Category Archives: News

ASUS Vivobook 13 Slate OLED Expands Vivobook Lineup

The ASUS Vivobook lineup is one of the most popular lineups the company has under its wings. Only recently, it received an infusion of “Pro” features with the Vivobook Pro series. Now, ASUS is bringing more variety to the lineup with a new tablet form factor.

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Source: ASUS

The new ASUS Vivobook 13 Slate OLED is the first Vivobook tablet that comes with a 13.3-inch Full HD OLED display. It comes with a 16:9 aspect ratio and a 1920×1080 pixel resolution. The Vivobook 13 Slate OLED seems to be built with creators and media consumption in mind. The display has a peak brightness of 550 nits and covers 100% of the DCI-P3 colour gamut. It also has support for Dolby Vision. Completing its multimedia experience is a quad-speaker setup that is concentrated on the bottom half of the slate with Dolby Atmos certification. The speakers also come with smart amplifier technology that amplifies the audio up to 3 times louder.

New Form Factor with “Unique” Insides

The Vivobook 13 Slate OLED doesn’t come with your regular Intel Core i processors. Instead, ASUS has opted to go with the Intel Pentium Silver N6000. It’s an x86 quad-core processor with no multithreading support. It has a 4MB cache and a maximum speed of 3.3GHz. The processor is supposed to be one of Intel’s more power-efficient SoCs. This should promise better battery life with the OLED display. The processor is complemented with either 4GB or 8GB of RAM and up to 256GB of storage.

The Slate OLED comes with a 13-megapixel rear camera and a 5-megapixel front-facing camera. It also has support for WiFi 6 with ASUS WiFi Master to boot. Also along for the ride is Bluetooth 5.2. Aside from that, the Slate OLED comes with 2 USB Type C ports that support USB 3.2 and power delivery, and a microSD card reader and a 3.5mm combo jack.

Accessoried to be Your Tablet and PC

Coming in at only 785g, the Vivobook 13 Slate OLED is made to be a portable productivity beast. However, unlike other slates on the market, ASUS opted to minimise the amount of moving parts on the Slate OLED. Instead, the Slate’s multimode form factor comes from its accessories. It comes with a cover stand which allows it to stand in both portrait and landscape modes. Together with this, it also has a separate Keyboard cover which comes with a large touchpad.

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Source: ASUS

Together with these, the ASUS Vivobook 13 Slate OLED comes with support for the ASUS Pen 2.0. The new ASUS Pen 2.0 is compliant with Windows’ built-in Microsoft Pen Protocol 2.0. This means that it connects seamlessly when attached to the Slate magnetically. It has 4096 points of sensitivity and a 266Hz sampling rate. The most unique thing about the ASUS Pen 2.0 is its interchangeable tips. Instead of just being replaceable for wear and tear reasons, the tips also mimic the textures of 2H, H, HB and 2B pencils. It charges via USB-C. I thas a quick button on top which brings added functionality when paired via Bluetooth.

Pricing & Availability

The ASUS Vivobook 13 Slate OLED will be available starting in December 2021 with prices starting at USD$600 (MYR2,491.88). The Slate will be bundled with a cover stand, keyboard and ASUS Pen 2.0.

Together with the standard version of the ASUS Vivobook 13 Slate OLED, ASUS also announced special editions of the new Vivobook. These special edition Slates will feature custom designs from Steven Harrington and Philip Colbert. They will feature a special cover stand, wallpaper, a special box, a sleeve, a keyboard, a hardcover case and keyboard stickers. The Philip Colbert version will come with an additional pair of limited-edition shoelaces.

Blizzard’s “Overwatch 2” & “Diablo IV” Delayed; No New Dates Announced

It seems like months mired in legal woes is beginning to affect Blizzard far more than they initially anticipated. The company has already announced that their much anticipated annual conference, BlizzCon, wouldn’t be happening this year. However, players and fans of Blizzard’s have more bad news as it’s been revealed that more delays have come as a result of the lawsuits.

