Acer’s is reaffirming its commitment to the environment in a new partnership with the international scientific non-profit organisation, National Geographic. The partnership comes on the heels of the Malaysian announcement of their first laptop made with post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastics – the Aspire Vero.
The Acer Aspire Vero is the first time that PCR plastics have been used to make a significant portion of a laptop. In the Aspire Vero specifically, 30% of its chassis is made using PCR plastics while its keycaps are made of 50% PCR plastics. Acer’s environmentally aware laptop is also designed to be easily upgraded and repaired.
The partnership will see a special edition of the Aspire Vero being released. This National Geographic Edition of the Aspire Vero will come in a special grey colour with design cues that represent the work that the National Geographic Society undertakes. Of course, the laptop wouldn’t be complete with the National Geographic Society’s signature yellow box. The laptop will also be shipping in a specially designed box. Its packaging is designed to be reused and repurposed after unboxing.
While the design and packaging are specially made for the collaboration, Acer has made the packaging for its Vero lineup reusable and environmentally responsible. The packaging is made of 85% recycled paper and 199% post-industrial recycled (PIR) plastics. These plastics are used specifically in the laptop sleeve and the protective sheet between the keyboard and display.
In addition to this, a portion of the sales of this special edition Aspire Vero goes to supporting the work of the National Geographic Society.
Pricing and Availability
The Acer Aspire Vero National Geographic Edition will be available starting March 2022 in France for €899(MYR4,250.83) and in January 2022 in China for CN¥5,499 (MYR3,618.42).
Acer says the laptop will be making its way to other countries across the Asia Pacific region soon.
Alienware is staying true to its heritage and name. The brand is looking to expand the realm of gaming with their new Concept Nyx. The brand is looking to leverage the momentum that we’re seeing in edge computing to enhance gaming experiences.
With the rise of cloud gaming services like NVIDIA GeForce NOW, XBOX Cloud Gaming and Google Stadia, it comes as no surprise that Alienware is looking further into the future with Concept Nyx. It’s looking to empower gamers to game seamlessly on any device. The brand is looking to create an uninterrupted, low latency experience that allows gamers to move from device to device.
Alienware’s Concept Nyx seem to be a standalone device that is designed to do the processing and computing needed to stream and play games over the internet. This means that when you stream your games over the internet, Concept Nyx would take on the workload that services like Stadia and GeForce NOW use servers for. This reduces the bandwidth needed to stream the game significantly as it would be done over your local WiFi connection. This would also mean that you’d have single-digit response times and latency when playing the game; doing away with things like predictive algorithms which can detract from gameplay. It could also remove lag during gameplay altogether.
Concept Nyx isn’t just stopping at that. Alienware’s Experience Innovation Group (EIG) is also working on creating a central game library. This library will aggregate your games regardless of where you got them from. The central library would be able to draw and access games you purchase on Steam, EPIC, GoG, Uplay etc. They are trying to make accessing and playing your games as seamless as streaming your favourite shows and music. The seamless experience also includes being able to take off exactly where you left off when moving from device to device.
While Alienware’s Concept Nyx is intriguing and definitely a potential game-changer, it’s still in conception. Alienware has had many a concept device like its Nintendo Switch like Concept UFO that we haven’t seen available commercially. However, the experiences it unlocks definitely keep us on our toes to see what Alienware is going to bring next.
Samsung has been busy over the last year learning from the release of its Neo QLED, Lifestyle and Micro LED screens. They’ve been looking at trends and features that will help augment and enhance the user experience across the board when it comes to their displays. It looks like they’ve also taken some user and review feedback into consideration in the upcoming generation of displays. Also, Samsung has created one of the slimmest soundbars coming to a store near you.
Samsung’s Micro LED TVs Get Better Colour Accuracy, Slimmer Bezels and Better Brightness Control
Samsung’s Micro LED TVs are leading their line up with new enhancements that bolster the viewing experience of the TVs. The TVs come with better colour accuracy and more accurate control of brightness and colour levels. The new generation of Micro LED TVs come with over 1 million steps of brightness and colour levels. This improvement will be crucial in providing an even more true to life experience when viewing HDR content. In addition to this, the lineup covers 100% of the DCI and Adobe RGB colour gamuts. Samsung is also upping the ante when it comes to bezels as the new generation comes with a 99.99% screen-to-body ratio. That’s virtually no bezel!
