Category Archives: News

Sony Introduces the Alpha ZV-E10 – The Perfect Small Camera for Content Creators

The content creator market is huge in 2021. Of course, the rise in various social media mediums like Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and even Twitch has created this huge demand for contents over the internet. To be fair, Twitch may not be a social media platform per se, but it does create a huge demand in more live streamed contents; pretty much what Facebook is doing with regular and even Facebook Gaming platform. In all these, the most popular contents are also the visual contents like videos and photo updates. Written contents have been taking a backseat for a while and we all know that.

On that note, we want to thank everyone who is still coming to the site to read our news updates, reviews, and editorial articles. We appreciate you and you are the reason we do what we do. Do let us know what you think we can do more of, or better in the comment section below or our social media platforms though.

With modern social media as well, content creation has been at its simplest form today. All you need is a smartphone that can support all the apps to start creating contents. Of course, using your smartphone to create contents can be pretty limiting. We always say that if you want to make the best video or photography content, invest in a camera; there are plenty of choices out there too. Today, your decision-making process is going to be a little harder, or easier, depending on how you look at it.

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Source: Sony

The Sony Alpha (α) ZV-E10, as they call it, is meant to sit above the ZV-1 compact camera. Rightfully so, with an APS-C cropped sensor instead of the small 1-inch sensor of the compact ZV-1. It is also an interchangeable lens camera with Sony’s proprietary E-Mount. This opens up a whole plethora of creative possibilities with Sony’s extensive E-Mount lenses as well.

It features a 24.2-Megapixel Exmor CMOS sensor backed by Sony’s brilliant BIONZ X image processor. Of course, with a bigger sensor than the ZV-1, you should be getting a better image quality and better low-light performance from the ZV-E10. At the same time, there are a few features that makes this camera perfect for both experienced and new content creators.

For one, the Sony α ZV-E10 packs a clever Background Defocus feature that was first seen and highly acclaimed in the ZV-1. While the feature is more catered for vloggers, it is a clever system to sort of mimic the depth-of-field effect you get with more expensive lenses and larger camera sensors without spending the extra money. At the same time, it is less focus sensitive in this implementation, which allows subjects extra movement tolerances. “Product Showcase Setting” mode is also something that content creators can appreciate to quickly shift focus from the subject’s face to a highlighted object.

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Source: Sony

At 343g (body only), the Sony α ZV-E10 is lighter than even the Sony α6400, and way lighter than the high-end Sony α7 series of cameras. That also means an added portability and versatility in your shoots. You do not need a large space to lug the ZV-E10 around and setting it up can be as easy as pulling it out of the bag and just point at your subject.

The α ZV-E10 is made with videos in mind though. It shoots at up to 4K 30fps and Full HD 120fps (slow-motion) to make this one of the most versatile compact shooters available in the current market. Of course, Sony’s clever electronic image stabilisation makes an appearance here. You do have to turn on Active Mode for stabilisation to kick in though. Still, you can get a crisp, stable 4K vlogs from the camera.

The new Sony compact camera is also sort of made to be a one-stop-shop for content creation. That is why the α ZV-E10 comes with Sony’s industry leading Fast Hybrid autofocus, and real-time Eye autofocus and tracking for all sorts of contents. You can use the camera to take great looking and detailed photos and track a moving subject for fast moving videos. You may not even need a separate mic with the α ZV-E10 too with its built-in Direction 3-capsule Mic and a wind screen included out-of-the-box. If you have a mic, you can easily use the ZV-E10’s mic jack on its side.

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The Sony α ZV-E10 will be available in Malaysia from September 2021 onward. You can select between black or white colour options with the new camera. At launch the Sony α ZV-E10 will be available for MYR 2,599 (body only) and MYR 3,099 for a kit lens (E PZ 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 OSS) bundle. More information on Sony’s camera systems and the α ZV-E10 can be found on their website.

