Category Archives: Android

Android, Mobile, News

Galaxy Note20 Series Refines Samsung’s Experience for the New Normal

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Samsung’s Galaxy Note series has always been one of the foremost series when it comes to productivity and creativity. With its signature S-Pen and its large display, the series was responsible for revolutionising the smartphone space – the effects of which we still feel until today. This year, the company is looking to do more of the same when it comes to the brand new Samsung Galaxy Note20 series.

The Galaxy Note20 series will consists of only two devices: the Galaxy Note20 Ultra and the regular Galaxy Note; unlike the Galaxy S20 series. However, the gap between the two new flagships is a little more pronounced. The Note 20 Ultra builds on the series’ legacy while the Note20 serves as an entry point for people looking to explore the Note series for the first time.

Swifter Response, More Natural Writing

The new Galaxy Note series comes with a more fortified S Pen. The new S Pen on the Galaxy Note20 comes with a 9ms response time compared to the 42ms in the Galaxy Note10 series. The improved S Pen response time is supposed to provide a more natural writing experience on the smartphone. The higher response time will translate into a more seamless experience and the stroke appearing on the screen as soon as S pen hits the surface. This would also mean that it would be even more natural taking notes and creatives will definitely revel in the feel when their creating on the Note.

That said, the S Pen doesn’t just gain a faster response rate, it also turns into your navigation tool. The new S Pen gains more Air Actions to help with navigation and quick actions. The new Air Actions allows you navigate the Android UI with the S Pen. Gestures like scribbling to cover the screen will trigger a screenshot. It’s hard to describe all of them but it seems like there will be a lot more wizards appearing with Notes in their pockets.

More Features on Samsung Notes and DeX Untethered

Samsung’s Notes app gets a little boost too with the updated Galaxy Note series. It gains the ability to annoted PDFs and even PowerPoint files. Of course, if you’re already a Galaxy Note user, you’d know this functionality is already there with Samsung’s Write on PDF app. However, with the Note20, it comes baked into the Samsung Notes app and users will also be able to export their files to PDF and PowerPoint formats for easy editing.

The productivity features on the Note20 series also get a boost with a new improvement to Samsung’s DeX – it’s now wireless. The untethered DeX experience not only brings the full DeX experience to any capable wireless screen, it also allows your phone to be used as a second screen. This allows you to project and share while keeping items like your messages to yourself. This feature will be compatible with all

The Note20 series also introduces what Samsung is calling Ultra Wide Band (UWB) technology. The new tech comes as Android’s – yep, you read that right, ANDROID’s – answer to AirDrop. The new tech is now being used as a means to quickly and seamlessly share files between phones and has been in development for a while now. The technology is pioneered by a partnership between Google and Samsung. That said, the most interesting feature that we got to see was the Point to Share feature which allows you to share files by simply pointing and tapping on the detected phone. Samsung is looking to use this technology as to develop access keys and more in the future.

Augmented Camera features for a better Creator Experience

Last year, Samsung explored the Note series’ prowess when it came to creator experiences. This year, the series take another leap with more creator focused features primarily focused on the camera.

The new Note20 series will be the first Samsung device to have an improved Pro Video mode which gives creators better control of the camera when they are creating. The new pro video mode brings granular sound control; allowing creators to play with volume levels and also choose their sound source. This will allow users to choose between the device mics as well as Bluetooth devices such as the Galaxy Buds Active. The camera also has variable zoom speed just in case you need that extra splash of drama.

The camera also comes with the capability to shoot 8K video with support for lower resolutions. Users can select frame rates of up to 120fps for resolutions below 4K. You can even use DisplayPort over USB-C or USB-C to HDMI for video out.

Powerful Specs that Allow You to Get More Done

As always, the Galaxy Note series comes supped specifications to keep you ever at the ready. The Galaxy Note20 and Note20 Ultra come with top of the line processors capable of 5G connectivity. They will be coming with either the Exynos 990 or the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ depending on your region. This will be complemented by either 8GB or 12 GB of RAM and a minimum of 256GB onboard memory. The Galaxy Note20 Ultra will have expandable memory via microSD card slot while the Note20 will not.

