Category Archives: News

Accessories, Computers, eSports, Gaming, Lifestyle, News

The Razer Deathstalker V2 – Razer’s Ultimate Low-Profile Keyboard Comes for Round 2 

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Razer’s gaming peripherals are some of the most highly acclaimed products in the world of gaming. Sure, there are some products that is plagued with build quality issues. Razer as a brand is always associated with premium gaming peripherals though.  

One of the most highly acclaimed peripherals in their stables is their Razer Deathstalker keyboard. It is a low-profile keyboard with chiclet style keys that struck well with Razer’s fans. The low-profile keyboard is designed to be as comfortable as possible to game on and to work with.  

The first Deathstalker rolled out in 2014. The Deathstalker is now about eight years old now. Time for an upgrade, a version 2. 

Top Class Connectivity
Source: Razer

The Deathstalker V2 line-up, as Razer calls it, is the evolution of the concept that was the original Deathstalker. It is still a low-profile keyboard, like the original. Except, the Deathstalker V2 line-up is also choke full of Razer’s eight years’ worth of R&D.  

One of the new innovations packed into the latest Razer Deathstalker is also Razer’s latest. With the Deathstalker V2, Razer introduces their new low-profile optical switches. It still works like their original optical switches. It relies on an infra-red beam within the switches to register the keypresses at lightspeeds. The technology ensures that the keyboard is as responsive as it can be in gaming applications and even better typing experience. 

Low-profile does not mean that the keyboard must feel less stellar than regular switches. It still features up to 1.2mm actuation point and 2.8mm of total travel. The two options, the Linear and Clicky variants of the switches also offer super light actuation force for speedy responses in intense gaming battles. The Linear actuates at 45 grams, while the Clicky variant actuates at 50 grams at 1.5mm actuation point. Razer also says that the switches can last up to 70 million key presses, supposedly 40% better than their competitors.  

Ultra Slim Casing
Source: Razer

While the older Deathstalker comes with an attached wrist rest that cannot be removed. The new one does not. It is a low-profile keyboard designed to ensure that users do not need a wrist rest even in extended usage conditions. To ensure that the keyboard lasts a long time, the plate is made from 5052 aluminium material. It is there for that ‘thock’ as well, of course.  

Topping everything off is a rather unique keycap. Of course, they have to be low-profile keycaps, just to fit the whole ‘low-profile’ look and feel. The keycaps are laser etched caps with a special coating to ensure that it is fade and scratch resistant, even more so than doubleshot PBT keycaps, according to Razer. 

Of course, thanks to huge advancements in wireless technology, the Razer Deathstalker V2 Pro and Deathstalker V2 Pro Tenkeyless comes with Razer’s Hyperspeed Wireless technology. Razer’s proprietary wireless technology ensures that the keyboard offers the lowest latencies even in wireless mode for a cable-like experience without the fuss of cable managing. If not, it offers Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity as well for low latency and extra stable connections with up to 3 devices at once. 

The Deathstalker V2 Pro offers up to 40 hours of battery life. The Tenkeyless version offers even more battery life at 50 hours. No need to replace the batteries, they are both charge via a USB Type-C port. Of course, the Type-C cable can also be used as the main connection to your PC as well. Of course, the Deathstalker V2 line-up also comes with Razer’s Chroma RGB controllable via their Razer Synapse 3 software on the PC.  

  • Ultra Slim Casing
    Source: Razer
  • Top Class Connectivity
    Source: Razer
  • Media Roller Screen Grab
    Source: Razer
  • Media Roller 2 Screen Grab
    Source: Razer
  • Low Profile Optical Switches
    Source: Razer
  • Keycaps Screen Grab
    Source: Razer
  • Hero KV
    Source: Razer
  • Battery Life 40H
    Source: Razer

The Razer Deathstalker V2 line-up starts at MYR 799. There are no colour options for they keyboard, just plain ol’ black. If you are looking for the Tenkeyless version of the keyboard, you will want the Deathstalker V2 Pro Tenkeyless variant at MYR 929. The full-sized keyboard with Razer’s Hyperspeed technology, the Deathstalker V2 Pro will set you back MYR 999 from the 26th of August 2022 onward. The other variants of the flagship low-profile keyboard will be available in a later unspecified date. You can head over to Razer’s local online retail partners on Shopee and Lazada to get your hands on one. For more information on the Razer Deathstalker V2 line-up, you can head over to their website.  