Samsung Launches the Odyssey Neo G9 – The Future of Gaming by Samsung is Here

Ultrawide monitors are amazing technologies. We love an ultrawide monitor because it eliminates the need for us to run two monitors at the same time. It is also sort of a more economical way of running multiple monitors in terms of space. Instead of having to fit two monitor stands, you only need one.

Ultrawide monitors are great for gaming too, in our opinions at least. You see more of the gaming world. You get more information from the environment around you. In games like Horizon Zero Dawn, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, you get a little more immersion and situational awareness from an ultrawide view. When you go into racing games like Forza Horizon, or Assetto Corsa, or even Need for Speed titles for that matter, you get to go full immersive mode by putting yourself into the cockpit of the racing car and having all your information on one display. You only need to swivel your head to find information you need in your cockpit.

Imagine our excitement when Samsung first announced their Odyssey G9, a 49-inch gaming monitor that is a beast to work with. It packed dual 1440p displays to create a 32:9 aspect ratio that is quite unheard of. It also pushes the envelope of gaming with up to 240Hz in refresh rate, higher than any high-end monitor that boasts 1440p QHD in resolution.

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Source: Samsung

Samsung has upped the ante when it comes to the ultimate gaming monitor though. They have introduced the behemoth that is the Samsung Odyssey Neo G9. To be fair to the monitor too, the technologies fitted to it sounds more like a high-end television than a gaming monitor.

It did not lose any heft and size at 49-inch. It has not lost that ultrawide magic too at 32:9 aspect ratio on the display. At 1000R, the curvature is exactly the same as the older Odyssey G9 too. In fact, side-by-side, the Neo G9 and the original G9 looks practically the same.

Dig deeper though, and you find a world of difference in the Odyssey Neo G9 compared to the original Odyssey G9. You now find a Quantum Mini LED panel to push the same 5,120 by 1,440 pixels (Dual QHD) out of the ultrawide 49-inch display. That means more brilliant colours and brighter display.

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Source: Samsung

You get 12-bit colour depth over the 8-bit on the original G9, far more colours also mean smoother colour gradients and better lighting control on the display itself leading to more realistic and accurate colour representation from the display. At 2,048 dimming zones compared to 10 in the previous generation G9 too, the Neo G9 ensures that there are no halos on your images sitting over dark backgrounds which adds to your immersion and image accuracy. At Quantum HDR 2000 with peak brightness of 2,000 nits and 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio, black and white on the display are as black and as white as they can get.

It is an impressive feat, fitting high-end television features to a gaming monitor. What is even more impressive is that the Odyssey Neo G9 is not just a regular high-end TV in a 49-inch ultrawide guise. It comes packing the latest HDMI 2.1 to take advantage of a higher data transfer bandwidth to fully take advantage of the 240Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time on the panel. It even has both NVIDIA G-SYNC and AMD’s FreeSync Premium Pro capabilities to ensure you get the best gaming experience on either platform.

To cap the whole thing off though, the rear of the monitor features a new infinity core lighting that features up to 52 colours with five lighting effects. It also comes with a new CoreSync feature that syncs the lighting system to your games to create a higher level of immersion in games. The only issue with that system is that you do want to be in a dark room and your monitor should be facing a wall to fully experience the capabilities of CoreSync.

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The Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 with Quantum Mini LED will be available globally by the 9th of August 2021. Pre-order starts on the 29th of July 2021 and it will be priced at US$ 2,499.99 (MYR 10,575.26*). There are no colour options when it comes to the shell though, but if you place and use the Odyssey Neo G9 the right way, you will not be noticing the white coloured shell all that much anyway. More information on the Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 with Quantum Mini LED can be found on their website.

*approximately based on exchange rate of US$ 1 = MYR 4.23 on xe.com as of 27/07/2021

LG Announces the Éclair QP5 soundbar – Compact but Powerful

LG Electronics should need no introduction by now. They are one of the foremost electronics companies in the world. What most do not realise though is that LG is also one of the most foremost manufacturers in the world of home and high-end audio. At the same time, their TVs are some of the best selling in the world.

