Category Archives: News

Camera, Lifestyle, News

FUJIFILM INSTAX mini 12 Launches – More of the Same Thing, But Just a Little Bit More for MYR 428

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FUJIFILM’s INSTAX series cameras have been the king of instant printing cameras, not like they had plenty in terms of competition anyway. Their first INSTAX mini camera was introduced back in 2016. Back then, the INSTAX mini was a curious little camera that looked out of place in the world of digital cameras. There were questions about its place in the modern photography world.

It was not made as a serious camera though. It was built and made for fun. It was made to be completely basic and very easy to use. Fast forward to 2023, they are introducing the 12th iteration of the INSTAX mini. To be fair, the recipe has been somewhat the same.

Press Release FUJIFILM Malaysia Launches INSTAX mini 12 Final1
Source: FUJIFILM

The INSTAX mini 12 draws pretty much from the INSTAX mini 11 introduced back in 2020. Yes, it has been nearly three years since FUJIFILM updated the INSTAX mini camera. To be fair, there is not too much to update in the first place.

The INSTAX mini 11 introduced a very clever Automatic Exposure function to the FUJIFILM INSTAX family. There is nothing much else to be improved for the INSTAX because it offers the sort of same instant film experience as the INSTAX before it. There is slightly new bodywork adding some flair and ergonomic function to the instant film camera on the mini 11. Apart from that and the new exposure control technology, there is not much else new on the mini 11.

The mini 12 offers the same Automatic Exposure as the older INSTAX mini 11. It offers largely the same body as the old one too. Now though there is a new control mechanism on the 12th iteration of the INSTAX mini. You now can rotate the lens. When you do that, the lens zooms in and goes to ‘Close-up Mode’. You can now use it to take proper selfies with the photo focusing right on your face. You can use the mirror right beside the lens too to get yourself in the right frame. It also prints faster than before, now at just five seconds after you hit the shutter.

Once you take your photo with the FUJIFILM INSTAX mini 12, you can keep it digitized with FUJIFILM’s latest smartphone app. With the ‘INSTAX UP!” app, you can take use your smartphone, take a photo of the film that was just printed by the INSTAX mini 12 and keep it digitally. You can even reproduce it in your own style with INSTAX printers. Either that, you can share the photos on your social media channels.

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    Source: FUJIFILM
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    Source: FUJIFILM
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    Source: FUJIFILM
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    Source: FUJIFILM
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    Source: FUJIFILM
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    Source: FUJIFILM
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The FUJIFILM INSTAX mini 12 will be available in new colours too – Mint Green, Blossom Pink, Pastel Blue, Lilac Purple, Clay White. The FUJIFILM INSTAX mini 12 will be available in Malaysia from the 13th of April 2023 onward from FUJIFILM’s authorised retailers, their official stores, and online across the nation. It will set you back MYR 428 and you also get two packs of film to get going. More on the FUJIFILM INSTAX mini 12 can be found on their website.

Android, Mobile, News

HONOR Launches the Magic5 Series with Millisecond Falcon Capture technology for MYR 3,499 Onward

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Ever since HONOR has stepped out as an independent smartphone manufacturer, the brand has gone from strength to strength. They have successfully launched their own smartphones packing their own MagicOS based on Android with Google Play Store access for a couple of years now. While they have not been able to completely shake off their HUAWEI ties or association, they do make respectable smartphones that are rather appealing too.

Their latest addition to the stable is the Magic5 series announced in MWC 2023. You get to choose between vanilla model or a Pro variant in this series. They also launched a rather interesting foldable, the Magic Vs alongside the Magic5, but we are going to focus on the Magic5 series here.

HONOR Magic5 Pro

Screenshot 2023 04 07 135743
Source: HONOR

The Magic5 Pro is built to be the true 2023 flagship for HONOR. They started out with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 system on a chip (SoC), the fastest and most powerful processing chip for an Android smartphone to date. The octa-core chip is then paired to 12GB of RAM for good measure and to avoid bottlenecks in multitasking conditions. You get 512GB of storage too for good measure.