Android, Lifestyle, Mobile, News

Audio Switching on Android, Coming Soon by Google 

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Bluetooth, we think, is a gift to the world. It is the alternative to Wi-Fi. In its current Bluetooth 5.0 generation, the technology is better than it has even been. Over a short distance, it is one of the best ways to transfer large amounts of data. It allows multiple devices to be connected simultaneously. It is also the most stable type of short-range connection you can get in your mobile devices today at ultra-low latency. 

That is why it is the preferred connection when it comes to your portable and wireless audio gear. Microsoft and Google have made it a point to allow for certified Bluetooth devices to connect to their devices much quicker and easier. The Quick Pair and Fast Pair functions saves us users a lot of time in connecting our Bluetooth gear. 

There is a problem with all these conveniences however, or rather, an inconvenience. Especially since multi-device connectivity is available on Bluetooth earphones, getting your devices or audio coming out from the right devices seems to be an issue today. For you to switch audio input from one device to the other is still a manual labour, no more inconvenient that just completely switching your Bluetooth earphone’s input source.  

Google Audio Switching 

According to Google’s blog post, their audio switching technology works on top of their Fast Pair algorithm. That also means that you do need to have a Bluetooth device that supports Google Fast Pair for it to work. Most new Bluetooth enabled wireless headphones today, save for Apple’s offerings, features Fast Pair anyway. 

They explained that using contextual information on what you are listening to, the algorithm automatically switches your audio input based on your actions. The algorithm is also highly dependent on audio prioritization to determine which audio source should be prioritized over which. For example, if your headset is connected to both your tablet and your smartphone and you are listening to music on your tablet and you received a simple notification on your smartphone, your gear should not be switching sources. When you get a call on your phone, for example, only then your audio source should prioritize the phone call and switch its source to your smartphone immediately. 

While there is a default priority setting to what your Bluetooth device prioritizes, Google is also giving users the ability to select and customize the experience on their own. At the same time, the experience will not only be limited to Fast Pair enabled Bluetooth audio gear connected to Android or Google devices only. The feature will also be available for all devices that support Bluetooth multipoint connection allowing you to have the convenience of quickly switching audio sources from your smartphone to your Windows laptop and vice versa.  

Currently, Google will be rolling out the new feature update to their own Pixel Buds Pro first. They say that they are rolling out the updates to their manufacturing partners like Sony and JBL over the next few weeks. From then on it is just a matter of time before the current line-up of Sony and JBL Bluetooth headsets get the update from the manufacturer’s end. You do not necessarily need an app to toggle audio switching as well, you just need to head into ‘Device details’ in the general Bluetooth settings page.  

Android, iOS, Mobile, News

Move to iPhone They Said, WhatsApp Can Moved There They Said – Wait, What?

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For the longest time, one of the biggest problems when it comes to moving from one smartphone platform to the other is data transfers and backup. To be fair, when you change from one Android manufacturer to the other, transferring your data can be as easy as setting up a Wi-Fi Direct connection with your older device today. It is a slightly different story when you shift from Android to an iPhone platform though. You tend to have to accept that most of your data will be gone and you must start building your own ecosystem from scratch. One of those databases that might be important to you is your messenger data, specifically WhatsApp.

