Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, Telegram – that’s the growing list of apps that are allowing users to send expiring or disappearing messages. The latest app to join is none other than WhatsApp. After what seems like an eternity behind other apps, it seems like the feature is now coming to WhatsApp.
Evidence first popped up in March showing options which allow users to send messages with an optional expiration time for the platform. If a user enables the feature, all message that sent individually or in groups will be automatically erased after seven days. Users can configure the setting for individual chat while only group admin able to turn on the feature for group chats.
The feature seems to also work with with media files. However, the media file will not disappear if the user turn on the auto download for receiving any files. This may be one of the more convenient implementations of the feature as not everyone wants media to be downloaded to their phones.
WhatsApp has recently updated their FAQs to include a new answer regarding the new feature. In their response about the feature they clarify, ” Once enabled, messages sent in the individual or group chat will disappear after seven days. The most recent selection controls all messages in the chat. This setting won’t affect messages you previously sent or received in the chat. In an individual chat, either user can turn disappearing messages on or off. In a group chat, only group admins can turn disappearing messages on or off.”
With the FAQ is live on the WhatsApp website, it seems like the feature will be making its way to users in the coming weeks. The features will be available to users on Android, iOS and KaiOS.
WhatsApp has also published tutorials for enabling and disabling the features on their website.
The wait is finally over. All the main flagships of 2020 have launched. All you have to do is select the best one for you. You can either choose to get a Samsung Galaxy S20 or Note20 device, or an Apple iPhone 12 device, or now, you have a third option – the HUAWEI Mate40 device.
You could easily deviate and get a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 or a Samsung Galaxy Z Flip, or even get a completely different flagship like an ROG Phone 3, or something like the new Lenovo Legion Duel gaming smartphone for that matter. But we will talk about that later. Today, we are focusing on the big three that every other person will think about. Well, technically one, because the Chinese tech giant just launched their flagship device and this article is actually dedicated to that.
Source: HUAWEI
There is plenty to talk about too, with the new HUAWEI Mate40 series. For one is the new design language that is not too different from last year’s Mate30 design language. They call it the Space Ring design, basically moving the camera arrangement from being contained in a circle to now being a ring that encircles, well, a circle with ‘Leica’ printed on it.
There is also the five lensed HUAWEI Mate40 Pro+ and that gives it the ability to zoom up to 100x (digital zoom) in its camera app. Of course, there is an ultra-premium version they only know as the Porsche Design HUAWEI Mate40 RS that could go with your Porsche Design Acer Book RS that was launched just a few days ago. And, there is a new Operating System (OS) based on Google’s latest Android 11. There is still no Google Play Store on the device though.
HUAWEI Mate 40 Pro+
Source: HUAWEI
We start with HUAWEI’s most overkill of a device, the HUAWEI Mate40 Pro+. There are multiple HUAWEI Mate40 devices, but this is the most powerful. It is just slightly less powerful that the Porsche Design HUAWEI Mate40 RS, but the Mate40 Pro+ is technically just missing a small ingredient that might not change the experience that much anyway.
HiSilicon Kirin 9000 – The Most Powerful Ever
Source: HUAWEI
HUAWEI leapfrogged Samsung and Qualcomm in this department for now. They introduced the world to what seems to be the most advanced and their most powerful System on A chip with the HUAWEI Mate40 series. This is quite expected also, mind you.
What is unexpected is just how sophisticated this chip was going to be. You get 15.3 billion transistors packed into the octa-core unit, 3.5 billion more than Apple’s latest A14 Bionic. This goes without saying, the Kirin 9000 also has two more cores than the Apple chip. This is achieved with 5nm process, obviously. We are expecting the new Qualcomm and Samsung chips to be based on th 5nm platform as well though, so only time can tell whether or not this device stands the test of time. HUAWEI did promise a smooth Android performance even after 36 months though. That is 3 years of smooth Android with a speed drop off at only 2.5%.
Embedded within the chip is a larger, more powerful dual Neural Processing Unit (NPU) for even more complex compute power for more special and handy features like HUAWEI’s brilliant air gesture control. Then there is a bigger, more powerful 24-core Mali-G78 GPU that HUAWEI claims to surpass any other smartphones that comes before. That also means better looking games and better video and photo editing experience on the smartphone itself.
But that is not all the NPU offers though. Combined with a new, more powerful image processor chip, photos and videos are even better than before. AI Tracking of a subject is smoother and better, you do not even have to move your smartphone for that, and it looks like the camera is moving to the subject’s movements. The front camera now can shoot videos in 240fps slow motion mode now too, creating more creative possibilities. Of course, stabilisation is even more enhanced now with the combined power of the NPU and Image processor.
5G is not new anymore in these devices. The 5G chip that is on the Kirin 9000 though is a more advance chip that support 5G Super Uplink and 5G Downlink CA technology. That also means that 5G is even faster than before with up to triple data download speeds on supporting networks.
This powerful chip is the beating heart of HUAWEI’s most advanced and most expensive Mate flagship series to date. At least for the HUAWEI Mate40 Pro+, the HiSilicon Kirin 9000 should pack enough power to get the best out of the 5-camera set-up. Of course, there is the matter of powering the EMUI 11.
EMUI 11 – Better Than Ever, More Powerful Than ever
Source: HUAWEI
We have pointed out before that HUAWEI’s Android based EMUI has come a long way from the early days of being and ‘iOS copy’. EMUI has matured to become a unique ecosystem and OS in its own rights.
While Always-on Display (AoD) is not all that new, there is a new revamp anyway on EMUI that makes AoD even better than before. Rather than just having a static display with preset layouts and graphics, EMUI allows you a little bit more creative space with AoD. They call it Dynamic Graphic AoD, you can take a short video or even put up different photos to spice up your AoD or completely change the layout of the AoD just to get the right looks on your HUAWEI Mate 40 device.
Source: HUAWEI
It does not stop there though, they also developed something called Eyes-on Display (EoD). That means your display only turns on when you look at the device. We are guessing that the mechanism uses the front-facing camera to track your eye movement to turn on the display just for the moment you look at the display. It displays the same AoD graphics that you have set for your device too, but it only displays when you look at the display. That is a nifty way to cut back on battery consumption and allow your device to last even longer.
Of course, multi-window is still possible. With the right apps you can have up to three apps open at the same time on the device. Of course, you are going to struggle a little bit with screen real estate at that point, but if you need to multitask with three different apps, EMUI 11 can handle it. The mechanics are exactly the same as well on EMUI 10.1.
Source: HUAWEI
They have improved multi-screen collaboration on HUAWEI devices with the new Mate40 series though. You can have your PC, HUAWEI Share enabled of course, running at least three different instances of your HUAWEI Mate40 device all running different apps or instances of a single app. It looks amazing, and we are betting that they should be amazing to work with in terms of productivity. You have to be using a HUAWEI smartphone with a HUAWEI notebook PC though.