Blizzard Delay Overwatch Diablo

Two of the most anticipated titles from Blizzard – Diablo IV and Overwatch 2 – have been delayed until further notice. The announcement of the delay comes following an Investor call. While we know for a fact Diablo IV wasn’t ready for primetime in 2021, players were still hopeful that Overwatch 2 would be. That said, it comes as no surprise that the titles were delayed as both have lost senior developers to the lawsuits. Both were ensnared in sexual harassment allegations.

Overwatch seems most affected by the lawsuits as one of its main characters. Gunslinger, McCree, is getting renamed. In light of the character’s namesake, Jesse McCree, being embroiled in legal woes, the character has been given an updated story that changes his name. The sharpshooter formerly known as McCree is now Cole Cassidy. In Blizzard’s announcement of the change, they revealed even more details of the character. Cassidy’s updated story reads:

“The first thing a renegade loses is their name, and this one gave up his long ago.
Running from his past meant running from himself, and each passing year only widened the divide between who he had been and what he had become. But in every cowboy’s life, there comes a time when he has to stop and make a stand.
To make this new Overwatch better – to make things right – he had to be honest with his team and himself. The cowboy he was rode into the sunset, and Cole Cassidy faces the world at dawn”.

In addition to the delay in production for Overwatch 2 and Diablo IV, Blizzard also lost its co-lead, Jen Oneal, who announced that she would be leaving the company at the end of the year. In light of this, she will be transitioning to an unnamed role in the company.

Coming Soon, Maybe: Deleting that Three-Month Old Mistake on WhatsApp

WhatsApp is full of wonders. It is, despite the whole Facebook Privacy Policy debacle earlier this year, the most popular alternative messaging app we have seen. No manufacturer has ever seen this kind of success with their own messaging platform. This includes BlackBerry in their hey day mind you.

Being on top is not all sunshine and roses though. To stay on top, as they say, you have to keep pushing boundaries. WhatsApp, of course is constantly improving and adding new features to their app to keep users happy and excited at least. The most recent possible update to WhatsApp in the future? Deleting messages.

Yes, deleting messages used to be something you cannot do with WhatsApp. Before you say we are outdated, hear us out. We know that it is now a thing on WhatsApp. At this point of time, you can delete messages that are no older than an hour and eight minutes. At its early days, WhatsApp only allow you to delete fresh messages no older than seven minutes.

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Source: WABetaInfo

Recently though, WABetaInfo has spotted a new feature on the latest beta version of WhatsApp. The latest beta 2.21.220.15 for iOS as per available to WABetaInfo allows users to delete messages not two hours older, not even just a day older. It now allows you to delete messages that are three months old.

WABetaInfo speculates that the new update might point to one of two things. Either WhatsApp is looking to extend the time limit on their delete messages feature or remove the time limit completely. They are also speculating that the update may open up even more avenues to deleting messages even before the feature was introduced.

While all these are under development and that should be cause enough for excitement, there are no official word from Meta (formerly known as Facebook) and WhatsApp themselves just yet. The features in development remain as a potential feature to the app and not an actual feature until it is launched in any of WhatsApp many updates. In that sense, nobody knows when all these developments will become a feature, only time can tell.

ASUS Announces Android 12 Upgrade Plans

With Google announcing the stable release of the latest version of their mobile operating system, Android 12, manufacturers have started announcing their own plans for the update to roll out to their stable of devices. The latest one to do so is ASUS.

ASUS has previously proven that they will be providing two years of updates for their phones. That roughly equates to two major updates. They have also provided security patches for about three years. That said, ASUS will continue to use this policy for their devices moving forward.

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Source: ASUS

With the rollout of Android 12, it looks like the Zenfone 6 has reached the end of its life; so there will be no update for the smartphone. According to their official press note, the phones receiving the update are the Zenfone 7, Zenfone 7 Pro, ROG Phone 3, ROG Phone 3 Strix Edition, Zenfone 8, Zenfone 8 Flip, ROG Phone 5, ROG Phone Ultimate, ROG Phone 5s, and ROG Phone 5s Pro. That’s pretty much their latest lineup of devices since 2019.

