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Android, Gaming, Lifestyle, Mobile, News

The ASUS ROG Phone 7 Launches! Coming to Malaysia in May 2023!

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If you are looking for a flagship smartphone experience like no other, you are spoiled by choice today. You can choose between offerings from Samsung, OnePlus, OPPO, HONOR, Xiaomi, and even Apple, if you please. The thing is these manufacturers make rather similar smartphones. They always come in the same recipe – metallic frame, glass backing that houses a high-resolution camera, and a glass front that protects a rather large high-resolution display. They also always promised some sort of state-of-the-art cooling solution. If you are looking for something different, the flagship from these manufacturers might not cut it.

For a while now, if you have been looking for a different flavour on your flagship smartphone, you can go the route of gaming smarpthones from the likes of Razer, Blackshark, and most recently, Lenovo. But these manufacturers have sort of phased out too. There are no more Blackshark smartphones for 2023, Razer has not updated their Razer Phone line up, and Lenovo has yet to update their latest handheld gaming creation. The only one we can look to right now is ASUS and their ROG Phone. In that case if you want a unique flagship smartphone for 2023, ASUS’ ROG Phone series is the one for you.

Welcome to the ASUS ROG Phone 7 series, the latest creation from the skunkworks of ASUS. It is the latest and currently the most powerful gaming smartphone you have ever seen. As with any previous ASUS ROG Phone devices, it is one of the most striking looking devices you have laid your eyes on, at least amongst all the flagships you can find in the current market.

Formidable Power

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It packs an immensely powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 platform. Alongside the powerful system on a chip (SoC) is a 16GB LPDDR5X RAM (up to) and up to 512GB of UFS 4.0 storage. All these are designed so that the top-of-the-line ASUS ROG Phone works through games as fast as the current technology allows. It is made to be the ultimate expression of a gaming handheld that is also a smartphone.

Wrapped around the powerful uniquely tuned internals is something ASUS calls the GameCool 7 thermal control system. That means you get even an even better gaming performance out of the ROG Phone 7 smartphone than any other flagship you can find in the current market. At the same time, the new cooling system keeps the smartphone running at a lower temperature over regular flagship smartphones while keeping power consumption lower than even regular smartphones. They say the new GameCool 7 system offers a new rapid-cycle vapor chamber design that offers 168% heat dissipation efficiency that the ROG Phone that came before.

Better Audio, Better Cooling, Better Controls

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    Source: ASUS
  • Whats in the box ROG Phone 7 Ultimate
    Source: ASUS

The result is a quite a beefy shell with a few tricks up its sleeves. Within the beefy device is a new stereo speaker that is said to be 50% more powerful than before. The new speaker system is also tuned by Dirac, an audio specialist. You can also turn it into a 2.1 channel system when you attach the new AeroActive Cooler 7 accessory to the device. If you prefer a more personal experience in a crowd, the Dirac tuned Dirac Virtuo 3.5mm headphone jack offers an unparalleled theatre-like spatial sound experience. If you prefer a more wireless approach, the Snapdragon Sound technology offers super-low-latency high-fidelity Bluetooth audio experience.

The new AeroActive Cooler 7 attachment is one of the things that makes the ROG Phone 7 series even more unique than ever before. It offers a cooling solution that does not just cool the glass surface of the device’s back, the new fan design allows for more effective basic active cooling, but a unique AeroActive Portal air inlet system allows the fan to cycle even more air throughout the device’s internals for even more efficient cooling.

ASUS also kept certain things that kept the ROG Phone unique since its inception. One of them is the Air Trigger ultrasonic buttons at the side of the device that offers even more control avenues and options of the ROG Phone device. It is also what gives users of the ROG Phone even more advantage in an already overpowered gaming device in games. It is not the basic haptic feedback touch buttons that they used to be in the first ASUS ROG Phone though. The latest AirTrigger offers a slew of gesture controls including Dual Action, Press and Lift, and even Gyroscope gaming, just like the Nintendo Switch and even the Steam Deck for fine tuning your aim. Within the ROG Phone 7 series devices are 10 motion controls and X-axis liner motors that offers powerful haptic feedback like no other smartphone can.

The Best Display Ever

All these things great hardware goes into creating the most immersive gaming experience you can have on a smartphone with a large Samsung AMOLED display that offers up to 165Hz in refresh rate. The panel also offers up to 720Hz in sampling rate for the lowest-in-class input latency, useful in gaming. The Pixelworks tuned AMOLED panel also offers ΔE<1 and a maximum of 1,500 nits in brightness for not only stunning, colour accurate visuals indoors, but also outdoors.

