Category Archives: Mobile

Accessories, Health, iOS, Lifestyle, Mobile, News

The Apple Watch Ultra – The Ultimate Smartwatch by Apple

September 8, 2022 Darwin Sucipto Leave a comment

What do you do when you want to get an Apple Watch but you want to take it to all sorts of adventures? Before this, you would have to buy and Apple Watch and get some sort of silicon protection for it. You can take it snorkeling too, but that is about it. We would have to recommend you something like a Garmin or a Suunto in that case. But you want an Apple Watch. Fret not, you can get an Apple Watch for all sorts of extreme activity now.

Extreme Build for Extreme Conditions

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Welcome to the Apple Watch Ultra, the latest most advanced and most rugged Apple Watch you can get your hands on today. It is tough, made from aerospace-grade titanium. Unlike stainless steel, titanium is lighter, more durable, and more resistant to corrosion. Unlike the 3D glass that you might find on the regular Apple Watch, the Ultra’s display is a flat screen surrounded by the titanium case and covered by Sapphire glass for extra protection and durability in extreme situations.

Bright Needs to be Brighter

The Retina display is rather beautiful to look at too with a peak brightness of 2000 nits just in case you need to look at it under bright sunlight. To ensure that you know where to press, the action button is a bright International Orange. It is even customizable for different functions.

Built for Runners

The Apple Watch Ultra is built for the most extreme athletes and sports. Powered by WatchOS 9, the Apple Watch Ultra packs dual-frequency GPS with new algorithms to deliver the most accurate GPS system you can find on any Apple Watch. The technology allows for a more precise and accurate routing, distance, and even speed data for both training and competition purposes. It even offers you running metrics to measure stride length, ground contact time, vertical oscillation, and even running power. Of course, it has the battery life to match long-course triathlon events.

Built for Adventurers

If you are into exploring the extremities of the world, the Apple Watch Ultra can keep up with you as well. The Apple Watch Ultra is designed to operate in temperatures as low as 20^oC and up to 55^oC and built to MIL-STD-810H standards. The Compass App is more comprehensive than ever on the Apple Watch Ultra. You can even view elevation, incline, and even coordinate data as you go along for your long trek. You can even use the Apple Watch Ultra to backtrack just in case you feel like you are not getting anywhere, an 86-decibel siren designed for emergencies can be activated in case users get lost or injured. There is even something called Compass Waypoints; you can drop a point interest in the app to mark a location to create a waypoint. You can also extend its battery life up to 60 hours in Low Power mode in case you need the Apple Watch Ultra to last through your trip.

Built for Divers

The Apple Watch Ultra is not just meant to go high up the mountains too. It can go into depths up to 40m with WR100 and EN 13319 certification. Apple says you can take it to go kitesurfing and wakeboarding. If you are into scuba diving, the Oceanic+ app turns your Apple Watch Ultra into a powerful dive computer. Available later this year, the app runs Bühlmann decompression algorithm. The app also offers personalised user profiles, reports on dive conditions, and a dive logbook that you can share with your friends and family. All these data can also be viewed and synced to your iPhone.

Still an Apple Watch

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Of course, it is still an Apple Watch, you can take calls with it. For that function, the Apple Watch Ultra packs three microphones for improved sound quality and noise cancelling in calls. The Apple Watch Ultra also uses new advanced wind-reduction algorithms to ensure that you can take calls even in the most extreme situations.

There is also the regular heart rate monitor, ECG, Blood Oxygen detection, activity rings, mindfulness and other navigation features that are available on a regular Apple Watch. There are new sensors on the Apple Watch Ultra that is beneficial for women’s health monitoring though. The Apple Watch Ultra includes two new temperature sensors designed to separate noise from outside environment and monitors internal body temperature. Like the iPhone 14, the new Apple Watch Ultra also packs sensors that adds up to Crash Detection function.