WhatsApp is one of the only messengers currently active within both the Android and iOS ecosystem that relies on storing data locally. While that is better in terms of security, privacy, and encryption, it makes life a little difficult when you want to transfer your data between devices. For Android devices, WhatsApp can work with Google’s Drive platform to offer data backup and restoration. In iOS devices, WhatsApp relies on Apple’s iCloud service, which is a completely different platform entirely that has nothing to do with Google’s Drive cloud storage platform. That creates a problem when you shift from Android devices to iOS devices and vice versa.

Luckily, WhatsApp knows that this is a problem and has been working hard to rectify the issue, just so that users have more options in terms of choosing their next devices. Now, they have found a sort of solution. We say sort of because it currently only works one way and not the other.

WhatsApp has released an additional app that is available for free on the Google Play Store to make this shift happen. They call it the ‘Move to iOS’ app, which may be rather unoriginal, but straightforward. There are a few requirements to transferring your WhatsApp data from your old Android to your new iPhone though.

First, you need at least Android 5 installed on your device, which should not be too hard if you own a smartphone within the last 5 years. Second, you want to ensure that your new iPhone device packs iOS 15.5 and above, which also should not be too difficult if you go for the latest iPhone devices anyway. Of course, you need to install Move to iOS app as well on your Android device. WhatsApp must be updated too for this to work. You need at least WhatsApp version 2.22.7.74 for your Android device and WhatsApp version 2.22.10.70 for your iPhone. The iPhone device must also be a fresh unit or factory reset unit to pair with the Android app. Then you must ensure that both devices are being plugged in and charged, for some reason. Both devices need to be connected to the same Wi-Fi umbrella, or the Android device must be connected to the receiving iPhone’s hotspot. Of course, the phone number used must be the same.

Once you tick all those boxes, you want to head to the Move to iOS app on your donor Android device and start the process. The process itself is rather straightforward and easy to follow. Once you get on your iPhone, you simply have to log into WhatsApp with your attached phone number and sign in to the messages and other medias waiting for you.

There are no cloud backups, uploads, or download process in this process. Everything is done through Wi-Fi Direct to your iPhone. There is technically no way to monitor the data transfer progress via WhatsApp as well currently. At the same time, like with any WhatsApp transfer, your data is not moved to the new device, it is merely copied. So, if you sign into your Android device after the transfer, you will still have everything in place. There is also a few things you cannot transfer from the Android to the iPhone; namely your personal messages, and peer to peer payment messages (Not like this works in Malaysia currently anyway).

Like we said, the migration is a one-way street currently. There is no easy way for you to transfer your WhatsApp messages and data from the iPhone to an Android device currently. Obviously, transferring WhatsApp data from an iOS to Android devices can be a little complex given the various Android devices you get from differing manufacturers with different standards of complexity as well. If WhatsApp can be transferred from an Android to iOS though, you can expect the reverse to come soon.

Gaming, Lifestyle, News

No FTs in Minecraft – Mojang Studios Takes a Stance on in-game NFTs

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If you have not heard of non-fungible tokens (NFTs), you should really go out from your house and start talking to your friends. It is one of the most ‘in’ things today. Thanks to advancements and creative use in technology, the art scene has been in a completely different high in the modern world. When we say art, we are not completely referring to the traditional art market. NFTs refer to specialized digital art that is uniquely made with their own identifier thanks to blockchain technology.

While NFTs is the hottest trend in the digitally ‘woke’ world today, it is a highly disputed technology. Plenty questions its validity and hype comparing it to the rise and fall of cryptocurrencies. There are also plenty of discussions on whether NFTs should have a place in gaming industry too. The concept of blockchain based gaming is not a new one, as well as NFT assets in games. Games like Axie Infinity is a good example of NFT based gaming that works around the assets itself. There are also games in development that built itself around NFT ownership and trade as well currently.

Not everyone agrees with the presence of NFTs in games though. One of them is Mojang studios, the people behind one of the most successful game franchises we know today, Minecraft. According to a very recent post on Mojang’s Minecraft blog, they have stated that they are not allowing NFTs to be part of the game to protect its users. They also see NFT as a rather exclusive asset that might not align to their policy to ensure that the game is inclusive to all kinds of players.

