Apple and Google found themselves at odds with Governments when it came to how data should be handled in their Contact Tracing API.
The OnePlus 8 series found its way to Malaysia. The new Snapdragon685 touting Smartphones are up for pre-order. They are priced starting from MYR2,699.
AMD unveils a new generation of Zen 2 based Ryzen 3 processors.
Facebook had a busy week enhancing Messenger with Messenger Rooms and enabling Group Calls on WhatsApp.
vivo launched their Snapdragon 712 powered V19 in Malaysia. The Quad Camera touting flagship is retailing for MYR1,699.
Netflix scores an new Netflix Original with Pokémon Journeys and sneaks in a new feature on the Android app.
Motorola makes a comeback in the Flagship smartphone market with the new Motorola Edge! Remember to hit that like and subscribe button!
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Pokémon has become one of the most valuable intellectual properties (IPs) in the world. What started off as a role playing game on the original Nintendo Gameboy, is now a multibillion dollar household name. Most recently, the Pokémon Company released the latest generation games, Pokémon Sword and Shield, on the Nintendo Switch. It has since announced much anticipated expansions to the Galar region; the first of which, Isle of Armour, due out in June.
In classic style, each new region introduced also signals a new adventure for the long running anime. Pokémon’s anime started off in 1997 in Japan and found its way to Western audiences a year later. With Ash Ketchum’s adventures well underway in Japan, the anime is now slated to make its US debut exclusively on Netflix as a Netflix Original.
The new series will follow protagonist Ash Ketchum as he travels the world with his Pikachu. The new series kicks off when Ash and Pikachu meet Goh, an extremely curious boy who looks to catch every Pokémon including the mythical Mew. The duo are appointed as official research fellows by Professor Oak’s prodigy, Professor Cerise. The series will follow the duo as they work towards becoming the ultimate Pokémon Master and catch ’em all around the Pokémon world.
Pokémon Jouneys: The Series will debut with 12 episodes on June 12, 2020. Netflix and the Pokémon Company International will be adding new episodes every quarter after. The new series joins a growing catalogue of Netflix originals which encompass licensed and Netflix produced shows on the platform.
Watching Netflix on your mobile device is one of the many conveniences that online streaming brings. However, there is nothing worse than having your viewing experience being disrupted by an accidental touch or if someone touches your screen. Netflix knows this too! That’s why the company is introducing a new feature: screen lock.
The new Screen Lock feature has apparently silently made its way to the Netflix app on Android. It essentially makes the screen irresponsive when touched while you’re watching shows – as the name suggests. This feature is a welcomed addition for users who, like many of us at techENT, tend to watch shows on our tablets or smartphones.
Source: 9to5Google.com
Enabling screen lock removes the whole Netflix UI. This includes the play and pause button, timeline scrubber and replaces it with a lock icon. You will need to double tap the lock to get back the regular Netflix UI. As of writing this story, the feature has yet to make it to iOS.
The new feature comes on the heels of Netflix’s announcement of enhanced parental controls. The enhanced controls were introduced as a way for parents to be more at ease with their children using the app as the world deals with the current pandemic.
We started this journey over two weeks ago. We also switched to a HUAWEI P40 Pro review unit last week as an HMS test device on a full-time basis. Starting it up and starting afresh, we thought we might want to give the HUAWEI device the best chance it has to stack up against all the other Android devices we encountered. That is why, rather than loading it with the set-up we had on the HUAWEI Nova 7i, we went with Phone Clone to get it to clone a HUAWEI Mate 20X I owned.
The result of that was the transfer of more than just the apps we had on the HUAWEI Nova 7i. We had more than we bargained with Prime Video and Telegram ported in. We had Facebook and Instagram ported too, alongside some of our favourite games like Brawl Starts and PUBG Mobile. More about Phone Clone app and the HUAWEI P40 Pro in our in-depth review later though. Note that the HUAWEI P40 Pro is a review unit and it is due for a return soon. So we only have a limited time with HUAWEI’s latest photography king and switch back to the Nova 7i.
Phone Clone is The Way to Go
The point is you can still run Android apps on the HUAWEI’s EMUI 10. It is still an Android 10 device after all. Well, just be sure that everything runs nicely. We found that Instagram will not turn over on the HUAWEI P40 Pro. It could just be a device issue, but that is quite annoying to us. The upgrade also comes with a big step up in the camera of course. But that is not our focus today.
The focus today is to test it out as a daily driver for the week. We popped in the YES 4G SIM card we had for our review devices and its ready to roll. Okay, it is ready to somewhat roll.
Of course, we had our concerns with the apps. For one, there is now no official support for the apps. Where do we update the apps? How do we update the apps? If I’m transferring WhatsApp from my older device, do I use Gmail still? We may not be able to answer all the questions you and I have.
Right out of the box, if you did not use Phone Clone to copy your WhatsApp data over to your new HUAWEI device, you are going to lose everything. If you use Phone Clone and WhatsApp did not copy its complete data over, you lose everything. There is no carry over of backup data because HUAWEI cannot back up to Gmail now. It is like switching from an Apple device to Android device. That is kind of a bummer.