Combine their knowhow in making great audio products and immersive technology, and you have some of the best sound bars money can buy. The sound bars that LG makes are not just great sounding though. They look amazing and they can fit any home décor.

They just announced their new compact sound bar that is the LG Éclair QP5. It is tiny, a mere 296mm in width. It is only a third of the width of LG’s previously most compact soundbar that is the SP8YA. Comparing it to regular sound bars, it might as well be a quarter the size.

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Source: LG

It is still a 3.1.2 sound bar though, for that all important surround sound experience you can only get from a soundbar. It is not just a regular 3.1.2 experience though. LG has perfected this soundbar with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X support for the most complete audio experience alongside the powerful subwoofer that comes with the Éclair set up.

There is a reason why the LG Éclair is named the way it is. Its elongated oval shape resembles that of an Éclair. The chic and song design really fits the décor of a modern home, especially in smaller apartment units where space comes at a premium.

The soundbar is a clever one too. With LG AI Sound Pro, contents are analysed, processed, and presented to you in the best settings. It even has 4K pass-through support to allow users to enjoy 4K, HDR, and Dolby Vision contents with the LG Éclair.

The Meridian technology soundbar also comes with eARC support via HDMI for lossless 5.1-channel, 7.1-channel, and other immersive audio formats on the soundbar itself. It works vest with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X compatible mediums of course. Of course, the LG Éclair soundbar works best with LG TVs.

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There are no mentions on its availability in Malaysia. The LG Éclair is already available in select regions across Europe. We do think that the Éclair is a fitting product for Malaysian homes though. More information on the LG Éclair can be found on LG’s website.

Google Just Revealed the Name of Their New Wearable Platform

Nope, it is nothing revolutionary new. They call it the Wear OS 3, and nothing more. The name of the upcoming update to Google’s Wear OS is less revealing of the updates that is coming for Google’s wearable platform though.

Google Wear OS 3 can be seen as the biggest overhaul to the platform since its introduction. It started out, at least for us, when Google and Samsung announced their collaboration and commitment to smartwatches in the 2021 edition of Google I/O. The announcement from Samsung only means that the South Korean electronics giant is abandoning Tizen OS that they have developed and nursed over the years over Google’s Wear OS.

To be fair, while that is a huge commitment from Samsung, it is also a sensible move for them. It means that Samsung gets to merge their existing developer base to Google Wear OS’ larger developer base. It only means that they get more content and potentially more features for their Samsung Galaxy Watch platform too.

Source; Google

For Google, having a partner that is considered the best in the business with plenty more accolades than themselves means a lot more than just getting a helping hand. Sure, the extra hand in developing Wear OS is great. It is also a great way to understand how Samsung made the Galaxy Watch brand the brand that it is. Their partnership with Samsung is also quite natural in a lot of ways, since Samsung has been one of Google’s strongest partner brands in the Android smartphone world. Partly, it also means that Google have one less thing spend resources for development.

Samsung announced a few weeks ago that their upcoming Samsung Galaxy Watch 4, suspected to be launching in the August 11th Galaxy Unpacked event, will be the first in their line-up and the probably the world to be running this new mash up of Google’s Wear OS and Tizen OS. They called it their One UI; of course. But One UI is just an overlay of the Operating System (OS) that is the Wear OS. At that point, it was nameless.

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Source: Samsung

Google sort of announced Wear OS 3 about 15 hours ago. While it was not a revolutionary name, it is a significant update over the older Wear OS. They have started detailing which devices will get the update, for example. Most of the older generation hardware will not be getting Wear OS 3, unfortunately. In that case, if you are running a Wear device that has existed in the market for more than a year, you might want to consider retiring it and getting a new one. Of course, we will tell you to wait for the first Google Wear OS 3 devices to hit the market first before deciding.

