Guest Writer/Reviewer | All reviews written from a user's perspective.
*The author is a Tech ARP contributor. The opinions expressed are those of the writer.
SINGAPORE — August 1, 2017 — NVIDIA today announced the NVIDIA external GPU that will allow 25 million artists and designers to easily upgrade the capability of their notebooks to support new workflows such as video editing, interactive rendering, VR content creation, AI development and more.
The NVIDIA External GPU For Artists and Designers
Creative professionals with underpowered graphics can now harness the power of NVIDIA TITAN X or NVIDIA Quadro graphics cards through an external GPU (eGPU) chassis and dramatically boost the performance of their applications.
“While more computer power than ever is needed for VR, photoreal rendering and AI workflows, mobile systems are getting thinner and lighter, with limited performance and memory,” says Bob Pette, vice president, Professional Visualisation, NVIDIA. “Our eGPUs can now solve this problem, enabling creatives to plug into our most capable GPUs so they can do their best work on the most graphically demanding applications.”
NVIDIA Quadro graphics will be available through qualified eGPU partners for those who use high-end content creation applications for animation, colour grading and rendering as well as CAD and simulation apps. The qualification process ensures users of compatibility, reliability and performance of their Quadro eGPU solution.
To ensure prosumers enjoy great performance with applications such as Autodesk Maya and Adobe Premier Pro, NVIDIA is also releasing a new performance driver for NVIDIA TITAN X to make it faster than ever before.
Available starting in September, Quadro eGPU solutions will be available through qualified partners such as Bizon, One Stop Systems/Magma and Sonnet with more to come.
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Singapore — August 2, 2017 — SAP today announced the appointment of Claus Andresen as President and Managing Director of SAP Southeast Asia, promoted from Chief Operating Officer of SAP Indian Subcontinent. Andresen will report directly to Scott Russell, President of SAP Asia Pacific Japan (APJ).
Building on the 28-year establishment and growth of SAP in the region, Andresen will be responsible for driving SAP Southeast Asia’s sustainable growth strategy and operations. Based in Singapore, he will oversee SAP’s business across Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Indochina and other emerging markets in Southeast Asia.
Claus Andresen is President and Managing Director of SAP Southeast Asia
“Connectivity in Southeast Asia is growing at an impressive rate and we foresee a lot more customers accelerating their digital transformation and journey to the cloud in the next few years. While the level of digital maturity in Southeast Asia varies across the region, SAP has the extensive capability to help our customers scale and succeed in this new digital economy,” said Scott Russell, President, SAP Asia Pacific Japan. “Claus brings with him the experience and vision to help our customers translate their strategy into action. I am confident that SAP Southeast Asia will continue to shine under his leadership.”
Andresen was most recently the Chief Operating Officer of SAP Indian Subcontinent, where he provided leadership to the market unit’s multi-functional sales and operations organizations, and was instrumental in making India amongst one of the fastest growing market units in SAP.
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Prior to that, he was responsible for Business Operations across SAP APJ, where he led a high-performing team to improve Sales and Operational Excellence. Andresen has over a decade of experience in various global and regional senior leadership roles in the Global Services & Support organization (now Digital Business Services), all with focus on helping customers run better leveraging technology.
“Southeast Asia plays an important role for SAP’s business. There are plenty of opportunities for us in this part of the world as more organisations understand the value that digital innovations can deliver to their business and how they operate. Across the region, we are seeing the trajectory and we are committed to helping our customers and partners build a solid foundation for their digital future,” said Claus Andresen, President, SAP Southeast Asia.
He continued, “SAP has more than 45 years of industry and enterprise business software experience and an unmatched global ecosystem that empowers customers to scale and thrive in this time of constant change. I am honored to lead the Southeast Asia’s business and bring innovations to our customers that unlock their potential. I look forward to working with my Southeast Asia team to take SAP to the next level in this growth region, as we help the region’s governments and businesses achieve their vision of a digitally-enabled ASEAN.”
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SEOUL, 4 August 2017 – The next flagship smartphone from LG Electronics (LG) will be the first ever device to feature an OLED FullVision display, consistent with the company’s strategy that started with the LG G6 and continues with the LG Q6.
The LG OLED FullVision Technology
The OLED FullVision technology gives the upcoming phone best-in-class images and sets a new standard in mobile displays. While the immersive LCD FullVision display was first introduced in the LG G6 earlier this year, the display in the company’s upcoming flagship device will be its first OLED smartphone since the LG Flex 2 in 2015.
The shift marks a move by LG to extend its OLED leadership from the premium TV sector into the premium smartphone space. Beyond their slim profile and excellent visuals, OLED displays in smartphones are ideal for VR applications, one of the key growth areas in the smartphone industry.
With consumers seeking bigger displays but eschewing larger phones that are uncomfortable to hold in one hand, LG’s FullVision display is a key contributor in the trend toward minimized bezels in smartphones. OLED was simply the next evolution for FullVision displays, delivering incredible quality, vividness and clarity to smartphone visuals.
At six inches, the OLED FullVision display will be LG’s largest in four years while the actual body will be smaller than last year’s LG V20. To maximize viewable screen space, the LG logo has been removed from the bottom of the display with the upper and lower bezels reduced by 20 and 50 percent, respectively, compared the V20.
