Samsung Smart TVs In 2015 Will Let You Run PlayStation Games Without A Console

Starting next year, people who buy the right Samsung smart televisions will be able to play PlayStation games on them without having to actually own any PlayStation hardware beyond a controller. Sony chose Christmas week to announce the new partnership which sees Sony’s games coming to a third-party’s hardware lineup for the first time.

Of course, there has to be a catch with something so awesome as that first paragraph makes it sound, and the kicker is that this is PlayStation Now rather than PlayStation 4 content, which means that you’re effectively streaming games over the Internet using the still-beta service that Sony has been working on for a little while. People who have tried PlayStation Now out already have been largely uncomplimentary about it, but the fact that gamers will be able to at least get some sort of PlayStation experience without a PlayStation console should not be underestimated.

In its current form PlayStation Now amounts to a handful of PlayStation 3 titles, but Sony does plan to make PlayStation 2 and PlayStation 4 games available in due course.

PlayStation Now relies on streaming protocols to effectively run the chosen game remotely, with video being pushed back to the gamer and control input going in the opposite direction. Because of that no actual Sony hardware is needed, but a decent broadband connection is paramount to making the whole thing viable. Sony reckons a 5Mbps connection should suffice, so will have to take the Japanese firm’s word for it for now. And we’re pretty certain that the ‘quality’ of that 5Mbps connection matters a lot here. You just can’t go on and stream a game with very high ping rates.

While Samsung is the first third-party to get access to PlayStation Now, there are already Sony-branded BRAVIA televisions that support the service. They’re available to buy now too.

Neither Samsung nor Sony are saying when the new TVs will be available other than a vague ‘first half of 2015′ timescale.

If that’s the timescale we’re given then we’ll just wait and see how the whole thing goes.

Are you excited about this new PlayStation Now integration in Samsung’s upcoming smart television? Do let us know when you think about it.

ASUS Pegasus series announced. A possible Redmi 1S killer priced under RM500

The ASUS is having a good time this year with its popular ZenFone series. With the rising competition from its Chinese rivals, ASUS is taking on the cheap and cheerful segment with a new affordable smart phone line up.

Immediately after Meizu announced its m1 Note that offers impressive hardware for a low price, ASUS has come out with a Pegasus X002 – A 5″ dual-SIM 4G LTE smart phone that’s going for sale at 799 CNY (about RM449) in China.

The design looks similar to its ZenFone 5 as the front has a 5″ IPS display that does HD 720p (1280×720) resolution. Instead of an Intel Atom or Qualcomm processor, it runs on a 64-bit MediaTek MT6732 1.5GHz Quad-Core (Cortex-A53) unit that’s mated to 2GB of RAM.

On-board it gets a generous 16GB of storage and there’s also a microSD expansion slot that accept cards up to 32GB in capacity. For taking pictures, it gets a familiar 8MP f/2.0 camera while the front has a 5.0MP f/2.2 shooter for selfies with a 80° wide angle lens. The main camera apparently has a ultra-picture mode which is able to produce higher resolution images through up-scaling up to 30MP.

The Pegasus X002 also has the usual WiFi 802.11n, Bluetooth 4.0 and there’s also 4G LTE support but it is compatible only with China’s 4G TD-LTE and 3G TD-SCDMA standards. Keeping it running for long is a 2,500mAh capacity battery which is quite generous in its class.

Out of the box, it runs on Android 4.4 KitKat with ASUS very own ZenUI. The device will be going on sale in China and so far there’s no word of it being sold overseas. For its sub-RM500 price, the Taiwanese brand is aiming to challenge the Chinese brands at their own game.

Meizu’s affordable m1 Note is now official. It could give the Redmi Note a run for its money

The Chinese are at it again. With Xiaomi getting all the attention for disrupting the market, Meizu wants to make a name of its own. After introducing flagship devices like the MX4 and MX4 Pro, Meizu has introduced an affordable “Blue Charm” m1 Note smart phone that’s priced under RM700.

Like the name suggests, the m1 Note has a large 5.5″ display that pushes a flagship class Full HD resolution. This is probably the best smart phone display in this price range. Underneath, it runs on a 64-bit 1.7GHz Octa-Core MediaTek MT6752 processor that’s mated to 2GB of LP-DDR3 RAM. Storage wise you have a choice of either 16GB or 32GB capacity, but it lacks a microSD expansion slot. Unlike the MX4 which comes with a removable cover, the m1 Note comes in a single unibody design and the SIM card is inserted through a flush tray at the side.

If you think the MX4 and the MX4 Pro looks like an iPhone 6/6 Plus, the m1 Note appears to be heavily inspired by the iPhone 5C. This is more apparent with its wide choice of colours. On the software side of things, it runs on their customised Flyme 4.0 OS which is based on Android 4.4.

For taking pictures, it gets a Samsung 13MP f/2.2 camera which is assisted by a dual-tone LED flash. Meanwhile, the front has a 5MP f/2.0 shooter which is higher than the MX4 with its 2MP front camera. Keeping the lights on, the Meizu m1 Note has a non-removable 3,140mAh capacity battery that’s rated to last 12 hours of 4G web surfing.

To cater for those with multiple lines and has the need for faster connectivity, the m1 Note supports 4G LTE and it also has a dual-SIM card slot. However do note that the TD-LTE version is available now, while the FDD-LTE that works with our local 4G networks will be released later. The 16GB version costs 999 CNY (about RM562) while the larger 32GB version costs 1,199 CNY (about RM674). In terms of colours, it is available in white, blue, yellow, green and pink. Overall it is 8.9mm thick and weighs 145 grams, which is pretty light in comparison to the Redmi Note 4G‘s 185g.