For the ASUS ROG Phone 7 Ultimate there is an additional matrix colour display that sits at the back of the device they call the ROG Vision. The feature, first presented in the ROG Phone 6 Ultimate offers users extra information like charging status, incoming calls, X Mode activation, personalized animations, and even more.

Price and Availability

ASUS Malaysia has confirmed that the ASUS ROG Phone 7 series will make its way to Malaysia by the 10th of May 2023. There is no official pricing just yet for Malaysia. In Europe though, prices start at EUR€ 999, which is about MYR 4,849*. It will be available in Phantom Black and Storm White colour options. For more information on the ROG Phone 7 series, you can always visit ASUS’ website.

*Approximately based on the exchange rate of EUR€ 1 = MYR 4.85 on xe.com as of 18/04/2023

Business, News

Collaborate, Meet & Work from Anywhere with AI-imbued Webex from Cisco

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“Things will never be the same again.” is one of the most common sayings we’ve been hearing since we started trying to live our normal again. To be honest, that statement can’t be more true. The ways in which we work, communicate and interact have changed drastically since the pandemic. One of the things that have changed drastically is how we work. Many of us are now working completely remotely while others are working in hybrid environments. Businesses have been forced to adapt to new “normals” that are here to stay. It’s become even more imperative for companies to have the correct tools at their disposal; one of which is Cisco’s Webex Suite.

Cinematic Meetings

Webex itself is Cisco’s answer to Google Meets, Microsoft Teams and Zoom. It’s a video conferencing platform that enables collaboration. It’s steadily been getting more bells and whistles as Cisco continues its development. The latest feature that’s coming to Webex is a purpose-built AI that is poised to change how we work and collaborate even further. Webex’s new AI is bringing more optimisations to over 10 million users. A bulk of which allow better collaboration through bandwidth savings, video clarity and automation.

Better Clarity, Privacy and a New Cinematic Experience with Webex AI

One of the more significant updates is the implementation of Webex’s Super Resolution which allows users to have crystal clear video even with lower internet bandwidths. It doesn’t just stop there though, Webex Super Resolution is able to upscale and enhance images from lower-resolution cameras to deliver high-definition video. It can even intelligently “relight” your image for the best clarity. Under harsh lighting environments, the AI will underexpose the image to compensate for the lighting and provide clearer video; while under dim lighting, the AI compensates with higher exposure and brightness. Even if you’re stepping away, Webex AI will automatically blur your video, mute your mic and put up a “be right back” message. These settings are magically removed when you’re back in front of the camera.

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It’s not all just about the Webex app either. Cisco is also imbuing Cisco Room OS to enhance AI and video features on Cisco Collaboration devices. These devices will be able to provide cinematic meeting experiences. What exactly is a “cinematic meeting experience”? Well, imagine a meeting where the camera intelligently zooms in to and follows the person speaking. Cisco is enabling this with voice and facial recognition technology. They’re even taking it a step further by ensuring the presenter is always in the frame and at the best angle.

IT admins can even take video conferencing and enforce company privacy even further by creating virtual boundaries for collaboration spaces in the office. Employees jumping on a Webex call in designated meeting zones will be viewed in a more condensed frame. This framing removes any blank space, keeping it out of view. What’s more, only individuals involved in the meeting will be included in the meeting. This is particularly important in open-space offices or if you’re working in a busy space.

Revolutionising Customer Support Experiences with Webex Connect

Webex is also one of the most used platforms when it comes to customer service. It comes as no surprise that Cisco has also zoomed in to the call centre to improve and revolutionise the experience there. Through its platform – Webex Connect – Cisco is bringing even more features to help businesses address customer needs and meet their expectations.

Cisco is starting at the very beginning when it comes to revolutionising these experiences. Webex Connect allows businesses to orchestrate and automate end-to-end customer journeys with their low code flow builder. Using this capability, businesses can automate basic functions like validation. Put simply, if a customer calls in for an email or phone validation, Webex Connect can, with the correct coding, provide the validation code without the need to pass the inquiry to an agent.

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Speaking of agents, Webex Connect is also getting the AI treatment but it takes things to a new level. The platform will be able to provide coaching in real time for agents. With Agent Answers, human agents will be able to get insights and knowledge base articles surfaced as they interact with the customer. Agent Answers will also be constantly improved with customer interaction data that is constantly fed to it. This includes self-service and automated interactions.