The Galaxy Note20 Ultra will be coming with a 6.9-inch, curved Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with Quad HD+ resolution of 3088×1440 pixels. The Galaxy Note20, on the other hand, will be coming with a 6.7-inch flat Super AMOLED+ display with Full HD+ resolution of 2400×1080 pixels. They will both come with the signature S Pen with all its bells and whistles as well.

On the camera front, the Note20 Ultra comes with a triple camera setup which has a 108-megapixel main sensor complemented with a 12-megapixel ultra wide sensor and a 12-megapixel telephoto camera. The Note 20 comes with a similar setup replacing the 108-megapixel sensor with a 12-megapixel main sensor and the 12-megapixel telephoto sensor with a 64-megapixel telephoto sensor. The Note series ditches the 100X Space Zoom for a more sensible 50X Space Zoom on the Ultra while the regular Note20 has 30X Space Zoom. The front camera is a 10-megapixel wide sensor. Both smartphones come with Phase Detection Autofocus (PDAF) and Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS), however, the Galaxy Note20 Ultra comes with Laser Autofocus.

The Galaxy Note20 series will be 5G capable with 4G connectivity being the standard across all regions. The phones will support both the Sub6 and mmWave bandwidths for 5G – support for actual 5G connectivity will depend on your carrier/telco. The Galaxy Note20 and Note20 Ultra will also support WiFi 6 (802.11 ax). This comes in addition to normal WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac. The smartphones will also have Bluetooth 5.0 LE and GPS connectivity.

The Note20 will be powered by a 4,300mAh battery while the Ultra will have a larger 4,500mAh battery. Both will support fast charging. This includes wireless fast charging. They will also be capable of Wireless PowerShare as well.

Pricing & Availability

The Galaxy Note20 will be available for pre-order starting September 6, 2020 for USD$999.99 (MYR4,194.84) internationally. In Malaysia, prices will be starting at MYR3,899 for the Note20 and MYR4,299 for the Note20 5G. It will be available in Mystic Green, Mystic Grey and Mystic Bronze.

The Galaxy Note20 Ultra will be available starting at USD$1,299.99 (MYR5,453.30) internationally. In Malaysia, it will be retailing at MYR5,199. It will be available in Mystic Bronze, Mystic Black and Mystic White.

Pre-orders for Malaysia kick off on 6 August, 2020. Pre-orders of the Note20 Ultra will be entitled to a free pair of Galaxy Buds Live worth MYR699 while Note20 pre-orders will be entitled to a free of Galaxy Buds+ worth MYR599.

Official Specifications

Android, Business, Mobile, News

Ditching Helio for Dimensity – MediaTek’s Premium 5G Experience for Mid-Range Smartphones

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If you follow the tech space closely, you would, by now, understand that the way forward is 5G. Every other manufacturer has jumped on the 5G bandwagon now. The upcoming Samsung Galaxy Note20 series will all come with 5G support out-of-the-box. 5G is not here yet, but the devices are leaping ahead; “just in case,” they say.

At this point of time, there is only a few companies in the world that makes chipsets that supports 5G functionality. Well, most major ones anyway. HUAWEI, Samsung, and Qualcomm make 5G chipsets that fits all kinds of budget.

There is another manufacturer of chips that we forgot about though. Well, not forgot about, just that they have not been exactly chatty about their products. That manufacturer is MediaTek. If you have not heard of them before, where have you been living all your life?

For your benefit though, MediaTek is one of the major chipset manufacturers in the big world that is the smartphone industry. Their chips can be found on some very reasonably priced Android devices. Recently they launched their new 5G chipset series starting with the Dimensity 1000. The Dimensity 1000 is MediaTek’s latest flagship class chipset offering with 5G connectivity. To address the mid-range 5G smartphone market they have just introduced the Dimensity 720 System on a Chip (SoC) today.

