Category Archives: News

Accessories, Entertainment, Lifestyle, News

The Sonos Ace Brings The Best from Sonos in a Portable, Personalized Package

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Sonos is taking its offerings to the next level. Having already had decades of experience in the home theatre and home audio arena, the company is taking its know-how and making it more personal. The Sonos Ace is the first over-ear headphone set from Sonos and it’s ready to take on the big guns.

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Intentionally Designed For Comfort & Simplicity

The Sonos Ace continues the company’s ethos of having aesthetically pleasing, minimalist design. The new headphones bring together premium design and materials with premium audio quality. It has a slim profile accented by the signature Sonos matte finish. Its main body and headband are made of high-quality, durable plastic. The adjustable arms are lightweight metal with a Chrome finish for that touch of elegance. More importantly, the Sonos Ace is made for comfort. It’s lightweight and feels nearly weightless when worn. The ear cups are made of memory foam wrapped in vegan leather that conforms to the contours of your head.

Sonos Ace 2

The design of the Sonos Ace is intentional. The subtle cues like the Sonos logo being only on the right earpiece are intentionally placed to make it so wearing them is effortless. Similarly, the insides of the earcups are coloured differently to signal their orientation subtly.

Interacting with the Sonos Ace is simple and intuitive. For the most part, you’ll be interacting solely with a single, tactile button. This metallic button is located on the right earcup. Pushing it down turn the headphones on, pushing it up or down adjusts the volume and double-pushing pauses and plays your media. There is another button that blends seamlessly into the Sonos Ace’s design. This button is used to control the Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) feature on the Ace. It will also allow you to connect to your Sonos Arc for a personalised theatre experience.

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Custom-made for that Signature Sonos Audio

The Ace’s sleek design and slim silhouette are just the tip of the iceberg. Sonos has custom-designed the drivers in the Sonos Ace. These drivers are designed to deliver high-fidelity audio to your earholes. It’s calibrated to deliver live-like audio quality delivering the full range of sounds from the rumbling lows to reverberating highs. Sonos hasn’t shared any information about the technical setup of the headphones.

The Sonos Ace also plays well with your preexisting Sonos setup. The ANC button mentioned earlier allows you to connect to the Sonos Arc with a simple holding of the ANC button down. This feature allows you to have the full theatrical experience of your movie even when the kids are sleeping. This feature also brings next-level immersion with head tracking.

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The Ace also comes with Active Noise Cancellation allowing you to tune out the world as you immerse yourself in your favourite albums. It also comes with a pass-through mode (Aware Mode) that allows you to interact with the world around you (should you want to). It comes with 30 hours of use on a single charge. A quick 3-minute charge will get you an additional 3 hours. It also comes with a USB-C cable in the box.

Pricing & Availability

The Sonos Ace will be available in Black and White. It will retail for RM2,299 in Malaysia and USD$449 worldwide.

The Sonos Ace is available for pre-order starting today, 21 May 2024 from the Sonos Concept Store or online via TC Acoustic website in Malaysia and Singapore.

News

Acer’s First Copilot+ PC is the Acer the Swift 14 AI

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Microsoft’s Copilot+ PC branding is making waves with a stampede of laptops coming from a number of OEMs including Acer. However, Acer isn’t fooling around with their introduction of Copilot+ PCs. Its first Copilot+ PC is part of its Swift lineup. The Acer Swift lineup has always been the company’s go-to for premium thin and light devices. The latest stable of Swift laptops has brought ample performance with the latest and greatest processors and GPUs.

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The Swift 14 AI will be available with both the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite and Snapdragon X Plus. The new ARM64-based systems on a chip (SoCs) will be powering the unique AI features that set the Swift 14 AI apart from its brethren. But before we delve into Copilot features, let’s talk about the specs. The Snapdragon X SoCs will;l be paired with up to 32GB of RAM and 1TB of memory.

It will come with a 14.5-inch WQXGA IPS display with a resolution of 2560×1600 pixels and a 16:10 aspect ratio. The screen comes with TUV Rheinland Eyesafe 2.0 certification and covers 100% of the sRGB gamut. The Swift 14 AI will also be available with a touchscreen option. It will also feature a QHD IR camera with a physical privacy shutter and a triple mic setup. The camera will also support Windows Hello.

