VAST Data has launched its regional headquarters in Singapore, marking its entry into the Asia Pacific and Japan (APJ) region. This expansion follows a significant US$118 million Series E funding round, propelling its valuation to US$9.1 billion. Founded in 2016 and officially launched in 2019, the company’s unique architecture unifies unstructured and structured data into a single system, revolutionizing data storage and processing.
Renen Hallak, co-founder, and CEO of VAST Data, underscores the importance of data in today’s digital landscape. “Data is the backbone of the digital economy, yet much of it remains untapped. With the VAST Data Platform, organizations can make real-time, data-driven decisions.”
Singapore is an ideal base for the company’s APJ (Asia Pacific and Japan) operations, boasting a robust data centre ecosystem and strategic location. Sunil Chavan, Vice-President of VAST Data for Asia Pacific and Japan, highlights Singapore’s pivotal role in the company’s expansion. “Singapore’s pro-business environment and tech hub status make it the perfect launchpad for our regional operations.”
Partnering with local cloud providers, the company aims to revolutionize industries across the region. Agoda, the digital travel platform, has become the company’s first client embracing VAST Data’s innovative solutions to drive business growth.
Calling all young inventors and problem-solvers! The prestigious James Dyson Award is back for 2024, inviting engineering and design students to submit groundbreaking solutions to real-world challenges. From March 6 to July 17, aspiring innovators can showcase their ideas for a chance to secure a portion of the global prize fund.
This year’s competition aims to harness the power of creativity to address pressing global issues, spanning from healthcare to environmental sustainability. Open to students and recent graduates worldwide, the Award celebrates ambitious designs with the potential for significant impact.
Established in 2005, the James Dyson Award has propelled over 400 young inventors towards success, providing them with invaluable support and recognition. With more than RM5 million in prize money awarded to date, the Award has become a beacon for budding entrepreneurs and change-makers.
Sir James Dyson, the visionary behind the Award, emphasizes the importance of fostering innovation and problem-solving. He believes that it’s the unconventional thinking of young inventors that leads to breakthroughs, shaping a brighter future for all. With past winners tackling challenges ranging from healthcare to disaster relief, the Award continues to inspire and empower the next generation of innovators.
The competition’s rigorous selection process, overseen by expert Dyson engineers, ensures that only the most promising designs make it to the global stage. From national winners to international champions, each accolade represents a step towards realizing impactful solutions.
Past recipients of the James Dyson Award have gone on to achieve remarkable success, propelled by the exposure and resources provided by the competition. From educational toys promoting hand hygiene to lifesaving medical devices, these innovations demonstrate the transformative potential of design and engineering.
As the competition unfolds, national winners and runners-up will vie for a coveted spot on the global shortlist, with Sir James Dyson himself selecting the ultimate winners. The journey culminates in the announcement of the Global Winners on November 13, marking a celebration of innovation and ingenuity.
The James Dyson Award is not just a competition—it’s a platform for young innovators to turn their ideas into reality. With the deadline fast approaching, aspiring inventors are encouraged to seize this opportunity to make their mark on the world.
Samsung’s Galaxy A series has always been about marrying flagship features with affordability. Over the past few years, Samsung has worked hard to bring camera features and more from its flagship smartphones to the Galaxy A series. Last year, it was Nightography, this year, the focus is on security with Samsung’s Knox Vault and a brand new feature called Auto Blocker. Both the Samsung Galaxy A55 5G and the Galaxy A35 5G will be coming with these enhancements.
Knox Your Average Midrange Device
The Galaxy A55 and A35 will be breaking new ground as the first Galaxy A device to come with Samsung Knox Vault. Samsung’s Knox Vault provides hardware-level encryption and security to the smartphone. It even has measures to resist physical and temperature tampering to keep data secure.
With Knox Vault, sensitive data like Samsung Pay, your PIN, passwords and biometric data are physically isolated from the operating system. In addition, Samsung’s Knox security software will also bring added protection. The multilayered security solution has always been included in Samsung’s devices but is now enhanced on the Galaxy A55 5G and the Galaxy A35 5G with Knox Vault.
Together with Knox Vault, the Galaxy A55 and Galaxy A35 will be able to take advantage of Samsung’s Auto Blocker. This feature will allow you to opt-in to prevent things like app sideloading, malware and malicious commands by scanning app packages and even prevent unauthorised codes from running when you plug in USB cables or devices. This can be enabled through the Security and Privacy dashboard on the devices.
