Category Archives: News

Android, Business, Computers, Consumer Electronics, Editorial, Health, Lifestyle, Mobile, News

Google I/O 2021: Everything You Need to Know

May 20, 2021 Darwin Sucipto 1 Comment

Google I/O 2021 is happening right now. The three-day conference kicked off with a bang though. To put it bluntly, Google I/O 2021 kicked off with a two-hour keynote highlighting everything coming from Google in 2021. While two hours do sound like a lot of drag, the announcements do sound mighty interesting though.

Google Workspace for Everyone

They kick off with something that everyone is concerned about in the period of pandemic, working from home. For that Google has something called Google Workspace. Google Workspace has been one of the most popular and thriving services since the world has gone into isolation with the looming pandemic situation. In 2021, the suite is updated with something called Smart Canvas.

Smart Canvas is a collaborative workspace within Google Workspace built for project management and keeping track of a project with your team members. It is kind of like a private chat or conversation within the larger organisation, but much cleaner. You can create and share Google Docs, Sheets, and even Slides within the group and work on the files together in real time.

Workspace is also now integrated with Google Meet, Google Doc, Google Sheet, and Google Slides. That also means that you can have a meeting on Google Meet within Google Workspace, share your files across the chat, and even edit the files together with your team in the Meets room. It is all about making remote collaborative work as seamless and organised as possible. Google also said Google Workspace will be available for free later in the year.

More in Google Search

Google search can also bring contents or search results that comes from other parts of the world in different languages with the integration of Google Translate algorithm and Google Lens as well. On top of that, Google is improving their language understanding and processing algorithm that should benefit more than just Google Translate, Google Lens, and regular Google Search.

They developed something called Wavenet, to make Google Assistant sound more natural and more contextual. They put that together with something they call Multitask Unified Model (MUM). All these makes Google Search and Google Lens the most powerful search and item identification tool ever.

The technologies that got mashed together means that Google search is not just single words anymore. It could be a sentence, a photo, and even both. The results can turn to be more than just web suggestions too. The result can turn out to be top suggestions, a place, and even connect you to merchants to buy what you need. If you set up your Google wallet correctly with all your merchant memberships as well, Google can connect you directly to deals that might be tied to your memberships too. There is a bit more to that too with Google Chrome, where you can track back your shopping carts on various sites even after you close the page.

Cleverer Google Maps

Google Maps is technically the most popular navigation app in the world. But that does not mean the app is flawless. There is always room for improvements.

Eco and Safe Driving

For example, Google introduces an ‘Eco Mode’ into the app. That basically means Google will take you through the most fuel efficient and economical route to get you to where you want and need to be. It may not be necessarily the fastest though, just keep that in mind.

They also introduced ‘safer driving’ routes for Google Maps. Obviously, that is what we call it, not what Google calls it. The idea is to navigate you to routes that might avoid traffic with sudden braking points and overall a smoother, clearer ride. All these are obviously done with Google’s navigation algorithm, traffic analysis, and GPS data such as speed or acceleration that Google Maps itself can see and work with in real-time.

Better Live View

They have expanded on Live View too in this case. Google Maps Live View does not just include navigation data in Augmented Reality anymore. It now shows you street names so that you can navigate better. It also now includes points of interest, landmarks, and you can pull up information regarding a place including its reviews directly from Maps app itself. Google Maps is also introducing Live View indoors now. It starts with the major train stations and airport in Zurich for now. The feature will be introduced to Tokyo also next month.

More Details

If you are getting yourself around by driving though, Google Maps is also a lot more detailed. Major intersections with road crossings and traffic lights will now show on maps so that you are better prepared. With Google’s understanding on your behaviour, your routine, and your usual routes, Google can also highlight relevant information, landmarks, or points of interest for you. A breakfast takeaway for example, on a Monday morning drive to work.

On top of all of that, Google Maps can now be a tool to help you plan your day not just on the road. Google Maps can track or predict how busy and packed an area will be at certain times just so you do not have to squeeze into the area at that time. You could plan to go another day for example, or just not go at all if it is not important. This is important in this day and age where social distancing is a recommended practice.

LaMDA

LaMDA is meant to be a conversational Artificial Intelligence (AI). Google says they have been using and testing it internally and it is powered by everything great about Google’s search engine and linguistic programming. In its demo, it sounds like an amazing piece of tech that could keep you having conversations with it from day to night.

It is programmed to know everything there is to know about our current world and situation. But it is not built to answer you with data necessarily. It is built to have natural conversations about the weather in general terms like “you might want to bring an umbrella in the afternoon”, rather than “there is a 78% chance of a light rain at 2.00 p.m.”.

While the answers that we saw from the demo does sound a little metallic and robotic at times, we cannot wait for LaMDA to be introduced into things like Workspace, YouTube, or even Google Maps. It is like having your own version of Iron Man’s JARVIS in your smartphone, or PC, or whatever you fancy.

