On 21 February 2017, Huawei revealed their partnership with Insta360 in developing a 360° virtual reality smartphone camera. Branded as the Honor VR Camera, it offers the ability to take 3K photos and videos in 360°. Users can even livestream and share their 360° creations using the custom app.
This VR Camera is supposed to be available only in China, with no international release. However, we were amongst the lucky few to catch a demo of this camera yesterday. We even got some hands-on time with it!
The Honor VR Camera Demo
Honor has not officially announced that the Honor VR Camera will be available outside of China, but we were able to catch this short live demo recently. Check it out!
The Honor VR Camera Hands-On Preview
As this was an exclusive sneak-peek, we had only a few minutes with the Honor VR Camera. Hope you enjoy this short hands-on preview of the Honor VR Camera!
The Honor VR Camera comes in a rubber shell, which is designed to protect its two cameras from being scratched. The Type C USB port is visible at the bottom. You pull it out with two fingers, just like you would… an eyeball? 😀
Honor did not reveal much details about the Honor VR Camera, just that it is capable of 3K photography and livestreaming through the companion app. But if it’s a rebranded Insta360 Air (Amazon (USB Type C) | Amazon (micro USB) | Lazada), then the two cameras will have a 4.5 MP sensor with f/2.4 lens, and is capable of capturing photos with a resolution of 3008 x 1504, and videos with a resolution of 2560 x 1280 at 30 fps.
Honor VR Camera Price & Availability
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Honor had earlier said that this VR Camera would only be available in China, and there were no plans for an international release. However, they seemed to have changed their minds.
From what we understand, they now expect to make it available internationally sometime between May and June of 2017. It will be paired with an Honor-customised companion app.
Needless to say, they do not have a price range for the Honor VR Camera right now. They can only say that “it won’t be cheap”
Considering the Insta360 Air (Amazon (USB Type C) | Amazon (micro USB) | Lazada) is selling for RM 699 / ~US$ 155, we reckon it will cost about the same. Hopefully cheaper!
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On the 6th of September, 2016, honor officially launched the honor 8 smartphone in the Malaysian market, right after the global launch in Paris. Boasting the unique Aurora Glass back cover, the new smartphone is really a work of art that has to be seen to be appreciated. Let’s check it out!
honor Ambassadors & Launch Gambit
honor tapped Brooklyn Beckham, model, budding photographer and eldest son of David Beckham, as their global ambassador. But locally, honor Malaysia selected a few of their most ardent fans as their ambassadors. Check out who they are, and watch the honor 8 launch gambit!
The honor 8 & honor 5A Smartphones Revealed
Now, Allen An, E-Commerce Director of honor Malaysia, reveals the honor 8 smartphone. Join him as he explains the new smartphone’s key features!
The honor 8 Smartphone Key Features
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Intricate design with flawless craftsmanship
The honor 8 has a 2.5D glass body on both sides with diamond-cut aluminium alloy edges to create an ultra-narrow bezel. Its 3D grate design and 15-layer craftsmanship on the back of the device, combines with the glass/metal back to create what honor calls Aurora Glass.
Dual-lens camera system
The honor 8 boasts a dual-lens 12MP camera with dual ISPs, 1.25 μm pixels, and a f/2.2 aperture at the back. Selfie fans will be delighted with the 8MP front-facing camera with 1.4 μm pixels.
With great beauty, comes great power
The honor 8runs on the Kirin 950 processor with an 8-core CPU up to 2.3HGz with 16nm FinFET architecture.
Price & Availability
The honor 8 comes in four colour variants – Sapphire Blue, Sunrise Gold, Pearl White and Midnight Black.
The Pearl White and Midnight Black standard variants come with a 4GB RAM and 32GB storage space, priced at RM1,699 / ~US$425. The premium Sapphire Blue and Sunrise Gold variants with 4GB RAM and 64GB storage space are priced at RM1,899 / ~US$475.
All four colour variants will be available for sale on September 8.