One of Google’s biggest Wear OS device partners, Fossil has confirmed that they will be updating some of their latest generation smartwatches to Google Wear OS 3 in the coming months. They are also promising new generation wearables later on after the launch of Wear OS 3. While not officially available in Malaysia, you might want to consider looking at Mobvoi’s latest generation smartwatches if you want something that can be updated to Wear OS 3. Of course, if you can wait until September 2021, why not just get the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4?

The next big update to Wear OS, the Wear OS 3 is expected to come to watches launching in this half of the year onward. You can expect Samsung to also be among the first manufacturers to boast Google Wear OS 3, albeit in their own One UI skin. Updates to current generation smartwatches to Wear OS 3 is expected to come in in the mid of 2022 onward.

Clubhouse is Now Out of Beta! What Does That Mean?

Clubhouse became the rage late last year when Elon Musk decided to host a conversation and discussion on the platform. It became the biggest social media fad since Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat joined the party too in 2020. To be fair, Facebook is getting a little old, and people are getting a bit bored by it. It is still one of the foremost social media platforms, do not get us wrong. It is a place for absolutely everything you can imagine, from making friends, getting trades, source of daily news, to even getting dates.

Clubhouse is a unique platform though. Unlike the usual social media platforms which are heavy on visuals and are mainly visual based platforms, Clubhouse is purely audio based. Unlike most platforms as well, which stores or records your media for at least the next 24 hours, Clubhouse does not have audio recording built-into the platform. That also means that once you miss a session on Clubhouse, you missed it.

It also comes in a time where the need for human interaction is at an all-time high. The whole pandemic situation around the world has isolated us in an unprecedented rate. Working from home and not being able to interact with people as normally as we can has taken a toll on everyone. On Clubhouse, some normalisation can be achieved by naturally talking to your friends or meeting new people on the platform on subjects that you can relate to.

It started out as an iOS exclusive as well with the Android version released a bout a month ago. While Android users have to content with plenty of missing contents and features from the beta app compared to the iOS version, they were pretty much warned about the beta status. What a lot of other people do not realise though, is that while the app has existed for a year or so, the app was still in Beta mode.

That also explains the fact that you can only be invited to the app instead of simply signing up on the platform and get access to all the contents that the platform has to offer. With the Beta status taken off and finally launching in full, Clubhouse’s invite only exclusivity will be removed. Anyone in the waiting list with no invite will immediately get full access to Clubhouse’s various contents and curation.

Aside from the no waiting list update, there are a few things that is released with the updated Clubhouse. To celebrate the Japan Olympics, users can now add a national flag to their bio. There is a new icon to the app as well as part of the update.

Clubhouse, so far, is still the most popular platform of its kind. That has not stopped companies like Spotify, Facebook, and even Discord to try to get in on the Slack action with their own version of an audio chat platform though. While newer platforms like Spotify’s Greenroom may do a few things better than Clubhouse, the platform is fairly new and might take some time to stick compared to clubhouse.

Clubhouse is now available for free on both Google Play Store and Apple App Store. As mentioned, there are no more waiting list to get on the platform, so signing up and getting to the contents is just as simple as signing up on the platform itself with your mobile number. As far as we are concerned, the only downside to the platform is that the account is tied to your mobile number.

Samsung’s new Foldable Smartphones Launching in Galaxy Unpacked Event on August 11th

Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 2 was quite a brilliant device. We reviewed it, and we have plenty of good things to say about the device. Of course, no device is perfect; we had a few things we did not like too much on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 as well. For example, we did not particularly like how it was priced. Then again, it is a one-of-a-kind device.

Since the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 was released and reviewed though, everyone talks about the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3, its predecessor. When the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 launched too, there is another smartphone device that the crowd was wondering about – the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 2, a certain follow up to Samsung’s brilliant first flip smartphone with a foldable touch display.

