Samsung announced in June 2017 that they were killing off My Knox, replacing it with Samsung Secure Folder that ships with the Samsung Galaxy S8 / S8 Plus and Galaxy Note8 smartphones.
Secure Folder is compatible with the Samsung Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge smartphones that have been upgraded to Android 7.0 Nougat.
Updated @ 2017-12-22 : Revamped the article, adding a migration guide, and a final email from Samsung.
Updated @ 2017-11-16 : Added a new email from Samsung with a confirmed end-of-service date for My Knox.
Originally posted @ 2017-06-07
Samsung Kills My Knox
In early June 2017, Samsung announced that they’re killing My Knox, and replacing it with Secure Folder. The end-of-life date was set for 19 December 2017.
Beginning 20 December 2017, the My Knox app would no longer be available to download from the Google Play Store. The My Knox portal will also be disabled – you won’t be able to login.
Samsung replaced My Knox with their new Secure Folder solution. They promise that it is a superior solution.
Samsung Secure Folder
Samsung Secure Folder is a new security solution that leverages the defense-grade Samsung Knox security platform to create a private, encrypted space on a Samsung Galaxy smartphone running on Android 7.0 Nougat or better.
It is available in the Samsung Galaxy S8 / S8 Plus and Galaxy Note8 smartphones, but can be downloaded and installed in the Samsung Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge smartphones that have been upgraded to Android 7.0 Nougat.
As no Mobile Device Management (MDM) is required, it is suitable for both personal and business usage. Here are additional details :
Apps and data can be installed or created within Secure Folder, or moved there from outside.
Apps and data moved to Secure Folder are kept separate, leveraging SE for Android – preventing unauthorized communication between apps inside and outside.
Application data and files are encrypted with defense-grade Sensitive Data Protection (SDP) technology – using 256-bit AES cipher algorithm to secure data.
Data remains encrypted even after the user has exited Secure Folder or has turned off the device, and is decrypted when a user successfully authenticates himself / herself.
It can also be used alongside Knox Workspace, enabling two Knox container solutions at the same time.
This allows users to have access to both a dedicated work environment (Knox Workspace), as well as a secure personal area (Secure Folder).
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How To Migrate From My Knox To Secure Folder
Fortunately, Samsung made it easy to migrate your private data from My Knox to Secure Folder. Here are the steps :
Log into the My Knox app
Go to My Knox Settings, and select Backup and restore.
Backup your My Knox data (you’ll need a Samsung account to do this).
Install and setup Secure Folder, if you have not already done so.
Log into Secure Folder.
Go to Secure Folder Settings, and select Backup and restore.
Select Restore (using the same Samsung account), and you’re done!
if you are worried about the dangers of backing up your encrypted data to the cloud (it is encrypted!), you can use this alternative method :
Log into the My Knox app.
Copy the data out into the Samsung smartphone, or a secure computer
Install and setup Secure Folder, if you have not already done so.
Move the data into Secure Folder.
Samsung My Knox Termination Chronology
In early June 2017, Samsung sent out this email to all registered Samsung users :
First Samsung warning about terminating My Knox
My Knox will no longer be available on new Samsung devices in 2017. You may continue your secure space experience by setting up Secure Folder, available now from Galaxy Apps.
Secure Folder runs on Android N OS or higher versions only. It leverages the defence-grade Samsung Knox security platform to create a private, encrypted space on your Samsung Galaxy phone. Applications and data moved to Secure Folder are partitioned separately on the device and gain an additional layer of security and privacy.
To seamlessly transfer your private content between solutions, please back up your My Knox data and restore it to Secure Folder. To back up your My Knox data, go to My Knox settings > Backup and restore. Remember, a Samsung account is required to use this feature.
You can restore the backup data after setting up Secure Folder. Go to Secure Folder settings > Backup and restore > Restore.
You may use My Knox until its end-of-service date (which will be announced soon). However, be aware that we will not be actively maintaining the service or adding new features.
This was followed by this email on 15 November 2017, revealing its end-of-service date as 19 December 2017.
Samsung confirms end-of-life date for the My Knox service
Dear customers,
Thank you for using My Knox.
As previously announced, we will end support for My Knox on 19th December 2017. You will not be able to download My Knox from any app store after the end-of-service date.
You may use My Knox on your mobile device until you uninstall the application. However, you will be unable to log in to the My Knox portal to remotely manage your device (e.g. to reset your My Knox password or unlock My Knox).
If you have a phone that runs the Android N OS, we recommend transferring your private data in My Knox to Secure Folder, available at Google Play or Galaxy Apps, and on new Samsung phones such as the Galaxy Note 8. We also recommend backing up your My Knox data first, and restoring the data after you set up Secure Folder.
To back up My Knox data, go to My Knox Settings > Backup and restore > Back up My Knox data. Please note that a Samsung account is required to use the My Knox backup and restore feature.
If your phone does not support Secure Folder, then please back up the content to outside My Knox (e.g. using the Move to Personal mode feature).
For more information regarding My Knox termination, please visit My Knox FAQ .
We hope you have enjoyed your experience with My Knox. Samsung is committed to continuous innovation to provide you with the highest-quality products and services.
This final email was sent on 20 December 2017, noting that My Knox is now terminated :
The final Samsung email on the termination of the My Knox service
Dear customers,
Thank you for using My Knox.
As previously announced, we will terminate the My Knox service on 19th December 2017. You will not be able to download My Knox from any app store from then on. You will also be unable to log in to the My Knox portal to remotely manage your device.
You may use My Knox on your mobile device until you uninstall the application. However we highly recommend you to back up your data or move it to outside My Knox.
If your phone supports Secure Folder, we recommend transferring your private data in My Knox to Secure Folder, available at Google Play or Galaxy Apps, and on new Samsung phones such as the Galaxy Note 8. We also recommend backing up your My Knox data first, and restoring the data after you set up Secure Folder.
To back up My Knox data, go to My Knox Settings > Backup and restore > Back up My Knox data. Please note that a Samsung account is required to use the My Knox backup and restore feature.
However, if your phone does not support Secure Folder, then please back up the content to outside My Knox (e.g. using the Move to Personal mode feature).
We hope you have enjoyed your experience with My Knox. Thank you for using our service.
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The ASUS ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro was one of the key smartphones revealed at the ASUS “We Love Photo” event in Taipei. In fact, it is the top-of-the-line model in their Selfie line of smartphones, with two selfie cameras – one of which is capable of taking 24 MP photos! Let’s take a close look at the new ASUS ZenFone 4 Selfie (ZD552KL) smartphone, and see if this is the ultimate selfie smartphone!
Updated @ 2017-10-24 : Added a selfie video comparing the viewing angle and video recording quality of the two selfie cameras. Made various other updates and minor corrections to the review.
Originally posted @ 2017-09-14
The ASUS ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro Specifications
ASUS launched the ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro (ZD552KL) together with a lower-end ZenFone 4 Selfie (ZD553KL) model. What’s the difference? Here is a comparison table of their key specifications :
Specifications
ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro
ZenFone 4 Selfie
Model
ZD552KL
ZD553KL
Design
2.5D contoured Corning Gorilla Glass display with metal unibody & multiple colour selections
2.5D contoured glass display with metallic-finish unibody
Display
5.5" Full HD AMOLED display (1920 x 1080)
Greater than 500nits brightness for excellent outdoor readability
Capacitive touch panel with 10 point multi-touch sensing (support glove touch)
5.5" HD IPS LCD (1280 x 720)
400 nits brightness for excellent outdoor readability
74.2% screen-to-body ratio
Operating System
Android 7.0 Nougat with ZenUI 4.0
Android 7.0 Nougat with ZenUI 4.0
System Platform
Qualcomm Snapdragon 625
Qualcomm Snapdragon 430
Processor
8 x ARM Cortex-A53 (up to 2 GHz)
8 x ARM Cortex-A53 (up to 1.4 GHz)
Graphics Processor
Qualcomm Adreno 506
Qualcomm Adreno 505
Memory
3 GB RAM / 4 GB RAM
4 GB RAM
Storage
64 GB internal flash storage
One microSD card slot (up to 2 TB)
64 GB internal flash storage
One microSD card slot (up to 2 TB)
Hi-Res Audio 192kHz / 24-bit support (4 X CD quality)
5 Magnet Speaker for louder sound and less distortion
DTS HeadPhoneX: 7.1 Virtual surround
5 Magnet Speaker
Battery
3,000 mAh lithium-ion battery (non-removable)
3,000 mAh lithium-ion battery (non-removable)
Available Colours
Rogue Red / Sunlight Gold / Deepsea Black
Rose Pink / Mint Green / Sunlight Gold / Deepsea Black
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Unboxing The ASUS ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro
The ASUS ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro (Price Check) comes in a white cardboard box with a sleeve cover. As it comes in three colour options (at launch), you should check for the correct colour using the helpful colour sticker at the lower right corner of the sleeve’s back.
Inside, you will find the following items :
One ASUS ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro (ZD552KL) smartphone
One ASUS ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro bumper case
One set of User Guide, Warranty Information Form and IMEI stickers
One 10 W ASUS USB charger with micro USB 2.0 cable
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The ASUS ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro Up Close
Thanks to its thin bezel design, the ASUS ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro (Price Check) has a 5.5″ full HD AMOLED display in a form factor that is smaller, thinner and lighter than the iPhone 7 Plus. The display is protected by Gorilla Glass with a 2.5D contoured edge that merges seamlessly with the diamond-cut chamfer.
Everything is packed into a metal unibody chassis that is just 6.85 mm thick, and weighs only 147 grams. And yes, it has the 3.5 mm audio port. ASUS obviously put a considerable amount of work into the ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro (Price Check).
The ASUS ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro (Price Check) is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 625, which they used most recently in their ZenFone 3 Zoom smartphone. Like the ASUS ZenFone 3 Zoom, it also comes with 4 GB of LPDDR3 SDRAM and 64 GB of internal flash storage.
Two Selfie Cameras!
This is the ASUS ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro’s killer feature – two front cameras for the perfect selfies. They consist of a main high-resolution selfie camera, and a wide-angle selfie camera for group shots. They are both supported by a soft LED flash that is designed to deliver enough fill light for selfies without overexposure and harsh shadows.
The main DuoPixel selfie camera (on the left) has a high-resolution Sony IMX362 sensor paired with f/1.8 lens. This camera boasts twice the light sensitivity of competing selfie cameras, and the astounding capability to take 24 MP photos. Heck, it can even record 4K selfie videos!
The wide-angle selfie camera (on the right) has a 5 MP Omnivision 5670 sensor paired with f/2.2 lens. With a 120° field of view, It allows you to capture a group shot (a wefie) without using a selfie stick.
The two cameras work individually – you switch from one camera to another, depending on whether you want a close up selfie, or a group wefie..
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The 24MP DuoPixel Technology
You may be wondering how the ASUS ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro (Price Check) takes 24 MP pictures with a 12 MP Sony IMX362 sensor. Note that these 24 MP pictures are taken in a single shot, not stitched from multiple shots (e.g. ASUS Super Resolution). And no, they didn’t just double the pixels.
What they did was make full use of the Sony IMX362 sensor.
The IMX362 is a Dual Pixel Autofocus sensor, which means each pixel has two photodiodes. Usually, the two photodiodes are used separately to speed up autofocus, before being combined to capture the pixel data.
When you enable the ASUS DuoPixel Technology for 24 MP photos, the signals from the two photodiodes are not combined to create the final pixel. Instead, they are used to create two pixels, effectively doubling the resolution to 24 MP.
DuoPixel does not merely duplicate the pixels. The two photodiodes are effectively two pixels sharing the same microlens, each recording different beams of light. This is an elegant way to double the effective resolution of the photo. The only drawback – low light performance will suffer because each “pixel” now receives only half of the light. Not to worry though. You can disable DuoPixel for maximum low light performance.
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The 16 MP PixelMaster 4.0 Camera
Even though the ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro’s main focus is the front camera capabilities, ASUS did not neglect the rear camera. It has 16 MP Sony IMX351 sensor coupled with f/2.2 lens and an LED flash. It is capable of recording 4K videos. The camera does not support OIS (optical image stabilisation), but is electronically stabilised on 3 axes when it records full HD videos.
If 16 MP is not good enough, this camera supports the ASUS Super Resolution technology that captures and combines four 16 MP photos to create a 64 MP photo. The camera also supports a new Time Lapse Mode with Power Saving, which lowers the screen brightness and puts the ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro into the Airplane mode. Now you can take long Time Lapse videos without worrying about running out of power.
Hybrid SIM & Fingerprint Sensor
The ASUS ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro (Price Check) has dual SIM, dual standby capability. It has a hybrid SIM tray for two nano SIM cards. The second SIM card tray (SIM2) doubles as a microSD card slot (up to 2 TB). Both SIM1 and SIM2 support 3G and 4G connectivity, but only one SIM card can connect to the 3G / 4G network – the other can only connect to a 2G network.
The ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro (Price Check) has a fast, all-aspect fingerprint sensor integrated into the Home button. Our tests showed that it requires just 12 finger presses to register a fingerprint, and is very fast and accurate in recognising the registered fingerprint.
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ASUS SonicMaster 4.0
The audio aspect of smartphones is often overlooked. The ASUS ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro (Price Check) has an impressive set of hardware and software audio technologies, which ASUS markets as SonicMaster 4.0.
The ASUS ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro (Price Check) is Hi-Res Audio-certified, so you can enjoy 24-bit / 192 kHz audio. It also supports DTS Headphone:X for virtual 7.1 channel surround sound over your headphones. It has a 5-magnet speaker driven by the NXP Smart Amp with 40% more power output and less distortion.
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Setting Up The ASUS ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro
The ASUS ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro (Price Check) ships with Android 7.1.1 Nougat, and ASUS confirmed that it will be upgraded soon to Android 8.0 Oreo. It also comes with 100 GB of free Google Drive storage for 1 year. Let’s show you just how easy it is to set-up the ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro.
The Ergonomics
The ASUS ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro (Price Check) may have a large 5.5″ display, but it is svelte at less than 75 mm wide and slim at less than 7 mm, even with the camera bump. It is surprisingly light at just 147 grams.
The large display with its full HD resolution is just perfect for watching movies. We also applaud ASUS for using an AMOLED display – it is generally more vivid and power-efficient.
We especially like the satin finish of the anodised chassis. It is smooth and comfortable to touch, and is resistant to fingerprint smears. The provided bumper case increases grip while protecting the ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro (Price Check) without making it overly bulky, or covering up its look.
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Available Memory & Storage
The ASUS ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro (Price Check) comes with 4 GB of LPDDR3 memory, of which 1.8 GB (45%) is free to use. That is about as much memory as some smartphones ship with, so don’t worry about running out of RAM with the ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro!
The ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro (Price Check) also comes with 64 GB of internal flash memory. Of that, just under 51 GB is available to use. If that’s not enough, you can top it up with a microSD card (up to 256 GB).
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Main Camera Performance – Photos
The ASUS ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro (Price Check) uses the 16 MP Sony IMX351 sensor for its main camera, paired with f/2.2 lens. The full 16 MP resolution is attained with the 4:3 aspect ratio. Each picture has a resolution of 4640 × 3480 and a file size of between 6 to 8 MB.
Here are 10 high-resolution samples for you to check out. Click on them to load the full-sized photos, which you can also download to examine.
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Selfie Cameras Performance – Photos
The main selfie camera has an excellent 12 MP Sony IMX362 sensor with fast f/1.8 lens, and a resolution of 3928 x 2944. The wide-angle selfie camera has a 5 MP Omnivision 5670 sensor with f/2.2 lens, and a resolution of 2552 x 1912.
Here are three examples demonstrating the difference between the 12 MP main front camera, and the 5 MP wide-angle front camera.
12 MP Main Selfie Camera
5 MP Wide-Angle Camera
12 MP Main Selfie Camera
5 MP Wide-Angle Camera
12 MP Main Selfie Camera
5 MP Wide-Angle Camera
The Omnivision 5670 sensor lacks the resolution of the Sony IMX362 sensor but did surprisingly well. While we naturally prefer the greater detail and colour saturation of the main selfie camera, the wide-angle selfie camera sure is useful in packing in more people, or more of the scenery in the background.