According to their announcement, the ASUS Zenfone 8 and 8 Flip will be the first of their devices to get the update. It is scheduled to get the update starting in December 2021. The ROG Phone 5 and 5s are slated for Q1 2022. The ROG Phone 3, ROG Phone 3 Strix Edition, Zenfone 7 and 7 Pro are set to have the update in the first half of 2022.

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Source: ASUS

ASUS didn’t detail much when it came to features that will be coming with the Android 12 update. However, they did mention that “this update inherits the major functional changes introduced in the official version of Android 12, as well as continuing the popular ASUS battery- and performance-management features.”.

The Apple M1 Extermination Quietly Continues with the 21.5-inch Intel iMac

Apple’s Silicon M1 chip has proven to be a popular choice for Apple fans. When it was introduced the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro line-up in 2020, the M1 counterpart managed to be cheaper than Apple’s Intel powered MacBook Pro. That could be a good explanation to its popularity. It was a lot more than that though.

The Apple M1 chip has proven itself to be a highly capable processor in both the MacBook and MacBook Pro. This year, Apple launched two more variants of the M1 chip, the M1 Pro and M1 Max. While Apple made the two M1 chips from 2021 sound like completely different processors, they are based on the same architecture and base design. They are still the same M1 chip, just a little oversized, hence more powerful.

2021 sees Apple starting to consider a complete M1 line-up though. They started with the MacBook Pro line-up of course. You will not be able to buy an Intel based MacBook Pro anymore officially starting from now. But the M1 transformation does not stop there. Earlier this year, Apple also introduced the new M1 powered Apple iMac. You still can buy an Intel powered version though, although at a smaller 21.5-inch size.

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As of November 2021 though, you can only buy an iMac powered by Apple’s own M1 chip starting at 24-inch. To be fair though, the 21.5-inch Apple iMac is a little outdated for 2021 and beyond. For a little under MYR 5,000, you are getting an older generation Intel processor. Not just one or two generations older though, if you consider the 11th Generation Intel, the 21.5-inch iMac sports a four-generation old Intel processor.

That does no mean that you cannot get an Intel powered Apple iMac though, you still can. Your only choice is the 27-inch iMac that starts at MYR 7,999. You get a 10th generation Intel Core i5 with up to 8GB of memory and 256GB in storage. For graphics you get an AMD Radeon Pro 5300 GPU. You get a brilliant 5K display with that though. Considering that the M1 powered iMac starts at MYR 5,599 though, the 27-inch Intel powered alternative looks expensive.

With the launch of the M1 Max and M1 Pro chips, we are guessing that Apple will also start shifting directions with their high-end computing solutions like the 27-inch iMac. In that case, we might see Apple axing the Intel powered 27-inch Apple iMacs in the coming year. Would you still want an Intel powered iMac though?

Zenly Lets You Track People and It’s Blowing Up on TikTok

It’s not every day that we see an app blow up because of a social media trend. However, it looks like Zenly is experiencing a spike in popularity thanks to a growing trend on TikTok. The app has seen a 121% growth in active users since the trend gained popularity.

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Source: Zenly

Zenly is an app that allows you to track other people. The app began to see a spike when the trend of showing screen recordings of your loved ones moving on the map in real-time started to gain popularity. The screen recording is accompanied by the song “Segala” by Mohd Mentor. According to Zenly, the trend helped highlight one of the app’s key features which is to allow users to “look out for loved ones and know what they are up to and ensure they are safe”. In fact, the team at Zenly confirmed that the app is frequently used by couples. Some other demographics using the app include best friends, siblings, roommates, and colleagues.

If you recognise the app’s interface, don’t be too surprised. Zenly is part of the Snap Inc family so you probably recognise the interface from the Snapchat app. The app is popular in countries like Japan, Russia, Indonesia and France.