The FullVision display’s immersive and expansive visual experience is enhanced on the 4.15 million pixels of the QHD+ (1440 x 2880) OLED screen. Superb image quality is achieved via emissive OLED technology which reproduces perfect black and colors with greater accuracy and across a wider color spectrum than conventional LCD displays. By implementing optimal image algorithms gleaned from years of OLED R&D, visuals on this OLED display deliver 148 percent of sRGB 1 color space for pictures and internet images and 109 percent of DCI-P3 2 color space for digital cinema.
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Another intrinsic advantage of OLED technology is operational response time that is ten times faster than LCD. This accelerated response time effectively eliminates afterimages, an important consideration for action movies and VR. And with support for HDR10, watching compatible movies and videos on this display offers a whole new eye-opening experience.
And because the screen in the upcoming smartphone will be based on plastic OLED – otherwise known as P-OLED – technology, the edges can be curved to allow for a more ergonomic design and a better feel in the hand. P-OLED is created by placing pixels on a plastic substrate which is much stronger than a glass base.
What’s more, the display is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5 that incorporates shatter-resistant technology. Most importantly, using advanced encapsulation and pixel-scanning technology, the P-OLED in this upcoming device is free from the burn-in issue that plagued past OLED screens. Encapsulation prevents the oxidation of pixels and lower energy is applied to each pixel via LG’s pixel-scanning technology, which has the added benefit of saving battery power.
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Alcatel OneTouch recently rebranded their Flash smartphone division as a separate brand – Flash. Building upon their success with the Flash 2 smartphone, they introduced the Flash Plus 2 (Amazon | Lazada). For our coverage of the launch, take a look at our article – Flash Plus 2 Smartphone Revealed!
The Flash Plus 2 (Amazon | Lazada) promises to offer even more value for money with a renewed focus on delivering mobigraphy – the ultimate mobile photographic experience. Let’s take a look!
Flash Plus 2 Smartphone Specifications
Specifications
Flash Plus 2
(2 GB Variant)
Flash Plus 2
(3 GB Variant)
Display
5.5" IPS display (1080 x 1920 pixels, 401 ppi)
1000:1 contrast ratio (typical), 160° viewing angle
MiraVision 2.0 image technology
Protection
Asahi Dragon Trail Glass
Operating System
Android 6.0 Marshmallow
SoC Platform
MediaTek Helio P10 (MT6755)
Processor
4 x ARM Cortex-A53 (1.8 GHz)
4 x ARM Cortex-A53 (1 GHz)
Graphics Processor
ARM Mali-T860 MP2 GPU (550 MHz)
Memory
2 GB LPDDR3
3 GB LPDDR3
Storage
16 GB eMMC internal flash storage (10.4 GB free)
microSD slot (supports up to 128 GB)
32 GB eMMC internal flash storage (25.4 GB free)
microSD slot (supports up to 128 GB)
Front Camera
5 MP sensor with 1.12 μm pixel size
f/2.2 wide-angle lens (84.4°)
LED flash with CRI of 80
Rear Camera
13 MP OmniVision OV13853 sensor
Phase-detection auto-focus (PDAF) technology
5P wide-angle f/2.0 lens (76.5°) with blue optical glass filter
Dual-tone LED flash
1080p video recording at 60 fps
AKM4375 Chipset + NXP9890 Audio Amplifier
Stereo FM radio
Dual-microphone noise cancellation
Battery
3,000 mAh lithium ion battery
Talk time: 16hrs(2G) / 15hrs(3G)
Standby time: 528hrs(2G) / 405hrs(4G)
Music Playback (headset default vol)(54h) / (speaker default vol)(12h)
Video Streaming WIFI (4h)
WIFI browsing (6h)
Video -H.264 (1080P) HW mode Video H.264 (1080P) (6h)
Fast Charging Capability
9V / 1.67A fast-charging technology
Powered by the TI BQ25896 fast-charging chip
Size
76.4 mm wide x 152.6 mm tall x 8.2 mm thick
Weight
157 g
Available Colours
Venus Gold / Luna Silver
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Unboxing The Flash Plus 2
The Flash Plus 2 (Amazon | Lazada) comes in a classy matte black box. The heart-shaped accent above the Flash Plus 2 logo has a fingerprint imprint, just in case you are not aware that the Flash Plus 2 has a fingerprint sensor. 🙂
With all the contents unpacked, you will find the following items:
One set of Quick Start Guide, Warranty Certificate, Safety and Warranty Information booklets
One “Welcome to Flash Community” card
One micro-USB cable
Surprisingly, the Flash Plus 2 does not come with earphones, a case or a screen protector. They were notable accessories in the Flash 2 smartphone package.
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Design & Build
With a 5.5″ display, the Flash Plus 2 (Amazon | Lazada) is a phablet, hence the “Plus” in its name. Beneath the display, there is a home button flanked by a pair of backlit capacitive keys. The home button does double duty as a fingerprint sensor, which allows the Flash Plus 2 to be unlocked in a fraction of a second.
While fingerprint sensors aren’t new, the Flash Plus 2 is the first to include one in this price segment. The choice of combining it with the home button may not be to everyone’s taste though. It requires the Flash Plus 2 to be woken up from standby (by pressing on the home button or power button) before being unlocked.
The Power button and Volume control buttons are located on the right side of the Flash Plus 2, near the top. That is not a very ideal location for the power button, although most users will just use the Home button to wake up the Flash Plus 2.