In addition, agents can also be provided with AI-powered chat summaries. These summaries eliminate the need for agents to go through lengthy chat histories to serve customers better. These summaries will include previously recommended solutions and a history of the issues reported. These insights will be provided in an easily digested and understood fashion to allow agents to react more efficiently.

Actionable Insights for Business Development

Webex Connect isn’t just about the agent either. Business analysts will be able to get valuable insights from the platform too. Using Topic Analysis, Webex Contact Center will surface reasons why customers are calling in. It will aggregate call transcript data and model trends in an easy-to-understand form. Using this data, businesses will be able to react and adapt to address customer needs better.

This feature isn’t just a one-off thing either. Thanks to the nature of AI, Topic Analysis will continually improve and get smarter with time. It will be able to learn and improve while businesses adapt more proactively.

Continually Improving Throughout 2023

Cisco’s Webex platform will be continually improving with more AI integrations and features throughout 2023. The features mentioned in this article will be making their way to Webex in the near future.

Computers, Lifestyle, News

Acer Launches the Succession to the Swift 5, the Swift 14 and Swift Go

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The Acer Swift 5 was one of the most desirable thin-and-light laptops in its day. It was not hard to see why that was the case. It was pretty, it was light, it was compact, and for what its worth, it is powerful. It is not what you want to call a budget option for the masses though, it was more of a premium workhorse you can bring around anywhere you want to work at.

It is 2023 though, and the Swift 5 platform, while still relevant and powerful, is outdated. We need a new Swift, a modern Swift. For some reason, we need two different swifts too.

Welcome to the successor to the Swift 5, the Swift 14. To be fair, the Swift 14 is not necessarily a new thing, they launched it in their previous Next@Acer conference late last year. Gone is the single number moniker of old. The new Swift 14 is an indication to what you are technically getting out of the Swift. Is it confusing? Yes. Is it a welcome change? Well, yes. But is it necessary? We do not think so. No matter, the Swift 14 is here.

Acer Swift 14

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The Acer Swift 14 builds on whatever that made the Swift 5 a desirable laptop in the first place. It is a great-looking piece of slab with sharp aggressive lines that somehow just appeals. To be fair, it still looks very much like a Swift 5, just that you won’t find the number 5 anywhere on the laptop. You get new colours though, Steam Blue and Green.

What matters though is what you get inside the new laptop. The 12th Generation Intel Core processor is retired and replaced with a slew of options from the latest 13th Generation Intel Core processors. There is no discrete GPU, as with the traditional Swift 5. You still get the proven Intel Iris XE graphics within the new laptop though. You also get up to 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM to ensure that you get the best out of the processors. To keep everything running smoothly and snappily, you have up to 1TB of SSD storage.

There is also a new cooling system to keep the powerful processor running at its optimum clock speeds. They call it the TwinAir dual fan system with D6 copper heat pipes to increase airflow for better cooling.

As with the old Swift 5, the Swift 14 features a touch sensitive display with an Antimicrobial coating on a protective glass. Underneath the protective Glass is a 14-inch IPS display boasting 2,560 by 1,600 pixels for your viewing pleasure. You can look at your screen at up to 10 hours at a time without attaching yourself to a wall socket. With WiFi 6E as well, you can keep yourself untethered for a very long time.

Considering all that, it is impressive that the Swift 5 only weighs 1.2kg. It is a rigid body too, since the Swift 5 is made entirely out of CNC machined aluminium. It is also still as compact as before whilst still offering full sized ports on the laptops.

Acer Swift Go 14

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Stemming out from the Swift 5 lineage is another Swift product. Welcome to the Swift Go 14, the new Swift for the young and active generation. It offers the same good looks as the Swift 5 with minor design differences.

It is just 14.9mm thick at its thickest point. It also only weighs 1.25kg, just a little heavier than the Swift 14. It offers more battery life with the weight though at up to 13 hours on a single.

You still get a 14-inch IPS display offering Full HD in resolution. The Windows 11 Home that you see on the display is powered by an AMD Ryzen 7 7730U (up to) processor. No discrete GPU business here still, but the integrated graphics from AMD should prove potent for light-hearted games. You also get up to 16GB LPDDR4X RAM and up to 512GB in SSD storage to keep things lightning fast even when multitasking. It also offers a good selection of modern ports like USB Type-C and HDMI 2.1.