More Organised Google Photos

Google Photos is a little bit more than just your photo gallery now though. It is now something you can use to create photo collages, to understand yourself better, and sort of your memory bank. Google’s image recognition recognises your photo patterns and puts all of them together to tell you that you tend to take photos of a certain context or a certain look. It tells you that you might be attracted to a certain sort of colour for example.

With Machine Learning (ML) as well, Google Photos can stitch multiple similar photos taken in succession to create a moving photo or video for you, even if there are gaps. Organisation and searching for your photos are even more intuitive too when you can find photos associated to certain celebrations for example.

Android 12 and Wear OS

Trust us when we say Android 12 is a huge overhaul of the Android OS. There is nearly no difference in terms of function, to be fair. Most of the changes are in the way things look and gets organised, and even customised. They call all this Material You design.

In terms of looks, things are a lot more intuitive, most organised, bigger, and a lot less cluttered. You get more control in how your User Interface (UI) looks in total as well. There are supposedly about 22% faster animation, they say.

You get more control over your own security and even privacy, and they are easier to access and understand with Privacy Dashboard. With the new UI as well, IoT controls are more front and center than before. There is a new improved remote app for your Android TV too.

Wear OS is getting a fresh lease of life too, thankfully. They want to make Wear OS a major smartwatch platform competitor to Apple’s WatchOS. To do that they managed to strike a partnership with their long-time partner, Samsung to bring Tizen and Wear OS together to make a more robust wearable operating system (OS) for everyone to use. Fitbit will also be introducing their own Wear OS later in the year and lend their expertise and know how in health and fitness into the upcoming Wear OS.

Your Safety, Privacy, and Protection Matters

Google has also improved their Google Password Manager. While the app still functions the same as before, you can now transfer password information from older devices. That also means that your passwords can be stored on-device instead of on-cloud. With Android’s on-device encryption nature, saving your managed passwords on your device could be a more secure option. With compromise alerts, you know when your accounts are accessed, and you can easily change passwords for whatever you have quickly via Password Manager.

Privacy Core

Google also introduced something called their Privacy Core. It is Google’s effort in giving control over information shared with Google back to its users. Supposedly as well, thanks to Privacy Core, you Live Caption sessions or translations will not be shared back to Google.

But security and privacy are more than that as well. It spreads to your search history, and even browsing history. Google is including an option now to delete ‘recent history’ on your Google Chrome.

Even in Google Maps, you can tell the app to not track your location history just so that the app does not collect your location data. You can allow Google Maps to track you accurately, or just give Google access to your approximate location now, in different apps. Not allowing Maps to track your data and build a history data also means that you are not going to get recommendations or suggestions from Google though. A worthy trade off, we think, for more privacy.

Better Health, Better Quality of Life

Since Google’s expansion and changing their own corporate name to Alphabet, they have been hugely involved in medical research. One of the places they have been pushing on is in the field of Mammograms. Google’s AI push into the platform means that screening for breast cancer is more accurate than ever. Their AI also helps doctors in understanding Mammograms and the severity in the diagnosis helping the health institutes prioritise different cases.

That is not all though. Dermatology is one huge field that could be expanded even using your own devices. Because this field has more to do with skin conditions, Google Lens can be an early diagnosis tool. You can take a photo of your skin conditions and Google can possibly identify what you have to a certain degree. Of course, nothing replaces a doctor in matters of treatments and full diagnosis, so Google can direct you towards a dermatologist near you via your browser. This feature will be available in the EU region by the end of the year 2021.

Project Starline

Speaking of health, we cannot ignore the current pandemic situation. We are all recommended to stay at home as much as possible and avoid as much human interaction as possible. The COVID-19 pandemic, while has brought humanity together more than ever, ironically has isolated us even more too.

Project Starline is a video chat tool that uses multiple cameras to create a 3D image model and project that 3D image to another part of the world. While that means that the file packages from that implementation are so bug that our regular internet speeds will not be able to cope, Google is working to compress the image files to a more sensible package size so that the images can be transferred using our regular internet connection.

The function of that is to implement a 3D video chat experience. While regular video chat today has progressed further than before, nothing replaces a physical presence and interaction. The idea with 3D projection calls looks to bridge that gap a little. Although you cannot touch the person still, having a 3D representation of a person is as close as you can get in having a physical presence in today’s world.

Google I/O 2021

To wrap up, Google announced that they are committing to shift their entire operation to carbon free energy sources by 2030. While Google has been proud of operating entirely on renewable energy, they are taking the first steps in relying on clean energy that does not leave any footprints. The commitment has led them to invest into Geothermal energy currently.

As promised by Google, the Google I/O 2021 is the largest ever. It is not just based on attendance though. It is also about the number of things that Google is introducing for 2021. It is also about Google’s commitments for the future, and we are excited, especially for Wear OS. For more information on what happened in Google I/O, you can check out Google’s Blog.