The native email app received a little bit of an overhaul. Now you can opt to make your emails look like a chat or a messenger style chat app. The layout is sort of an optimisation for mobile devices and make full use of the small display real estate. It makes your email app looks better too somehow.
Speaking of apps, EMUI also introduced a new navigation app they call Petal Maps. We have not tried it, but it is a HUAWEI developed app that looks like a cross between Google Maps and Waze. In addition to the navigation app, they have Petal Search as well; a Google alternative to search engines made for mobile devices. They say that Petal Search also does not collect your information, does not track your location, and does not expose your preferences or data. We look forward to trying those.
On top of those new features, they took away a few things too. No, that is not a bad thing. It is to protect your privacy from prying eyes.
For example, to prevent unknown eyes from looking at your notifications on your lock screen, HUAWEI automatically hides the notifications from eyes and faces it does not recognise. If you gaze on it, it opens up with more information on the notification. When you share your screen or cast your screen to a smart display too, notifications will only be contained on your own smartphone display instead of the smart display. You can now make plans with your friends on the side while watching a movie casted from your HUAWEI Mate40 device.
The Penta-Camera Combo – HUAWEI’s Most Advanced Camera Ever
Source: HUAWEI
Before we start, we have to clarify that HUAWEI’s penta-camera set-up is not actually the first in the market. That honour has to go to Nokia and their PureView smartphone that has not seen the light of the market just yet. This is the first HUAWEI device to feature five cameras pointing out of the back of the glass back though.
The HUAWEI Mate40 Pro+ packs one 50-Megapixel Ultra Vision Camera with HUAWEI’s signature RYYB (Red Yellow Yellow Blue) sensor and built in Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS) out of the ceramic back. That main camera is supported by three other lenses that can do ultra-wide photos (20-Megapixel Cine Camera, 100o angle), optically zoom up to 3x ( 12-Megapixel Telephoto Cameaa), and even super zoom up to 10x optically (8-Megapixel SuperZoom Camera). There is an extra ToF 3D sensor in the array for depth information, so you can get stunningly accurate depth-of-field information on your photos. With the zoom lenses too, the HUAWEI Mate40 Pro+ can digitally zoom images at up to 100x, technically. You might not use that on a gallery poster though.
The cameras are not just for high-resolution photos though. They are also made for breath-taking videos. With cleverer image stabilisation, your 4K videos should look like they are shot on gimbals and big stabilisation rigs. HUAWEI really pulled all the stops for this one as well with AI Active Tracking. We mentioned earlier too that you do not have to move your device to capture a moving subject zoomed in, the image cropping algorithm just follows the subject and keeps the subject in consistent scale on your frame.
You can shoot videos at up to 3,840fps too, for ultra-slow-motion videos, but that mode is restricted to 720p resolution. Speaking of slow-motion videos though, you can now shoot at 240fps with no limits on your HUAWEI Mate40 device. Of course, it stops when your device overheats or when storage runs out.
Out the front is a combination of two cameras so that you can create stunning contents as well. There is a 13-Megapixel Ultra Vision Selfie Camera that can go up to 100o for a wider shot and a ToF 3D sensor for more accurate Depth information. This also means that the front-facing camera can shoot videos at up to 4K and even shoot unlimited 240fps videos at 1080p. Again, the limit is when you overheat your camera, when your battery runs out, or storage is full.
On both ends though, HUAWEI’s AI eliminates lens distortions. That means that your ultra-wide angle photos or wide-angle selfies will look like they were taken with a regular lens. Your face will not be stretched out and your subject will not look extra funky. This is brilliant stuff.
Everything Else
Source: HUAWEI
You see all of the greatness projected out to you via a large 6.76-inch display. It is an OLED panel that projects more than Full HD at 2,772 by 1,344 pixels. Of course, a modern smartphones needs a fast refreshing display and this keeps up at 90hz together with 240Hz sampling rate.
The curve on the sides are sharper than ever at 88o angle. That also means that your palms are technically touching the sides of the display when you hold it. You can still control the volumes using the virtual volume slide on the sides though, but the display is not your main source of interaction with the device anymore, the volume rocker button is back.
That is not all though, thanks to Kirin 9000’s cleverer NPU, air gesture controls are now much more powerful and precise. You do not even have to touch your device to interact with the device. Useful when you get your hands dirty. You can pick up calls, you can change screens, you can control your volume, you can even pause and play videos or music just via your hands moving in front of the display, like magic.
Of course, the processor is just part of the recipe for a smooth running, powerful device. You need a large RAM too, and the HUAWEI Mate40 Pro+ has 12GB of it. To contain all the content that you will be making with the HUAWEI Mate40 Pro+, there is a 256GB storage to boot.
Of course, HUAWEI is known for their super long-lasting battery. They are touting the Kirin 9000 to be more efficient than the current generation of SoCs out in the market. That also means that the 4,400mAh battery shoehorned into the device should last you a full day of use and maybe even more, depending on how you use your device. If you ever run out of battery and you need to get it going quick, the battery can take on 66W via HUAWEI SuperCharge (included in-the-box) through the USB Type-C port, and 50W wireless charging (Wireless HUAWEI SuperCharge sold separately).
Specifications
Processor
HiSilicon Kirin 9000 5G w/ Dual NPU Octa-core 1 x Cortex-A77@3.13 GHz 3 x Cortex-A77@2.54 GHz 4 x Cortex-A55@2.05 GHz
Non-Removable Li-Po 4,400 mAh Fast Charging 60W (HUAWEI SuperCharge) Fast Wireless Charging 50W (Wireless HUAWEI SuperCharge)
Connectivity
Dual SIM Wi-Fi WLAN 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax GPS/A-GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS A2DP Bluetooth 5.2 OTG Support USB 3.1 Type-C NFC
Camera (s)
REAR: 50 MP Ultra Vision Camera (Wide Angle, f/1.9 aperture, OIS) 20 MP Cine Camera (Ultra-Wide Angle, f/2.4 aperture) 12 MP Telephoto Camera (3x Optical Zoom, f/2.4 aperture, OIS) 8 MP SuperZoom Camera (10x Optical Zoom, f/4.4 aperture, OIS) 3D Depth Sensing Camera, support AF HDR LED Flash 4K Video recording 720p@3,840fps FRONT: 13 MP Ultra Vision Selfie Camera (Wide Angle, f/2.4) 3D Depth Sensing Camera 4K video recording 1080p@240fps
Sensors
Gesture Sensor 3D Face Recognition Gravity Sensor Infrared Sensor Fingerprint Sensor Barometric Pressure Sensor Gyroscope Compass Ambient Light Sensor Proximity Sensor Laser Sensor Colour Temperature Sensor
Miscellaneous
Stereo Speakers IP68
HUAWEI Mate40 Pro
Source: HUAWEI
You do not need five cameras, you tell yourself. You do not need to spend as much money, you say. But you want that power, the same one as the HUAWEI Mate40 Pro+. Then the HUAWEI Mate 40 Pro is for you.