Source: Samsung
The hardware enhancements are just the tip of the iceberg, the new generation Micro LED TVs will also be coming with Art Mode which we’ve seen exclusively in the company’s lifestyle TVs until now. Users are able to make their TVs blend seamlessly into their decor by turning the screen into stunning art pieces. It will also have an improved Multi View mode which allows users to view content from multiple HDMI slots in 4K resolution at up to 120fps.
The new lineup of Micro LED TVs will be available in three sizes, 89-, 101- and 110-inch.
Neo QLED TVs Get A New Neo Quantum Processor & More Immersive Sound
Samsung’s Neo QLED TV offerings are getting a new processor which allows its Neo QLED TVs to provide an even more immersive experience. The new Neo Quantum Processor brings a few more features that elevate the viewing experience. All the features address issues that were raised in the past by reviewers and customers.
The new Samsung Neo Quatum Processor is introducing advanced contrast mapping with back-light unit (BLU). This allows for finer control of brightness levels; increased from a 12-bit gradation to a 14-bit gradation. This translates to 16,384 steps or quadruple the 4096 of the previous generation. The increased control of the Quantum Mini LEDs will ensure your eyes don’t get blown out by the sudden whiteouts in movies while watching.
Source: Samsung
Together with this, the new processor also enables what Samsung calls “Shape Adaptive Light”. This feature will utilise the Neo Quantum Processor to analyse lines, shapes and surfaces to control the shape of light from the Quantum Mini LEDs. This will, supposedly, increase the brightness and accuracy of shapes on screen enhancing the HDR experience on Neo QLED TVs. The TVs will also feature a Real Depth Enhancer, an multi-intelligence algorithm that will make things appear more realistic on screen.
Samsung is also leveraging AI technology to help reduce eye strain. It’s EyeComfort mode automatically optimises the screen’s brightness using data from the built-in light sensor and sunset-sunrise information. This allows the processor to lower brightness based on ambient light information and decrease blue light emissions accordingly. Samsung has also improved Object Tracking Sound (OTS). OTS Pro incorporates a new set of upfiring speakes to create a more immersive soundscape.
Together with the new lineup of Soundbars, Samsung’s Neo QLED TVs will provide an immersive soundscape that will immerse viewers in their content. Q Symphony will also be supported wirelessly in 2022. The wireless Dolby Atmos connectivity will allow for a more adaptable setup for any room. The new HW-S800B spearheads the soundbar offerings as the first Ultra Slim soundbar.
Lifestyle TVs Mattified
Samsung’s line up of Lifestyle TVs are all getting matte displays. The new display finish reduces smudges, glare and reflectivity of the screens allowing for a more comfortable experience. In fact, The Sero, The Frame and The Serif are all triple certififed from UL (Underwriter Laboratories) for being ‘Reflection Glare Free’, ‘Discomfort Glare Free’ and ‘Disability Glare Free’. Multi View on The Sero is getting an upgrade. It will now work even in vertical mode. This will allow you to simulataneously view two sources on the top and bottom portions of the screen.
The Serif is getting a larger, 65-inch option in addition to its 43-inch and 55-inch options. The Frame is available in sizes ranging from 32-inches to 85-inches.
SmartHub Brings Game Streaming, NFTs & Emotional Connection
SmartHub is getting a little bit of a redesign this year. The redesign brings the focus back to content curation with content discovery front and center. The sidebar is also more streamlined. Users will be able to seamlessly jump between Media, Gaming Hub and Ambient sections to navigate their content. Together with this, SmartHub is also getting smart calibration which will optimise your settings for the best picture quality. Basic calibration will take 30 seconds while Professional mode will optimise in about 10 minutes.
Source: Samsung
The visual upgrade also brings along a new NFT platform where you’ll be able to display, discover and purchase NFTs. Gaming Hub is also getting a new upgrade with more content coming to the platform. Samsung has partnered with NVIDIA GeForce Now, Google Stadia and Utomik to bring AAA titles and other top tier games to their TVs. You’ll also be able to take advantage of higher refresh rates in Neo QLED TVs. You’ll also be able to watch your favourite shows while on video chat with your loved ones – making the distance between that much closer.