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The Acer Swift 14 AI will come with a dual speaker setup with DTS X Audio. It will also feature two USB Type-C ports with support for charging and DisplayPort. In addition, there will be two USD 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports and an audio combo jack. The laptop will also support WiFi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4. A 75Wh battery will power this laptop. Best part? It only weighs 1.36 kg.

Of course, as Microsoft mentioned during its announcement, the hallmark of any Copilot+ PC will be the inclusion of extended Copilot features. The first of which is the inclusion of a dedicated Copilot key. In addition, the laptop will be shipped with a key for Copilot+. This will unlock features like Recall which allows you to search for documents with descriptions or keywords; Cocreator which will allow you to create AI images with Copilot and Auto Super Resolution which automatically upscales graphics and images for the best performance.

Pricing & Availability

The Acer Swift 14 AI will be priced from USD$1,099 (RM5,157.67) in North America. It will be available starting in July.

The laptop will be priced from EUR€1,499 (RM7,646.46) in the EMEA region and will be available starting in June.

Computers, News

Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite Debut with over 20 Copilot+ Laptops to take on Apple Silicon

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The new Copilot+ PCs are running Qualcomm’s latest made-for-pc system on a chip (SoC). The Snapdragon X SoCs were announced together with Microsoft’s new Copilot+ PC standard. So far, Microsoft itself has used the SoC on the latest Surface Laptop and Surface Pro. Other OEMs have also introduced laptops carrying the same chipset under the Copilot+ PC program.

Snapdragon X Series Copilot

The new Snapdragon X SoCs are fabricated using a 4nm process and come with Qualcomm’s Oryon CPU, Adreno GPU and Hexagon NPU (Neural Processing unit). The combination of the three empowers higher performance and better battery life. Qualcomm boasts that Snapdragon X Elite delivers current peak PC CPU performance at 60% less power.

There are two variants of the Snapdragon X SoC: the Snapdragon X Elite and the Snapdragon X Plus. The Elite features a 12-core Oryon CPU clocked at 4.2 GHz with a 5% dual-core boost, an Adreno GPU capable of up to 4.6 TFLOPs performance and a Hexagon NPU capable of 45 TOPS performance. The Plus features a 10-core Oryon CPU with dual-core boost, an Adreno GPU with up to 3.8TFLOPs performance and the same Hexagon NPU.

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Qualcomm boasts that the Snapdragon X chips are built for AI. This is primarily due to the inclusion of the Hexagon NPU which is the cornerstone of the SoC. AI tasks are primarily run using the NPU and offload complex, energy-draining processes from the CPU. This results in better power efficiency and an overall boost in performance. The chip also supports 5G connectivity and WiFi 7.

According to Qualcomm’s internal benchmarking, the Snapdragon X Elite is able to perform better than currently available chips from AMD and Intel with 60% better power efficiency, 52% better CPU performance and 36% better GPU performance. Wins across the board. The company is boasting a 2.6x improvement on Apple’s M3 processor and 5.4x improvement over Intel’s Core Ultra 7 processor.

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We will have to wait to see how performance is with the first wave of Copilot+ laptops set to be released soon. Over 20 laptops are coming from various OEMs including Dell, Acer, ASUS, HP and Samsung that will be using the Snapdragon X SoCs.

Computers, News

ASUS Announces First Copilot+ PC: The ASUS Vivobook S 15 with Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite

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Asus has just announced its first Snapdragon X Elite laptop: the Asus Vivobook S 15. The announcement comes on the heels of Microsoft’s announcement ahead of its BUILD conference kicking off today. The announcement underscores a shift in Microsoft’s strategy for Windows to focus on Copilot integration but more significantly to adopt the ARM-based x64 architecture which could impact both AMD and Intel.

ASUS Vivobook S 15 Scenario Photo

The new laptop complements ASUS’s current Vivobook lineup which champions both performance and affordability. The ASUS Vivobook S 15 is also the first laptop from ASUS to run Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite. The new System on a Chip (SoC) brings a brand new paradigm to Windows unlocking performance a lot of us have been looking for from a thin and light laptop. The new Snapdragon X Elite is the first made-for-PC chipset from Qualcomm to be widely adopted in the new Copilot+ PC label from Microsoft. The SoC is optimised for performance and battery life which includes heavy graphics work and even some gaming.

Qualcomm’s SoC comes with its Oryon CPU and Adreno GPU. More significantly it comes with the company’s Hexagon neural processing unit (NPU) that will enable a number of AI features from both Microsoft’s Copilot and ASUS. The SoC will be complemented by up to 32GB of LPDDR5X RAM and up to 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD Memory.