Samsung just released a new visual for an upcoming Galaxy event. Alongside the very telling visual is also a date; 11th August 2021. Indeed, Samsung confirms that the next Galaxy Unpacked event will happen in August 2021 and on the 11th of the month.

The upcoming August Unpacked event should be a big one though. While the previous August Unpacked events have been a Samsung Galaxy Note event, this will be the first August Unpacked event that will not have a Samsung Galaxy Note device announced. We all knew this day would come though; the day that Samsung cancels the Samsung Galaxy Note series. Of course, it was rumoured for some time now. We were also expecting that Samsung releases one last Galaxy Note device in 2021, but the whole global situation had other plans and Samsung had scrapped that plan and might show up with one last Galaxy Note in 2022.

Back into the Galaxy Unpacked event and its visual. While Samsung did not mention that they are going to be launching a new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold and a Z Flip device, all rumours points to the devices being launched. Rumours and expectations are also pointing to new Samsung Galaxy Watch devices launching in the event itself. The visuals does confirm some of the rumours and expectations of the event with two silhouettes of Samsung’s famous foldable and flip devices.

The new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 is expected to come with all-new, all-improved internals. There are some talks about beefing up the display’s integrity and adding S Pen capabilities to the device as well. That could very well mean that the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 2 might get S Pen capabilities too. Although, with Samsung’s move with the S Pen being a separate accessory for the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, that would most likely be the case with the foldable devices too.

For what its worth though, you can expect Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 2 to be beasts. The devices are rumoured to pack Samsung’s latest chip technology and innovation. You can expect at least Samsung Galaxy S21 levels of hardware in the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 at least. The only issue is that we still expect the prices to be in the regions of what we saw in last year’s Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2. At least we are getting chargers in the package this time, right? We are getting the charging adapter in the box, right Samsung?

The HUAWEI P50 Has a Launch Date – Stay Tuned on 29 July 2021

Up to 2015, pundits were sure that the pocket friendly point-and-shoot camera segment will still thrive over the smartphone in the world of photography. This is until they see the Leica co-developed HUAWEI P9 smartphone. Since then, smartphone photography did not really grow. It exploded, and now every single manufacturer is pushing for more powerful camera sensors. Samsung has already gone ahead in terms of Megapixel count in a tiny camera sensor with their mind-boggling 108-Megapixel sensors. Sony pushes the threshold at 64-Megapixels at this time.

If you know photography though, Megapixel count is only half the story when it comes to image quality, clarity, and detail. You need bigger sensors too, and that is also the reason why enthusiast grade cameras and even modern point-and-shoot cameras still have their place in the world of photography today. Bigger sensors also mean more light, and therefore better low-light sensitivity; it is simple physics. The race for bigger sensors in smartphones is now on, and births the idea of the HUIAWEI P50.

Technically, we would not know if the HUAWEI P50 comes with a bigger sensor or not. So far, the rumours that the HUAWEI P50 will come with a 1-inch camera sensor is just that; rumours. HUAWEI’s Richard Yu confirms that the HUAWEI P50 will come with a “new mobile imaging technology” though.

Leaked renders show that the HUAWEI P50 might come with two rings of cameras for a quad camera set-up. One of the rings, in the renders and leaks at least, shows three lenses while the other shows a single larger lens accompanied by the LED flash module. Larger lens could mean larger sensors, or it could mean better glass material for the sensor.

We are pretty sure that HUAWEI’s RYYB (Red Yellow Yellow Blue) sensor will still find its way to the upcoming HUAWEI P50. The RYYB sensor, after all, is a HUAWEI technology and they have been boasting the sensor in their smartphones for years now. Whether or not they will be increasing the size of the RYYB sensor is yet to be seen. For all we know, HUAWEI could be using the same 1-inch sensor that the Sharp Aquos R6 launched in Japan packs. Keep in mind that the sensor is also co-developed with Leica, HUAWEI’s camera partner.

