vivo is now a top 5 smartphone brand globally in Q2 2021!
Find out what this means for one of the fastest-growing smartphone brands in the world!
vivo Is Top 5 Smartphone Brand Globally In Q2 2021!
On 28 July 2021, Canalys announced that vivo ranked fifth in global smartphone shipments, with a market share of 10% in the second quarter of 2021!
Despite the challenging business climate brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, vivo actually increased their smartphone shipments 27% year-on-year!
Thanks to this strong growth, vivo remains firmly one of the top 5 smartphone brands globally.
How vivo Achieved Its Position As Top 5 Brand
vivo gave us some insights into how they achieved their present-day success as a top 5 smartphone brand globally.
vivo leveraged the local mindset with an understanding of the local culture and management as they steadily expanded globally.
Today, vivo has a global sales network that stretches across more than 50 countries and regions, with over 400 million users worldwide.
vivo also maintained a strong lead in telecommunications technology, applying for over 3,000 5G patents and submitting over 5,000 5G proposals to the telecommunications standard development organisations of the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP).
They have even started research of 6G technology, which is expected to be launched in 2030. They currently have a network of 10 R&D centres in Shenzhen, Dongguan, Nanjing, Beijing, Hangzhou, Shanghai, Xi’an, Taipei, Tokyo and San Diego.
You can now register your maid / domestic helper for the free COVID-19 vaccine programme in Malaysia!
Find out how to register your maid / domestic helper for the free COVID-19 vaccine on MySejahtera!
You Can Now Register Your Maid For FREE COVID-19 Vaccine!
On 11 February 2021, the Malaysian government announced that the COVID-19 vaccine will be offered for FREE to all foreign residents in Malaysia.
This includes maids, domestic helpers, blue collar and white collar workers and even their spouses.
On 24 March 2021, the Malaysia Science, Technology and Innovation Minister, Khairy Jamaluddin, confirmed that you can start registering your maid as a dependent in MySejahtera :
Yes, foreign domestic helpers are eligible and can be registered as dependents under MySj. https://t.co/KatEhHLBRr
Your maid is considered as a dependent, for the purpose of registering for the COVID-19 vaccine.
Here is our video guide on how to register for COVID-19 vaccination for your dependents using MySejahtera.
It’s the same process, whether you are using an Apple iPhone, or an Android smartphone.
Don’t worry about making mistakes. You can redo the registration, to correct for mistakes.
For those who prefer pictures and text, here is our step-by-step pictorial guide :
Make sure you update to MySejahtera 1.0.30 or laterbefore you proceed.
Open MySejahtera.
Tap on the Close button on the upper right corner of the default Check-in screen.
You should see the MySejahtera main screen, and it should show you a new COVID-19 Vaccination option.
Tap on the COVID-19 Vaccination option and it will show you this information display.
Tap on the second option – Add Vaccine Dependent.
You will be shown a screen with your registered dependents.
If you did not add any dependents yet, you can do so by tapping on the Add Vaccination Dependent option at the bottom.
Otherwise, skip to Step 12.
Key in your maid’s details – Full name, Relationship with you, NRIC / Passport number, Age, Gender, Current Address and Post Code, and State.
Check the details and tap Save when you are done.
Your newly-added dependent will now appear in the list of dependents.
Tap on the Add as vaccine dependent option of the dependent you wish to register.
You will be asked to confirm that you have the authority to manage the vaccination process for your maid.
You are also asked to note that once this maid is registered to your MySejahtera account, she cannot be registered for the COVID-19 vaccine programme with a different MySejahtera account.
Tap on Yes, Proceed to proceed with the registration.
You will be asked to verify your maid’s name and Passport number; as well as confirm that she is over 18 years old.
Technically, it should state 18 years old and older, because the COVID-19 vaccine programme is open to those who are 18 years of age too.
If you notice any mistake, tap Edit to change the name and IC / Passport number.
Otherwise, tap the I confirm that my dependent is over 18 years old check box, and tap Submit.
You will be asked to answer four simple questions, to determine whether she should be classed under Phase 2 or Phase 3 of the COVID-19 Vaccination Program, as well as your location.
The address search option may not work. If that happens, tap on the Location finder to let MySejahtera use your GPS location.
Please BE HONEST in this assessment. It will, after all, be verified by the Ministry of Health.When it comes to Question no. 2 – Do you have any comorbities? – that refers to any medical condition you have that may put you at greater risk of dying from COVID-19.For your reference, this includes :
Diabetes mellitus
Hypertension (high blood pressure)
Heart disease
Asthma
Cancer
Chronic lung disease
Kidney disease
Liver disease
Stroke
Low Immunity (Immunocompromised)
Obesity
Others
Once you are done, tap Submit, and your dependent will have a green checkmark next to it.