We found a solution to that though, from HUAWEI’s own community site. It is not the simplest instructions to follow, because there is a lot of navigation around restoring your WhatsApp data in your HUAWEI smartphone. If you want to give it try you can head to their website. It still works (sort of) on the HUAWEI Nova 7i and HUAWEI P40 Pro as well. So that should not be too big of an issue.
We found that installing Google Drive may not work as well, because you cannot actually sign into your Google account. That, and a lot of other Google apps. At least you get your WhatsApp chat history back, right? You have to jump through some hoops, yes; but it works.
We did not manage to get Netflix ported over, or even working for that matter. At least Amazon’s Prime Video works well though. We cannot tell if it is only streaming in HD quality or not, but it works at least, and that is now part of our entertainment.
The next challenge is to update the apps. For that, we started using APKPure and Aptoide. Mind you, you cannot get these two app markets on AppGallery too, so you have to download them from their respective mirror sites.
New in AppGallery
Since we last spoke about the AppGallery though, there has been some additions to the ecosystem. There are some new apps there and here. A lot of which, we are not concerned about. One of which, could be interesting for residents of Malaysia. The MySejahtera app developed by Malaysia’s ministry of health to keep yourself in check of your own health status in the COVID-19 situation now. Of course, during the Movement Control Order restrictions now, food is important, and you have Dahmakan app in the HUAWEI device anyway. Nope, no others so far. Not even Grab.
You could, theoretically get Grab working on your HUAWEI through Phone Clone as well. Again, there is going to be update issues later. But I guess we can cross that bridge when we get there.
Still, if you are going to rely on the AppGallery solely, Dahmakan is your best friend.
Quick Apps is a function that is on the HUAWEI AppGallery and a feature like no other. It is a sort of ‘pre-installed’ kit for devices with the AppGallery. They idea is that you can just access the Quick Apps gallery, pick the apps you want to use, and launch it without installing it. Where is it installed? In the cloud perhaps. But the essential point is that you can just use the apps as long as you are connected to the internet.
That is what the McDonald’s app is on the HUAWEI AppGallery, a Quick App. Of course, you need an active internet connection anyway for the app to work in the first place, so it does make plenty of sense. It also does not take up any space on your smartphone which is quite clever as well; a way to save storage space on your smartphone, if you might.
You can even add the app on your home screen so you can access it again anytime after your first visit. Just hit the app menu and add it to your home screen, very easy. We are not sure it is the most convenient way to discover an app though, because it is lodged very far down the AppGallery. You have to scroll all the way down to find the separate Quick Apps gallery.
Still, better than nothing right? There are plenty games within that gallery, none of which we play. Because the AppGallery is not segregated from one country to another yet, you can also find some broadcast apps on the platform. It is an interesting platform, if used correctly. Why not have WhatsApp there too? That is an idea.
An increasing number of homes are beginning to cut the cord and depend more on streaming platforms such as Netflix for their everyday entertainment. It’s a trend that many streaming apps are reporting and it is, unsurprisingly, gaining momentum even in places like Malaysia. That said, with such a wide library of content now available at everyone’s finger tips, it can become a worrisome affair for parents.
1. PROFILE It
Netflix has, over the years, introduced steps and features to help parents stay on the ball. One of the first features borne out of the need to guard against children accessing mature content is the now staple profiles.
Setting up a specific profile for the kids in the family allowed parents to keep an eye on the content being consumed. In fact, parents can ensure that only child-friendly content appears in their kids’ profile. Creating a profile on Netflix will make sure that settings, preferences and recommended shows are individualized. In this case, it would also keep more mature shows out of your kids’ profile.
2. Cu-RATE it
Creating a profile is just the first step. You also need to setup age limitations when it comes to the profile. Netflix has made this a little easier with the “Allowed TV shows and movies” option when you set up a profile.
However, limiting your kids’ access based on general ratings may not be enough. I mean, Netflix can only filter so much. So, jump into the profile and get curating! Remove shows you feel are not suitable for your child and Netflix will begin to learn the boundaries you’re setting for your kid.
3. PIN It Up
We all know how kids are, they’re curious and they always want to test boundaries. The best way to enforce boundaries is to set them. There’s no better way in the Netflix app than by setting up PINs. Similar to your bank account, the PIN will block unwanted access to your account – in this case, your kids.
The little explorers will hit a wall asking for the PIN should they find themselves any other profile on the app. So, you can rest at ease while you’re attending to chores and work.
4. Re-VIEW it
If you’re still a tad bit uneasy with what your kids have been watching, you don’t have to worry. Netflix has introduced a “viewing activity” section for profiles. Using this option, you’ll be able to see keep an eye on what your child has been watching. You can then go back and remove any shows that you feel are inappropriate from the list.
