Category Archives: News

iOS, Mobile, News

The Apple iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max Launches – The Most Advanced Apple iPhone is Here

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Apple’s Event just happened, and of course, as expected, we are graced with Apple’s latest iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max. For good measure, they keep the best for last. They launched the Apple iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max at the end of their show instead. It is the star of the show anyway, the most anticipated Apple device for the year 2021.

So, what changed? The design of the Apple iPhone 13 Pro series has not changed all that much compared to the Apple iPhone 12 Pro series. In fact, they feature the exact same dimensions that should also allow your iPhone 12 Pro cases to work with the newer Apple iPhone 13 Pro devices that was just launched. Even the camera module looks similar. There is no additional notches or dips on the device’s body itself that makes it stand out over the Apple iPhone 12 Pro series.

Put the devices side by side and you might notice a small difference on the forehead of the devices. The Apple iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max now features a smaller notch compared to the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro. The iconic notch has not changed in shape though. You get slightly more in terms of the display real estate in this case. They remain the same sizes though at 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch for respective model.

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Source: Apple

The new ultimate Apple iPhone variants still feature the same Super Retina XDR display that you would find on the Apple iPhone 12 Pro models from before. Of course, the bigger displayed Pro Max will pack a bit more pixel on the 6.7-inch OLED display than the 6.1-inch OLED of the regular Pro device. They now come with something Apple calls ProMotion. To be fair, ProMotion is a fancier way of saying that the new device now features up to 120Hz (as low as 10Hz) in refresh rate. It is also a variable refresh rate that brings the display up to speed with other Android flagships.

You still get the usual HDR display with TrueTone technology on the Apple iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max. Of course, wide colour gamut coverage is still available on the Apple iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max, important since they sold the device as a content creator’s ultimate tool. The ceramic shielded display now can display at up to 1200 nits in brightness though, which is brighter than the iPhone that came before.

Within the IP68 rated body that is made with a combination of glass, stainless steel, and ceramic is a mighty Apple A15 bionic chip that boasts a new more powerful 16-core Neural Engine for an even more responsive Siri and cleverer camera functions. The A15 bionic chip also features a new 6-core 5nm process CPU block with 2 high-performance cores. It also features a 5-core GPU.

There is a relatively new camera system on both the Pro and Pro Max devices too. They are still boasting the same resolutions as before. The new most advanced Apple iPhone features a main camera with a slightly larger sensor with Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS) though. The direct result of that is supposedly better low-light performance from the camera.

Apple iPhone 13 Pro New Camera System 09142021
Source: Apple

The ultra-wide camera can not only take great looking ultra-wide photos. It can also act as a macro camera with a minimal focal distance of 2cm. Thanks to the A15 Bionic too, the Apple iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max’s camera app now features new Photographic Styles that allows users to quickly set their iPhone up to shoot photos with distinct colour profiles that reflects the users’ preferences. Night mode is also now available for all three of the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max’s camera app.

With better cameras and better neural programming, the video capabilities of the iPhone Pro models are extended. The most powerful iPhones can now shoot in ProRes format at 4K 30p resolution. You can also edit ProRes videos directly on the device. The most interesting addition to the video capabilities is Rack Focus via Cinematic mode on the. Rack Focus on Cinematic mode allows users or content creators to quickly change focus and add depth to films to force the viewers perspectives. The depth data is also built into the videos you shoot on the Apple iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max so that you can go back to the video and choose your focus moments to the dot while editing the video on board.

While Apple never discloses their battery capacity information to the public, they say that they have made some breakthroughs with the battery life of the Apple iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max. They managed to make the new Apple iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max last for 1.5 hours and 2.5 hours longer on average compared to their respective predecessors. The numbers are quite subjective though, meaning Apple did not really disclose the actual battery life of the devices.

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    Source: Apple
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    Source: Apple
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    Source: Apple
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    Source: Apple
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The Apple iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max is available for pre-order in the United States this Friday onward and will be available from the 24th of September 2021. There is some good news for Malaysia though. The devices will be available in Malaysia on the 1st of October 2021 onward. Both the Apple iPhone 13 Pro devices will be available in four finishes – Graphite, Gold, Silver, and Sierra Blue. You also get to choose between 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and now 1TB storage options too for both models. The smaller Apple iPhone 13 Pro will set you back US$ 999 (MYR 4,899*) onward. The larger Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max will set you back US$ 1,099 (MYR 5,299*) onward. There are no confirmed prices for the Apple iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max in Malaysia just yet. You can find more information on the most powerful Apple iPhones ever from their website.