If you made any mistake, you can tap on Remove vaccine dependent, and begin the process all over again, from Step 12.
Then all you have to do is wait for the Malaysia Ministry of Health to contact you when it is your maid’s turn to be vaccinated against COVID-19!
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If you like our work, you can help support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
Exclusive on Tech ARP – the first look at the 2021 MacBook Pro ports, including a brand new MagSafe 3 port and an SD card slot!
Here is the first ever look at the MagSafe 3 connector, the SD card slot, and other ports that will ship with the 2021 MacBook Pro!
First Look : 2021 MacBook Pro MagSafe 3 + SD Card Slot!
Apple fans who miss the MagSafe port and the SD card reader in their MacBook laptops will have something to cheer for this year!
Apple will not only introduce a new MagSafe 3 connector in the upcoming 2021 MacBook Pro, they will also bring back the SD card slot!
New Apple MagSafe 3 Connector!
The new MagSafe 3 connector is bidirectional and has 5 pins, and will lock and detach magnetically like the previous two generations.
The MagSafe 3 connector is not compatible with older MacBook computers, and has a pill-shaped design with a thinner profile.
The MagSafe 3 port is located on the left side of the 2021 MBP, next to two Thunderbolt 3 (USB4) ports, and a 3.5 mm audio jack.
Ports on the left side of the 2021 Apple MBP | Copyright : Tech ARP (www.techarp.com)
Return Of The SD Card Reader!
We are also glad to report that Apple will (finally) bring back the SD card reader that many photographers LOVED, and bemoaned when Phil Schiller killed it in 2016.
Now that Schiller is out of Apple, it looks like it’s been resurrected for the 2021 MacBook Pro. Utility finally trumped cumbersome!
The SD card reader is located on the right side, together with a third Thunderbolt 3 (USB4) port and a HDMI 2.0 port.
Ports on the right side of the 2021 Apple MBP | Copyright : Tech ARP (www.techarp.com)
2021 Apple MacBook Pro : What Else Is New?
So what else is new in the 2021 MacBook Pro, other than MagSafe 3 and the resurrected SD card reader?
14-inch + 16-inch Models
There will be two 2021 MacBook Pro models – with 14-inch and 16-inch displays.
Apple M1X SoC
There will no longer be Intel CPU options, only the Apple M1X SoC.
Nothing much is known about the Apple M1X, other than it is a more powerful version of the M1 that has stunned many with its performance.
But rumours have it that it will have 12 processor cores, split into two performance clusters :
P Cluster (Performance) : 8 x Firestorm (?) cores
E Cluster (Efficient) : 4 x Icestorm (?) cores
It will have a more powerful GPU than Apple M1‘s 8-core GPU.
Memory
The Apple M1X will use the same unified memory design as the M1, built directly onto the package for near-instantaneous access.
However, it will offer larger memory options – 24 GB and 32 GB are possible – in addition to 16 GB currently available with the M1.
External Display Support
A big limitation of the Apple M1 is its support for just one external display of up to 6K resolution at 60 Hz.
The 2021 MacBook Pro will support at least two external displays, if not more, via its Thunderbolt 3 and HDMI ports.
OLED Touch Bar Gone!
Good riddance to the pointless OLED Touch Bar. That’s gone for the 2021 MacBook Pro models.
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If you own an Apple iPhone or use an Apple MagSafe charger, please make sure you keep them away from medical devices!
Find out why you need to be careful about putting them in close proximity with medical devices!
iPhone 12 + MagSafe : As Safe As Older iPhone Models
On 23 January 2021, Apple updated their safety guidance on the magnets in their iPhones and MagSafe chargers.
It addressed the concerns about the radios and larger number of magnets used in their latest devices :
iPhone 12
iPhone 12 mini
iPhone 12 Pro
iPhone 12 Pro Max
MagSafe Charger
MagSafe Duo
Apple claims even though they contain more magnets than prior iPhone models, they are “not expected to pose a greater risk of magnetic interference to medical devices than prior iPhone models“.
Keep Your iPhone + MagSafe Away From Medical Devices!
While Apple does not believe that the risk is higher in these newer iPhone 12 models and MagSafe chargers, they also noted that the magnets and radios could pose a risk to medical devices in close proximity.
Medical devices such as implanted pacemakers and defibrillators might contain sensors that respond to magnets and radios when in close contact.
These magnets and electromagnetic fields might interfere with medical devices.
Therefore, Apple recommends that you keep ALL iPhone models and MagSafe chargers away from medical devices, like pacemakers and defibrillators.
more than 6 inches or 15 cm apart, or
more than 12 inches or 30 cm apart if wirelessly charging
They also advised all users to stop using their iPhone or MagSafe accessories, if they suspect that they may be interfering with medical devices.