Together with the additions to SmartHub, Samsung’s TV catalogue is getting a new Auto Rotating Wall Mount and Stand. This will bring the viewing experience of The Sero across all the whole TV line up for 2022. The mount will allow you to mirror vertical screens seamlessly. The accessory is also getting a dedicated rotate button on Samsung’s remote control.
After much anticipation and countless leaks, the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G is now official. The new entry into the Galaxy S21 lineup follows through with the promise of the FE lineup by marrying some of the best features of the S21 in one sleek and powerful offering. It’s got the beauty and the brawn of the S21 series.
Source: Samsung
Like the S20 FE, the Galaxy S21 FE 5G retains most of the design language but ditches the accented camera frame. The sleek smartphone measures a mere 7.9m in thickness with a 6.4-inch AMOLED 2X display upfront. It comes with a 120Hz refresh rate and an FHD+ resolution and will also sport a 240Hz touch sampling rate in Game mode. In Malaysia, it runs on the Exynos 2100 octa-core processor and is paired with 8GB of RAM. Other regions may have versions with 6GB of RAM and the Snapdragon 888. These combinations come complemented with up to 256GB of internal storage. The Galaxy S21 FE, like the S20 FE, does not support additional memory via a microSD card.
On the camera side of things, the S21 FE 5G comes with a triple camera setup. The setup consists of two 12-megapixel sensors and a single 8-megapixel. The main sensor is a 12-megapixel wide sensor with Dual Pixel Autofocus, optical image stabilization (OIS) and an f/1.8 aperture. The 12-megapixel ultrawide sensor has an f/2.2 aperture with a 123˚ field of view (FOV) while the 8-megapixel sensor is a telephoto sensor with an f/2.4 aperture. It also supports 30x Space Zoom. On the front, the Galaxy S21 FE comes with a 32-megapixel selfie camera with an f/2.2 aperture and 81˚ FOV.
A 4,500 mAh battery powers the Galaxy S21 FE. It supports Wireless PowerShare, 25W wired fast charging and 15W wireless charging. It also supports 2G, 3G, LTE and 5G connectivity. The smartphone also comes with NFC and an IP68 dust and water resistance rating in tow. The cherry on top is the fact that it will be launching with One UI 4 atop Android 12.
Pricing & Availability
The Galaxy S21 FE 5G will be available for pre-order soon. In Malaysia, it will be priced at MYR2,899 for the 128GB version and MYR3,099 for the 256GB version. It will be available in Olive, Lavender, White or Graphite.
Pre-orders start on 6th January 2022. Any pre-orders made during the pre-order period which ends on 10th January 2022 will come with an MYR350 e-voucher for Samsung’s online store, SamsungCare+ and a year’s coverage of accidental and liquid damage worth MYR220.
In the U.S, the Galaxy S21 FE 5G will be available for USD$699.99 for the 6GB/128GB version. The 8GB/256GB version will retail at USD$769.99. Pre-orders will be starting on 11 January 2022.
The chip shortage is still going strong. In other words, chip production situation has not improved much. That means that CPU and GPUs are sold at extreme premiums still at this time. Of course, that is assuming that you can find and buy one. This is especially true for the newer generation chips.
There was an idea though, when the whole chip shortage started a few years ago. The idea was for manufacturers to continue production and selling older generation chips which were cheaper to produce anyway. That should not only elevate the chip shortage problem, but also to fulfil demands of these chips in one way or another. Sure, people wanted the latest thing, but if they could not get their hands on the new stuff, they would not mind getting the older stuff for a reasonable price.
Source: ASUS
NVIDIA sort of answered to that demand and relaunched their popular GeForce RTX 2060 card. No, this is not some GeForce RTX 2060 Super Ti. Rather, it is a play GeForce RTX 2060 but now with twice the VRAM size at 12GB instead of 6GB. Of course, their card manufacturing partners to make their cards before reaching the customers.