*Official Malaysia pricing.

Camera, News

Canon EOS R3 Launches – Mirrorless is The Future with Canon

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Canon launched the Canon EOS R5 and EOS R6 some time ago. Those two cameras came highly acclaimed by Canon to be the future in photography. It also marks Canon’s shift in their product direction. The EOS R5 was the first full-frame photography camera from Canon that shot videos at 8K resolutions. They were not Canon’s first ever mirrorless cameras though. For that honour, you have to look back at Canon’s EOS R launched a year before the Canon EOS R5 and R6 launched.

With the introduction of Canon’s EOS R series cameras, they also introduced their new lenses made for mirrorless cameras. Canon claims that because the flange is bigger, and that it can be placed closer to the sensor, the lenses can be made with higher quality materials with even bigger elements and bigger lens opening. It basically opens whole new possibilities for photographers and even film makers around the world.

Professionals could opt for the Canon EOS R5. It packs 45-Megapixel within its full frame sensor. It could shoot videos at 8K. It could even take burst photos at up to 20 frames a second. That is 20 45-Megapixel photos every second. It is as high end as a camera as it can be.

The thing is, there are photographers that shoots on the Canon EOS 1DX platform. The 1DX is technically Canon’s flagship full frame camera meant for professionals. It is the camera that shoots most of the photos in a football pitch. It is the camera of choice for plenty of photographers who are hired to take photos of the president of the United States in the White House. It is also the platform of choice for plenty of Formula 1 photographers, which says a lot on the Canon EOS 1DX’s pedigree.

The Canon EOS 1DX platform is an aging platform though, despite its prowess. Fans are now asking for a mirrorless platform too. A full frame mirrorless platform like the Canon EOS R5 has proven to be more versatile piece of kit without the heft and weight of a regular DSLR.

The Canon EOS R3 – The Replacement

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    Source: Canon
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    Source: Canon

Canon has answered though with the Canon EOS R3 that was just launched in Malaysia today. The Canon EOS R3 is the sum of Canon’s know how in the EOS R mirrorless technology. It is about combining the full power of high-resolution photography with speeds known only to the 1DX platform. It is built for the next-generation sports photography.

The Canon EOS R3 packs 24.1-Megapixel, half of the EOS R5. That allows the Canon EOS 1DX to be a better low-light shooter though. It still packs 20% more pixels than the EOS 1DX Mark III it replaces though. It shoots at a native ISO range of 100 to 102,400 and is expandable to up to 204,800. For videos, the ISO range is lower at 100 to 25,600. You still can extend that range to 102,400 though.

Speed is Everything

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    Source: Canon
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    Source: Canon

Speed is everything in sports photography. With the new DIGIC X engine, the Canon EOS R3 is an even faster shooter than the Canon EOS R5 too. It can shoot at up to 30fps with its silent electronic shutter. Even using the mechanical shutter, it shoots at up to 12 frames a second. Shutter speed can be as fast as 1/64,000 with electronic shutter for that ultra-sharp and highly detailed sports photo. You write all your photos into a super-high-speed CF-Express Type-B card too. For redundancy, there is an SD card slot capable of UHS-II speeds.

The Canon EOS R3 is an even cleverer shooter than its predecessors. It comes with the highly acclaimed Eye Control autofocus that tracks and focuses to the eye of your subjects. The function helps photographers shift focus even faster and even more seamlessly when the need arises. It is even more powerful than before with deep-learning technology allowing the camera to focus on the subject’s eye even if the face is partially covered or masked.

While they have also improved head tracking to ensure that athletes are tracked properly while wearing helmets, masks, or goggles, the most welcome autofocus feature that photographers might appreciate is Vehicle Priority AF mode. Automobiles and motorcycles are hard to photograph due to their high-speed nature. A quick and clever autofocus system would be required to take close-up shots of a speeding vehicle on the track. The new autofocus system is fast enough that it can even track the driver or rider’s head with Spot Detection enabled.

A Reliable Platform

  • EOS R3 Image 7
    Source: Canon
  • EOS R3 Image 8
    Source: Canon

The In-Body Image Stabilisation (IBIS) on the Canon EOS R series has been touted as some of the best the camera world has ever seen. That same IBIS implementation is back in the Canon EOS R3. That also means that you can shoot impressive long-exposure photos even without the help of a tripod.