On the bottom, you will find the micro USB 2.0 port near the left edge, with the microphone port near the right edge. You will find a second microphone port at the top of the Flash Plus 2 (Amazon | Lazada), together with the headphone port. The two microphone ports helps with the noise cancellation, allowing for clearer audio to be recorded.
The biggest change from the previous Flash 2 smartphone is immediately apparent from the back. The Flash Plus 2 is the first model to feature a metal case. Now, it does not have a metal frame, or even a unibody design. Instead, it features a swappable metal back cover in the choice of two colours – Luna Silver and Venus Gold.
Even though it still uses a plastic frame, the metal back cover stiffens the Flash Plus 2, and gives it a more premium feel. The brushed aluminium finish also gives it a classier look. The top half of its back is dominated by its 13 MP camera, accompanied by a dual-tone LED flash. The bottom half features a speaker vent with a slight bump to maximise audio output when placed on flat surfaces.
While phablets are usually less ergonomic for those with smaller hands, the Flash Plus 2 (Amazon | Lazada) fits our hands quite well. This is probably due to the rounded edges on its back. They allow for a more comfortable grip, although the brushed finish feels a little slippery. On the other hand, the finish is virtually impervious to fingerprint smudges!
Inside The Flash Plus 2
Now, we will show you how to carefully remove the metal back cover to gain access to the two SIM slots and the microSD card slot.
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Setting Up The Flash Plus 2
When you power up the Flash Plus 2 (Amazon | Lazada) for the first time, it will take about 36 seconds to boot up. If you set it up as a fresh device, it will take you no more than 5 minutes to complete the initial setup. Check it out!
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The Flash Plus 2 Cameras
Like its predecessor, the Flash 2 smartphone, the Flash Plus 2 (Amazon | Lazada) is focused on photography. Flash even coined a term for the ultimate mobile photography experience – mobigraphy. To achieve that, the Flash Plus 2 (Amazon | Lazada) has a 5 MP front camera that not only uses larger 1.12 μm pixels, it is supported by a dedicated LED flash. The front camera also has a 84.4° wide-angle lens with f/2.2 aperture.
The 13 MP main camera at the back features PDAF (phase-detection autofocus) technology, which allows for faster focusing. It has a bright f/2.0 lens with a wide angle of 76.5° and a blue optical glass filter. It is supported by a dual-tone LED flash, for more realistic skin tones.
The main camera is not only capable of recording full HD (1080p) videos, it can even do so at 60 fps. So the Flash Plus 2 (Amazon | Lazada) is not only great for taking photos, it’s great for taking videos. But with limited storage, it’s best to add a microSD card if you intend to take many videos.
Display
The Flash Plus 2 (Amazon | Lazada) comes with a 5.5″ Full HD OGS (one glass solution) display with a pixel density of ~401 ppi. Coupled with MiraVision 2.0 technology, we find it very pleasing to our eyes in use. The screen looks crisp, with colours that aren’t overly vivid, while remaining properly saturated.
The screen brightness was pretty satisfactory, although the adaptive brightness feature does seem a little slow in responding to changes in ambient light levels. The viewing angles are mostly acceptable with minimal colour shift when viewing from an indirect angle.
The Full HD resolution of 1080 x 1920 is perfect at this price point. It offers much greater resolution than competing devices with 720p displays, and you can really tell the difference. On the other hand, it saps less power than QHD displays (1440 x 2560) without a noticeable difference in sharpness.
The Flash Plus 2 (Amazon | Lazada) uses Asahi Dragon Trail Glass to protect its display. This is similar to Gorilla Glass, offering a little extra ruggedness as well as high scratch resistance. Despite not fitting the Flash Plus 2 with a screen protector, we had not encountered any scratches within our period of use.
Performance
Under the hood, the Flash Plus 2 (Amazon | Lazada) is powered by the MediaTek Helio P10 SoC. Also known as the MediaTek MT6755, it has an octa-core processor that consists of a set of 4 ARM Cortex-A53 cores running at 1.8 GHz, and a set of 4 ARM Cortex-A53 cores running at 1 GHz. It also has a dual-core ARM Mali-T860 MP2 GPU to handle 2D and 3G graphics.
The Flash Plus 2 (Amazon | Lazada) comes in two variants. The basic model has 2 GB of LPDDR3 memory and 16 GB of internal flash storage. A higher-end model comes with 3 GB of LPDDR3 memory and 32 GB of internal flash storage. The model we tested came was the 2 GB model with 16 GB of storage.
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As expected, the Flash Plus 2 (Amazon | Lazada) generally ran very smoothly, and switched between apps instantly. However, we did notice some slight lag after 2-3 days of continuous use. It could be due to the lack of polish in the UI, or an overly aggressive memory saving algorithm.
So, how does the processing package compare to other smartphones? Here are some results from common benchmarks :
This is decent performance, albeit nothing to shout about. Overall, this is no speed demon, but it’s fast enough to get the job done.
Our Verdict
The Flash Plus 2 (Amazon | Lazada) is big jump in quality and capability from the Flash 2 smartphone. If you were impressed by the performance and value offered by the Flash 2 smartphone, you will undoubtedly be impressed by the Flash Plus 2. It is better than its predecessor in every way, and yet remains affordably priced.