Android, Mobile, News

OPPO A74 Makes Malaysian Debut While the Reno5 Gets A Price Cut

May 19, 2021 Nur Jeevan Leave a comment

OPPO is getting really busy with more and more devices coming into the Malaysian market. Just a few weeks back, the company launched their most affordable 5G smartphone, the OPPO A74 5G. The 4G variant of the OPPO A74 is now set to make its debut on May 20, 2021. It will be coming as an exclusive to LAZADA. It will be retailing for MYR899 and will be available with freebies for its first sale.

The OPPO A74 comes packed with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 processor complemented with 6GB of RAM. It will also have 128GB of UFS 2.1 memory and support for up to 512GB of extra memory via a microSD card. It supports 33W fast charging through a USB-C port. On the camera front, it has a triple sensor setup with a 48-megapixel main camera sensor with an f/1.7 aperture, a 2-megapixel macro sensor with f/2.4 aperture and a 2-megapixel depth sensor with an f/2.4 aperture. The OPPO A74 supports 4K video recording at 30 fps. The front camera is a 16-megapixel sensor with an f/2.1 aperture. The phone is powered by a 5,000mAh battery.

The affordable option from OPPO also comes with a 3.5mm headphone jack and an under-screen fingerprint sensor. To complete the media experience, the smartphone comes with a 6.43-inch FHD+ AMOLED screen with a 1080×2400 pixel resolution and 60Hz refresh rate. It will be running ColorOS 11 atop Android 11.

Together with the new smartphone, OPPO is also repricing the OPPO Reno5 5G. The mid-range offering will now be priced at MYR1,699, MYR200 cheaper than its launch price. The new pricing makes the smartphone one of the more affordable 5G devices available on the market now. It also comes with OPPO’s VOOC Charge 2.0 and a camera setup that brings all of OPPO’s signature camera features.

Accessories, Editorial, Health, Lifestyle, News

[Google I/O 2021] Google & Samsung Take Wear OS to the Next Level

May 19, 2021 Nur Jeevan 1 Comment

Android Wear or Wear OS as it was renamed a few years ago has been a little anaemic when it comes to updates; that is until NOW. Google took the stage at I/O 2021 to announce what could be the biggest and most important update to Wear OS: Google and Samsung are partnering to push Wear OS to the next level. The announcement confirms rumours which have been making their rounds for months.

The new partnership sees Samsung bring their know-how, expertise and features from their successful Tizen OS to Wear OS. As the companies put it, they are bringing “the best of their platforms together into one unified experience”. So what does this mean exactly? Well, the biggest change is that Samsung’s next Galaxy Watch will be shipping with Wear OS instead of Tizen OS. While this might seems like Samsung will be leaving their older watches behind, the company reassures its users that Galaxy Watch and other Tizen OS powered wearables will be receiving updates and support for at least 3 years after their launch.

Improvements Under the Hood

That aside, the new collaborative Wear OS approach also brings a slew of improvements that will not only be improving the user experience but also making developing for Wear OS a lot easier. The collaboration’s biggest improvement comes in its improved load time. Google is touting a whopping 30% improvement in app load times. In addition, Samsung and Google have made improvements to the lower layer of Wear OS to improve battery life. If you’ve used Wear OS smartwatches, you’d know that battery life can be an issue with them.

Google and Samsung have optimised background processes, making them more efficient and less intensive on the processors. In fact, processor-intensive processes like continuous heart rate monitoring have been optimised to use lower power cores to conserve power. This also opens the doors to more power-efficient features for wearable devices. Samsung has also helped with power efficiency with its bundled sensors which allow them to include more than one sensor in a single module.

More Diverse User Experience

Aside from improvements under the hood, the improvements are also creating a more diverse user experience. Manufacturers are now allowed to skin the operating system to have a more unified look across their devices. This also means that we might see slightly different experiences from manufacturers like Tag Heuer, Fossil and even Samsung will have their own design language when it comes to the user interface for their wearables. Google is expecting that the new customizability will result in a more diverse Wear OS ecosystem.

Google is also opening up more features in the OS to developers. Developers will be able to bring features like tiles to their apps. They have also integrated development for Wear OS into Android’s Development Studio. They are creating a more unified development experience across Android and Wear OS with a single touchpoint for development. Development is also made easier with Google’s Jetpack development suite which allows developers to call and implement API more readily. In addition, they are bringing Kotlin APIs to Wear OS.

Wear OS is also getting more focused on health with help from Samsung. Developers will be able to create new apps and improve their current apps with a more streamlined and simplified work flow. This comes thanks to the new Health Services platform which allows developers to retrieve data without building from scratch. Developers are able to take advantage of continuous data from the sensors and other contextual metrics without impacting the battery life of the device too much.