The IBIS also benefits in terms of free-handed video shots. On that front, the EOS R3 is capable of shooting videos at up to 6K resolution (60p). It does not have quite as much resolution as the 45-Megapixel R5. It is also still capable of shooting 4K videos at 120p and 10-bit colours though. If you must shoot at the very best quality, the EOS R3 is capable of oversampling 6K videos into 4K 60p videos. You want to use Canon Log 3 and HDR PQ with those settings for the best possible results on your videos.

Photographers will also appreciate that the Canon EOS R3 comes with a slew of networking options for seamless file transfers and even synchronisation options. It packs the usual Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity. There is also a standard GPS mode for even more convenience. It packs a full-sized LAN port though for an even faster data transfer speed without requiring additional accessories. For a quick mobile transfer, you can use a USB Type-C cable to connect your smartphones to the EOS R3. The USB Type-C port can also act as a charging port (via USB Power Adapter PD-E1) for the EOS R3 in case you need extra juice.

Availability

The Canon EOS R3 will be available in Malaysia November 2021 onward. Alongside the new Canon EOS R3 flagship camera, Canon also launches two new RF100-400mm f/5.6-8 IS USM lens and RF16mm f/2.8 STM pancake lens for the EOS R platform. Their prices are yet to be mentioned and should be announced closer to its availability dates. More information on the Canon EOS R3 and the new RF lenses can be found on their website.

Lifestyle, News

SONOS Beam (Gen 2) Brings New Audio Formats and Dolby Atmos

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Sonos has made a name for itself over the years with its offerings when it comes to wireless sound. The company has one of the largest portfolios when it comes to wireless audio products. Having only just released their new Sonos Roam not too long ago, the company is announcing their new, updated second-generation Sonos Beam.

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The Sonos Beam Gen 2 is a step forward when it comes to home entertainment and soundbars. The second-generation Beam shares some of the hallmark features of the first generation Sonos Beam including its compact size and iconic design. The minimalist design that has become the signature for any Sonos product is also along for the ride. However, the Sonos Beam Gen 2 brings an updated grille design to allow it to stand out in simplicity.

However, while the outsides remain iconic and about the same, the insides bring a leap forward when it comes to the sound experience. The Sonos Beam Gen 2 is the first to come equipped with Dolby Atmos support. It will bring a more immersive sound experience that puts viewers in the middle of their content with object-centered sound. This will allow viewers to immerse themselves as they listen to the sound as is intended by sound designers. Blasts from behind as they escape an explosion in their favorite game or whisper in the corner as danger approaches in the dark.

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The soundbar also packs a faster, more capable processor which allows the soundbar to produce more realistic sound. It’s also equipped with upgraded speaker arrays which allows more complex interactions between the transducers allowing for a more spacious sound space and dialogue clarity.

The new generation Sonos Beam also supports a wider range of audio types with enhancements already in place for high-definition audio. It will be able to support Amazon Music’s Ultra High-Definition audio which will be launching later this year. With this support, the Sonos Beam will be one of the first in the market to support lossless audio with bitrates of up to 48kHz or 24-bit audio.

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Together with higher fidelity audio, the Beam is also able to support more audio formats. It has HDMI eARC support and even supports DTS:X. Controlling and interacting with the Beam will be as easy as touching your phone to the soundbar with its NFC support. You will be able to seamlessly add it to your Sonos groups on the S2 platform. However, daisy-chaining multiple Beam units isn’t an option – yet.

Pricing & Availability

The Sonos Beam (Gen 2) will be in stores in Malaysia starting October 6, 2021. It will be available in white and black and will cost MYR2,699.

If you can’t wait to get your own, it’s available for pre-order starting 14 September 2021 on the official Sonos Malaysia website starting at 9 pm.

Accessories, Business, Lifestyle, News

Google One Introduces 5TB Storage Plan

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If you have not known yet, Google Drive is not completely free anymore. If you check your gmail accounts and Google tells you that your storage is running out, that is because Google has brought down the capacity for free users to 15GB of storage. 15GB of storage is really not a lot and runs out pretty quickly.

Google Photos used to also offer unlimited photo storage, as long as you are not demanding for a full-resolution photo backup. Google ended that service in June and users would have to start paying for storage services under the Google One storage subscription package. Users can start with 100GB plan for MYR 8.49 a month onward. Users can opt for up to 30TB in cloud storage too for up US$ 150 (MYR 624*) onward.