Now, the Flash Plus 2 (Amazon | Lazada) is not designed to take on the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge (Amazon | Lazada) or the HTC 10 (Amazon | Lazada). It is targeted at those who want an affordable phablet with decent performance and photographic capabilities. In that perspective, the Flash Plus 2 has certainly achieved its goal.
At its price point, you will be hard-pressed to find a smartphone with similar performance and photographic capabilities, a fast fingerprint sensor and build quality. The Flash Plus 2 (Amazon | Lazada) challenges the perception that you can’t have a decent smartphone with good photographic capabilities at an affordable price point. We can’t wait to see what Flash will come up with next!
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ViewSonic has long been known for their displays, from the old days of CRT monitors to the latest LCD monitors. We may not have heard much from them in recent years, but they are back with a big bang – unveiling 7 new IPS monitors. Let’s take a look at the new ViewSonic SuperClear IPS monitors!
ViewSonic SuperClear IPS Monitors
The new ViewSonic SuperClear IPS monitors are divided into 3 different categories – Entertainment, Gaming, and Photography.
The ViewSonic VA19 series, VX76 series, and VX3209-2K QHD monitor are designed for entertainment, while the ViewSonic XG2703-GS was designed for realistic gaming experience. Finally, we have the ViewSonic VP2468 which is engineered for professionals with its astounding color accuracy.
In this presentation, ViewSonic Country Manager (Malaysia) Chaw Foo Hong, reveals the key features of the new ViewSonic SuperClear IPS monitors.
Outstanding Frameless Screen Performance at Wide Viewing Angles
The ViewSonic VA2419-SH and VA2719-SH SuperClear IPS monitors deliver sharp color representation and feature modern, minimalistic and frameless design. A narrow 6.4mm frame makes viewing more effortless, while the convenience of multi-monitor setup capabilities provides flexibility for any viewing setup.
The ViewSonic VX2476-SMHD and VX2776-SMHDmonitors boast 6.6mm ultra slim design with frameless bezels, offering beautiful eye-pleasing design to cater to stylish, modern, and tech-savvy individuals. Its minimalist and chrome like triangle stand also makes it a work of art.
On the other hand, the 32″ ViewSonic VX3209-2K with 2560×1440 WQHD resolution lets you enjoy more by delivering amazing visual clarity with stunning details. Featuring 8.9mm slim bezel with narrow frame, VX3209-2K comes with a unique white T stand and white bezel for the discerning ones.
Enjoy accurate and vivid colors with consistent levels of brightness whether you are looking at the screen from above, below, the front or the side. The 1080p Full HD VA19 series and VX76 series come with extensive connectivity including VGA, and HDMI, with the VX76 series also featuring built-in stereo speakers, making it the ideal multimedia display to view entertainment like action packed movies, sports and more.
All ViewSonic SuperClear models are integrated with ViewSonic’s unique ViewMode feature, as well as Flicker-Free and Blue Light Filter that eliminate eye strain for maximum viewing comfort over an extended period of time. VA19 series and VX3209 also features VESA-compatible mount design.
The Ultimate Gaming Display with NVIDIA G-Sync Technology
The ViewSonic XG2703-GS is the first in the series to include NVIDIA’s G-SYNC technology that seamlessly synchronizes the frame rate output between the graphics card and monitor. It also features NVIDIA’s Ultra-Low Motion Blur (ULMB) technologies that smooths movement and sharp edges, decreasing motion blur and minimizing ghosting. The 165 Hz refresh rate and 4ms response time ensure that the display delivers superior visual fluidity and graphics that burst off the screen.
With the ViewSonic SuperClear IPS-type panel and 2560×1440 WQHD resolution, this 27-inch monitor is the perfect display for hardcore gamers looking for enhanced color accuracy, high-graphic details, and unbelievably fluid gameplay. The display comes with dual integrated speakers for an all-around immersive experience. To take gaming to the next level, XG2703-GS features adaptive contrast control, dark boost and customizable “game mode” settings.
The ViewSonic XG2703-GS integrates DisplayPort and HDMI inputs to give you the freedom and flexibility to connect to your dedicated graphics card and gaming console. ViewSonic’s propriety Flicker-Free technology and a Blue Light Filter eliminate eye strain that comes with extended viewing. Featuring fully adjustable ergonomic stand capabilities with swivel pivot, tilt and height adjustment, as well as an integrated headphone hook and cable management ring, gamers will appreciate a gaming space free from extraneous cords.
Professional 24-inch Monitor with Remarkable Color Accuracy and One of the Market’s Thinnest Bezels
The ViewSonic VP2468 is a 24-inch Full HD 1080p monitor that offers amazing color accuracy for color-critical applications. Built with an edge-to-edge SuperClear IPS panel, it features a 4 Sided Frameless Design that creates a seamless and pure visual experience in multi-monitor setups without the distraction of boundaries. Its comprehensive color accuracy technologies makes it the standard display for applications where color accuracy is crucial.
In addition, the sleek and frameless design is ideal for multiple monitor set-ups to showcase vivid and lifelike colors, making it ideal for professional photographers, graphic artists, as well as content and development designers.
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For precise and uniform color, each VP2468 is factory calibrated to a Delta E<2 value for superior accuracy of all the included color spaces, including sRGB, EBU, SMPTE-C, REC709 and DICOM-SIM.