Part of the 512GB of storage holds the Android 13 based MagicOS 7.1 interface that shows on the large 6.82-inch display. The OLED panel offers 2,848 by 1,312 pixels, which is not quite QHD+, but more than Full HD+. It is a 10-bit display offering up to 1.07 billion colours and up to 1800nits in brightness though. It is also an LTPO panel that offers up to 120Hz in refresh rate for that extra smooth feel. The glass that protects the display also protects a 12-Megapixel front-facing camera supported by a 3-Megapixel depth sensor with up to 4K resolution video recording capabilities.

The HONOR Magic5 Pro’s party piece, the Falcon Triple Main Camera as HONOR puts it, is its main camera array at the back. Arranged in a familiar ‘halo’ design, the HONOR Magic5 Pro offers three 50-Megapixel sensors at the back. One is obviously a regular 24mm wide-angle shooter, the other is an ultra-wide shooter, and the last one is a telephoto lens capable of 3.5x optical zoom and up to 100x digital zoom. All of them offer optical image stabilisation (OIS) too if you are worried about your clammy hands. Of course, the camera array supports video recording at 4K resolution. They say also that the camera is faster than ever before, hence the name Falcon.

Keeping everything running for an entire day and possibly more is a 5,100mAh battery pack within the glass and aluminium constructed body. It supports HONOR’s 66W Supercharge technology which will still allow you to get going with a full charge in just about an hour’s time. If you prefer to just leave your device on the table to get it wirelessly charging, the device is capable of a 50W charge wirelessly.

HONOR Magic5

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Source: HONOR

The more premium Magic5 Pro may be appealing and can be recognised as the true flagship for HONOR. The vanilla is not too far behind though, in that case we think that the vanilla Magic5 is worth more than a look thanks to the value it offers. It is everything that is the Magic5 Pro with a few minor differences.

It packs the same SoC, for one. It also comes with the same amount of RAM. The storage is a little smaller though at 256GB. While the display is smaller at 6.73-inch, you still get an OLED panel that offers more than Full HD+ in resolution. You still get up to 120Hz in refresh rate and DCI-P3 colour gamut at up to 1600nits in brightness.

You lose one camera out in front. You also lose a little resolution the camera at only 12-Megapixel, but no matter, you still shoot videos at 4K resolution. Out the back is a more powerful main camera at 54-Megapixel. The ultra-wide camera remains the same at 50-Megapixel. The trade off is on the telephoto camera that offers 32-Megapixel and only up to 50x digital zoom.

It is still an Android 13 device offering MagicOS 7.1 interface though. Within the glass and aluminium construction is still a large 5,100mAh battery. It still charges at 66W but does not get wireless charging.

Price and Availability

HONOR Magic5 Pro Pre Order Starts
Source: HONOR

The HONOR Magic5 starts at MYR 3,499. You can get one in either Glacier Blue or Black colour. The vanilla HONOR Magic5 will go on sale starting 28th of April 2023. There are no pre-order programmes for this one.

The HONOR Magic5 Pro does have a pre-order programme. You can now pre-order your HONOR Magic5 Pro up until the 13th of April 2023. Shipping starts the day after that and you can pre-order your device from their own online stores, partner retailers, and even their official stores on Shopee and Lazada. Each pre-order entitles you to free gifts worth over MYR 1,200 while stocks last. The HONOR Magic5 Pro is available in Meadow Green and Black Colour options for MYR 4,299). For more information on HONOR’s Magic5 and Magic5 Pro, you can visit their website.

Android, Mobile, News

Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Series Brings Flagship Class Specifications to a More Affordable Price Point

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Xiaomi’s Redmi lineup has long been one of the most affordable smartphones available on the market. With the Redmi Note 11 series, the lineup took a step closer to bringing flagship-class specs with its 108-megapixel camera. This year, the series inches even closer with a 200-megapixel camera and high-performance display.