The Meizu m1 Note is an impressive device with a killer price. Before this, the Redmi Note (Dual-SIM 3G: RM519, Single-SIM 4G: RM589) is the undisputed affordable phablet for the masses but now it looks like its position has been shaken with this better spec’ed competitor. From the recent Meizu Malaysia event, they have announced that 2 more new devices are coming to our shores very soon along with its flagship Meizu MX4 Pro.

For more info, head over to Meizu’s m1 Note product page.

LG G3 and LG G3 Stylus available 22nd December

The LG G3 and LG G3 Stylus is now open for pre-booking in Malaysia with stocks to be available on 22nd December 2014. The LG G3 is priced at RM1,699 while the LG G3 Stylus is more affordable at RM799. As a special Christmas promo, LG Malaysia is giving the first 300 LG G3 and first 500 LG G3 Stylus buyers a free Quick Circle Case that’s worth RM150.

To recap on the spec, the LG G3 is their current flagship with a 5.5″ Quad HD (2560×1440) display that boast a pixel density of 538ppi. It runs on a 2.5GHz Quad-Core Snapdragon 801 processor with 3GB RAM, 32GB Storage and has a 13MP main camera with OIS and Laser AF. The front meanwhile settles for 2.1MP camera. With a 3,000mAh removable battery, the LG G3 is one of the lightest 5.5″ smart phone at 149 grams and has a thickness of 8.9mm.

Meanwhile the LG G3 Stylus is the affordable alternative with dual-SIM that’s powered by a MediaTek Quad-Core 1.3GHz processor. It also gets 5.5″ display but pushes a lower qHD (960×540) and it gets 1GB of RAM, 8GB of expandable storage and a 13MP + 1.3MP combo cameras. The battery is also 3,000mAh capacity and the Stylus as the name suggests, comes with a Pen-Stylus for drawing.

New Upcoming Sony Xperia Z4?

Sony Pictures is having an IT security nightmare as confidential documents and conversations are being leaked online. A week ago, the script of the upcoming Bond flick, Spectre had also being leaked ahead of its 2015 release.

The image you’re seeing above is allegedly the new upcoming Sony Xperia Z4, which would make a product placement appearance in the new James Bond movie. Like the current Xperia Z3, it uses metal frames with rounded edges. The front stereo speaker grills have shifted closer to the edge for a more cleaner look. This could be a tentative concept design for the upcoming flagship but it does look like a pleasant progression from its current design.

The source also added that the Xperia Z4 would be released in May or November, which is a little too long. However it could be possible that Sony is returning to a single flagship per year approach to boost profitability.

Dual-SIM Adapter For iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus Now Available

Apple’s iPhone lineup has never ever embraced the concept of having dual-SIM card support, with its Android counterpart being in these waters for quite a while. Luckily, iPhones have never fallen short of support from an array of industries, with dual-SIM adapters being available for the iPhone for quite a while now. If you feel the need for two SIMs on your new iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus, you’re in luck as well.

Magic-SIM is one company that has been involved with providing dual-SIM solutions to various mobile phones, including the iPhone for some time now. The Magic-SIM ELITE dual-SIM adapter has now been released for the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, and before we tell you how it works, you should know that this adapter provides a quick and easy way of switching your cellular connection on your iPhone, and does not activate two networks simultaneously, which is a real bummer. But at the same time, you get the benefit of switching networks on the fly, which is nice.

The adapter requires users to be in possession of one nano and one standard sized SIM card, where one end of the adapter which is shaped as the nano SIM is inserted into your phone along with your SIM. As for that regular SIM card of another network of your choice, insert it into the other end of the adapter. Flip or fold the adapter to the back of your iPhone and slip on a nice little protective case to complete the dual-SIM contraption.

Now you have two SIM cards connected to your iPhone 6 / 6 Plus, and you can change your network with a few ridiculously easy steps: Launch the Settings app and navigate to Phone > SIM Applications and select your desired SIM Card.

Magic-SIM ELITE dual-SIM adapter for iPhone 6 and 6 Plus fully supports all types of networks including 3G, 4G, LTE, GSM, GPRS, EDGE, CDMA, UMTS, WCDMA and HSDPA. The tweak of a gadget is compatible with both iOS 8 and iOS 7.

The Magic-SIM ELITE for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus both cost £24.99 or RM125, and if you’re a frequent traveller then we recommend that you go ahead with the purchase.

Soon you might be able to use WhatsApp on your desktop web browser

While working on a computer, one can get easily distracted by their mobile phones with constant message alerts from WhatsApp. That could be a thing of a past as WhatsApp appears to be working on a web based WhatsApp app, making it possible to read and reply to chat messages on your desktop computer.
According to the source, it could be called simply as WhatsApp Web. A quick check at http://web.whatsapp.com shows that it has been password protected but strangely with Google’s authentication. This is quite surprising considering WhatsApp was acquired by Facebook.
So how is a web version possible since WhatsApp identifies you solely by your mobile number without passwords? Apparently it uses QR code where you’ll need to scan it from the WhatsApp web screen using your mobile phone. So far there’s no word on its exact availability and this is definitely a must have feature for the office folks.
[ SOURCE, VIA ]

Honor 6 Plus is now official with symmetrical dual camera technology

Huawei has announced its new Honor 6 Plus, a bigger brother of its current Honor 6. Apart of having a larger Full HD display from 5.0″ to 5.5″, the biggest upgrade lies at the back. It gets dual-8MP cameras that are capable of producing 13MP images.
Dubbed as a symmetrical dual camera technology, both cameras will work together to capture more light and offers faster focus of 0.1 seconds. Like the HTC One M8’s duo camera set up, the Honor 6 Plus is also capable of producing depth of field effects after the picture is taken. Meanwhile the front gets an 8MP Sony BSI camera for selfies.