Price and Availability

The Apple Watch Ultra will be available in select regions from the 23^rd of September 2022 for US$ 799 (MYR 3,799*) onward. There are no mentions yet on its availability date in Malaysia. You can see the Apple Watch Ultra is featured on the Apple Watch microsite for Malaysia though, indicating that it will eventually be available here. There are no available colour options for the main unit of the Apple Watch, but you can choose from different bands that might suit your chosen activities. For more information on the Apple Watch Ultra, you can visit their website.

*Official Malaysian Pricing

iOS, Lifestyle, Mobile, News

The Most Powerful Apple iPhone is Everything You Want in an iPhone – the Apple iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max Has Launched

September 8, 2022 Darwin Sucipto Leave a comment

The regular iPhone 14 is more than just a hardware update, that much we know. Some of the new hardware fitted into the new iPhone 14 makes the device one of the best life companions you can ask for. It packs the previous generation A15 Bionic, which is still regarded, as per Apple, one of the most powerful System on a Chip (SoC) you can find in the current smartphone market.

But the Pro variant of the iPhone 14 deserves something better, something even more powerful. It is, after all, Apple’s most powerful flagship to hit the market. It is supposed to be the most technologically advanced and innovative smartphone in Apple’s range of smartphones.

Welcome to the Apple iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, the two most innovative smartphones in the world by Apple’s standards.

Maximum Speed, Maximum Power

First up is the brand new A16 Bionic that is even more powerful than the already potent A15 Bionic chip you can find in the current iPhone 14 and the older iPhone 13 Pro series. According to Apple, the new chip is 40% faster than the A15 Bionic, which technically makes it the fastest smartphone processing chip you can find in the world today. Again, this is all according to Apple. For the first time ever in a smartphone as well, the A16 Bionic employs the 4nm build process to make it even more efficient than before. The A16 Bionic also packs an even more powerful dedicated imaging engine that allows the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max to fully take advantage of its 48-Megapixel quad-pixel main camera.

Brighter than Ever Retina

The display on the iPhone 14 Pro models are the most advanced you can find on any iPhone so far. You get either a 6.1-inch or 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR display with ProMotion that allows the device to turn its refresh rate all the way down to 1Hz to prolong battery life. The displays now can push up to 2000 nits of peak brightness too, twice that off the iPhone 13 Pro. The new Super Retina XDR display also features Always-On display for the first time on an iPhone. Just to keep everything safe and protected, the displays are protected by Apple’s new Ceramic Shield front cover like the regular vanilla iPhone 14. Of course, the rest of the device is also water and dust resistant to ensure that it gets through life with no fuss.

Dynamic Island

Source: Apple
Source: Apple

Keen eyed readers might find that the notch on the new iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max is a little different now. It is a sort of elongated punch hole instead of a forehead notch. The punch hole houses a TrueDepth camera and other sensors for Face ID to work. The proximity sensor and light sensor is situated behind the display unit instead of the island now.

While this type of solution is nothing new in the smartphone industry, the genius is in how iOS 16 ‘hides’ the island hole. They call it the Dynamic Island, and it is a rather clever way of integrating the island hole into the iOS experience.

The Dynamic Island functions as the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max’s notification and quick access panel for ongoing background apps. You can keep things like timer in view via the Dynamic Island as well, turn-by-turn navigation can also be kept on the Dynamic Island even when you are on other apps. It even displays Live Scores of live matches in the most sensible way.

48-Megapixel!? On an iPhone!?

Source: Apple
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Out the back is also the most advanced camera system that you can find on an Apple smartphone ever. You now get a 48-megapixel sensor instead of the usual 12-Megapixel sensor on the main shooter. Alongside the main shooter are 12-Megapixel Ultra-Wide and Telephoto cameras. Thanks to the more powerful A16 Bionic chip, the Pro model’s cameras performs at least twice better in low-light conditions.

The 48-Megapixel sensor on the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max is the biggest ever found on an iPhone and that also helps with low-light photography. To ensure that photos are not hoarding your storage bandwidth, the 48-Megapixel photos are shrunk to 12-Megapixel sizes while maintaining the depth and detail of a 48-Megapixel photo. Thanks to the 48-Megapixel sensor as well, 4K videos and photos can be captured with in full resolution without digital zoom even when you put the camera to 2x zoom. Of course, more pixel count also means even more detailed photos in ProRAW formats.