Midrange with a Difference
Speaking of devices, Samsung midrange devices have been head-turners when it comes to performance over the past few years. This year is no different. The Galaxy A55 and Galaxy A35 both come with Exynos systems on a chip. The A55 comes with the Exynos 1480 SoC which comes with the AMD RDNA2-based Xclipse GPU. The A35, on the other hand, comes with an Exynos 1380 SoC with a Mali-G68 GPU. Both come with a 6.6-inch SuperAMOLED display with FHD+ resolution, a 120Hz refresh rate and Gorilla Glass Victus+. Both have IP67 water and dust resistance and are powered by a 5,000mAh battery.
The differences continue when it comes to the camera setups of the A55 and A35. The A55 comes with a triple camera setup with a 50-megapixel main camera supported by a 5-megapixel macro camera and a 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera. Upfront is a 32-megapixel front camera. The main sensor of the A55 comes with autofocus and OIS. The A35 come with the same 50-megapixel sensor but is supported by an 8-megapixel ultrawide camera and a 5-megapixel macro camera. On the front is a 13-megapixel selfie camera. Both setups support Samsung’s Nightography technology with the A55 having a little bit of an edge thanks to its advanced AI Image Signal Processing (ISP).
Samsung continues to offer one of the best software support in the mobile industry. The Galaxy A series will be receiving four generations of Android OS and One UI upgrades and five years of security updates.
Pricing & Availability
There is no official Malaysian pricing or availability just yet. However, in the Philippines, the Galaxy A55 will be retailing for PHP24,990 (RM2,110.74) while the A35 will be retailing at PHP20,990 (RM1,772.88). These are variants with 8GB RAM and 256GB of internal storage that will be available starting on 18, March 2024.
In Europe, prices for the A55 start at €479 (RM2,446.35) while the A35 starts at €379 (RM1,935.59).
Both the A55 and A35 will be available in Awesome Ice Blue, Awesome Lilac, Awesome Lemon, and Awesome Navy colourways.
You know how we tend to plan to change our home appliances and tech to better suit our needs and changing style? …and you know how we always say we can do that later when we see the price tags? Well, LG is looking to change that by making home tech and appliances less of a hassle and less of a strain on the bank account.
The company is introducing a first-of-its-kind home tech and appliance rental service. Of course, the way things are structured may seem very familiar, but the new Rent-Up program is catered to some of LG’s cutting-edge appliances like the LG Styler, the PuriCare Objet Water Purifier, the LG PuriCare Air Purifier and even the LG Cord Zero handheld vacuum. These items can be leased from as low as RM40 a month. The leasing period goes up to 7 years after which the appliance belongs to you.
The new Rent-Up program covers nearly all of LG’s product lines from its webOS-based smart TVs to its refrigerators and vacuums. What’s more the products being offered through the program are all compatible with LG’s ThinQ app. This means that you’ll be able to set that load of wash to complete as you leave the office or even find out what groceries are needed from your smartphone. The best part may be the fact that you can set the Styler to prepare your outfit while you take a shower so your outfit will be crisp when you put it on.
The new Rent-Up program allows you to live a connected life with LG’s lineup of AIoT-enabled appliances. The program is already available in Malaysia through LG Malaysia’s Rent-Up webpage. There is a limited selection of appliances and tech on the webpage now but it looks like LG will be updating its offerings soon.
Samsung launched its latest flagship the Galaxy S24 series a little over a month ago. Together with the launch, Samsung is working in collaboration with MRT Corp for a station takeover of one of the largest rail stations in Kuala Lumpur’s public transport system – the Tun Razak Exchange station. The takeover sees the Tun Razak Exchange (TRX) station get an aesthetic makeover featuring the Galaxy S24 series and Galaxy AI.
The TRX MRT station sees over 220,000 commuters pass through its halls each day and is located in the heart of Kuala Lumpur’s financial district. The station is also a key interchange station for the Kajang-Kwasa Damansara and Putrajaya-Sg. Buloh MRT line. As part of the takeover, the station will be renamed to Tun Razak Exchange Samsung Galaxy.
In addition to this, the Tun Razak Exchange Samsung Galaxy station will be taken over by the Samsung Galaxy S24 series and Galaxy AI. Commuters will be treated to a visually revamped TRX Samsung Galaxy station with artwork that will feature Samsung’s latest flagships. There are also kiosks for commuters to touch and feel the Galaxy AI touting flagship.