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For now, we can only speculate. It seems that we do not have to wait for long to find out if the rumours are true or we completely missed the mark. HUAWEI’s Richard Yu just confirmed in his Weibo page that the HUAWEI P50 series will launch on the 29th of July 2021, which is about 10 days away.

Richard did not confirm on whether or not this would be a global launch event though. There are no mentions on livestream links just yet too. While HUAWEI has been banned from using Google’s platform, their flagship launches has been a global affair. In that case, we do expect to hear more from HUAWEI soon.

Valve Announces the Steam Deck – Proper PC Gaming in Nintendo Switch-esque Package.

When Nintendo Switch was first teased, the PC gaming market went a little wild. Independent manufacturers took bold steps and packed all they can into a package that resembles the Nintendo Switch running the Windows platform. Despite the fact that most of these devices packs a notebook PC APU with no discreet GPU, they sold them as handheld gaming devices. To be fair, those were good attempts to squish portable gaming devices (gaming laptops) to an even more portable size. In theory also, you get the best gaming experience that is PC gaming.

Obviously, cramming PC grade hardware into constricted space is no mean feat. Most of the handheld gaming ‘PCs’ are thicker than your college textbooks and are as heavy as a brick. You need to fit cooling fans, thermal management systems, storage, RAM, and whatever else you have on a regular laptop into the small package. On top of all of that, you need to fit the controllers too. We thought that we will never see the day a handheld gaming device that can run PC games looking like a Nintendo Switch anytime soon.

Imagine our surprise then when Valve came out to say they have made a handheld gaming device that runs all your PC games. While it should not be a big surprise, it did catch the world off guard a little bit. Valve is not new in creating console peripherals for the PC gaming industry though. They were also responsible for creating something called the Steam Controller a few years back, we never saw the product ourselves though.

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The Steam Deck, they call it. It really looks like a Nintendo Switch that is permanently stuck to two third-party Joy Con controllers. You do not get the funky colours of the Nintendo Switch though. Instead, you get a completely gun metal black finish that gives it a more edgy look.

It is built to run the Steam interface on its 7-inch 720p (1,280 x 800) LCD display with 60Hz refresh rate. It is built to run games on your Steam Library on that exact same display at that resolution too. You can get better displays from smartphone devices today, obviously. The issue with better and faster displays is that it presents a very real bottleneck for modern PC games, so some level of sacrifice would be required on portable handheld devices.

Keeping the display running at full chat is an AMD Zen 2 architecture CPU (four-core, eight thread) that is also paired to RDNA 2 GPU (eight CU) custom APU for the Steam Deck. You get 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM that is non-replaceable. 16GB of RAM is ample though for a gaming PC. They even pack it with up to 512GB in an NVMe PCIe SSD format to keep things trundling along at breakneck speeds.

The controller layout does look a little weird because the D-pad lines up with the joystick. The layout is necessary though to fit the touch pads for a more intuitive navigation for the Steam Deck. The 7-inch display is also a touch sensitive display, if you really cannot figure out the controller navigation.

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Obviously, the Steam Deck runs on Steam’s custom interface. However, it is also built as a PC complete with a dock and everything with proper I/O. That also means that you can run it as a PC on a desktop display or a TV if you really want to. It runs on Linux though, so you do not get the Windows experience here. Still, you can run third-party apps on Steam Deck, something you cannot do on any other gaming consoles.

Valve’s Steam Deck comes in three flavours when it is available later in December 2021 and beyond. These are not colour options though, rather three storage options. At the most basic you are getting a 64GB eMMC internal storage. A step above that is a 256GB NVMe SSD. At the top of the food chain is a 512GB storage option. All variants come with a MicroSD expansion slot, so you still can get a MicroSD card for more storage if you need to. Prices start from US$ 399 (MYR 1,676*) for the most basic version and tops out at US$ 649 (MYR 2,727*). Compared to the Nintendo Switch, the entry level price is still more expensive. At the top as well, the Steam Deck is approximately US$ 150 (MYR 630*) more than current generation gaming consoles. You do not get to bring around your Steam Library with you on the other consoles though.