New Apps, Better Experience

Finally, these improvements directly impact how the OS performs and how accessible apps will be for the platform. The most direct improvements that users will be benefiting from is improved navigation on wearables. Google is bringing simple improvements like a double-tap to jump to your most recent app and even simpler swiping gestures to access your information.

Source: Google / Double Tap for Recent App

Google is starting the ball rolling with updates coming to its core apps like Google Maps, Google Pay, Google Assistant and YouTube Music. The first change that will be coming to these apps is the adoption of the new “Material You” design. In addition, Google Maps will be getting better, more visible turn by turn navigation to help with using the app on the go. There are plans to take Google Maps offline. The same applies to YouTube Music as well. Google Assistant and Google Pay will be getting improvements as well. The latter will be making its way to 26 countries in the next few months while the former will become more user friendly on Wear.

It isn’t just Google that is improving its offerings. Spotify has revamped its experience on wearables; allowing users to seamlessly move on the go. The simplified interface allows users to not only control their music but also seamlessly switch between speakers and their Wear OS device. Other companies like Nike, Calm and Adidas have been working on revamping their experiences on OS. Fitbit will also join the Wear OS family. Wear OS apps will also be more visible on the Play Store with a dedicated section and recommendations.

The new Wear OS will be making its way to the market in the coming year. Current Wear OS devices find out if they are getting the big update in the coming months.

Computers, Gaming, News

MSI Launches new 11th Generation Intel and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 series Laptops for Gamers.

May 18, 2021 Darwin Sucipto Leave a comment

When you think about getting yourselves a gaming rig, a few manufacturers will make your shortlist. One of those names is definitely MSI. MSI has been exclusively making gaming focused rigs since their inception, and they are rather good at it. They will not hold out as one of the top gaming brands in the world unless they are good at what they do.

Gaming PCs and laptops have evolved over the years though. Users want power from their rigs. They want even more portability and flexibility when it comes to their gaming laptops. They also want versatility, and an understated aesthetics that could fit even in a corporate meeting room. Out goes the over-the-top, sharp-edged design and in comes the sleek, understated, clean cut designs. That is 2021.

Of course, with 2021 things are also a little different. The old GPUs are outdated, the older CPU is also outdated. You need more power, you need Intel’s latest and greatest, you need NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 30 series GPU.

MSI GE76 Raider & GE66 Raider

Source: MSI
Source: MSI
Source: MSI
Source: MSI

The GE76 (17.3-inch) Raider and GE66 (15.6-inch) Raider gaming notebooks are technically MSI’s ultimate gaming laptops to date. It packs Intel’s latest 11^th Generation Core i9 for raw processing power. The Intel ultimate is also paired with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 (up to) for unmatched gaming performance.

The GPUs power up to 4K (up to) in resolution on both rigs. Both displays images at 100% sRGB too for bright, saturated, and accurate colours in games like Shadow of the Tomb Raider. You feel like you are in the game itself. The CPU ensures that games are delivered to you at up to 360fps (360Hz) too (120Hz on GE76 UHD variant).

If you want, you can spec your Raider gaming laptop with up to 64GB of RAM and two NVMe M.w SSDs (1x PCIe Gen4, 1x PCIe Gen3) for up to 4TB of storage. On top of all the internals is a full RGD keyboard designed by SteelSeries, a world renown gaming peripherals manufacturer. While the GE76 weighs just under 3kg, the smaller GE66 Raider is only 2.38kg for a more agile gaming experience.

MSI GS76 Stealth & GS66 Stealth

In 2021, the name of the game is also stealth. For that, you need something ultra-thin, and ultra-light. That is the MSI GS76 Stealth and GS66 Stealth. It is everything the GE Raider series is, but in a tighter and smaller package.

In the slim body you still get the ultimate 11^th Generation Intel Core i9 that is also paired with NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 3080 (up to). The GS76 Stealth’s 17.3-inch display can also be specced up to a 4k 120Hz panel just like the GE76 Raider. The 15.6-inch on the GS66 Stealth can also get a UHD 4K IPS display like the GE66 Raider.

Everything else under the SteelSeries RGB keyboard from its RAM slot layout and storage layout can be completely similar to the GE Raider series on the GS Stealth series. All except the speakers though. The GE76 Raider gets two woofers for an extra immersion while the GS76 Stealth only gets dual stereo speakers designed by Dynaudio. Understandably though, the thinner body of the GS76 Stealth will not accommodate chunky woofers.

True to its name, the MSI GS76 Stealth is only 20.25m thick and weighs just a little just under 2.5kg. The GS66 Stealth packs in tight as well at up to 19.8mm in thickness weighing just over 2kg.

MSI Pulse GL76 & Pulse GL66

Source: MSI
Source: MSI
Source: MSI
Source: MSI
Source: MSI

Further down the line you have the MSI Pulse GS/Crosshair series. As you can already tell in the naming scheme, there are 17.3-inch and 15.6-inch variants.