Powering the device is their very own Hi-Silicon Kirin 925 1.8GHz Octa-Core processor with 3GB of RAM that’s similar with the Huawei Ascend Mate 7. On-board it gets 32GB of storage and there’s a microSD slot (that also doubles up as a 2nd SIM slot) supporting up to 128GB. Unlike the Honor 6 that use flaps to cover its expansion and SIM slots, the Honor 6 Plus uses flush trays that would require a pin to eject. Also included is a larger 3,600mAh battery which should keep things running for long with a single charge. Over at the top, it also comes with an InfraRed blaster that can be used as a remote control.
There are 2 versions available which will support dual-SIM – The 4G LTE supporting Cat 6 is priced at 2,499 CNY (about RM1,410), while the 3G variant goes for 1,999 CNY (about RM1,129). Just for reference, the Honor 6 is currently priced at RM999 in Malaysia. Out of the box, it runs on Android 4.4 KitKat with its own EMUI 3.0 interface.
For more info, you can check out VMall China’s Honor 6 Plus product page.

Lenovo Vibe X2 priced at RM1,199, supports dual-SIM

Lenovo is launching the Vibe X2 smart phone in Malaysia next week. Ahead of its launch, Lenovo Malaysia has already revealed its official pricing of RM1,199 and they have also confirmed that we will be getting the dual-SIM version.

The Lenovo Vibe X2 was announced during IFA 2014 and it stands out with its layered metal design. It carries a 5″ Full HD display and it runs on a 2.0GHz MediaTek MT6595 Octa-Core processor that’s mated to 2GB of RAM.

On-board it gets a 32GB of storage that’s non expandable and it also includes a 13MP + 5MP cameras that comes with a host of selfie and extra camera features. Powering the device is a 2,300mAh capacity battery and overall it still maintains a sleek 7.27mm thickness. Out of the box, it runs on Android 4.4 KitKat with Vibe UI 2.0 skin on top. You can view our hands-on photos in our earlier post.

Lenovo Malaysia is also throwing a party at Zouk for the Lenovo Vibe X2 and they are giving away 500 exclusive invites where you also stand a chance to win the phone. To take part, you can register over here.

[ SOURCE, VIA ]

Xiaomi is selling its massive 16,000mAh Power Bank in Malaysia this week

If you are hungry for power, the Xiaomi 16,000mAh Mi Power Bank will be sold in Malaysia for RM79. It will be available this Thursday, 11th December when the Redmi Note 4G goes on sale for the first time in Malaysia at 12PM.

While it is more than twice the price of its current popular 10,400mAh Power Bank at RM36, the new mammoth power bank offers dual USB ports and it outputs at a much higher 3.6A. As comparison, the 10,400mAh model has a single USB port that pushes 2.1A. As expected, the larger battery pack is much longer and its heavier too at 350g.

Like previous Xiaomi power banks, it will be protected with a circuit protection chip by Texas Instruments. For better durability, it also has the same aluminium case that can withstand up to 50kg of pressure.

For more info, you can check out Xiaomi Malaysia’s 16,000mAh Power Bank.

Huawei Ascend G7 is now available in Malaysia

Huawei Malaysia has released a new 5.5″ Mid-tier 4G LTE smart phone in Malaysia with the Ascend G7. At RM999, it is priced the same as the Honor 6 but the Ascend G7 offers a larger 5.5″ HD 720p display which is wrapped around with a premium metallic body.

Powering the device is a mid-range 1.2GHz Quad-Core Snapdragon 410 processor which supports 4G LTE, and it is mated to 2GB of RAM. On-board it comes with 16GB of storage but you can expand it further with microSD. For taking pictures, it has a Sony sourced 13MP camera that can shoot Full HD 1080p videos and a front 5MP selfie cam. Juicing up the device is a decent 3,000mAh capacity which should be enough to get around for a day’s use.

Overall the Ascend G7 is quite slim at 7.6mm but it weighs quite a bit at 165 grams. It is available now at all authorised dealers and it only comes in Moonlight Silver colour. For more info, you can check out ourAscend G7 announcement post.

This iPhone-looking Lenovo Sisley S90 is coming to Malaysia

Some say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. For companies such as Apple, they don’t find it amusing to have their designs being rip-off overnight. If you think Xiaomi is the biggest culprit, check out the Lenovo Sisley S90, a smart phone that’s is heavily “inspired” by the iPhone 6.

While it looks like another product from the Apple, the Sisley S90 is priced at only 1,999 CNY, which is about RM1,100. If you’re interested, it appears to be coming to Malaysia as it was spotted in our local SIRIM certification database.

The Sisley is quite a mid-range device with premium aspiration, featuring a 5″ Super AMOLED Plus display that does HD 720p. Powering the device is a 1.2GHz Quad-Core Snapdragon 410 that’s mated to 1GB of RAM along with 16GB of storage. For that iPhone-like storage situation, it also lacks a microSD expansion slot.

Meanwhile its photography credentials include a 13MP main camera and a rather large 8MP front shooter for high resolution selfies. To keep things ticking, it is juiced up by a 2,300mAh capacity battery that’s non-removable.