The wide-angle camera is best used in bright conditions. While it may not produce very high resolution photos, they are absolutely perfect for social media.
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Main Camera Performance – Video Recording
We tested the main camera’s video recording performance in both 1080p and 4K resolutions. It supports EIS (electronic image stabilisation) but only when it records 1080p video.
While it supports Hi-Res Audio, that’s only for playback. It does not support Hi-Res Audio recording. The noise cancellation is decent, but the recorded audio is a little too bright and lacks punch.
Video Recording Test #1 : Piano (1080p)
The electronic image stabilisation worked well, greatly reducing the amount of hand shake in this video. However, the image itself appears to be somewhat blurred, with the colours muted and highlights overblown.
Video Recording Test #2 : Piano (4K)
The image quality when recording at 4K is so much better – sharp, with much greater detail and well-saturated colours. It’s worth trading the hand shake for the much better image quality.
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Video Recording Test #3 : Street Market (1080p)
The image quality in this test was better than what we saw in the Piano test, although the highlights were still overblown. The 3-axis EIS worked well though.
Video Recording Test #4 : Street Market (4K)
The resolution is really good – you can take very good screenshots from the video. But the lack of image stabilisation means that 4K recording is best done when you are stationary… or well, just use the ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro with a gimbal.
Video Recording Test #5 : Video Selfie Test
Both front selfie cameras can record videos at the full HD resolution of 1920 x 1080. The main selfie camera is noticeably brighter, but the wide angle camera has better control of the background highlights. The video from the wide-angle camera has a noticeable fisheye effect – you get a much wider view, but the corners will be distorted.
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Work Performance – PCMark
We tested the ASUS ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro’s performance using PCMark, which simulates work applications like web browing, playing video, writing text and editing photos.
ASUS ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro
ASUS ZenFone 3 Zoom
Samsung Galaxy A7 (2017)
OPPO F1s
Work Performance Score
(Average)
7837
6655
4954
3884
Web Browsing
8623
7595
5143
3688
Video Playback
5282
4545
4515
3789
Writing
7692
7264
4948
4141
Photo Editing
10766
7824
5243
3933
Both the ASUS ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro (Price Check) and the ASUS ZenFone 3 Zoom use the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 SoC, but the Selfie Pro is almost 18% faster. In any case, they both did much better than the Samsung Galaxy A7 (2017), and the OPPO F1s in this test.
Battery Life – PCMark
We then tested the ASUS ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro’s battery performance using PCMark. It basically ran the PCMark work tests until its battery capacity dropped to 20%.
The ASUS ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro (Price Check) has a relatively small 3,000 mAh lithium-ion battery. It lasted 10.25 hours in our battery test, which is pretty good considering its higher performance. Incidentally, you can see that the battery is calibrated to show 100% for the first 7-8% of its total capacity.
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Battery Recharging Performance
The ASUS ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro (Price Check) comes with a 10 W fast charger. It takes about 128.5 minutes (2 hours 8.5 minutes) to recharge its battery from 20% to 100%.
That’s a battery life : recharging ratio of just 4.8:1 – which is rather disappointing. After all, the ASUS ZenFone 3 Zoom uses the same 10 W fast charger to deliver a battery life : recharging ratio of 6.5:1.
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Gaming Performance – 3DMark
We tested the ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro’s gaming performance using 3DMark, using the Ice Storm Unlimited test.
ASUS ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro
ASUS ZenFone 3 Zoom
Samsung Galaxy A7 (2017)
OPPO F1s
Gaming Score
14015
13844
13540
7666
Graphics
13470
13372
13548
7511
Physics
16328
15797
13510
8265
Graphics Test 1
80.7 fps
80.3 fps
81.1 fps
49.4 fps
Graphics Test 2
46.0 fps
45.6 fps
46.2 fps
24.4 fps
Physics Test
51.8 fps
50.1 fps
42.9 fps
26.2 fps
The ASUS ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro (Price Check) uses the same Qualcomm Adreno 506 GPU as the ASUS ZenFone 3 Zoom, so it performs at about the same performance level.
Overall Performance
AnTuTu is a nice benchmark for testing various performance aspects of Android devices.
While the smartphone industry is focused on dual-lens main cameras, ASUS is taking a chance with the ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro. Instead of placing two cameras at the back, they placed two cameras in the front. Now you have the choice of a high-resolution selfie camera, and a wide-angle selfie camera to fit more people or background into your picture.
The ASUS ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro (Price Check) is targeted at the Millennials who show a clear preference for taking and sharing selfies and wefies on social media. They generally do not care about the resolution of their pictures because they almost exclusively share their photos and videos with their family and friends on social media and instant messengers.
What matters far more is the ability to take good selfies and wefies. Even better if they can create dramatic shots without resorting to ungainly selfie sticks. That’s where the ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro’s wide-angle selfie camera comes in.
Its 120° field of view allows you to really pack in more people, or more of the background, into your selfies. And you can now take wefies, and more dramatic shots without using a selfie stick. Once you tried it, you will wonder how you ever “lived” without wide-angle selfie cameras!
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Of course, not all selfies require a wide-angle camera. For close-up shots with your loved ones, you will want a regular selfie camera with a field of view of 80° to 90°. You will also want the photos to be in high resolution for posterity. For that, you use the ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro’s DuoPixel camera.
Not only can it take 24 MP selfies, it is paired with a fast f/1.8 lens and the awesome Sony IMX362 sensor with large 1.4 µm pixels. This makes for great selfies even in low-light conditions.
Even though it is a selfie-focused smartphone, ASUS did not skimp on the rear camera – it has a 16 MP camera with an LED flash. Neither did they skimp on its performance, memory and storage. It boasts a fast octa-core Snapdragon 625 processor, with 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage. And all that is packed into a thin and light chassis, with a very nice 5.5″ AMOLED display.
It’s not all perfect though. We did not like the 1080p video recording quality of the rear camera, and its battery recharging speed is rather slow. And we wish ASUS would have paired the wide-angle selfie camera with a faster lens for better low-light performance.
All that in mind, the ASUS ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro is a great smartphone for those who love to take selfies. The wide-angle camera alone is worth the switch because it gives you better flexibility and creative options. For that reason, we think the ASUS ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro (Price Check) deserves our Reviewer’s Choice Award.
Other ASUS ZenFone 4 Articles
Here are the links to our other ASUS ZenFone 4 previews and articles :
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ASUS just announced the availability of the ASUS ZenFone 4 Max (ZC520KL) smartphone! This is the 5.2″ version of the ZenFone 4 Max Pro (ZC554KL) launched by Korean superstar Gong Yoo at the We Love Photo event. Best of all – it will only cost RM 799 / ~US$ 189! Unbelievable, if you consider what ASUS is providing in the ZenFone 4 Max. Even more unbelievable – the special limited launch offer they also announced!
Long Battery Life
Ever since ASUS launched their ZenFone 3 series, they have been known for long battery life. The eponymous ASUS ZenFone 3 and the larger ZenFone 3 Ultra, for example, lasted almost 12 hours of non-stop operation while the excellent ZenFone 3 Zoom lasted more than 17 hours!
The new ASUS ZenFone 4 Max builds upon this heritage with a high-capacity 4,100 mAh battery, coupled with an advanced power management system. ASUS says the ZenFone 4 Max will last 37 days on standby, and offers 2 hours of talk time with just 15 minutes of charging!
They’re so confident about its battery life that the ASUS ZenFone 4 Max is capable of reverse-charging, essentially functioning as a power bank for your other devices!
Dual Lens Camera
Even though it’s priced at just RM 799 / ~US$ 189, the ASUS ZenFone 4 Max comes with a dual-lens camera, and an 8 MP selfie camera!
The dual-lens camera consists of a 13 MP main camera with a standard 80 degree field of view, and a wide-angle 5 MP camera with a 120 degree field of view. The different viewing angles allow for greater creativity when you frame your shots.
The ASUS ZenFone 4 Max Specifications
Specifications
ASUS ZenFone Max
Model
ZC520KL
Design
2.5D glass with metallic design & multiple colour selections
Premium metal unibody
Display
5.2" HD IPS display (720 x 1280)
Capacitive touch panel with 10 points multi-touch (support glove touch)
Operating System
Android 7.0 Nougat with ZenUI 4.0
System Platform
Qualcomm Snapdragon 425
Processor
4 x ARM Cortex-A53 (up to 1.4 GHz)
Graphics Processor
Qualcomm Adreno 308
Memory
3 GB RAM
Storage
32 GB internal flash storage
One microSD card slot (up to 256 GB)
Main Camera
Dual Lens Camera System
- Main 13 MP Camera (25 mm)
- Wide-Angle 5 MP Camera (18 mm)
Front Camera
8 MP selfie camera
Connectivity
4G : CAT 4 - up to 150Mbps download / 50Mbps upload
WiFi : 802.11n (2.4 GHz)
Bluetooth 4.1
Micro USB 2.0 - supports OTG
As mentioned earlier, ASUS is pricing the new ZenFone 4 Max (ZC520KL) smartphone at an amazing price just RM 799 / ~US$ 189. If that’s not enough, they have a special limited launch offer.
Starting from 9 PM, 20 October 2017, it is available for sale at RM 799 / ~US$ 189, with a gift bundle worth RM 399 / ~US$ 95!
The offer is limited, while stocks last. So make sure you don’t miss this launch offer!
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Fans of the Samsung Galaxy Note7, and those who prefer a front fingerprint sensor, rejoice! The Samsung Galaxy Note Fan Edition, Galaxy Note FE for short, is coming to Malaysia! Samsung Malaysia has officially announced the price and availability of the Samsung Galaxy Note FE! Get the full details here!
Updated @ 2017-10-12 : Added the confirmed price and availability of the Samsung Galaxy Note FE. Added a discussion on the price, additional information on Bixby, and pictures of the first Galaxy Note FE units in Malaysia!
When Samsung recalled their Galaxy Note7 phablets, they were left with about 2.5 million of them. That’s not a lot by their usual sale volume, but still a very large number of devices to dispose of.
Instead of disposing them, Samsung refurbished approximately 400,000 of them for sale in South Korea as the Samsung Galaxy Note FE. The only hardware difference was the replacement of their original 3,500 mAh battery to a slightly smaller 3,200 mAh battery that has undergone their new 8-point battery safety check protocol. On the software end, it comes with Android 7.0 Nougat, and supports Samsung Bixby, albeit without Bixby Vision and Bixby Voice.
To their surprise, the Samsung Galaxy Note FE was very well-received – completely selling out in South Korea. That led to Galaxy Note7 fans to call for it to be introduced to other countries as well. And now, the Galaxy Note Fan Edition is coming to Malaysia!
Introducing The Samsung Galaxy Note FE!
Take a look at the first Samsung Galaxy Note FE phablets in Malaysia!
The Samsung Galaxy Note FE Specifications
In this table, we compare its specifications to the Samsung Galaxy Note7 :
Specifications
Samsung Galaxy Note FE
Samsung Galaxy Note7
Display
5.7" Super AMOLED dual-edge display
- 1440 x 2560 pixels (577 ppi)
5.7" Super AMOLED dual-edge display
- 1440 x 2560 pixels (577 ppi)
Protection
Corning Gorilla Glass 5 (front & back panels)
Corning Gorilla Glass 5 (front & back panels)
Operating System (At Launch)
Android 7.0 Nougat
Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow
System Platform
Samsung Exynos 8890 Octa
Samsung Exynos 8890 Octa
Memory
4 GB LPDDR4 SDRAM
4 GB LPDDR4 SDRAM
Storage Options
64 GB / 128 GB internal flash storage
One microSD slot (shared with SIM 2) - supports up to 200 GB
64 GB / 128 GB internal flash storage
One microSD slot (shared with SIM 2) - supports up to 200 GB
Front Camera
5 MP sensor with f/1.7 lens
5 MP sensor with f/1.7 lens
Rear Camera
12 MP Sony / Samsung (1.4 µm) sensor with f/1.7 lens, optical image stabilisation (OIS) and LED flash
12 MP Sony / Samsung (1.4 µm) sensor with f/1.7 lens, optical image stabilisation (OIS) and LED flash
3,200 mAh lithium-ion battery (non-removable)
- fast charging capability (wired & wireless)
- wireless charging (WPC and PMA)
3,500 mAh lithium-ion battery (non-removable)
- fast charging capability (wired & wireless)
- wireless charging (WPC and PMA)
Dimensions
153.5 mm tall
73.9 mm wide
7.9 mm thick
153.5 mm tall
73.9 mm wide
7.9 mm thick
Weight
169 g
169 g
Colour Options
Blue Coral, Silver Titanium, Gold Platinum, Black Onyx
Blue Coral, Silver Titanium, Gold Platinum, Black Onyx
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The Samsung Galaxy Note FE Price & Availability
When we leaked the news, we expected the Samsung Galaxy Note FE to be priced between RM 2,599 and RM 2,699, based on the original July launch price, and the current exchange rate. The difference in the discount when it was launched in South Korea, and when it’s launched here in Malaysia, is due to the change in currency rates.
Samsung Galaxy Note7
Samsung Galaxy Note FE
Difference
Launch Price (USD)
$849
$610
$239 (28%)
Launch Price (MYR)
RM 3,199
RM 2,599 (Confirmed)
RM 600 (19%)
Samsung Malaysia has just confirmed that the Galaxy Note FE will be sold at RM 2,599 / ~US$ 619, including the 6% GST. Although some argue that it should be cheaper, we didn’t think so, because the new Samsung Galaxy Note8 is priced significantly higher at RM 3,999 / ~US$ 949.
The Samsung Galaxy Note Fan Edition is not just RM 1,400 (~US$ 333) cheaper than the Galaxy Note8, it will also appeal to Galaxy Note fans who prefer a front fingerprint sensor. Dashken, your wish has been answered!
The Samsung Galaxy Note FE will be available for purchase at all Samsung Experience Stores, authorised dealers and selected channel partners, beginning 25 October 2017. Two colour options will be offered – Coral Blue and Black Onyx.
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On Friday, we were invited to the launch of the Nokia 8 Dual-Sight smartphone by HMD Global. As their flagship smartphone, the Nokia 8 was designed with content creators in mind, and boasts three world’s first features. Let’s check out what those features are!
The Nokia 8 Dual-Sight Smartphone Revealed!
With a 7.3 mm thin unibody chassis precision-milled from a single block of 6000 series aluminium before being refined through a 40-stage process of machining, anodising and polishing, the Nokia 8 is a work of art in the hand.
The Nokia 8 is not only powered by the very fast Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 SoC, it also runs on the latest pure, secure, and uncluttered Android. Vijay Thangavelu, Country Manager (Malaysia and Myanmar), HMD Global tells more in this video :
Dual-Sight Video Capability
The Nokia 8 is the world’s first smartphone with Dual-Sight video capability. Dual-Sight simultaneously records from both the front and rear cameras in a split screen visual for both photos and videos.
In fact, the Nokia 8 smartphone can livestream Dual-Sight videos natively and in real-time to social feeds such as Facebook and YouTube. With just one touch, you can share your memories in an more immersive way with your family and friends.
Nokia OZO Audio
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The Nokia 8 is also the first smartphone to feature Nokia OZO Audio, placing exclusive Hollywood technology in the palm of your hand. The OZO spatial 360° audio brings a fully immersive audio experience to your 4K video.
Nokia 8 combines three microphones with exclusive Nokia acoustic algorithms to capture audio with immersive 360° spatial surround sound. Share your 4K videos with OZO Audio anywhere – binaural codecs enable high fidelity playback even on devices without OZO Audio.
ZEISS Optics
Although Nokia has a long history of partnership with ZEISS, the Nokia 8 is the first smartphone from HMD Global to feature ZEISS optics. In fact, all three of its 13 MP cameras use ZEISS optics for the best possible images
The Nokia 8 Specifications
Specifications
Nokia 8
Display
5.3" IPS display
- QHD resolution (1440 x 2560 pixels)
- 700 nits maximum brightness
- Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection, with 2.5D edge
Operating System
Android Nougat 7.1.1
Platform
Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 (MSM8998)
Processor
4 x Qualcomm Kyro 280 cores (2.45 GHz)
4 x Qualcomm Kyro 280 cores (1.8 GHz)
73.7 mm wide
151.5 mm tall
7.9 mm thick (chassis)
0.4 mm (camera bump)
Weight
160 g
Available Colours
Polished Blue, Polished Copper, Tempered Blue and Steel
Price & Availability
The Nokia 8 is available right now in four colours – Polished Blue, Polished Copper, Tempered Blue and Steel, with a recommended retail price of RM 2,299 / ~US$ 549, inclusive of 6% GST.