The subscription plans are quite robust for users though. You can opt for 200GB, 2TB, 10TB, and 20TB storage options, if 100GB is too little, or 30TB too much for you. There was nothing between the jump between 2TB and 10TB options before this though, and that puts users in a bit of a pickle.

Google has an answer now with a 5TB Google One package. They also have priced it exactly in between the 2TB and 10TB options at US$ 25 (MYR 104*). There is a small caveat here though.

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Source: Google

Eagle eyed viewers might find that most of the prices quoted are in US$. That is not on purpose though, Malaysia only gets the Google One storage at up to 2TB. You can subscribe to the 2TB Google One plan for MYR 42.99/month, or MYR 429.99 for an entire year’s worth of 2TB storage. There are no mentions on when Malaysia will get a higher tier Google One plan, if it ever happens at all.

As mentioned, the Google One storage plan is built to be Google’s answer to Google Photos backup and Google Drive. You still get to use Google Drive for free, but you are limited to 15GB in storage. The Google Drive app is also available for free on Google Play Store and Apple App Store.

News, Social Media

Snapchat Expands Snap Minis To Make Connecting A Little More Snappy

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Snapchat has always been about short-form messages and content. The platform thrives on short, temporary content that allows the platform to maintain its ethereal appeal. With their recent resurgence, the platform has been hard at work looking for brand new ways to allow Snapchatters to connect.

This time around, they’re introducing Snap Minis. These Snap Minis are personalized, short messages or content which Snapchatters can use for their interactions. These Snap Minis are taking the form of personalized messages to even sending prepaid top-ups over the app.

Snap Minis Birthdays
Source: Snapchat

The Birthday Mini allows you to wish your friends on their big day. The feature allows you to see all your friends who have allowed their birthdates to be seen on Snapchat. With this new Mini, you can send birthday wishes with unique stickers and even Lenses. If you want to, you can even set a countdown for your own birthday which will allow friends to swipe and play with the stickers and lenses in preparation for your big day.

The Givingli Mini will allow you to send a customized card to your friends – snail mail not required! Create and customize your own cards for a Birthday or any other occasion with this Mini and just send it over Snapchat once you’re done.

Snap Minis Invstr StockStars
Source: Snapchat

The Invstr StockStars mini isn’t just for looks. It allows you to learn the basics and polish your investing know-how. Hone your skills by putting yourself to the test as a savvy investor risk-free as you invest in a virtual portfolio that mimics the stock market in real-time. You can even challenge your friends!

The most interesting Snap Mini comes courtesy of Ding. The Ding Mini allows you to surprise your friends with the gift of connectivity. It offers you discounts and even prepaid tops which you can purchase as gifts or for yourself. The Mini supports a majority of telco providers.

Snap Minis Ding 1
Source: Snapchat
Snap Minis Givingli 1
Source: Snapchat

There are more Minis coming up on Snapchat with the company working with content creators and apps like Headspace, Prediction Master, and Tembo. Keep an eye out for more Snap Minis as more hit the platform in the coming weeks.

eSports, News

Kohai Looks To Spur eSports Interest By Allowing Amateurs to Train with the Pros

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ESports has been on an upward trend when it comes to popularity – having recently been inducted as part of the Sukan Malaysia (SUKMA). It is already being considered for the 2028 Olympics. That said, the momentum is even more apparent at the grassroots level with even more people gaining taking an interest either as a spectator or professional.

As interest mounts, we’re seeing an increase in companies investing in the space – and not just in developing new, thrilling eSports games; we’re also seeing a new wave of apps and services geared to complementing the arena. The most recent of these apps is one called Kohai, a new, homegrown, Malaysian app that looks to allow newbies and gamers to interact more directly with the Pros – more specifically – to learn from them.

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From left to right: Xorn, Feekz, Maima, Lilbie, Nellbie, Dominus, Panda and Artz will be the Mobile Legends Bang Bang Geek Fam Partners that Gamers have a chance to play with on Kohai’s platform // Source: Kohai

If you’re an otaku or watch any Japanese media, you’d be familiar with the term “kohai” or “kouhai” which is usually used to refer to proteges or juniors. Building on this kohai-senpai relationship, IWG eSports is looking to create a platform where everyday enthusiasts can hone their skills with the Pros. Kohai is looking to push the local Malaysian eSports scene further by essentially providing training grounds for eSports hopefuls.