Crash Detection & Emergency SOS via Satellite

The Apple iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max also includes Crash Detection technology and Emergency SOS via satellite feature just like its more accessible cousins, the vanilla iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus. Unfortunately, again, Emergency SOS function is only available for the U.S. and Canada markets for now.

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Price and Availabilty

The Apple iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max will be available will be available in select regions on the 16^th of September 2022 onward. Malaysia will get both variants of the device not too long after that though from the 23^rd of September 2022 onward. The iPhone 14 Pro Max is available in four storage variants – 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB. You can choose between four colour options for the most advanced Apple iPhone ever – Deep Purple, Gold, Silver, and Space Black. The iPhone 14 Pro starts from 5,299, while the iPhone 14 Pro Max starts at MYR 5,799. For more information on the Apple iPhone 14 Pro, you can check out their website.

iOS, Lifestyle, Mobile, News

The Apple iPhone 14 is Here, and it is Simply Mesmerizing

September 8, 2022 Darwin Sucipto Leave a comment

The Apple iPhone 13 was something of a wonder. It was, according to Apple, amongst the most powerful smartphones in the world. Of course, Apple would also like to think that they make the best smartphone in the world. Confidence is key, they say.

With the iPhone 13, Apple pulled all the stops to make the smartphone experience better than before. Instead of focusing on fitting new hardware to push technological boundaries, it was more about making the Apple iPhone a better companion to its users. They followed that same recipe in the new Apple iPhone 14, alongside some very welcome additions.

First up, there is no iPhone 14 Mini here. You have the Apple iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus instead. You get the standard 6.1-inch display with the regular iPhone 14, and then you get a larger 6.7-inch display on the Plus variant. They are selling this as a separate thing to the Pro variants of the iPhone too, understandably.

New Bigger Display

Apple iPhone 14 iPhone 14 Plus hero 220907 — Source: Apple

You still get the recognizable notch on the top part of the display that now houses a TrueDepth camera. According to Apple, the front camera will now take better pictures than ever with newly added features like autofocus. On both variants also, you get a beautiful Retina XDR OLED display with peak brightness of 1200 nits making HDR contents as immersive as they come on an iPhone The Retina XDR display also boasts 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio and Dolby Vision for an even better Netflix experience, especially if you go for the larger iPhone 14 Plus. The displays are also now covered in what Apple calls a Ceramic Shield front cover, a built-in screen protector to protect it from drops and other bumps it might meet in its lifetime. It is also water and dust resistant, to ensure that it can handle anything you can throw at it accidentally, obviously.

Power From the Pros

Beneath the new expansive display is Apple’s proven A15 Bionic System on a Chip (SoC). It is the same one found on the Apple iPhone 13 Pro models. It packs two powerful performance cores for all sorts of heavy lifting, and four efficiency cores within to keep the device going for long periods of time. It also packs a 16-core neural engine for Siri to leverage on and for iOS to keep things snappy and snazzy. For even better photos, the A15 Bionic also houses a new integrate image processor. The Apple iPhone 14 Plus also now features the longest all-day battery life of any available iPhone.

Even Better Photos and Videos

Apple iPhone 14 iPhone 14 Plus Action mode 220907 — Source: Apple

Out the back is a glass housing that adorns new colours for the iPhone. You still have the standard black (Midnight), and white (Starlight) variants of the Apple iPhone. The Product RED is also still an option for the iPhone. Additionally, you get to get your iPhone 14 in blue or purple.

The backs of the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus house two cameras. The main camera is a 12-Megapixel shooter like before. Accompanying the 12-Megapixel main shooter is an equally impressive 12-Megapixel ultra-wide camera. Thanks to the dedicated Photonic Engine found on the A15 Bionic, the camera performance is much improved especially in low-light conditions. The Deep Fusion computational prowess also allows the camera to capture photos with breathtaking details and textures, true to life colours, and full of information.

