Samsung has once again partnered with renowned designer Thom Browne to create an exquisite fusion of technology and fashion. The result? The limited-edition Galaxy Z Fold5 Thom Browne Edition and the Galaxy Watch6 Thom Browne Edition.
Source: Samsung
This collaboration isn’t new; it’s the latest instalment in a longstanding partnership that began with the Galaxy Z Fold 2. What sets this year’s limited edition apart is its inspiration – the elegance of black-tie events. The Galaxy Z Fold5 Thom Browne Edition is not just a device; it’s a masterpiece. Crafted with black pebble leather and intricate detailing, it proudly showcases Thom Browne’s signature style. The iconic red, white, and blue stripes are prominently displayed on the device’s exterior, while the back glass boasts a tactile fabric texture. A black frame with gold accents and gold rings encircling the camera lenses adds an extra touch of luxury.
But the attention to detail doesn’t end with the device itself. The packaging is designed to provide an exceptional unboxing experience, reminiscent of a Thom Browne high-end briefcase. It’s not just about aesthetics; it’s also a collector’s item.
The Galaxy Z Fold5 Thom Browne Edition doesn’t come alone; it includes two exclusive leather pouch cases and a specially crafted S Pen. These accessories not only enhance the style but also the functionality of the device.
Source: Samsung
And that’s not all. The Galaxy Watch6 also gets the Thom Browne treatment. With its gold-tone body, unique watch face, and Thom Browne logo, it oozes sophistication. The red, white, and blue theme extends to the buckle and two leather straps, creating a seamless and elegant look. Even accessories like the 25W travel adapter, coin-style watch charger, and USB-C to USB-C cable carry Thom Browne’s signature touch.
Pricing & Availability
These exclusive editions will be available in limited quantities starting September 12, 2023, in select markets, including Korea. While the price remains undisclosed, tech and fashion enthusiasts alike can look forward to making their purchases through Samsung’s website.
Withings ups the ante with hybrid wearables with the release of the ScanWatch 2 and ScanWatch Light. These two hybrid smartwatches build upon Withings’ legacy of delivering cutting-edge health monitoring in sleek, fashion-forward designs.
The ScanWatch 2
The ScanWatch 2 inherits the beloved features of its predecessor, including an impressive 30-day battery life, ECG capabilities, blood oxygen measurements, and seamless integration with Apple Health.
In addition, it introduces several new features that elevate its health-tracking prowess. The ScanWatch 2 comes with continuous body temperature tracking which allows users to keep tabs on their body temperature. Together with body temperature tracking, female users of the ScanWatch 2 can now effortlessly track their menstrual cycles, including symptoms and emotions, empowering them with valuable insights.
Together with his, the new ScanWatch also comes with the ability to track Heart Rate Variability allowing users to track the response of their heart to different stimuli and events. This plays very well with the Improved Auto Activity Tracking which can now recognize over 40 different activities. You will also be able to track Respiratory Rate Readings which gives a new dimension to insights from the watch.
Withings has also upgraded the software aspect of the ScanWatch 2. HealthSense OS now features PowerSense Pro, optimizing battery life and data accuracy.
The ScanWatch Light
For those seeking affordability without compromising on essential health monitoring, Withings is introducing the new ScanWatch Light. While it may not boast all the advanced features of its counterpart, it provides key health-tracking capabilities.
The ScanWatch Light will be able to track heart rate, sleep and activities. It also places particular emphasis on menstrual cycle tracking, allowing women to log cycle stages and align their routines accordingly.
Both models cater to diverse health needs, and Withings’ unwavering focus on extended battery life and comprehensive health tracking makes these smartwatches compelling choices for individuals seeking seamless health monitoring. Pre-orders are already open, with retail availability scheduled for October 2023.
With the ScanWatch 2 and ScanWatch Light, Withings continues its tradition of combining cutting-edge technology with timeless design, setting new standards for health monitoring and style. These timepieces empower users to seamlessly integrate better health into their daily lives, marking a significant stride in the evolution of health-centric wearables.
Pricing & Availability
The ScanWatch 2 comes in various finishes and sizes to ensure both style and comfort, with additional options planned for the future. It is set for release in October. It is priced at $349.95.
The ScanWatch Light, on the other hand, is priced at $249.95.
Xiaomi has officially announced that the Xiaomi 13T series will launch on September 26 2023. The event will be held in Berlin, Germany, and will be live-streamed on Mi.com. This lineup is co-engineered with Leica, promising Leica filters and other camera enhancements in the default camera app. However, Xiaomi has not revealed how many smartphones will be included in this series.