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The new series comes with three entries – for now. Spearheading the lineup is the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ 5G which comes with a 200-megapixel camera and the MediaTek Dimensity 1080. The Note 12 Pro+ 5G also comes with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage and runs on Android 12 with MIUI 14. On the entry-level side of things is the Redmi Note 12 without 5G which comes with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 685 with up to 8GB of RAM and 128GB of onboard storage and comes with a 50-megapixel camera. Sitting right in the middle of the lineup is the Redmi Note 12 5G which comes with the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 4 Gen 1. It comes with a 48-megapixel camera and up to 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal space.

The hallmark of the new lineup is the 200-megapixel sensor which comes as the main sensor on the Pro+. This main sensor is complemented by an 8-megapixel ultrawide sensor and a 2-megapixel macro camera. On the front of the Pro+ is a 16-megapixel selfie camera. The Pro+ comes with a 6.67-inch FHD+ Flow AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, 900 nits peak brightness and Dolby Vision support. The Pro+ is also the only one in the lineup which comes with a dual-curved design making it more ergonomic.

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The Redmi Note 12 5G’s 48-megapixel sensor is complemented by 8-megapixel ultrawide and 2-megapixel macro sensors. It comes with a 13-megapixel on the front. Display-wise it comes with a 6.67-inch AMOLED DotDisplay with a 120Hz refresh rate, 1,200 nits peak brightness and Corning Gorilla Glass 3. The 5G version of the Redmi Note 12 comes with a curved back.

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The Redmi Note 12 without 5G comes in a completely flat form factor. It has the same camera setup complementing its 50-megapixel sensor and selfie camera as the Redmi Note 12 5G. Even the display is the same. The major differences here are its processor, the lack of 5G connectivity and the 50-megapixel sensor.

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The smartphones are IP53 splash and dust resistance certified. Xiaomi has also opted to keep the 3.5mm combo jack and IR blaster. All versions come with side-mounted fingerprint sensors which are embedded into the power button. They also all come with a 5,000mAh battery with 33W Fast Charging. However, Pro+ ups the ante a little bit with 120W HyperCharge.

Pricing & Availability

The Redmi Note 12 series will be available for pre-order in Malaysia starting on April 6, 2023. During this pre-order, purchases will be entitled to a free Redmi Smart Band 2. The e-commerce exclusive Redmi Note 12 (6GB + 128GB) will be available at a discounted price of MYR659 during this period.

In-store sales begin from April 15 onwards. Purchases made from this date onwards will be entitled to free Redmi Buds 4 Lite while stocks last.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Series Launch 011

Purchases and Pre-orders can be made at authorised Xiaomi dealers and the Xiaomi storefronts on Shopee and Lazada.

The official pricing and variants available are listed below.

ModelColoursPricing (MYR)Pre-order OfferIn-Store Offer
Redmi Note 12 Pro+ 5G (8GB+256GB)Midnight Black
Polar White
Sky Blue		RM 1,599FREE
Redmi Smart Band 2		FREE
Redmi Buds 4 Lite
Redmi Note 12 5G (8GB+256GB)Onyx Gray
Forest Green
Ice Blue		RM 1,099FREE
Redmi Smart Band 2		FREE
Redmi Buds 4 Lite
Redmi Note 12 (8GB+128GB)Onyx Gray
Mint Green
Ice Blue		RM 799FREE
Redmi Smart Band 2		FREE
Redmi Buds 4 Lite
Redmi Note 12 (6GB+128GB)
*e-Commerce exclusive		Onyx Gray
Mint Green
Ice Blue		RM 699FREE
Redmi Smart Band 2		Special Price: MYR659

FREE
Redmi Buds 4 Lite

Official Specifications

  • Redmi Note 12 one pager compressed
  • Redmi Note 12 5G one pager compressed
  • Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G one pager compressed
Android, Mobile, News

You Can Soon Delete Your User Data from an App Thanks to Google

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Data privacy and security is a big topic. It is also something Apple and Google, the world’s largest tech firms, have been working on for a long time. Over time, Google and Apple have both separately introduce new measures and policies for their developers to improve on security and giving more privacy access to their users. In their latest policy update, Google might make things easier for you if you wish to opt out or finally delete an app you no longer want to use.