There are a few new features on the camera too; it has a new action mode that cleverly stabilizes videos even when they are shot in the middle of the action. The LED flash has also been re-worked and is now 10% brighter than before and is supposedly more uniform and consistent. There is also the Cinematic mode available for videos shot in 4K 30fps and 24fps. Of course, you get to shoot your videos in brilliant Dolby Vision HDR colours.

Emergency SOS via Satellite and Crash Detection

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What is impressive with the iPhone 14 is not all the things listed above. It is not the latest iOS 16 for the iPhone. Nor is it the fact that Apple Fitness+ is coming to all iPhone users. What we find most impressive regarding the Apple iPhone 14 is that it now packs satellite technology and a high-impact accelerometer.

Having satellite technology might not seem like a big deal. Satellite based mobile phones have existed for a while now and it is used in various situations where cellular signals are choppy or when cell towers cannot be installed. It is a rather old school technology that is only good in very specific situations. On the iPhone, it is good for emergencies. They call it Emergency SOS, which is rather fitting. Because satellite signals can be very specific in terms of direction, the iPhone Emergency SOS interface guides you to get the best connection to an available satellite. In emergency situations, the feature allows you to quickly send SOS messages to available emergency services via satellite. Since the low-bandwidth nature of satellite communication means it might take a few seconds to minutes for messages to get through to the right people, Apple’s Emergency SOS interface presents a quick questionnaire to assess your situation before sending a distress signal to an Apple relay station and then to the right services. The satellite technology can also be used in the Find My app, for services to easily and accurately locate you in non-cellular or WiFi situations.

The high-impact accelerometer that is newly found on the iPhone 14 is like no other accelerometer on regular smartphones. It can withstand and measure G-Force up to 256Gs. Combined with a new high dynamic range gyroscope, the new iPhone 14 packs the first ever smartphone-based Crash Detection technology. Where the Apple Watch detects fall impacts and inform your emergency contacts, the iPhone detects when you get into a severe car crash and automatically dials emergency services if the user is unable to reach their iPhones for whatever reason. The feature is also made possible by combining several existing technologies like barometer, GPS signals, and microphones which have been trained to recognize a car crash by motion and sounds.

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Price and Availability

The Apple iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus will be available in five colour options mentioned above. Storage options starts at 128GB and tops out at 512GB. Pre-orders for the Apple iPhone 14 series in the United States will begin 9^th of September 2022 onward. The Apple iPhone 14 will start shipping on the 16^th of September onward while its bigger brother, the iPhone 14 Plus starts shipping on the 7^th of October 0nward. Malaysia will get its first taste of the new iPhone from the 23^rd of September 2022 onward. Emergency SOS via satellite will not be available in regions outside of the U.S. and Canada for now. If you are in the available regions, the service is included for free for two years if you purchase an iPhone 14 or iPhone 14 Plus. The Apple iPhone 14 will be available for MYR 4,199 onward and the iPhone 14 Plus will be available from MYR 4,699 onward.

Android, Lifestyle, Mobile, News

OPPO Launches the Reno8 Z 5G at MYR 1,799

August 26, 2022 Darwin Sucipto Leave a comment

Earlier this year, OPPO launched their Reno7. They also launched the Reno7 Z not too long after that. A few months down the road, the OPPO Reno8 came about. Inevitably, the even more budget friendly version the OPPO Reno8 launches not too long after the Reno8 debuted. Welcome to the Reno8 Z 5G.

Naturally, the question that will be asked about the OPPO Reno8 Z 5G is if it is at all necessary. It is, after all, OPPO’s second Reno series of the year 2022. It is as though they are trying to make up for lost time.

Still, the OPPO Reno8 Z 5G is not without its unique characteristics. It packs a 64-Megapixel camera out the back. It is supported by a 2-Megapixel depth sensor, and 2-Megapixel Monochrome camera. The combination of all three cameras creates a photo with high levels of details and beautifully natural bokeh. Out the front is a rather clever 16-Megapixel camera with pixel binning technology. Since the Reno series is meant to be the photography champion in OPPO’s stables, it packs all OPPO’s best photography features in its camera app. It features Selfie HDR, AI Palettes, AI Colour Portrait, and Ultra-Clear 108MP Image modes.