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The Vivobook S 15 is replacing the previous model that ran on Intel’s Core processors. The new laptop will be equipped with a 15.6-inch, 3K ASUS Lumina OLED display with a resolution of 2880×1620 pixels. The display is also colour-calibrated to cover 100% of the DCI-P3 colour gamut and is certified with DisplayHDR True Black600 with an average Delta-E of less than 1 and 600 nits peak brightness.

It will also come with an FHD IR camera for Windows Hello. This camera will also come with ASUS AiSense with Windows Studio Effect, ASUS Adaptive dimming and ASUS Adaptive lock. The Viviobook S 15 is also equipped with WiFi 7 paired with Qualcomm FastConnect 7800 and Bluetooth 5.4 connectivity. Like all ASUS laptops, it will also have the ASUS ErgoSense touchpad that comes with smart gestures and silent touchpad technology. The ErgoSense keyboard also comes with single-zone RGB backlighting.

The Vivobook S 15 is also coming with a full array of ports including an Audio jack and HDMI 2.1 port and a microSD card reader. It will also have two USB 4.0 ports and two USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A ports. All of these will be powered by a 70wH battery that is touted to deliver 18 hours of battery life. It will charge with a 90W AC adapter.

Vivobook S 15 OLED Product Photo Cool Silver

Together with all this hardware, the ASUS Vivobook S 15 will also feature a lot of Copilot integration including a dedicated Copilot key. Features like Co-Create and Recall will be available on the laptop together with either Microsoft Windows 11 Home or Pro.

Pricing & Availability

The ASUS Vivobook S 15 will be available soon worldwide. Pre-orders were announced for the US during the live stream. The retail pricing will start at USD$1,299 (RM6,096.40).

ASUS Malaysia indicates that the Vivobook S 15 will be available in Malaysia starting Q3 2024. That would mean sometime between July to September 2024.

News

Infinaxis and Velo Technologies Partner for Data Centre Expansions

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Malaysia’s digital transformation, fueled by the New Industrial Master Plan 2030 (NIMP 2030) and the digitalization focus of Budget 2024, is gaining momentum. The data centre market itself is anticipated to experience explosive growth, with a projected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.92% between 2023 and 2029. By 2029, the market is expected to reach a staggering US$3.97 billion.

Capitalizing on this surge, prominent data centre facility provider Infinaxis has joined forces with Velo Technologies (TelcoHubX), a leading end-to-end data centre and managed service provider. This strategic partnership marks a significant initial commitment of 2 megawatts (MW) capacity. With a projected value creation of RM100 million, the collaboration empowers Velo Technologies to expand its data centre footprint in Cyberjaya and cater to the ever-growing needs of its clients.

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Zahri Mirza, CEO of Infinaxis and Ben Chin, CEO of Velo Technologies showcase the signed Partnership Agreement

Velo Technologies plans to leverage this partnership by extending its established 24/7 support structure and robust policies to Infinaxis’s clients. Additionally, clients will benefit from a wider range of enhanced interconnectivity options, drawing upon TelcoHubX’s well-established ecosystem. Velo Technologies is further bolstering its service portfolio to include a comprehensive suite of solutions, encompassing:

  • A dedicated 24/7 Proactive Monitoring Center
  • Complete IT outsourcing services
  • Enterprise network and security solutions
  • Cutting-edge cybersecurity and hybrid cloud solutions
  • Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
  • Backup as a Service (BaaS)

Furthermore, the partnership aims to strengthen the reliability and redundancy of Velo Technologies’ data centre operations, guaranteeing exceptional uptime for its clients.

Strategically located in Cyberjaya, the data centre is on track to be operational by the second quarter of 2025. Designed to handle demanding data processing and storage needs, the facility boasts a robust 12MW IT load capacity and a floor loading capacity of 20kN/m2. With seven floors and five designated data centre halls, each housing two individual halls, the facility is meticulously planned to accommodate business growth, ensuring scalability and adaptability.

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The data centre’s carrier-neutral status provides unparalleled flexibility for clients when selecting network providers, fostering seamless interconnection with multiple telecommunication carriers. Recognizing the growing importance of AI applications, the facility is specifically tailored to meet their high power density requirements. Each rack boasts an average power ranging from 8kW to 15kW, catering specifically to the needs of mid-tier enterprises with moderate IT requirements, striking a perfect balance between affordability and performance.

