Category: Travel

Google Pixel 4 and 4 XL Launches with 90hz Display, Paltry Storage, and a Trail of Leaks

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One of the most leaked phones in the market of 2019 is now official. The Google Pixel 4 and 4 XL has been launched, and it carries little surprise for those who has been following the leak trails online.

Like the leaks, the new Pixel 4 comes in two sizes – the smaller Pixel 4 and the larger Pixel 4 XL. Inside, the phone are similar. Both runs the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 processor, runs Android 10 out of the box, and the new display. Google is calling it Smooth Displays, and both top at 90Hz for butter-smooth scrolling and usability. Plus, the phone is intelligent enough to switch between 60Hz and 90Hz automatically when needed.

One feature that may be gimmicky to some is Motion Sense. Using the built-in radar tech from the phone’s Soli’s chip, users can control the phone hands free without touching the screen. There are also two face-unlock IR cameras, a dot projector and flood illuminator next to the selfie camera, which allows Face Unlock biometric security.

Other noteworthy info includes the 6GB of RAM in both models 64GB (boo!) or 128GB storage options, and also a 2,800mAh battery for the Pixel 4 and 3,700mAh battery for the Pixel 4 XL. Imaging is handled by a 12MP Dual Pixel sensor and a 16MP telephoto lens for 2x zoom.

Want to get one? Get ready to cough up from USD799 (~RM 3346) for the Pixel 4version, or USD899 (~RM3767) for the larger Pixel 4 XL. No news if Malaysia will get it officially.

Analogue’s Pocket Is A Modern Handheld Console For Your Old Gameboy Games

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Analogue, a company known in creating new consoles based on old systems, has come out with their latest product. Pocket is essentially the Game Boy, designed for this decade.

The Pocket has a black piano finish, with the same size of the Game Boy Color. What makes this handheld amazing however is the support is has out of the box; not only it can play classic Game Boy games, but the cartridge slot can support Game Boy, Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance cartridges. This is a game library of over 2,700 titles, and the display of the handheld is about 10 times of the original Game Boy.

Additionally, Analogue is also creating a dock for the Pocket that can connect to TVs/external displays, so you can play the original Tetris or Pokemon Green on the big screen TV. The built-in display is a 3.5-inch 1600 x 1440 panel with 665ppi. It charges/connects via USB Type C, includes an SD slot, and there is also a built-in synthesizer called Nanoloop.

In the future, Analogue also wants to support other handhelds. Adaptors for other devices such as Game gear, Neo Geo Color Pocket and others are in the works.

Analogue will be selling the Pocket in 2020, for the price of USD 199 (~RM 833), with the dock and adaptors sold separately.

Sony’s New Imaging Sensors Will Be Organic And Have PDAF Built-In Respectively

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Sony has shared that it will be sharing two new sensors at the upcoming 2019 International Electronic Devices Meeting (IEDM) in San Francisco. The new sensor may signal a new wave of photography technology and method coming our way.

The company will actually present various sensors at the meeting, but two stands out in the pack – a quad-bayer 1/2-inch 48MP “All-PDAF” CMOS chip and an organic “Three-layer Stacked Color Image Sensor.”

For the first sensor, Sony says that the chip will be the ‘World’s First’ sensor to be both quad-bayer construction and have PDAF tech built in, designed for high-resolution capture and HDR, along with the AF working as low as 1 lux.

We created the world’s first all PDAF CMOS image sensor using 2×2 on-chip lens architecture. That had 1/2 inch 48M pixels with 0.8µm Quad Bayer coding for high resolution and HDR function, and all PDAF pixels achieved a minimum AF illuminance level of 1 lux.

Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation

Meanwhile the organic sensor can help with false colour problems when taking photo thanks to the triple stacked layer of colour filters – one each for red, blue and green.

Sample of Sony CMOS Image Sensor

The two sensors may head to APSC, MFT and Full Frame sensors as early as next year, so we should be seeing some news coming out from CP+ 2020 in Yokohama, one of the biggest photography events in Japan. This news is great for photographers out there, looking to get more out of their images in the field.

OnePlus 7T Pro Delivers A Pop-up Selfie Experience, Curved Display and A Mclaren Model

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After the launch of the OnePlus 7T, the company has followed up with a companion model. The OnePlus 7T Pro is different than the vanilla 7T. For one, it doesn’t have a notch – instead it comes with a pop-up selfie camera.

Inside, the OnePlus 7T Pro shares many similarities with the OnePlus 7T. Snapdragon 855 Plus, the triple camera setup and even USB Type-C fast charging. What is special with the phone is that it has a curved screen rather than a flat-top. Something like the Samsung phones – which is logical as the screen is an AMOLED display.