As of yesterday, Google has introduced a few key initiatives for their Google Play store for 2023 and beyond. In their latest blog update, they are looking to achieve a few things with their initiative an policy update. Ads is still a big thing for Google, but they are looking to soften ads served to users. You are not getting any less ads, but Google seems to limit the amount of data that you share with apps and therefore shared across ad algorithms.

Google is also introducing a new Play Integrity API that is supposed to better protect their developers and the IP that comes with the apps. Alongside the enhanced API, Google is also introducing Google Play SDK Index so that developers have better overview over their SDK uses. In all this, they also look to balance the experience for developers and users by ensuring that there are better policies in place to ensure that data collection is done as responsibly as possible. At the same time, they want to make Google Play even safer for children and families, all through the updated policy.

Header Android Giving people more control over their data
Source: Google

The biggest emphasis, at least according to another blog update, is allowing more data control for its users. It is not just about accessing and viewing more data than ever. While that is also a part of an improved transparency over users’ data, the policy update requires developers to allow their users to have even more control and deliberation with their own data on their selected platforms. It is also more than just allowing you to choose which data or hardware that the app gets access to.

Modern apps requires us to hold a virtual account with the provider’s platform to use. Even if you are using a Google account to sign into different apps, the platform technically creates another account for you just for their platform. If you wish to create a separate account, you can too via the apps. What most apps does not allow you to do though is to reverse that process. That is about to change.

In Google’s latest policy for developers, developers are going to be required to enable in-app account deletion or at least initiate the account deletion process via their apps. Google also requires the developer to allow the app deletion process and initiation to be done completely online too so that users do not have to reinstall an app just to delete their account. Since the account deletion process can be done completely via your app, you also do not have to access two different devices to delete your user data off their platforms.

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Source: Google

With the policy as well, Google states that any account deletion must also be accompanied with a complete deletion of a user’s data from their database. In that case, users also get an option to either keep or delete their data from a developer’s database when their delete their accounts. There are going to be cases where developers might require data retention for security, fraud prevention, or regulatory compliance. In that case, the developer must clearly state that they will have hold your data for whatever reason they cite.

Google is looking to enforce their policy starting December 2023. They are allowing for extensions for developers up until May 2024. That also means that you can expect all your apps to include your account deletion feature from 2024 onward. Of course, this policy will not just affect Android users with access to Google Play. This most likely will also translate to users of other platforms since the policy does affect most developers that are on both Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

Android, Gaming, Mobile, News

Samsung and AMD Extends Strategic IP Licensing Agreement – Maybe That New Exynos is Worth a Look After All

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Technically, this is not the first we heard of Samsung partnering with AMD to bring Radeon graphics into the mobile space. AMD technically licensed their RDNA architecture to Samsung in 2019. That partnership gave birth to something called the Samsung Xclipse, a mobile GPU with AMD’s RDNA 2 architecture built into it. It was the first of the world’s mobile GPU with ray-tracing and variable rate shading capabilities. It was also rumoured to match the performances of modern gaming consoles.

Samsung Xclipse did not see the light of day in our everyday products though. While we expected Samsung to integrate the product in to their Samsung Galaxy S flagship smartphones and Galaxy Tab S tablets, it never really happened. Instead, the Samsung Galaxy S23 and Galaxy Tab S line-up today features a third-party Qualcomm Snapdragon system on a chip (SoC). You will not be able to opt for Samsung’s in-house Exynos chips with the flagship devices too globally, because that high-end Exynos chip does not exist as of yet.