The VP2468 is engineered with an integrated color uniformity function that ensures consistent chromaticity across the entire screen, while a 14-bit 3D look-up table generates a palette of 4.39 trillion colors for astoundingly precise and exact image reproduction. A six-axis color enhancement allows users to individually adjust six primary colors: red, green, blue, cyan, magenta and yellow.
TheViewSonic VP2468 is equipped with DisplayPort technology, Mini DisplayPort, dual HDMI inputs, and four USB 3.0 ports for maximum flexibility and connectivity to a variety of devices and peripherals.
In addition to the color and connectivity technologies, the VP2468 comes with ergonomic features including tilt, swivel, auto pivot and height adjustments for comfort. With built in G-sensor, the screen image can automatically pivot when positioned vertically. The optional ViewSonic Colorbration Kit allows users to quickly and easily calibrate the monitor to match the user’s needs.
Model
Availability
Price (SRP)
VA2419-sh
Available now
RM499 / ~US$125
VA2719-sh
RM799 / ~US$199
VX2476-smhd
Available now
RM699 / ~US$175
VX2776-smhd
RM999 / ~US$249
VX3209-2K QHD monitor
Available now
RM1,199 / ~US$299
XG2703-GS
Available now
RM3,299 / ~US$825
VP2468
Available now
RM1,299 / ~US$325
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Lenovo recently revealed the Moto Z and Moto Z Play smartphones, along with their very interesting range of Moto Mods and Style Shells. While it’s been a while since we have had any Moto phones launched in the country, it’s refreshing to see them launching the Moto Z range first as an announcement of their comeback.
13 MP with F1.8,
Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS)
Laser Autofocus
Colour Balancing (CCT) dual LED Flash
16 MP with F2.0
Laser Autofocus
Phase Detection Auto Focus (PDAF)
Colour Balancing (CCT) dual LED Flash
Authentication
Fingerprint Reader
Fingerprint Reader
Battery
2600 mAh
TurboPower™ - 7 hours of power
in 15 minutes of charging
3510 mAh
TurboPower™ - 8 hours of power
in 15 minutes of charging
SIM Card Support
Dual Nano-SIM
Dual Nano-SIM
Others
Front-ported speakers
4-mic support
Water repellent nano-coating
NFC, USB Type-C
Moto Mods™ connector
Front-ported speakers
3-mic support
Water repellent nano-coating
NFC, USB Type-C
3.5mm Stereo
Moto Mods™ connector
Dimensions
155.3 mm tall
75.3 mm wide
5.19mm thick
156.4 mm tall
76.4,, wide
6.99 mm thick
Weight
136 g
165 g
Available Colours
Black/Lunar Grey
White/Fine Gold
Black/Silver
White/Fine Gold
Launch Price
RM 2,699
RM 1,799
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Moto Mods & Style Shells
The key feature of the Moto Z line-up is its expandability using modules called Moto Mods. They are magnetically attached to the Moto Z and Moto Z Play, adding additional functions to the phones without looking too out of place.
There are only 4 modules to choose from at the moment, but, rest assured – more Moto Mods will be added soon. Lenovo Malaysia also mentioned that these Moto Mods will be compatible with any future Moto Z line-up.
Also available are Style Shell back covers that lets you transform your phone to fit your style, though, they can only be used when no Moto Mods are attached.
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The Moto Z Smartphone
The Moto Z is the flagship device within the two new phones. It is razor thin, just 5.2mm. So thin, they had to remove the 3.5mm stereo output as a result! (Not to worry, A USB Type-C to 3.5mm stereo adapter is included!)
The Moto Z has a 5.5″ Quad HD AMOLED display. The powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor, along with 4 GB of RAM, allows the Moto Z to perform without a hitch! There’s 64 GB of internal flash storage. The Moto Z is also dual SIM, dual standby capabable.
The Moto Z smartphone features a 13 MP main camera with f/1.8 lens, optical image stabilisation (OIS), as well as laser autofocus. A 5 MP camera equipped with 85° wide-angle lens takes centre stage on the front of the Moto Z. It also comes with LED flash, just in case you need to take selfies in the dark. Charging comes in the form of a proprietary system, called TurboPower, which enables the Moto Z to get up to 7 hours of power in 15 minutes of charging!
The Moto Z Play Smartphone
The Moto Z Play might seem like the cheaper alternative to the flagship, but don’t let that fool you! While it is slightly thicker at 6.99mm, it packs a 3510 mAh battery, to provide Moto’s longest lasting smartphone ever!
The Moto Z Play also has a 5.5″ display, but is a Full HD Super AMOLED panel instead. A Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor, along with 3 GB of RAM, still manages to provide a smooth user experience. Internal flash storage had been reduced to 32 GB. The Moto Z Play is also a dual SIM, dual standby smartphone.
The Moto Z Play smartphone has a 16 MP main camera with f/2.0 lens. While it drops optical image stabilisation (OIS), it adds phase detection autofocus (PDAF) to go along with its laser autofocus to give it zero shutter lag. On the front, is has the same 5 MP front camera setup with the flagship Moto Z. The Moto Z Play also comes with TurboPower charger. A 15 minutes charge is enough for up to 8 hours of use.
There are some similarities between both the Moto Z and Moto Z Play. Both shares the ability of expanding storage via a dedicated microSD card slot(up to 2 TB). The Moto Z and Moto Z Play also shares the usage of a USB Type-C connector. Also standard is the water repellent nano-coating, while it is no means waterproof, it’s helpful against accidental splashes.