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At the recent launch of the honor 8 smartphone, Allen An, E-Commerce Director of honor Malaysia also took the opportunity to reveal the new honor 5A smartphone. Check it out!
The honor 5A Smartphone
The new honor 5A smartphone is powered by the Kirin 620 chipset with an 64-bit octa-core CPU and comes with 2 GB of RAM, and 16 GB of internal storage. Its storage is further expandable via microSD (up to 128GB).
Running on Android 5.1, the honor 5A comes with a 5.5-inch HD display with 1280 x 720 pixel resolution and is powered by a 3,100 mAh battery.
In terms of camera, the honor 5A packs a 13 MP primary camera on the rear and a 8 MP front shooter, equipped with flagship camera mode such as Light Painting, Professional and Time-lapse.
This smartphone comes in three colours – Black, White and Gold. The Black and White variants are priced at RM599 / ~US$149, while the Gold variant is priced at RM629 / ~US$157.
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honor today proudly revealed the latest addition to their family of mid-range smartphones – the honor 5C. Powered by the new Kirin 650 chip, it runs on the latest Android 6.0 Marshmallow and sports a list of flagship features. Best of all, honor is pricing it at less than RM 850 / US$ 225!
Earlier today, Allen An, honor Malaysia’s E-Commerce Director, gave a presentation on the honor 5C. He spoke about the honor 5C’s key features, like the new 16 nm Kirin 650 chip, its photographic capability, impressive battery life and build quality. He also revealed the local pricing and availability.
Let’s run down its key features…
16 nm Kirin 650
The honor 5C is powered by the Kirin 650, which is an octa-core SoC built on the new 16 nm FinFET+ process technology. The more advanced process technology allows it to deliver 65% better CPU performance over a similar-sized processor built using the older 28 nm process technology.
The Kirin 650 has eight ARM Cortex-A53 cores, four of which can run at a peak frequency of 2.0 GHz, with another four with a peak frequency of 1.7 GHz. It also has the ARM Mali-T830 GPU which offers a 100% boost in graphics performance over the previous generation.
Stunning Photography
The honor 5C has a 13 MP rear camera with f/2.0 5-element lens. The lens have anti-reflective, oleophobic and infra-red absorbing coatings to ensure clarity. If you are into selfies, you will not be disappointed with the 8 MP front camera with f/2.0 4-element lens.
Long Battery Life
The honor 5C has a large 3,000 mAh battery but honor promises that it will outperform smartphones with much larger batteries. Thanks to Android 6.0’s Doze Mode and Huawei’s SmartPower 3.0 power saving technology, the honor 5C boasts a 40% decrease in power consumption.
Improved Fingerprint Sensor
The honor 5C also features a 2nd-generation Swedish-designed FPC fingerprint sensor that can now unlock the phone in just 0.5 seconds. It also requires only six fingerprint touches to register a fingerprint. In addition, the honor 5C encrypts and stores the fingerprint data in a Replay Protected Memory Block (RPMB), which prevents your fingerprint data from being accessed even if the phone is rooted.
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honor 5C First Look
We had the opportunity at the exclusive media hands-on preview to try out the honor 5C. Check out our video below for our commentary!
honor 5C Specifications
Specifications
honor 5C Smartphone
Operating System
Android 6.0 Marshmallow with EMUI 4.1
Display
5.2" IPS touchscreen
- 1080 x 1920 pixels (424 ppi)
System Platform
HiSilicon Kirin 650
Processor
4 x ARM Cortex-A53 (2.0 GHz)
4 x ARM Cortex-A53 (1.7 GHz)
Graphics Processor
ARM Mali-T830 GPU
Memory
2 GB LPDDR3 SDRAM
Storage
16 GB eMMC 5.1 internal flash storage
microSD card slot (supports up to 128 GB)
Front Camera
8 MP BSI sensor with 4-element f/2.0 lens
Rear Camera
13 MP BSI sensor with 5-element f/2.0 lens and single LED flash
Connectivity
WiFi : 801.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth v4.1, A2DP, LE
micro-USB 2.0
Dual SIM Support
Dual SIM, dual standby capable, but second SIM shared with microSD card
Fingerprint Sensor
Yes, Huawei Fingerprint 2.0
Battery
3,000 mAh lithium ion battery
Dimensions
73.76 mm wide x 147.1 mm tall x 8.3 mm thick
Weight
156 g
Available Colours
Gold / Silver / Grey
Colour, Price & Availability
The honor 5C is available in three colour options – Gold, Grey and Silver. The Gold version will be sold at RM 840 / ~US$ 213, while the Grey and Silver versions will be sold at just RM 799 / ~US$ 200.