Within its rather slim body is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G System on a Chip (SoC) paired with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. The powerful SoC and RAM combination runs ColorOS based on Android 12. At the same time, ColorOS can borrow up to 5GB of storage space to turn it into temporary RAM space for even better multitasking experience.

Keeping everything running an entire day is a 4,500mAh battery. Thanks to 33W SUPERVOOC charging technology, the OPPO Reno8 Z can be up and ready in within 63 minutes of charging. Yes, it comes with a charger.

All this goodness can be seen through the expansive 6.4-inch display up front. The AMOLED panel boasts Full HD+ in resolution and pushes 60Hz in refresh rate to deliver smooth snappy graphics. It is also a Netflix HD and Amazon Prime Video HD certified for the best experience on the two streaming platforms.

In terms of design, it is not too much of a difference, to be fair. You might mistake it for an OPPO Reno7 Z. It retains the Dual Orbit Lights that the Reno7 Z featured. It also retains a flush back body with two camera bumps, like the Reno7 Z. It feels a little sharper on the edges though, but that could just be us.

The OPPO Reno8 Z 5G will be available from the 26^thof August 2022 in two colour options. You can choose between Dawnlight Gold and Starlight Black colour options. The device will set you back MYR 1,799. IF you do get your device on its launch date, OPPO will also throw in a free TWS Earbuds worth MYR 109 and My OPPO members’ Privileges worth up to MYR 888. You can get your hands on one from OPPO’s authorized retailers, OPPO’s very own online store, telco partners, and their official online retail partners like Shopee and Lazada. For more information on the OPPO Reno8 Z 5G, you can visit their website.

Business, Lifestyle, Mobile, News

Malaysia Gets to Try WhatsApp Communities First

August 24, 2022 Darwin Sucipto Leave a comment

A few months back WhatsApp announced that they were launching a new major feature that could make the platform a powerful one for organisations and communities It is also fittingly called Communities. WhatsApp made the announcement back in April 2022 and teased it as a “coming soon” feature. Months later, Communities might finally be a reality. As with any other major features platform providers want to release, they have to go through their testing phase first, WhatsApp included.

While it may seem odd, WhatsApp is one of the most popular, if not the most popular, communication platform in Malaysia. While other countries still rely on the regular messaging app, WhatsApp is a mainstay in Malaysia and is the preferred communication tool of the nation. It is not just personal communication that relies on WhatsApp in Malaysia, companies and organisations rely on WhatsApp Groups to get messages across, essential team communications, and even announcements going.

The reliance and usage patterns for the platform in Malaysia makes it the perfect test bench and sample pool for WhatsApp communities.

Press Note Malaysia gets early access to WhatsApp Communities 2 — Source: WhatsApp

As per the announcement back in April, Communities will be a powerful tool for administrators looking to run multiple groups in their organisations. It allows an admin to include and exclude groups in a single Community group. At that, it also allows admins to start smaller and more controlled conversation groups within the community itself with select members. Communities allows admins to send a community wide announcement if the need arises. At the same time, only the admin has the power to invite members into the community and its groups, also to remove members when they deem necessary.

There are other features that are being added as well with WhatsApp Communities. To be fair, these are improvements done for WhatsApp Groups. Some of the improvements have been introduced before Communities in preparation for the arrival of the new feature too. Reaction, for example, was introduced so users can quickly react to messages via emoji without flooding group chats with new messages and drown the messages out. Group admins can also remove messages from chats for everyone in the group, if they deem it to be problematic. File sharing limit has been pushed to 2GB for more versatile collaboration efforts. Voice calls can now include up to 32 users while you can now mute other people in the call just to ensure that discussions and presentations can go on without distractions. WhatsApp Groups has also increased its member limit from 256 members to up to 512 members. If you wish to leave groups, you can now do it silently, only notifying group admins.