Lenovo Vibe Z2 Pro is now officially available in Malaysia

Lenovo Malaysia has finally brought in its Vibe Z2 Pro, its flagship phablet that could take on the likes of the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and Huawei Ascend Mate 7. The Vibe Z2 Pro is offered at RM2,299 and Lenovo is bundling a JBL E-40 Bluetooth headphone worth RM428. Earlier this month, the Vibe Z2 Prowas offered at RM2,199 for its grey import unit.

The Vibe Z2 Pro is quite a beast in both size and specs. The front gets a 6.0″ Quad HD display that pushes a highly dense 490ppi (pixels per inch) while underneath it is running on a 2.5GHz Quad-Core Snapdragon 801 (MSM8974AC) processor with 3GB of RAM and has 32GB of storage which is non-expandable. Considering Quad HD resolution could take a hit on battery life, the Vibe Z2 Pro packs a massive 4,000mAh capacity battery but it still manages to be slim at just 7.7mm thick. Overall, it weighs a little bit heavier at 179 grams.

Lenovo Malaysia has finally brought in its Vibe Z2 Pro, its flagship phablet that could take on the likes of the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and Huawei Ascend Mate 7. The Vibe Z2 Pro is offered at RM2,299 and Lenovo is bundling a JBL E-40 Bluetooth headphone worth RM428. Earlier this month, the Vibe Z2 Prowas offered at RM2,199 for its grey import unit.

The Vibe Z2 Pro is quite a beast in both size and specs. The front gets a 6.0″ Quad HD display that pushes a highly dense 490ppi (pixels per inch) while underneath it is running on a 2.5GHz Quad-Core Snapdragon 801 (MSM8974AC) processor with 3GB of RAM and has 32GB of storage which is non-expandable. Considering Quad HD resolution could take a hit on battery life, the Vibe Z2 Pro packs a massive 4,000mAh capacity battery but it still manages to be slim at just 7.7mm thick. Overall, it weighs a little bit heavier at 179 grams.

In the imaging department, the Vibe Z2 Pro gets a higher 16MP camera which is further enhanced with Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS) and dual-LED flash. For greater photography possibilities, it also gets a Pro-Camera feature which is similar to Nokia’s Pro Cam. Meanwhile selfie shots are handled by its front facing 5MP camera.

3 Colours are available – Ebony, Graphite Grey and Champagne Gold and out of the box, it runs on Android 4.4 with Vibe UI 2.0. Build quality is excellent thanks to its metal body that wraps from the back and towards the sides. Connectivity wise, it supports WiFI 802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.0 HS and 4G LTE supporting our local Band 3 and 7. If you use multiple telcos, the Vibe Z2 Pro is also a dual-SIM device with the 2nd slot used for 2G connectivity.

For more info, you can check out Lenovo’s Vibe Z2 Pro Facebook page.

iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3 goes on sale in Malaysia

The latest iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3 are now ready for purchase on Apple’s official online store. The new models were listed online over the weekend and its stocks are now available with shipping estimated within 2-4 business days.
The 6.1mm thin iPad Air 2 is priced from RM1,599 while its compact 7.9″ iPad mini 3 is priced from RM1,279.

Meizu MX4 Pro officially announced. Featuring 5.5″ Quad HD display with Exynos 5430 processor

Meizu has just announced the MX4 Pro, a new phablet with a 5.5″ Quad HD display. The folks from GizChina are covering the event and they have shared the vital specs of this new beast from China.
The front 2K resolution screen pushes 2560×1536 pixels, which gives a display aspect ratio of 5:3 that’s similar to its current MX4. Under the hood, it uses Samsung’s 20nm Exynos 5430 Octa-Core processor (4X Cortex A15 @ 2.0GHz + 4X Cortex A7 @ 1.5GHz) that’s currently powering the Galaxy Alpha. It also has a generous 3GB of RAM and it is available in 16GB, 32GB and 64GB storage capacities.

For imaging, it gets a Sony sourced 20.7MP 1/2.3″ main camera with dual-LED flash similar as the current MX4 but the front gets a higher 5MP camera for better selfies. Juicing up the device is a larger 3,350mAh capacity battery.
For an added touch of security, the front squarish home button now comes with a fingerprint scanner that’s called mTouch. It uses an ultra sensitive 508ppi sensor and it unlocks in just 0.5 seconds. Overall the MX4 Pro is 9.0mm thick and weighs 158 grams, which is slightly thicker and heavier than its standard MX4. It also supports 4G LTE in both FDD-LTE and TDD-LTE bands.
In China, the Meizu MX4 Pro is priced as follows:

Redmi Note 4G priced at RM589. Coming to Malaysia in December 2014

Xiaomi is finally bringing a 4G smart phone into Malaysia with the introduction of the Redmi Note 4G. It is officially priced at RM589, which is RM80 more than its dual-SIM 3G version which has been discontinued. In terms of availability, Xiaomi hasn’t revealed any dates yet but we are told from today’s exclusive service centre launch that it will be going on sale sometime next month in December.

Spec-wise, it is pretty much the same as the previous Redmi Note with a 5.5″ HD 720p display but underneath, it runs on Qualcomm’s 1.6GHz Quad-Core Snapdragon 400 processor that’s mated with 2GB of RAM and has 8GB of storage. There’s an expandable microSD slot, a 13MP main camera and a front facing 5MP camera for selfies. The battery is a 3,100mAh capacity unit which is likely to give you more than a day’s worth of usage thanks to its frugal Snapdragon 400 processor.

Singapore has also gotten the Redmi Note 4G too and they are offering 5,000 units tomorrow for S$229 (about RM592). If you’re waiting for the Mi 4, looks like we’ve got to wait a little longer as they have yet to sell it outside of China.