Price and Availability

Acer’s Swift 14 and Swift Go 14 will be available by the end of April 2023 from Acer’s own eStore and official stores on Shopee and Lazada. The new Swifts will be priced from MYR 4,299 and 3,199 respectively. More on the Acer Swift laptops can be found on their website.

Computers, Gaming, Lifestyle, News

Meet the New Predators – The new Predator Helios 16 and Helios 18 has Landed in Malaysia with Prices from MYR 8,999

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Acer’s Predator Helios series of laptops are, in their own rights, some of the most powerful gaming laptops you can buy today. The Helios 300 platform with Intel’s 12th Generation Core processors alongside NVIDIA’s finest in the form of the GeForce RTX 30 series GPUs are some of the most potent combinations for gaming laptops. That was in 2022 though.

It is 2023, Intel and NVIDIA have moved on from their 12th generation and GeForce RTX 30 series components respectively. Intel have launched their even more powerful 13th Generation of mobile computing chips. NVIDIA have also announced their new GPU platform for mobile computers, the GeForce RTX 40 series. The Predator Helios 300 then, is outdated.

No matter though, Acer has just launched their latest Predator flagship laptop in Malaysia. The Helios name stays, but it is a little different. Welcome to the Predator Helios 16 and Helios 18.

Dropping off the 300 or 500 or 700 moniker, in our opinions, is a step toward the right direction in streamlining their products. Instead, the numbers behind now represents the laptop’s screen size. In the case of the Predator Helios 16 and Helios 18 then, you get a 16-inch and 18-inch Helios gaming laptops.

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We start with the big one, literally, the Predator Helios 18, the 18-inch full fat variant of the Predator Helios flagship. It is meant to be a desktop replacement though, so you should not stress about bringing it about. Yes, it is heavy at 3.16kg.

With a larger body though, comes more real estate for cooling systems. As with any other Predator product, the Helios 18 packs their 5th Generation 3D Aeroblade aluminium fan that keeps your gaming laptop cool in intense gaming conditions as well as ensuring that dust build up is not a problem. The cooling solution ensures that the 13th generation Intel Core i9 (up to) runs optimally even at high loads. It also keeps the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 (up to) Ada Lovelace chips as cool as they can be in this package. Alongside the powerful CPU and GPU, you can opt for up to 32GB in DDR5 memory paired with up to 2TB of speedy storage.

You get a beautiful 18-inch IPS display too to enjoy all kinds of AAA games you might want to play on the Helios 18. It fits in the body of a traditional 17-inch notebook thanks to the clever 16:10 aspect ratio. No, you are not getting a measly Full HD resolution display either.  It is now a WQXGA display (2560 x 1600 pixels), which is just a little more than 1440p. The display even boasts a 100% coverage of the DCI-P3 wide colour gamut, meaning you are getting very lifelike colours and graphics offering an immersive experience like no colour. On top of that, you get up to 240Hz to ensure that you can keep up with the best in competitive titles. With up to 500 nits in brightness, you do not even have to dim your room to game.

The keyboard is a step up from before too. You now get mini-LED backlighting that offers more efficient backlight system. It is not the plain ol’ 4-zone RGB backlighting system too. Instead, it is a per-key RGB system that allows you to completely customize your keyboard to your heart’s content.

To control all of this, you have the new PredatorSense 4 control software. The new PredatorSense is designed to be more streamlined and cleverer than ever before. The software also allows you to store multiple profiles for different lighting setups for different games too. Moreover, NVIDIA’s clever Advanced Optimus offers the Predator Helios 18 even longer battery life by switching between integrated graphics and discrete GPU whichever is required at different times.

Predator Helios 16

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The Predator Helios 16 may be small, but it is still no slouch compared to the Helios 18. You get to choose and opt for all the hardware the Helios 18 gets. That means you still get the power of the 24-core 13th generation Intel Core i9 (up to). You also get to enjoy the full might of a modern NVIDIA GPU in the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 (up to) all in a smaller, more portable body.

You compromise a little on the display though. Instead of 18-inch, you get 16 inches of IPS goodness. It still refreshes at 240hz and boasts WQXGA resolution at 16:10 aspect ratio. All of this just so that it fits in a laptop body that traditionally fits 15-inch displays.

Price and Availability

The new Predator Helios 16 and Helios 18 are both available for pre-order from now to the end of April 2023. The Helios 16 starts at 8,999 while the Helios 18 will set you back from MYR 9,999 onward. If you do pre-order your Predator Helios laptop, you are entitled to a free gift package worth MYR 1,627 in total. That package includes a 175hz refresh rate gaming monitor from Acer’s Nitro stables, the XV272U gaming monitor. For more information on Predator’s latest gaming laptops, you can visit their website.