Currently, WhastApp’s Communities is being tested by Gabungan Anak-Anak Palsi Serebum (GAPS) community and Entrepreneurs and Startups in Malaysia communities. It is rolling out to select users in Malaysia currently. It will eventually be available for all WhatsApp users in Malaysia. For the latest updates on WhatsApp and its features you can visit their blog.

Android, Mobile, News

Xiaomi 12 Lite Brings a 108-Megapixel Camera to the sub MYR1,000 Price Point

August 19, 2022 Nur Jeevan Leave a comment

Xiaomi has been known to shake up the smartphone market every now and again. Just recently, they announced the Xiaomi 12S Ultra which brings a large 1-inch sensor and Leica imaging technology to their flagships. Now, the company is supercharging their Lite series with features that make other mid-range smartphones cry.

The freshly announced Xiaomi 12 Lite completes the current Xiaomi 12 lineup. It brings a more restrained combination of specifications while keeping it more affordable but feature-packed. The 12 Lite is one of the lightest smartphones coming in at only 173g (6.1oz). It’s also one of the sleekest available right now with a 7.29mm thickness. It’s a rather industrial device with an angular body and rounded corners. Of course, like all modern smartphones, the 12 Lite comes with a multicamera setup.

Impressive Camera Performance with a 108-megapixel Sensor and Xiaomi’s Own AI

The Mi 12 Lite comes with a triple camera setup which is accented on the back by metal rings. The main sensor is a 108-megapixel Samsung ISOCELL HM2 sensor. Yep – the same one we’ve seen on flagships like the S21 and Xiaomi 11. Complementing this is an 8-megapixel ultra wide-angle sensor and a 2-megapixel macro camera. Of course, the sensor is not thing doing the work when it comes to the camera. Xiaomi has imbued its MIUI camera with AI and features that up the ante in the midrange. Specifically, the Xiaomi 12 Lite will be shipping with AI-powered eye tracking and even motion capture.

On the front, the smartphone is coming with a 32-megapixel Samsung ISOCELL GD2 sensor with autofocus. That’s right, the front camera of the Xiaomi 12 Lite comes with autofocus – something that is nearly unheard of at its price point and even in its device class. This is supported by Xiaomi’s own algorithm that optimises things like depth estimation and HDR colouration to give vibrant pictures and milky smooth bokeh. Xiaomi has also equipped the 12 Lite with a new Selfie Glow System which helps illuminate subjects in front of the sensor. The system consists of 2 strips of LED lights that are able to flood the subject with light. It also can act as a highlighting light under the right conditions.

Uncompromising Power with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G

The Xiaomi 12 Lite comes with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G. The octa-core processor packs performance and power savings with its 6nm fabrication. This is complemented with up to 8GB and 256GB of internal storage.

In addition to the power-packed internals, the 12 Lite comes with a 6.55-inch AMOLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate. It also has a 20:9 aspect ratio and an FHD+ resolution of 1080×2400 pixels. The display is a TrueColor display which can provide a more true-to-life-reproduction of colours. The phone also comes with Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision certifications in addition to its stereo speakers.

All of this runs on a 4,700mAh battery with support for 67W fast charging. Xiaomi is touting that fast charging will allow you to go from 0-50% in 30 minutes. Smart charging provides some protection for overnight charging by charging from 0-80% rapidly and slowly to 100% by the time you unplug in the morning.

Pricing & Availability

The Xiaomi 12 Lite will be available in three colours: Lite Pink, Lite Green and Black. In Malaysia, it will be available with 8GB RAM and 128GB internal memory and 8GB RAM and 256GB internal memory versions. The former will be priced at MYR1,699 while the latter will be priced at MYR1,899.

The 12 Lite will be available for pre-order starting on the 19th of August until the 26th of August 2022. Pre-orders will be entitled to an MYR100 discount. Those done via Xiaomi Stores will get an additional MYR299 of freebies including a Xiaomi Shoulder Bag, Xiaomi Sports Bottle and a Mi Body Composition scale. While those done on Xiaomi’s online stores on Shopee and LAZADA will be entitled to a free Redmi Buds 3 Lite worth MYR99.