That might change in the coming iterations of Samsung Galaxy S and Galaxy Tab S device though. As per the title, Samsung has just signed a new licensing agreement with AMD. This agreement is not a renewal, but rather an expansion of the original agreement with AMD. The expansion now allows Samsung to integrate AMD’s Radeon RDNA architecture into an expanded portfolio, that includes more Exynos chips. This is where it could get interesting.

The expansion could allow Samsung to integrate the RDNA 2, or even RDNA 3 technology into their latest Exynos chips. While Samsung has yet to reveal a high-end world beater SoC, they are putting their Exynos chips into mid-range smartphones. You could potentially get a Samsung Galaxy A series smartphone with RDNA 2 or even RDNA 3 built into their Exynos platform. That also means that Samsung could boast console level gaming experience on their more accessible mid-range smartphone series. In that case, their mid-range smartphones could be a lot more appealing than flagship smartphone if all you are looking for in your smartphone is raw processing power.

The expansion could also mean that Samsung has been holding back on high-end Exynos chips because they have been working with AMD behind closed doors to offer that fabled Exynos SoC with RDNA 2 or even RDNA 3 graphics architecture in tow. In which case, they might have bragging rights in introducing the world’s first flagship smartphone that is capable of hardware ray-tracing and variable rate shading. You will also get console level gaming experience out of the device, obviously.

The thing is, we are not expecting to see the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold series with Samsung’s Exynos with AMD Radeon graphics in tow anytime soon. The soonest we can expect to see the AMD Radeon name gracing a Samsung Galaxy device is probably in 2024, with the Samsung Galaxy S24. Even that is a far-fetched speculation we think and a very early one at that. All we can do currently is wait.

News

More Style, More Power with the Dell Precision Lineup

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Thin and light isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when you think of cutting-edge technology and laptops. In fact, we’d be thinking the exact opposite! Historically, a high-performance laptop has always been synonymous with thick, bulky laptops. But that would also mean that designers, programmers, and video editors – among others – are stuck putting the breaking back in backbreaking work. However, Dell set out to change that a few years ago with their Precision lineup. Now, with the latest line of Precision laptops, they’ve managed to marry the two and inject some finesse.

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The Dell Precision Laptop series is getting supercharged with more power in its stylish chassis. The new, extensive lineup will be equipped with Intel’s latest 13th Generation Core processors. Complementing this will be the cutting-edge NVIDIA RTX 5000 Ada Generation Laptop GPUs. These systems are configured to empower creatives, data crunchers, engineers and designers to work on the go with little to worry about. Coming with 14-,15-,16- and 17 displays, the laptops are built for immersive productivity. These productivity-focused 16:10 OLED displays can also be professionally calibrated for colour-sensitive workflows covering the sRGB and DCI-P3 gamuts. They also come with 4K resolution with HDR support.

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The Precision Laptops are also fitted with the latest when it comes to connectivity with options for WiFi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3 and 5G. They are also augmented with advanced thermals to endure resource-intensive workflows and increased durability with MIL-STD certification.

Diversifying the Dell Precision Setup

In addition to the Dell Precision laptops, Dell’s lineup is also available for desktops and server-grade setups. The Precision Tower brings all the ethos and performance of Dell’s Precision laptops into a familiar desktop tower. Fully equipped with the best in connectivity, the Precision Tower skews away from Intel Cores to more capable Intel Xeon processors for an extra kick when it comes to power. They also come with NVIDIA RTX professional or AMD Radeon Pro graphics prepared for higher performance.

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Together with the Tower, Dell is also bringing the Precision line up to server racks with an ultra-scalable 2U Precision 7960 rack. With this setup, you can work on- and off-premises with the same power-packed setup while keeping sensitive data securely locked away. They come equipped with Intel’s W790 chipset with Intel Xeon Processors and professional grade NVIDIA RTX and AMD Radeon Pro graphics.