The Launch of Tun Razak Exchange Samsung Galaxy
The takeover was officiated today, 29 February 2024 with the presence of key executives from Samsung Malaysia and MRT Corp. The station’s takeover was officiated by the President of Samsung Malaysia, Denny Kim, Chief Marketing Officer of Samsung Malaysia, Elaine Soh, Business Director of Mobile eXperience at Samsung Malaysia, Kevin Kim Tae Hoon, CEO of MRT Corp, Datuk Mohd Zarif Hashim, CFO of MRT Corp Shahrul Fadli Omar and Chief Commercial Officer of MRT Corp, Schrene Goh.
The Launch of Tun Razak Exchange Samsung Galaxy
Samsung Members who will be passing the TRX Samsung Galaxy station can redeem an RM5 Touch ‘N Go eWallet voucher from the Samsung Experience Store a short distance from the station’s entrance in The Exchange. You can take advantage of this offer from the Samsung Members app. Don’t forget, you will need to visit the Samsung Experience Store to complete the redemption.
OPPO is no stranger to wearable tech. The company announced its first Air Glass concept more than 2 years ago. This year, it’s working to up the ante when it comes to this concept while leveraging AI and Generative AI advancements that have been the hallmark of the past two years.
The OPPO Air Glass 3 comes with a slew of improved features including a reduced 50g of weight. Together with this, OPPO is deploying a brand-new material called a resin waveguide which it has developed in-house. This waveguide has a refractive index of 1.70 which is similar to the lenses we use for corrective glasses. Together with this, the new OPPO Air Glass 3 comes with a full-colour display – a massive update from the previous monochrome display. It also comes with a peak brightness of 1000 nits.
Even with all those upgrades, OPPO is managing to bring even bigger updates to the Air Glass 3 in the form of Generative AI and AI-enabled features. When the Air Glass 3 is paired to a smartphone with the Air Glass app, it will be able to leverage AndesGPT, OPPO’s in-house AI model. While the company has not elaborated on how exactly the Air Glass will be able to fully leverage the AI, it is accessible through voice commands. This can be done by touching the temple of the glasses. OPPO also collaborated with Qualcomm and startup, AspenTek, to develop a new AI motion algorithm that allows for better quality pictures and video from moving subjects.
Like previous models, the Air Glass 3 also supports touch and gesture controls. This can be used to control music playback, navigate information displays and the UI as well as quick actions when in calls. Speaking of calls, the Air Glass 3 features reverse sound field technology. This is an open acoustic design that allows you to listen to calls and music without the need to wear or plugin earphones. OPPO has also improved noise isolation in the Air Glass 3 by including 4 mics among other innovations.
The company hasn’t yet announced any availability for the Air Glass 3 but it looks ready for the market. We’ll just have to wait and see when and if the XR Glasses hit the market.
Lenovo is showing off its latest line up of laptops at MWC 2024! The new laptops come equipped with Intel’s latest generation Core Ultra processors which not only promise top notch performance but also long battery life. The newly refreshed Lenovo ThinkPad T Series, the Think Pad X12 and the ThinkBook 14 are bringing more than just a hardware refresh this year. Together with an updated CPUs, it’s going to be coming with a whole slew of AI-powered features that will utilise the dedicated NPU in Intel’s new Core Ultra processors.
Lenovo ThinkPad T Series
The ThinkPad T series will be coming with new entries into the ThinkPad T14, T14s and T16 lineups. These laptops are built for business users who are looking for reliable, durable devices with some of the latest features for enhanced productivity. The new updates come with a Communications Bar which houses a 5-megapixel webcam and microphones. These laptops also adopt a simple one-handed lip for easy opening and closing of the device. The laptops will also make things a little more accessible with tactile markings making it easier for the visually impaired to navigate the keyboard. These markings were first introduced with the ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2-in-1 Gen 9 and the X1 Carbon Gen 12.
Repairability and sustainability have become core tenets of Lenovo’s product lineup. The new ThinkPad T14 Gen 5 and T16 Gen 3 have been designed to be repair-friendly. Lenovo did this with insights from iFixit Solutions team. These laptops feature a battery without cable connectors, a fully socketed DIMM design and replaceable SSD and WWAN cards. The laptops also have visual indicators to ease the repair process.
Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable Gen 2 & ThinkBook 14 2-in-1 Gen 4
The Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable Gen 2 is designed to be a sleek productivity partner for life on the move. With a durable 3:2 display, powered by the latest Intel Core Ultra U series processors and an integrated AI engine, it effortlessly adapts to your needs. With up to 32GB Dual Channel LPDDR5x memory, multitasking becomes a breeze. The detachable folio keyboard, three-button TrackPad, and optional magnetic pen enhance versatility for professionals on the go. It comes with a 5-megapixel camera with an Infrared sensor that allows you to sign in to Windows with Windows Hello and an 8MP World-facing camera so you can capture and scan documents. It also comes with CAT16 4G WWAN support.