ASUS is one of those manufacturers that made one and they call it the Dual GeForce RTX 2060. No, it does not come with two RTX 2060 dies within the card. Yes, we felt a little cheated too. The ‘Dual’ moniker is due to the doubling of the original 6GB VRAM.
ASUS made two versions of the Dual GeForce RTX 2060 EVO. They made a regular Dual GeForce RTX 2060 EVO and an overclocked variant of the card.
They say that the whole point of the new GPUs is to make gaming more accessible at this point. While that makes sense currently, you are still forking out MYR 2,560 for a regular ASUS Dual GeForce RTX 2060 EVO with 12GB of VRAM.
The added VRAM does help with gaming performance though. Reports show up to 5% in performance increment as well when you put it up against the older GeForce RTX 2060 with 6GB of VRAM. With ASUS 0db fan technology as well, you can have a quiet rig at home without the GPU ever firing up (if you keep it below 55° C).
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
The 2.7-slot card also packs a very clever fan design on top of the 0db technology. The ASUS Axial-tech designed fans feature larger surface area for a much better airflow. The barrier rings around the blades also optimises the airflow. The fan is also an IP5X dust resistance certified item for those who are a little on the lazy side when it comes to cleaning their PC.
The ASUS Dual GeForce RTX 2060 EVO is now available in Malaysia via ASUS’ official retail partners and resellers. As mentioned, the GPU will set you back MYR 2,560 onward. More information on the ASUS Dual GeForce RTX 2060 EVO is available on ASUS’ website.
The last time we saw or heard anything about Smart Glasses was with the Google Glass which quickly faded into the ether. This year, with the rise of the metaverse and the world moving towards AR (augmented reality) and XR (extended reality), OPPO is bringing its take on smart glasses. Unlike Google Glass though, OPPO’s Air Glass comes with a specific set of functions.
The OPPO Air Glass main purpose is the feed the user with information that will help them get on with their day. To do this, OPPO has designed a minimalistic interface that feeds the user pertinent information like weather, calendar, and navigation when in use. It’s also not a standalone device; instead, the Air Glass needs to be paired to either a smartphone or smartwatch to function. It currently only functions with OPPO Smartphones and the OPPO Watch with the Smart Glass App.
Minimalistically Designed for Functionality
OPPO’s new smart glass is a sleek, modular device that attaches to a specially designed frame. The attachment contains all the smart glass components including a new mico projector designed by OPPO. The Spark Micro Projector projects the minimalist visual interface of the Air Glass. The 30g body of the Air Glass also serves as an interaction surface. You’ll be able to swipe through the interface with your hands and also gestures.
The Air Glass runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 4100 platform. With the computing ability of the platform, it’s also able to do on the fly translations. It can pick up audio and translate it into text that is displayed on the monocle’s wavelength lens. The Air Glass module is designed to be sleek and light. OPPO claims that the design draws inspiration from feathers. The monocle, however, is designed with inspiration from a cicada’s wings.
When it comes to battery life, the wearable isn’t blowing anyone out of the water. It has 3 hours of battery life on a single charge. That said, when we asked OPPO about the limited battery, the company highlighted that the Air Glass isn’t meant to be a device you use all the time. It’s meant to complement your ecosystem of devices by feeding you pertinent information. If you need more than 3 hours of battery life, the module can be detached and charged in its dock.
There isn’t any indication yet whether the wearable will be available commercially just yet. However, it felt and looked like something that’s ready for market. So, it wouldn’t surprise us if we saw this in the wild sooner rather than later. Together with the Air Glass, OPPO also showed off a prototype of their retractable camera during their INNO Day event.
Horizon Forbidden West is the second game in the Horizon series developed by Guerrilla Games. The follow up to the wildly successful Horizon Zero Dawn was first announced back in June 2020 and has quickly become one of the most anticipated games for the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4. It continues the story of Horizon Zero Dawn taking players to the West Coast of the United States in the post-apocalyptic world of Horizon.
Initially planned for a late 2021 release, the game faced delays which have since pushed its release date to 18 February 2022. However, it looks like the wait is going to be over. Sony Interactive Entertainment has announced pre-orders of the game which will kick off tomorrow, 14 December 2021.