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Samsung has finally introduced a new tablet – the Samsung Galaxy Tab S3! Their last tablet, the Galaxy Tab S2 debuted in September 2015 and ran on Android 5.0.2 Lollipop. Now, find out what’s new in the Galaxy Tab S3, and what it offers over its predecessor!
Updated @ 2017-09-06 :Updated various parts of the review with additional information and some corrections.
Originally posted @ 2017-07-03
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 Specification Comparison
Unlike the Galaxy Tab S2 (which comes in 8″ and 9.7″ models), the Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 (Amazon | Lazada) only comes in the 9.7″ form factor. Here, we compare the specifications of the new Galaxy Tab S3 (SM-T820) against the 9.7″ model of its predecessor, the Galaxy Tab S2 (SM-T819).
Specifications
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3
Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 (9.7")
Display
9.7" Super AMOLED display
- 1536 x 2048 pixels (~264 ppi)
9.7" Super AMOLED display
- 1536 x 2048 pixels (~264 ppi)
Operating System
Android 7.0 Nougat
Android 5.0.2 Lollipop
System Platform
Qualcomm Snapdragon 820
Samsung Exynos 7 Octa (5433)
Processor
2 x Qualcomm Kyro cores (2.15 GHz)
2 x Qualcomm Kyro cores (1.6 GHz)
4 x ARM Cortex-A57 cores (1.9 GHz)
4 x ARM Cortex-A53 cores (1.3 GHz)
13 MP sensor with f/1.9 lens
- Up to 4K video recording
8 MP sensor with f/1.9 lens
- Up to 1440p video recording
Audio
4 AKG-tuned speakers
Two speakers
Connectivity
4G LTE (LTE-enabled model only)
WiFi : 802.11 a/b/g/b/ac
Bluetooth 4.1
USB : USB 3.1 Type C
4G LTE (LTE-enabled model only)
WiFi : 802.11 a/b/g/b/ac
Bluetooth 4.1
USB : USB 2.0
S Pen
Included
Pen tip : 0.7 mm
Pressure levels : 4,096
None
Battery
6,000 mAh lithium ion (non-removable)
5,870 mAh lithium ion (non-removable)
Dimensions
169.0 mm wide
237.3 mm tall
6.0 mm thick
169.0 mm wide
237.3 mm tall
5.6 mm thick
Weight
WiFi only : 429 g
LTE-enabled : 434 g
WiFi only : 389 g
LTE-enabled : 392 g
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The Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 Book Cover
Our review sample came unboxed, with the optionalBook Cover, so there’s no unboxing video. However, you will get to check out how it works with the Book Cover.
As you can see, the Book Cover works just like the Apple iPad Smart Cover. It locks magnetically to the Galaxy Tab S3 (Amazon | Lazada), protecting the front and back glass covers against damage. Flipping it open automatically turns on the Tab S3. It also serves as a stand with three viewing angles.
The Book Cover offers much needed protection for the Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 (Amazon | Lazada). In fact, anyone who gets the Galaxy Tab S3 should at least The only downside is that, like other similar covers, you need to let the flip cover hang loose to use the rear camera. It also does not come with a stylus holder. If a stylus holder is a must, then you need to consider the Keyboard Cover option.
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The Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 Up Close
Superficially, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 (Amazon | Lazada) looks like its predecessor, the 9.7″ Galaxy Tab S2. If you are hoping for a “bezel-less” display like the Infinity Display of the Galaxy S8 smartphone, you’re out of luck. It doesn’t come with the iris scanner either, just the same fingerprint sensor embedded into the Home button.
Like its predecessor, the Galaxy Tab S3 (Amazon | Lazada) comes in two variants – a WiFi-only model (SM-T820), and an LTE-enabled model (SM-T825). Our review sample is the SM-T825 LTE-enabled model, so it comes with a tray for a nano SIM card as well as a microSD card. The microSD card support, incidentally, has been doubled to 256 GB.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 also retained the front fingerprint sensor embedded into the Home button, as well as the dedicated capacitive touch buttons.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S3’s biggest improvements are “hidden” from sight. It boasts the quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 SoC, which offers 18% better CPU performance and 3X better graphics performance. It also has a longer battery life of up to 12 hours, partly due to its slightly larger battery and a more power-efficient design.
In addition, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 (Amazon | Lazada) now boasts a quad-speaker setup, which works great in the horizontal mode, when used with the optional Book Cover or Keyboard Cover. The four speakers have also been tuned by AKG.
The Cameras
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 (Amazon | Lazada) also offers upgraded cameras. The puny 2.1 MP front camera of its predecessor was replaced by a 5 MP Samsung S5K4E6 ISOCELL sensor with f/2.2 lens. This is the same sensor used in the Samsung Galaxy S6 edge and the more recent HTC 10. The upgraded camera allows you to also record 1080p videos, and support Full HD video chats.
The main camera at the back was upgraded with a 13 MP Sony IMX260 sensor, up from the 8 MP shooter. This is the same excellent sensor used in top-of-the-line smartphones like the Samsung Galaxy S8 and the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge. It can record videos at up to 4K resolution, but does not support optical or electronic image stabilisation. We will share with you photo and video samples from this camera later in this review.
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The S Pen Stylus
New to the Samsung Galaxy Tab S series is the S Pen stylus. This is a redesigned S Pen with a thinner nib (0.7 mm) and 4,096 pressure levels. The S Pen is electromagnetically-powered by close proximity to the Galaxy Tab S3 (Amazon | Lazada), so there is no need to worry about batteries – which is just awesome.
It is thin at just 9.4 mm, and has a rectangular profile for a better grip. The metal clip at the end locks on to the magnets along the left side of the Galaxy Tab S3.
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Setting Up The Samsung Galaxy Tab S3
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 (Amazon | Lazada) runs on the latest Android 7.0 Nougat operating system, and is very easy to set-up. If you are setting it up as a new device, it should take you only about 5 minutes to finish the setup process.
The Ergonomics
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 (Amazon | Lazada) is now clad in glass, which gives it a more premium look and feel. However, the glass covers are very susceptible to fingerprint smears, and add about 10% more weight. The Galaxy Tab S3 with the Book Cover weighs just under 500 g, which is a significant amount of heft.
The glass covers are a little slippery to handle too, especially if you have oily or wet fingers. So it is recommended that you use it with the Book Cover, or the Keyboard Cover, for better grip.
Available Memory & Storage
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 (Amazon | Lazada) comes with 4 GB of LPDDR4 memory, of which just 1.7 GB (42.5%) is free to use. This is far less free memory than other 4 GB devices we reviewed recently :[adrotate group=”2″]
That said, 1.7 GB of free memory is still more than what 3 GB devices have, so you don’t need to worry about running out of memory. Even so, we hope Samsung will seriously reduce the amount of bloat with their upcoming Android Oreo update.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 (Amazon | Lazada) comes with just 32 GB of internal flash storage, of which 22.8 GB (71%) is free to use. For a 2017 tablet at this price point, we feel that Samsung should have given it at least 64 GB of storage. Of course, you can always top it up with a microSD card (up to 256 GB).
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Camera Performance – Photos
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 (Amazon | Lazada) uses the Sony IMX260 sensor for its main camera, paired with an f/1.9 lens. However, it lacks any optical or electronic image stabilisation. The full 12.8 MP resolution (usually quoted as 13 MP) is attained with the 4:3 aspect ratio. Each picture has a resolution of 4128 × 3096, with a file size between 2.8 MB and 4 MB.
Here are ten full resolution, unedited photo samples for you to check out. Click on them to load the full-sized photos which you can download to examine.
This is the same sensor used in the Samsung Galaxy S8 and the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge, so there’s no surprise that the pictures are excellent. The f/1.9 lens also allowed for very good low-light performance.
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Camera Performance – Video Recording
Thanks to the Sony IMX260 sensor upgrade, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 (Amazon | Lazada) can now record videos at up to 2160p (4K) at 30 fps. Officially, it does not support any form of optical or electronic image stabilisation. However, our tests show that it actually performs some electronic image stabilisation at 1080p or lower resolutions. Take a look…
Test #1 : Piano (1080p)
The image quality is excellent, with great control of the bright background. The recorded audio was also quite clear. Surprisingly, the amount of handshaking was minimal.
Test #2 : Piano (4K)
When we recorded this clip in the 4K resolution, we noticed that there was significantly more handshaking. From this, we can surmise that the Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 actually performs some electronic image stabilisation at lower resolutions.
Test #3 : Street Market (1080p)
Even though this test involved walking down a street market, the video was surprisingly smooth. That is quite unexpected for a camera that officially does not support any form of image stabilisation.
Test #4 : Street Market (4K)
The jerkiness of the 4K video is readily apparent. The image quality is excellent, but the complete lack of image stabilisation (for real this time!) is nausea-inducing!
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Work Performance – PCMark
We tested the Samsung Galaxy Tab S3’s performance using PCMark, which simulates work applications like web browing, playing video, writing text and editing photos.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3
Huawei Mate 9
ASUS ZenFone 3 Ultra
HTC 10
Work Performance Score
(Average)
6434
7593
6313
6105
Web Browsing
6294
8717
6257
5782
Video Playback
3903
4987
4287
3321
Writing
6584
7883
7166
7463
Photo Editing
10599
9702
8262
9694
Not surprisingly, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 (Amazon | Lazada) performed well, matching top-0f-the-line smartphones like the ASUS ZenFone 3 Ultra and HTC 10.
Battery Life – PCMark
We then tested the Samsung Galaxy Tab S3’s battery performance using PCMark. It basically ran the PCMark work tests until its battery capacity dropped to 20%.
Samsung claims that the Galaxy Tab S3 has a battery life of between 8 hours (Internet use time) to 12 hours (video play time). This battery test shows that the Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 (Amazon | Lazada) will last about 8.5 hours of non-stop work – web browing, playing video, writing text and editing photos.
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Battery Recharging Performance
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 comes with a 10 W fast charger and a USB Type C cable. Take a look at how fast it recharged the 6,000 mAh battery.
It took the Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 (Amazon | Lazada) about 114 minutes (1 hour 54 minutes) to recharge its battery from 17% to 100%. Overall, it has a battery life : recharging ratio of about 4.4 : 1, which is rather low. Samsung should have packaged it with an 18 W fast charger.
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Gaming Performance – 3DMark
We tested the Galaxy Tab S3’s gaming performance using 3DMark, using the Ice Storm Unlimited test.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3
Huawei Mate 9
ASUS ZenFone 3 Ultra
HTC 10
Gaming Score
17878
27853
17719
23171
Graphics
18515
36605
21124
27512
Physics
15958
15164
11328
14925
Graphics Test 1
88.8 fps
202.5 fps
115.2 fps
136.6 fps
Graphics Test 2
73.6 fps
131.1 fps
76.3 fps
106.4 fps
Physics Test
50.7 fps
48.1 fps
36.0 fps
47.4 fps
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 (Amazon | Lazada) is not the fastest gaming tablet, but it has good gaming performance.
Overall Performance
AnTuTu is a nice benchmark for testing various performance aspects of Android devices.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3
Huawei Mate 9
ASUS ZenFone 3 Ultra
HTC 10
TOTAL SCORE
131430
123167
76096
113813
3D SCORE
57553
40114
18816
50700
– 3D (Marooned)
36690
23313
10861
34778
– 3D (Garden)
20863
16801
7952
15922
UX SCORE
43151
39975
26794
30890
– UX Data Secure
6524
7943
5077
6319
– UX Data Process
3534
6985
4198
3379
– UX Strategy Games
9054
11860
7503
5433
– UX Image Process
21022
5580
6879
9521
– UX I/O Performance
3017
7607
3137
6238
CPU SCORE
24024
31992
23689
21915
– CPU Mathematics
8532
9680
6950
8494
– CPU Common Use
6041
11139
6311
5931
– CPU Multi-Core
9451
11173
10428
7490
RAM
6702
11086
6797
10308
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 (Amazon | Lazada) did well in AnTuTu, coming in top actually. It bested even top-of-the-line smartphones like the Huawei Mate 9 and HTC 10.
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Our Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 (Amazon | Lazada) is a long-awaited upgrade to the Galaxy Tab S2. If you are hoping for revolutionary changes that have been the hallmark of the Samsung Galaxy S smartphones, you will be sorely disappointed. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S team retained the same familiar design.
So there is no Infinity Display or iris scanner, as some of us have hoped for. Instead, they clad the Galaxy Tab S3 (Amazon | Lazada) in glass, and focused on internal improvements. It now boasts a faster processor, a much faster graphics processor, more and faster DDR4 memory, and a quad-speaker system tuned by AKG.
Also upgraded were the cameras. The puny 2.1 MP front camera was replaced with the 5 MP camera used in the Samsung Galaxy S6 edge and the more recent HTC 10. The main camera also saw an upgrade to the excellent Sony IMX260 sensor used in the Samsung Galaxy S8 and the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge.
Other less obvious upgrades include the display and battery. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 (Amazon | Lazada) used the same excellent Super AMOLED display, but it is now capable of displaying HDR images and videos. The battery also saw a slight increase in capacity, allowing the Galaxy Tab S3 to achieve a rated battery life of 8 to 12 hours. Needless to say, the battery has also undergone the new Samsung 8-point battery safety check.
Arguably the biggest upgrade the Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 introduces is the improved S Pen. This is the first time a Samsung Galaxy Tab S tablet comes with the S Pen. The new S Pen is still powered electromagnetically, but now has a thinner nib and 4,096 pressure levels.
The only issues we have with the Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 (Amazon | Lazada) are the memory bloat and its rather limited internal storage. At its launch price of RM 2,999 (US$ 599 in the US), we would have expected at least 64 GB of internal storage, or a Book Cover (RM 199 / ~US$ 47) thrown in.
If you find the Galaxy Tab S3too pricey, you will be glad to note that the older Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 is now on sale at almost half the price! Now that’s a really great deal!
Availability & Lowest Prices
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 (Amazon | Lazada) is now available in Black and Silver colour options. The Pogo Keyboard Cover comes in Gray colour and retails at RM499 / ~US$119.
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The Book Cover is available in Black, White and Green colours, and retails at RM199 / ~US$47. Check out the latest offers below :
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After the launch of the Oukitel K6000 Plus, U16 Max and U20 Plus smartphones, we managed to get our hands on two giant Oukitel smartphones – the Oukitel K10000 Max and the Oukitel K10000 Pro. As their name suggests, they boast a massive 10,000 mAh battery capacity.
But that’s not all… the K10000 Max is even ruggerdised! In this article, we will share with you the key features, specifications and our hands-on previews of the Oukitel K10000 Max and K10000 Pro smartphones!
Updated @ 2017-08-20 : Added new specifications and purchase links for the Oukitel K10000 Max and K10000 Pro smartphones.
Originally posted @ 2017-03-30
The Oukitel K10000 Pro
Despite what some websites are claiming, the K10000 Pro is not the first smartphone to feature the massive 10,000 mAh battery. That honour goes to its predecessor, the original K10000 that was released in December 2015.
The K10000 Pro not only boasts updated specifications, and runs on the latest Android 7.0 operating system, it has a slightly bigger battery capacity of 10,100 mAh with fast charging capability. It maintains the original Oukitel K10000’s industrial stainless steel design.
The Oukitel K10000 Max
The Oukitel K10000 Max appears to be a ruggerdised version of the K10000 Pro. Thanks to its thick polycarbonate and rubber shell, it is waterproof and shockproof.
It has slightly inferior specifications to the K10000 Pro – 3 GB of RAM, with a 13 MP main camera and a 5 MP front camera. It also uses the slightly smaller 10,000 mAh battery (with the same fast charging capability).
On the other hand, it supports the new bidirectional USB 2.0 Type C connector, while the K10000 Pro still uses the old micro USB 2.0 port.