The honor 5C will be available for pre-orders starting June 20, 2016 at VMall and Lazada, with delivery a week later. It will come with a 6-month one-to-one exchange policy in addition to the usual 1-year warranty.
Although honor Malaysia refuses to confirm one way or another, there are rumours that the early pre-orders may come with a mystery gift.
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Yesterday, honor officially launched the honor 5X smartphone, the honor 7 Enhanced Edition smartphone and the honor Band Z1 smartband. Join Allen An, honor Malaysia’s Director of E-Commerce, as he talks about honor’s achievements and how these new devices are part of their aggressive push for more market share this year.
Malaysian pop duo, Thomas & Jack, also attended the event as the honor brand ambassadors. Take a look at the photos we took at the event!
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honor Band Z1
26 January 2016 – honor today launched its first smartband, the honor Band Z1 featuring a deceptively simple design paired with advanced and intelligent technology. The Band Z1 is the perfect accessory for active and trendy users on-the-go, thanks to its subdued and understated look.
Elegant and refined look
Inspired by Scandinavian minimalism that takes inspiration from nature, practicality, and appearance – the surface of the Band Z1 is devoid of any buttons, which in turn accentuates the simplicity of its circular surface.
To create the tough yet refined look that is the Band Z1, steel is used as its main material. A combination of CNC machining, hand polishing and sand polishing techniques were used to achieve the stylish finish. It is also scratch resistant and durable enough to withstand your active lifestyle Additionally, the beautiful strap makes it elegant enough to be worn for a night out with friends.
Convenient Notifications
The 1.06 inch 128 x 128 pixels resolution touchscreen on the Band Z1 features a touch-sensitive button-free operation. Access your notifications, alarms and the clock with just a simple swipe. Plus, the soft-lit PMOLED screen is unique as it is vivid enough when in a darkened area – such as a cinema or a club – yet is legible enough in sunlit locations as well.
With its large display and ample memory, the honor Band Z1 supports caller display and allows you to read messages and emails. It currently supports English, German, Italian, French, Portuguese, Spanish, and Japanese.
Accurate health tracking
Thanks to the high accuracy G-sensor, as well as honor’s advanced algorithm software, the honor Band Z1 can automatically detect and log your walking, running or sports activities accurately. The data recorded includes number of steps taken, calorie consumption, exercise time and distance – all this without the need to install any app on the smartphone.
In addition, the capacitive sensor and Polysomnography (PSG) can intelligently distinguish between wake and sleep, as well as taking users’ light and deep sleep states. Thanks to the design of the Band Z1, it will not leave any compression marks on the wrists as you sleep since it fits the curvature of the wrist perfectly.
Premium and smart functions in one
[adrotate banner=”4″]The bracelet strap material is stain-resistant and comes in three different colours – Classic White, Classic Black, and Cream. Thanks to precision design and manufacturing, the honor Band is IP68 certified, making it dust-proof and waterproof to a depth of 1.5 m
As for platform support, the honor Band Z1 supports Android 4.4.4 and above for non-Huawei smartphones, Android 5.0 and above for Huawei smartphones, as well as iOS 7.0 and above. It has a standby battery life of up to 14 days, or 3 days of continuous use on a single charge.
The honor Band Z1 retails for RM 259 (~US$ 59), and is available now from VMALL.MY, Lazada and DirectD.