Android is FINALLY Optimizing for Larger Screens with Android 12L

Android tablets have long been a sore spot for the ecosystem. In fact, Android as an ecosystem has hardly made any progress to make the operating system more usable on tablets and larger displays. Currently, these devices use a supersized version of regular Android. Some manufacturers such as Samsung have added some software features to their tablets to further optimise the experience.

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Source: Google

You may be wondering, “Didn’t Google introduce optimisations with Android Honeycomb?”. The short answer – yes they did. That said, since then, many of these changes have been rolled back. Years after the fact, it looks like Google is finally addressing the issue at a root OS level.

Mid-life Update for Android 12

Android 12L is an upcoming update that will introduce changes that will optimise the operating system for tablets and foldable devices. Android 12L will be rolled out as a mid-life update for Android 12. L, of course, stands for Large. That said, the update to Android 12L is also bringing an update when it comes to SDK. The current Android 12 SDK is known to developers as API Level 32. The new API level brings significant changes in how Android deals with and recognises large screens and foldables.

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The new API level brings a focus on multitasking and maximising the additional forms and display space that comes with larger devices. The biggest change in the SDK is apps defaulting to multitasking mode for apps to help with compatibility and scalability. Google is also streamlining scalability. “WindowMetics” and “WindowSizeClasses” APIs will address developers’ woes in developing for the wide variety of different sizes present on Android devices. The new APIs will provide information and guides or “opinionated layout breakpoints” which will allow devs to better optimise and adapt.

Visually Improved and Geared for Productivity

With the introduction of better app adaptability with “WindowsSizeClasses”, it comes as no surprise that Android 12L will come with graphical changes that help with multitasking. The biggest change comes in the system menus and UI elements. These have been updated to support two columns graphically. We’ve seen this layout previously in devices like the iPad and also Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S7 series. The two columns allow more actionable content to be shown at a glance making it easier to get to options. The new layout defaults also make their way to the notification shade allowing users to see and access more on larger screens.

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12L is also bringing along a new taskbar. The taskbar is akin to the one Android had in Honeycomb but brings a sharper focus on multitasking. The new taskbar will allow users to drag apps into split-screen and multiwindow mode seamlessly. Apps across the board will be able to do this regardless of optimisations. Devs will need to optimise for the best compatibility. However, if the app isn’t updated, it will be forced into compatibility mode. In addition to behaving more like Windows and macOS taskbar, the navigation on larger screens will be relegated to the corner of the taskbar for more ergonomic accessibility.

Better App Visibility on the Google Play Store

In addition to the visual changes and software optimisation, Google is also finally addressing the app situation on the Google Play Store. Using some of the optimisation and new APIs available in Android 12L, Google will be surfacing apps better optimised for tablets and larger screens more efficiently. The Google Play Store itself is getting a visual update to better utilise large screens. Users will be able to have better access to different pages and options at a glance.

Google will also be introducing new checks to assess large-screen apps. These checks will allow Google to better surface properly optimised apps. In addition, they are introducing large-screen specific app ratings. Larger screen devices will also be prompted when apps are ill-optimised.

Release & Development

With the announcement of Android 12L, it comes as no surprise that we are eager to see these optimisations make their way to larger devices soon. According to the announcement, there will be a developer preview with three betas before the final release in Q1 2022. The developer preview is currently available for the Lenovo Tab P2 and Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold3.

HUAWEI MateBook 14s Launches in Malaysia from MYR 4,999 – HUAWEI Says It Is the New Way to Work

We live in a weird time. We live in a time where buying a laptop from a smartphone manufacturer is normal. If you think about it, it was not so long ago too that HUAWEI decided that they want a slice of the mobile computing market.

Meet the HUAWEI MateBook series, premium notebook PCs made with the HUAWEI ecosystem in mind. They were designed to be the perfect companion for HUAWEI’s range of smartphone and tablet products. They were made to be the best type of laptop to work with if you own a HUAWEI device. They were the only products that did not get the axe from American companies in the dram that was the United States trade ban debacle.