Lenovo’s ThinkBook 14 2-in-1 Gen 4 redefines portable computing with its sleek design and intelligent features. The innovative drop hinge design, measuring just 16.85mm in thickness and weighing 1.64kg, sets a new standard for portability. The 14-inch display, with a four-side narrow bezel, achieves an impressive 90% screen-to-body ratio, delivering an immersive visual experience. Enhancements like a 1.5mm key travel on the keyboard and a glass-like Mylar touchpad contribute to comfortable and precise user interaction. The Magnetic Slim Pen adds a touch of convenience, while security features like the Match-on-Chip fingerprint reader and optional Infrared camera ensure data safety. Intelligent computing is at the forefront with features like Smart Power for balanced performance and Smart Meeting for improved conferencing. Lenovo’s commitment to sustainability is evident through the use of recycled aluminium and Post Consumer Content plastic materials. The ThinkBook 14 2-in-1 Gen 4 seamlessly blends powerful performance with a thoughtful and eco-friendly design.
AI-Imbued for Maximum Battery Life and Productivity
Powered by the latest Intel Core Ultra processors and equipped with Windows 11, these laptops create an advanced AI ecosystem. They prioritize security, energy efficiency, and immersive user experiences, seamlessly integrating with a variety of software applications leveraging dedicated AI acceleration support. Notable features include Copilot in Windows and a physical Copilot key, optimizing daily tasks for unparalleled ease and speed.
This marks a significant step in the AI PC revolution, showcasing Lenovo’s commitment to delivering tailored AI solutions. The laptops redefine personalized PC experiences, elevating collaboration, customer interactions, and data analysis. With AI-enabled software tools, these ThinkPad and ThinkBook laptops set a new standard, enhancing creativity and efficiency across diverse workflows. Lenovo’s innovation reflects a transformative approach, ushering in a new era of intelligent and engaging computing solutions.
Pricing & Availability
The new slate of Lenovo laptops will be available starting from March 2024. The ThinkPad T14 will also be available with AMD’s Ryzen 8040 series processors with Ryzen AI.
Model
Availability
Starting Price (USD$)
Starting Price (RM)*
ThinkPad T14 i Gen 5
Starting April 2024
$1,199
RM5,727.51
ThinkPad T14 Gen 5 AMD
Starting May 2024
$949
RM4,533.28
ThinkPad T14s Gen 5
Starting April 2024
$1,399
RM6,683.13
ThinkPad T16 Gen 3
Starting April 2024
$1,219
RM5,823.25
ThinkPad X12 Detachable Gen 2
Starting April 2024
$1,399
RM6,683.13
ThinkBook 14 2-in-1 Gen 4
Starting March 2024
$1,169
RM5,584.40
*Pricing in Malaysian Ringgit (RM) isestimated based on conversion rates on XE.com on 26 February 2024 [USD$1 : RM4.7771]
Lenovo‘s innovation is taking centre stage as the company is showing off a proof of concept device at MWC 2024. The concept? A transparent display on a laptop; more specifically, the company calls it the “ThinkBook Transparent Display” Laptop.
Being a ThinkBook, the device is a larger form laptop with a 17.3-inch display. It really brings that cyberpunk or “Minority Report” aesthetic by going all in on the transparent aesthetic. The display is a completely transparent, borderless 17.3-inch Micro-LED. The transparent keyboard area also adopts this aesthetic.
Lenovo is touting that the ThinkBook Transparent Display Laptop is a glimpse of the future as companies continue to leverage micro-LED technology. The technology allows companies like Lenovo to create transparent displays thanks to the high colour saturation and contrast and its 1000-nit brightness. The combination provides good visibility in both indoor and outdoor environments.
That said, the laptop is also a proof of concept that integrates virtual and real environments. Lenovo believes that the transparent surface provides an excellent surface for AI-generated content and collaboration. The transparent surface allows users to overlay digital information naturally within its environment. You’ll even be able to switch between a keyboard and a drawing board that supports input from a stylus. You’ll even be able to interact with data and applications in new ways according to Lenovo.
Speculation has been rife since last week that Microsoft plans to move away from the current status quo of having exclusive games for its Xbox console. In fact, rumours hinted at the Xbox going the way of the dinosaurs. However, earlier this morning, Phil Spencer, Sarah Bond and Matt Booty – three of the top execs at Xbox – took to the Xbox Podcast to set the record straight. In the podcast, Phil Spencer stresses that the information was already in the pipeline to be shared but was expedited due to the leaks last week.