For more information, you can check out the Redmi 4G Note product page.

SanDisk iXpand Flash Drive helps to free up more storage on your iPhone and iPad

So you’ve gotten an iPhone or an iPad and you probably regretted buying a 16GB version instead of the larger storage model. If you’re feeling stuck for extra space or have the need to transfer files quickly via USB, SanDisk has introduced its new iXpand Flash drive that comes with both full sized USB and lightning connector.
This works like the Ultra Dual USB drive for Android devices that support USB (OTG) On the Go.

When plugged in, you can transfer photos and videos to free up space on your iOS device. While on the go, you can watch high resolution movies on your iPhone or iPad directly from the iXpand Flash drive itself. For seamless backup, SanDisk has an iOS app which lets you sync photos and videos automatically when it’s plugged in. Since it uses lightning connector, the iXpand Flash drive supports iPhone 5 and above, or iPads starting from its 4th generation with Retina Display and the original iPad mini.
The 16GB iXpand Flash Drive costs US$59.99 (about RM200) while the 32GB capacity costs US$79.99 (about RM268). The biggest size is the 64GB Drive which is priced at US$119.99 (about RM400). For more information, you can check out their iXpand Flash Drive product page.

Redmi Note 4G to be announced in Malaysia next week

The 4G enabled Redmi Note is going to be announced in Malaysia very soon. Following its recent announcement in Singapore, Mi Malaysia Facebook page has posted a similar teaser of their upcoming phone with faster connectivity.
In terms of sales availability, we reckon it is likely to happen probably within a week from its announcement. To stand a chance of getting one without the mad rush, Mi Malaysia is also giving away 10 F-Codes to those who share and guessed the product correctly. The upcoming device will be revealed exactly 3PM on Monday, 17th November. Coincidentally, Xiaomi will also open its first exclusive service centre at Low Yat Plaza on the same day.
The Redmi Note 4G is priced at $S229 in Singapore which converts to RM592 in our local currency. In terms of specs, the exterior looks the same as the current dual-SIM 3G Redmi Note with a 5.5″ HD 720p display. Underneath however you’ll get a Quad-Core 1.6GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor that’s mated to 2GB of RAM and it also comes with 8GB of storage. The cameras are the same with a 13MP main camera and a front facing 5MP shooter for selfies.

Honor is bringing another affordable smart phone to Malaysia

The Honor 6 is probably one of the best phones priced under RM1,000. If you’re looking for something cheaper, the Honor 3C Lite is coming to Malaysia very soon. This is basically a refreshed version of its cheap and cheerful Honor 3C that was priced at RM499.
Despite its “Lite” monicker, the Honor 3C Lite still has a 5″ IPS 720p HD display and it runs on a 1.3GHz Quad-Core MediaTek MT6582 processor that’s similar with the Honor 3C. It gets just 1GB of RAM but storage wise, it could be packing 16GB of storage, assuming if we are getting the same spec as Russia. If you need more, there’s a microSD expansion slot and like its predecessor, it will support dual-SIMs on 3G.

Honor Malaysia offers Honor 6 from RM1 with Double 11 Promo

Tomorrow (11th November) Honor Malaysia will be doing a special flash sale at 11:58AM, 3:58PM and 8:58PM where you’ll stand a chance to buy the Honor 6 at just RM1. They are also throwing additional prizes worth over RM10,000 which includes a Vespa. The RM1 Honor 6 offer is only for the first unit, followed by 9 units at RM599 and 10 units at RM899.
The catch is regardless how fast you place your order, you would need to pay the full price of RM999 during check out. According to the T&C, if you managed to get the first position, they will reimburse you with a RM998 voucher. This is followed by the next 9 with RM400 voucher and the next 10 getting RM100 voucher.
For more information, head over to their Honor 6 page at VMall.my.

Lenovo’s Shameless iPhone 6 Ripoff Smartphone ‘Sisley’ Officially Announced

Lenovo has released its S90 Sisley smartphone, and it is impressively beautiful, with a construction that will confuse a few into mistaking it for an iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus.

Earlier, the photos of a smartphone from Lenovo leaked on the Internet stirring the mobile community into disbelief over Lenovo – a huge device manufacturer with links to giants like IBM and HP – for blatantly ripping off the iPhone 6 design.

We’ve seen the likes of Xiaomi – a rather young device manufacturer – tread this path earlier on with signs that things might eventually change, but the S90 would not be Lenovo’s first Android mobile device. In fact earlier products were far from an iPhone 6, with designs that were pretty much average in my opinion, so unless Lenovo comes out with an explanation for this device other than the fact that it runs Android and not iOS, we can assume someone at Lenovo has been sleeping.

However if you can leave all this replica hate aside, the device in itself is pretty impressive, construction and specs wise. Boasting a brilliantly slim 6.9mm silhouette, and a 5-inch Super AMOLED screen at 1280 x 720, the S90 is powered by a quad-core Qualcomm processor. Surprisingly the device only offers 1GB of RAM which should suffice for most users, but more intensive tasks may be less smooth.

The phone sports a 13MP rear shooter and an impressive 8MP front-facing camera. Running Android 4.4.4 KitKat, the device is exclusively available for China only, for now. The Lenovo S90 is retailing for 1,999 RMB right now which is roughly $330 U.S. Dollars.

iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus now available on Malaysian Apple Online Store

The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are officially available in Malaysia today, 6th November at the stroke of midnight. You can also purchase it outright without contract through retailers such as SenQ, Machines, Switch and EpiCentre.
With stocks expected to be very limited on ground, you can now buy the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus online directly from Apple. In terms of price, the iPhone 6 starts from RM2,399 while the iPhone 6 Plus is offered from RM2,749.
Stock availability wise, the iPhone 6 will be delivered within 5-7 working days while the bigger iPhone 6 Plus will take a bit longer with an estimated 1-2 weeks. All 3 colours are available so if you haven’t pre-ordered and don’t want the hassle of hunting your preferred unit, this would be a better option.
For place your order, head over to Apple’s Online Store.