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honor 5X and honor 7 Enhanced Edition
26 January 2016 – Together with the Band Z1, honor also unveiled the new honor 5X to Malaysians today, bringing digital natives a meticulously designed metallic device that features a 5.5-inch 1920 x 1080 pixels Full-HD display, and a second-generation frame-free metallic fingerprint reader. Packed with an array of innovative functions and multimedia capabilities, the honor 5X is equipped to provide advanced yet intuitive experiences 24/7.
Also introduced was the new honor 7 Enhanced Edition, an updated model of the popular honor 7 smartphone. It now features 32GB of built-in storage, EMUI operating system version 4.0, and includes a Fast Charging Adaptor. It also now comes in Gold as an exclusive colour for the model.
Premium Metal
Inspired by the famous Guggenheim Museum Bilbao in Spain, honor 5X’s sleek body blends the museum’s distinctive curved design with ergonomics principles to sit comfortably in the users’ hands. Made with a diamond-polished aluminium alloy and accentuated with a ceramic coating applied with a special brushing technique, honor 5X features a unique finish that stands out in the crowd.
Smarter fingerprint technology
honor 5X’s rear panel houses a second-generation, frame-free fingerprint sensor that offers stellar performance, accuracy and a 0.5-second unlocking time. The adaptive sensor boasts a self-learning capability that enhances scanning precision over time through the re-recording of registered fingerprints. The reader also supports intuitive gesture controls such as making a call or launching an app during locked mode, taking photos, pulling down and hiding the notification bar as well as cancelling alarms.
Spectacular Full HD display
Featuring a 5.5-inch 10-point multi-touch Full-HD IPS panel with a 1920×1080 pixel display and 16.7 million colours, the honor 5X also boasts a high 72.5 percent screen-to-body ratio. The pixel-by-pixel dynamic contrast adjustment control enables improved contrast under different lighting conditions and visibility through glare.
Professional camera at your fingertips
[adrotate banner=”4″]Capture every special moment with the honor 5X. Its cutting-edge cameras capture high-quality images with excellent clarity and dynamic colour reproduction.
The 13MP back-facing camera features an F2.0 aperture, 28mm wide-angle lens, a blue glass infrared filter, and a macro mode for close-up shots. With a SmartImage 3.0 image processor and anti-reflective coating on the camera lens, the honor 5X can easily capture vivid images even in low light.
The 5 MP front-facing camera includes a wide-angle F2.4 aperture lens, 22mm wide-angle lens, and an 88-degree viewing angle – making the honor 5X the perfect selfie tool. It is also complemented by a host of exciting new photo shooting modes such as ultra-snapshot, watermarks and object tracking, as well as video recording modes, which includes time-lapse and slow motion mode.
Smooth and responsive experience
Powered by a Qualcomm 64-bit octa-core processor with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of on-board memory, the honor 5X has the muscle to offer a high-performance experience, and to run modern 3D games. It also comes with a large 3,000 mAh battery, integrated SmartPower 3.0 technology and an eight-point power saving plan that reduces power consumption by up to 30 percent.
As the first metallic honor phone to feature three different card slots — nano-SIM, micro-SIM, and microSD —you no longer need to make the difficult choice of either having extra storage, or an additional SIM for your second line. Both SIM slots are 4G enabled, and the microSD slot supports up to 128GB.
Enhancing the Honor 7
Based on the current top-seller model, the honor 7 Enhanced Edition adds a few new features to the already solid and superb model. It now comes with 32GB of on-board storage, up from 16GB. It also comes with a 9V2A Fast Charger, giving the honor 7 enhanced edition the ability to charge at twice the rate of the standard charger. It will come pre-installed with EMUI 4.0 out of the box, with updates planned in the near future.
The honor 5X will be available in three colours — Gold, Grey, and Silver, while the honor 7 Enhanced Edition will be available in Gold colour. Registration for interest for both devices begins today, and the official retail prices will be announced at a later date.
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