Fast forward to 2021, nothing much has changed. There are some changes in the world around HUAWEI though. There is a brand-new Intel processor, an 11th generation wonder of a mobile chip. It also seems like there is going to be a new Microsoft Windows version just around the corner, and the new hardware is primed to take up the new Operating System (OS). HUAWEI needed to get modern to be in the world of workplace laptops. They did with the new HUAWEI MateBook 14s.

The HUAWEI MateBook 14s follows the philosophy of HUAWEI’s premium line-up of laptops. It is an ultra-thin, and ultra-light notebook PC for the working professionals. It is an ultrabook for the road warrior, or the person who has been working from home for the past two years and is continuing to work from home now.

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Source: HUAWEI

The new MateBook 14s is powered by Intel’s latest 11th Generation Core processor. You get to spec it up with up to the Core i7-11370H processor. The latest processors are considered to be Intel’s most efficient one yet. 

Intel did not certify the HUAWEI MateBook 14s as an Intel EVO laptop, but it has everything that you could want from an Intel EVO platform, if you are looking for that sort of thing. It has Intel’s Iris Xe Graphics to handle a high-resolution display and any of its requirements. It also has up to 16GB of RAM, ample amount for a work laptop. You even get up to 1TB in SSD storage, if you wish for it. With WiFi 6 in tow, you really wonder with the HUAWEI MateBook 14s does not come packing Intel EVO’s sticker.

You get all sorts of I/O with this Matebook 14s as well to make it the perfect work mate. There are two USB type-C ports that supports charging and Thunderbolt 4 capabilities (only Core i7 version, 2nd USB Type-C port). You also get a full HDMI port alongside a USB 3.2 Gen1 type-A port on the HUAWEI MateBook 14s. It is as versatile as it looks. It even has a fingerprint sensor with Windows Hello for protection. Thankfully as well, the webcam has been shifted up to the top of the display instead of being hidden in one of the keycaps.

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The 14-inch display is a stunning one too at 90Hz. It is a 2.5K display instead of a Full HD unit though. That also means that you get vibrant and beautiful looking images on the laptop. You can easily enjoy movies and YouTube videos in high-resolution goodness on this thing. Its 60Wh battery is also large enough that it should carry your laptop the entire day. If that is not enough the HUAWEI MateBook 14s comes with 90W charging capabilities and a charger to match for a quick plug and dash.

Price and Availability

The HUAWEI MateBook 14s is available for pre-order from the 28th of October 2021 onward. Before the 6th of November 2021, you can pre-order your unit from HUAWEI Store Online, HUAWEI’s official stores on Shopee, and Lazada, or even on HUAWEI’s official app, My HUAWEI App. As per the title, the HUAWEI MateBook 14s starts at MYR 4,999. More information on the HUAWEI MateBook 14s can be found on their website.

BlizzCon Not Happening – But There’s a Silver Lining

Blizzard’s BlizzCon is arguably one of the biggest gaming events of the year. However, in light of the pandemic, the gaming conference has evolved into BlizzConline for its past iteration into an online BlizzConline. In fact, earlier this year, the game developer announced a new approach for BlizzCon which would span both online and offline, in-person experiences. However, it looks like that may not be happening after all.

The company has taken online to announce to the community that the upcoming BlizzCon planned for February 2022 will not be happening. In their statement, the company states that, “we would also like to take the time to reimagine what a BlizzCon event of the future could look like”. That said, it was the same words used earlier this year in their announcement for the 2022 BlizzCon. The event is one of the company’s crowning achievements that have allowed fans of game franchises like Warcraft, Diablo and Starcraft to rally and feel part of the Blizzard experience. The absence of the convention, in any form, could prove to be more a quandry for Blizzard.

Source: Blizzard

However, Blizzard isn’t leaving fans without updates and announcements. In their update, the company states, “One more thing we wanted to make clear: even though we aren’t holding BlizzConline in February, we’ll still be making announcements and updates for our games. We’re proud of our teams and the progress they’ve made across our games. We have a lot of exciting upcoming news and releases to share with you.”. Fans will have lots to look forward to come February 2022 by the sounds of it.