The Dimensity 720 SoC is still a 7nm process chip with 5G connectivity like Dimensity 1000 from MediaTek. The difference is in price and what it can do. It is still no slouch though.

The construction of the MediaTek Dimensity 720 SoC is still quite traditional in the chipset context. The chip is still running on ARM’s big.LITTLE architecture, nothing new there. There are two big ARM Cortex-A76 cores clocked at 2GHz for all the big, heavy operations. Then there are six littler ARM Cortex-A55 cores that clocks at 2GHz as well for all the lighter operations. This is effectively an Octa-Core processor in this case. Graphics are handled by ARM Mail G57 GPU integrated within the SoC

Here are everything else you need to know about the chipset:

  • 90Hz refresh rate support with HDR10+
  • up to 64-Megapixel single sensor, or 20-Megapixel + 16-Megapixel dual camera set up
  • Artificial Intelligence (AI) image enhancement with improved AI Processing Unit (APU)
  • Integrated Voice Wakeup technology for less power consumption on voice activations
  • dual-mic support with noise suppression for voice assistants
  • LPDDR4X
  • UFS 2.2
  • Dual 5G and 4G SIM support (sub 6GHz networks)

There is no information on which devices will come with the new MediaTek Dimensity 720 SoC just yet. Then again, there are no devices in Malaysia that is sporting the Dimensity 1000 SoC just yet too. More information on the Dimensity 720 can be found on their website.

Android, Business, Computers, Consumer Electronics, Editorial, iOS, Lifestyle, Mobile, News

Virtual Showrooms – the New Normal

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Just a few days ago we see BMW launching their BMW X5 xDrive45 M Sport. In that launch they also launched an AR app that allows you to view the car in person via your smartphone. There is something lacking though, you do not get to get into the car.

There is another site that gives you a tour around the car though. They are also giving you a tour inside the car. You can also view other cars, not just a BMW. Welcome to the normal.

The site in reference is WapCar. The function is newly launched though so there are limited resources for now. Still, this is a sign of a new coming of age in the automotive industry.

Sure, you could go to any car manufacturer’s site to customise your car options and see the results of the customisation on a virtual image platform on the website. Technically what you are seeing here is not technically new technology. But you are probably looking at a revolution of an industry in Malaysia.

Source: Merceds-Benz

Customising your vehicle before you buy them is nothing new. You would want to buy a car that you want in specs and equipment list that you want, very normal. Usually, you would go to a showroom to look at the cars, get a feel, get a quotation, decide on what you need in the car, and buy them. Either that, or go to a car show, or exhibition held by showrooms or brands (there is one upcoming one by NAZA, by the way). That is the general norm in Malaysia. Customising cars on websites in Malaysia then, is not very common.

Since the COVID-19 crisis hits globally though, things have changed. We go out less, we are a bit more paranoid with people, we try to not crowd a place, and we also try to avoid contact with other people not in our bubble or even public objects that could be a bridge between you and other people. So, how do we buy things now?

The ‘new normal’ as they call it, sees a big boom in the digital space. Again, they are not technically new technology. Things like Shopee, Lazada, GrabFood, MyGroser, Tesco Online, Lalamove, GrabExpress, FoodPanda, GoGet, and such have existed forever (well; not forever, just for very long time). Thanks to the fact that you do not have to go out to get your food, your shopping, and your groceries done though, these platforms have thrived and we have grown to rely on them more than ever. Online shopping has become a norm.

Source: McLaren

Obviously, some people start thinking; “why does this new normal have to be limited to regular online shopping, delivery, and food services”? They do not. Lazada kicked off the market first with putting Volkswagen and Hyundai on their platform to sell cars, actual cars like the Volkswagen Polo and Hyundai i30. They also innovated a little more with purchasing properties when they partnered with Mah Sing Group. So, why not more of these? Especially with cars.

