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.