Download Google Play Store 5.0.37 APK

You can now download the latest version 5.0.37 of Google Play Store APK which brings with it a bunch of changes and bug fixes that users have been facing for quite a while. This release also adds more Material Design, Wearable sensors/activity data, among other things. The download link below has been updated with latest version.

Google Play Store APK version 5.0.37 is now available to download. The all new Google Play Store 5 carries more elements of Material Design as has been seen earlier in the Android L Developer Preview releases. Google Play Newsstand was also updated with a complete Material Design overhaul, and a day later, Google+ was updated with additional Material Design elements. So what does the new Play Store 5 make its play on? Read on after the jump to find out!

Straight away, you will notice that the app icon for the new Play Store carrier the new, flatter look, keeping itself in line with Material Design’s new aesthetics.

Apparently, apart from the design language, things have changed under the hood. Fire up the app and you will instantly recognize the subtle changes in animations for say, when accessing the slide-out drawer menu, along with changes in the iconography.

iPhone 6 officially priced from RM2,399 in Malaysia

This is probably good news for Apple users. The latest iPhone 6 official price is similar as the previous iPhone 5S when it was launched in Malaysia at RM2,399 for its entry 16GB version. Since Apple has discontinued the 32GB version, the next jump is the 64GB model that’s priced at RM2,749, followed by its biggest 128GB version at RM3,149.
For the bigger iPhone 6 Plus, the entry 16GB model is priced the same as the smaller iPhone 6 64GB version at RM2,749. The pricing continues upwards to RM3,149 for 64GB and RM3,549 for the largest 128GB version. The official pricing was taken from Maxis and DiGi’s online store. All 3 colours are available – Gold, Silver and Space Grey.

Below is the price comparison versus the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C.

iPhone 6
iPhone 6 16GB – RM2,399
iPhone 6 64GB – RM2,749
iPhone 6 128GB – RM3,149
iPhone 6 Plus
iPhone 6 Plus 16GB – RM2,749
iPhone 6 Plus 64GB – RM3,149
iPhone 6 Plus 128GB – RM3,549
iPhone 5S
iPhone 5S 16GB – RM2,399 RM1,999
iPhone 5S 32GB – RM2,749 RM2,199
iPhone 5S 64GB – RM3,149 discontinued
iPhone 5C
iPhone 5C 8GB – RM1,499
iPhone 5C 16GB – RM1,999 discontinued
iPhone 5C 32GB – RM2,399 discontinued

Honor 4X announced. 64-bit Smart Phone with 3 days battery life

Honor, Huawei’s online exclusive brand has introduced its new Honor 4X. Another new mid-tier smart phone with high-end aspirations. Priced at 1,299 CNY (about RM695), the Honor 4X packs a large 5.5″ HD 720p IPS display and it is 64-bit ready thanks to a newer 1.2GHz Quad-Core Snapdragon 410 processor that’s mated to 2GB of RAM.

On-board it gets 8GB of storage which can be expanded via microSD. The Honor 4X slots right underneath its current Honor 6 smart phone that’s currently priced at RM999 in Malaysia.

For imaging, it is a similar story as the Honor 6 as it comes with a 13MP f/2.0 BSI camera from Sony while Selfies are handled by its front facing 5MP shooter. Probably the most impressive highlight is its battery life. From a 3,000mAh capacity battery, the Honor 4X boast 72 hours of battery life, which is a day more than the Xperia Z3‘s up to 2 days battery life.

Out of the box, it runs on Android 4.4 with its EMUI 3.0 skin running on top. With gestures being an in-thing for Chinese smart phone makers, the Honor 4X appears to have an on-screen gesture pad like what we’ve seen from OPPO. In terms of design, it looks like a smaller version of its Huawei Ascend Mate 7 and the 3 Android icon buttons follow the simplified look from Android Lollipop.

Targeted at the Chinese market, the Honor 4X supports 4G LTE in dual bands (FDD/TDD) and it has 2 SIM card slots. So far there’s no mention of it being sold internationally, but considering Huawei is seeing Malaysia as a key market, we could be among the first to have this device outside of China.

Xiaomi charges forward as No. 3 Smart Phone brand

If there’s one brand that smart phone brands are afraid of, it is Xiaomi. This year they have expanded rapidly outside of China and have disrupted the market with its value for money proposition. According to a market research report by IHS iSuppli, Xiaomi is currently the third largest smart phone brand, overtaking Lenovo and LG. This is quite a giant leap considering they managed to reach #5 positionin the middle of this year.

For Q3 this year, Xiaomi is reported to be have sold 19 million units, which gives it a total of 45 million smart phones sold this year. At this pace, they are on track of exceeding its 60 million units goal for 2014.

Its flash sales and competitive pricing has motivated people buy smart phones online. Power banks and smart phones are being snapped up faster than low cost airlines giving zero fare seats. As a response, we’ve seen new online exclusive brands such as OnePlus (alleged to be a spin-off brand of Oppo) and Honor (sub-brand of Huawei) jumping on the same bandwagon. Despite complaints from consumers that flash sales are frustrating, Xiaomi have proven that its strategy works. 