Android, Lifestyle, Mobile, News

HONOR Launches Their New HONOR 70, Flagship Performance at MYR 1,999

August 19, 2022 Darwin Sucipto Leave a comment

In the past few months HONOR has been doing plenty to sort of distance itself from its previous parent company, HUAWEI. There is a good reason for that. It now means that HONOR can work with Google and get Google’s very crucial Play Store on their devices. The direct result is that their devices can really run on Google’s Android too and Qualcomm’s System on a Chip (SoC).

They have just released their latest device in Malaysia, the HONOR 70. They call this their “imaging flagship”. It is not really a flagship on paper. It only packs Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 778G+ with 5G capabilities, a mid-range processor. It also does not pack more than 8GB of RAM paired to 256GB of internal storage.

There is a reason why they call it their “imaging flagship” though. It packs a second processing chip. It is a proprietary, independent chip that handles all things imaging. They call it the HONOR Image Engine that also powers the device’s camera AI.

The image processor works with Sony’s IMX800 sensor. This is technically the first device to feature Sony’s latest large format smartphone camera sensor. It measures 1/1.49-inch in size to make it the largest smartphone imaging sensor currently fitted to a consumer grade smartphone. The sensor is a 54-Megapixel sensor, because you do not need anything more than that in a smartphone. At the same time there is a 50-Megapixel Ultra-wide/macro camera that you can work with as well. Video-wise, they also added a feature to simultaneously track and record another subject in your video at 1080p Full HD resolutions.

The display is quite fascinating too, at 1080p Full HD resolution. It refreshes at 120Hz, a flagship level hardware this. It also displays up to 10-bit colours with up to 1920Hz PWM dimming for the best looking and immersive looking display in its class.

The Magic UI 6.1 device also features flagship level battery life. It packs a large 4,800mAh battery that can last you days. If not, you can quickly charge it at 66W speeds.

The HONOR 70 is now available for pre-order at MYR 1,999. You can get your hands on one from HONOR’s authorised retailers, their own e-commerce platform, and their flagship stores on Shopee and Lazada. More information on the HONOR 70 can be found on their website.

Android, Mobile, News

OnePlus 10T ^5G Available for Pre-order in Malaysia

August 18, 2022 Nur Jeevan Leave a comment

The OnePlus 10T ^5G is getting closer to being in your hands! The latest offering from OnePlus is now up for pre-order in Malaysia. Pre-orders are available on the official Shopee and LAZADA OnePlus stores as well as through select retailers. We also finally know the official pricing for the new OnePlus handset. It’s going to set you back MYR3,199 (USD$715.04) and will only be available with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage in Jade Green.

OnePlus 10T 5Gs Price Unveiled at RM3199 – Now Available for Pre Order with Exclusive Privileges — Source: OnePlus

Pre-orders will be running from 18th August until the 31th of August 2022. If you do pre-order your OnePlus 10T, you will be able to get your hands on the device on the 28th August 2022 a good four days before the first sales kick off on 1st September 2022. In addition, pre-orders will be entitled to a 1-year screen protection plan worth MYR199, 1 year extended warranty worth MYR99 and 1 year’s accidental damage protection worth MYR299. If you’re one of the first 25 pre-orders on the LAZADA and Shopee store, you will also be receiving mystery boxes with surprises worth up to MYR1,299. In fact, we’ve got it on good authority that there’s a OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite ^5Gin one of those boxes.

The new smartphone comes with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 complete with a 6.7-inch Fluid AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate. It’s also equipped with a triple camera array featuring a 50-megapixel main camera sensor with optical image stabilisation (OIS).

Computers, Lifestyle, Mobile, News

WhatsApp Has a Native Windows App, Finally

August 17, 2022 Darwin Sucipto Leave a comment

No, this is not technically breaking news. In some sense, WhatsApp on PCs is not a new thing as well. The app has a Windows app for a while now. It is technically an incarnation of WhatsApp Web, but without reliance on web interfaces, to a certain degree.