The idea of NFTs in Minecraft, while seems rather interesting, was not concocted by Mojang themselves. It is an implementation by other NFT based companies to show that they can generate unique collectibles, world files, and skin packs in the Minecraft world. The implementation also allows users to earn NFTs through activities inside and outside of the game itself.

While having unique assets is a noble idea in Minecraft, they say that they do not want to create an environment where scarcity and exclusion becomes a culture within Minecraft. Minecraft also has its own marketplace that allows players to sell their own creations for others to use. Minecraft also allows players to charge for access to their servers. All players have the same level of access to functionalities and available contents throughout the game. NFTs goes completely against that concept, according to Mojang. Therefore, NFTs should not have its place in the Minecraft game at this time.

Mojang is not completely against the idea of blockchain in Minecraft though. Mojang says that they will be paying close attention to how blockchain technology progresses. The idea is to implement blockchain within the game that complies to their concept of inclusivity and other practical use cases in gaming. They also re-iterated that they are not planning to implement blockchain within Minecraft currently.

Accessories, News

Canon Announces the CanonSELPHY CP1500 Compact Photo Printer

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Capturing photos on the go is a breeze nowadays. However, when it comes to sharing and immortalising them in print, we tend to be stuck. Canon is looking to make that a little less hassle with the Canon SELPHY CP1500 Compact Photo Printer.

The Canon SELPHY CP1500 is a really compact device coming in at 182.2mm x 57.6mm x 133.0mm and it weighs only 850g. It sports a 3.5-inch TFT LCD colour monitor so you can view what you’re printing before actually printing it. It’s able to print in three sizes: card (54x86mm), L size and Postcard (100x148mm). These are standard sizes which are available for purchase separately from Canon. It prints pretty quickly too taking only 41 seconds per postcard size – the largest format it supports.

SELPHY CP1500 BK FrontSlantLeft Body Cassette Postcard 1
SELPHY CP1500 BK FrontSlantLeft Body 1
SELPHY CP1500 WH FrontSlantLeft Body 2

The built-in display will allow you to make some minor adjustments before printing your images. However, if you want to add more customisation to your prints you can do so using the SELPHY Photo Layout app on your smartphone. You can even connect directly via WiFi and print your pictures from your laptop or PC. It also supports printing over USB-C. The SELPHY CP1500 also allows you to print directly from an SD, SDHC and SDXC card. If you want to print from a microSD card, you can with an adapter.

The SELPHY CP1500 comes with a battery pack which allows it to print up to 72 postcard size prints with a single charge.

Pricing & Availability

The Canon SELPHY CP1500 will be available in retail outlets soon. Canon Malaysia has yet to announce the local pricing for the SELPHY CP1500.

However, the printer is available for pre-order in the UK for £124.99 (MYR668.29) with availability scheduled for September 2022.

Official Specifications

ModelSELPHY CP1500
ColoursBlack / White
LCD Monitor3.5” TFT LCD colour monitor (approx. 230,000 dots)
Print SpeedPostcard size: Approx. 41 sec
L size: Approx. 35 sec
Card size: Approx. 23 sec
Measured conditions: Room temperature, print speed measured from start of yellow printing to ejection of paper. With print finish set to “glossy”.  
Image EffectsImage Optimize, Brightness (±3 steps), Colour Adjustment (7 x 7 steps), Filter, Smooth Skin, Red-Eye Correction
More Print OptionsBookmark printing, 2-up fixed size print, Index print, DPOF Print, Reprint
Wi-Fi CompatibleYes (Wi-Fi router/Direct Connection/SELPHY Photo Layout app)
AirPrint/ Mopria CompatibleYes
Supported Memory CardsSD card, SDHC card, SDXC card
Supported Memory Cards (with adapter)miniSD card, miniSDHC card, microSD card, microSDHC card, microSDXC card
Supported Language18 languages (English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Russian, Portuguese, Turkish, Arabic, Korean, Thai, Hindi, Vietnamese, Malay, Japanese, Ukrainian(New))
Accessories (included)PCPL-CP400 (Paper Cassettes)
Power SupplyCompact Power Adapter CA-CP300 B
Battery PackNB-CP2LI / NB-CP2LH
DimensionsApprox. 182.2 x 57.6 x 133.0 mm
WeightApprox. 850g
Business, Computers, News

The HP ZBook Studio G9 is Here – The Ultimate Professional Mobile Workstation is Here!