Both Samsung and Apple are still dominating the top 2 spots but it is no secret that they are feeling the pinch with the rise of cheap and good smart phones. With the entry of Xiaomi in India, the only challenge left is to increase production. Supply has always a perpetual problem for Xiaomi in every market and that’s a good problem to have considering they don’t spend anything on marketing.

For Malaysia, we are still waiting for them to freshen up its product offering especially its latest Mi 4 smart phone. Recently we’ve spotted a new 4G LTE smart phone and a Mi Wireless Router heading our way.

Dell Venue 8 7000 steals the Thinnest Tablet crown from the iPad Air 2

About a month ago, Dell had showed off its new Venue 8 7000 Android tablet and it will be officially available by the end November at US$499 (about RM1,635) in the US. At 6.0mm thin, this makes it the thinnest tablet yet, beating the iPad Air 2 by a mere millimetre.

In terms of specs, the Venue 8 7000 gets a high solution 8.4″ 2560×1600 display which is similar to the Galaxy Tab S 8.4. As comparison, the iPad Air 2 has a 9.7″ display that does 2048×1536 resolution.

Underneath it runs on Intel’s Quad-core 2.33GHz Atom Z3580 processor that’s mated to 2GB of RAM. Its imaging capability is quite interesting as well as it comes with a total of 4 cameras. There’s a front facing camera, a rear 8MP shooter and another 2 more at the back for Intel’s RealSense technology that allows you to measure distances between two points.

At the moment, there’s no word of it heading to the rest of the world including Malaysia. 

New Moto G officially announced at RM688. Available across retail stores in Malaysia

The new 2nd generation Motorola Moto G is officially announced in Malaysia with the retail price tag of RM688. It comes in either black and white colours, and it will be available at retails stores in Malaysia beginning tomorrow 25th October. At the moment, they are only offering the Dual-SIM 3G version that comes with 8GB of on-board storage. As comparison, the previous first gen Moto G was priced at RM698 for the 8GB version and RM798 for the 16GB unit.
The 2nd gen Moto G features a 5.0″ 720p HD IPS display that’s protected by Gorilla Glass 3 and it runs on Qualcomm’s 1.2GHz Quad-Core Snapdragon 400 processor that’s mated to 1GB of RAM. It gets an upgraded 8MP main camera while selfie shots are handled by its 2MP front shooter. Both cameras are capable of shooting HD 720p videos at 30fps. The 2nd gen Moto G also gets a pair of stereo speakers that are placed at the front.
With 2,070mAh capacity battery, the new Moto G is rated to last up to 24 hours in a single charge, which is as frugal as its predecessor. Out of the box, it runs on Android 4.4.4 KitKat and you can expect it to be upgraded to the latest Lollipop.

iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus available in Malaysia on 7th November

The official iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus in Malaysia is now moved earlier to 6th November. Celcom and Maxis has revised its availability dates.
If you’re wondering when the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus is launching in Malaysia, mark your calendars this 6th November 7th November. DiGi has revealed the release date on its registration of interest page for the iPhone duo and we’ve also received confirmation from Maxis.
Apart from DiGi and Maxis, you can expect Celcom along with Apple’s online store, SenQ and other Apple retailers to offer the new iPhones during launch day.

If The iPad Air 2 / Mini 3 Looked Like iPhone 6 / 6 Plus

With just a few days left to the unveiling of the new iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3 at Apple’s event, well-known designer Martin Hajek has released rendered images of the new tablets from the Cupertino giant. Hajek’s images are an attempt to showcase what the iPad Air 2 and mini 3 could look like if Apple decides to take design cues from the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. Unlike the previous generations, the new iPhones have taken an altogether different design route with curved edges, plastic bands dividing the rear aluminum backplate into three regions, and an overall slimmer shell. It would be the first time that Apple launched a phone with a protruding camera as well. Hajek takes these design elements and shows us what unsurprisingly looks like a stretched iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus.
We have had quite a few rumors and photo leaks to suggest what the iPad Air 2 and mini 3 might feature, but the design itself is still shrouded in mystery. If the plastic bands didn’t fare too well with the design of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, having it on a tablet would not make it look any less unappealing. However, if Apple must go that way, most users end up using covers with their iPads and well, not like you got to place it next to your ear, just saying.

While there are rumors that suggest that Apple may not overhaul the iPad’s design just yet, different reports do state that Apple will be making the new iPads much thinner. Couple this with a probability of an integrated display and we may just have an iPhone 6 like shell if Apple does manage to thin it down significantly enough.
Hajek further takes into account some elements like the recessed volume up and down buttons, a redesigned speaker grill, with the inclusion of the mute/screen rotation switch. The mute/screen rotation switch as shown in the rendered images here, may be done away with by Apple, as can be determined from the hardware components photo leak we saw earlier.

Lenovo Takes Shameless iPhone 6 Copying To The Next Level

Apple’s iPhone 6 has already sold tens of millions of units across the globe, and with some 20 million Chinese consumers having also secured themselves a unit in the run-up to the launch in China later on this week, we’re still not able to put a ballpark figure next to the device’s success. But given the popularity, Apple is regularly faced with imitations, and now Lenovo, which is currently in the process of purchasing Motorola from Google, has come through with a mid-range handset that appears an almost carbon copy of the mobile industry’s current must-have.
Leaked via Weibo, the Lenovo Sisley has yet to be announced, but as you can see from the images, it looks just like an iPhone from all angles. In fact, if you were to remove the Apple logo from the back of the iPhone 6 and replace it with Lenovo’s branding, then that’s exactly what you’re getting here, but while the Cupertino company’s handset has garnered positive reviews for its high-end features and smooth operation, the Sisley is not quite an on-paper powerhouse.

