Author: Sharil Abdul Rahman

Google Asks Manufacturers To Ensure USB Power Delivery Support For Future Devices

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A new document on device requirements by Google popped up online recently. The document outlines a requirement for device manufacturers to support the USB Power Delivery (or PD) standard for power and charging, and not to break compatibility for third-party PD chargers.

With a theoretical limit of 100W, USB PD is more than enough to be a choice fast charger for devices. However, competing and proprietary version such as OnePlus, Huawei and OPPO means that devices from those manufacturers can only fast-charge with their own accessories.

This time around, Google has mandated that manufacturers are required to follow standards. Google warned that “New DEVICES launching from 2019 onwards, with a USB Type-C port MUST ensure full interoperability with chargers that are compliant with the USB specifications and have the USB Type-C plug.” This is according to the version 7.0 of GMS Requirements, published September 3rd, 2019, GMS being the Google Mobile Service.

USB PD information courtesy of Directcurrent.eu

Of course, devices that was approved before the deadline are free from the requirements – most devices launched in 2019 were approved in 2018. However, we can be certain that devices from next year onwards will have USB PD compatibility, and we can finally have a standard fast-charge across smartphones, and laptops.

Redmi Note 8 Series Is Now In Malaysia

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Xiaomi is continuing its mission to deliver good and affordable smartphones to the market under the Redmi line. The new Redmi Note 8 and Note 8 Pro are two new models under the Redmi line that aims to deliver great value performance.

The Redmi Note 8 Pro heads the pack as the current flagship of the Redmi line here in Malaysia. It gets a large 6.53-inch Full HD+ display, a MediaTek G90T processor and a huge 4,500mAh battery. You also get four cameras, with one of them a 64MP sensor that is one of the highest performing sensors in the market currently. Other camera sensors in the package includes an 8MP ultra-wide sensor, a 2MP macro sensor and a depth sensor. Selfies will be captured with a 20MP front sensor.

Inside you get MIUI 10, 6GB of RAM plus 128GB of storage, an IR blaster (for times you want to prank-close the TVs at mamaks), a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, an audio jack, and USB Type-C port. You also get 4G, and NFC.

Meanwhile the Redmi Note 8 is the smaller model to the Note 8 Pro, with some interesting features as well. The 6.3-inch display sits on top of a Snapdragon 665 processor, powered by a 4000mAh battery. Instead of a 64MP sensor, the Note 8 have to make do with ‘only’ 48MP. Otherwise it shares the wide-angle, macro and depth sensor as the Note 8 Pro. The selfie camera is a 13MP unit. It comes with 6GB/128GB combo, which is more than enough for most users out there.

Both smartphones support fast charging via the included 18W charger, and Gorilla Glass 5 for scratch protection.

Malaysia is the first country outside of China to launch the Redmi Note 8. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 is priced at from RM 599, available in three different colours.

The Redmi Note 8 Pro meanwhile is priced from RM 1099. It is available from authorised Xiaomi distributors and also the official Xiaomi stores.

There will be a limited time promotion for the new Note 8 for online shopping sites, where the phone will be offered for RM 799 bundled with a free MI True Wireless Earbuds Basic worth RM 99.

Meanwhile the Redmi Note 8 Pro will have its own early bird special. The 6GB/64GB will be available online for RM 999, while the 6GB/128GB model will be at the RRP of RM 1,199 but with the Black Shark Left Controller worth RM 169.

Garmin Venu Officially Launched In Malaysia For RM 1799

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Garmin has officially launched their latest smartwatch for the Malaysian market. Called the Garmin Venu, it combines both fitness and health tracking into a single wrist-tracker which is compatible with most mobile OS in the market.

What makes this model stand out is the new Always-On OLED screen that delivers information at a glance. Compared to the previous model, the new screen saves battery and yet shows all the information needed without having the screen go blank.

The health tracking with the Venu is extensive; you get the usual heartrate sensor, sleep tracking and steps taken. What’s new are the other tracking modes – these include new respiration tracking, abnormal heart rate alerts, menstrual cycle tracking, stress tracking with relax reminders, new hydration tracking, breath work activities, and more. You can also check the status of your body power level with the new Body Battery energy monitoring.

It connects to your smartphone, and grabs all the important notification you need and display it on your wrist. Android users can even directly reply to the messages on their wrist. You can even download songs or playlists from Spotify, Amazon Music, and Deezer, and listen to them on-the-go, untethered from your smartphone thanks to the built-in storage.