You do not get Intel’s ultimate gaming processor in the Core i9 with these ones. The 11^th Generation Intel Core i7 should still prove to be a capable gaming processor though. Paired with an NVIDIA GeForce 3060 (up to), your games should still run nice and smooth at QHD resolution. You can opt to get your Pulse GL series with up to 64GB of RAM if you need to. With up to two NVMe PCIe Gen3 M.2 SSDs, you would not be wanting more in terms of storage space and speed.

The displays also refresh at 165Hz to give you a competitive edge in eSports titles. If you are using the notebook for work, you would be happy to know that both display sizes offer 100% of DCI-P3 colour gamut coverage so you know you are getting good colours from the notebook.

All of that, and its 3-cell battery are packed in underneath an RGB backlit gaming keyboard by MSI. The total package is kept under 25mm in thickness for extra portability. At 2.3kg (up to) as well, it is light enough for you to lug around to work with and to game with anywhere or at a LAN party if need be.

MSI Katana GF76/Sword 17 & Katana GF66/Sword 15

You might think QHD is a little bit of an overkill on a gaming notebook, especially since 17.3-inch is too small for you to appreciate all those pixels. Full HD gaming is all you need, and 144Hz is good enough. There is the MSI Katana GF/Sword series. The naming scheme refers to the colour options you get with the MSI GF series gaming laptops.

You also still get the power of Intel’s 11^th Generation Core i7 processor in the Katana/Sword series. You can pair that CPU to a budget friendly NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 or a powerhouse of an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 GPU. With two RAM slots, the MSI Katana/Sword series can pack up to 64GB in RAM. Although, to be reasonable, 16GB or up to 32GB is more than enough in this case. There are also two NVMe PCIe Gen3 M.2 SSD slots for you to spec up to 4TB of high-speed SSD space on the MSI GF series.

There are no fancy RGB here too, no fuss. The Katana variant gets red backlit keyboard while the sword gets a blue backlighting. Everything is packaged in a body about 25mm thick. Still, at 2.3kg for the 17-inch variant, the GF series notebooks are still portable enough for a good LAN party. Before that though, you are going to bring it into your boardroom.

Computers, News

MSI Launches new 11th Generation Intel and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 series Laptops for Creators.

May 18, 2021 Darwin Sucipto Leave a comment

MSI is one of those names that you normally associate with high-performance computing especially in the field of gaming. Unlike their competitors, their entire line-up of PCs and laptops are focused on high-performance and high-demand computing solutions. Now, that also means creator-grade PCs.

Their single-minded drive to produce the best and most powerful solutions for all kinds of gaming and creation needs also pushes the brand to create the most desirable machines with the latest and most powerful innovations. For 2021, it means Intel’s latest 11^th Generation Core processors and NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 30 series. But power is just half the story, aesthetics rule too, in the modern world of creator-class rigs.

MSI Creator Z16 & M16

Source: MSI
Source: MSI
Source: MSI
Source: MSI

For creators, the display could be everything. When you are on-the-go though, sometimes it is a case of ‘beggars cannot be choosers’. Not in the case of the Creator class Z16 though.

You still get a large 16-inch display at 16:10 display factor. For a super smooth experience in your work and 3D work, the panel refreshes at 120Hz as well. Technically, 120Hz (Z16) on this IPS display will look stellar too, if you are thinking of gaming. It is a creator class PC though so the QHD+ resolution is displayed at 100% DCI-P3 colour gamut for the most colour accurate images possible. It is also a touchscreen for even more flexibilities on the move.

A display like this requires a lot of power from the rest of the hardware within the notebook though. This is where the 11^th Generation Intel Core i7 processor kicks in to ensure you have 120fps from your programs and final product. The powerful processor is paired with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 mobile GPU (RTX 1050 or RTX 1050 Ti for M16) to keep up with all sorts of 3D and rendering demands. With up to 64GB of configurable RAM, you would not be wanting for more power from this thin (16.8mm, Z16) and light (2.2kg) package.

There are two NVMe PCIe Gen4 M.2 SSD slots (1x PCIe Gen 3 M.2 SSD for M16) within the svelte and understated all-metal body too. That means you can even get up to 4TB of storage if you want with two 2TB SSDs. With Gen4 speeds too, your workflow will be smoother and quicker than ever with nearly no bottlenecks.

You still get two full USB Type-A ports alongside two Thunderbolt enabled USB Type-C (1x for M16) ports for the best-in-class expandibility in terms of I/O. Unfortunately, power still goes through a proprietary port via a 180W adapter (150W for M16). There is also a 3.5mm combo audio jack if you are into music production and audio engineering, but the four stereo speakers tuned by Dyneaudio should be powerful enough for audio monitoring and even enjoying music on the side.