There is a problem though. Malaysians are not used to looking at cars virtually online. They like to walk around the cars, touch them, feel them, sit in them. We cannot do that now, can we? So online showrooms are the way to go. That way you get to do a ‘walkaround’ and ‘sit in’. The only thing you cannot do is test drive it or hear its engine note. We are pretty sure that the showrooms will not find it to be a problem to arrange for a test drive for you if you do give in a call though. We are certain too that they will follow procedure to properly sanitise the car and wear a mask beside you. You can request that too; no harm in asking.

Source: Mercedes-Benz

So back to virtual showrooms then. WapCar currently has only a few cars in their VR showroom. If you go to their website, you can browse through their catalogue of endless listings that even includes the likes of Bentley, Ferrari, and even McLaren (nope, no VR just yet, we would be excited for that though). As long as you see ‘VR’ pasted on the thumbnail, you can virtually ‘walkaround’ the car at least. There are even fewer cars with VR interior for now. They are slowly rolling out the feature to as many cars they can get their hands on though.

WapCar as a platform does show us what is possible in the new normal. It also shows a sort of alternative for Malaysia’s automotive industry future. Maybe we do not need a physical showroom that takes up huge spaces with not that many things put into it. Maybe all we need is a PC display to show us what we might get in the car. Better yet, maybe all we need is a VR Goggle to see what the car might look like on our driveway, or parking lot.

  • Source: WapCar
  • Source: WapCar

What about the showrooms? Why not just have these businesses set up online entirely? That may not seem to be such a bad idea, no? Maybe that also might make your car purchases a little bit more special since you really have to be patient. Who knows, it could be like unboxing your smartphone for the first time, or unwrapping your Christmas gift.

Android, iOS, Lifestyle, Mobile, News

Now You can Have Your Own BMW X5 xDrive45e M Sport, Just Use Your Smartphone!

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BMW very recently just launched their brand-new car, the X5 xDrive45e M Sport in Malaysia. While this is not BMW’s most expensive car, it is still regarded as one of BMW’s most premium offerings. They call it the ‘Boss’ car.

If you are not yet familiar with BMW’s offerings, the BMW X5 xDrive45e M Sport is BMW’s premium SUV offering. The top-of-the-line BMW X5 SUV packs a powerful inline six-cylinder internal combustion petrol engine. The BMW signature engine features forced induction too in the of BMW’s TwinPower Turbo. The 3.0-litre powerhouse pushes 286 hp to the wheels.

This is still a plug-in hybrid vehicle though with an electric motor to keep emissions low while keeping speeds very high. The electric motors produce a mere 113 hp on top of the petrol engine. The combination of the internal combustion engine and the electric motors pushes a total of 394 hp and 600Nm of torque on all four wheels of the BMW X5 xDrive45e M Sport. That means a 0-100km/h time of 5.6 seconds; rapid, in a bulging SUV weighing just over 2.4 tonnes.

Available in four colour offerings, the BMW X5 xDrive45e M Sport can be yours on your driveway for MYR 448,800. Or, for free if you have a smartphone, just know that you cannot actually drive it and feel what its like behind the wheel. Just head to the webapp on your smartphone here.

The app is simple really, it is based on Augmented Reality technology, nothing new there. If you remember, not too long ago Google Lens has become quite popular with having strange and exotic animals in your living room. That is the exact thing here, in car format.

Of course, within the app you can customise the car a little bit. You can change the colour, for example. There are some interactive pointers for you to click on too to find out more about the BMW X5. The only thing you do not get to do is drive out in the car.

This is technically a small advancement in car buying experience globally though. You could still go to BMW’s website to customise your car on the website itself. This is just taking it to a new level where you can get to see the car itself in roughly the exact dimensions. What do you think though, should more car manufacturers do this sort of stuff? Comment below.

Android, Mobile, News

ASUS ROG Phone 3 Launched – Third Time’s the Charm

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Before we go on; no, ASUS’ ROG Phone and ROG Phone 2 were not rubbish. They were amazing smartphones, if I might have to say. We really liked the first-generation ASUS ROG Phone and we think that it can still hold its own today. The ROG Phone 2 was not revolutionary per say but it was still a brilliant smartphone on its own. Its expanded arsenal of accessories made it something quite special to behold, if not expensive.

