much sense for an Android tablet made by Google though. Like the iPad in its early days, it will be nothing more than a glorified Android that is blown up to fit the size of a tablet, which is what Google did not want.
That has not stopped Google from introducing an entire interface dedicated to tablet devices at one point. When it did not make sense at the time, they integrated the entire Android ecosystem again and allowed tablets to take advantage of Android’s versatility and built-in functions that were specific to tablet type devices. Now that Google has sort of perfected that, they now see sense in introducing the highly anticipated Google Pixel Tablet, the new benchmark in Android tablets.
Source: google
There was nothing technically new with the Google Pixel Tablet, nor is it that innovative. Inside, you find a Google Tensor G2 powerhouse like the one you find on the Google Pixel 7a, Pixel 7, and Pixel 7 Pro. Of course, it also packs a Titan M2 processor to keep the device encrypted and secure. The integrated powerhouse comes with 8GB of LPDDR5 RAM for speedy and smooth multitasking. You can choose between 128GB or 256GB for your storage options.
Out the front is an expansive 10.9-inch LCD display that offers 2,560 by 1,600 pixels at 16:10 aspect ratio. You can get up to 500 nits in brightness, which might not sound all that bright, but it is not designed for outdoor use mostly. The display also supports USI 2.0 stylus pens like its ChromeOS cousins, allowing the tablet to be used with USI certified stylus pens. Since they made the tablet mostly for entertainment, the LCD panel offers up to 24-bit in colour depth.
Of course, it is not just made for play, but for work too. You get an 8-Megapixel sensor that shoots out of the back with 1080p recording. No 4K recording here, you do not need 4K video capabilities on a tablet at most times. The front-facing camera is also a similar 8-Megapixel shooter with 1080p video recording and calling capabilities. That also means that you get very similar video calling performance out of both cameras, which is a good thing.
Source: Google
Source: google
Source: Google
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Source: Google
Source: GooSource: Googlegle
Source: Google
On its own, the device packs four speakers for the most immersive sounds for your movies and even your music. Out-of-the-box though is a speaker dock that you can dock your Pixel Tablet to for even bigger sounds. It is not quite a wireless speaker though; it connects to the Pixel Tablet via pogo pins. When connected, the tablet’s 27Wh battery is also charged via the Pogo Pins. When docked also, the tablet suddenly becomes your Google Home hub, no need for a Google Nest system anymore. Of course, to liven up your living space, you can even use it as a live photo frame with your Gallery app .
Price and Availability
The Google Pixel Tablet is now available for pre-order in the United States (U.S.) and select regions and will see shelves by 20th of June 2023. It will come in three colour options – Porcelain, Hazel, and Rose and will be priced at US$ 499 (MYR 2,226*) onward. Unfortunately, the device will not make it into Malaysia at any official capacity. More on the Google Pixel Tablet can be found on their website. *Approximately based on the exchange rate of US$ 1 = MYR 4.46 as of 11/05/2023 on xe.com
Google I/O 2023 did not just introduce a brand-new Android to us. It introduced the budget powerhouse that will be running Android 14 for us. Google I/O 2023 brought the new Google Pixel 7a to us.
To be fair, not much has changed from the Google Pixel 7 from last year. It still packs Google’s in-house developed Tensor G2 platform with eight cores within the processor unit. You get 8GB of RAM out of it and up to 128GB of UFS 3.1 storage for ultra-fast data access and interface feel. Alongside Titan M2 chip integrated into the Tensor platform, you can even be sure that your device is more secure than ever.
You get a slightly smaller screen at 6.1-inch instead of 6.3-inch. It still displays at Full HD+ resolution and up to 90Hz in refresh rate. While it is nothing close to what ASUS had offered with their flagship ROG Phone 7, the display is a respectable one. It is also protected with Corning’s Gorilla Glass 3, not their latest, but still strong enough to take on the daily bumps and scrapes. But it is not just the screen that is durable. Google says that the Pixel 7a is built to be the most durable A-series smartphone they have so far. The entire aluminium housing of the device is also 100% recycled, to comply with Google’s commitment to sustainability.
Source: Google
It packs everything that made the Google Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro a delight to use, thanks to Android in part. It features the clever Pixel Call Assist that just makes phone calls to service providers much more bearable. With Direct My Call, the device gets you to the right departments quicker without too much fuss, Call Screen lets you screen through calls before you pick it up, Hold for Me holds your calls for you when you are in a waiting line so that you do not have to, the device even tells you how long you have to wait until you get an answer or representative talking to you via Wait Times. Of course, the clever interface enhances your calls with anyone with Clear Calling that enhances your voice and reduces background noise. Thanks to the power of Tensor G2 and Android, Live Translate, Recorder Speaker Labels, Assistant Voice Typing, and Voice Messaging Transcription on the messaging app is better than ever too on the Google Pixel 7a.
Where the Pixel 7a differs from the Google Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro is the cameras it packs. The Google Pixel 7a comes with a 64-Megapixel main shooter that is also supported by a 13-Megapixel ultrawide camera on the side. It does not have a third camera like the Pixel 7 Pro. The Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro also only comes with a 50-Megapixel main camera, which is technically less powerful than that of the Pixel 7a. Compared to the Google Pixel 6a though, the 64-Megapixel sensor is 72% larger than before for up to 44% more light capture. There is also a 13-Megapixel front-facing camera that is now capable of recording videos at up to 4K resolutions. Thanks to the Tensor G2 processor, the main camera can now shoot in Long Exposure mode that can really enhance photos with moving objects or subjects. You can even take photos at 8x zoom with Super Res zoom function.
Price and Availability
The Pixel 7a is now available in the United States for US$ 499 (MYR 2,226*) onward. You can choose between four attractive colours – Coral, Sea, Charcoal, and Snow. The Google Pixel 7a will be available in other select markets on a later date. Unfortunately, Malaysia will not be getting the Google Pixel 7a in an official capacity at this time. More about the Google Pixel 7a can be found on their website.
*Approximately based the exchange rate of US$ 1 = MYR 4.46 as of 11/05/2023 on xe.com
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