There’s no word on the processor as yet, but according to sources, the Sisley will include a 13-megapixel rear-facing camera. Interestingly, the front-facing shooter is said to be an 8-megapixel offering, and while this doesn’t necessarily tell all with regards to performance, it does suggest that the Sisley could be another in a growing list of ‘selfie’-focused handsets.
The 5-inch display will be a mere 720p job, so no Retina HD loveliness to be found here, but given that it’s also believed to be just 6.9 mm thick, it will even match Apple’s flagship for thinness too.
Apple definitely has a problem with Chinese firms churning out these copycat products, but given that Lenovo is a legitimate multinational striking billion-dollar deals with Google, it seems rather brazen that it would come out with such an obvious rip-off.

Xiaomi to sell the Mi 4 in India. Mi 3 production to shut down to make way for its latest flagship

Xiaomi is already a household name for high performance and quality products for a fraction of the price. Its powerbanks and smart phones were disruptive in every market they entered. Most recently they have expanded to India which has been proven to be a massive market for Xiaomi. In an interview with The Economic Times, Hugo Barra, the VP of Xiaomi Global says that they were not ready for the tremendous growth in the Indian market.
He added that to fulfil the massive demand, Xiaomi had to move supplies from China and various markets. By doing so, they would have substantial quantity so that each flash sales won’t run out in seconds, which would obviously piss off a lot of customers. The next model to debut in India is their 5.5″ Redmi Note which they expect to go on sale in the next 2 months. Hugo also shared that logistics from China to India were challenging and they even had to charter planes to ship in stocks for the Big Billion Day last week.

Download Google Play Store 5.0.31 APK

Google Play Store APK version 5.0.31 is now available to download. The all new Google Play Store 5 carries more elements of Material Design as has been seen earlier in the Android L Developer Preview releases. Google Play Newsstand was also updated with a complete Material Design overhaul, and a day later, Google+ was updated with additional Material Design elements. So what does the new Play Store 5 make its play on? Read on after the jump to find out!

Straight away, you will notice that the app icon for the new Play Store carrier the new, flatter look, keeping itself in line with Material Design’s new aesthetics.

Apparently, apart from the design language, things have changed under the hood. Fire up the app and you will instantly recognize the subtle changes in animations for say, when accessing the slide-out drawer menu, along with changes in the iconography.

Xiaomi’s Mi Router with 1TB storage is heading to Malaysia

Xiaomi has a wide range of products but we still haven’t gotten any news of its Mi TV, Mi Pad and their latest Mi 4 smart phone for Malaysia. If you’re itching for something new to buy, you can expect the Malaysian Mi Store to start selling its Mi Router which comes with a 802.11ac WiFi and 1TB of storage.

The Mi Router with its model number “R1D” has been certified in our Malaysian SIRIM database a few days ago.

If you’re wondering what this is, the Mi Router is basically your Wireless Hotspot that also doubles up as a private storage server for your home or office. Since it supports 802.11ac WiFi, transferring files should be blazingly fast with speeds up to 1167Mbps and it is powered by Broadcom’s BCM4709 dual-core Cortex-A9 processor with 256MB of RAM. For better connectivity at home, it boasts dual-band 2×2 antenna design that’s hidden underneath its elegantly designed case. Inside it comes equipped with a 1TB 2.5″ hard disk drive that’s user replaceable.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 will be available to purchase in Malaysia beginning next Friday, 17th October. To be among the first to get it, the consumer launch is happening at the Blue Concourse, Sunway Pyramid Shopping Mall in the morning. Apart from buying it outright through its authorised dealers, the Galaxy Note 4 will also be available on contract. Telcos such as Maxis, DiGi and U Mobile have been teasing the Galaxy Note 4 for quite some time now.

The consumer availability comes right after the official media launch that’s happening on 15th October and Malaysians are getting it at the same time as the US and the UK. The Malaysian bound Galaxy Note 4 is expected to be the Octa-Core Exynos 5433 variant which has 4x Cortex A53 cores at 1.3GHz + 4x Cortex A57 cores at 1.9GHz.

The rest of the specs include a 5.7″ Quad HD display, 3GB of RAM, 32GB of storage, 16MP OIS camera, 3.7MP front shooter and a slightly larger 3,220mAh capacity battery. Also new is its fast charging feature that juices up 50% in 30 minutes. The S-Pen this time has been improved as well with double its pressure sensitivity, along with new features that makes multi-tasking better.

HTC RE Is A Remarkable GoPro Like Camera, Works With Android And iPhone

As well as the selfie-focused Desire EYE, HTC has also launched an intriguing, GoPro-like contraption designed to aid those wishing to capture point-of-view videos. The 16-megapixel sensor can also take pictures, and although the device doesn’t include any kind of viewfinder, HTC asserts that this only adds to the RE Camera’s simplicity.

Clearly an incarnate of the GoPro, the RE Camera is capable of shooting 1080p video, but while this would be an assumed feature of any such device costing $199, the slow motion option is an added bonus. Many top-end smartphones have latched onto the general interest in slow-mo in recent times, and the standalone point-and-shoot accessory doesn’t disappoint in this regard.

It packs wide-angle lens, so will capture everything within the lens’s periphery, and is well equipped to take on the elements given its waterproof nature. A lot of the market’s smartphones are now splashproof, which is great if you like to venture out in monsoon conditions or jump into swimming pools fully-clothed, but the RE Camera will also let you swim underwater with dolphins while ensuring that you grab the footage to share with your Facebook associates.