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The Specifications Compared
This table compares the specifications of the K10000 Max and K10000 Pro smartphones.
Specifications
Oukitel K10000 Pro
Oukitel K10000 Max
Display
5.5" Full HD IPS display
- 1080 x 1920 pixels
5.5" Full HD IPS display
- 1080 x 1920 pixels
Operating System
Android 7.0
Android 7.0
Platform
MediaTek MT6750T
MediaTek MT6750T
Processor
4 x ARM Cortex-A53 (1.5 GHz)
4 x ARM Cortex-A53 (1.0 GHz)
4 x ARM Cortex-A53 (1.5 GHz)
4 x ARM Cortex-A53 (1.0 GHz)
Graphics Processor
ARM Mali-T860 MP2 (650 MHz)
ARM Mali-T860 MP2 (650 MHz)
Memory
4 GB LPDDR3 SDRAM (833 MHz)
3 GB LPDDR3 SDRAM (833 MHz)
Storage
32 GB internal flash storage
microSD card tray
32 GB internal flash storage
microSD card tray
Front Camera
8 MP camera
5 MP camera
Main Camera
16 MP camera with single LED flash
13 MP camera
Fingerprint Sensor
Yes, rear-mounted
Yes, rear-mounted
Connectivity
4G : LTE Cat6
WiFi : 802.11a/b/g/n
Bluetooth : 4.2
4G : LTE Cat6
WiFi : 802.11a/b/g/n
Bluetooth : 4.2
Battery
10,100 mAh lithium-ion battery
- Supports fast-charging
10,000 mAh lithium-ion battery
- Supports fast-charging
USB Port
micro USB 2.0 port
USB 2.0 Type C
Ruggerdised
No
Yes, shockproof and waterproof
Dimensions
77.66 mm wide
161.76 mm tall
14.0 mm thick
86.5 mm wide
168.8 mm tall
15.9 mm thick
Weight
291 g
337 g
Where To Buy?
Here are some places where you can buy the K10000 Pro smartphones.
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On 17 August 2017, ASUS launched the ASUS ZenFone 4 Pro (ZS551KL) smartphone with Korean superstar Gong Yoo at the Next TV Studio in Taipei. Let’s take a look at the specifications and key features of the ASUS ZenFone 4 Pro, as well as our hands-on preview of the first unit in Taipei!
The ASUS ZenFone 4 Pro (ZS551KL) Smartphone
The new ASUS ZenFone 4 Pro smartphone is targeted at users who are into mobile photography. Hence, it boasts a dual-lens main camera system. Check it out!
Elite Photographic Capability!
Whether it is the rear cameras or the front facing selfie camera, the ZenFone 4 Pro features three high end Sony camera sensrors with superior light sensitivity, focusing speeds and features.
First rear camera – an industry leading Sony IMX362, 25mm 12 megapixel main camera with the following technologies:
A wide F1.7 aperture that allows more light into the sensor
Large 1/2.55” format sensor
Large 1.4μm pixels which give the sensor superior light sensitivity
Wide aperture and large pixels work together to achieve 8X brighter photos 1 in low light compared to other smartphone cameras.
4-axis OIS that allows up shutter speeds up to 4 stops slower
Fast Dual Pixel autofocus system that achieves focus in a mere 0.03 seconds
A SuperPixel Engine image processor that intelligently increases light sensitivity and removes photographic “noise” after the shot.
Second rear camera – a Sony IMX351, 2X optical zoom (50mm), 16 megapixel camera for ultra-clear photos of distant subjects
Front camera – a Sony IMX319 camera that is one of the world’s best front facing cameras
Largest 1.4μm pixels for a front-facing camera which give the sensor superior light sensitivity
Super-fast Phase Detection Autofocus (PDAF) – a rare feature for a front camera
Shares the SuperPixel Engine image processor with the main rear camera
Elite Components
The ZenFone 4 Pro also featyres the latest top-of-the-line Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 SoC processor that has been paried with a massive 6GB of RAM.
Certain variants of the ZenFone 4 Pro also support the latest Cat 16 4CA LTE standard for up to a blazing 1000MB per second data transfer speeds on compatible networks.
Elite Audio
Matching the photographic and processing capability of the ZenFone 4 Pro is its audio prowess which includes supremely loud 5-magnet dual speakers, a three-mic system (with one dedicated for noise cancelling), Hi-Res audio support and the industry’s best virtual surround system: DTS Headphone X:7.1.
Elite Design
The window to these features is a bright, 500 nits, Full-HD AMOLED display; and the entire package is wrapped in an exqusitely slim, Corning Gorilla Glass-wrapped unibody with a rounded aluminum alloy edge. The body also houses a unique anti-spoofing IR fingerprint sensor that requires the user’s live fingerprint to rapidly unlock the phone in 0.3 seconds.
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The ASUS ZenFone 4 Pro (ZS551KL) Specifications
Specifications
ASUS ZenFone 4 Pro
Model
ZS551KL
Design
Glass-metal unibody with front and rear Gorilla Glass panels featuring 2.5D contoured edges. Rounded sandblasted aluminum alloy edge. Home button with integrated fingerprint sensor.
Display
5.5" Full HD AMOLED display (1920 x 1080) High 500nits brightness for best outdoor readability Capacitive touch panel with 10 points multi-touch (support glove touch)
Operating System
Android 7.1 Nougat with ZenUI 4.0
System Platform
Qualcomm Snapdragon 835
Processor
4 x Qualcomm Kryo 280 cores (2.45 GHz)
4 x Qualcomm Kyro 280 cores (1.8 GHz)
Graphics Processor
Qualcomm Adreno 540
Memory
Up to 6 GB RAM
Storage
Up to 128 GB internal flash storage
One microSD card slot (up to 256 GB)
Main Camera
Dual Lens Camera System
Main Camera (25 mm)
- 12 MP Sony IMX362 sensor
- 1.4 μm pixel size
- f/1.7 aperture
- Supports Dual Pixel PDAF and laser AF
- 4-axis OIS (up to 4 stops)
Zoom Camera (50 mm - 2X)
- 16 MP Sony IMX351 sensor
- 1.0 μm pixel size
- f/2.6 aperture
0.3 sec ultrafast unlocking, anti-spoofing IR fingerprint sensor, supports 5 fingers and 360 degree recognition
GPS
GPS, AGPS, Glonass, BDS
Audio
Dual Smart amp powered speakers
Hi-Res audio output support - 192kHz/24-bit standard, 4X CD quality
DTS Headphone:X 7.1 virtual surround support
3-mic system with ASUS Noise Reduction Technology
Battery
3,600 mAh lithium-ion battery (non-removable)
Available Colours
Pure Black / Moonlight White
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Other ASUS ZenFone 4 Articles
Here are the links to our other ASUS ZenFone 4 previews and articles :
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
On 17 August 2017, ASUS launched the ASUS ZenFone 4 (ZE554KL) smartphone with Korean superstar Gong Yoo at the Next TV Studio in Taipei. Let’s take a look at the specifications and key features of the ASUS ZenFone 4, as well as our hands-on preview of the first unit in Taipei!
The ASUS ZenFone 4 (ZE554KL) Smartphone
The new ASUS ZenFone 4 smartphone is targeted at users who are into mobile photography. Hence, it boasts a dual-lens main camera system. Check it out!
Dedicated To Photography!
ASUS is committed to promoting mobile photography and enabling ZenFone owners take the best photos. Therefore, all new generation ZenFone 4 family models will feature two rear or front cameras. This is because two cameras and their specialized lenses are ideal for shooting different subjects at different distances.
First rear camera – an industry leading Sony IMX362, 12 megapixel main camera with the following technologies:
A wide F1.8 aperture that allows more light into the sensor
Large 1/2.55” format sensor
Large 1.4μm pixels which give the sensor superior light sensitivity
Wide aperture and large pixels work together to achieve 5X brighter photos 1 in low light compared to other smartphone cameras.
Fast Dual Pixel autofocus system that achieves focus in a mere 0.03 seconds
Second rear camera – a flexible, 120-degree field of view 8 megapixel, F2.2 camera with a 200% wider view that is ideal for capturing wide landscapes, large subjects or for shooting in confined spaces.
Front camera – the ZenFone 4 also has a higher-than-normal resolution, 8 megapixel front camera for sharp and clear selfies.
Premium glass-metal unibody design
The ASUS ZenFone 4 features a beautiful glass front and back construction sandwiching a finely sandblasted, rounded metal edge. Look at it from the side: it is the very first ASUS smartphone to have a totally flat, beautiful “bumpless” design where the cameras do not protrude out from beneath the protective Corning Gorilla Glass surface.
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Specifications
Specifications
ASUS ZenFone 4
Model
ZE554KL
Design
Glass-metal unibody with totally flat front and rear Gorilla Glass panels featuring 2.5D contoured edges.
Rounded sandblasted aluminum alloy edge.
Home button with integrated fingerprint sensor.
Display
5.5" Full HD Super IPS+ LCD display (1920 x 1080)
High 600nits brightness for best outdoor readability
Capacitive touch panel with 10 points multi-touch (support glove touch)
Operating System
Android 7.0 Nougat with ZenUI 4.0
System Platform
Qualcomm Snapdragon 660
Processor
8 x Qualcomm Kyro 260 cores (2.2 GHz)
Graphics Processor
Qualcomm Adreno 512
Memory
Up to 6 GB RAM
Storage
64 GB internal flash storage
One microSD card slot (up to 256 GB)
Main Camera
Dual Lens Camera System
Main Camera (25 mm)
- 12 MP Sony IMX362 sensor
- 1.4 μm pixel size
- f/1.8 aperture
- Supports Dual Pixel PDAF
0.3 sec ultrafast unlocking, anti-spoofing IR fingerprint sensor, supports 5 fingers and 360 degree recognition
GPS
GPS, AGPS, Glonass, BDS
Audio
Smart amp powered speakers
Hi-Res audio output support - 192kHz/24-bit standard, 4X CD quality
DTS Headphone:X 7.1 virtual surround support
3-mic system with ASUS Noise Reduction Technology
Battery
3,300 mAh lithium-ion battery (non-removable)
Available Colours
Midnight Black / Moonlight White / Mint Green
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Other ASUS ZenFone 4 Articles
Here are the links to our other ASUS ZenFone 4 previews and articles :
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
On 17 August 2017, ASUS launched the ASUS ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro (ZD552KL) smartphone with Korean superstar Gong Yoo at the Next TV Studio in Taipei. Let’s take a look at the specifications and key features of the ASUS ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro, as well as our hands-on preview of the first unit in Taipei!
The ASUS ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro (ZD552KL) Smartphone
The new ASUS ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro smartphone is designed to offer selfie fans greater flexibility in taking their selfies and wefies. Let’s check it out!
Two front cameras for perfect selfies!
Like other ZenFone 4 models, the ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro has two cameras on one side. This is similar to how professional photographers use separate fixed focal length lenses with their DSLR cameras for the best possible quality, and to allow them to compose photos with different perspectives.
The big difference of the ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro is that its cameras face the front, so that it can shoot perfect self or group portrait photos (wefies).
2X brighter low-light selfies with ASUS SuperPixel camera!
The main selfie camera on ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro features a F1.8 aperture lens and the latest Sony Exmor RS IMX362 image sensor. It has a large 1/2.55” size format, and large 1.4μm pixels. Combined with the ASUS SuperPixel Engine that intelligently controls sensor light sensitivity and reduces image noise, ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro is able to achieve twice (2x) the light sensitivity of a typical smartphone camera and helps users take beautifully clear and vivid selfies, day or night, indoors or out.
120 degree wide-angle second front camera
The ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro’s second front facing, 120-degree wide angle camera allows you to capture photos and videos that fit more of your environment into the frame, so you can include a scenic background in your shot or gather even more friends together and have fun taking wefies – without needing to use an inconvenient selfie stick!
Premium Metal Unibody
The ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro features a beautifully slim, metal unibody that was created by an advanced manufacturing process known as Nano Molding Technology (NMT). Its display is covered by tough Gorilla Glass which is then contoured at the edges.
The metal unibody also features a beautiful, diamond-cut chamfer and engraved detailing around the rear camera lens that shimmers with a radiant luster when viewed from different angles. Although the ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro has dual front cameras, it is only 6.85mm thick and weighs only 147 grams.
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The ASUS ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro (ZD552KL) Specifications
Specifications
ASUS ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro
Model
ZD552KL
Design
2.5D contoured Corning Gorilla Glass display with metal unibody & multiple colour selections
Display
5.5" Full HD AMOLED display (1920 x 1080)
Greater than 500nits brightness for excellent outdoor readability
Capacitive touch panel with 10 point multi-touch sensing (support glove touch)
Operating System
Android 7.0 Nougat with ZenUI 4.0
System Platform
Qualcomm Snapdragon 625
Processor
8 x ARM Cortex-A53 (up to 2 GHz)
Graphics Processor
Qualcomm Adreno 506
Memory
3 GB RAM / 4 GB RAM
Storage
64 GB internal flash storage
One microSD card slot (up to 2 TB)
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
On 17 August 2017, ASUS launched the ASUS ZenFone 4 Selfie (ZD553KL) smartphone with Korean superstar Gong Yoo at the Next TV Studio in Taipei. Let’s take a look at the specifications and key features of the ASUS ZenFone 4 Selfie, as well as our hands-on preview of the first unit in Taipei!
The ASUS ZenFone 4 Selfie (ZD553KL) Smartphone
The new ASUS ZenFone 4 Selfie smartphone is designed to offer selfie fans greater flexibility in taking their selfies and wefies. Let’s check it out!
Two front cameras for perfect selfies!
Like other ZenFone 4 models, the ZenFone 4 Selfie has two cameras on one side. This is similar to how professional photographers use separate fixed focal length lenses with their DSLR cameras for the best possible quality, and to allow them to compose photos with different perspectives.
The big difference of the ZenFone 4 Selfie is that its cameras face the front, so that it can shoot perfect self or group portrait photos (wefies).
20 MP high resolution main camera
The main selfie camera on ZenFone 4 Selfie features a very high 20 megapixel resolution, allowing users to shoot the most detailed selfies.
Compared to typical front facing smartphone cameras that are about 8 megapixels (3264 x 2448), the 20 megapixel (5140 x 3860) main front camera of the ZenFone 4 Selfie produces photos that look much clearer and detailed on high resolution devices like monitors, and when printed on photo paper as large as A3 size.
120 degree wide-angle second front camera
The ZenFone 4 Selfie’s second front facing, 120-degree wide angle camera allows you to capture photos and videos that fit more of your environment into the frame, so you can include a scenic background in your shot or gather even more friends together and have fun taking wefies – without needing to use an inconvenient selfie stick!
16 MP rear camera!
The rear camera has a class leading 16-megapixel resolution; provides extremely fast autofocusing with its phase detection autofocus (PDAF) system, Full HD (1920 x 1080) video recording and can perfectly illuminate subjects in low light with a gentle LED “RealTone” flash.
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Specifications
Specifications
ASUS ZenFone 4 Selfie
Model
ZD553KL
Design
2.5D contoured glass display with metallic-finish unibody
Display
5.5" HD IPS LCD (1280 x 720)
400 nits brightness for excellent outdoor readability
74.2% screen-to-body ratio
Operating System
Android 7.0 Nougat with ZenUI 4.0
System Platform
Qualcomm Snapdragon 430
Processor
8 x ARM Cortex-A53 (up to 1.4 GHz)
Graphics Processor
Qualcomm Adreno 505
Memory
4 GB RAM
Storage
64 GB internal flash storage
One microSD card slot (up to 2 TB)
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
On 17 August 2017, ASUS launched the ASUS ZenFone 4 Max Pro (ZC554KL) smartphone with Korean superstar Gong Yoo at the Next TV Studio in Taipei. Let’s take a look at the specifications and key features of the ASUS ZenFone 4 Max Pro, as well as our hands-on preview of the first unit in Taipei!
The ASUS ZenFone 4 Max Pro (ZC554KL) Smartphone
The new ASUS ZenFone 4 Max Pro smartphone is designed to offer extremely-long battery life to users who are always on-the-go, and may not have ready access to a power source.