The Garmin Venu is priced at RM 1,799 available in Granite Blue with Silver Hardware*, Black with Slate Hardware, Light Sand with Rose Gold Hardware, and Black and Gold Hardware*.

*coming soon in November 2019

Amazon Introduces Kindle Kids Edition

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Amazon took of the wraps of their latest Kindle model – Kindle Kids Edition. Apart from making the design kid-friendly, Amazon also added several new software features to help kids learn while reading on their new Kindle.

Outside, the Kindle Kids Edition looks similar to the standard Kindle, but parents can now choose from a multitude of colours and design to customise the device for their kids – out of four colourful cases. Otherwise the hardware is similar to the standard Kindle.

With every purchase of the Kindle Kids Edition, Amazon is throwing in a two-year worry-free guarantee and one-year of complimentary access to the company’s FreeTime Unlimited service. The guarantee includes a 1:1 replacement if anything were to happen to the Kindle during the two-year period. Meanwhile under FreeTime Unlimited, Amazon offers over 20,000 kid-friendly books, video and apps with no monthly fee.

Software wise the new device adds a feature called Word Wise, automatically defining any difficult words for the child. As this is based on the recently updated Kindle, there is an adjustable front light for in-the-dark reading experience.

The new Kindle Kids Edition will cost USD109.99 (~RM 460), which includes the two-year replacement guarantee and one-year FreeTIme Unlimited service. The latter can later be added to any Prime subscription for USD 2.99 (~RM 12.54), or USD 4.99 (~RM 20.93) as a standalone sub.

Acer Predator Helios 700 Is Now In Malaysia

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Redefining ‘desktop replacement’, Acer Malaysia has finally launched the insane Predator Helios 700 for the Malaysian market. This crazy-looking laptop will be the brand’s top-of-the-line gaming laptop, and it comes with insane features to boot.

First off, the machine can be configured with up to an Intel Core i9-9980HK processor, 32GB of DDR4 memory (upgradable to 64GB), a 1TB SSD as well as an NVIDIA GeForce RTX2080 graphics card with 8GB of memory.  A 17.3” Full HD 144Hz IPS panel with G-SYNC completes the gaming package in this behemoth of a gaming machine.

What makes this machine stand out are several features. This includes the RGB-enabled HyperDrift keyboard, that can slide-out from the body to reveal a beefy cooling solution for the CPU/GPU. This is a boon as the extra cooling space is definitely needed for the beefy, desktop-level graphics for intense gaming session.

Other features include WiFi 6 support, Killer Ethernet E3000, dedicated hotkeys, a TURBO key and PredatorSense built-in to monitor the Helios through your smartphone.

Video via Lunis Tech Tip

The Acer Predator Helios 700 is priced at an eye-watering RM17,999, and can be purchased at all Acer authorised resellers nationwide as well as Acer official online stores.

OnePlus 8 Early Leaks Points To Punch Hole Camera And Wireless Charging Built-in

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Image via OnLeaks and CashKaro

We are still waiting for the OnePlus 7T to ship, and the first leaks of the OnePlus 8 is already popping up online. The rumours circulating is that the upcoming model will have features that will make fans happy and sad – wireless charging and punch hole camera.

The early renders of the phone show a very understated yet recognizable OnePlus design language. What makes this design a bit different is the curved display – akin to the Galaxy Note 10. On the front, the notch is banished, but replaced with a punch hole camera in the corner. This is a good compromise between having a notch for the selfie camera and a pop-up camera that can complicate repairs and maintenance.

Video via CashKaro

Another feature that will be embraced by OnePlus fans is the inclusion of wireless charging, which has been missing in the line-up. With the 6.5inch display, this means the body of the phone will be bigger, and this more space to include fun stuff like Wireless Charging. No news if the wireless charging is the normal or fast variety, but knowing OnePlus, a speedy wireless charging tech is in the works.

Other info for the phone is lacking, such as the processor, camera and more. In any case, we have until 2020 to wait and see what OnePlus will have for us in the pipeline.

Samsung Galaxy Fold Is Official In Malaysia; Price Starts From RM 8388

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The hotly anticipated device is coming soon to Malaysia – Samsung’s Galaxy Fold will be available for pre-order for consumers (at least those who has the moolah) for a cool RM 8388.