The HUAWEI Mate40 Pro is technically a twin sibling to the HUAWEI Mate 40 Pro+. It packs the same large 6.76-inch display with a very steep curve on the side. The body is made out of roughly the same materials too. Well, save for the ceramic back; the HUAWEI Mate40 Pro has a regular glass back.
Source: HUAWEI
It packs the Same HiSilicon Kirin 9000 though. That also means the HUAWEI Mate40 Pro’s EMUI 11 can work as well as the HUAWEI Mate 40 Pro+. You get the same air gesture controls, the same AoD or EoD, and probably around the same battery life with the 4,400 mAh battery.
The biggest visual difference, other than the variety of colour options, is the cameras. Up front, they are still the same sensors; a 13-Megapixel sensor with a ToF 3D depth sensor. It can still record 4K videos and 240fps 1080p videos as well.
The difference is at the back. There are two cameras less on the HUAWEI Mate40 Pro. You lose the ToF sensor and one telephoto lens. Instead you get a 50-Megapixel main sensor (same one as the HUAWEI Mate40 Pro+), a 20-Megapixel Ultra-Wide Cine Camera (same on as the HUAWEI Mate40 Pro+), and a 12-Megapixel Telephoto camera with 5x optical zoom capabilities.
Source: HUAWEI
You get the same camera modes too as the HUAWEI Mate40 Pro+. In that case, if you are looking at a slightly tighter budget, the HUAWEI Mate40 Pro might seem like a good choice. While there is only an 8GB RAM for the HUAWEI Mate40 Pro, the differences in experience should be minute enough that you might not notice at all.
Specifications
Processor
HiSilicon Kirin 9000 5G w/ Dual NPU Octa-core 1 x Cortex-A77@3.13 GHz 3 x Cortex-A77@2.54 GHz 4 x Cortex-A55@2.05 GHz
Non-Removable Li-Po 4,400 mAh Fast Charging 60W (HUAWEI SuperCharge) Fast Wireless Charging 50W (Wireless HUAWEI SuperCharge)
Connectivity
Dual SIM Wi-Fi WLAN 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax GPS/A-GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS A2DP Bluetooth 5.2 OTG Support USB 3.1 Type-C NFC
Camera (s)
REAR: 50 MP Ultra Vision Camera (Wide Angle, f/1.9 aperture, OIS) 20 MP Cine Camera (Ultra-Wide Angle, f/2.4 aperture) 12 MP Telephoto Camera (5x Optical Zoom, f/3.4 aperture, OIS) HDR LED Flash 4K Video recording 720p@3,840fps FRONT: 13 MP Ultra Vision Selfie Camera (Wide Angle, f/2.4) 3D Depth Sensing Camera 4K video recording 1080p@240fps
Sensors
Gesture Sensor 3D Face Recognition Gravity Sensor Infrared Sensor Fingerprint Sensor Barometric Pressure Sensor Gyroscope Compass Ambient Light Sensor Proximity Sensor Laser Sensor Colour Temperature Sensor
Miscellaneous
Stereo Speakers IP68
HUAWEI Mate40
Source: HUAWEI
Then there is the most regular and basic of the bunch. The HUAWEI Mate40 is the entry level to the series of high-end devices. It is also a smaller device with a 6.5-inch display. It is still an OLED panel with 90Hz refresh rate and 240hz response rate. But it is not as high-resolution as its other siblings at 2,376 by 1,080 pixels (Full HD+).
It is still virtually as powerful with the HiSilicon Kirin 9000E (one less NPU core, 22-core Mali G78) SoC though. Like the Mate40 Pro it packs an 8GB of RAM, though storage is a step smaller at 128GB. Unlike both the Mate40 Pro and Mate40 Pro+, it only has a single 13-Megapixel front-facing camera for selfies but still support the same 4K video recording and 1080p@240fps videos.
Source: HUAWEI
The back of the device shares more similarities with the HUAWEI Mate40 Pro though. It only has three cameras mounted at the back, like the HUAWEI Mate40 Pro. The 50-Megapixel camera stays but the Cine Camera is a 16-Megapixel unit rather than a 20-Megapixel shooter. The telephoto lens an 8-Megapixel shooter is capable of 3x optical zoom.
It even has a slightly smaller battery compared to the other devices in the series. It has a 4,200mAh battery compared to the 4,400mAh on the two bigger devices. We suspect that the battery size difference is also due to the size constraints of both devices. The battery charges at 40W with HUAWEI’s SuperCharge technology via USB Type-C, and the device features no wireless charger.
Specifications
Processor
HiSilicon Kirin 9000E 5G w/ Dual NPU Octa-core 1 x Cortex-A77@3.13 GHz 3 x Cortex-A77@2.54 GHz 4 x Cortex-A55@2.05 GHz
Non-Removable Li-Po 4,200 mAh Fast Charging 40W (HUAWEI SuperCharge)
Connectivity
Dual SIM Wi-Fi WLAN 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax GPS/A-GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS A2DP Bluetooth 5.2 OTG Support USB 3.1 Type-C NFC
Camera (s)
REAR: 50 MP Ultra Vision Camera (Wide Angle, f/1.9 aperture, OIS) 26 MP Cine Camera (Ultra-Wide Angle, f/2.4 aperture) 8 MP Telephoto Camera (3x Optical Zoom, f/2.4 aperture, OIS) LED Flash 4K Video recording 720p@3,840fps FRONT: 13 MP Ultra Vision Selfie Camera (Wide Angle, f/2.4) 4K video recording 1080p@240fps
Sensors
Gesture Sensor 3D Face Recognition Gravity Sensor Infrared Sensor Fingerprint Sensor Barometric Pressure Sensor Gyroscope Compass Ambient Light Sensor Proximity Sensor Laser Sensor Colour Temperature Sensor
Miscellaneous
Stereo Speakers IP68
Porsche Design HUAWEI Mate40 RS
Then there is the one that HUAWEI has been saving for last. This is the most premium Mate series going to be in production. The Porsche Design HUAWEI Mate40 RS is here.
When I say more premium though, I am referring to its price point. Everything that is built into the device points to the fact that it is a HUAWEI Mate40 Pro+ under the skin. It is a Porsche Design product, so it looks different with the Ceramic back and colour options too. Instead of a clean round shape of the Space Ring, the Porsche Design HUAWEI Mate40 RS has an octagonal shape to it, more angular. The plain smooth back of the Mate40 Pro+ is now littered with powerlines that is inspired from the modern Porsche sports cars.
Source: HUAWEI
Source: HUAWEI
Source: HUAWEI
Source: HUAWEI
The only big differentiator in performance is the extra temperature sensor that is encircled by the five-camera set up. Even the camera set-up is similar to the Mate40 Pro+, save for the extra temperature sensor. The differences, in this case, is only skin deep. Oh, of course the other difference is on the price tag.