“We are thrilled about our partnership with Velo Technologies,” says Zahri Mirza, CEO of Infinaxis. “This expansion will allow us to work in tandem to offer a wider range of Malaysian businesses a truly comprehensive suite of data centre solutions.” This powerful partnership signifies a significant leap forward in Malaysia’s digital infrastructure, propelling the nation’s communication capabilities and overall progress. By creating data centre hubs through strategic alliances, Malaysia is well-positioned to solidify its place as a leader in the digital age.

Business, Gaming, News

Delta Emulator Forced to Change Logo As Adobe Goes on Offensive

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The popular emulator, Delta, has undergone a sudden logo change, leaving some users scratching their heads. This unexpected update comes after the emulator received a legal threat from software giant Adobe.

Adobe Logo
Delta Emulator Logo

Developed by Riley Testut, Delta has become a go-to option for iOS users seeking to relive classic video games from consoles like the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and Game Boy Advance (GBA). The emulator has made its way to Apple devices following a change in Apple’s App Store policies that allowed for emulators. Delta, in particular, allows users to play these games on their iPhones and iPads, offering a taste of retro gaming nostalgia on the go.

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Screen cap from Mastodon.

The recent logo change stems from a dispute with Adobe. According to reports, Adobe’s legal team contacted Testut, claiming the Delta logo bore a resemblance to its own logo, potentially causing confusion among consumers. While Delta’s logo represented a stylized Greek letter delta (Δ), Adobe argued the similarity could mislead users into believing the apps were connected.

Faced with the potential for legal action, Delta opted to avoid a lengthy battle and promptly changed its logo. The new logo, described as a “broken triangle,” is a clear departure from the previous design. While some users expressed amusement at the somewhat unconventional new icon, the change ensures Delta remains available on the App Store.

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App Store Screen Capture

The Delta logo dispute is one of the more trivial issues that have been haunting the video game emulation space. There are bigger concerns when it comes to the legality of emulation as a whole when it comes to copyright, particularly because the game files (ROMs) are used to play the games on the emulator. Typically, users are responsible for acquiring these ROMs legally, often by dumping them from their own physical game cartridges.

Computers, News

Samsung Malaysia Opens Pre-registration for Upcoming Monitor Line-Up

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Samsung is preparing to upgrade your visual experience with its upcoming 2024 monitor lineup. Whether you’re a passionate gamer pushing your reflexes to the limit, a creative professional demanding colour accuracy, or simply seeking an immersive entertainment experience, Samsung promises a monitor tailored to your needs.

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Source: Samsung

The upcoming 2024 Samsung Monitor One series boasts a diverse range of models, each equipped with cutting-edge technology designed to maximize your productivity and enjoyment. For gamers, the upcoming Odyssey OLED series offers stunning visuals and lightning-fast response times, ensuring you never miss a critical detail. For creative professionals, the incumbent ViewFinity series prioritizes exceptional colour accuracy and intricate detail, guaranteeing your work is displayed flawlessly. And for those seeking a more versatile experience, the forthcoming Smart Monitor series integrates smart features, blurring the lines between productivity and entertainment.

To celebrate the launch, Samsung is offering an exclusive pre-order promotion from May 17th to 31st, 2024. Register your interest and receive a voucher code redeemable during the pre-order window from June 1st to 16th. This voucher entitles you to significant savings of up to RM1,000 on select 2024 monitor models during the pre-order period.

Stay tuned for further announcements as Samsung unveils more details about the exciting new lineup.

Computers, News

Intel Introduces Thunderbolt Share Technology

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For users juggling multiple PCs, the dream of seamless file sharing, screen control, and peripheral access might seem far-fetched. However, Intel‘s latest announcement, Thunderbolt Share, aims to bridge this gap. Let’s delve into this technology and explore its potential benefits and limitations.

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Source: Intel

Thunderbolt Share builds upon the robust foundation of Intel’s Thunderbolt technology. Renowned for its high bandwidth and versatility, Thunderbolt allows for blazing-fast data transfer, high-resolution display connectivity, and device charging through a single cable. Thunderbolt Share leverages this existing infrastructure to establish a direct connection between two Thunderbolt-equipped PCs.