As a recap, the Galaxy Fold was previously announced then retracted its availability due to some production woes and design problems. In particular, the ease of dust and particles to slip in between the display and get lodged in it, harming the display in the process.

The device features the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 processor, and the unique dual displays that makes the Galaxy Fold a unique standout. The smaller display is a 4.6” 720p display, located on the ‘outside’ of the fold. Meanwhile the main display is a 7.3″ full rectangle display, with a resolution of 2152 x 1536 pixels.

Video via CNET

Samsung Malaysia confirmed that the Malaysian model will be the one with the 12GB of RAM and 512GB of internal storage. Imaging on the Fold is similar to the Galaxy Note 10, with a triple sensor package of 12.0 MP + 16.0 MP + 12.0 MP.

The Samsung Galaxy fold will be priced at RM 8,388 for the Malaysian market, and receive the Galaxy Fold Premier Service package that includes 24/7 Premium Careline, free On-site Pick-Up and Delivery for Service Support within 12 months of purchase.

Apple May Release iPhone SE2 Sometime Next Year

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According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo from TF International Securities, Apple may be coming out with a new iPhone SE next year. This is on the back of their recently launched iPhone 11.

The analyst, who has previously predicted new Apple launches quite on-point, said that the new iPhone SE2 is said to use the iPhone 8 body, and will feature the new A13 Bionic chipset. This is, as Ming-chi said, will be “the best upgrade choice for existing 100mn iPhone 6 series users, will be a key growth driver for Apple in 2020”.

Other design that may be included in the new SE2 includes the home button (as the iPhone 8 design does not support Face ID), a lesser camera, and a smaller battery. Expect the phone to have the Lighting connector, and big bezels for 2020.

Of course this is just a conjecture as this point of time, but if the iPhone SE2 comes out next year, this will be a great upgrade phone for iPhone 6 users who are still holding onto their phones right now.

Sony a9 II Adds More Professional-friendly Features In Body

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The new Sony a9 II is basically last year’s a9, with features borrowed from the a7 IV. All the features are great for the working professionals however, so it is great to have it in body.

Inside, the a9 II is still sporting the same 24MP sensor from last year, but the newer Bionz X image processor should speed things up as well deliver better image processing. It has the same 693-point on-sensor PDAF system as the a9, but with new algorithms that improve subject tracking.

New processor also equals better performance. In this case, the shooting speed with the mechanical shutter has risen toe 10fps, while the electronic shutter performance is still the same at 20fps. The a9 II has a larger grip, and better weather-sealing around ports and doors similar to that of the a7R IV.

There is a change in the layout of the camera, with the rear control dial now sitting on the top plate. Another nice added feature is charging through the USB Type-C, and transfer speeds are also better thanks to USB 3.2. Other nice functions include Gigabit Ethernet and Wifi 802.11ac.

The Sony a9 II will be available in November for USD4500 or about RM 18,820 (body only).

Huawei Mate 30 Series Officially In Malaysia; Starts From RM 2799

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Malaysia was given the honour to be the second market after China to receive the Huawei Mate 30 series as both he Mate 30 and Mate 30 Pro is now available for sale in Malaysia.

As a recap, both devices are powered by Huawei’s latest chipset – the Kirin 990. Both also feature 8GB of RAM, and a quad-camera array. The Mate 30’s cameras includes a 16MP f/2.2 ultra-wide + 40MP f/1.8 SuperSensing wide + 8MP f/2.4 telephoto lens with OIS + Laser focus sensor. The Mate 30 Pro meanwhile gets  a 40MP f/1.8 ultra-wide Cine camera, a 40MP f/1.6 SuperSensing Camera, an 8MP f/2.4 Telephoto lens with OIS, and a 3D depth-sensing camera instead of laser focus.

As Huawei Mate 30 and Mate 30 Pro are shipped without the Google Mobile Services (GMS), Huawei has made the option of creating their own, called the Huawei Mobile Service (HMS), which is available with the new Mate phones.

The Huawei Mate 30 and Mate 30 Pro is available now, and priced at RM2799 and RM3899 respectively. Additionally, from 3 October until 22 October, consumers who purchases either device will be given a DJI Osmo Mobile 3, a Back Casing, SuperCharge Wireless Car Charger, and a 1-year Extended warranty and 6-months screen crack warranty under Huawei Care for free. That is a deal – but it is to be seen if the lack of Google Services will push the sales up or down in Malaysia.