News

Dell’s New PowerEdge Portfolio Puts Sustainability Front & Center without Sacrificing Performance

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Servers are becoming commonplace for businesses as more of them navigate their journey to the cloud. From on-premises servers to the cloud, data storage, remote workloads, and automation have slowly become necessary for businesses to function. Dell has long been a hardware partner and provider for businesses and service providers. The PowerEdge portfolio has become integral to some of the largest, most resilient cloud service providers and on-premises servers for businesses.

Delivering Optimized, Sustainable Power with AI-enabled technology & Optimised Design

Dell is upping the ante when it comes to hardware and compatibility with purpose-built servers in their new PowerEdge portfolio. The new servers come in multiple form factors including 1U and 2U slices. They also come fully equipped with the latest server processors from AMD and Intel. These specifications and the myriad of form factors allow Dell to cater to any workload. The new Dell PowerEdge portfolio also comes with models that are able to accommodate multi-GPU servers for AI and ML workloads.

Dell PowerEdge NEXT Coverage

The new PowerEdge portfolio isn’t just about power, it’s also about sustainability. Dell Technologies has made their new offerings more power efficient with better cooling and AI. The new servers have been optimised from the chassis to their internals to provide better cooling and airflow. Paired with Dell’s AI-enabled CouldIQ, the new PowerEdge lineup is poised to provide customers with lower overheads and greener operations.

With Dell’s Smart Flow design, servers are able to cool more efficiently with up to a 52% reduction in fan power. They are also empowering customers to be more sustainable with the OpenManage Enterprise Power Manager 3.0 software which allows customers to better manage their operations efficiency. It also them to actively monitor carbon emissions and set power caps up to 82% faster. All these features come in addition to the insights it gives on server use, virtual machines and facility energy consumption and leak detection for liquid-cooled systems. It goes without saying that there are even more features built in. Dell’s new lineup also comes with EPEAT ecolabel.

A Server for Every Need

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[Source: Dell Technologies] Complete lineup of Next Generation PowerEdge Server Portfolio

Optimised Cloud Service Provider Solutions

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Dell’s new portfolio isn’t just for businesses. They’re also looking as cloud service providers with the Dell PowerEdge HS5610 and HS5620. These servers deliver services that are optimised and tailored to cloud service providers. Coming in 1U and 2U form factors, these two-socket servers are looking to provide cloud service providers with a new edge. They are even cold aisle serviceable. Dell has also equipped these systems with Dell Open Server Manager which simplifies multi-vendor fleet management.

Powerful Simplicity

Dell’s PowerEdge servers are looking to take conventional servers and turn them into efficient powerhouses. With offerings like the Dell PowerEdge R760, the company is able to deliver up to 2.9x greater AI inferencing with Intel’s 4th Generation Xeon processors. Intel’s Deep Learning Boost and Intel Advanced Matrix Extensions are key in delivering the performance boost. The R760 is able to accommodate up to 20% more VDI users than previous generations and over 50% more SAP Sales & Distribution users in a single server. It can be further enhanced with NVIDIA’ Bluefield-2 data processing units to provide additional power for private, hybrid and multi-cloud environments.

AI & High-Performance Compute

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[Source: Dell Technologies] Dell PowerEdge R760 rack unit

Dell’s PowerEdge XE9680, XE9640 and XE8640 are all built and optimised for AI and HPC workloads. Designed in close collaboration with Intel and NVIDIA, the servers are built to enable AI for model training, HPC modelling and simulation, core-to-edge inferencing and data visualisation. Coming with power specifications like the NVIDIA H100 Tensor Core or NVIDIA GPUs the systems are able to train and deploy machine learning models for automation and analysis. The new designs also allow for higher rack density with PowerEdge.

EPYC Performance

It isn’t just a one-sided thing with Dell. PowerEdge also embraces AMD’s EPYC technology. The increasingly power-efficient performance of AMD’s EPYC processors has allowed Dell to design PowerEdge systems that create the backbone of data centres. With 1U and 2U form factors, these PowerEdge servers are designed to enable data storage and performance computing with better power efficiency.

Easy Deployment for Scalability and Zero Trust

The PowerEdge servers are also built with security in mind. They empower Zero Trust deployments in any given organisation. Everything from hardware to software is fortified for better data security. Dell’s Secure Component Verification (SCV) works in tandem with silicon-based hardware root of trust to verify supply chain security from design to delivery.