The platform is focused on allowing hopefuls to hone their gameplay and strategy under the wing of a Pro. This leans on the kohai-senpai dynamic which is its namesake. On Kohai, the Gamers (kohai) are able to connect and train with Partners (senpai) regardless of their level. Parters are game experts or professionals who have a proven track record or in-game tier.

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Kohai Gamer app user interface // Source: Kohai

Of course, it’s not a free-for-all as Kohai can also be a viable stream of income for partners as the platform uses a play-to-earn model. To do this, users will need to register via the Kohai Partner App where their profiles and details will be verified before they are allowed to activate their account. Given that it is a form of work, users registering as Kohai Partners will need to be 16 years or older.

Naturally, this means that gamers looking to learn will be subject to a pay-to-learn model. On the platform, Gamers will be able to train to reach specific milestones with a Partner. From as low as MYR10 per hour, Gamers will be able to up their game with coaching from Partners. This can be done on an ad-hoc basis (referred to as Real-Time Gaming Sessions) or Scheduled sessions. Gamers will be able to book these sessions via the Kohai Gamer app.

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From left to right: Xorn, Feekz, Maima, Lilbie, Nellbie, Dominus, Panda and Artz will be the Mobile Legends Bang Bang Geek Fam Partners that Gamers have a chance to play with on Kohai’s platform // Source: Kohai
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From left to right: Damrude, Sane, Miracle, QB and Snipes will be the PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds Geek Fam Partners that Gamers have a chance to play with on Kohai’s platform // Source: Kohai

To kick things off, Kohai is focusing on two of the most popular eSports games on mobile – Mobile Legend Bang Bang (MLBB) and PlayerUnkown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) Mobile. It is also partnering with the popular eSports team GeekFam. Members of the team will be on the platform as Partners where Gamers can play, learn or train with them. In addition, Kohai has also kicked off its own tournament – the Kohai Championships – for MLBB. The tourney started on 4th September and will be concluding on 26th September 2021. It features 64 teams battling each other for a total prize pool of MYR11,000.00.

The launch comes after a public beta where Kohai has been utilized successfully by 43,000 individuals. The company is looking to the future to build its 43,000 strong community and to branch to other platforms such as PC and Console in the near future.

Android, Mobile, News

vivo Announces the X70 Series with Even Better Cameras

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Here is a trivia; which manufacturer brought the under-display fingerprint sensor technology to the masses? Here is another; which manufacturer brought the gimbal technology into smartphones? If you know your tech, you will quickly know that the answer to both question is vivo.

While Samsung jumped on the bandwagon of making under-display fingerprint sensors a thing, they were not the first who went to market with it. To be fair, the power button integrated fingerprint sensor was not a Samsung-first technology too. That was Sony.

vivo though is a manufacturer that is plenty known for its innovations for the smartphone industry. They were one of the earliest adopters in pop-up front-facing cameras too, if you have not known yet. They like introducing their new innovations in their flagships too.

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    Source: vivo
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The X70 series that was just announced though, may not seem like they are about pushing new technologies. Rather, they are pushing the current boundaries of current technologies for flagship devices. In the grander scheme of things, vivo announced three new devices in the X70 series – the vivo X70, X70 Pro, and the X70 Pro+.

vivo X70 Pro+

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Source: vivo

We have to start with the Zeiss camera, because we just have to. It will still be the biggest draw for the vivo flagship class. The vivo X70 Pro+ is also the flagship of flagships for vivo. That also means you get an unparalleled Zeiss camera experience.

Fronting the camera array is a 50-Megapixel shooter. Alongside the main sensor is a gimbal-stabilised 48-Megapixel ultra-wide sensor that is becoming a staple for smartphone cameras. You also get a 12-Megapixel portrait lens and an 8-Megapixel periscope telephoto. Zeiss also made some effort in making the cameras extra special here with SLR-grade glass lenses for the main camera. Of course, the rest of the sensors gets Zeiss optics and Zeiss T* coating.

Additionally, vivo recently developed its own imaging chip they call the V1 imaging chip. The V1 chip is technically a completely separate AI processor just for the vivo X70 Pro+’s camera array that is supposed to perform better in reducing noise and in low-light videos. A separate imaging chip also means that the vivo X70 Pro+ can deal with photos and videos better.

Just special cameras do not make a flagship device though. It has to come with flagship class processor too. That special processor is Qualcomm’s latest and most powerful Snapdragon ever. The vivo X70 Pro+ is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888+ System on a Chip (SoC), the same one you will find on the ASUS ROG Phone 5S. because it does not have to handle its camera’s operations, the one of the vivo X70 Pro+ is freed to focus on other SoC demanding jobs like gaming even.