Two cameras for perfect photos!
All ZenFone 4 models will feature two cameras. This is because two cameras and their specialized lenses are ideal for shooting different subjects at different distances.
First rear camera – a 16 megapixel main camera with a standard 80-degree field of view,
Second rear camera – with a 120-degree field of view that is better for capturing wider subjects or for shooting in confined spaces.
Front camera – the ZenFone 4 Max Pro also has a higher-than-normal resolution, 16 megapixel front camera for sharp and clear selfies.
Massive battery for longer shooting!
The ZenFone 4 Max Pro is the series with the ultra-high 5000mAH capacity battery, capable of powering the smartphone for 46 days on standby, or simply allowing users to shoot for far longer periods than conventional smartphones.
It provides 3 hours of talk time with just 15 minutes of charging, has twice the lifespan of conventional phone batteries and can act as a backup power bank!
Reverse Charging
A useful trick of the ZenFone 4 Max Pro is its ability to double up as a power bank for charging other devices using a USB on-the-go cable.
2X Battery Lifespan
Despite the battery’s high capacity, it also has twice the lifespan of a typical smartphone’s battery thanks to advanced Asus battery management technologies that monitor its temperature and manages its charging limits.
The battery is also built in with protection against 12 safety checkpoints including excessive temperatures and overvoltage to automatically stop charging when these are detected.
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The ASUS ZenFone 4 Max Pro (ZC554KL) Specifications
Specifications
ASUS ZenFone Max Pro
Model
ZC554KL
Design
2.5D glass with metallic design & multiple colour selections
Premium metal unibody
Display
5.5" HD IPS display (720 x 1280)
Greater than 400 nits brightness for best outdoor readability
Capacitive touch panel with 10 points multi-touch (support glove touch)
Operating System
Android 7.0 Nougat with ZenUI 4.0
System Platform
Qualcomm Snapdragon 430
Processor
4 x ARM Cortex-A53 (up to 1.4 GHz)
Graphics Processor
Qualcomm Adreno 505
Memory
3 GB RAM
Storage
32 GB internal flash storage
One microSD card slot (up to 256 GB)
Main Camera
Dual Lens Camera System
Main Camera (25 mm)
- 16 MP Omnivision 16880 sensor
- 1.12 μm pixel size
- f/2.0 aperture
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
Neffos just launched their latest smartphone – the Neffos X1 Lite – with Neffos ambassador, actress and singer Fazura gracing the launch event. Malaysia is actually the first country in the world to launch the X1 Lite. Find out what the X1 Lite offers, and check out Fazura’s live performances too!
The Neffos X1 Lite Smartphone Revealed!
Like the Neffos X1 Max and Neffos X1 smartphones, the Neffox X1 Lite boasts an octa-core processor and dual SIM, dual standby capability, as well as a 13 MP camera and a fast fingerprint sensor. In this video, TP-Link Marketing Manager Yovela Duan explains the key features of the new Neffos X1 Lite smartphone.
Then the Director of TP-Link Malaysia, Hugo Cai, revealed that the Neffos X1 Lite will only cost RM 499 / ~US$ 119. He also announced a special bundle promotion that is exclusive to Lazada.
With every purchase of the Neffos X1 Lite on Lazada, you will receive exclusive limited edition merchandise of your choice – a Neffos Premium Gift Box, or a Fazbulous Warrior T-Shirt signed by Fazura! This promotion ends on 31 July 2017, or while stocks last.
The highlight of the launch event was the live performance by Fazura who sang her latest single, “Bangun”, as well as “Bisa Apa” from the soundtrack of Hero Seorang Cinderella. Enjoy!
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
ASUS just launched the ASUS ZenFone AR – a new-generation smartphone optimised for virtual reality and augmented reality technologies. In fact, it is the first ASUS smartphone to be Tango-enabled and Daydream-ready. Find out what the fuss is all about, and how much the ASUS ZenFone AR (Price Check) will cost, and more!
The ASUS ZenFone AR Presentation
Introducing the new ASUS ZenFone AR (Price Check) is Li Huai Pin, ASUS Malaysia Consumer Product Lead. He shares with us the key features of the ZenFone AR smartphone, as well as its local price and availability.
Here is a clearer version of the product video that was shown before the ASUS ZenFone AR (Price Check) presentation began.
What Is Tango & Daydream?
The ASUS ZenFone AR (Price Check) AR is Tango-enabled and Daydream-ready smartphone. But what does that mean?
Tango is a set of sensors and computer vision software Google developed to enable augmented reality in smartphones. It adds motion tracking, depth perception and area learning capabilities, to enable the creation of augmented reality experiences.
Daydream, on the other hand, is the Google mobile virtual reality platform. The ASUS ZenFone AR can be paired with the Daydream View headset and controller to allow the user to enjoy virtual reality movies, games and apps.
How Useful / Fun Is Augmented Reality?
You may be wondering – how useful or fun is Augmented Reality (AR)? What exactly can you do with the ASUS ZenFone AR (Price Check) that you cannot do with any other smartphone? This ASUS video demonstrates three augmented reality examples that the ZenFone AR enables.
Special Warranty
ASUS is offering the ZenFone AR (Price Check) with a special 1-to-1 Exchange Warranty. Here are the details :
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1-to-1 Exchange In-Warranty is only applicable to ZenFone AR (ZS571KL) only.
Exchange is valid only within 12 months from the date of purchase receipt.
1-to-1 Exchange In-Warranty is also applicable to customers of Pick Up & Return service by contacting 1300-88-3495.
1-to-1 Exchange can be done within the same day (only applicable to Kuala Lumpur, Petaling Jaya, Subang Jaya, Puchong, Cheras, Ampang, Kajang and Serdang). If the exchange request is made after 3:00pm, the exchange can only be done on the next business day.
ASUS ZenFone AR Price & Availability
The ASUS ZenFone AR (Price Check) will retail for RM 3,799 (inclusive of 6% GST) / ~US$ 899 from 7th July 2017 onwards, bundled with Google Cardboard, a Screen Protector and a Silicone Case. You can order it from Lazada here!
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The ASUS ZenFone AR Key Features
ASUS TriCam system for Tango experiences
ZenFone AR (Price Check) uses an ASUS TriCam system consisting of three rear cameras — a motion-tracking camera, depth-sensing camera and high-resolution 23MP PixelMaster 3.0 camera — which provide input to Tango, enabling smartphone augmented reality experiences for users.
The motion-tracking camera lets ZenFone AR (Price Check) keep track of its location as it moves through three-dimensional space. The depth-sensing camera lets ZenFone AR determine its distance from objects by projecting an infrared (IR) laser and measuring the amount of time it takes for IR light to bounce off objects and return to the phone. The 23MP PixelMaster 3.0 camera features a Sony IMX318 image sensor to vividly capture the environment as a backdrop for AR experiences.
AR is a rapidly growing area of mobile technology, and one that consumers are extremely excited about. ASUS and Google have partnered with well-known brands, such as iStaging, to bring the smartphone AR experience to customers. Tango also provides developers with the ability to deliver consistent AR experiences across devices and helps users easily discover a wide range of new apps, such as exciting games, home decor utilities, and apps that provide new ways to explore. To date, the ecosystem has grown quickly and there are plenty of apps on Google Play that are Tango enabled.
Daydream by Google
The expansive 5.7-inch display of ZenFone AR (Price Check) makes it ideal for VR apps and games when used with Daydream View, immersing users in incredible VR worlds that appear detailed and lifelike in WQHD (1440 x 2560) resolution. Super AMOLED technology enables deep blacks and high contrast, further enhancing image quality and 3D effects.
With ZenFone AR and Daydream View, users can explore new and fictional worlds with apps like Street View and Fantastic Beasts, kick back in a personal VR cinema with YouTube, Netflix, Hulu and HBO, and get in the game with Gunjack 2, LEGO BrickHeadz, Need for Speed, and more.
Impressive audio, inside and out
In addition to video, high-quality audio is an important component of immersive AR and VR experiences. To fulfill this demand, ZenFone AR comes with ASUS SonicMaster 3.0 technology. A five-magnet speaker driven by a powerful NXP smart amplifier delivers clear, expansive sound that can be played at high volumes without distortion. ZenFone AR (Price Check) can also output certified High-Resolution Audio (HRA) to compatible devices at 24-bit/192kHz — or 4X CD-quality. DTS Headphone:X provides virtual 7.1-channel surround sound for immersive entertainment experiences.
Cutting-edge hardware for unrivaled AR and VR performance
ASUS ZenFone AR (Price Check) is designed with the latest, top-of-the-line components to provide high-quality AR and VR experiences. This cutting-edge hardware also makes ZenFone AR one of the most powerful smartphones available. ZenFone AR features a Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 processor that has been specially optimized for AR operations.
ASUS worked closely with Qualcomm Technologies and Google engineers to help develop methods for efficiently distributing computer-vision workloads, as well as rapidly processing movement and positioning instructions with Tango to deliver smooth, immersive, and compelling AR experiences.
It also features the desktop-class Qualcomm Adreno 530 graphics-processing unit (GPU) to deliver supercharged graphics performance and handle the graphical demands of Tango and Daydream applications with ease. ZenFone AR has a sophisticated vapor-cooling system that allows the CPU and GPU to work more efficiently and delivers enhanced performance to prevent overheating.
World’s first smartphone with 8GB of RAM
ASUS ZenFone AR (Price Check) is the world’s first smartphone with 8GB of RAM, enabling it to handle the demands of AR and VR with ease. It also helps with heavy multitasking, allowing users to keep dozens of apps open simultaneous and instantly switch among them. ZenFone AR also includes 128 GB of fast UFS 2.0 storage, enabling users to store a large library of apps, games, videos, photos, and music, and open them quickly
Thin and light metallic design
ASUS ZenFone AR (Price Check) packages its advanced technology in a beautifully minimalist, light, and compact design. A precision-milled metal frame and slim, 4.8mm edge provides a luxurious look that is further enhanced by stainless-steel accents around the camera. These accents also help protect the camera lens from scratches. ZenFone AR has an ergonomic curved shape with a 4.8mm edge and a tactile, leather-patterned rear surface that feels great in the hand.
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ASUS PixelMaster 3.0 — Capture reality, fast and steady
ASUS ZenFone AR (Price Check) also features an advanced camera that takes beautiful, high-resolution photos and videos in almost any lighting condition. It has an ASUS PixelMaster 3.0 camera that uses the world’s highest resolution camera sensor (Sony IMX318) and the ASUS TriTech autofocus system. Other key camera features include:
Four-axis optical image stabilization (OIS) photo and three-axis electronic image stabilization (EIS) video stabilization — Enables sharp photos and shake-free videos.
03-second ASUS TriTech System — Exclusive TriTech autofocus technology is the ultimate integration of phase-detection autofocus, laser autofocus and subject-tracking autofocus, the result is a perfectly focused and sharp image every time – day or night, indoor or out.
Super Resolution mode — Creates ultra-high resolution, 92MP photos by capturing and combining four native 23MP photos to create a single image with exceptional clarity, greater detail, and less noise.
RAW file support — ZenFone AR offers photographers the freedom to shoot and store compositions in RAW format. RAW files save the full data of the photo captured by the camera’s sensor and are ideal for enhancement with editing software, where users are able to uncover fine details in areas of shadow, or recover overexposed areas in the highlights, with much lower loss of image quality when compared to editing JPEG image files.
High-resolution 4K UHD video recording — Captures ultra-detailed and sharp videos.
Professional manual creative controls — Gives keen photographers control over advanced camera settings, like white balance, exposure value (EV), ISO sensitivity, shutter speed, and focus. This makes ZenFone AR a powerful tool for learning the fundamental skills of photography and allows users to shoot scenes with many different creative interpretations.
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If you read our ASUS ZenFone 3 Zoom review, you will recall that we pegged it as the “iPhone 7 Plus killer at half the price“. Its operating system aside, it offers hardware features that are similar or better than the Apple iPhone 7 Plus, but at less than half the price.
The ASUS ZenFone 3 Zoom has just received a big boost in its capabilities with the new Android 7.1.1 Nougat update. This update weighs in at just over 1.2 GB and the installation takes about 15 minutes to complete, so make sure you use WiFi and the ZenFone 3 Zoom has at least 20% battery life. But you will love what the ZenFone 3 Zoom Nougat update offers!
In addition to Android operation system upgrades and improvements, this update also adds Portrait Mode and RAW image support to boost the ZenFone 3 Zoom’s photographic capabilities.
Portrait Mode uses the 25mm and 56mm lenses to create a shallow depth of field effect for photos, while the ability to take photos in RAW will allow greater flexibility and control in editing them. ZenFone 3 Zoom users will also be able to preview and organize all RAW files in their mobile gallery.[adrotate group=”2″]
The Android Nougat update also adds new features like multi-window view, notification-screen replies, and improved customization settings, to the ZenFone 3 Zoom. The new Android 7.1.1 Nougat features include:
Multi-Window View – Run two apps side by side
Quick App Switch – Switch between apps with a double tab
Notification Directly Reply – Reply to messages right inside the notification screen
72 New Emojis – Select new emoji genders and skin tones
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The French are here again, and they brought three new smartphones with them – the Wiko Upulse, the Wiko Harry and the Wiko Kenny. Unlike most French products, they are affordable mid-range smartphones with a price range of RM 500-800 (~US$ 119-189). Let’s check them out!
The Wiko Upulse, Harry & Kenny Revealed!
The Wiko Harry and Wiko Kenny are from the Wiko Y range, while the Wiko Upulse is their new Wiko U model. Introducing them is Ken Ang, Wiko Business Development Director.
Wiko Upulse
The Wiko Upulse is the most powerful model being introduced. Here are its key features :
Full HD 5.5″ IPS display (720 x 1280 pixels) with 2.5D edge
Android 7.0 Nougat
Quad-core MediaTek MT6735 (1.3 GHz) processor
3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of internal storage
13 MP main camera, with single LED flash
8 MP front camera, with soft flash
Dual micro SIM + microSD (up to 128 GB)
Brushed aluminium chassis
3,000 mAh battery
Wiko Harry
The Wiko Harry is the more premium model of the two new Wiko Y range models being introduced. Here are its key features :
Full HD 5″ IPS display (720 x 1280 pixels)
Quad-core MediaTek MT6735 (1.3 GHz) processor
3 GB of RAM and 16 GB of internal storage
13 MP main camera, with 5 MP front camera, with single LED flash
Dual micro SIM + microSD (up to 128 GB)
Brushed aluminium chassis
2,500 mAh battery
Wiko Kenny
The Wiko Kenny is the most basic model being introduced. Here are its key features :
5″ IPS display (480 x 854 pixels)[adrotate group=”2″]
Quad-core MediaTek MT6735 (1.1 GHz) processor
2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of internal storage
8 MP main camera, with 5 MP front camera
Dual micro SIM + microSD (up to 128 GB)
2,500 mAh battery
Wiko Upulse, Harry & Kenny Price & Availability
All three Wiko models are available for sale right now at these recommended retail prices (RRP) :
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2 June 2017 – Inspired by the power of touch and the Brilliant U, HTC Malaysia unveiled locally the HTC U11 (Amazon | Lazada), the world’s first smartphone with revolutionary new squeeze interaction.
The HTC U11 Smartphone
Made for “U” with design, materials and experiences that reflect your inner drive, passion, creativity and individuality, HTC U11 (Amazon | Lazada) offers the most advanced features ever in a smartphone, including:
HTC Edge Sense, the next dimension in touch interaction with your smartphone.
Liquid Surface, a stunning, unique design that reflects you.
HTC USonic, our most advanced headset ever built for personal audio, now including Active Noise Cancellation
Amazing cameras with the highest independent rating ever awarded to a smartphone camera.
HTC Sense Companion, Google Assistant, for a smarter, more helpful smartphone.
U touch
Few things are as natural and intuitive as the sense of touch. HTC Edge Sense transforms this fundamental sense into a completely new and revolutionary interaction with your smartphone. With a simple squeeze, HTC Edge Sense lets you easily engage with your smartphone in an unprecedented yet intuitive way, helping you more naturally enjoy the things you love like taking photos, opening Facebook, or launching any of your favorite apps.