Pricing & Availability

The Precision lineup will be available starting on March 23, 2023. Detailed dates and prices are as listed:

ModelAvailabilityPrice (USD$)Price (MYR)*
Precision 3480 Mobile WorkstationMarch 23, 2023starting from $1,439.00starting from MYR6,344.87
Precision 3580 Mobile WorkstationMarch 23, 2023starting from $1,459.00starting from MYR6,433.95
Precision 3581 Mobile WorkstationMarch 23, 2023starting from $1,699.00starting from MYR7,492.31
Precision 5480 Mobile WorkstationApril 20, 2023TBA–
Precision 5680 Mobile WorkstationMay 18, 2023TBA–
Precision 7680 Mobile WorkstationMarch 23, 2023starting from $2,529.00starting from MYR11,152.47
Precision 7780 Mobile WorkstationMarch 23, 2023starting from $2,829.00starting from MYR12,475.42
Precision 5860 TowerApril 18, 2023TBA–
Precision 7960 TowerApril 18, 2023TBA–
Precision 7960 RackApril 18, 2023TBA–

*Prices in MYR are converted using XE.com with the rate of 1 USD = 4.40942 MYR.

Official Specifications

Precision 3000 series Mobile Workstation

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Precision 5000 series Mobile Workstation

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Precision 7000 series Mobile Workstation

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Precision 5860/7960 Tower

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Precision 7960 Rack

  • precision 7960 rack spec sheet Page 8
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Computers, News

Work On the Go with Dell’s New Latitude Lineup

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Dell’s Latitude laptops have long been one of the go-to devices when it comes to corporate and commercial customers. Latitudes are known for their durability and reliability when it comes to performance. This year, Dell is bringing even more power to the Dell Latitude lineup with more features and upgrades for work on the go. The lineup has been updated with Intel’s 13th Generation Core processors for added power and efficiency.

Introducing the Small but Powerful Latitude 9440

The new Dell Latitude 9440 infuses the Latitude lineup with portability, power and design from Dell’s flagship XPS series. The 9440 combines form with function with its unique 2-in-1 design that allows it to transform from a laptop into a tablet and even a presentation surface seamlessly. Perfect for the entrepreneur, salesperson or C-suite executive.

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Together with the new design and aluminium chassis, the new Latitude 9440 comes with a zero lattice keyboard with miniLED backlights. The keycaps are larger with no gaps. They also have increased angles between keys and ergonomic curves on each key giving them easy tactile separation. The miniLED backlights bring power efficiency with up to 75% less power usage providing up to 3 hours of increased battery life.

The Lattitude 9440 is also the smallest commercial 14-inch laptop. The small, compact chassis incorporates a 14-inch display in what has conventionally housed a smaller 13-inch display. It also keeps things crisp with a high-resolution InfinityEdge QHD+ panel in a functional 16:10 aspect ratio.

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The 9440 also builds on its predecessor, the 9330. Where the 9330 made conferencing and video calls easier, the 9440 brings a customizable haptic touchpad for better collaboration. Users will be able to adjust and personalise the haptics of the touchpad to suit their work style. Together with this, the touchpad comes with quick toggles that allow users to toggle their mic and camera as well as quick toggles for screen sharing and chat which integrate with Zoom out of the box. Compatibility with Microsoft Teams will come later this year.

Ultralight Portability with the new Dell Latitude 7000 series

While the 9440 shines with its premium build and features, the Latitude 7000 series brings many of those features to a more accessible price point. It also brings a new focus on being Ultralight and portable – perfect for those who need to work on the go and in the field.

Latitude 7340 aluminum Latitude 7440 Ultralight

The Lattitude 7340 and 7440 ultralight bring the same miniLED backlit keyboard technology as the 9440. It also shares the 14-inch display of 9440 but comes weighing under 1kg for its 13-inch version and slightly more than 1kg for the 14-inch version. The magnesium chassis makes it one of the lightest in Dell’s portfolio but preserves the durability that the Latitude lineup is known for. The 7000 series is also available with aluminium chassis and a larger 16-inch option.