The thing is, when you sign into your Desktop version of the app before this, you are not really signed into WhatsApp Desktop. Rather, you are signed into a web-based version of the app. Which also means that the desktop app is a lie. Well, they did not do anything to mask that WhatsApp Desktop is nothing more than web-based interface that opens on a separate window.

The new update to the Windows version of WhatsApp Desktop is a little different though. At first glance, they changed on the visuals a little. There are more green accents on the interface. Thy interface also looks somewhat a lot more streamlined than before, less clunky. You also see a video call and phone button now, which means you can make calls from your PC now, instead of your smartphone. Then you turn to your smartphone and instead of “Google Chrome” or “Microsoft Edge” listed on your linked devices, it is now “Windows”.

This is all a part of WhatsApp making their interface native to Windows. Other than a few visual differences, there are also added a few capabilities to the app.

While you might not notice it too much, WhatsApp being made native to Windows does have a performance boost. It should now load faster, work faster, and is a lot more stable than before. Other than the optimization you get on WhatsApp for Windows, you can also now receive messages and notifications even when your smartphone is offline. It is not completely reliant on your smartphone anymore. Of course, now you can make video calls and phone calls via the app on Windows PC.

WhatsApp for Windows is now live on the Microsoft Store. If you have WhatsApp Desktop already installed on your machine, you simply need to update it via Microsoft Store. The Desktop App is currently limited to Windows. They are working on a working version for Mac currently which also means that it should be available to Mac users soon.

Mobile, News

Samsung New Foldables, Galaxy Buds2 Pro & Galaxy Watch5 Series are Available for Pre-order in Malaysia

August 11, 2022 Nur Jeevan Leave a comment

Hot off the announcement of their new Galaxy Z Flip4 and the new Galaxy Z Fold4, Samsung Malaysia has also announced pre-order details for the foldable. You’ll be able to get your very own foldable smartphone. The new foldables are coming with the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 and ample RAM – 12GB in the Fold4 and 8GB in the Flip4.

The new smartphones will be available for pre-order starting on 10 August 2022, yes – that’s immediately after yesterday’s Unpacked event. Pre-ordering either the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 or the Galaxy Z Flip4 will get you an additional year of extended warranty worth MYR499 and 3 protective film replacements. This means that you’ll have peace of mind when it comes to the safety of your foldable smartphones. That’s in addition to the added protection and durability Samsung has given its new lineup of foldable smartphones.

In addition, pre-orders of the Flip4 will entitle you to an MYR450 e-voucher for the Samsung Online store. In addition, you will also get a free Flap Leather Cover worth MYR379. If you pre-order the Fold4, you will get an MYR650 e-voucher and a free Standing Cover with Pen worth MYR369.

Together with Samsung’s latest lineup of foldable smartphones, their new wearables are also going on pre-order. The Galaxy Watch5 is Samsung’s most powerful wearable yet with a more efficient BioActive sensor and an additional temperature sensor. The smartwatch is also a step into a new generation of wearables which caters not only to casual fitness enthusiasts but also to more serious semi-pro and pro athletes.

Pre-orders of either the 40mm or 44mm Bluetooth version of the Galaxy Watch5 will come with a free Hybrid Leather Band worth MYR149 while pre-orders of the 45mm Bluetooth version of the Galaxy Watch5 Pro will come with a free set of the Galaxy Buds Live worth MYR549. Both are also entitled to a 20% purchase-with-purchase (PWP) discount on the Galaxy Buds Live, Galaxy Buds2, or the Galaxy Buds2 Pro. Speaking of the Galaxy Buds2, that too is up for pre-order. If you do pre-order it, you will be entitled to a Galaxy Buds Cover worth MYR99.

The Pre-orders start on 10th August 2022 and ends on 1 September 2022. You’ll be able to pre-order your new device from Samsung Experience Stores, Authorised Partners and the Samsung Malaysia Online Store.

techENT

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