Source: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Pre-orders of Horizon Forbidden West will happen for both the digital and physical copies of the game. Both of them will kick off simultaneously. Digital pre-orders are available now on the PS Store. The Digital Deluxe Edition of the game will come with the core game, digital soundtrack and artbook, the digital comic book and in-game extras. It is available for MYR339. The standard edition comes with the in-game items: Nora Legacy Outfit and Spear. It will be available for MYR299 for the PS5 and MYR249 for the PS4.
Source: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Together with the announcement of the digital pre-orders, Sony Interactive Entertainment also announced three physical pre-orders: the Standard Edition, the Collector’s Edition and the Regalla Edition. All editions will come with the Nora Legacy Outfit and Legacy Spear in-game bonuses which you will have to unlock as you play. The Special Edition will come in a SteelBook Display Case, Mini Art Book and a copy of the Digital Soundtrack which you will need to download. The Special Edition will retail for MYR339 for PS5 and MYR299 for PS4.
Source: Sony Interactive Entertainment
The Collector’s Edition comes with all the freebies of the Special edition. In addition, it comes with a code for the digital version of the game. Together with this, pre-orders of the Horizon Forbidden West Collector’s Edition will also come with a custom sculpted Tremortusk statue with Aloy in tow and a digital copy of “The Sunhawk” – the first Horizon Zero Dawn graphic novel. Sony notes that the state will require some assembly. Sony is also supercharging the in-game freebies that come with the Collector’s edition. Pre-order will get 2 additional outfits – the Carja Behemoth Elite and Nora Thunder Elite; together with 2 special weapons – the Carja Behemoth Short Bow and Nora Thunder Sling. You will also get an exclusive Photo Mode post and Face paint together with a resource pack that includes ammunition, potions and travel packs. The Collector’s Edition comes with both PS5 and PS4 versions of the game and will retail at MYR839.
Source: Sony Interactive Entertainment
The Regalla edition rounds up the Pre-orders and adds even more to the package. In addition to all the freebies in the Collector’s edition, the Regalla edition comes with a replica focus and custom stand, 2 Art Print Cards, replica Sunwing and Clawstrider machine physical strike pieces, a canvas map and an additional Apex Clawstrider Machine Strike Piece in-game. The Regalla edition of Horizon Forbidden West will also come with PS5 and PS4 versions of the game and will retail for MYR1,099.
vivo took centre stage to announce their new midrange offering the vivo V23e 5G. The new smartphone is the first in the V23 lineup to make its debut. It brings along an interesting combination of specifications focused on photography and affordability.
The vivo V23e 5G comes equipped with the octa-core Mediatek Dimensity 810 system on a chip (SoC) which supports 5G connectivity. The regular V23 comes with a Mediatek Helio P69. This is paired with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of onboard storage. You can also expand the amount of storage with a microSD card however, this would entail sacrificing dual 5G standby. On the display side of things, the vivo V23e comes with a 6.44-inch FHD+ AMOLED display.
Like other vivo smartphones, the V23e’s hallmark feature is the camera setup. It comes with a triple camera setup on the back and a single selfie camera on the front. The main triple camera setup has a 50-megapixel main sensor complemented by an 8-megapixel ultra-wide and 2-megapixel macro sensor. The main attraction comes in the form of the front-facing camera which is a 44-megapixel sensor. Of course, vivo’s many software enhancements such as night shot and portrait selfie. The triple camera setup on the regular V23e is a 64-megapixel main sensor complemented by an 8-megapixel ultra-wide and 2-megapixel macro sensor.
Both come with support for Bluetooth and WiFi 5 connectivity. They are powered by a 4,050mAh battery with support for 44W fast charging.
Pricing & Availability
The vivo V23e 5G will be available in Sunshine Coast and Midnight Shadow. It will be priced at MYR1,599.
The regular V23e will be priced at MYR1,399 and will be available in Black and Aurora.
The devices are now available for pre-order until 17th December 2021. Pre-orders are entitled to freebies worth MYR559 for the V23e 5G and MYR459 for the regular V23e. Pre-orders of the V23e 5G made a vivo Concept Stores will be entitled to a Bluetooth Speaker LED Alarm clock, Tumbler, a 1-month subscription to Viu, 1 year extended warranty and 1 year screen crack protection worth MYR559. The regular V23 will be entitled to a backpack, 1 year extended warranty and 1-year screen crack protection worth MYR459.