In addition, Dell’s PowerEdge offerings are being deployed not only as hardware purchases which fall under CapEx. Instead, Dell is also deploying them in an “as-a-service” offering which allows companies to better optimise CapEx spending with OpEx flexibility.

Dell PowerEdge offerings will be available starting on 13 April 2023. Detailed availability is as follows:

  • Dell PowerEdge R760 is available starting 13 April 2023.
  • Dell PowerEdge HS5620, HS5610 are available globally in April 2023.
  • Dell PowerEdge XE9680, XE8640 and XE9640 availabilities are planned in the first half of 2023
  • Dell PowerEdge R7625, R7615, R6625 and R6615 are available starting 13 April 2023.
  • Additional next-generation Dell PowerEdge servers will be global availability throughout the first half of 2023.
  • ProDeploy Factory Configuration is globally available starting 13 April 2023.
Business, Computers, News

Malaysia’s First SSD, NEUBE, Enters the High-Performance SSD Market with Server On & PHISON Backing

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Malaysia has always had a complicated history with science and technology. While the country itself has never been seen at the forefront of the industries, its citizens are deeply entrenched in milestone achievements in the industries. One such milestone is the creation and mass production of USB flash drives. Dato’ Pua Khein-Seng, a Malaysian and one of the pioneers of solid state drives (SSDs) used in USBs is looking to change that in the near future.

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[Source: Server On & PHISON] Robert Wu, ServerOn Co-founder; Chan Wone-Hoe, ServerOn Co-founder; Dato Pua Khein-Seng, CEO of Phison Electronics Corp; Albert Kang, Phison Head of Business Development officiating the launch of NEUBE.

Dato’ Pua Khein Seng is looking to bring back some of the success he’s had overseas, particularly in Taiwan, to Malaysia. How? He’s embarking on creating Malaysia’s first enterprise SSD and we’re not talking just the fabrication and assembly. He envisions an SSD that is designed, engineered and fabricated in Malaysia. To achieve this, Dato’ Pua is partnering with ServerOn Sdn Bhd, a Malaysian distributor of enterprise and data center-grade hardware.

The partnership will see ServerOn partner with PHISON Electronics Corporation, a Taiwan-based company specialising in storage technologies. As CEO of PHISON, Dato’ Pua is looking to train Malaysian talent to eventually design and create SSDs. The new startup which will be incorporated as part of this partnership will recruit and create job opportunities for Malaysians to be involved in the design and creation of cutting-edge storage technologies.

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[Source: Server On & PHISON] Neube SSDs will be available in Q2 2023.

As a first step, ServerOn and PHISON are introducing the first-ever truly Malaysian SSD with NEUBE. Designed and engineered in Malaysia, NEUBE SSDs cater to high-demand workloads and data centres. NEUBE SSDs will be available in popular form factors including 2.5-inch, U.2, M.2 and E1.S. ServerOn will be using these SSDs as an option in their offerings when they come to market later in Q2 2023. Other retailers can also be part of this developing story by getting in touch with Server On.

“NEUBE’s SSDs are built with high-quality materials and advanced error correction technology, which can help prevent data loss and system crashes. This can lead to improved system stability and reduce downtime for the client’s business,” said Dato’ Pua Khein-Seng, CEO of Phison.

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[Source: Server On & PHISON] Dato Pua Khein-Seng addressing the media at the MoU signing and launch of NEUBE

That said, Dato’ Pua sees this as only the first step in creating a truly Malaysian product. While Server On and PHISON will collaborate further, he sees government policies and market demand as the biggest hurdles for NEUBE to be successful globally. He stressed, “The only way forward for Malaysia to become a leader in the technology space is for the government to empower the local startups and industry with the right policies. They should also be the pioneers in implementing these policies and adopting Malaysian products such as the newly launched NEUBE SSDs.”

Android, Mobile, News

iQOO Z7 & Z7x Brings Affordable Performance for as Low as MYR999

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vivo’s sub-brand iQOO is bringing high performance to a more affordable price with their new iQOO Z7 and Z7x. The two new phones bring Qualcomm’s best mid-range processors to smartphones that cater for those who need powerful devices on a budget.