Both the Xiaomi 13T and 13T Pro will boast a 6.67-inch OLED display with a 144 Hz refresh rate and a remarkable maximum brightness of 2,600 nits. These phones will be powered by MediaTek Dimensity 9200 and Dimensity 9200 Plus processors, supported by up to 16 GB of RAM and 1 TB of internal storage. Battery capacity is set at 5,000 mAh, and the main camera on the Xiaomi 13T Pro will feature a 50 MP sensor with OIS and an f/1.9 aperture, offering impressive photography capabilities. Other notable specs include a 13 MP ultra-wide camera and a 50 MP telephoto zoom camera, both equipped with OmniVision sensors. Lastly, the front-facing 20 MP camera will sport a Sony IMX596 sensor.
Xiaomi 13T Series Comes with Extended Software Support
Both the Xiaomi 13T and 13T Pro models are promised to receive five years of security updates. This commitment to software support exceeds Google’s three-generation update policy for Pixel phones. The Xiaomi 13T series is expected to ship with Android 13-based MIUI 14 out of the box, with the potential for updates up to Android 17.
We are proud to announce a significant enhancement to our commitment to providing exceptional software support. Xiaomi 13T and Xiaomi 13T Pro will include 4 generations of Android OS upgrades, as well as 5 years of security patches.
VMware Inc. and NVIDIA (NASDAQ: NVDA) are expanding their strategic partnership. Their mission? To ready the multitude of enterprises dependent on VMware’s cloud infrastructure for the imminent generative AI era.
Generative AI, the driving force behind intelligent chatbots, assistants, search engines, and summarization tools, is revolutionizing industries. VMware Private AI Foundation with NVIDIA is designed to democratize this transformation. It offers an integrated solution, seamlessly combining generative AI software with NVIDIA’s advanced accelerated computing, all within VMware Cloud Foundation, optimized for AI applications.
The synergy between generative AI and multi-cloud environments is profound. Enterprise data resides in various locations, including data centres, edge devices, and diverse cloud platforms. VMware and NVIDIA aim to empower enterprises to harness generative AI while preserving data privacy, ensuring security, and retaining control.
Enterprises are in a race to implement generative AI, with the potential to contribute up to a staggering $4.4 trillion annually to the global economy. VMware Private AI Foundation with NVIDIA is stepping in to empower them to expedite this journey. It enables enterprises to customize large language models (LLMs), construct secure and private models for internal use, offer generative AI as a service, and scale inference workloads securely.
With emerging concerns surrounding data privacy and security with deploying Generative AI tools like ChatGPT at an organisational level, VMware Private AI Foundation with NVIDIA empowers organizations to use the full capabilities of Generative AI without the worry of data leaks. Enterprises can deploy AI services close to their data, safeguarding data privacy and ensuring secure access.
It also provides them with diverse options for constructing and running models, including leading OEM hardware configurations without ruling out the potential integration with public clouds. This choice doesn’t come at the expense of performance with NVIDIA’s accelerated infrastructure. It promises performance equal to or even surpassing bare-metal solutions.
When enterprises are ready to scale, they can do so seamlessly and without much hassle. GPU scaling optimizations in virtualized environments facilitate the efficient scaling of AI workloads across multiple nodes. Scaling and implementation costs can also be minimized through VMware Private AI Foundation with NVIDIA. This is thanks to resource optimization and a shared resource environment fostered by the platform. In fact, the platform is built with fast prototyping capabilities with pre-installed frameworks and libraries allowing enterprises to fail quickly and achieve development milestones at an accelerated rate.
Aside from this, the platform will be deployed on performance-optimized NVMe storage and GPUDirect® storage over RDMA for seamless data transfer. Networking performance is also sustained and accelerated with deep integration between vSphere and NVIDIA NVSwitch™ technology ensuring efficient multi-GPU execution.
The platform integrates NVIDIA NeMo, a cloud-native framework simplifying the creation, customization, and deployment of generative AI models. NeMo offers customization frameworks, guardrail toolkits, data curation tools, and pre-trained models. It provides enterprises with an efficient, cost-effective, and expeditious path to adopting generative AI. For production deployment, NeMo leverages TensorRT for Large Language Models (TRT-LLM), optimizing inference performance on the latest LLMs on NVIDIA GPUs.
VMware Private AI Foundation with NVIDIA receives robust support from Dell Technologies, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, and Lenovo. These partners will offer systems equipped with NVIDIA L40S GPUs, NVIDIA BlueField®-3 DPUs, and NVIDIA ConnectX®-7 SmartNICs. These components will supercharge enterprise LLM customization and inference workloads.