To match the power of the SoC, you get ample 12GB of RAM to deal with any tasks you can throw at the vivo X70 Pro+ simultaneously. 512GB of storage should also be ample enough to house all the high-resolution photos and videos from the cameras. You can record videos at 8K resolution, by the way.

Covering a large 4,500mAh battery alongside all the powerful internals is an expansive 6.78-inch AMOLED display. It offers WQHD 1,440p resolution that matches the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra. At up to 120Hz in refresh rate and 240Hz in sampling rate, you are not going to be wanting for more in a modern flagship. The display is interrupted by a single punch hole on top of its display though. The punch hole houses a 32-Megapixel sensor for great looking selfie cameras.

The Funtouch OS 12 Android 11 device should be able to last you an entire day and more with the 4,500mAh battery. If not, you can fully charge the device within two hours with 55W charging via USB Type-C. If you prefer the convenience of wireless charging, it charges at 50W too. Of course, for an extra peace of mind, the entire package is IP68 certified.

vivo X70 Pro

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Source: vivo

Sitting below the sophisticated X70 Pro+ is the X70 Pro that also comes with quad camera set-up. You may not be getting the same sophisticated lens treatment from the X70 Pro+, nor the dedicated V1 imaging chip, but you are still getting a capable smartphone for photography when you need it. You still have a 50-Megapixel main sensor that is flanked by a 12-megapixel ultra-wide sensor. There is also a 12-megapixel portrait sensor and another 8-Megapixel telephoto sensor you can work with for various shoot conditions. The front-facing camera is still a 32-Megapixel unit as well.

It is a smaller device compared to its more premium brother. The display only measures in at 6.56-inch, which is still nowhere near small. The AMOLED display only features Full HD+ in resolution though. You still get up to 120Hz in refresh rate and 240Hz sampling rate when you need it.

You find more differences internally too starting with a battery that is a smidge smaller than the X70 Pro+. You get a 4,450mAh unit powering up a potent MediaTek Dimensity 1200 SoC. You can still opt for a 12GB RAM and 512GB storage combination if you really want with the X70 Pro. There is no wireless charging option here, but you can charge the X70 Pro at 44W via its USB Type-C.

vivo X70

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Source: vivo

Then there is the Vanilla, Plain Jane X70. It is the least powerful variant of the vivo flagship series. It is still no slouch though.

You get one less lens compared to its more premium brothers. Instead of the 50-Megapixel, you have a 40-Megapixel shooter at hand. That is also supported by a 12-Megapixel ultra-wide shooter and a 12-Megapixel telephoto sensor. Those are still very good camera set-up in the modern smartphone market though.

You get the same display that you find on the X70 Pro too at 6.56-inch. Underneath the display is the same MediaTek Dimensity 1200 SoC that is the beating heart of the X70. You will not be able to opt for a 512GB storage though. At the same time you get a slightly smaller battery too at 4,400mAh. The smaller battery should not affect its battery life performance though. You can still charge it at 44W as well.

Availability

For now, the device has only launched in China. We can safely confirm though that the vivo X70 sereis is coming to Malaysia at the end of September 2021. Specifically, you can expect to see the vivo X70 coming to Malaysia 22nd September 2021 onward. There is no confirmed pricing just yet. vivo is yet to disclose the full colour options for the vivo X70 series too. All we can say for now is; stay tuned.

Business, News

Maxis Right Cloud Simplifies Cloud Adoption for Businesses

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Maxis is working hard on delivering a full complement of services to their customers – be it consumers or businesses. This week saw the launch of one of their newest offerings: Maxis Right Cloud, a one-stop solution for the management of multi-cloud operations developed in-house at Maxis.

Maxis Right Cloud will enable adopters to manage their business clouds from a single platform. Naturally, being a convergent platform, Maxis Right Cloud is cloud-agnostic. This means that it supports not only services from Maxis but also from leading private and public cloud providers like Amazon web services (AWS), Microsoft, and Google. It will allow companies to use a single dashboard to access all the information needed to run the business.

Maxis Right Cloud Press Image
Source: Maxis

The platform is supported end-to-end by Maxis’ very own, in-house expertise. Everything from assessing, designing, migrating, building, securing, and managing cloud infrastructure will be easily accessible on Maxis Right Cloud. Right Cloud is complemented by the company’s competent technical team who have been certified by companies like AWS and Microsoft for their expertise. In addition, the company has also acquired the necessary expertise to complement its workforce from recent acquisitions such as its acquisition of ICMS and Peering One not too long ago.