Specifications
Processor
HiSilicon Kirin 9000 5G w/ Dual NPU Octa-core 1 x Cortex-A77@3.13 GHz 3 x Cortex-A77@2.54 GHz 4 x Cortex-A55@2.05 GHz
Non-Removable Li-Po 4,400 mAh Fast Charging 60W (HUAWEI SuperCharge) Fast Wireless Charging 50W (Wireless HUAWEI SuperCharge)
Connectivity
Dual SIM Wi-Fi WLAN 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax GPS/A-GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS A2DP Bluetooth 5.2 OTG Support USB 3.1 Type-C NFC
Camera (s)
REAR: 50 MP Ultra Vision Camera (Wide Angle, f/1.9 aperture, OIS) 20 MP Cine Camera (Ultra-Wide Angle, f/2.4 aperture) 12 MP Telephoto Camera (3x Optical Zoom, f/2.4 aperture, OIS) 8 MP SuperZoom Camera (10x Optical Zoom, f/4.4 aperture, OIS) 3D Depth Sensing Camera, support AF Colour Temperature Sensor HDR LED Flash 4K Video recording 720p@3,840fps FRONT: 13 MP Ultra Vision Selfie Camera (Wide Angle, f/2.4) 3D Depth Sensing Camera 4K video recording 1080p@240fps
Sensors
Gesture Sensor 3D Face Recognition Gravity Sensor Infrared Sensor Fingerprint Sensor Barometric Pressure Sensor Gyroscope Compass Ambient Light Sensor Proximity Sensor Laser Sensor Colour Temperature Sensor
Miscellaneous
Stereo Speakers IP68
Pricing and Availability
Source: HUAWEI
Source: HUAWEI
Source: HUAWEI
Source: HUAWEI
Source: HUAWEI
Source: HUAWEI
Source: HUAWEI
Source: HUAWEI
Source: HUAWEI
Source: HUAWEI
Source: HUAWEI
Source: HUAWEI
Source: HUAWEI
Source: HUAWEI
Source: HUAWEI
Source: HUAWEI
They did not mention when the devices will start shipping out to customers. The HUAWEI Mate40 and the HUAWEI Mate40 Pro will be available in Mystic Silver, White, Black, Green (Vegan leather), and Yellow (Vegan Leather) colour options. The HUAWEI Mate40 Pro+ and Porsche Design HUAWEI Mate40 RS will be available exclusively in Ceramic White or Ceramic Black.
The HUAWEI Mate40 (8GB + 128GB) will be available for EUR€ 899 (MYR*). The HUAWEI Mate40 Pro (8GB + 256GB) will set you back EUR€ 1,199 (MYR*). The HUAWEI Mate40 Pro+ will be priced at EUR€ 1,399 (MYR*), while the Porsche Design HUAWEI Mate40 RS will be available for EUR€2,295 (MYR*). We will be keeping a close ear to the ground for local pricing and availability.
*Based on approximate exchange rate of EUR€ 1 = MYR 4.91 as of 23/10/2020
If you watched the announcement that was made by Acer last night, you might have thought that you already have all the information you need from Acer about their upcoming products that will lead into 2021. They did launch plenty of products last night that might be very compelling for your work from home set-up as well. In fact, if we count our press releases correctly, they had eight separate launches launching more than 20 individual products (this is quite normal, trust me).
There is one product that missed an appearance in the show though. If you checked back into their YouTube page though, you might have seen it. They also launched a smart speaker.
They call it the Acer Halo Smart Speaker, and it is a looker. Its transparent, glass looking thing at the bottom for its base is also an RGB light right that makes the speakers look as if it is dancing with you as you play music to it. Even if it is just responding to you, it just looks funky and light-hearted.
The overall design is just as industrial and pretty as you can expect a Google Nest to be. Like the Google made speaker, the Acer Halo Smart Speaker has a fabric mesh overall body that is shaped into a boxy tower. Underneath the mesh fabric is an LED display that can tell you the time or weather at a glance. You can even customise messages that is displayed on the LED panel.
Source: Acer
It is not just all show and no go though. The Acer Halo Smart Speaker is made with DTS Sound certification. That also means that the speaker is made with sound quality and enjoyment as well. If you put it in the living room, you could easily play a relaxing music through the speaker and sweet music will fill the air with its 360o projection. Its dual far-field speakers ensure that you could communicate with the speaker or give it commands, if you like, from anywhere in the room.
Why do you need to communicate with the speaker? It is a Smart Speaker, why would you not communicate with it? You can tell it to start your slow cooker, turn the TV on, turn the air-conditioning on, turn the washer on, and more, if all these things are Google Home enabled. The Halo Smart Speaker works with Google Assistant, the same one you have on your Android device. That also means that this works as a Google Home controller as well.
Source: Acer
Source: Acer
Source: Acer
Source: Acer
There is a curious matter of why Acer has made this product though. While we do find it intriguing and finding ourselves wanting one, Acer has not made any other significant smart home items. They introduced the AcerPure Cool and AcerPure Pro air purifying systems at Next@Acer. The only one that seems to be available globally at this time is the AcerPure Cool air purifier and that is not exactly a smart home product. It still operates with a traditional remote.
There are no mentions on the availability and pricing of the Acer Halo Smart Speaker. We have high hopes for this product though and are praying for it to land in this part of the world. It would make a good alternative to Google Nest, that is not officially available in Malaysia as well. Here is our fingers crossed, our toes as well.
It is completely fair and not overstating to say that the Google Assistant has become one of the Google’s most important products. While people are still fantasizing of contact-less computing experience, which is still not realized by most people, Google Assistant has already worked its way into the society through variety of products like the Google Home and Chromecast. Google Assistant, we can safely say, has become a big part of plenty of people’s lives.
Google has added several new features to the Assistant this year, making it better and more helpful to users. The virtual assistant is now gaining the ability to open up, search, and perform general tasks across your favorite apps. As long as you have an Android phone that is Assistant-enabled, you will be able to open and search within Android apps just by calling; “Hey Google,” or “Okay Google.”
Google has kicked off this deeper integration by partnering with over 30 of the top apps on the Google Play store. Here a list of some of the apps such as Nike Adapt, Nike Run Club, Spotify, Snapchat, Twitter and of course more.
Source: Google
The new integration will allow you to do things that need several taps in the apps themselves. For instance, apps like Nike Run Club can be easily accessed without needing users physical input. This can be huge time saver.
For all the apps that support Google Assistant, you can simply create a shortcut phrases for it and it will perform whatever preset actions for you. Nike’s Adapt training shoes could be a great example. Through Google Assistant, could create a preset action command and get your shoes to automatically tighten itself on your feet. All done via Google’s voice command, something that dreams are made of.
Source: Google
The new usefulness is a major advance towards Google offering a totally without hands processing experience. While Android 11 previously included some genuinely incredible voice control openness choices, this adds much greater usefulness to the Google Assistant.
Google says the Assistant will be able to work with more apps in the near future. You could be a part of this exciting future though by creating these shortcuts and allow developers to map users’ intent to get Google Assistant to integrate with their favourite apps. Stay tuned and be excited for more fantasy acts.