The cancellation of Blizzard’s annual BlizzCon seems to be one of the latest casualties in their unfolding legal saga. Blizzard has recently come under fire for a myriad of reasons including employer misconduct and sexual harassment. BlizzCon was ground zero for some of the most egregious sexual harassment allegations thanks to the “Cosby Suite”. Since then the allegations and issues that have arisen have become a hot topic in the gaming industry which is currently undergoing a renaissance.

The DJI Action 2 Takes Things at the Next Level

You might have not heard of the DJI Action. That is because there was no such product. It sounded like a DJI action camera though. That existed.

They called it the DJI Osmo Action and it looked almost like any other action camera that was popular at its launch. It was launched in 2019 and it was designed after the gold standard in action cameras for the longest time. It was modelled after the GoPro cameras that was so popular at the time. Say what you will, the GoPro cameras were the most popular for good reasons.

With DJI’s knowhow in making cameras on stabilisers, gimbals, drones, and even innovative film cameras, the Osmo Action was made to really take on the GoPro cameras and beat them. It shot at 4K 60p. It has two displays, one at the back and one in front making it a clever vlogging camera as well. It featured DJI’s know how in stabilising footages. It also featured slow motion modes. The only thing that GoPro had it beat was in its sheer namesake and pedigree in action cameras.

Two years on and we sort of thought DJI might have forgotten about the action camera market completely. We thought that DJI might have given up on the idea. Last week as well DJI just redefined the film maker industry with a brand-new camera on a 4-axis gimbal in a cinema camera body and guise. It was remarkable and it really will change the entire film industry.

They did not give up on the action camera market though. In fact, they just launched a brand-new action camera to replace the Osmo Action. This time also, they went with a slightly different philosophy over the old one. This time, they went modular.

The Tiny DJI Action 2

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They call it the DJI Action 2, and they did not bother introducing their latest action camera to the world through a launch event though. Rather they introduce the Action 2 to the world with a three-minute video on YouTube. We kind of think that this is the shortest launch gambit we have ever experienced. Short, but impactful.

It weighs only 56 grams, which is really nothing in the world of cameras. When we say it is modular, it means that you can attach the little camera cube to almost anything, anywhere. Of course, you need some help in the form of attachment struts, straps, and magnets that is suitable for whatever surface you want to attach it to. It also has other attachments that allows the camera to work as a vlogging camera as well, with added battery life.

It also has a small 1.79-inch OLED display at the back of the camera so that you still know what you are shooting even without using your smartphone to monitor your camera. The square display is also a touch sensitive display, which also means you can do all your set-up on the DJI Action 2 itself. The vlogging attachment also comes with its own 1.79-inch touch-sensitive square display as well.

The main bit of the DJI Action 2 shoots at 4K resolution. You also get up to 120fps in ultra-wide frame goodness for that beautiful slow-mo videos when it matters. It has something DJI calls the HorizonSteady technology that allows the camera to keep a level frame throughout the shot. With RockSteady 2.0, your shots are even more stable than before. For vlogging purposes, the Action 2 packs three microphones to record video from every direction. You can immerse it in up to 10m of water too, just so that you can even take videos when you go scuba diving.

Price and Availability

The DJI Action 2 will be available globally on the 2nd of November 2021 onward. It will set you back US$ 519 (MYR 2,156*). That package comes with the Front Touchscreen Module for you to work with it as a vlogging camera. It also comes with a slew of attachments for more mounting options. There will be a Power Combo that will come later in November. The Power Combo will retail at US$ 399 (MYR 1,657*) and will include the camera itself, a Power Module, Magnetic Lanyard, and Magnetic Adpated Mount. For more information on the DJI Action 2 action camera, you can visit DJI’s website.

*Approximately based on exchange rate of US$ 1 = MYR 4.15 on xe.com as of 28/10/2021