The third one we see today is not exactly revolutionary as well. It is more of a step up, an evolution rather, to the ROG Phone 2. To be fair though, following up on two brilliant smartphones is difficult even for the biggest brands in the world.

The ROG Phone 3 seems to do the job well enough though. Yes, it may just be an evolution, but it does not mean that the device is a boring one.

Source: ASUS

We start with the display, because that is going to be the first thing that will greet you when you open the box and unwrap the protective plastic cover. This thing packs the fastest display you can find on any smartphone today. While it only pushes Full HD 1080p resolution to your face, it refreshes at 144Hz. That is 20Hz more than the OPPO Find X2, just saying. All that and you still get HDR10+ and Delta E < 1 colours for a bright looking, fresh looking images on the 6.59-inch AMOLED display covered by a Corning Gorilla Glass 6. The display did not grow in size though, 6.59-inch is big enough. True to its gaming roots and purpose, the ROG Phone 3 boasts 270Hz in response rate too giving a super quick 25ms touch response and 18ms slide response. That is as fast as it gets at this point now.

No edge-to-edge nonsense with a cut out here. You still get a bottom lip and a forehead on the device big enough to fit a 24-Megapixel camera and a proper looking earpiece. The earpiece also doubles as a front-firing speaker. It is not just any speaker though. Paired with the bottom speakers you are getting a DTS:X speaker system with individual amplifiers for each speaker. Sadly, you do not get a 3.5mm AUX jack though.

Still, dig deeper and you find a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ System on a Chip (SoC). This may just be the most powerful smartphone in the world currently since it packs something that is even more powerful than the outgoing Qualcomm Snapdragon 865. You get up to 3.1GHz in clock speed, 10% more performance than the Snapdragon 865 SoC. The SoC is rivalling most entry-level gaming PCs these days.

Source: ASUS

Plenty of power also means plenty of heat. The ROG Phone 3 packs a big heatsink that you can see from the partially transparent glass back. That heatsink is technically bigger than before, which means you get better cooling performance mechanically as well. If that is not enough, you get a fan dock thing out-of-the-box anyway (Aero Active Cooler 3). That fan dock thing now has a kickstand so that you can prop it up on a table. But the fan dock also allows the ROG phone III to be cooled more aggressively. Combine that with ASUS ROG UI’s X Mode, and you are getting a smartphone that rivals gaming PCs.

Of course, Air Trigger makes it back in the ROG Phone 3. This is probably the ASUS ROG Phone’s main party piece. The Air Trigger is in its third generation with the ROG Phone III. The third generation Air Trigger supports more gestures and input now. This also makes the ROG Phone III a highly competitive smartphone for eSports, if not unfair.

Source: ASUS

Move to the back and you will find a 64-Megapixel main camera flanked by a 13-Megapixel ultra-wide sensor, and another macro sensor to produce great photos. This is still a smartphone anyway; you want the cameras to be good. While this is a gaming smartphone, the camera functions are not getting sidelined though. You get four microphones for the best video recording experience. This is your all-in-one device.

Of course, you cannot have an all-in-one device without requiring some power draw. The SoC itself should be quite demanding on its own. That is why ASUS fits a large 6,000mAh battery pack within the svelte body. How is this device fitting a larger battery in the same sized body of the ROG Phone II? Sorcery perhaps, but we do appreciate bigger batteries in modern smartphones.

  • Source: ASUS
  • Source: ASUS
  • Source: ASUS
  • Source: ASUS
  • Source: ASUS

That should give you enough confidence to game with Google Stadia all day if you want. ASUS has partnered with Google Stadia for this device to ensure that there are enough contents for you to play with. It finally makes sense for you to get all the accessories that might come with the ASUS ROG Phone 3. So far, ASUS has only announced the Nintendo Switch-esque Kunai gamepad and a few cases.