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The iQOO Z7 spearheads the new lineup with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 782G. Qualcomm’s processor strikes a balance between performance and power efficiency. The 6nm process allows Qualcomm the leeway to combine both performance and power efficiency cores with Qualcomm’s Kryo technology. iQOO combines this processor with up to 12GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage to complete their affordable performance smartphone. The Z7x makes the package even more affordable with the Snapdragon 695 5G. On the Z7x, this is paired with a maximum of 8GB of RAM with up to 256GB of internal storage.

Both the iQOO Z7 and the iQOO Z7x come with a 6.64-inch LCD display with 100% coverage of the DCI-P3 gamut. The display also comes with a 120Hz refresh rate for faster, smoother visual performance. Together with this, the phones come with NFC support and dual stereo speakers. The Z7 also comes with a 3.5mm combo audio jack and an infrared blaster. Both also run on Android 13 with vivo’s Funtouch OS.

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On the camera side of things, the Z7x comes with an 8-megapixel selfie camera while the Z7 comes with a 16-megapixel camera. The main camera setup is a dual sensor setup with a 64-megapixel main camera with optical image stabilization (OIS) on the iQOO Z7 while the Z7x comes with a 50-megapixel main camera. Both are complemented by a 2-megapixel depth sensor.

The two smartphones come with large-capacity batteries. The iQOO Z7 has a 5,000mAh battery with support for 120W dual-cell FlashCharge while the Z7x comes with a larger 6,000mAh battery with support for 80W FlashCharge.

Pricing & Availability

The iQOO Z7 is available in its signature Matrix Blue colour while the Z7x is available in a slightly different Tropical Blue as its signature colour. Both are also in Metallic Black. Prices for the devices and available variants are as below. Purchases of the smartphones

ModelVariantPrice (MYR)Free Gift Offer
iQOO Z712GB RAM + 256GB onboard storage1,499– 1-year extended warranty
– 1-year screen crack protection
– Free gifts worth RM248, including an iQOO backpack or a Marshall key
*Eligible for RM50 iQOO Student Discount programme voucher*
iQOO Z78GB RAM +128GB onboard storages1,299– 1-year extended warranty
– 1-year screen crack protection
– Free gifts worth RM248, including an iQOO backpack or a Marshall key
*Eligible for RM50 iQOO Student Discount programme voucher*
iQOO Z7x8GB RAM + 256GB onboard storage1,099– 1-year extended warranty
– 1-year screen crack protection
– Free gifts worth RM248, including an iQOO backpack or a Marshall key
*Eligible for RM50 iQOO Student Discount programme voucher*
iQOO Z7x8GB RAM +128GB onboard storage999– 1-year extended warranty
– 1-year screen crack protection
– Free gifts worth RM248, including an iQOO backpack or a Marshall key
*Eligible for RM50 iQOO Student Discount programme voucher*
Accessories, Business, News

Sony MDR-MV1 Open Back Headphones Comes to Set the New Standard for Monitoring Headphones

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Sony is a world-famous brand when it comes to audio gear. They make all sorts of audio solutions for all kinds of uses. They have the WH-1000X series of headphones for consumer level high-end noise-cancelling headphones. They make the MDR Z series headphones for audiophiles. If you prefer in-ear earphones, there is the WF-1000X series for consumers looking for the best truly wireless listening experience. You also have the IER series earphones if you prefer a wired audiophile solution. They do not stop at headphones though, they make vinyl players, portable media players, speakers, home theaters, recorders, and even microphones. They are also some of the biggest name in audio specific production work.

For years, the benchmark for studio and production monitoring has been Sony’s MDR-7506 over ear headphones. In fact, Sony’s MDR series monitoring headphones have been setting the standard in studio level monitoring equipment for more than three decades. Now, there is a new one – the MDR MV1.

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    Source: Sony
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    Source: Sony
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    Source: Sony

Unlike the MDR-7506, the MDR-MV1 offers an open-back design. That means you can expect more natural and cleaner audio response from the headphones, an advantage over closed back designs. Open back headphones also usually offer a more accurate sound reproduction with a wider sound stage, allowing for better and more accurate mixes. There is a small problem of ambient noise though, since there is nothing stopping noise from outside from coming in.

Apart from that accuracy, the MDR-MV1 also offers spatial sound capabilities. For Sony, their spatial sound algorithm is 360 Reality Audio. You can technically use the headphones to mix for Apple’s Spatial Audio and other surround sound implementations. With Hi-Res resolution compatibility, the MDR-MV1 offers a broad depth of monitoring capabilities allowing you to mix all kinds of music accurately. The headphones offer frequency responses between 5Hz all the way to 80kHz, which is more than wide enough for all kinds of sounds, even if you sit in a foley studio instead of a music recording studio.