Imagine being able to control your work PC from your laptop at home. With Thunderbolt Share, this vision becomes a reality. Users can access and manage files on both PCs, synchronize folders, and even drag and drop content seamlessly. Additionally, the technology allows for shared screen control, enabling users to work on one PC while viewing the display on another.

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Source: Intel

While the potential of Thunderbolt Share is enticing, it’s important to acknowledge current limitations. This technology is primarily compatible with PCs equipped with Thunderbolt 4 or 5 ports, potentially excluding older devices. Additionally, not all manufacturers may offer Thunderbolt Share functionality on their PCs, even if they have Thunderbolt ports as it looks to be an add-on feature OEMs will need to pay for. Users should check for specific compatibility details with their PC models.

Interestingly, while initially announced as a Windows-focused solution, Macworld reports that Apple has integrated similar functionality into macOS Sonoma. This integration allows M-series Macs with Thunderbolt ports to connect directly and utilize features like file sharing and screen control between devices, mirroring some of the core functionalities of Thunderbolt Share. Whether this integration represents a shift in strategy for Intel’s technology or a coincidence remains to be seen.

News

Sony Music Issues Stern Warning Against Use of Its Artists’ Content for Training AI

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Sony Music Entertainment raising its voice over a critical issue: the unauthorized use of music to train artificial intelligence (AI) systems. The company has reportedly sent warnings to over 700 tech companies, expressing concerns that their music is being used in AI development without proper licensing agreements.

Training AI models, particularly Generative AI models like Large Language Models (LLMs), often involves feeding them massive amounts of data. Music can be a valuable source of data for AI systems learning about audio processing, language generation, or even music composition itself. However, Sony Music argues that using copyrighted music in this way requires explicit permission from rights holders.

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Sony Music’s stance highlights a grey area in the ongoing conversation surrounding AI development and copyright. The company emphasizes the need for fair compensation for artists whose music contributes to the creation of powerful AI tools. Additionally, Sony Music seeks transparency, urging tech companies to disclose how they are using music data in their AI training processes. While Sony Music is leading the charge, this concern extends beyond any single company. Other music labels and artist representatives are likely to voice similar concerns as the use of AI continues to grow across various industries.

Moving forward, a collaborative approach is crucial. Open communication between the music industry and tech companies can lead to the development of fair licensing practices for using music data in AI training. Additionally, exploring opt-out or opt-in mechanisms for artists who may not want their music included in AI development could be a potential solution.

The potential impact of AI on the creative process remains a topic of debate. While AI-powered tools could offer exciting possibilities for music composition and artist collaboration, concerns linger about the potential for homogenization or the displacement of human creativity. Ultimately, the future of AI and music hinges on navigating these complexities. Finding a balance between technological advancements and artistic integrity will be crucial in determining how AI shapes the music industry in the years to come.

News, Social Media

TikTok Tests Long-Form Videos: A Challenge to YouTube’s Dominance?

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The short-form video king, TikTok, is making waves with a bold experiment. The platform is currently testing the ability for users to upload videos up to 60 minutes long, a significant shift from its traditional bite-sized content format. This move has sparked speculation about TikTok’s potential ambitions to compete directly with YouTube, the established leader in long-form video streaming.

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Photo by Solen Feyissa on Unsplash

TikTok’s core identity has been built on its emphasis on short, engaging videos. The app’s initial focus was on 15-second clips, gradually expanding to 60 seconds and then 10 minutes in recent years. This latest test with 60-minute uploads marks a dramatic departure from the platform’s core format.

While some see this as a direct challenge to YouTube, the implications remain unclear. TikTok’s existing user base might not necessarily embrace hour-long content, and established YouTubers might not readily migrate to a new platform. However, the possibility of attracting new creators who prefer TikTok’s interface or community dynamics cannot be ignored.

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Screencap of Post by Matt Navarra on Threads.net

The introduction of longer videos opens doors for a wider range of content formats on TikTok. Imagine educational tutorials, in-depth interviews, or even live-streamed events finding a home on the platform. This could potentially attract viewers seeking a different type of long-form content experience compared to what YouTube offers.

Whether TikTok’s foray into longer videos becomes a permanent feature or a fleeting experiment remains to be seen. One thing is certain: the landscape of video content is evolving. Users now have access to a diverse range of platforms, each catering to specific preferences for video length, format, and community engagement. This competition between platforms ultimately benefits users by driving innovation and offering a wider variety of content to choose from.