  • Source: ASUS
  • Source: ASUS
  • Source: ASUS
  • Source: ASUS
  • Source: ASUS
  • Source: ASUS
  • Source: ASUS
  • Source: ASUS

The ROG Phone III will come in three variants. The cheapest will be the ROG Phone 3 STRIX (Qualcomm Snapdragon 865) variant will come with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage for EUR€ 799 (approx. MYR3,934). For EUR€ 200 (EUR€ 999, approx. MYR 4,917) more, you get 512GB of memory and 12GB of RAM. The one you might want to get your hands on to rival your friend’s gaming PC though is the top-of-the-line 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage variant at EUR€ 1,099 (approx. MYR 5,409). These are not local pricing though. We are expecting prices to be around the same as the older ASUS ROG Phone 2 on all its variants. That is MYR 2,499, MYR 3,499, and MYR 4,499 for the ROG Phone 2 Strix and two other ROG Phone 2 variants. ASUS Malaysia is touting a Mid-September release locally for the ASUS ROG Phone 3. In that case, all we can do is wait for a while more.

Android, Mobile, News, Podcast

Tech & Tonic Episode 19 – What Can We Expect from Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2020?

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Last week we saw a bunch of things being launched and released. We found out that the OnePlus Nord is coming to Malaysia. We also see the launching of Canon’s all-new, all-conquering their Canon EOS R5 and the Canon EOS R6. The Canon EOS R5 is capable of 8K video recording. It technically has become one of the best mirrorless camera in the market.

The big thing that happened last week though is the announcement of Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked 2020 event happening on the 5th of August 2020. We can expect to see the Samsung Galaxy Note20 in this event. Based on the rumours and leaks too, we can expect Samsung to bring back the Copper colour. Based on the rumours too, the Samsung Galaxy Note20 series will come with 5G capabilities as standard.

The event will also see Samsung releasing their new Active Noise Cancelling earbuds. Alongside that is a bunch of new devices like the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 and Galaxy Tab S7+. Of course, we also can expect Samsung to launch the Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G.

Android, Editorial, Mobile, Reviews, Video

[Video] Samsung Galaxy A71 Review

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Samsung A series has gotten awesome over the years. The latest and greatest Galaxy A71 comes with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 730 processor. The processor is paired with a minimum of 6GB RAM or 8GB RAM and 128GB of internal storage. A new and improved quad system main camera consisting of a 64MP wide, 12MP ultrawide, 5MP macro camera and a 5MP depth sensor. For the selfie camera, it gets a 32 MP wide camera. Packing a relatively large-sized 4,500mAh battery that could last you the entire day. 

Priced at MYR 1,799 in Malaysia and USD$429.99 in the US. Is the Samsung Galaxy A71 the daily all rounder? Is this the ultimate daily driver for the average joe?

Looking for more details? You can head on over to our in depth review.

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Android, Mobile, News

OnePlus Nord Will Be Coming to Malaysia, India and Europe – Here’s What You Need to Know

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Back in April, OnePlus had their announcement of their new flagships, the OnePlus 8 and the OnePlus 8 Pro. However, back then, rumours were rife with a third device in the series called the OnePlus 8 Lite, which never made its debut. Shortly after, the OnePlus Z surfaced with similar specifications. Now, we have confirmation from OnePlus itself, that their upcoming phone is the OnePlus Nord.

What is the OnePlus Nord?

Remember way back when OnePlus launched their first mid-range smartphone? You don’t? Well, lets talk a little bit about the missed opportunity that was the OnePlus X. Back in 2015, OnePlus released an ill-fated device called the OnePlus X, their first foray into a lower price range than their popular numbered flagship. The device wasn’t very popular and to be honest, was a dumpster fire of a device plagued with bugs.

Source: @Onleaks

Come 2020, we have the Nord. OnePlus second attempt at the mid-range market and to be honest, one that makes sense with their numbered flagships hitting true flagship prices. The OnePlus Nord seems to be shaping up as a successor for the OnePlus X. But saying that wouldn’t do justice to the difference in the company’s approach to the OnePlus Nord.