Video courtesy of Android Authority

Imaging is handled by the 48MP Sony IMX586 and 8MP wide-angle sensor, alongside an 8MP 3x telephoto sensor. The selfie is the same 16MP Sony IMX471 sensor and f/2.0 lens found in the 7T. The curved 6.67-inch Quad HD+ AMOLED screen has a pixel density of 516 ppi, 90Hz refresh rate and in-display fingerprint scanner as per the non-Pro variant. Plus, HDR10+ support. The battery is also bigger at 4085mAh (which is an odd capacity).

The OnePlus 7T Pro McLaren edition is basically the same phone, but features special McLaren colours and 12GB RAM instead of 8GB of RAM. Still limited at 128GB of storage with no microSD slots though.

Customers looking to buy the phone can get one – in India – for INR 53,999 (~RM 3,190) while the McLaren Edition is listed at INR 58,999 (~RM 3,485). No news if the phone will be heading to Malaysia as yet so far.

Xiaomi Adds On To The Redmi Family With The Redmi 8

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After the launch of the Redmi Note 8 and Redmi Note 8 Pro, it has officially launched the lower end device called the Redmi 8 (surprising? I think not). The new device is definitely designed for first-time smartphone owners coming from a feature phone or those looking for second phones for work.

Underneath the body is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 439 processor, paired to 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. The screen is a 6.22-inch HD+ display, so it fits the lower-end mature of the device.

Imaging is handled by dual cameras at the back and a selfie camera at the front. The back has a 12MP main sensor alongside a 2MP depth sensor. Selfies are taken with the 8MP sensor on the front.

What makes the Redmi 8 stand out is more to the power part of the phone. For one, it comes with a huge 5000mAh battery, and it supports fast charging via an 18watt charger – a first for this segment.

Xiaomi is pricing the 4GB/64GB model for RM 599, while the 3GB/32GB model will be priced at RM499. The higher spec is available from 12 October onwards, while the lower spec will come on sale a week later.

Nikon Announces The APSC Z50 Mirrorless Camera

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Nikon has unveiled its next mirrorless camera – the new Z50. This is the company’s first DX-format camera to use the Z-mount; yes, the new camera shares the same mount as the full-frame Z5/Z6 cameras.

Inside, you get a 21MP BSI CMOS APS-C sensor with on-sensor phase detection. Unfortunately, Nikon opted to remove any in body image stabilization (IBIS) to save on cost and weight. Speaking of which, the Z50 is a lightweight – at only 397 grams (body only), it will not fatigue owners carrying this around. Unless you have a heavy lens mounted on it.

Composing photos is done using either the 3.2-inch touchscreen (which can flip to waist-mode or flip-down for vlog uses), or the 2.36million dot OLED EVF. Take note – the Z50’s flip-down screen will be in the way of the tripod mount – so vlogging with the camera will be a hand-held thing only unless you do not need the screen.

Powering the Z50 is the new EN-EL25 battery that CIPA rates at 300 shots, and the USB Micro (BOO!) port allows charging as well. Continuous shooting with the Z50 is rated at 11fps (with continuous AF). Videos are available in both 24p and 30p, but 4K video will be cropped. There is an external mic port, so great for additional microphones.

Nikkor Z DX 16-50mm F3.5-6.3 VR (left) and the Nikkor Z DX 50-250mm F4.5-6.3 VR lenses

The new Nikon Z50 will be available from November onwards for USD 859 for the body, or USD 999 with the new pancake 16-50mm lens. There is also a package for the body, 16-50mm lens and a new 50-250mm lens for USD 1349. The pancake Nikkor Z DX 16-50mm F3.5-6.3 VR offers up to 4.5 stops of image stabilization and has a built-in control ring. For longer reach, there’s the Nikkor Z DX 50-250mm F4.5-6.3 VR, which offers 5 stops of shake reduction and also has a control ring.

Essential Announced Project Gem Smartphone

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Thanks to tweets shared by Andy Rubin and Essential, the head of Essential Phone, we have first looks of the next phone to come out the ex Googler’s company – and it is a unique design indeed.

The phone from Essential looks unlike any other phone in the market in the past decade. It has a tall screen – even taller than Sony’s 21:9 screens. Another standout is that the phone is very narrow. It is like the Essential team took the external screen on the Galaxy Fold, and made it taller to make a phone.

Other stuff shown by the Essential team is the colourway of the new phone. Four options were displayed, with all four showing pearl colour-like changing for the paint job – like a gem. At the back, a single camera bump is seen, rather than the multi-camera trend sweeping the phone manufacturers.

Other than the design and colours, no other information was shared on the new phone. Not even the expected availability date. We may see the phone appear in selected markets sometime next year. It may take that long as well to polish the custom Android skin to work properly in a new form factor. 2020 will be an interesting year for phone design.

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.

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.