Samsung is one of the world’s largest smartphone manufacturer. They are larger than anyone else for a reason though. They never fail to amaze and surprise the likes of us, for example. One of the surprises that they came to is their new Galaxy F series launched on the 8th October.
The Samsung Galaxy F though is designed and made in India. The Galaxy F series will start in India as a mid-range option. The mid-range option from Samsung will emphasize camera functionality. That is culminated into the first Samsung Galaxy F device that is the Samsung Galaxy F41
Source: Samsung
That being said, the Samsung Galaxy F41 comes with a relatively high-resolution camera. Samsung’s new Galaxy F41 comes with a triple camera – a 64-Megapixel main camera, an 8MP Ultra-Wide sensor and a 5-Megapixel depth sensor. According to GeekBench scores that has been running around the internet lately, the party of cameras are apparently running on the Samsung Exynos 9611. The Samsung Galaxy F41 packs 6GB of RAM, and runs on Android 10.
Out of the 6.4-inch Full HD Super AMOLED display up front is a 32-Megapixel front-facing camera with smart beauty function. We are not kidding when we say that Samsung wants this to be a photography beast.
Source: Samsung
The Samsung Galaxy F41 does come with a large 6,000mAh battery that is quoted to last up to 26 hours with non-stop videos. That also means that the device should last more than a full day on a single charge. 15W USB Fast-Charging takes you from zero percent to full in just only 160 minutes, in case you need that kind of power.
In the box is a modern USB Type-C to USB Type-C data cable and a USB Type-C 15W Fast Charger, among other usual things. Curiously, the Samsung Galaxy F is only made for the Indian market. In Malaysia we see Samsung launching the M31 entry-level device with very similar specs to the Samsung Galaxy F with some extras in the camera department.
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The Samsung Galaxy F41 is available in Fusion Black, Fusion Green, and Fusion Blue colour finishes. You can choose between a 64GB storage option or a larger 128GB option. The device is an India exclusive device and is already available for purchase. It will set you back from INR 15,499 (Approx. MYR 875*) onward. More information on the Samsung Galaxy F41 on their website.
* Based on approximate conversion rate of INR 100 = MYR 5.65 as of 19/10/2020
You can agree with us when we say we can never find a comfortable position on any desks. It seems that no matter what normal desk you function out of, you can almost never find the right height. This is why, when an interior designer designs your kitchen for you, they measure your height so that your kitchen counters can be tailored to your height. Of course, also to make sure you can reach the higher floating cabinets.
That is the kitchen though, not the working desks. You go to the office and most tables are at a standard height, and that is annoyingly uncomfortable sometimes. If you are anything taller than average height, the regular office tables are too short for you. Anything below the average height, the table is too tall for you.
Of course, with shorter statures, you can adjust the height of your chair most of the time to solve the problem. If you are just slightly taller than average, the regular office chairs are also just about adjustable enough to ensure that you have the right postures. But you cannot work standing up, in that case.
Bad seating and unsuitable table heights (even chairs, actually) will lead to bad posture which leads to plenty of problems in your body structure too. You get a bad back, because you are either hunched all the time, or you are just straining to look at your monitor. It can even lead to carpal tunnel syndrome because your wrists are resting at very awkward positions. In both cases, your productivity dips, because you are more often fatigued than not. That is just one of the reasons you want to ensure you have the right posture while you work.
You might not be able to change anything in your office at this point though. You cannot possibly ask your boss to buy a table just for you too, you may not own the company. If you are the owner of the company, you might be able to choose your own table. Still, it is quite unreasonable for you to change a table every time you feel uncomfortable, these are not exactly cheap stuff.
You are now working at home most of the time though, no thanks to the current pandemic situation. Your company also realises that your productivity does not change when you work from home. In fact, in some cases, you are more productive than ever. You do not need to brave through the morning traffic, which saves you an hour of sleep. You do not need to brave the traffic home, so you spend less time on the road, and save on fuel. You tend to eat right too, when you have a significant other, or when you live with your family. You are more relaxed at home, so your thought processes tend to be a little better.
You forgot one thing though, your table is still not the right height, and you tend to keep moving your workplace around the house. You tried working on the sofa, that is too comfortable and uncomfortable at the same time, productivity dips. Your dining table: you need to eat, and it still is not the right height. Your old office table; what old office table?
Time for you to buy a new working table at home. You need it to be perfect, and flexible enough so that you can work sitting, or standing. You need the EVIS Smart Desk.
Design
The EVIS Smart Desk is, well, a desk that looks like any other office desk. When we say an office desk, we are referring to the more modern interpretation of what an office desk should look like though. Just a plain wood surface with two or four legs. In the case of the EVIS desk, there are two rectangular stalks on each side they call legs, and two huge rectangular feet just slightly narrower than the surface. While traditional tables require up to four leges to hold the weight of the table on each corner, trust me this is as sturdy as it gets.
The unit we have for review is their standard Walnut top. The Walnut top feels like solid wood (it is MFC by the way), and that also means high-quality. On top of the table, in the bottom left corner, there is some white graphics to show you where to put your smartphone. That is the wireless charger built into the table, a nice touch considering most smartphones (flagships mostly) have wireless charging built-in there days. There is also a small latch on the table for your cables to come out of from.
If you buy the table from them too, you can opt for a tray that they put under the latch to hold an extension cord for the table. That extension will ensure that your wireless charger has power, and that you do not have to pull your cable and hair just to get power to your monitor, your PC, or desk lamp.
Of course, there are different colours for the top. You can even choose to get an L-shaped table. We are told also that you can customise the size and shape of the top if you really need. The motors can lift up to 120kg, they say.
The legs, as we mentioned are rectangular in shape, and steel in material with built-in motor. If you look underneath there is a rectangular bar that runs across the length of the table too, to connect the legs underneath and two bars that holds the width of the table to hold the four corners. You do There is a housing for the electronic motor and there is the controller that juts out of the bottom right corner of the table, away from your central seating position. Apparently, you can choose between white or black for the legs.
Work Sitting Down, or Standing Up – Whatever You Need
You can adjust the table from the minimum height of 660mm, which is perfect maybe for your kids, all the way to 1,310mm (1.31m) tall. There is no reason for you to put the table at that height unless you are working standing up as a 2-meter tall human being. You even see the exact height on the adjustment or control panel. You now know your perfect working table height.
What is nice about this kind of motorised movement is that there is no preset height built into the table, which also means you can fine tune the height just for yourself. Since there is a memory function via the control (store up to 4 custom height), you can even set your custom height and forget about it. Every time you get to the table, just press the preset number and you are ready to go. If you need to work standing up, just set the table to your preferred height, get the board to memorise it, forget, use it again the next round. Give it a few seconds, and you are ready to go.
Since there are four available custom preset memory too, you can either share the table with your significant other or have four different functions built to your table. In that case, if you only have room for one table in your house and you need the table to be your workspace, dining table, kitchen top, and even your bar table, the EVIS Smart Desk is perfect. Which also means that this EVIS Smart Desk will be perfect for a studio apartment, you might want to get a larger top though, so that you can comfortably seat four.