They are approaching the new device like a revitalization of the company’s “Never Settle” tagline. A new beginning for a truly powerful mid-range player with a price tag that puts the competition to shame.

What does the OnePlus Nord Pack?

While we don’t have full confirmations for all the specifications, we can say with confidence that the Nord is shaping up to be a really interesting offering in the mid-range space.

Initially, it was rumoured that the Nord, or the OnePlus Z, as it was known then, would be coming with the MediaTek Dimensity processor. However, the OnePlus Nord seems to now be coming with a Snapdragon 765G which will also mean that the smartphone will be 5G capable. It looks like the processor will be complemented by 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. No word just yet on whether the phone will support microSD cards.

On the display side of things, it looks like the Nord will be coming with a 6.55-inch Super AMOLED display. The screen will have a Full HD+ resolution of 2220×1080 pixels and will have a 90Hz refresh rate. It looks like it will be a hole punch display with slim bezels. It will also be flat unlike the curved 8.

It looks like the OnePlus Nord will be coming with a Quad camera array – not the dual or triple camera setup that was initially rumoured. That said, the camera doesn’t look to be your run of the mill mid-ranger either. It’s a quad array with a 48-megapixel main sensor, an 8-megapixel ultra wide sensor, a 5-megapixel macro sensor and a 2-megapixel depth sensor. If it sounds familiar it’s a similar setup to the Redmi Note 9s which was recently released but it’s to be seen if the company is using the same Sony IMX module. On the selfie side of things, the new offering looks to be bringing a dual camera setup with a 32-megapixel main sensor paired with an 8-megapixel ultrawide sensor.

Source: @evleaks

All of these specs is rumoured to be powered by 4,300 mAh battery with support for 30W fast charging. It will support USB-C but will not have a headphone jack – which is making more sense since we’re getting inklings of OnePlus launching it’s first true wirelsss earphones.

When can I get it and Where?

The new OnePlus Nord will be making its official debut on July 21, 2020 in a special augmented reality (AR) launch. You will need to download the Nord app from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store to join in. It will be launching in a very limited beta in North America. However, Malaysia, India and select countries in Europe will be getting the smartphone in all its glory. It looks like the price will be around EUR€500 (MYR2,409.15). We expect the launch price to be about MYR1999-2299 in Malaysia to keep the phone competitive with the likes of the Samsung Galaxy A51 and the iPhone SE.

So far, these are the countries that have been confirmed to get the OnePlus Nord:

Asia

  • India
  • Malaysia

Europe

  • Austria
  • Belgium
  • Bulgaria
  • Croatia
  • Cyprus
  • Czech Republic
  • Denmark
  • Estonia
  • Finland
  • France
  • Germany
  • Greece
  • Hungary
  • Ireland
  • Italy
  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg
  • Latvia
  • Malta
  • Netherlands

  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Romania
  • Slovenia
  • Slovakia
  • Spain
  • Sweden
  • United Kingdom

Android, Business, iOS, Lifestyle, Mobile, News

Another E-Commerce Challenger Has Entered the Ring – Vettons Launches

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The digital marketplace in South East Asia is quite a crowded space. In Malaysia itself at least, we have Lazada, Shopee, Lelong, Mudah, and LamboPlace. Now, we have Vettons.

Launched on 7th July 2020, the platform looks to change the whole e-commerce environment in Malaysia. Yes, this is the new e-commerce platform that has been teased on social media. This is the e-commerce platform that is going to “revolutionise” online shopping in Malaysia.

Source: Vettons

Vettons is purely app based, so good luck scrolling through their web store like traditional e-marketplaces. The website will direct you to a download link on Google Play and App Store. Still, it is available for free on both platforms.

A new online marketplace is always a welcome addition in Malaysia though. Still, this is not like any other e-commerce sites like any other though. It is supposed to be cleverer.