Google’s year in search has always provided a unique insight into the state of mind of countries and even the world. Topics and trends are indicative of the time and age we live in. In fact, if there was an indicator on the state of mind of the world during the past two years it would have been the searches that were done throughout the period.
Malaysia has had a unique experience during the pandemic having cycled through three governments in the short period and dealing with the yo-yoing policies which followed. However, it seems like politics are no longer top of mind for the nation as the country’s top searches indicate that the people are looking for aid and relief in the wake of the pandemic. The top search for the year – iSinar – was a relief measure by the government to allow people to withdraw monies in their Employee Provident Fund (EFP/KWSP) to be used. Other related searches were i-Citra and Bantuan Prihatin Rakyat – all efforts to provide some monetary relief.
Source: Google
That said, the stresses of the pandemic are still not gone. Malaysia’s year in search also highlighted that Malaysians still show concern surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the concern did not surround information on the virus itself, instead, it would seem to indicate a nation yearning to return to some semblance of normalcy. Google search terms like “COVID Vaccine Near Me” and “CIMS 3.0” are indicative that Malaysians are trying to put the pandemic behind them and return to making ends meet. It would seem like Malaysia is moving towards being – as popular Doctor Youtuber, Dr Mikhail Varshavski, put it – “Alert and not anxious” when it comes to dealing with the pandemic.
The Year in Search was all about the pandemic though. Malaysians were also googling for things like “Popcat” and “Euro 2021”. The PopCat phenomenon is one that provided some much-needed relief from the stresses of working from home and dealing with day to day realities as nations suddenly found themselves uniting to rank top in the leaderboard. Of course, the competition didn’t end there. With many sporting events resuming, we saw Malaysians search, not only for leagues and competitions but also athletes. National athletes took centre stage when the Olympics and other international competitions were underway. Athletes like national shuttles, Lee Zii Jia and Aaron Chia, national track cyclist, Azizulhasni Awang and national gymnast Farah Ann found themselves at the top. International footballer, Christian Eriksen was also among the top athletes searched for.
In addition, the Year of Search on Google also saw Netflix’s popular drama – Squid Game – become one of the most searched terms. The series became an international sensation following its debut and spawned, not only a cult following but also popular social media challenges. Keeping a close second was another K-Drama: True Beauty while Marvel’s The Eternals rounded up the top 3.
All in all, Malaysia’s year in search shows a country that is longing for a return to normalcy. This comes as no surprise as the country has been in prolonged lockdowns and people haven’t seen loved ones in more than 2 years. However, it also highlights the fatigue and burnout of the country when it comes to politics and the pandemic. More importantly, it also shows the many brief but wonderful glimpses of a country that is resilient in searching for a silver lining and in its solidarity.
Sunway Pyramid isn’t so ancient! It’s getting a greener, more connected upgrade to deal with shitty situations in their toilets. The mall is being equipped with what they call the “Internet of Toilet” allowing them to be more pre-emptive to situations that may arise in the restrooms.
The management of Sunway Pyramid is working together with Singapore-based Rigel Technology. Their partnership will see the rollout of a smart toilet system which will allow the maintenance department to better maintain the amenities for a better customer experience.
The new Internet of Things (IoT) system equips toilets in the mall with sensors that detect the state of equipment as well as the state of the toilet overall. These sensors include ones that detect garbage levels, air quality and humidity, faucet condition, soap levels and more. The data from these sensors will be fed into a user-friendly dashboard which will be monitored by maintenance supervisors. Using this data, they will be able to deploy personnel to ensure the items in the toilet are fully functional or to deal with any unpleasant situation that may arise.
The deployment of the IoT system is the latest step in Sunway Pyramid’s digitization efforts and a first in Malaysia. The system has, so far, only been deployed in Singapore. The mall implemented a ticketless parking system back in 2019 as a means of being more energy efficient and carbon neutral. This effort joins the Sunway Smart Parking system and their Customer Engagement Hub as part of a larger digitisation plan for the Mall.