The Maxis Programmable Network (MPN) provides the backbone for the new offering. The MPN is the first programmable software-defined network with Metro Ethernet Forum (MEF) 3.0 certification. This backbone provides a level of scalability and customizability that allows users to be agile and adapt to the fast-changing IT environments without having a lapse in performance.

When it comes to cost, Maxis is looking to adopt a pricing structure similar to leading cloud providers like AWS and Microsoft. Typically, this would entail a pay-as-you-go pay model which should enable SMEs and startups to benefit from the offering.

The introduction of Maxis Right Cloud comes as the latest in series of announcements that gear Maxis to be one of the foremost providers when it comes to converged solutions. The company has been building its capacity to leverage its infrastructure to spur digitization efforts and prepare businesses in Malaysia for 5G adoption.

Accessories, Lifestyle, Mobile, News

DJI Launches the DJI OM5 – Mobile Film Making Just Got A whole Lot Better for MYR 689

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When DJI launched the OM4, we thought that it was the best DJI could make a gimbal for smartphones. At the same time, they made a smartphone gimbal that was more affordable than ever, in terms of a fully featured gimbal for smartphones for that matter. Those were the few criteria that influenced our purchase of our very own DJI OM4 gimbals. Then the DJI OM5 launched.

The DJI OM5 and the DJI OM4 shares a lot of similarities, to begin with. They are both foldable, and ultra-portable, the DJI Om5’s design allowing it to be a lot more so. Both have a large battery that you can charge via USB Type-C. Both also feature the same magnetic modular design that allows a larger convenience and versatility with any number of smartphones. In some sense, the OM5 is really the OM4 in a different body.

Except there are some differences that make the OM5 a better smartphone gimbal for content creators and even floggers. For one the DJI OM5, while being more compact than ever, packs an extension rod that extends up to 215mm to create new angles and opens new shooting options, especially when your main contents are vlogs.

The DJI OM5 also comes with a slew of improvements on the software end to make film making on smartphones easier and better. With new ShotGuides, DJI automatically understands your environment and cleverly recommends templates and even guides for getting the best out of your smartphone and gimbal set up. The end goal is to achieve a video that looks professionally filmed on your smartphone. There is also ActiveTrack 4.0 that is supposed to be a lot more responsive and cleverer than before to ensure that your tracked subject is never out of frame even when the subject turns around.

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Source: DJI

The more compact design and clever folding mechanism makes the DJI OM5 even more portable than before. At just about 300g, it is even lighter than the OM4 that it replaces. If you already have a DJI OM4, the magnetic attachments are also compatible with the OM5. It still features all the software capabilities that made the DJI OM4 such a friendly tool for content creators. You still get Gesture Controls to remotely activate your DJI OM5 and smartphone to either take group photos or a group footage even. You still get TimeLapse, MotionLapse, HyperLapse, and even Panoramas function on the OM5 as well. For more creative flexibility and inspiration, Story Mode templates are there for you.

On top of all of that, the DJI OM5 also comes with a fresh new magnetic accessory that would really help in a lot of content creation situations, especially in low-light condition. The new Fill Light Phone Clamp is a friendly clamp for your smartphone just like the regular magnetic phone clamp you are familiar with if you come from the DJI OM4. Except, the new clamp comes with LED fill lights on the clamps itself. The built-in battery powered LEDs ads a fill light of sorts in three colour temperature options. It is also perfect for vloggers that needs the perfect sort of lighting anywhere.

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    Source: DJI
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    Source: DJI
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    Source: DJI
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    Source: DJI
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    Source: DJI

The DJI OM5 is now available in Malaysia for MYR 689. You can get your hands on one from DJI’s online retail partners, Shopee and Lazada, or DJI official stores across Malaysia. It is available in two colour options: Athens Grey and Sunset White. Currently though, only the Athens Grey variant is available. The Sunset White variant is expected to be available 15th September 2021 onward and will ship out 20th September 2021 onward.

Lifestyle, Mobile, News

LG Develops the ‘Real Folding Window’, a Folding Glass Beater, Coming to Smartphones in 2023

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There are a lot of benefits that compensates to a folding PC in the early days too though. It was portable, which means you can set up anywhere and work from anywhere without needing an entire luggage load. The added portability also means you are a lot more flexible with work and locations that allows you to quickly get anything, and everything done from anywhere in the world. Of course, in the early days, you are compromised in battery life, but getting just a few hours window to send out a quick email or quick look at stuff you get from work is more than enough.