*Approximately based on exchange rate of US$ 1 = MYR 4.20 on xe.com as of 16/07/2021

Razer Barracuda X is Everything the Modern Gamer Needs

Wires are a pain to deal with. While the world of electronics has given us amazing things like the television, video games, smartphones, and even the computer, cable management has always been the bane of electronics. You need electronics to be tethered to a wall socket at least though, for power obviously.

The advancements that made the electrical battery the technology it is today though has led to the very rapid development that is wireless technology. Things like your smartphones and laptops, and even Nintendo Switch will not happen unless there is the magical block of stuff inside your devices that is called the battery. Wireless technology has also given us wireless headphones like the new Razer Barracuda X.

While wireless technology does have its limitations in terms of certain sound qualities, battery life, and even latency, most of them has been solved and improved tremendously over the years. All that culminates in the Barracuda X that can be used in any way you can imagine, without the hassle plugging cables in and dragging your devices across the room when you need to go take a leak.

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Source: Razer

The Barracuda X is truly a versatile piece of kit. You can connect it to your PlayStation console, your PC, your smartphone, and even a Nintendo Switch at the same time. Of course, the Nintendo Switch requires a special HyperSpeed Wireless dongle that comes in the Barracuda X’s packaging.

Of course, there are a slew of cables, including USB-Type C extensions and cables for charging. Because nothing beats a wired connection in terms of sound quality and fidelity, there is a 3.5mm AUX cable included in the set too. For gaming, you get a detachable Razer HyperClear Cardioid microphone. There is a good reason why it is a detachable mic.

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Source: Razer

The Razer Barracuda X is made with not just gaming in mind. It is made for gamers to use everywhere. You can tell, because it does not feature the regular outrageous or striking look of the regular gaming headset from Razer. Gone are the green, or white, or red, or yellow accents; you do not even have RGB on the Barracuda X. It looks and feels like the more subtle OPUS headphones. It does not have the Noise Cancelling technology, but it does share the same stealth design so that you can blend in when you use it outside of home.

Hardware wise, it packs Razer’s immensely powerful TriForce drivers which measures in at 40mm. That large driver should deliver rich, clear, and detailed audio that is mostly tuned for gaming. That does not mean you cannot enjoy music with it too though. Anything designed with gaming in mind should sound good in other conditions as well, especially when the headphone is capable of producing 7.1 surround sound. The high-power delivery also ensures immersive experience with a lot of volume. That should also alleviate the lack of noise cancellation technology.

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At 250g, the wireless headphone is made with comfort in mind too. The lack of weight will allow you to be a lot more comfortable with the headphone in long gaming sessions and you are going to be gaming long and hard with the Barracuda X’s 20 hours of battery life. The memory foam ear cushion is designed so that it sits flush on the side of your heads and create a tight noise seal while remaining breathable. The overhead cushion is of course important in not just spreading the weight of the headphone properly, but to relief the pressure on top of your head.

The Razer Barracuda X is available now from Razer.com and authorised dealers across the nation. You can also get them from Razer’s Official Store on Shopee and Lazada. Unlike the Opus X, the Razer Barracuda X only comes in one colour option: black. At MYR 549 though, the headphone could be one of the best value for money gaming headsets from Razer. More information on the Razer Barracuda X can be found on from their website.

TAG Heuer X Super Mario is a US$ 2,000 Smartwatch and We Are Not Sure About It

TAG Heuer is a respectable watchmaker. They are one of the most recognisable brands in the world of watch makers and collectors. Sure, compared to brands like Patek Philippe, Hublot, and even Rolex, TAG Heuer seems to sit at a lower position. Still, they make watches that would still cost you anywhere from MYR 3,000 and above. They also made some of the most memorable collection pieces in the world of watch making.