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Creators are a unique bunch. They are very much like gamers. They require a lot of power in their PC for all kinds of things they need to do with their PC. They require specialized hardware to be in their PC for their work. Weirdly enough, in the modern era of work, they require all the power they need to be packed in a single portable slate of a device.

Creators are also rather distinct to gamers. While they want all the power in the world in their backpacks, they want subtlety as well. They want a laptop that can stay discreet and quiet even under load. They want something that looks rather regular compared to the over-the-top looks of a gaming PC. Instead of blacks and reds, they want silvers and whites.

While it all sounds impossible, HP seems to have figured something out. They have created and launched the ZBook Studio G9. On paper, it is one of the most powerful laptops made for the studio in the world. It also looks like a regular laptop with no extraordinary vents or gills for cooling purposes. You do not even have to attach it to anything for it to work with the beast lurking inside.

  • HP ZBook Studio G9 1
    Source: HP
  • HP ZBook Studio G9 5
    Source: HP
  • HP ZBook Studio G9 4
    Source: HP
  • HP ZBook Studio G9 3
    Source: HP
  • HP ZBook Studio G9 2
    Source: HP

The beast inside is a 12th generation Intel Core i9 (up to) paired with an NVIDIA RTX A5500 or an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti (up to). You also get up to 64GB of DDR5 RAM to take advantage of Intel’s 12th generation Core processor speeds. To keep everything properly cooled is HP’s owne Vaportforce Thermal technology that works with new curved metal blades to dissipate enough heat to keep the ZBook Studio G9 working optimally.

Displaying Windows 1o Pro in all its glory, or whatever software you use for work, is a 16-inch display that they call HP DreamColor display. It offers 120Hz refresh rate and 16:10 aspect ratio. You also get WQXGA (up to 2,560 x 1,600 pixels) in resolution with the brilliant display, so you have more canvas to work with. The ZBook Studio G9 is also equipped with Bang & Olufsen tuned speakers so that you can quickly process audio data with the highest level of accuracy even when you are on-the-go.

All of this power is wrapped in an MIL-STD 810 certified body. That means it can handle simple spillages or even the occasional drop; accidents happen. The entire laptop also weighs 1.73 kg, which is not a lot of weight for a laptop that carries so much weight within its svelte body.

The HP ZBook Studio G9 will be available in Malaysia July onward with prices announced then as well. There are no colour options for the laptop, it only comes in silver. The bonus is that it is made entirely out of aluminium. If you want one, you have to contact your HP representative to get a quote. For more information on the ZBook Studio G9 though, you can visit their website.

Gaming, News

Pokémon UNITE Teams Up with K-POP Band, ITZY, to Celebrate Its First Anniversary

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Pokémon UNITE is already hitting its first anniversary! It’s been a year since the Pokémon Company’s first jab at a MOBA game hit the e-stores. It also marks the second successful mobile game that the franchise has launched. The game has garnered a solid player base over the past year with over 70 million downloads worldwide.

https://youtu.be/Lf3XsDaYgys

To celebrate its first anniversary, the Pokémon Company is partnering with K-Pop band, ITZY. The partnership will see the release of a new, worldwide TV commercial featuring Yeji (예지), Lia (리아), Ryujin (류진), Chaeryeong, and Yuna (유나). In addition to the new commercial, there will be a Pokémon UNITE/ITZY Special Show that has been broadcasted in Japan. The 29-minute special is also available on YouTube.