Vettons is different because they ensure that their products are off the highest quality. Okay, maybe we are overselling that a little bit. They are just making sure that the products that are sold on their platform are genuine things from their third-party merchants.

That also means you will not see questions of whether items are genuine in the comment sections. Everything is ensured to come from partner brands. In turn, each brand ensures that their products are up to a certain standard, that is quite normal.

Source: Vettons

Of course, like other platforms too, you get the promo items or items with the lowest prices presented to you in the first page. Thing is you need to be shopping or browsing around a little bit for the algorithm to understand your purchase patterns and preferences. We can get into that a little more later.

What is even more interesting is that Vettons promises delivery within 24 hours for each item you buy. This is something that is not offered on most of the platforms in Malaysia. That means if you might need something urgently, Vettons can deliver if they have the item you want that is.

Now we get to the algorithm. They are touting a very clever interface that learns what you do and what you purchase and personalise the shopping experience to you. They are also looking to make the platform more interactive than just you shopping for things. After all, “customer satisfaction” is the main goal.

Source: Vettons

In some sense, what Vettons promises us as potential customers are not technically radical new things. They are looking to make things just a little smarter for us, shoppers. We do appreciate new things though.

Vettons is available for free on Google’s Play Store and Apple’s App Store now. For more information on Vettons, you can visit their website.

Android, Business, iOS, Mobile, News

Support Local Eateries with EatLokal

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We live in unprecedented times where communities need to support each other to make sure that we all survive what has been a weird roller coaster of a year. One of the worst hit industries has been the food and beverage industry with restaurants losing humongous chunks of their dine-in revenue and paying even more in delivery commissions with delivery partners such as Grab and FoodPanda. Some have reportedly been asked to pay upwards of 20% of their order to these partners.

EatLokal is looking to change that reality by partnering with disruptor brands like MyGroser and Socar to help bolster and support the local restaurant industry. They are working with these services to bring down the cost of delivery for both the restaurants and consumers. In fact, the company is looking to charge only 10% commission on sale for their launch period to help businesses increase sales and get back on their feet. The reason behind the low commission? Simple, they believe that the bulk of the revenue earned through sales of food should stay with restaurants at this time.

While EatLokal is focusing on delivering better value for service to restaurant owners, they aren’t leaving the consumer behind. They are looking to deliver better value for money when it comes to getting the convenience of ordering food. EatLokal is looking to connect us with our favourite local eateries. From the corner store with that deliciously thirst quenching cendol to the savoury chicken rice shop in Bangsar, EatLokal is looking bridge the divide in this time of social distancing while providing a convenience to both patrons and restaurateurs.

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eatlokal screen
eatlokal screen

“As consumers, we have all felt the pinch of rapid increases in the prices that we pay for food delivery. We know there is a better, fairer way for everyone involved – the restaurants who provide the food and their employees; the delivery teams who do the work of sending the food to consumers; and consumers themselves. EATLOKAL is a community focused effort disruptors from Malaysia’s digital landscape who aim to improve the quality of service, pricing and approach to food delivery services while supporting and protecting our local restaurants, cafes and other food outlets who are working hard to stay open for us,”

Stephen P Francis, CEO of EATLOKAL

EatLokal is teaming up with independent motorcycle delivery teams, private delivery operators and Socar to get the goodies delivered. Socar will be playing a vital role in mobilizing cars as a delivery option.

The service is available in early access on the Apple App Store, GooglePlay Store and also on the internet via their webiste EatLokal.com. They are serving areas across Petaling Jaya, Kuala Lumpur, Bangsar, Damansara, Hartamas, Mont Kiara, Tropicana, Bandar Utama, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Sunway, Subang Jaya, USJ and their surrounding areas. EatLokal has already teamed up with favourite neighbourhood eateries such as YMT Healthy Vegetarian, W1 Dining & Cocktails, Concubine KL, Asian Rice Pot, The Locker & Loft and The Accidental Bakers. EatLokal is now limiting the delivery radius to a 5 km radius from the outlet. However, they are continually expanding.