For example, with HTC Edge Sense, launching your camera has never been easier. No more fumbling for buttons or awkward hand positions. No more worrying about dropping your smartphone while you pose. Just lift, squeeze, smile and snap.
You can also send texts faster and easier than before. Texting can be impossible when you are on the move, but using HTC Edge Sense for Voice to Text, you can speak your text messages without having to slow down. Lightly squeeze, speak your message and send your texts on the go.
You can even customize the squeeze gesture: open email with just a squeeze. Or launch your favorite game (or any other app). Or pick any one of a host of options. Want even more touch control? HTC Edge Sense gives you the ability to activate advanced touch and use a “short squeeze” as well as a “squeeze and hold” for even more functionality at your fingertips.
And because HTC Edge Sense is based on actual pressure applied to the side of the device, it can be used in nearly any condition – including while wearing gloves or in weather such as snow or rain that would normally be a challenge with capacitive buttons.
Reflects U
HTC U11’s liquid glass surface is crafted to impress using Optical Spectrum Hybrid Deposition. By layering highly-refractive precious minerals across the smartphone’s back cover, we’ve created vivid new colors that transforms light with every movement you make.[adrotate group=”4″]
The new seamless, curved look of HTC U11 is achieved with 3D glass on both front and back. Heating and then bending the glass using extreme pressure results in unique, 3-axis symmetry for a smartphone that is slim no matter which way you hold it.
HTC U11 (Amazon | Lazada) has a 5.5” Quad HD 3D glass screen designed for vivid, crisp images and text in any light – even direct sunlight. With our best display and true-to-life color reproduction, we provide you a purer full-framed viewing experience. Our display avoids the cropped pictures or distorted colors at the edge that are the results you can expect from a curved screen.
Plus, HTC U11 is water-resistant, so no need to worry about splashes, spills, or dunks.
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Tuned to U
HTC U11 (Amazon | Lazada) introduces the latest version of HTC USonic, which now combines Active Noise Cancellation with the ability to tune audio to your unique hearing. By leveraging built-in microphones on the headset and USB-C data connectivity, USonic earbuds map your inner ear with an advanced sonar-like technology and then adapt the sound profile to your unique biology. This creates an incredibly personal and optimized listening experience with vibrant audio shaped specifically for you.
USonic now incorporates Active Noise Cancellation, which reduces disruptions and distractions around you, so you can stay focused on your music. Active Noise Cancellation continuously monitors environmental sound levels and quickly adjusts to any new noises or disturbances. You’re free to stay focused on your music, videos, or games.
HTC BoomSound Hi-Fi Edition speakers got an upgrade, too. We have improved the speaker design to deliver more loudness and better Dynamic Range Audio. On top, the tweeter now offers an acoustic chamber that allows the highs and mids to sound richer. While below, the woofer sports a new speaker and improved magnetic circuit design for louder, clearer and deeper bass tones. You really have to hear it to believe the power of BoomSound.
We did not forget to upgrade the microphones, either, using four optimally positioned omni-directional microphones together with our new Acoustic Focus technology, HTC brings you our best 3D audio recording quality yet. HTC U11’s microphones work together to record audio from all directions and when shooting video with Acoustic Focus, you can visually zoom in to target your subject and amplify their specific sounds.
Out of the box, we will also ship an HTC USB-C to 3.5mm adapter with a built-in DAC that offers great audio performance and wide compatibility with all other devices and earphones.
Pictures that move U
HTC U11 (Amazon | Lazada) has achieved the highest ever rating for a smartphone camera for both photo and video by independent metric DxOMark. Our multi-axis optical stabilization system and super-fast autofocus in all lighting conditions make the camera quick, your pictures sharp, and videos smooth. We improved our camera and video for a more dynamic exposure range with HDR Boost without the lag, new white balance enhancement, a major reduction in noise and excellent detail preservation.
HTC U11 introduces Auto HDR Boost to give you all the benefits of HDR without the lag. HDR Boost offers clearer, more balanced pictures by taking multiple shots that measure the darkest shadows and brightest highlights without any slowdown. HTC U11 enhances textures and colors, increases visible detail and brings out the best in every shot. When shooting video, Temporal Noise Reduction automatically uses information from the previous and next frames to remove unwanted noise and deliver the clearest video.
Great news for serious photographers: HTC U11 incorporates the new UltraSpeed AutoFocus with same full sensor auto-focus technology that’s found in top DSLR cameras, so you can enjoy significantly faster focus speeds, with snappy and delightful performance. In addition, HTC U11’s exceptional optical and electronic stabilization system will keep your photos and video steady and crisp even when your hand is shaking.
The new front camera now combines high-resolution 16MP detail and our UltraPixel light sensitivity for brilliant selfies day or night. It also utilizes the same powerful HDR Boost and noise reduction as the main camera.
The smarter digital companion for U
Three brains are better than one, so inside HTC U11 you can find three intelligent companions devoted to you: HTC Sense Companion and Google Assistant.
We have made HTC Sense Companion smarter than ever: it will get to know you and your daily patterns over time in order to offer you more convenience every day. For example, HTC Sense Companion is smart enough to notice if you have any late appointments that day and will remind you to recharge while you have time or bring a power bank. It will make sure your smartphone is running at its optimum speed by suggesting to clear junk files and unused apps for more free space. It will let you know if you need to dress for inclement weather conditions, track your fitness progress relative to your goals, recommend great nearby restaurants at mealtime, and much more.
HTC U11 (Amazon | Lazada) runs the latest version of Android, so it also includes Google Assistant, the helpful personal assistant powered by Google se arch and services for finding directions, getting answers, managing your tasks, planning your day and entertainment.
Powerful U
HTC U11 (Amazon | Lazada) is the first smartphone to be commercially released worldwide that is exclusively powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 Mobile Platform. So no matter what region of the world you live in, you get an octa-core processor with breakthrough speeds, jaw-dropping graphics, impressively smooth performance and outstanding battery life. Every HTC U11 also includes UFS 2.1 for the fastest processor paired with the fastest memory performance. Experience Gigabit Class LTE (up to 1Gbps) with the integrated Snapdragon X16 LTE modem, which is designed to deliver fiber optic speeds on the go for lightning-fast music and video downloads and to get almost instant access to the web, social media sites or your content in the cloud. You get 25% faster graphics than the HTC 10, with 35% or 3 hours more video playback, 30% or 8 hours more music playback and 43% or 3.5 hours longer web browsing time via a LTE network.
A blazing fast processor with amazing camera and incredible HTC USonic sound means you’ll want a lot of storage for apps, games, photos, music and entertainment: The HTC U11 is available in the 6GB RAM/128GB variant.
HTC U11 (Amazon | Lazada) also offers a fingerprint reader for enhanced privacy and security. Requiring just a few minutes to set up, the fingerprint reader will unlock your smartphone with the press of your finger – making it faster and easier to jot the note, capture the photo, or do anything you want with your smartphone on a moment’s notice.
The HTC U11 Price & Availability
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The HTC U11 (Amazon | Lazada) is priced at RM3,099.00 (inclusive of 6% GST) / ~US$ 729, and is currently available in Amazing Silver, Sapphire Blue and Brilliant Black. The HTC U11 will be available for purchase from late June 2017 at all authorized HTC retailers.
In conjunction with the launch of HTC U11, Maxis will be the first telco partner to offer exclusive smartphone plans starting late June.
Additionally, the HTC U11 (Amazon | Lazada) will be available for pre-order on Lazada Malaysia, 11Street Malaysia and HTC Malaysia’s Facebook page this month. Early buyers who pre-order the HTC U11 through Lazada Malaysia, 11Street Malaysia, Maxis and HTC Malaysia’s Facebook page will be eligible to receive exclusive U11timate box sets which include limited edition HTC merchandises, while stocks last.
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Coming in fresh from France, the Wiko Harry smartphone has just arrived in Malaysia! This is a well-powered smartphone with accessible functions, immersive multimedia experience and user-friendly features encased in a classy brushed metal design.
The Wiko Harry Smartphone
Being the first 4G smartphone in the Y-range gives it a fast Internet connectivity, 5” HD screen for spectacular colour with its 420 nits brightness. Powered by IPS technology, Harry allows easy viewing in broad daylight and in any preferred angle and smooth mobile entertainment.
In addition, the 13MP rear camera and 5MP front facing camera will keep users entertained with its many photo-taking features such as professional and panoramic mode. With its display flash that works suitably well in low light, the Harry stores photos in its 16GB ROM or optional micro-SD 128GB memory so you will never need to store your photo elsewhere.
The Wiko Harry will also come with Android Nougat which boosts users multi-tasking capability further with its multi-window view and will allow users to take control of the smartphone with easy-to-use interface which gives the option to monitor power consumption through its Battery and App usage optimization alongside the Doze option. Assembled with a metal back cover, the dual-sim Harry will come in Black Anthracite and Premium Gold colour.
Wiko Harry Price & Availability
The Wiko Harry smartphone is now available in the Black Anthracite and Premium Gold colours for just RM 599 / ~US$ 139. You can get them directly from Lazada Malaysia :
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The Motorola Moto G5 Plus is here! We had the opportunity earlier last week to have our first-ever hands-on preview of the Moto G5 Plus smartphone. We also managed to unearth some preliminary information on the Moto G5 Plus. Check out the preview and pre-launch details!
The Moto G5 Plus Preview
The Motorola Moto G5 Plus is a mid-range smartphone with a 5.2″ full HD display. It runs on the new Android 7.0 Nougat operating system, and is powered by the octa-core Snapdragon 625 SoC. Motorola offers variants with 3 GB or 4 GB of RAM and either 16 GB or 32 GB of storage. But we can confirm that only the top model with 4 GB RAM and 32 GB of storage will be sold in Malaysia.
Even though Motorola pegs the G5 Plus as a mid-range smartphone, it boasts a 12 MP main camera with a Dual Pixel sensor which allows for more accurate and very fast autofocus. This is usually a feature of flagship smartphone models. It is also supported by a dual LED flash, and is capable of recording 4K videos at 30 fps.
The Moto G5 Plus has a 3,000 mAh lithium-ion battery, which supports 15 W TurboPower charging. According to Moto, a 15 minute charge is enough to give you an additional 6 hours of power. In addition, the G5 Plus has a full metal chassis, and is protected in the front by Gorilla Glass 3. Motorola also gave it nano coating that repels water, but it is not water-resistant.
The Moto G5 Plus Specifications
Specifications
Moto G5 Plus / Moto G Plus (5th Gen)
Display
5.2" Full HD IPS display
- 1080 x 1920 pixels, 424 ppi
3,000 mAh lithium-ion battery (non-removable)
- 15 W TurboPower charging
Dimensions
74.0 mm high x 150.2 mm tall x 9.7 mm thick
Weight
155 g
Available Colours
Lunar Gray / Fine Gold
New Features On The Horizon
While the Moto G5 Plus already comes with Android 7.0 Nougat pre-installed, Motorola is promising a slew of new features. While they cannot reveal much, we know that a major firmware update is scheduled for July 2017, and it will come with Moto Key.
The Moto Key upgrade will allow you to unlock any computer (with the Moto Key app installed) with your Moto G5 Plus. Just authenticate yourself using the fingerprint sensor on the G5 Plus, and presto! your computer is unlocked!
Price & Availability
The Moto G5 Plus is priced at RM 1,299 (~US$ 289), and is exclusively available on Lazada. You will be able to pre-order the Moto G5 Plus starting Monday, 29 May 2017, with delivery starting from 5 June 2017 onwards.
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Motorola has prepared the following pre-order and launch promotion
Pre-Order Offers (valid from 29 May to 4 June only)
12-month extended warranty under the Moto Care Plan worth RM199
Moto Flip Case and screen protector worth RM99 (while stocks last)
Launch Offers (valid from 5 June onwards)
Moto Flip Case and screen protector worth RM99 (while stocks last)
Customers can check out the 0% installment plan offered by Lazada Malaysia as well.
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In March, we covered the launch of the Huawei P10 and P10 Plus smartphones. We even shared with you the product briefing of the Huawei P10 Plus and P10. Although Huawei mentioned the P10 Lite, it was only mentioned in passing. That changes with a recent product briefing exclusively focused on the Huawei P10 Lite.
The Huawei P10 Lite Product Briefing
In this exclusive media briefing event, Anthoson Liew, a Huawei Product Trainer, gave us an in-depth briefing on the Huawei P10 Lite smartphone.
Here are some key takeaway points :
The Huawei P10 Lite is a 5.2″ smartphone with a full HD display (1080 x 1920 pixels, 423 ppi).
It has a dual glass design, with Gorilla Glass 3 protection on both sides, and 2.5D edges all around.
It also has a full metal frame made out of an aluminium-magnesium alloy, that is anodised and sandblasted.
The Huawei P10 Lite is powered by the octa-core HiSilicon Kirin 658 SoC, and comes with 4 GB of LPDDR3 memory and 32 GB of storage.[adrotate banner=”4″]
The P10 Lite has a main camera with a 12 MP Sony sensor with f/2.2 lens and LED flash.
It has a 3,000 mAh lithium-ion battery, which has the 9V / 2A fast charging capability.
The fingerprint sensor does not only unlock up to 8 fingerprints in just 0.3 seconds, it can be used as a control surface.
The Huawei P10 Lite also supports knuckle sense for easier recording of screenshots, and screen recordings.
It also supports other features like split screens (two fingers swipe up), app twinning (for easier management of multiple social media accounts), and app blocking (securing apps using an additional password).
If you find the Huawei P10 Lite attractive, please consider purchasing it from one of our partners :
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18 May 2017 – Fresh from France, the all-rounder smartphone Wiko Harry has arrived to excite users in Malaysia. A reliable, well-powered smartphone with accessible functions, immersive multimedia experience and user-friendly features encased in a classy brushed metal design,the Harry is a smartphone that delivers peace-of-mind.
The Wiko Harry Smartphone
Wiko Harry is the first 4G smartphone in the Y-range which translates to speedy internet connectivity and incredibly smooth mobile entertainment. Featuring a Quad-Core processor 1.3 GHz with 3 GB RAM, Wiko Harry offers responsive multi-tasking and easy accessibility to any app on your smartphone.
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Taking it up a notch, Wiko Harry comes with Android Nougat which boosts the users’ multi-tasking capabilities further and its multi-window view is ever ready to make life even easier for the ever-busy lifestyle. Flexible and simple, Wiko Harry allows users to take control of their smartphone with an easy-to-use interface which allows them to monitor power consumption through its Battery and App usage optimisation along with its Doze option.
Users will also enjoy the lively display with Harry’s 5” HD screen for spectacular colour with its 420 nits brightness. Powered by IPS technology, Harry allows easy viewing in broad daylight and in any preferred angle.
In addition, the 13 MP rear camera and 5 MP front facing camera will keep users entertained with its many photo-taking features such as professional and panoramic mode. With its display flash that works suitably well in low light, Wiko Harry stores photos in its 16 GB ROM or optional micro-SD 128GB memory so you will never need to store your photo elsewhere.
Price & Availability
Assembled in a stylish metal back cover, the dual-sim Wiko Harry is crafted in sleek Anthracite and premium Gold colour. Priced at RM599 (~US$ 133), Wiko’s Y-Range Harry is now available at all authorised outlets in Peninsular and East Malaysia.
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Great news! Honor will begin its rollout of the EMUI 5.0 update for all its Honor 6X (Amazon | Lazada) users in Malaysia starting today. This update coupled with Android Nougat 7.0 aims to bring a new and improved experience to the Honor 6X.
Honor 6X Gets Android 7.0 Nougat Upgrade
Through countless hours devoted into careful research and development, the EMUI 5.0 is created to be a gorgeous and simplistic user interface that is designed to make your life easier. Behind the interface lies an extremely complex system that is created to better the experience every time you pick up the Honor 6X (Amazon | Lazada).
The EMUI 5.0 comes with the Machine Learning Algorithm, which studies your usage habits and optimizes the phone’s processing priorities to suit your style of use, ultimately creating a device that is always trying to stay fast.
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The EMUI 5.0 brings the Honor 6X (Amazon | Lazada) a gorgeous aesthetics upgrade through the Aegean Sea blue theme that breathes life into the machine. With simplicity in mind, the new user interface promises to increase productivity as now you can get access to most of the features with no more than three clicks.