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Together with these features, the Latitude 7000 series is also getting better connectivity on the go thanks to 5G. This combined with a 5-megapixel IR camera makes it perfect for working remotely.

Completing the Lineup with Latitude 5000 Series

Rounding up Dell’s Latitude lineup is the 5000 series which brings all the essentials when it comes to working remotely. It comes complete with options for 2-in-1 laptops and a Chromebook in the Latitude 5430.

The Latitude 5000 series focuses on enabling remote work with a complete array of ports, a long-lasting battery and cutting-edge connectivity. This year, the series comes with 14- and 15-inch options with a smaller footprint than before. It also focuses on key experiences which include privacy-centric features like Look-away detect and Onlooker detection.

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The Dell Latitude Chromebook 5430 completes the lineup with a cloud-native option which runs Google’s ChromeOS. It brings the whole suite of experiences that make the Latitude line up in a highly scalable package with options for every need.

Pricing & Availability

The refreshed Dell Latitude laptops will be available starting in March 2023. Details are as below:

ModelAvailabilityPricing (USD$)Pricing (MYR)*
Latitude 9440TBATBA–
Latitude 7340, 7440, 7640Starting March 23, 2023from USD$1,676.99from MYR7,385.86
Latitude 5340, 5440, 5540Starting March 23, 2023from USD$1,620.73from MYR7,138.08
Latitude 5430 ChromebookStarting March 28, 2023TBA–

*Pricing in MYR is converted using XE.com with the rate of 1 USD = 4.40449 MYR

Official Spec Sheets

Dell Latitude 9440 2-in-1

  • Latitude 9440 Spec sheet Page 7
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Dell Latitude 7000 series

  • Latitude 7x40 Spec Sheet Page 08
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  • Latitude 7x40 Spec Sheet Page 11
  • Latitude 7x40 Spec Sheet Page 12
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Dell Latitude 7340/7440 Ultralight

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Dell Latitude 5000 series

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Dell Latitude 5430 Chromebook

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Mobile, News

WhatsApp Allows You to Become More Private by Locking Your Individual Chats

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WhatsApp just brought some major updates in the past week with some new features in its Communities feature. They have also added a few features to be tested for beta users last week. One of them is a creative text editing tool that allows users to change the text’s alignment and fonts. Testers also get to work with disappearing messages anywhere from 24 hours, 7 days, and 90 days. There could also be a new ‘audio chat’ function which seems to be a sort of group chat via WhatsApp where included or invited members can go in and out of the chat at any time they want. Now, they are adding more security feature that might actually be a lot of use.

WA LOCK CHAT OPTION LIST ANDROID 768x856 1
Source: WA Beta Info

The latest WhatsApp Beta version 2.23.8.2 for Android allows you to lock selected chats. That applies to both one-on-one chats and group chats. You can either use your fingerprint as a key or just a regular PIN code. The locked chats even have a separate tab for it so that you can easily set it out from other chats. Your locked chats will not be able to be seen from the main chat screen though, so you might want to remember whose chat you have locked. If you failed to enter the right credentials to open the chat, the app will prompt you to clear the chat before you open in the next time. It is not only chats that gets locked too, the media files shared on these private chats will not get saved into your smartphone’s gallery.

WhatsApp, at least in Malaysia, is the most popular alternative messenger app. With the latest community update, WhatsApp has become one of the most powerful community management tool to have for community managers and admins. While they have been also updating the app with more security patches than before to make the app one of the most secure in the world, they have not given much in terms of control over privacy and security of a user. With the new beta update, it seems like WhatsApp is putting more control into the users’ hands. We are sure to be locking some our private chats aside to keep prying eyes from it.

Android, News

Google Keep Finally Getting Updates to Make it More Tablet Friendly

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Android apps in general have been notorious for lacking support for larger screens and newer foldable devices. The situation has changed slightly with Android 12L and 13 which brought native support and optimizations to the OS. However, there has been little done to bring apps up to date. What’s worse, Google itself has slacked when it comes to its own Google apps.