Pokemon UNITE ITZY Anniversary 3
Pokemon UNITE ITZY Anniversary 2

Together with the partnership, Pokémon UNITE is also having an in-game event to celebrate its first anniversary on the 21st of July. The event kicked off on the 7th of July. As with all in-game events, there will be special in-game items and characters available during the campaign. Players will also have different missions to unlock freebies and characters.

https://youtu.be/t_ogBgNGsmU

In addition to this, players may be able to take on ITZY with the girls appearing in-game!

Health, News

Ultrahuman Ring Brings Health Insights to your Fingertips

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Healthcare is going through a revolution right now. Never have scientists and healthcare professionals had access to the amount of biological data that we do now. Smartwatches, Health Trackers, Smart Scales and more have made it possible for doctors and healthcare professionals to offer even more personalised treatments. Another piece of technology is looking to be part of the revolution – The Ultrahuman Ring.

Ultrahuman Ring
Source: Ultrahuman

The Ultrahuman Ring brings your regular set of sensors including a heart rate sensors (photoplethysmograph), temperature sensor and also a motion sensor. The ring itself does not come with any display and haptics. Instead, users will have to pair the Ultrahuman Ring with their mobile app to view any of the insights. This apparently was done intentionally to reduce distractions coming from the Ring. Using its sensors, the Ultrahuman Ring allows users to view their heart rate, heart rate variability (HRV) and body temperature. It also is able to track sleep allowing users to track when they were in REM and non-REM sleep.

Screenshot 2022 07 19 at 12 34 13 Ultrahuman Ring
Source: Ultrahuman

The ring is made from “fighter jet” titanium with a tungsten carbide coating. The coating helps ensure the durability of the ring particularly during activities like weightlifting, grappling activities and even swimming. While Ultrahuman doesn’t outright mention any IP rating, their inclusion of swimming in their website alludes to some form of water resistance. The sensors also come with hypoallergenic contacts which allow users to keep the ring on for long periods.

Ring6
Ring8
Ring7
Ring2
Ring4
Ring3
Ring5
Ring9
Ring10

Ring + M1 – the Ultrahuman combination

That said, Ultrahuman isn’t designing its product to function alone. In fact, the Ultrahuman Ring works better when paired with the Ultrahuman M1 – a patch which continually monitors glucose levels. The M1 comes with a hollow needle which creates a small puncture in the skin to measure the glucose in interstitial fluid. This data is then used to produce a metabolic score based on food intake and exercise.

Ultrahuman Ring smart fitness tracker biomarker glucose level M1 w810h462 jpg
Source: Ultrahuman

Complementing the M1 with the Ultrahuman Ring will provide users with a more holistic picture of their metabolic health. It allows users to see how their food and exercise interact with their sleep and how this impacts overall health.

Pricing & Availability

The Ultrahuman Ring will be available starting on December 2022 for USD$299 (MYR1,332.8). It’s available in four colours: black, grey, silver and gold.

It’s now available for pre-orders with offer prices starting at USD$199 for the first 3000 orders.

Lifestyle, Mobile, News

Celcom Offers Xpax ‘Mix and Match’ Prepaid Plans at MYR 20 Onward

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We are living in a mobile first world. Everything can be done via the little mobile device that you have in your pockets. You do not even have to talk to anyone to get anything done, not via a phone call anyway. Just a few taps on your smartphone lets you make dinner reservations, buy groceries for it to be delivered to your home, buy lunch and dinner for yourselves, you can even get a cab home from anywhere you want with your mobile device.

Whatever it is, because your smartphone has become such an integral part of your life, it needs to be always connected. In other words, you need to be constantly connected. For that, you need internet plans for your mobile device. Now the issue becomes which plan is the right one for you.