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Pricing & Availability
The Moto Z and Moto Z Play are priced at RM2,699 and RM1,799 respectively. Theyare available on Lazada and 11street, and in retail stores.
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OPPO just revealed the OPPO Sonica Wi-Fi Speaker. While the name OPPO is commonly linked to smartphones when mentioned, they actually have a separate entity, called OPPO Digital, which specialises in high-end audio visual equipment.
OPPO Digital had earlier produced award-winning products such as Blu-ray players and headphones with matching amplifiers. But this is the first time they are launching a speaker, and it’s a Wi-Fi speaker at that. Let’s check it out!
The OPPO Sonica Wi-Fi Speaker Presentation
OPPO Digital Sales Manager, Adrian Lee, starts with some details on OPPO Digital. Then he details the key features of the OPPO Sonica Wi-Fi speaker.
The OPPO Sonica Wi-Fi Speaker Hands-On Preview
This video examines the OPPO Sonica Wi-Fi speaker, and allows you to hear for yourself, its audio fidelity and power output.
The OPPO Sonica Wi-Fi Speaker
The OPPO Digital Sonica Wi-Fi Speaker comes in a compact package, but don’t let that fool you. It is power packed with state of the art technology while delivering audiophile sound quality. It is powered by separate amplifiers set up in a time-tested 2.1 stereo configuration for the best possible performance.
A single-channel combined power output of 30-watts powers the 3.5″ bass woofer and two 3″ passive radiators, while another pair of amplifiers, 10-watts each, powers a stereo pair of 2.5″ wide-range drivers. Igor Levitsky, the same designer behind OPPO’s award-winning PM-series planar magnetic headphones, had a hand in the acoustic design and tuning of the OPPO Sonica. The speaker drivers, amplifiers, and chassis have all been expertly tuned to provide a deep, pure, and engaging sound.
The OPPO Sonica Wi-Fi Speaker comes not only with Wi-Fi capabilities, but also Apple AirPlay as well as Bluetooth capabilities. It comes with both Android and iOS apps that makes managing multiple speakers on the same network a lot easier. The OPPO Sonica app has the ability to make every speaker play the same song in unison or you could also create a different listening experience around each unit. The app can also further optimize the sound quality of the OPPO Sonica Speaker with built-in presets for different room sizes, speaker locations, and listening preferences!
The OPPO Sonica is capable of decoding audio files up to 24-bit / 192 kHz. It also supports lossless audio formats such as FLAC, WAV, and Apple Lossless, so you don’t have to compromise on quality. Multiple built-in adaptive antenna with MIMO technology ensures stellar signal strength up 2.4/5 GHz 802.11ac Wi-Fi standards (backwards compatible with 802.11a/b/g/n).
Other than that, the OPPO Sonica doesn’t only come with Wi-Fi, AirPlay and Bluetooth connectivity, on the back of the speaker, it features even more connectivity options, which includes a regular network jack, USB port, as well as a 3.5mm AUX-in jack!
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On April 27 2016, we were invited to the grand launch of the LEAGOO Shark 1 [Amazon] smartphone held at Connexion@Nexus in Bangsar South. Here is our coverage of the LEAGOO Shark 1 launch which also included the introduction of local heartthrob actor, Zul Ariffin as LEAGOO’s brand ambassador.
Has battery life been a major concern for your choice of smartphone these days? Fret not, LEAGOO is here to solve your worries with the launch of their latest flagship smartphone, the LEAGOO Shark 1. Packing a massive 6,300 mAh Li-Po battery and a huge 6-inch screen, you can have it for just RM999(inclusive of GST) / ~US$ 249!
A Corning Gorilla Glass 4-protected 6-inch Full HD LG LTPS display(that has a pixel density of 368 ppi) covers almost the entire front of the Shark 1. The smartphone is powered by a MediaTek MT6753 64-bit Octa-Core processor paired with 3 GB of RAM and 16 GB of internal storage (expandable up to 128GB via a microSD card). All of these, encased in a metal unibody design.
Other than the large 6-inch screen, the LEAGOO Shark 1’s other selling point has got to be its massive 6,300 mAh battery that lasts up to 3.5 days on general usage and 2 days with heavy usage on a full charge. Worried that it’ll take forever to fully charge that massive battery?
Well, LEAGOO equipped it with what they coined as Pump Express Flash Charge technology. This is a quick-charging technology using a special 9V/3A charger, a mere 30 minutes of charging time can give users a full day of use, whereas a full charge only takes 1 hour and 45 minutes.
The LEAGOO Shark 1 [Amazon] also has Reverse Charging function that enables users to charge other devices too! Despite the massive battery, the LEAGOO Shark 1 still maintains a slim profile, coming in at only 8.5mm thick. According to LEAGOO during the launch, they are in the process of applying for a Guinness World Record for having the slimmest profile with the biggest battery.
The main camera on the back of the LEAGOO Shark 1 [Amazon] features a 13 MP Sony BSI-2 stack sensor with F/2.0 aperture with dual-tone LED flash. For Selfies, there’s a 5 MP camera up front that also comes with LED flash to help out when the lighting conditions isn’t ideal.