MSI Creator 17

Source: MSI
Source: MSI
Source: MSI
Source: MSI

Working on-the-go also means that you might have to compromise on display size. But there is a way with MSI. The Creator 17 is that way to have no compromises whether or not you work on your desk, and even when you are working on-the-go.

First things first, you get the most powerful processor of the lot; an 11^th Generation Intel Core i9 processor. You can spec your desktop replacing machine with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 (up to) if you want or need to. You can even spec your rig with up to 64GB of RAM if you really need.

Storage wise, you have one NVMe PCIe Gen4 slot for your ultra-fast working storage unit and another NVMe PCIe Gen3 M.2 SSD slot for whatever that you have already worked on. It is still fast too in today’s standards, if you need it to be your working drive still.

The internals powers Windows and other creator programmes that projects on a 17.3-inch Ultra HD 4K resolution Mini LED display. Just so you can do your best work even on-the-go, the Creator 17’s display is a HDR 1000 certified panel with 100% DCI-P3 colour gamut coverage. For your audio needs, you have two stereo speakers designed and tuned for Dynaudio for the best sound reproduction you can have in a notebook PC.

While all that might sound like a lot of heft in a notebook PC, the MSI Creator 17 weighs just 2.45kg. At 20.25mm in thickness as well, it is not what you would call a hefty item. It comes packing a 230W slim adapter to keep the package small and portable, just in case you need to get going quickly.

Lifestyle, Mobile, News

Clubhouse to be Available on Android Worldwide by Friday!

May 17, 2021 Darwin Sucipto Leave a comment

Last week we saw Clubhouse finally taking the plunge into Android. The blogpost from Clubhouse themselves, dated 9^th May 2021 said that they will be pushing into the Android market with a Beta app starting with their home market, the United States of America. Apart from their home market though, they said they will be pushing into other English-speaking markets in the coming weeks.

We thought that we will only get Clubhouse in two to four weeks. To be fair, while Malaysia is considered a major English-speaking nation, English is not necessarily our first language if we are being politically correct. In that case, we were guessing that nations like Singapore and probably India to get Clubhouse first before Malaysia. India mostly because of its population density and the various Android devices that the market houses as well. The large and diverse sample sizes could prove useful for the Clubhouse development team in bug testing, stress testing, and even diagnosing porting issues.

We were proven wrong though. Just a week in and Clubhouse announced that the rest of the world will be getting Clubhouse on their Android devices. According to their twitter post that is about 14 hours old, the Clubhouse version of Android will see the light of day in Japan, Brazil, and Russia by Tuesday; that is tomorrow. Nigeria and India will see the Clubhouse app by Friday morning. The rest of the world will get the app by Friday too, albeit in the afternoon. Our prediction that India might get the stuff sooner than Malaysia did sort of come true.

Clubhouse on Android, as per mentioned last week, is still in Beta stage though. There will still be some bugs on the app, and we can expect the Android app to not have all the features available to users from the iOS camp. We are expecting improvements to come over the coming months to bring the Android version of the app to what the iOS users are already familiar with though. The only function we do not expect to make it into the Android app in Malaysia at least is their payments function. That feature is also not available on Clubhouse on iOS in Malaysia too.

You can expect Clubhouse to gain traction quickly in the Android playing field too. Despite other social media giants like Twitter and Facebook launching their own Clubhouse-like features, they have not gained the traction to match Clubhouse and therefore proved unpopular among users. But of course, there is one thing that might prevent a large influx of Android users into Clubhouse though. Clubhouse remains an invite-only platform. For you to start an account with Clubhouse and join conversations, you must have an invite from your friends already on the platform.

There are also issues and controversies raised surrounding the app itself too. There are issues concerning its security and privacy at some point. The app has also been criticized for not being friendly to the hearing-impaired community. The app is still quite young though; it is barely a year old, to be fair. There is still plenty to improve on at this point. Currently, the app has focused a little more on creators with plans to fund over 50 audio shows on Clubhouse as part of an accelerator program. They are also planning to introduce in-room tipping for creators, paid events, and even subscriptions into Clubhouse soon. Live podcasting from us anyone?

News

Maxis Introduces Family Plan with Unlimited Data from MYR299 a month

May 12, 2021 Nur Jeevan Leave a comment

Data is getting more affordable thanks to plans from providers such as Maxis. The company unveiled a brand new package which makes being connected even more affordable with prices starting at MYR299. The new package takes their current MaxisONE packages and supercharges it with unlimited data and even fibre broadband.

The new Maxis Family plan bundles fibre internet or a Home 4G WiFi connection and unlimited data for up to four lines. The four lines consist of a single principal line with three supplementary. The base package which will cost you MYR299 bundles a 30Mbps fibre broadband connection with the four Maxis mobile lines. However, subscribers will be able to opt for higher connection speeds at a premium. The 100Mbps connection will cost an additional MYR40 while the 300Mbps will cost an additional MYR60, 500Mbps an additional MYR130 and the 800Mbps an additional MYR210. These charges are incurred monthly. If additional mobile lines are required, they are available for MYR48 a month.