VMware aims to release VMware Private AI Foundation with NVIDIA in early 2024, marking the continuation of a decade-long partnership that has optimized VMware’s cloud infrastructure to run NVIDIA AI Enterprise with the performance of bare metal.
Samsung is back with a mesmerizing blend of tradition and technology in their latest release: the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic Astro Edition. Drawing inspiration from ancient astrolabes, this timepiece is more than just a smartwatch; it’s a work of art.
Inspired by ancient astronomy
The Galaxy Watch6 Classic Astro Edition’s standout feature is its astrolabe-inspired bezel. But what exactly is an astrolabe? Think of it as an ancient astronomical calculator used for navigation. Samsung’s innovation lies in reimagining this ancient tool as a functional, rotating bezel on a modern smartwatch.
This bezel not only adds a touch of sophistication but also serves as an intuitive navigation tool. It retains it standard function of effortlessly scroll through apps and menus with a satisfying click. The highlight are the depictions of constellations, stars, and other lunar bodies, along the top of the bezel.
Honoring the legacy of astronomy in the MENA region
Samsung has chosen to launch their wearable masterpiece exclusively in the MENA region, adding an element of exclusivity to the Galaxy Watch6 Classic Astro Edition. The countries in the region include UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Egypt, Jordan, Türkiye and Morocco.
Samsung stated that the astrolabe was chosen as it “symbolises the (MENA) region’s legacy of scientific and innovative contributions, particularly in time, astronomy and mathematics”. It’s a testament to Samsung’s commitment to tailoring their products to specific markets.
Exclusive astronomy-inspired features
Beyond its stunning design, this smartwatch packs a punch when it comes to technology. It is only available in the 47mm variant and features all the essential functions you’d expect from a premium smartwatch, including heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking, and fitness tracking.
On top of that, you get exclusive, astrolabe-inspired complications. These include a compass complication on the dial and solar/lunar phase tracker that lets users track the movement of the sun and moon.
Bridging the past and future on your wrist
The Samsung Galaxy Watch6 Classic Astro Edition is a celebration of craftsmanship and innovation. It will be available starting 2nd August 2023, with no official pricing available as of yet. There will be an exclusive purchase offer that includes an additional fabric strap, Astro Edition collectibles, and access to Samsung’s VIP exclusive promotion store.
By integrating traditional design elements with modern innovation, Samsung has created a wearable that bridges the past and the future.
Sonos is creating new ways to enjoy your sound yet again with an update that makes the Sonos Move even more appealing. The new Sonos Move 2 comes with meaningful updates that put its competition to shame.
Source: Sonos
The new hallmark of the Sonos Move 2 is an update to true stereo audio. The update brings immersive music and sound for every event – be it at the beach, the pool, at the campsite or in your dining room. Yep – that’s right. You’ll be able to use the Move 2 with peace of mind at the pool or beaches with peace of mind thanks to its IP56 rating. Keep in mind that this only means that the speaker is splashproof and not meant to be taken with you when you swim. To make things less of a hassle, the Move 2 comes with wireless charging capabilities, You’ll be able to use the wireless charging pad that comes in the box with every unit and it’ll be fully charged anytime you need to go.
Source: Sonos
In addition to these updates, the Move 2 now has 24 hours of battery; that’s double the battery life of the original Move. You’ll also be able to stream your audio over WiFi or Bluetooth. It also comes with Trueplay tuning which will continually work to optimise your sound to bring the fullest, richest sound for the environment you’re in. It can also now support concurrent connections from both WiFi and Bluetooth as well as stereo pair to another Move 2 unit. You also have the option to use the Sonos Line-in Adapter.
It’s not just about the music with this new offering. It’s also one of the most sustainable speakers from Sonos. The Move 2 has been optimised to reduce idle energy usage by more than 40%. It also incorporates recycled plastics and has a replaceable battery unit. However, with the replaceable battery, you will need to go to a Sonos service centre or a TC Acoustic Service centre in Malaysia and Singapore.
Of course, the Move 2 comes with a design update with the minimalistic design cues we saw in the Sonos Era. This includes the same capacitive volume slider and Sonos Voice Control. You’ll also be able to use Amazon Alexa and Apple Airplay2. More controls are available through the Sonos app available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
Pricing & Availability
The Sonos Move 2 will be available in Black, White and Olive colourways. It will be priced at USD$449, SGD$799 and MYR2,799.
It will be available for pre-order starting now (6 September 2023 at 9 p.m.) from TC Acoustics online store and at the Sonos Concept Store at The Starhill from 7 September 2023. In the US and other regions, it will be available from the Sonos Official website.