Picture 4
Source: Celcom

Celcom understands that there is no ‘one size fits all’ solution in the modern connected era. Every individual has slightly differing needs in terms of their internet consumption and requirements. Traditional internet plans that offer everything from calls, messaging, and internet plans may not be the best solution for users today. Traditional calls and messaging have also taken a back seat to messenger apps that can even do video calls today as long as you are connected. Technically, you hardly need a service plan that includes massive calling and messaging quotas. You need service plans that packs a large data pool for the internet.

That is why Celcom introduces their new Xpax prepaid plan that you can ‘Mix and Match’ with. You can, for example, pick up a plan that consist of nothing but 8GB of data for the next 30 days for MYR 20. If you need anything on top of the 8GB data, you can get voice calls, hotspot data, or even a different data allocation for your specific social media and streaming apps from MYR 3 onward.

Whatever internet package you choose will also offer you 5G connectivity as and when it is available. Of course, your smartphone also must be able to take advantage of 5G.

Picture 3
Source: Celcom

The ‘Mix and Match’ Xpax plan, to be fair, is not necessarily a new idea. Yoodo was one of the first ISP in Malaysia to offer a fully customizable plan for its users. Users can change their data and voice plans on a monthly basis as well. The idea was that users should be able to pick their own data and voice plans that fits the specific user with no fuss. At the same time, the ‘Mix and Match’ Xpax plan ensures that users still get access to discounts and benefits offered by Celcom’s various partnerships at an affordable rate.

The Celcom Xpax ‘Mix and Match’ prepaid plan is available now. You can head to any of their Blue Cube centers to enquire on the plan. You can also head over to your Celcom Life App to check out the plans and how you can customize your own Xpax prepaid plans from the app itself. You can also head over to their website for more information on the new ‘Mix and Match plan.

Health, Lifestyle, Mobile, News

Mobvoi’s Next Flagship Could be a Wear OS 3 Device

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Google, at least as of the last Google I/O they had, has a renewed commitment to their Wear OS platform in partnership with Samsung. In that sense, you can expect Samsung to be one of those watchmakers that would be making flagship watches that Google can be proud of. They are not exclusive Wear OS device makers though. The source code for Wear OS is still an open one and currently Tag Heuer and Fossil are on the Google Wear OS boat.

There are plenty of smartwatch makers out in the market. The problem is, every one of them offers a slightly different take on what smartwatches should look like. They all feature different proprietary interfaces with their own OS. Samsung, one of the most successful makers in the wearable space, was working with their own Tizen OS before making the switch to Google.

Then there is Mobvoi. Mobvoi is not new, really. They have existed for a while, and they have been focused on making wearables. They have also been on the Wear OS bandwagon for a while now. The only issue is that their current flagship, the Ticwatch Pro 3 Ultra is still running on an older Wear OS firmware. Solution? Launch a new watch.

Except, it is not that simple. When you are a smaller company like Mobvoi, things do not usually come easily. They need product testers. Where do they go? They email their customers or known reviewers to be a part of the process. So, they did.

They emailed a Reddit user, which in turn leaked it to Reddit, about them looking for reviewers or testers for their new TicWatch that is apparently coming soon. The leak also suggested that there are a few main features on the new flagship TicWatch. One of it is, obviously, flagship. Together with Flagship, Mobvoi also says that it has improved premium design.

There are a few more things that Mobvoi teased about the new TicWatch too. They highlighted that it would have long duration battery, NFC payment compatible with Google Pay, IP68 waterproofing alongside a GPS tracker, speaker, and microphone, and lastly it will have IHB/ AFiB detection and fatigue assessment. Its compatibility with Google Pay via NFC should be clue enough that the upcoming TicWatch will be a Wear OS device.

Currently, Mobvoi’s latest flagship is the TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra GPS. It will set you back MYR 1,399. For that money, you get Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 4100 system on a chip (SoC) for wearables. It also features a large 1.4-inch AMOLED display with up to 45 days battery life. You can expect the next flagship TicWatch to set you back around the same price with even more features than before.

Source: 9to5Google