Finely Controlled
As mentioned, the controller or height adjustment board is placed on the bottom right corner of the table. It just out just slightly but not enough to be a distraction when you move in and out of your table. Thanks to the rounded corners as well, it should reduce the risks of wire snags or even tearing you a new hold on your shirt or pants. In that case, the module will not even hurt your skin.
While it is meek, it is quite a powerhouse in your hands. You cannot detach it from the table though, mind you. But that also means that there are less wires to worry about.
The buttons seem to be made of glossy plastic, which is technically fine by us. It looks quite premium when it is new and fresh. It smudges easily though thanks to the gloss finish. In this case, we might prefer a slightly more matte treatment to the plastic. While it may not look as premium, it might stand smudges and age better.
Still, under the plastic is also a digital display that tells you the specific height of the table at the time in mm. That information can be quite useless, but hey at least you can tell your office manager that you want the table at the exact height when you make it to the big leagues and they need to make a table for you. That, or when the office finally agrees to buy new table for you.
It is also simple enough to work with, as we mentioned. You probably will only ever use the M button a handful of times in the lifetime of the Smart Desk. That is the memory trigger function, and a long press should trigger it to memorise the height, and all you need to do next is press one of the four buttons to store that height for future use. The table does take about 10 seconds to reach minimum to maximum height though, so you might want to keep that in mind if you are sharing the table with a toddler and you are over 2m in height.
Wireless Charging
We have to inform you at this point that not all EVIS Smart Desks come with Wireless Charging Ability out of the box. It is an optional extra that will set you back MYR 590 (including cable management option). To be fair, that is not a small amount of money on top of the MYR 3,499 that you are already spending on the table.
Look at it this way though. The cable management option comes with that tray that we talked about earlier and an extension cord to give you a sort of peace of mind. You see less cables hanging out of the table too, for a cleaner look. The tray itself is not a cheap aftermarket part in the stores, mind you. Then there is the wireless charger itself.
The 10W wireless charger is, admittedly, not the fastest wireless charger out in the market. You can get a decent fast charger in the market for probably less than the MYR 310 extra EVIS is asking for. But you are going to live with a charger that sits on top of the table, not one sitting within the flat surface of the table. Of course, you can install that wireless charger under the table on your own, but the amount of work that goes into that is quite mind boggling. You also risk destroying your find top.
An Investment for Your Work Set-up
Like we mentioned earlier, there is a chance that you might not be able to change the table in the office currently. If you have not started on a working at home set up though, now is the right time to do it. The EVIS Smart Desk in standard size (1,500mm x 750mm x 25mm), in full retail price will set you back MYR 3,499 at least. With the cable management and installation assistance, the table will set you back MYR 3,979. Add the Wireless charger and you are paying MYR 4,289 (cost of our review unit). For that money also you are getting a 3-year (frame, mechanical and electrical parts) warranty for the product.
If you want, you can make it a little bigger at 1,800mm x 800mm x 25mm for MYR 100 extra. If you need it to be moved around at home, you can add wheels to the legs at MYR 200. An extra year in warranty is another MYR 250. An L-shaped option is an MYR 500 extra, to compensate for the extra surface and extra leg (MYR 300 for wheels, also for extra leg).
For that same money too, you are getting an all-in-one table that can do it all. You are getting a work surface that can lift you to the ceiling to change a light bulb if you must (we are not encouraging this, though they guarantee this will lift 120kg easily). You are getting an elegant wireless charging solution. You are also getting great posture so you feel great and you can be even more productive.
Your boss will be happier since you are more productive. When you become more productive at work, you have more time to spend at home with the family or whoever you want to spend your time too. With great posture as well, you live a healthier life, with less back pains, or shoulder aches. You sleep better too, as a result of that. You spend less going to the Chiropractor to correct your posture, so you save some money in that too. Best of all, you get a desk that works for you, a custom desk that is made only for you, in whatever situation you want to work in. It is premium, yes. You deserve nothing less though.
You can buy the EVIS Smart Desk from EVIS’ own website, or you can head to their showroom in Ikon Connaught, Cheras. Of course, EVIS makes other office furniture like chairs and even monitor stands. You can find all that in their website.
Samsung is no stranger to touchscreen issues with reports having surfaced for their past models including the Galaxy Note 9. But, after the lackluster performance of one of their biggest flagships with the S20 series, you’d think that they would have ironed out the issues when it comes to the Galaxy S20 Fan Edition (FE). The Galaxy S20 FE is Samsung’s effort in making their flagships more affordable and bringing the fight to devices such as the Pixel 5 and the OnePlus Nord.
While it seems like the new Galaxy S20 FE budget flagship might be Samsung’s magic pony, reports have surfaced that its well priced Full HD+, 120Hz screen has been a pain for some users. The reports highlight issues with the accuracy of the touch input on the touchscreen. The reports aren’t an isolated issue as they are now trending on Reddit and Samsung’s own Community forums.
Source: Samsung
In addition, users are also reporting issues with input lag, keyboard failure, poor input response and even jittery scrolling on the Galaxy S20 FE touchscreen. Some users are also reporting issues regarding the screen being overtly sensitive and registering taps as swipes. Guess what? Some of them have had to reboot the phone in order to get the touchscreen working again.
Considering the phone only went on sale recently, we can’t be sure that the issue isn’t a few isolated cases. However, issues like these will still irritate users. However, the prevalence of the issue is worrying with more reports surfacing since the initial reports. We can only hope that the issue isn’t one with the panel itself and Samsung rolls out a software patch to fix it soon. Samsung has yet to respond since the initial report.
Apple’s HomePod was introduced back in 2017. This was the dawn of a new era for smart homes and smart home peripherals. It was Apple’s first smart speaker, and it was the only one that featured Siri as a built-in assistant. Malaysia did not get the smart speaker love though.
It is 2020 now, and nothing has technically changed. You still cannot get the Apple smart speakers in Malaysia. You can import one though with prices starting from MYR 1,140 per piece. While that sounds like a bargain over the official US$ 299 (MYR 1,241*), you have to consider that it is a product that is about 3 years old, and the prices has not included taxes and shipping just yet.
Source: Apple
There is a more affordable option now though from Apple. They call it the HomePod mini and priced it at US$ 99 (MYR 411*). It is tiny too, which is fitting, since it is the HomePod mini.
Of course, being the more affordable option will not be as feature packed as the more expensive Apple HomePod. But it still has most of the capabilities that makes the HomePod an attractive smart speaker for the home in the first place.
For one, because it is more affordable, you can buy more of it, and place the speakers all around the house, including your kids, or parent’s room. That way, you do not have to shout at your kids from the kitchen to tell them dinner is ready, stop playing Call of Duty or Dota2 and come to eat.