Garmin has once again upped the ante in the world of smartwatches with the announcement of the Venu 3 and Venu 3S. These new additions to the Venu series bring an array of advanced features designed to support your health and fitness goals, all wrapped in a stylish package.
Source: Garmin
The Venu 3 series comes in two sizes: the Venu 3 with a 45mm case and the Venu 3S with a 41mm case. While they may vary in size, both models offer exceptional features to cater to your individual needs.
One standout feature of the Venu 3 series is its battery life. In smartwatch mode, the Venu 3 boasts an impressive 14 days of battery life, allowing you to wear it day and night without the hassle of nightly charging. The Venu 3S, although slightly smaller, still offers a substantial 10 days of battery life.
Both models include Garmin’s advanced sleep-tracking features. The Sleep Coach feature provides you with a personalized sleep score and coaching recommendations based on your sleep patterns, exercise routines, and recovery data. Additionally, these smartwatches can automatically detect and track your naps, ensuring you get a comprehensive view of your sleep quality.
One of the most noteworthy additions is the Wheelchair mode, a feature tailored for users in wheelchairs. This mode tracks daily pushes and offers insights into weight shifting, providing valuable data for those with mobility challenges. Animated on-wrist workouts specifically designed for wheelchair users are also included.
The Venu 3 series is loaded with fitness insights, allowing you to better understand your body’s needs. You’ll receive a detailed overview of sleep, recovery, heart rate variability (HRV) status, and more through the morning report. These insights help you make informed decisions about your daily activities and exercise routines.
Customizing your workouts is made easy with the ability to create custom interval workouts for running and cycling directly on the watch. Whether you’re a seasoned athlete or just starting your fitness journey, these features cater to all levels of fitness enthusiasts.
Source: Garmin
Garmin understands the importance of staying connected, even when you’re on the move. The Venu 3 series comes equipped with a built-in speaker and microphone, allowing you to make and take calls directly from your wrist when paired with a compatible smartphone. You can also respond to text messages using your smartphone’s voice assistant.
Pricing & Availability
The Venu 3 and Venu 3S offer a variety of colours and straps. The Venu 3 comes in whitestone/silver and black/slate with an etched bezel, while the Venu 3S offers a range of colourways, including pebble gray/slate, sage gray/silver, French gray/ soft gold, dust rose/soft gold, and ivory/soft gold.
Apple‘s upcoming mixed-reality headset, the Apple Vision Pro. The upcoming headset is set to blur the lines between the virtual and real worlds, and Apple is taking steps to ensure that users have a multitude of apps at their fingertips from day one.
The Vision Pro is set to launch with its own OS dubbed visionOS and it’s set to face an uphill climb when it comes to apps. It looks like Apple is looking to tackle this challenge head-on. The company has announced that iPhone and iPad apps will seamlessly integrate into the visionOS App Store. This means that users will have access to their favourite apps and games, creating a more connected, productive, and entertaining experience.
Developers, in particular, will appreciate Apple’s approach. The company is streamlining the process by ensuring that most iPad and iPhone apps can run on visionOS without any modifications. This decision eliminates the need for developers to rework their existing apps for the new platform.
According to Apple, “By default, your iPad and/or iPhone apps will be published automatically on the App Store on Apple Vision Pro. Most frameworks available in iPadOS and iOS are also included in visionOS, which means nearly all iPad and iPhone apps can run on visionOS, unmodified.”
While the automatic integration of existing apps is a significant advantage, Apple is also empowering developers to take things further. The visionOS Software Development Toolkit (SDK) provides developers with the tools they need to optimize their apps for the Vision Pro headset. This includes adding elements such as 3D content designed for eye and hand input, creating a more natural and immersive user experience.
The company plans to release a developer beta version of visionOS in the fall. This beta will include the App Store, ensuring that developers can test their apps on the platform well in advance of its official launch.
Users can expect to explore their favourite iPad and iPhone apps side by side with new visionOS apps on the expansive canvas of the Apple Vision Pro. The headset is slated for release early next year, making it a highly anticipated addition to Apple’s product lineup.
Apple’s decision to seamlessly integrate iPhone and iPad apps into the Apple Vision Pro ecosystem is a strategic move that potentially simplifies the user experience and streamlines development. It’s a step towards ensuring that the new platform has a rich library of apps from the get-go which ultimately benefits users and developers alike. As we await the Vision Pro’s official launch, it’s clear that Apple is committed to ensuring that it leaves a mark while trying to redefine the mixed reality experience.
vivo announces its latest mid-range entry, the vivo V29e to be available in India starting 7th September 2023.