TAG Heuer is a little different than most luxury watchmakers though. They are a little more adventurous with their branding. While plenty of watchmaking brands refrain from being title sponsors in the sporting world, TAG Heuer was aggressive in promoting their brand in the sporting world. Their most significant push was into the world of Formula 1, the pinnacle of motorsports, as official timekeepers for the longest time.

They are also, to this day, the only luxury watchmaker that dabbles in the world of smartwatches. Of course, because Apple develops their own watch with a very guarded WatchOS, Samsung’s Tizen OS is also a brand exclusive, and FitBit’s interface is not exactly created for smartwatches, TAG Heuer is left with Google’s Wear OS. Then again, this is not TAG Heuer’s first Wear OS smartwatch.

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Source: TAG Heuer

The Connected series, as they call it is the watchmaker’s only Wear OS line-up. It is still currently the only luxury Google Wear device to hit the market. With prices starting at US$ 2,000, you can have your TAG Heuer Connected built with different materials to suit your taste. Now, you can look dorky with a new Super Maria limited edition too.

Yes, to be fair, the Super Mario collaboration from TAG Heuer is not really an announcement of a new product. It is merely an expansion, or a limited edition of an existing product line. The collaboration also brings with it new watch faces exclusive to the series. They are all Super Mario inspired. With the new watch faces, you also get new notification animations, especially when you hit a fitness goal let’s say.

While it is merely just a Google Wear OS device, there are some uniqueness to a Connected that makes it somewhat desirable. It has a proper crown that rotates and pushes in as a button for easier navigation of Wear OS. It has two very well-defined button too for more navigation work on your watch. Physical buttons and knobs on a smartwatch, we think, is the best way to navigate its interface still. The TAG Heuer x Super Mario Connected watch obviously has the very recognisable Mario branding on the crown. But all Connected smartwatches comes with TAG Heuer’s signature thick bezel look and stellar build quality; those are given because, TAG Heuer.

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Source: TAG Heuer

You can expect the TAG Heuer x Super Mario Connected smartwatch to cost north of US$ 2,000 (MYR 8,401*). It is a special limited edition after all. In a sense, the Super Mario smartwatch should also appeal to the younger crowd, which is what TAG Heuer wants anyway. There is a problem, however. That problem lies mostly with Wear OS.

Wear OS is in a weird place now. We want to say that Google’s Wear OS is undergoing a transformation journey, one that we cannot see. Google announced that they are partnering exclusively with Samsung to move Wear OS into the future. Samsung’s huge success with their Tizen OS means that they are a prime candidate to co-develop the next wearable OS with. Samsung will also be giving up Tizen OS for that matter but gaining a whole new community of developers in return.

There are rumours that the next Wear OS that is co-developed with Samsung will require a new set of hardware to properly run. That also means that older hardware like TAG Heuer’s Connected smartwatch might not be able to run Wear OS. While Qualcomm has claimed that older Snapdragon for wearables can run later versions of Wear OS, we cannot be sure until the next iteration of Wear OS hits devices.

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The TAG Heuer X Super Mario smartwatch comes with its own special edition case and obviously its own special straps. Its looks are subjective to its wearer, to be fair. To us, it looks like a regular smartwatch. It features whatever the regular Tag Heuer Connected smartwatch features too, including the current generation Google Wear OS.

It is a cool smartwatch to own if you have the money. At the same time, it might be a risky buy. Smartwatches are not statement piece material. A smartwatch must be functional as well, and of course, updated. In that case, the TAG Heuer x Super Mario Connected smartwatch’s price tag comes with a big ‘if’. It is great if it updates to the next Wear OS, it will be a glorified paper weight if it does not.

*Approximately based on exchange rate of US$ 1=MYR 4.20 on xe.com as of 14/07/2021