Source: Apple
Like the original HomePod, the HomePod mini is designed for households. Siri now recognises different voices and connects those voices to individual devices. So now, if mummy needs to set a reminder or create a shopping list for herself, she can simply tell Siri and her smartphone or iPad will be updated. You need to send a quick text message to your other half to buy milk? Voila, the speaker will get your personal iPhone to do it. Mind you, you need to have an iPhone for it to work.
Apple said they designed the device to ensure that it will fill the room with the best sort of audio experience. For that, they employed a full-range dynamic drive that points down to a wave guide. The wave guide is supposed to distribute audio in all directions, creating an omnidirectional audio experience. Thanks to the Apple S5 chip, the speaker can tune itself to adjust for the environments. It is not a noise cancelling tool though.
Source: Apple
It is also clever enough when you put two speakers nearby each other. When that happens and Apple’s HomePod mini detects a buddy, the two speakers turn themselves into stereo speakers. If you bring your Apple iPhone nearer to it, the LED top flashes and give you some interesting colour play.
Like the Apple HomePod, it can be integrated into smart home systems as a controller. It is basically a smart home voice controller. You can even set scenarios with Siri too, just to get a pre-set mood, lighting, air-conditioning, curtain opening, and much more. Of course, you need to make sure that all these products are smart home products and is connected to the WiFi umbrella in your house.
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The Apple HomePod mini will be available in white or space grey. It will be priced, as mentioned, at US$ 99 (MYR 411*). Pre-orders in selected market starts on the 6th November 2020. It will be available from retailers from the 16th November 2020 onward. Unfortunately, Malaysia is not on that list just yet. You might just be able to import a unit though.
*Conversion based on approximate rate US$ 1= MYR 4.15 as of 15/10/2020
People tell me that smartphones are getting boring. No one truly innovates anymore. Hardly anything is that exciting anymore. Most smartphones launched these days are minor upgrades from the previous generation of devices. They offer nearly nothing special, or nothing new that we have not seen before.
In that sense, nothing really excites us anymore. That is true until 2020 hits us. No, it is not the pandemic that changed anything. Tech has taken a step toward the right direction somehow in 2020. We see a very interesting Samsung Galaxy Note20 that is a true creator powerhouse. We see Sony launching their super powerful Xperia smartphone, and their highly acclaimed noise cancelling headphone – the WH-1000XM4. They even launched the Sony PlayStation 5, coming end of this year 2020. Apple already wowed the world over too with the introduction of the iPad Air, which is also a sign of what is to come yesterday (this early morning, rather).
Welcome to what we think is the most exciting Apple iPhone yet. Nay, welcome to the most exciting smartphone of 2020 yet. Welcome to the Apple iPhone 12 and Apple iPhone 12 Pro line-up.
Source: Apple
They kickstart the presentation of Apple’s highly anticipated iPhone for 2020/2021 with 5G. They say that all the iPhones from this point on will receive the 5G treatment, and 5G ready. Malaysia’s Maxis has already confirmed they are taking on 5G with the Apple iPhone and the Apple iPhone 12 series is compatible.
But it gets better from there. We are going to butcher the presentation flow a little bit and start with what is important to us. Bear with us, as we start from the inside out.
The Apple iPhone 12 & iPhone 12 Mini
Source: Apple
The Apple iPhone 12 is not just 5G capable because they have a new antenna. They have, in their own words, optimised the antenna placement for the best all-round reception, by the way. The 5G capability is also embedded in their new chip, the A14 Bionic.
If you find that the name of the A14 Bionic chip sounds familiar, you are right. It is the same powerful 5nm chip that powers the Apple iPad Air. It is the same chip that Apple says can make quick work of 4K videos. Now, it is powering a small smartphone in your palms.
Apple says that this is their most powerful chip yet. We believe them. We also know that this is the most advanced System on a chip (SoC) in the world so far. Until we see Qualcomm and Samsung, or even HUAWEI pushing their boundaries again, we maintain that Apple’s A14 Bionic is the world’s most advanced smartphone SoC to date.
As mentioned in the Apple iPad Air release, the A14 Bionic is a 5nm chip. That means it packs about 11.8 billion transistors spread across 6 CPU cores. There are 4 GPU cores to enable PC class gaming experience in your handheld multifunction device (according to Apple). There are also various machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) optimisations going on here. That also means things like SIRI can fully take advantage on being a better personal assistant on your smartphone.
Source: Apple
As usual, they did not mention the size of the RAM that comes with the device. All we need to know from Apple is that it is “enough”. You get up to 256GB in storage, which is actually more than decent. If you need more storage, Apple has the iCloud anyway. If not, just transfer your photos out to your PC or an external hard drive. We would like the MicroSD card format to be accepted on an iPhone, but we also accept that we may never see that day. Still, 256GB is ample space.
They omitted the battery information as well. We suspect that is also because there is no major improvement in battery life with the Apple iPhone 12. In that sense we also expect the Apple iPhone 12 to come with about the same battery size as the older Apple iPhone 11. Hopefully it gets the same battery life too.
All this is wrapped with an aluminium shell that holds together a ceramic piece on the front and a glass back of the device. They call the ceramic shells the “Ceramic Shield”. This is not the first time a smartphone works with ceramics. Xiaomi has done if before with their previous flagships. This is the first time though that a smartphone manufacturer has replaced the front with a ceramic material, instead of the usual Corning Gorilla Glass.
They say that ceramic is more durable than the glass. It is supposed to be more resistant to scratches and less likely to break or shatter when impacted. Somehow, you can make it thinner than glass too. It is also a more premium material though, means more expensive smartphones. The Apple iPhone is expensive enough though.
Under the display at the front of the device is an OLED display with double the resolution of the previous iPhone 11. That is an OLED Super Retina XDR retina 6.1-inch display with 2,532 by 1,170 pixels to create an immersive 460 pixel per inch (ppi) experience. Apple say that the display is Dolby Vision certified too, meaning HDR10 compatibility. No 120Hz or 90Hz refresh rate here, which is a little bit disappointing, but understandable. The display can display up to 1200nits though, a plus point for outdoor use cases. Of course, there is the regular notch on top.
Source: Apple
Move to the back and what you find is a very familiar Apple logo design with plain glass. There are new colours for 2020. There are now five funky colours to choose from including green, red, and blue colour variants. But that is not all the things that you get on the iPhone 12.
You still get the familiar looking camera arrangement too with the Apple iPhone 12. Instead of three cameras, the regular iPhone get two cameras. Both feature 12-Megapixel sensors. The main wide camera features 7-elements of glass to ensure stelar photo quality and to take advantage of the new larger sensor in the Apple iPhone 12. It is faster too at f/1.6 aperture. This also means that the device should perform better in low-light conditions. The new 7-element glass also allows 27% more light to hit the sensor, so that should help too. The other 12-megapixel sensor is lodged under an ultra-wide lens for breathtaking landscape shots.