5. Play Next Episode? No Thank You!
We all know Netflix has a tendency to encourage binge watching shows. However, we know that too much screen time is no good for the kids – even Netflix. So, they’ve introduced an option to turn off the “Play Next Episode” option on profiles. In fact, they’ve even introduced a feature to turn off previews from playing after the show.
So, you can literally tell your kids, “This is the last one” and rest easy knowing that Netflix isn’t going to play the next episode.
Some of the steps in the list feature enhanced parental control features which have recently made their way to the Netflix app. However, a majority of them have been there since Netflix’s humble beginnings. Keep an eye out for more tips and tricks as the company rolls out more features.
Netflix has come a long way from just CD rentals to the biggest online streaming platform not only in the United States but across the entire globe. Netflix has been busy improving its services and features. So what does Netflix have up its sleeve this time to keep our butts stuck to our couch.
This time around, Netflix has added a top 10 list of what’s popular on Netflix in each country. This new label would be displayed on the top right corner of the show’s poster. Other than whats the most popular on the entire Netflix. Netflix has also separated what’s most popular based on whether it is a TV show or Movie.
Its been a while since I have kept up with the latest offerings from Netflix but here are some of the TV shows that I feel are a must-watch.
RIVERDALE
What started off as a murder mystery series quickly became a disturbingly addictive show. The spin-off of the Archie comic book series starts off with the mysterious murder of Jason Blossom, the popular kid in town.
Viewers were strapped onto their seats through a multitude of plot twists throughout the first season. The first season finale ended with a cliffhanger, luring all of us gullible souls into the second season. This was where the writing went off the rails, venturing more so into the realm of teenage fan-fiction. But hey, who can resist the cliffhangers and the hilariously cringy writing?
CHILLING ADVENTURES OF SABRINA
As another spin-off of a well-known comic series from the good-old-days, the Netflix exclusive takes a darker turn in this witchy tale. The first season is essentially the coming of age story of Sabrina, where she has to choose between being a mortal and a witch.
As it ruffled some feathers among the satanist community, it remains an interesting watch, especially if you like feeling like a badass when the show’s official soundtrack comes on. Though it seems to be going down the same route as Riverdale in terms of writing, it’s a nice, lighthearted show for lovers of the fantasy genre.
THE GOOD PLACE
If you like Parks and Recreation, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and The Office, you’ll love The Good Place. The show is basically a take on the afterlife and morality. Though chock full of actual ethical philosophy, the show maintains its comedic tone throughout the seasons.
The story starts with the main character, Eleanor Shellstrop being assigned to what seems to be the wrong afterlife she deserves. Eleanor alongside Chidi, Tahani, and Jason, the ethically confused quartet go on a journey of self-betterment so they can end up at The Good Place.
Netflix is arguably one of the most popular content streaming platforms out there. So, what happens when the largest content streaming platform when they release a sequel to one of their most popular teen romance dramas? Well, they allow you to stream the original for FREE.
The original romantic comedy, “To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before”, which aired last year, will be available to stream for free. The free stream is done in conjunction with the launch of its sequel, “To All The Boys, P.S. I Still Love You”. The stream will be made available until 9 March, 2020. You can access the free movie at netflix.com/toalltheboys.
To All the Boys I Loved Before follows Lara Jean (played by Lana Condor) after her sister accidentally sends out love letters she’s written. These find their way to their intended recipients, boys whom she’s loved from afar. The movie chronicles the events that happen as she has to come face to face with them.
The sequel which premiered on Netflix on February 12, 2020 follows Lara as the letters continue to reach their recipients. The complication? Things have started to blossom between her and one of the boys from the first movie.
So, don’t miss out on the original misadventures of Lara Jean as she navigates a very awkward situation. However, you will need to subscribe to Netflix to watch the sequel. Netflix subscriptions start at MYR17 for the mobile only plan in Malaysia.
Official Synopsis
To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before
What if all the crushes you ever had found out how you felt about them…all at once? Lara Jean Song Covey’s love life goes from imaginary to out of control when the love letters for every boy she’s ever loved—five in all– are mysteriously mailed out. From New York Times Bestselling Author, Jenny Han, the film adaption of the popular YA novel stars actress Lana Condor (Alita: Battle Angel, X-Men: Apocalypse) and Noah Centineo (Sierra Burgess Is A Loser, The Fosters).
To All The Boys I’ve Loved P.S. I Still Love You
It’s a new year and Lara Jean (Lana Condor) and Peter (Noah Centineo) are no longer pretending to be a couple. They ARE a couple. And, as Lara Jean navigates a trove of official firsts with Peter — her first real kiss, her first real date, her first Valentine’s Day — she finds herself leaning more on Kitty and Margot (Anna Cathcart and Janel Parrish), Chris (Madeleine Arthur), and an unexpected new confidant, Stormy (Holland Taylor), to help her manage the complex emotions that come with this new chapter of balancing a relationship and figuring out her authentic self. But when John Ambrose (Jordan Fisher), another recipient of one of Lara Jean’s old love letters, enters her life again she must rely on herself more than ever as she’s confronted with her first real dilemma: Can she love two boys at the same time?