With the widespread use of technology today, the importance of security has been rising. EMUI 5.0 acknowledges the importance of this issue and incorporates safety measures that will reassure users. The new UI comes with an effective virus scan that detects known and unknown virus. For users wary with opening hyperlinks, EMUI 5.0 scans hyperlinks in real time so users will be alerted if any scams and viruses are detected in the scan.
The Honor 6X (Amazon | Lazada) is now truly complete inside and out. Upgrade to the EMUI 5.0 now and unleash the true potential of your device.
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We are one of the fortunate few to receive a pre-launch unit of the Samsung Galaxy S8 (Amazon | Lazada) smartphone. This is the most anticipated smartphone from Samsung since the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge, which was a huge hit. Will the Galaxy S8 live up to expectations? Or did the high bar the Galaxy S7 edge prove too hard to surmount? Read on and find out!
The Samsung Galaxy S8 Specifications Compared
Samsung is offering two variants in the Galaxy S8 family. The Samsung Galaxy S8 (Amazon | Lazada) is the smaller model with a 5.8″ display; while the Samsung Galaxy S8+ is a larger model with a 6.2″ display. We compare their specifications against the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge.
Specifications
Samsung Galaxy S8+
Samsung Galaxy S8
Samsung Galaxy S7 edge
Display
6.2" Super AMOLED dual-edge display
- 1440 x 2960 pixels (529 ppi)
5.8" Super AMOLED dual-edge display
- 1440 x 2960 pixels (570 ppi)
5.5" Super AMOLED dual-edge display
- 1440 x 2560 pixels (534 ppi)
Protection
Corning Gorilla Glass 5 (front & back panels)
Corning Gorilla Glass 5 (front & back panels)
Corning Gorilla Glass 4 (front & back panels)
Operating System (At Launch)
Android 7.0 Nougat
Android 7.0 Nougat
Android 6.0 Marshmallow
System Platform
Samsung Exynos 8895
or
Qualcomm Snapdragon 835
Samsung Exynos 8895
or
Qualcomm Snapdragon 835
Samsung Exynos 8890 Octa
or
Qualcomm Snapdragon 820
Memory
4 GB LPDDR4 SDRAM
4 GB LPDDR4 SDRAM
4 GB LPDDR4 SDRAM
Storage Options
64 GB internal flash storage
One microSD slot (shared with SIM 2) - supports up to 256 GB
64 GB internal flash storage
One microSD slot (shared with SIM 2) - supports up to 256 GB
32 GB / 64 GB internal flash storage
One microSD slot (shared with SIM 2) - supports up to 200 GB
Front Camera
8 MP sensor with f/1.7 lens
8 MP sensor with f/1.7 lens
5 MP sensor with f/1.7 lens
Rear Camera
12 MP Sony / Samsung (1.4 µm) sensor with f/1.7 lens, optical image stabilisation (OIS) and LED flash
12 MP Sony / Samsung (1.4 µm) sensor with f/1.7 lens, optical image stabilisation (OIS) and LED flash
12 MP Sony / Samsung (1.4 µm) sensor with f/1.7 lens, optical image stabilisation (OIS) and LED flash
3,500 mAh lithium-ion battery (non-removable)
- fast charging capability (wired & wireless)
- wireless charging (WPC and PMA)
3,000 mAh lithium-ion battery (non-removable)
- fast charging capability (wired & wireless)
- wireless charging (WPC and PMA)
3,600 mAh lithium-ion battery (non-removable)
- fast charging capability (wired & wireless)
- wireless charging (Qi and PMA)
Dimensions
159.5 mm tall
73.4 mm wide
8.1 mm thick
148.9 mm tall
68.1 mm wide
8.0 mm thick
150.9 mm tall
72.6 mm wide
7.7 mm thick
Weight
173 g
152 g
157 g
Colour Options
Midnight Black, Orchid Gray, Arctic Silver, Coral Blue, Maple Gold
Midnight Black, Orchid Gray, Arctic Silver, Coral Blue, Maple Gold
Black Onyx, Silver Titanium, Gold Platinum
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The Samsung Galaxy S8 Hands-On Look
The Samsung Galaxy S8 (Amazon | Lazada) has a large 5.8″ Super AMOLED display with a WQHD+ resolution of 1440 x 2960 pixels. But thanks to its Infinity Display design, the Samsung Galaxy S8 is actually narrower than the Galaxy S7 edge! This means it will better fit smaller hands, while offering a larger display.
The new Infinity Display almost covers the entire front aspect of the Galaxy S8 (Amazon | Lazada). Samsung achieved this by removing the physical Home button and making it part of the display. It is pressure-sensitive, and works like a physical button.
What’s really new is the iris scanner that first appeared in the ill-fated Galaxy Note7, and the rear-mounted fingerprint sensor. Samsung also introduced a better front camera. We will look into them in greater detail shortly.
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The Samsung Galaxy S8 Cameras
The Samsung Galaxy S8 (Amazon | Lazada) received a nice boost to its front camera. It now pairs an 8 MP sensor with the f/1.7 lens. It is capable of recording 4K videos at 30 fps, and has great low-light capability. its low-light capability will come in handy, as the front camera does not have flash support, not even screen flash.
Samsung maintained the same excellent 12 MP sensor from the Galaxy S7 edge, which boasts large 1.4 μm pixels and Dual Pixel autofocus technology. That doesn’t mean the sensor is capable of delivering twice as many pixels of resolution though.
Dual Pixel technology is actually an autofocus technology that uses the dual photodiodes in every pixel on the image sensor for phase-detection autofocus. This allows for faster and more accurate focusing, because it uses many more autofocus pixels, instead of just a few dedicated pixels (usually less than 5% of the total).
The slight camera bump in the Galaxy S7 edge is now eliminated, probably because the entire device is now 0.3 mm thicker. However, the back is not perfectly flat, because of the protective ring around the camera and fingerprint sensor. That is not a bad thing, just something to note.
Hybrid SIM & Fingerprint Sensor
This is the European model (SM-G950F), so it does not have a hybrid SIM tray. If you want dual SIM, dual standby capability, you will need to get the South East Asian model (SM-G950FD). This gives you some flexibility – you can choose to use either a second SIM card, or a microSD card, but not both at the same time. The microSD slot supports microSD cards of up to 256 GB in size.
With the removal of the physical Home button, Samsung moved the fingerprint sensor to the back of the Galaxy S8 (Amazon | Lazada). This is not unique as many smartphones have a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor (e.g. Huawei Mate 9, Honor 5C). However, the Galaxy S8 fingerprint sensor is awkwardly placed next to the camera sensor, instead of the more natural position below the camera sensor.
The higher position makes it harder for the user to reach (because the Galaxy S8 is a tall device). Being offset makes it harder for left-handed users to use, and makes it easy for all users to smear the main camera lens with their oily fingerprints. Obviously Samsung is aware of this problem, because the Galaxy S8 will alert you to clean the main camera lens!
Sadly, we did not like this fingerprint sensor. It is harder to use, as our video later will show, although its usability improves with practice. But the good news is – the Samsung Galaxy S8 also supports new alternative login methods like iris scanning and face recognition.
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Iris Scanner & Facial Recognition
These are new abilities for a Samsung Galaxy S series smartphone. They were first introduced in the Galaxy Note7, The iris scanner was surprisingly easy to set up and use, and so, it quickly became our favourite way to log into the Galaxy S8.
The iris scanner works best if you are not using glasses or contact lenses though, and it may not work in bright sunlight. Its accuracy may also be affected by dirt and fingerprint smudges on the iris camera and LED sensor. Finally, the iris scanner takes longer to log in than the fingerprint sensor, but the coolness factor is undeniable.
The facial recognition feature is easier and faster to use because it does not require you to align your eyes with the sensor focus circles. However, it is less secure than the iris scanner or fingerprint scanner.
IP68 Dust & Water Resistance
Like the Galaxy S7 edge, the Samsung Galaxy S8 (Amazon | Lazada) is IP68-rated for dust- and water-resistance. Best of all, you don’t even have to prepare it in any way before you dunk it into water! For more information how how Samsung achieved this feat, take a look at ourSamsung Galaxy S7 IP68 Engineering Explained.
Officially, the Galaxy S8 can withstand complete immersion in water up to 1.5 m in depth, for up to 30 minutes. That means you can take it for jogs in the rain, reading in the shower or soaking in bath. Heck, you can even take it for a swim!
There are some caveats though. The IP68 rating applies to a specific set of test conditions : 15-35 °C, 86-106 kPa, 1.5 metre, 30 minutes. Even so, water may enter and damage the Galaxy S7 edge if it is exposed to “water moving with force“, like running water from a tap or waterfall, or ocean waves.
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The Samsung Galaxy S8 Setup Process
The Samsung Galaxy S8 (Amazon | Lazada) runs on Android 7.0 Nougat, and is very easy to set-up. If you are setting it up as a new device, it should take you only 5-7 minutes to finish the setup process.
The Ergonomics
Looking at the specifications, you would expect the Samsung Galaxy S8 (Amazon | Lazada) to be a large phablet. After all, it has a large 5.8″ display. Yet, it feels smaller than its predecessor, the 5.5″ Samsung Galaxy S7 edge, and even 5.2″ smartphones like HTC 10.
Despite the large display, it is narrower at just over 6.8 mm wide. This makes it a better fit for smaller hands. Because it’s narrower, the Galaxy S8 also fits pockets better. That said, it is longer and will poke out of shallower pockets.
The large Super AMOLED display is beautiful as always. Despite claims of red screen issues, our review unit had no such problems. However, the WQHD+ resolution of 1440 x 2960 results in a non-standard 18.5:9 display ratio. Watching movies will result in some pillarboxing– a black bar on each side of the movie.
The Gorilla Glass 5 back looks fabulous… at first. It is easily smudged by oily fingerprints, because it lacks the oleophobic coating of the front Gorilla Glass 5 cover protecting the display. The smudges are particularly obvious on the Midnight Black version.
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Available Memory & Storage
The Samsung Galaxy S8 (Amazon | Lazada) comes with 4 GB of LPDDR4 memory, of which 1.5 GB (37.5%) is available for use. There is a fair bit of bloat. That said, 1.5 GB of memory is enough to run several applications simultaneously. In fact, it is more memory than what some low-end smartphones ship with!
The Samsung Galaxy S8 (Amazon | Lazada) comes with 64 GB of internal flash storage, with 52.6 GB of free space for you to use. That is enough space to store about 12,000 photos, or 6.5 hours of 1080p videos, or 2.5 hours of 4K videos. If that’s not enough, you can top it up with a microSD card (up to 256 GB).
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Camera Performance – Photos
The Samsung Galaxy S8 (Amazon | Lazada) uses the same excellent 12 MP camera as the Galaxy S7 edge. It will use either the Sony IMX260 sensor, or Samsung’s own ISOCELL S5KL1 sensor. They are both identical in specifications and performance – with Dual Pixel autofocus technology and 1.4 μm pixels.
The maximum 12 MP resolution is attained with the 4:3 aspect ratio. Each picture has a resolution of 4032 x 3024, and a file size of between 3.8 MB and 4.8 MB. Here are 6 high-resolution samples for you to check out. Click on them to load the full-sized photos, which you can also download to examine.
It’s no surprise that the Samsung Galaxy S8 (Amazon | Lazada) performed exactly as its predecessor, the Galaxy S7 edge, in this respect. It still remains one of the best, if not the best, smartphone camera out there today.
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Camera Performance – Video Recording
Like its predecessor, the Galaxy S7 edge, the Samsung Galaxy S8 (Amazon | Lazada) is capable of recording 4K videos from both front and back cameras. However, this time, Samsung has limited the 4K recording time to just 10 minutes. This was likely done to ensure that the sensor does not overheat the battery that lies next to it.
The Samsung Galaxy S7 edge has no such limitations, and is thus, a better smartphone for 4K video recording. However, the Galaxy S7 edge is somewhat limited by the 4 GB file size limit. When you record a long 4K video, it will be broken up into separate files that are about 11 minutes in length, with a short recording gap in between.
Below are six video samples, all taken without the use of gimbals.
Test #1 : Blues Band (1080p)
We really liked how the Galaxy S8 captured this rendition of Mongo Santamaría’s 1962 hit Watermelon Man. The audio quality was very good, albeit lacking the wider dynamic range of the HTC 10 (when HiRes Audio is enabled). The noise reduction is decent, although the background noise is still audible, especially at around the 3:20 mark.
Test #2 : Blues Band (4K)
In this video, note the incredible amount of detail captured by the Samsung Galaxy S8 (Amazon | Lazada). We are particularly impressed with its ability to capture detail in the darker foreground, while not overblowing the much brighter background. It also demonstrated decent image stabilisation, although it’s far from being the best we have seen.
Test #3 : Street Market (1080p)
In this test of the Samsung Galaxy S8’s image stabilisation capability, you will note that it does a rather decent job of smoothing out the jerkiness during our walk. It is not the best we have seen, but it’s still pretty good.
Test #4 : Street Market (4K)
The 4K video is noticeably jerky. This is probably because it can only rely on OIS (optical image stabilisation), but there’s no EIS (electronic image stabilisation).
Test #5 : Night Dancing (1080p)
The Samsung Galaxy S8 (Amazon | Lazada) exhibited great control of the scene. It captured great detail in the much darker foreground, while doing a very respectable job of controlling the highlights in the much brighter background. There was also no abrupt changes in the exposure when we panned from a brighter scene to a darker one. Very good!
Test #6 : Night Dancing (4K)
The resolution in this 4K video is amazing, considering the fact this was taken at night with limited light. The camera’s f/1.7 lens really helped to deliver great low-light performance.
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Work Performance – PCMark
We tested the Samsung Galaxy S8’s performance using PCMark, which simulates work applications like web browing, playing video, writing text and editing photos.
Samsung Galaxy S8
Huawei Mate 9
ASUS ZenFone 3 Ultra
HTC 10
Work Performance Score
(Average)
6049
7593
6313
6105
Web Browsing
7261
8717
6257
5782
Video Playback
3799
4987
4287
3321
Writing
6936
7883
7166
7463
Photo Editing
6996
9702
8262
9694
The Samsung Galaxy S8 (Amazon | Lazada) is as fast as the Snapdragon 820-powered HTC 10 in work applications, but slower than the Huawei Mate 9 which is powered by the Kirin 960.
Battery Life – PCMark
We then tested the Galaxy S8’s battery performance using PCMark. It basically ran the PCMark work tests until its battery capacity dropped to 20%.
This is amazing. The Samsung Galaxy S8 (Amazon | Lazada) has a relatively small 3,000 mAh battery, but it lasts as long as the Huawei Mate 9 (4,000 mAh) and the ASUS ZenFone 3 Ultra (4,600 mAh). In fact, it lasts more than twice as long as the HTC 10, which has the same battery capacity!
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Battery Recharging Performance
The Samsung Galaxy S8 comes with an adaptive fast charger with a power output of 15 W. Take a look at how fast it recharged the 3,000 mAh battery.
It took the Samsung Galaxy S8 (Amazon | Lazada) just 87 minutes (1 hour 27 minutes) to recharge its battery from 18% to 100%. This is a battery life : recharging ratio of 8.4 : 1 – a truly amazing performance.
The fastest recharging happened up to the 85% level. This took just 57 minutes. Then the recharging speed slowed down, and it took a further 30 minutes to top up the remaining 15%.
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Gaming Performance – 3DMark
We tested the Galaxy S8’s gaming performance using 3DMark, using the Ice Storm Unlimited test.
Samsung Galaxy S8
Huawei Mate 9
ASUS ZenFone 3 Ultra
HTC 10
Gaming Score
29509
27853
17719
23171
Graphics
33279
36605
21124
27512
Physics
21130
15164
11328
14925
Graphics Test 1
173.1 fps
202.5 fps
115.2 fps
136.6 fps
Graphics Test 2
124.3 fps
131.1 fps
76.3 fps
106.4 fps
Physics Test
67.1 fps
48.1 fps
36.0 fps
47.4 fps
The Samsung Galaxy S8 (Amazon | Lazada) edged out the Huawei Mate 9 in this test. Its GPU was slightly slower, but its CPU was significantly faster than the competition. It can definitely handle any game you throw at it, and then some!