A decent mid-range entry for vivo
The device comes with all the expected features of a modern mid-range device. It is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 chipset, which is becoming a mainstay for mid-range devices. It offers decent performance and power efficiency despite being an older chipset. The chipset is supplemented with 8GB of RAM and the either128GB or 256GB storage, expandable with a microSD card. To keep things powered, there is a 5000 mAh battery which supports 44W wired fast charging. The device will also run Funtouch OS 13 on top of Android 13 out of the box.
Cameras are a 64MP main shooter with OIS and an 8MP ultrawide module that are housed in the camera rings. It does come with an impressive front camera, a 50MP module with eye autofocus. There is also an exclusive Wedding Style Portrait feature, which allows snapping of bridal pictures with exclusive color palettes from top Indian photographers.
Color-changing glasses and 120Hz AMOLED display
The Artistic Red glass panel changes from red to black when exposed to UV light. Image source: GSMArena
Another highlight feature is the color options for the vivo V29e. It features vivo’s Artistic Design finish, which are color-changing glass backs. The Artistic Red variant can change from a vibrant ruby red to black when exposed to UV light. There is an Artistic Blue option that does not seem to have a color change feature. The color-changing glasses are also accentuated with prism-like designs, making the device aesthetically pleasing. The vivo V29e is rounded out with a 6.78-inch AMOLED display, offering vibrant colors and a 120Hz refresh rate. The display is also curved further feeding into the aesthetics of the device.
Pricing and availability
The vivo V29e will be available in India starting 7th September 2023, with pre-bookings open on the vivo India official website and local retail partners. Pricing is INR 26,999 (~RM 1518) for the 128GB storage version and INR 26,999 (~RM 1630) for the 256GB storage version. At the moment, there is no official announcement of availability in other regions.
Amazfit has unveiled its latest creation – the Amazfit Balance. This feature-packed smartwatch is set to revolutionize the way we approach health and wellness, with a host of AI-powered features that cater to both body and mind.
Source: Amazfit
The Amazfit Balance boasts a 1.5-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 480×480 pixels and an impressive peak brightness of 1,500 nits. This display not only delivers vibrant visuals but also ensures readability even under direct sunlight.
AI-Powered Wellness
What sets the Amazfit Balance apart is its holistic approach to wellness. Powered by Zepp Aura, this smartwatch integrates AI-driven features that provide insights into your mental and physical well-being.
Source: Amazfit
One standout feature is the readiness score that is delivered every morning. This score is a result of analyzing your sleep patterns, offering valuable insights into how sleep impacts your mental and physical condition. It’s a window into the delicate balance of activity and recovery that’s crucial for overall wellness.
Users can also conveniently measure body fat percentage, skeletal muscle, muscle mass, water percentage, bone mass, protein levels, BMI, and Basal Metabolism, all from their wrist with the Amazfit Balance. While the watch focuses on the upper body, pairing it with the Amazfit Body Composition Analyzer Mat1 provides a more detailed picture of your overall body composition.
It’s become increasingly accepted that ensuring a good night’s sleep is vital for overall wellness. The Amazfit Balance offers AI-powered sleep guidance and relaxation tools through Zepp Aura’s rest and wellness service. This subscription service intelligently adjusts soundscapes for sleep, rest, meditation, and more based on biometric data picked up by the watch.
For fitness enthusiasts, Amazfit introduces Zepp Coach AI Chat, which responds to your questions in a friendly and informative manner. Zepp Aura AI Wellness Coach focuses on rest and wellness-related queries, while Zepp AI Fitness Coach zeroes in on sports and fitness-related questions. It’s like having a personal trainer right on your wrist.
Contactless Payments
Amazfit adds an extra layer of convenience with Zepp Pay, facilitated by a partnership with Mastercard. This contactless payment feature simplifies transactions, enabling users to make purchases using their Amazfit Balance smartwatch. Linking your bank accounts and credit cards to the Curve Super app streamlines your daily transactions, eliminating the need to carry cash or cards.
Despite its advanced features, the Amazfit Balance doesn’t compromise on battery life. It can last up to 14 days with typical usage and an astonishing 25 days with battery-saver mode activated. This longevity ensures that your smartwatch keeps up with your active lifestyle.
Pricing and Availability
The Amazfit Balance is now available for purchase in select countries, with prices starting at USD $ 229.99 (MYR1,068.33) or EUR€249.90 (MYR1,245.43).
While it’s currently available in select countries, Amazfit has teased a potential local launch in Malaysia, leaving us eagerly awaiting its arrival.