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The LEAGOO Shark 1 [Amazon] runs LEAGOO OS v1.2 based on Android Lollipop out of the box. As with most recent smartphones, the LEAGOO Shark 1 comes with a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, which, other than being used for unlocking the smartphone from as fast as 0.39 seconds, does double duty to serve other functions such as taking photos and launching your favourite apps too!
Last but not least, the LEAGOO Shark 1 [Amazon] is available in a choice of three colors, namely, Midnight Black, Galaxy White and Champagne Gold. It is readily available for a retail price of RM 999 (~US$ 249) at LEAGOO’s flagship store in Low Yat Plaza as well as authorised dealers and retailers nationwide.
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participate in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donate to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
Do you own a Huawei G8? Want to be among the first to equip and test out EMUI 4.0 features on it? Here’s the chance for you to experience all the fluffy goodness Android Marshmallow has to offer, before most of the users even get it!
Huawei G8 Android Marshmallow Beta
The beta registration is only opened for the Malaysian variant of Huawei G8 (RIO-L01).
This experimental build of Android Marshmallow 6.0 / EMUI 4.0 will be released in the form of OTA (over the air) to registered Huawei G8 that runs on latest lollipop version (RIO-L01C900B150CUSTC636D005)
As this is an experimental build, unexpected issues/bugs may arise at any point at any time.
If your phone had been rooted, you may not be able to perform an OTA update. Kindly unroot your phone before proceeding with the update.
If you understood all of the above, and would still like to be a part of this program, kindly click on this link to register by 23rd April 2016, 12:00am. Once you have successfully registered, sit back and relax, wait for the experimental build software to be seeded to all registered users by Q2 2016.
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Release Notes
[Gallery]
Various labels
You can customise the font size, colour, effects and label’s location now. Sport watermark
You can note down the altitude of the mountain you have climbed and some simple words, making your travel photos more intuitive! Memo feature
Supports customising a unique memo on every image, thus making your images truly to be a part of you. Improved album
You can now add photos in batches to a newly created album Batch printing of images
You can now save all selected images as a PDF and print them at the same time.
[Contacts]
Business card
It can analyse and get the information from a business card, and automatically create a new contact. Smart group contacts
Classify all contacts according to company name. Now, finding someone in your contact list can be done in seconds! Contact QR code
Your phone will auto generate a QR code for every newly created contact which makes it easy to share!
[Messages]
Mark all as read
You can mark all messages which you don’t want to spend any time reading as Read. Cancelling a sent message
You can reclaim the message by double-touching the message bubble within 4 seconds.
[Application]
Compass
The new compass application have integrated level gauge Alarm ring duration
Now, how long the alarm rings all depends on you!
[Settings]
Battery percentage display
The battery percentage can be shown within battery icon. Notification panel and status bar
Added a fresh new drag action for notification and shortcuts making you get what you want with one tap. Power on tone switch
Now you can control whether to turn that power-on tone on or off.
[System]
Changeable desktop text
The text on desktop will be automatically adjusted to white or black according to the shade of the wallpaper you set. It makes your desktop more clear and intuitive!
Support Tech ARP!
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participate in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donate to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
Do you own a Huawei P8 or Mate 7 smartphone? Fancy being one of the first(s) to try out Android 6.0 Marshmallow Beta on your device? Look no further!
Huawei Mobile Malaysia is currently on a recruitment drive for Huawei P8 as well as Huawei Mate 7 beta testers. Users who are interested to try Android Marshmallow can sign up for the beta test using the following links.
Do note that this beta registration is only opened for the Malaysian variant of Huawei P8 (GRA-L03 / GRA-UL00) running on the latest lollipop version(V100R001C470B180). If you are running on other version(s), kindly update to the latest version by downloading the update from here.
Do note that this beta registration is only opened for the Malaysian variant of Huawei Mate 7 (MT-TL09 and MT-TL10) running on the latest lollipop version (MT7-L09C900B329 / MT7-TL10C900B324). If you are running on other version(s), kindly update to the latest version by downloading the update from here (MT-TL09) and here (MT-TL10).
Once you have successfully registered, just sit back, relax, and wait for the BETA to be seeded to you (via OTA). As these are an experimental build(s), you should be aware that unexpected bugs or issues may arise from time to time, hence if you have encountered any issues/bug during your time with the beta testing, your feedback is appreciated.
If you felt that this experimental beta build of Android Marshmallow is unstable, you may choose to downgrade. Thus, do look out for this space for future updates on steps to do so.
Huawei P8 & Mate 7 Marshmallow Change Log
Here is the complete changelog of the Android Marshmallow 6.0 / EMUI 4.0 Beta :
[Camera]
Filter lens – It supports you to compare 8 special effects with each other and original when you use filter lens to take a picture. You can choose to use your favorite effect!
Document readjustment – With it enabled, while capturing, the camera will auto-analyze the text within lens and only capture this part. Help you to get clearer and more accurate text content.
[Gallery]
New added lots of filters – Quickly to get the filter effect that you really want according to the clear filter categories. Make your photo be more right!
[adrotate banner=”4″]New added various labels – You can customize the font size, color, effects and label’slocation now.
New added splash submenu of edit – You can tab the image and choose a single color of itmaking your image amazing.
New added illusion submenu of edit – You can highlight the part which you want others tofocus on.
New added sport watermark – You can note down the altitude of the mountain you have ever climbed and simple words you want to say then making your travel photos bemore intuitive and funny!