Fast forward to 2021 and battery life on portable devices has advanced tremendously. Processing chips are a lot more powerful today and a lot more energy efficient. We are at an age where mobile processing power can match desktop tower processing power. We are at an age where a laptop makes more sense than a tower PC and the tower desktop has been reserved to a niche group.

We have gotten a little side-tracked there, apologies. We are supposed to be talking about foldable smartphones, instead we rambled on about desktop tower PCs and notebook PCs. But it is important to understand why foldable smartphones are going to be the next big thing.

While at this point, the advantages of a candy bar type smartphone still outweigh a foldable smartphone in terms of build durability, optimisation, build quality, and even battery life, there are some arguments for a foldable device. A foldable smartphone can be a lot more versatile in different cases, or they can be a lot less intrusive and more subtle in another.

Take a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 for example. It is a regular candy bar smartphone in a lot of cases. When you need a little bit more display real estate for a better overview of your email, multiwindow spaces, and even just for pure entertainment, you simply unfold it to make it a sort of tablet. The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 is a little pager like device when you do not need it to be always a nuisance in your face, and its smaller to store in your pockets or bags. When you need the larger display for whatever purpose, it becomes a regular candy bar device. Even Google is on board to produce develop their own foldable device in collaboration with Samsung.

Of course, the foldable smartphone is still very early in technology and one of the biggest problems with it is its durability. In the three iterations of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold device, that is always its point of contention. In fact, in its first attempt at a folding smartphone, Samsung had to delay the product shipment by a few months just to ensure that they have a better solution to protect their folding display. Samsung is still continuously developing the folding screen technology though.

Oddly enough, competition to Samsung’s folding screen mechanism and build material is not coming from a competing smartphone manufacturer. Well, when we say oddly, we kind of also expected it. The competition to the folding smartphone phenomenon comes from LG and what they call their ‘Real Folding Window’ glass technology.

Before you get confused, LG did make smartphone devices. They pulled out of the smartphone market recently enough that they are now not really a threat or competition to Samsung in the grander mobile device market. They are still one of the largest players in display manufacturing though, which is incidentally also Samsung’s forte. The announcement of their new foldable display technology should come as no surprise.

The ‘Real Folding Window’ glass as they call it is not really glass at all. It really is just a coated piece of plastic, to be fair. While it does sound pretty low tech to begin with, it is still complex to implement. They claim that this material allows the piece of ‘glass’ material to be bent on both sides of the device without sacrificing rigidity and durability while remaining free of creases. While it is not technically glass, LG Chem says that the material is as hard as tempered glass and could be even thinner. The prototype material they were able to produce is just a few micrometers thick and is rated to fold more than 200,000 times before any noticeable deterioration.

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Source: LG Chem

How LG achieved this feat with this prototype display cover material is by using a sheet of thin plastic film that is coated with more plastic film, specifically PET films. If you think that PET sounds familiar, you will be right. It is the material that you can find on modern disposable plastic bottles. It is a clever solution to a complex problem. It is also a more cost friendly option to developing new materials to begin with, which might mean that we will see more competitively priced foldable devices in the future.

You have to keep in mind that the material itself is just a cover though, and it has not addressed the fundamental problem in folding displays; the display itself. LG also says that the new material is not set to be commercialised just yet until 2023 at the earliest. LG is not unique in using PET in their material design though. Samsung’s latest Galaxy Z Fold3 and Z Flip3 has a PET coating on their glass manufactured by a German partner that should prove to be more durable and feels better on the devices.

Samsung is not just sitting by and passing their work on the foldable displays on the Galaxy Z Fold3 and Z Flip3 as the perfect foldable display technology though. We mentioned that they are reportedly working with Google to manufacture Google’s first foldable smartphones. Other manufacturers are also relying on Samsung to ramp up production of their foldable displays. They are also betting that Samsung could come up with a viable glass solution for foldable displays as Samsung has been reportedly working with Corning for their next version of a foldable display.

LG’s participation in the battle for foldable display supremacy is huge though. It ramps competition up, which should ramp innovation and competitiveness of each brand up. It will also eventually lead to a price war, which also means lower prices for the new technology. Lower prices is always good for us consumers who are always hungry for more innovation.