There were a number of things discussed in the 23-minute episode of the podcast, but we’ve summarised everything here. So here’s what you should know:
1. Xbox Exclusives are Here to Stay… for now
Phil Spencer cut to the chase during the podcast and addressed the elephant in the room head-on. In a nutshell, Xbox exclusives are here to stay. Microsoft is not pivoting its strategy to get rid of platform exclusives. Phil Spencer stressed that exclusives remain a key component of Xbox’s go-to-market strategy. That said, he did highlight that the games market as a whole seems to be moving away from exclusive – hinting at a possible future without platform exclusives altogether. However, Matt Booty made one point very clear: GamePass will remain Xbox exclusive.
This isn’t too surprising though. We’ve seen platform exclusives slowly shift to timed exclusives. One of the most obvious examples of this is Sony itself with IPs like God of War, Final Fantasy and even Horizon making their way to the PC after a period of exclusivity.
2. Four Xbox Games are Heading to PlayStation 5 and the Nintendo Switch
With that said, four Xbox exclusives will be breaking exclusivity. These games will be heading to the PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch. While no specific names were given, the execs did highlight that these games are at least a year old and are – mostly – community-driven. Phil Spencer was very clear that Starfield and the upcoming Indiana Jones game will remain Xbox exclusives.
The games that are making their way to other platforms are seen as either “smaller games that were never really meant to be built as kind of platform exclusives” or “first iterations of a franchise” that would benefit from being on other platforms. It seems pretty likely that these games are likely live-service games; particularly because Phil Spencer did mention that this move would justify further investments.
3. It’s All About Growth
The decision to take these games over to other platforms lies solely in growing Microsoft’s games business. With the closure of Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard, the company is focusing on growing the business and sustaining the double-digit revenue growth it has seen. To achieve this, the four games need to grow their player base and that is only achieved through expanding the availability of these games.
In addition to this, the move to make games more accessible is also aiming to create a larger awareness of the Xbox platform. Yes – they used the word “platform” instead of console. This is very likely how we can see the Xbox brand evolve in the future. Already, we have Xbox GamePass which covers the Xbox Console, XCloud and PC. The next generation of hardware is likely geared to take these experiences further. A cloud-based handheld Xbox anyone?
All in all, it seems like everything is still status quo at Xbox. However, it’s worth noting that the status quo at Xbox is very different than before thanks to the Activision Blizzard acquisition. The company’s growing footprint as a publisher is forcing it to grow beyond just Xbox exclusives. Studios like Activision Blizzard and Zenimax will continue to develop multi-platform games while Microsoft Game Studios continues to seek ways to grow its engaged user base.
Samsung seems to be taking user feedback seriously with the Galaxy S24 series. The company is rolling out a significant software update to address user concerns and enhance the overall user experience. The first major update comes with a range of improvements, focusing on display customization, camera enhancements, and other user-centric optimizations.
Display Customization with the “Vividness” Slider
One notable addition in the update is the introduction of a “Vividness” slider under advanced display settings. Samsung recognizes that users have diverse preferences when it comes to their device’s display, and this new feature allows users to fine-tune the vibrancy of the screen. Whether you prefer a more natural tone or a punchier, vibrant display. The “Vividness” slider gives users the flexibility to tailor their viewing experience according to their preferences.
This particular update directly addresses feedback from early users who expressed concerns about the Galaxy S24 series’ display appearing “dull” or “washed-out” compared to its predecessor, the Galaxy S23 series.
Camera Optimizations for Better Imaging
In addition, the update also brings improvements to the camera. With the update, Samsung acknowledges user feedback and aims to address concerns related to inconsistent shots and certain camera modes.
Specifically, the update targets improvements in the device’s zoom functions, Portrait Mode, Nightography, rear camera video shooting capabilities, and more. While the official release does not delve into specific details, it hints at a comprehensive enhancement of the camera system, promising users an elevated imaging experience.
User-Centric Approach and Future Possibilities
Samsung’s acknowledgement of user feedback and swift action in delivering updates indicates a shift in the company’s software approach. The S24 series seems to be adopting a more user-centric approach. The change seems aligned with the ethos of Galaxy AI as a whole. Catering to users with features that help make life simpler.
Rollout and Future Expectations
The updates began rolling out in February. However, the rollout schedule may vary based on regional variants, and you can manually check for updates in the device’s settings.