New added memo feature – Supports you customize the unique memo on every images making your images truly to be a part of you.
Improved album – Now you can bulk adding photos for new created album. Save your time and easy your life!
Support you batch printing images – You can save all selected images as PDF and print them a time.
[Contacts]
New added Smart group contacts – Classify all contacts according to company name. Now, finding out someone in Contacts Ocean just in seconds!
New added two-dimension name code – Your phone will auto generate a QR code for every newcreated contact. Easy to share!
[Messages]
New added Mark all as read – You can mark all messages on which you don’t want to spend any time to read as Read.
[Application]
New added a compass application – The fresh new compass has integrated the level gauge with compass. You will never have to worry about you would be lost in dense forests or building crowded cities. Mate 7 will tell you the directions.
New added alarm ring duration selections – Now, how long the alarm will ring that’s all depends onyou!
New added screen recording – With it enabled, you can record what happened on yourscreen. Whether recording a course or just simple screen operating steps, the recorder will fully meet your needs.
[Settings]
New added scheduled power on & off – Scheduled power on and off will help you get a regularlife. You will no longer have to worry about forgetting power on or power off.
New added a notification panel and status bar – It will be convenient to look up some settings.
Added power on tone switch – It supports you controlling the switch of Power on tone.
View mode – View mode controls the size of interface elements, such as images and characters. Elements will be smaller in Small mode but more content will be displayed. Choose the right for you!
KnuckleGestures – Double knocking the screen with two knuckles can start/stop screen recording now.
Drawing any letter of ”c”, “e”, “m”, “w” can open the corresponding apps that you predefined.
Drawing a line across your screen with your knuckle canopen dual windows.
[System]
New added changeable desktop text- The text on desktop will be auto adjusted to white or black according to the light of the wallpaper you set. It makes your desktop more clear and intuitive!
Optimized Task manager – New Mate 7 will list all tasks you opened one by one inthe form of cards. You can sweep to right or left to look up all tasks. It’s more clear and intuitive than ever before.
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If you like our work, you can help support out work by visiting our sponsors, participate in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donate to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
Android Lollipop Update For Huawei P7 Available For Download Now
Calling all Malaysian Huawei P7 owners! It looks like your devices, launched back in June of 2014, isn’t left out for the sweet Android Lollipop update!
Other than the Android version update to Android Lollipop 5.1.1, it brings along EMUI 3.1 which has additional features compared to older versions of EMUI, providing a faster performance with more stability that enhances your experience with your Huawei Ascend P7.
The update, however, is not via OTA (Over-The-Air), and users will have to manually update them through the following simple steps.
How To Install The Android Lollipop Update For Huawei P7
Backup your Huawei P7’s data using the pre-loaded Backup app. You will find the Backup app in the Tools app folder. You should copy the backup data onto an external media, just in case the Huawei P7 gets wiped during the update process.
Copy the folder named “dload” (that contains the “update.app” file) to the root of internal storage or sdcard.
It’s best to start the upgrade process with a fully charged battery. So, before you process, fully charge your Huawei P7.
Go to Settings –> Updater –> Menu –> Local update. Update will show up as “Full package: UPDATE.APP“.
Tap on Install, and the device will reboot and install the update. It will reboot again and run “Optimising Apps“.
Please keep the phone plugged in and charged when the upgrade process is underway, as it drains the battery quite a bit and could damage the battery.
After it completes the app optimisation process, you are all done! Enjoy your new update!
Android Lollipop update for Huawei Mate 7 and Huawei G7
Huawei had been on a roll recently in terms of software updates. Just recently, they announced Android Marshmallow Beta sign up for the Honor 7. To proof their commitment towards better software updates, they are now offering stable Android Lollipop update for the Huawei Mate 7 as well as the Huawei G7.
This will update both devices to Android Lollipop (up from Android KitKat) as well as bringing along a more beautiful UI Design thru EMUI 3.1.
The Huawei Mate 7 will be receiving an OTA(Over The Air) update, you may also run “Check for updates” thru the “Updater” shortcut in case you have not gotten the prompt for update. As for the Huawei G7, you may download the Android Lollipop update using the following links(there are 2 versions available). Do check for your model number using the “About phone” menu within “Settings”.
Do you own a Huawei Honor 7 smartphone? Fancy being one of the firsts to try out Android 6.0 Marshmallow on your device? Look no further!
Honor Malaysia is currently on a recruitment drive for Honor 7 beta testers. Huawei Honor 7 users who are interested to try Android Marshmallow can sign up for the beta test here.
Honor 7 Android 6.0 Marshmallow Beta Test Details
Registration is currently opened until 26th December 2015, 12am. Just make sure you sign up via the Google Forms before the deadline expires.[adrotate banner=”4″]
Please note that this beta test program is exclusively limited to the Malaysian Honor 7 model running build number PLK-L01C636B120.
Once you have successfully registered, just sit back, relax, and wait for the BETA to be seeded to you (via OTA) by 31st December 2015.
As this is an experimental build, you should be aware that unexpected bugs or issues may arise from time to time. If you encounter any issues / bug using the Marshmallow build during the beta test, you should submit your feedback using this link – http://www.vmall.my/beta-testing
What the complete changelog of what Android Marshmallow 6.0 / EMUI 4.0 Beta brings to your device? Visit this link for more details!