However, that’s beginning to change with optimizations making it to apps like Google Docs since last year. The latest app to get it? Google Keep. The notetaking app will now allow users to have a two pane view on larger displays and tablets. This layout will have the notes grid on one side while the actual contents of the notes will appear on the other. This is done by running two instances of the app at the same time in tandem with Android’s native split screen multitasking. The new feature is comes a year after Google Docs got the same feature.

Multi instance support now available for Google Keep on large screen Android devices

The new feature comes after Google introduced the single note widget for Android. This widget allows users to pin a single note to the home screen of their Android devices. Items like to-do lists become fully interactive widgets allowing users to check and add more items. It can also jump into the full app with a single tap of the enlarge button.

Together with the new feature for Google Keep, Google also introduced full mouse support for Google Sheets and Google Slides on Android. In addition, Workspace users will also be able to move folders from My Drive into Shared Folders as well.

Lifestyle, Mobile, News

Spotify Live is Being Put Down

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Spotify launched their Greenroom in response to the astronomical rise in the audio-only social media app that is Clubhouse. Greenroom works exactly like the Clubhouse app, except that it is a smear of green and black on your display compared to the grey, yellow, and white interface of the Clubhouse app. It was not an in-house development from Spotify as many though it was. It was birthed from Spotify’s acquisition of Betty Labs and its app, Locker Room. Later on in its life, it is named Spotify Live.

The hype for Clubhouse was a real one. It was a huge thing during the pandemic and everyone wanted to be on the platform or get involved in one way or another. At some point Facebook and Twitter were teasing their own audio-only social media platform. As the world would come to realise, the Clubhouse hype was short-lived.

No matter, Spotify still sees value in the concept. You can hardly blame Spotify though, they hold the largest podcast library in the world currently, even ahead of Apple and Google Podcast. They see value in ‘live’ radio like shows for their platform. At some point they even wanted to integrate the platform into the main Spotify app just to give users a more direct and centralised access to “live podcast shows”. They even introduced some Spotify Live exclusive shows.

It seems like that will also not be happening as reported by Music Ally. The signs were all painted on the walls though. By the end of 2022, Facebook had pulled its own version of live audio off the plug. Even Spotify Live was struggling to keep interests on their platform and had to cancel a few of their own exclusive shows. The next step, obviously, was to close off the app and probably integrate the platform into the main Spotify app. As it turns out, that might not happen too.

The Verge has reached out to Spotify on integrating the app into the main Spotify app and mentioned that the spokesperson was a little coy about it. They mentioned that “Spotify Live is shitting down completely”. There was also mentions of more investments and further innovations, but that was not necessarily specific to Spotify Live and live audio platforms.

Spotify’s spokesperson also mentions that they still see value in original fan created contents. They also see value in “listening parties”. In that case, it seems like Spotify might explore more of that in the future. You might be able to expect “live concerts” or “live sessions” on Spotify in the future. They have technically done that before when they relaunched the Spotify Live app in 2022 with a Swedish House Mafia listening party.

Thing is, as revealed by Music Ally, live streaming and broadcasting is not exactly a terrible business to be in. As YouTube and Twitch have proven that live videos works and is in a good place. Amazon Music has invested in live video shows that focuses on music alongside Twitch. Apple Music also offers access to select live radio stations. Stationhead, a startup, managed to grow in the space and now they are hosting live release parties on their own.

We are still expecting Spotify to add the Spotify Live feature on their main app. It will not look like the Spotify Live app we know today. We will not see random chat rooms or ‘Live Rooms’ where you can participate in the chat or discussion topic of the day. You will definitely see more ‘listening parties’ within the app though, or even something that resembles a live radio show with music like Stationhead’s initiative. For now, long live Spotify Live, we cannot say that we will miss you because we have not exactly been active on the app anyway.