Under that pretty looking glass back though is a new format of wireless charger. It is now 15W capable. But on top of that, it is now magnetic. We are annoyed with most wireless chargers because we cannot seem to find the right spot to lay our device. That also means that your device hardly charges when you lay your device on a wireless charger unless you make extra adjustments. Not on the iPhone 12.
Source: Apple
The magnets surrounding the wireless charging coil ensures that compatible wireless chargers will immediately pick up contact and charge the device. Even when you lift the device, the charger is still attached to it, means you do not have to reposition your device every time you pick up your phone. But it still works with compatible Qi chargers, only with about half the efficiency. But more than that, the magnetic mechanism they call ‘MagSafe’ gives a world of possibility in terms of modular accessorising. You can detach and attach a wallet at any given time. You can attach cool looking trinkets at the back of your device to personalise your smartphone. Heck, you can even attach extra lens modifiers made for the iPhone if they bothered to make one.
Then there is the iPhone 12 Mini, a smaller, more compact version of the Apple iPhone 12. That is the thing though. Smaller does not mean less power here. The iPhone 12 Mini is everything that the Apple iPhone 12 is, but way smaller.
They pack everything in a body that shrink wraps itself around a 5.4-inch OLED display with 2,340 by 1,080 (Full HD+) pixel to give you 476 ppi. That is a higher ppi than the iPhone 12 itself. Of course, you get a slightly smaller battery pack too, though they have not mentioned the size. Of course, with smaller battery pack, battery life is a little shorter.
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You still get MagSafe, you still get the A14 Bionic chip, you even get the same colours. All of that in a more compact body. Of course, cheaper price too; US$ 100 cheaper than the full-sized iPhone 12.
Apple iPhone 12 Pro & iPhone 12 Pro Max
Source: Apple
The main star of the show is the Apple iPhone 12 Pro and the Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max. These are the most powerful iPhone you can get for your money today. These are the culmination of Apple’s 2020 launches.
For starters, again, we are going inside out; the smartphone comes with Apple’s latest A14 Bionic SoC. We have pointed out the power of the A14 Bionic and out views on it earlier, so we are not going to elaborate. But it does sound like a huge generational leap compared to the previous generation Apple A13 Bionic chip.
You can opt for the same great display size at 6.1-inch or even bigger at 6.7-inch (Max) with the Apple iPhone. Bigger is definitely better here, with the Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max. Instead of the regular 2,532 by 1,170 pixels on the display, you get 2,778 by 1,284 pixels on the 6.7-inch OLED Super Retina XDR display.
Like the regular iPhone 12, it has HDR capability as well of course. It also has Dolby Vision certification with it of course. They are also even more premium than before. With glossy metal sides.
Source: Apple
Why do you want to get the iPhone 12 Pro over the regular iPhone? It has two extra camera sensors. Well, that is not exactly the reason why you pay a premium over the regular smartphone.
The Apple iPhone 12 Pro really banks on the camera this time. You can still record 4K videos, like the iPhones before it. But it is also more powerful in the sense that they have shifted the whole image stabilisation platform to the sensor instead of the lens. The result of that is even steadier videos with less heft on the lens.
The details is helped by an extra sensor they also put on the Apple iPad though. They managed to shoehorn a LiDAR sensor to the back of the device. That also means that the Apple iPhone camera benefits from LiDAR 3D scanning the room or subject. The better understanding of the environment allows the Apple iPhone to add more lighting and texture detail to their photos. Apple also added something they call ProRAW mode into their camera app. That is Apple’s own RAW formatting mode that uses the camera and the LiDAR sensor to create even more detailed photos with flexibility like you never seen in a smartphone.
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All these RAW photos and 4K videos can be edited internally thanks to Apple’s A14 Bionic chip. But 4K is not enough sometimes. So the Apple iPhone 12 Pro’s capable camera can shoot in HDR at 10-bit, benefiting from 700 million colours to create an almost true to life video. Dolby Vision certification on the camera means that this can really replace your expensive rig.
Price and Availability
The Apple iPhone 12 and Apple iPhone 12 Mini will be available in 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB variants. As mentioned, they come in five colours – blue, green, black, white, and (PRODUCT) RED. Prices start from US$ 799 (MYR 3,899*) and US$ 699 (MYR 3,399*) respectively. Pre-orders starts from 16th October 2020 onward to the 23rd of October 2020 for the Apple iPhone 12. The Apple iPhone 12 Mini will be available a little later with pre-orders starting on the 6th November 2020 to the 13th November 2020 (availability date). The global availability of the Apple iPhone 12 is reported to be on the 30th October 2020.
The Apple iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max will be available in 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB flavours. You get to choose between graphite, silver, gold, and pacific blue premium colour finishes for the Apple iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro max. Prices start from US$ 999 (MYR 4,899) and US$ 1,099 (MYR 5,299) respectively. Pre-orders for the Apple iPhone 12 Pro start from the 16th October 2020 to the 23rd October 2020, same as the Apple iPhone 12. The iPhone 12 Pro Max will be available for pre-order from the 6th November 2020 onward to the 13th November 2020 (availability date). The Apple iPhone Pro will be available in stores from the 30th November 2020 onward.
Alongside the pre-order of the Apple iPhone 12 Mini and the Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max, most of the newly launched accessories will also be available on the 6th November 2020. The MagSafe Duo Charger and Leather Sleeve for the iPhone 12 series will be available later though. You also want to keep in mind that the new Apple iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Mini, iPhone 12 Pro, and iPhone 12 Pro Max will only come with a USB Type-C to Lightning cable and nothing else inside the box.
You would need to buy a separate charging brick or use an existing one that you already have. Your regular Apple charging brick will not take on the USB Type-C cable too, so to take advantage of that, you need a separate brick from Apple. You do not get the usual bundled earphone too, so you might want to consider getting a Bluetooth earphone for yourself too or use the one you already have. On the bright side, the box is half the size from before.
Rumours have been spreading about Samsung’s digital assistant being retired in favour of deeper integration of the Google Assistant. Lending more credence to the rumour is Samsung’s apparent removal of several AR features from Bixby Vision.
Samsung has already sent notices to its users that they will be discontinuing some of the features in Bixby Vision. The notice sent out late last month mentioned the removal of features such as Styling, Home, Decor and Places by the end of October. These features may return in some form with partnerships to enhance the AR features but the likelihood of that happening at this point seems slim.
While the discontinuation and removal of a bulk of AR features from Bixby may seem like a sudden move, it’s not surprising. Samsung was a late player to the game when it came to virtual assistants with companies like Google, Amazon and Microsoft spearheading development. However, more recent rumours point to Google actually offering Samsung a large sum of money to drop Bixby in favour for deeper Google Assistant integration into the company’s ecosystem.
That said, minimising or removing Bixby would be counter intuitive for Samsung. The company announced a few years ago that the Bixby would be the cornerstone of their Galaxy Ecosystem. In fact, they went in depth during their Southeast Asia – Oceania (SEAO) forum held in Singapore. They were detailing the integrations that would be pursued.
That being the case, this development is definitely one we’ll be keeping our eye on.