However, to sweeten the deal, Maxis is offering an appealing slew of devices for subscribers through their Zerolution plans. Subscribers are able to get a 65-inch Samsung 4K UHD television for as low as MYR1 a month for 24 months. Of course, this will be on the highest plan which includes the 800Mbps connection at MYR509. All four lines under the new Family Plan will also be able to get devices under the Zerolution programme with instalments starting at MYR19 a month each.

The new plan comes in light of the increased data consumption of Malaysians. As noted by Arjun Varma, Head of Maxis Consumer, “Our insights have shown that families in Malaysia are using more data and there is a demand for a seamless digital experience for children, spouses and even the elderly living at home. With the Maxis Family Plan, we want each one of them to have unlimited high-speed data at a very affordable value per line along with high-speed broadband and also access to latest smartphones, tablets and smart TVs.”

Business, Computers, Lifestyle, Mobile, News

Samsung and Lenovo Not Attending MWC 2021 in-Person.

May 12, 2021 Darwin Sucipto Leave a comment

Mobile World Congress 2021 (MWC 2021) is upon us. The conference is set to happen in Barcelona next month and it is where some of the world’s electronics giants meet to introduce new products or new concepts for 2021. It is a place where we might get to see new smartphones being launched as well.

Last year’s MWC was cancelled for obvious reasons. While MWC has kicked-off as a physical event for 2021, a lot of people still think it is a bad idea to attend the conference in-person. One of those people who recently decided that it was not a good idea is Samsung. Lenovo joined that boat soon after.

Samsung cited health and safety reasons for not attending MWC 2021 in-person. This does not mean that they are not participating in the conference though. Samsung will still be present at MWC remotely. In other words, MWC 2021 will still happen for Samsung, but taken completely online.

Samsung and Lenovo join several high-profiled giants in their physical absence in Barcelona for MWC 2021. Among the big names that announced their physical absence at Barcelona includes Sony, Nokia, Ericsson, Oracle, and even Google. All of them cited health and safety concerns for their staffs for not attending MWC 2021.

All of this is not particularly unexpected though. The COVID-19 pandemic that started in 2020 is still a major global concern with new strains discovered every other month or so. The current infection numbers are not particularly encouraging as well, leading governments to close their borders and restrict movements and employing tighter regulations to curb the pandemic. The decision to bring events online is also inline of Apple, Google, and E3’s decision to bring their conferences and events completely online and completely free to attend for people around the world.

While the numbers are dwindling, there are still some key attendees yet to announce their physical absence for MWC 2021 though. Among some of those names are LG and Xiaomi. LG though has announced that they are pulling out from the smartphone business recently.

GSMA claims that they have anticipated the move from manufacturers to back out of being physically present in MWC 2021. In light of the pandemic and their cancellation in 2020, GSMA has also developed their own virtual platform to ensure that participating brands can still have their MWC presence. The online platform also ensures that attendees still get to experience MWC 2021, albeit in a more personal and private manner.

Source: Reuters , Tech Crunch

Computers, Gaming, News

ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 and S17 Are the Ultimate Gaming Notebooks You Want in 2021

May 12, 2021 Darwin Sucipto 1 Comment

The introduction of Intel’s new Tiger Lake 11^th Generation Intel Core processor is actually more significant than you think. While the desktop variants may not have seen that much in terms of progress, the mobile variants have. The most powerful mobile processor Intel houses now is the Intel Core i9 instead of the good ol’ Intel Core i7.

In that case, if you want the ultimate gaming notebook, you might want to look for that golden number ‘9’ on your notebook. There is not that many manufacturers out there that would offer you that kind of power though, mostly because they cost so much. But ASUS, they are a little different, especially when it comes to their in-house skunk works gaming department that is the ROG.

While ROG already makes some compelling choices for gamers in the ASUS ROG STRIX series and ROG Zephyrus G series line-up, those are not really the ultimate tools for the modern gamer. Above the Zephyrus G line-up there are even thinner and even more powerful stuff. These are the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 and the ASUS ROG Zephyrus S17.

ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16

Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS

At the higher end of the gaming spectrum is the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 gaming notebook. Like the previous high-end gaming notebook, there is liquid metal technology in this one too. While it doesn’t pack the innovative keyboard hinge that S17 has, this one is still a highly powerful machine that you can game with and work with at anytime, anywhere.

The ROG Zephyrus M16 packs the new Intel Core i9-11900H processor. The range-topping Intel processor is paired with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 GPU for an amazing gaming experience and also seamless content creation. This combination also powers an industry-first, fast 16-inch 165Hz refresh rate 3ms display that pushes WQXGA (16:10) resolution. You even get 100% of DCI-P3 for great colour accuracy, important when you are creating content on-the-go.