Unlike older designed Sony MDR monitoring headphones, the MDR-MV1 offers a detachable AUX cable. You can technically use other similar cables, but why would you want to when Sony offers a highly durable high-quality cable with machined connectors. They also re-engineered their earpads with softer materials that is also lightweight so that you can work for much longer without taking off the headphones or hurting your neck and head.

Sony C-80

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    Source: Sony
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    Source: Sony

Alongside the MDR-MV1 open back monitoring headphone Sony also launched a new microphone made mostly for home recording and podcasts, the Sony C-80.

Sony’s C-80 is not the first microphone Sony makes. They have the C-100 and C-800G, both are aimed at recording studios mostly. The C-80 is more made for prosumers and hobbyist looking to have a professional grade gear in their homes.

The C-80 offers the best of both the C-100 and C-800G microphones. The capsule is derived from the C-100 while the shock-proof two-part metallic body is derived from the C-800G. They also innovated with something they call “Noise Elimination Construction” that prevents the mic from picking up noise from the body’s vibration itself offering a much cleaner sound almost free of noise while recording.

The C-80, like the mics that came before, is made mostly for vocal recordings. That does not mean that you cannot use it for anything other than vocal recording. You can technically use it for recording instruments like guitars. It is also a condenser, so you want to make sure you have mixer with 48v power through its XLR port.

Price and Availability

The Sony MDR-MV1 will be available in May 2023, alongside the C-80. There are no colour options here, so personalizing your headphones and mics will have to come down to your own efforts. The MDR-MV1 will set you back MYR 1,690, which is a little way off from the older MDR-7506. It is supposed to offer a lot more in terms of monitoring and mixing capabilities though. The C-80 will retail at MYR 2,190. More on Sony’s latest MDR-MV1 can be found on their website.

Lifestyle, Mobile, News

Annotate, Read and Create with the New Kobo Elipsa 2E

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eReaders aren’t your run-of-the-mill tablets; what’s more, with a product like the Kobo Elipsa 2E, we’re talking about e-ink displays. These devices have, for the longest time been single-use devices for those who enjoy reading but don’t mind the absence of tactility in their experience. The flip side to the absence is the access to an endless, ever-growing library of literary adventures.

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Source: Kobo

However, Kobo is looking to change the experience with its new Kobo Elipsa 2E. The eReader comes with a 10.3-inch, E-Ink Carta 1200 touchscreen. This display comes equipped with a backlight and ComfortLight PRO which helps reduce blue light and eyestrain. The eReader is made specifically for longer reading sessions and maybe that hour or two to help you escape before going to bed. It’s also got 32GB of internal storage and a 2GHz processor.

The biggest difference with the Kobo Elipsa 2E is the new Kobo Stylus 2 which allows readers to actively annotate the eBooks that they are reading. It also comes with the built-in notebook feature which allows users to take notes independently as well. With the Kobo Elipsa 2E you’ll also be able to convert your handwriting into typed text if you to as well.

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This feature addresses a long-standing issue that non-fiction readers faced with eReaders. CEO of Kobo, Michael Tamblyn highlights, “For avid nonfiction readers, eBooks have historically been an imperfect medium because they couldn’t mark up the text and engage with the content as effectively as with a print book. With the introduction of Kobo Stylus, we have solved that and with Kobo Elipsa 2E and our upgraded Kobo Stylus 2, we have created a superior reading experience for nonfiction fans.”

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It’s not just about annotating either with this eReaders, you’ll be able to tap into Kobo’s vast library of audiobooks thanks to Bluetooth connectivity. Just pair your favourite pair of headphones and you’re all set for your next audiobook. With the Kobo Elipsa 2E, users can also rest at ease when it comes to their carbon footprint. The Elipsa 2E features a build that consists of over 85% recycled materials including ocean-bound plastics. The SleepCover for the Elipsa 2E is also made from recycled materials and ocean-bound plastics.

Pricing & Availability

The Elipsa 2E will retail for MYR2,019.00. It will be on sale complete with the Kobo Stylus 2. The eReader will be available in Malaysia via the Kobo Lazada and Shopee storefronts starting April 19, 2023.

Pre-orders kicked off on April 5 in Canada, the US, the UK, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand, Poland, the Czech Republic, Romania, Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan and Turkey. Physical stores will have them on shelves starting April 19, 2023.