Overall Performance
AnTuTu is a nice benchmark for testing various performance aspects of Android devices.
Samsung Galaxy S8
Huawei Mate 9
ASUS ZenFone 3 Ultra
HTC 10
TOTAL SCORE
175422
123167
76096
113813
3D SCORE
74336
40114
18816
50700
– 3D (Marooned)
43953
23313
10861
34778
– 3D (Garden)
30383
16801
7952
15922
UX SCORE
52159
39975
26794
30890
– UX Data Secure
7996
7943
5077
6319
– UX Data Process
5866
6985
4198
3379
– UX Strategy Games
11165
11860
7503
5433
– UX Image Process
22716
5580
6879
9521
– UX I/O Performance
4416
7607
3137
6238
CPU SCORE
38513
31992
23689
21915
– CPU Mathematics
10996
9680
6950
8494
– CPU Common Use
10939
11139
6311
5931
– CPU Multi-Core
16578
11173
10428
7490
RAM
10414
11086
6797
10308
The Samsung Galaxy S8 (Amazon | Lazada) really pulverised the competition in this test. It was 42% faster than the Huawei Mate 9, 54% faster than the HTC 10, and 2.3X faster than the ASUS ZenFone 3 Ultra.
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Our Verdict & Award
The Samsung Galaxy S8 (Amazon | Lazada) is a work of design and engineering marvel. Even with greater scrutiny and safety protocols in place, Samsung managed to squeeze in a plethora of new technologies into the Galaxy S8.
First and foremost is the Infinity Display, which is almost bezel-less and covers almost all of the front aspect. To achieve this, Samsung integrated a pressure-sensitive Home button into the display itself, and moved the fingerprint sensor to the back.
The Infinity Display also allowed Samsung to increase the display size while reducing the width of the device. The Samsung Galaxy S8 (Amazon | Lazada) has a large 5.8″ display in a form factor that equivalent to a regular 5″ device. It makes for a better fit for smaller hands, and most pockets.
The new 18.5 : 9 aspect ratio is useful for viewing two different screens at the same time, but introduces pillarboxing when you watch movies. Samsung allows you to stretch the videos to fit the entire screen, but you will lose the upper and lower parts of the videos. So it’s a trade-off.
As their flagship smartphone, it comes as no surprise that the Samsung Galaxy S8 (Amazon | Lazada) is fast… very fast actually. It also has plenty of memory and Samsung thankfully upgraded the internal storage to 64 GB. This should be more than enough for most users, even if they enjoy recording 4K videos.
The Samsung Galaxy S8 (Amazon | Lazada) retained the same amazing camera used in its predecessor, the Galaxy S7 edge. It takes the same excellent pictures and videos, even in low-light conditions. It only loses out a little in its image stabilisation and audio fidelity capabilities. Even so, this is still one of the best smartphone cameras in the market.
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We also love what Samsung did with its battery. The Galaxy S8 (Amazon | Lazada) comes with a smaller batter than the Galaxy S7 edge, but it actually lasted an hour longer (12 hours) in our stress test! That puts it on par with smartphones with 5,000 mAh batteries. Best of all – you can completely recharge it in less than 1.5 hours!
The offset fingerprint sensor, though, was awkward to use. We highly recommend that Samsung move the fingerprint sensor to the more conventional position below the main camera in their next device. We far prefer the iris scanner, which is really easy (and cool!) to use.
The Samsung Galaxy S8 (Amazon | Lazada) proves that Samsung still has the magical touch. They continue to lead the field in developing new technologies that are not only awe-inspiring, but actually add new practical capabilities. The boys and girls are Cupertino better buck the hell up, because Samsung is leaving them in the dust with the Galaxy S8!
There can be no doubt that the Samsung Galaxy S8 deserves our Editor’s Choice Award. Job well done, Samsung!
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KUALA LUMPUR, 27 APRIL 2017 – LG Electronics (LG) today unveiled the G6 smartphone, its latest flagship offering that features a bold new display format complemented by a cinematic viewing experience, exceptional screen to body ratio, wide angle camera and more.
Designed in response to consumer feedback and user opinions, the LG G6 focuses on the features consumers want, most notably a big screen that comfortably fits in one hand. The LG G6 smartphone comes with voice control and a personal assistant amongst other new features, offering unrivaled usability and convenience.
First Smartphone in the World to Feature 18:9 Display Format
The LG G6 comes with a 5.7-inch QHD+ (2,880 x 1,440 resolution) FullVision display, and for the first time ever in a smartphone, an 18:9 screen aspect ratio. Compared with conventional 16:9 aspect ratio displays, the 18:9 format offers more viewing space and a more immersive experience when streaming videos and playing games.
Sculpted from aluminum and glass, the G6 features a minimalist and sleek design smooth to the touch. The metal frame that is a soft matte finish, imparts solidity in style with a high gloss back is perfectly flat. The rounded corners of the G6 also disperse the impact if the phone is dropped.
Elevate the Mobile Viewing Experience with Dolby Vision
The LG G6 now supports two High Dynamic Range (HDR) standards for viewers to get more out of cinematic contents available for smartphones. As the first smartphone to feature Dolby Vision technology, the LG G6 also supports HDR 10, both of which are standards for the picture quality technology that displays a wider ran6ge of color and luminosity.
Dual 13MP Cameras with Wide Angle Lens to Capture all the Beauty
LG G6’s dual 13MP rear cameras, which boast a 125-degree wide angle lens, capture more in a shot that regular phones cannot achieve. When taking scenic shots of natural landscapes such as vast mountain ranges and waterfalls, simply switch to the wide angle lens to get all the beautiful details in. Users will also experience seamless transitions when zooming in and out between the wide angle and standard camera lenses even during 4K video capture.
The G6 comes with an expanded 100-degree field of view with its 5MP front camera, which means users can take selfies or wefies without the need for a selfie stick. Plus, the camera reduces edge distortion, which makes for more natural-looking images.
Built for Durability
The LG G6 boasts IP68 water and dust resistance, which makes it protected up to 1.5 meters of water for as long as 30 minutes. Users can now worry less about accidental drops in water and spillages.
The smartphone also endures tests for high temperatures and nail penetration, and uses a proprietary technology that dissipates heat via an internal heat pipe, the first in an LG smartphone. LG engineers have also positioned the components most prone to overheating as far from each other as possible.
Everyday Tasks a Cinch with the Google Assistant
The LG G6 has Google Assistant built-in. It works seamlessly with LG apps, empowering users to get fast answers, manage everyday tasks, enjoy the best music and videos and search the G6 quicker than ever. And with the remote after-service utilizing artificial intelligence, the more Google Assistant is used, the more personalized the user experience becomes.
Coming in astro black, ice platinum and mystic white colors, the smartphone will retail at RM 2,999 / ~US$ 659 and is available from first week of May 2017 onwards at selected LG authorized retailers. Each purchase of the G6 comes with a free flip case worth RM174 / ~US$ 39 while stocks last.
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The new ZTE Blade V8 (Amazon | Lazada) smartphone was officially launched today. Designed with the youth market in mind, the Blade V8 comes with a dual-lens camera that not only produces better bokeh, it is also capable of taking 3D photos and videos. Let’s check it out in greater detail!
The ZTE Blade V8 Smartphone
The ZTE Blade V8 (Amazon | Lazada) is a 5.2″ smartphone that runs on the latest Android 7.0 Nougat, and is powered by the octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 435. It comes with 3 GB of memory and 32 GB of internal flash storage. If that’s not enough, you can add storage using a microSD card (up to 128 GB).
The ZTE Blade V8’s killer feature is the main camera, which is 3D capable, thanks to the second 2 MP camera placed away from the main 13 MP camera. This gives the camera enough stereoscopic capability to produce 3D pictures and videos. It can also improve the bokeh in normal 2D photos, and adds a refocus mode, which allows you to change the focus in the picture after you have taken it.
Its front camera is no slouch either. It boasts the same 13 MP Sony IMX258 sensor used by the main camera, paired with a f/2.2 lens, and supported by a Moonlight flash. What is a Moonlight flash? It’s actually a dedicated LED flash, with a softer glow to avoid harsh highlights when you take selfies.
The ZTE Blade V8 Specifications
Specifications
ZTE Blade V8
Display
5.2" full HD IPS display, with 2.D edge glass cover
- 1080 x 1920 pixels, 424 ppi
Operating System
Android 7.0 Nougat with ZTE MiFavor UI 4.2
System Platform
Qualcomm Snapdragon 435
Processor
8 x ARM Cortex-A53 cores (1.4 GHz)
Graphics Processor
Qualcomm Adreno 505
Memory
3 GB LPDDR3 SDRAM (800 MHz)
Storage
32 GB internal flash storage (eMMC 5.1)
microSD card slot (up to 128 GB), shared with SIM2
Front Camera
13 MP Sony IMX258 sensor with f/2.2 lens
- supports PDAF technology and Moonlight flash
Main Camera
Dual-lens camera capable of taking 3D pictures and videos
- 13 MP Sony IMX258 sensor with f/2.0 lens + 2 MP sensor
- supports PDAF and single LED flash
Connectivity
GSM : 2G / 3G / 4G LTE
WiFi : 802.11/b/g/n
Bluetooth : v4.1
USB : USB 2.0 Type C
Accelerometer, Proximity, Ambient light, Compass, Gyroscope, Hall sensor
FM Radio
Yes
Battery
2730 mAh lithium-ion battery (non-removable)
Dimensions
71.5 mm wide x 148.4 mm tall x 7.7 mm thick
Available Colours
Grey / Rose Gold
The ZTE Blade V8 Price & Availability
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The ZTE Blade V8 (Amazon | Lazada) is priced at RM 999 (inclusive of GST) / ~US$ 219. It is available in the Grey colour option right now, with the Rose Gold option coming in only in June 2017.
Every ZTE Blade V8 (Amazon | Lazada) will come with a TPU case and screen protector. But those purchasing their Blade V8 online will also receive a flip case, in addition to the standard freebies (TPU case and screen protector).
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25 APRIL 2017 – Save the date! Come May 5th this year, Malaysians will be able to own Huawei’s latest flagship in the long-awaited Greenery and Dazzling Blue. The Huawei P10, co-engineered with Leica, is equipped with cutting edge technological innovations and now the latest on-trend colours, the P10 redefines what it means to be a flagship smartphone.
A photography studio in your pocket, that is just what the Huawei P10 (Amazon | Lazada) brings to the table. Featuring a Leica front camera, which complements the Leica dual rear cameras, the P10 is equipped with the most advanced photography technology to create modern artistic portrait masterpieces in Leica’s signature style. With features like studio-like re-lighting and 3D facial detection technology, the P10 brings the ability to produce beautiful photography in any environment to the masses.
The Greenery and Dazzling Blue Huawei P10
Huawei also sets a new standard in design by incorporating special colours into its latest flagship smartphone. By collaborating with Pantone Color Institute, the world’s pre-eminent thought leader on colour, Huawei presents the P10 in an all exclusive Greenery and Dazzling Blue.
Crowned as the official Pantone Colour of the Year 2017, Greenery delivers a clean and stylish sandblast finish, while the gorgeous Dazzling Blue Huawei P10 breathes character into the device through its Hyper Diamond-Cut finishing to produce a stunning glow effect. A smartphone that gives you world-class innovative technology along with exquisite aesthetics, the Huawei P10 (Amazon | Lazada) is truly a tool for everyone to express themselves in a unique way.
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“2017 is an exciting year for Huawei, and we have kicked off by launching one of the most technologically advanced smartphones to start year off with a bang. Since sales of the Huawei P10 started, we have received numerous request to bring in the P10 in the two unique Pantone colours, Greenery and Dazzling Blue, thus our decision to give our consumers what they want,” said Matthew Ng, Deputy Country Director of Huawei Malaysia. “The P10 is truly a complete device inside and out. From its powerful Kirin 960 processor, EMUI 5.1 interface and Leica cameras to its ultra slim, minimalistic and now expressive colours; the P10 is more than just a smartphone, it is a symbol of polished precision that is designed to be powerful and enjoyable at the same time.”
The Greenery and Dazzling BlueHuawei P10 (Amazon | Lazada) will be available in all Huawei Experience Stores and Display Zones nationwide starting May 5th this year, and will retail for RM2,499 / ~US$549.
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Huawei is the world’s third largest smartphone brand in the world, accounting for 9.5% of smartphone sales in Q4 2016. Spearheading their assault on Samsung’s position as the top Android smartphone brand in the world is their Leica c0-branded Huawei Mate 9 (Amazon | Lazada) smartphone.
In this review, we will check out the Huawei Mate 9 (Amazon | Lazada) in great detail, including its Leica branded dual-lens camera. Find out why we awarded it our coveted Editor’s Choice Award!
The Huawei Mate 9 Specifications Comparison
In case you are wondering how much of a difference the Huawei Mate 9 brings to the table, here is a detailed comparison of its specifications to its predecessor, the Huawei Mate 8 (Amazon | Lazada). We also added the bespoke Huawei Mate 9 Porsche (Amazon).
Specifications
Huawei Mate 9 Porsche Design
Huawei Mate 9
Huawei Mate 8
Operating System
Android 7.0 Nougat
Android 7.0 Nougat
Android 6.0 Marshmallow
Display
5.5" AMOLED display
- 1440 x 2560 pixels (534 ppi, 73.2% screen to body ratio)
The inclusion of the Huawei Mate 9 protective case in the package is most welcomed, even though it only protects the back and the four corners of the Mate 9 (Amazon | Lazada). At least it offers some protection out of the box, until you get a better case.
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The Huawei Mate 9 Smartphone
The Huawei Mate 9 (Amazon | Lazada) is a 6″ phablet (officially 5.98″) with an IPS-NEO display. There was some confusion about its display and protection. Let us be clear – the Huawei Mate 9 Porsche (Amazon) has an AMOLED display, while the “regular” Huawei Mate 9 uses an IPS-NEO display. They are both protected by Gorilla Glass 3, not Gorilla Glass 5.
The Huawei Mate 9 (Amazon | Lazada) runs on the octa-core Kirin 960, with 4 GB of LPDDR4 SDRAM and 64 GB of internal flash storage. It is powered by a large 4,000 mAh lithium-ion polymer battery. All that is packed into a metal unibody chassis less than 8 mm thick.
The Huawei Mate 9 has a two-slot SIM tray on the left side. Depending on region, this may support a single nano SIM and a microSD card, or a hybrid SIM tray in which a second nano SIM can be used in lieu of the microSD card.
Like many premium smartphones, the Huawei Mate 9 (Amazon | Lazada) uses the new bidirectional Type C USB port. To support users with existing micro USB cables and OTG drives, Huawei threw in a micro USB to USB Type C adaptor.
Somehow, Huawei managed to squeeze in the 3.5 mm audio port at the top. This will please people who enjoy using their smartphones as music players, but may prevent the use of external microphones.
Hybrid SIM & Fingerprint Sensor
The MHA-L29 version of the Huawei Mate 9 (Amazon | Lazada) has Dual SIM, Dual Standby capability. However, only the SIM1 supports 4G calls and data, while SIM2 can only support 3G calls. The SIM card tray is located along the left edge, and supports two nano SIM cards.
The second SIM card tray is a hybrid SIM tray, which allows you to install a microSD card instead. In other words, it supports either a second nano SIM card, or a microSD card, but not both at the same time. In the MHA-L09 version, the tray only supports one nano SIM card with the second slot dedicated to the microSD card.
The Huawei Mate 9 (Amazon | Lazada) uses a fingerprint sensor that is located at the back, just under the main camera. This is an all-aspect fingerprint sensor that unlocks the smartphone with just a touch. Huawei promises that it is 20% faster than the Huawei Mate 8’s fingerprint sensor.
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The Huawei Mate 9 Cameras
The Huawei Mate 9’s killer feature is its second-generation Leica-branded dual-lens camera. The camera uses a 12 MP RGB sensor to capture colour, and a 20 MP monochrome sensor to pick up the finer details. Their output are then combined to produce the final image.
The dual-lens camera features f/2.2 Leica Summarit-H lenses with optical image stabilisation. The camera’s ability to reduce handshake in low light condition is further enhanced by the pixel binning ability of the dual lenses.