With up to 2TB in SSD storage, you should not be wanting more in terms of storage for all your games and even content creation needs. You also get up to 32GB of RAM, which is sort of an overkill for gaming, but perfect for content creation. What makes the whole package more interesting is that it comes with a USB Type-C charger that charges at 100W, so you do not have to lug around a heavy package to get the notebook working. They say also you can get about eight hours in battery life with the Zephyrus M16.

The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 is said to be available in Malaysia at the end of June 2021 onward, barring any shipping delays (NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD). There is no official pricing just yet at this time but ASUS says that pricing should be announced June onward.

ASUs ROG Zephyrus S17

Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS

At the top of the ladder you get the very innovative, very powerful ASUS ROG Zephyrus S17 with Intel’s Core i9-11900H processor. The powerful CPU is paired with a very powerful NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 GPU. The very powerful GPU can power up to a 17.3-inch QHD display at up to 165Hz in refresh rate.

The ample 16GB (up to) of RAM should help the notebook trundle along nicely even when you render 4K videos. With up to 2TB of storage with up to 2 extra NVMe PCIe 3.0 M.2 slots, there should be no worries with storing all your games alongside your contents. On top of that, a 100W USB Type-C charger should keep the notebook running happy and fast while remained plugged in. The charger can also charge the notebook to 50% in just 30 minutes.

The notebook also features an innovative hinge that lifts the keyboard for a larger opening for increased airflow. The newly designed fan also helps airflow for the notebook. The lifted keyboard also allows for a better and more comfortable typing experience.

The availability ASUS ROG Zephyrus S17 has yet to be announced at this time. That also means there is no official pricing for the device at this time. We are keeping our ears close to the ground for any sings of availability of the ASUS ROG Zephyrus S17 though.

Lifestyle, News

Samsung Brings More Customisability with the Expansion of Bespoke Appliance Line Up

May 11, 2021 Nur Jeevan Leave a comment

Samsung’s appliances have been one of the most trusted in the world. Late last year, the company took things to the next level with the announcement of their new Bespoke line up of refrigerators. It brought options for consumers to customise and express themselves when it came to creating a refrigerator which was able to blend seamlessly into the interior design choices you make in your home. There was only one limitation – availability. That changes today with the expansion of ability to North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, select regions in Asia and Africa and more.

The customisability of their Bespoke line up is also being expanded with more options coming to the line up. In South Korea, customers will be able to choose from a range of over 360 colours and finishes to create appliances that fit seamlessly into their home. In addition to colours, customers are also able to choose from unique designs from artists such as Thibaud Herem and Andy Rementer.

Samsung’s Bespoke brand is not only expanding in customisability. It’s also expanding to include other appliances such as water filters, ovens, microwaves and more. The now extensive Bespoke range covers every aspect of the home that you can think of. Samsung introduced the Bespoke Air Purifier, Bespoke Jet and Jet Bot AI+, Bespoke Refrigerator, Bespoke AirDresser, water purifier, Bespoke ShoeDresser and Bespoke Cube Refridgerator. All of these appliances come with colours and finishes that are hallmark of the Samsung Bespoke line up.

The Bespoke Fridge is spearheading the Bespoke paradigm with increased customisability. You’ll be able to select from a range of finishes and sizes. The Bespoke refrigerator comes in all shapes and sizes in a modular form factor that allows users to pick and choose what they want according to their needs and space restrictions. The updated Bespoke fridge also comes with some features from Samsung’s FamilyHub fridge including a flex zone which allows users to customise the zone according to their needs. It can go from a normal fridge to a crisper to a freezer. The Bespoke fridge also comes with reversible doors which allow you to choose how and which way the fridge door opens.

Naturally, the Bespoke line up integrates seamlessly into Samsung’s SmartThings Platform. This allows the Bespoke line up to become seamlessly connected to your IoT setup. Using SmartThings, Bespoke users can access even more functionality such as SmartThings Cooking which provides access to personalised meal plans and recipes, SmartThings Pet which allows you sync your Bespoke appliances to make life as comfortable for your pet even when you’re not around, SmartThings Air which allows you to sync your air purifier and air conditioner and SmartThings Clothing Care for more efficient laundry management.

Pricing & Availability

Samsung’s Bespoke line up will be making it’s way to North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, select regions in Asia and Africa and more in the coming months. No pricing or specifics have been announced just yet.

The Bespoke Refrigerator will be available in multiple configurations. In the U.S., the fridge will be available in a 4-door flex, 1-door column and a bottom mount freezer. It will be available 1-door column, slim 1-door column and bottom mount freezer options. The U.S. will see the roll out of a full range of kitchen appliances including the Bespoke microwave, oven and more. No information on the availability and models in other regions have been shared by Samsung just yet.

techENT