Note : This does NOT mean that the magnetic fields or wireless emissions of your iPhone or MagSafe accessories are dangerous to your health. They only pose a risk to medical devices.
Safety Guidance On iPhone + MagSafe Magnets + Radios
Here is Apple’s latest safety guidance on iPhone and MagSafe magnets and radios :
iPhone contains magnets as well as components and radios that emit electromagnetic fields. All MagSafe accessories (each sold separately) also contain magnets—and MagSafe Charger and MagSafe Duo Charger contain radios. These magnets and electromagnetic fields might interfere with medical devices.
Though all iPhone 12 models contain more magnets than prior iPhone models, they’re not expected to pose a greater risk of magnetic interference to medical devices than prior iPhone models.
Medical devices such as implanted pacemakers and defibrillators might contain sensors that respond to magnets and radios when in close contact. To avoid any potential interactions with these devices, keep your iPhone and MagSafe accessories a safe distance away from your device (more than 6 inches / 15 cm apart or more than 12 inches / 30 cm apart if wirelessly charging). But consult with your physician and your device manufacturer for specific guidelines.
Consult your physician and medical device manufacturer for information specific to your medical device and whether you need to maintain a safe distance of separation between your medical device and iPhone or any MagSafe accessories. Manufacturers often provide recommendations on the safe use of their devices around wireless or magnetic products to prevent possible interference. If you suspect iPhone or any MagSafe accessories are interfering with your medical device, stop using your iPhone or MagSafe accessories.
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Xiaomi CEO just announced that the Mi 11 will NOT come with a charger. Instead, he hints at something better.
Is that a good decision, or a bad one for Xiaomi? What do YOU think?
Confirmed : Xiaomi Mi 11 Will Ship Without In-Box Charger
Not everything Apple does should be copied, but Xiaomi appears to be following their lead in dropping the in-box charger.
The upcoming Mi 11 smartphone will be the first Xiaomi smartphone to ship without a charger in the box. As the picture below shows, the Mi 11 box is very thin.
Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun announced this, citing “environmental protection”, and saying that they are well aware that this decision may not be popular with their customers.
The picture of the box also gives sharp-eyed Xiaomi fans a preview of the Mi 11’s key features :
108 MP AI Super Camera
Super AMOLED Display with HDR10+ support
Sound by Harman / Kardon
Xiaomi Mi 11 : Good Or Bad To Ship Without Charger?
Echoing Apple’s words, he said that everyone has a lot of idle charges which is both a hassle for users to keep track of, and a burden to the environment.
Apple may be correct in that assessment since they have been using the same, piddling slow 5 watt charger for umpteen years until they introduced the 18 watt fast charger for the iPhone 11.
So iPhone users can use their old chargers from years ago without any change in charging experience.
But Android smartphones, including those from Xiaomi, have long provided much faster charging :
All those fast charging capabilities require new in-box chargers that support their higher charging speeds.
While you can use the old 5 watt or 10 watt chargers from years ago, they will not deliver the charging performance Xiaomi is quoting for their smartphones.
Xiaomi Mi 11 : A Better Solution Than In-Box Charger?
Lei Jun cryptically suggested that there may be a better solution for both the industry and the environment, which he will reveal at the Mi 11 press conference on 28 December 2020.
This is quite possibly some form of fast wireless charging technology, of which Xiaomi recently demonstrated an 80 watt prototype.
But it will doubtless be offered as a separate upgrade, although it is possible that Xiaomi may bundle a fast wireless charger with the Mi 11 as a sweetener during these difficult times.
If Xiaomi ends up doing that, the talk won’t be about how they screwed their fans out of an in-box charger, but how they generously ushered in a new world of wireless charging.
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Packing 16 billion transistors, it is the first chip to be manufactured on the new 5 nm TSMC process technology.
As an SoC, it combines 8 CPU cores, an 8-core GPU, a 16-core Neural Engine, an image signal processor (ISP), an NVMe storage controller, a Thunderbolt 4 controller and a Secure Enclave – all in a single chip.
The Apple M1 is paired with either 8 GB or 16 GB of LPDDR4X memory using a system-in-a-package design.
8-Core CPU : ARM big.LITTLE Design
The Apple M1 uses the ARM big.LITTLE design for the CPU. Its 8-core CPU is divided into two performance clusters :
P Cluster (Performance) : 4 x Firestorm cores (up to 3.2 GHz)
E Cluster (Efficient) : 4 x Icestorm cores (up to 2.06 GHz)
The P Cluster is designed for high-performance, with a power consumption of 13.8 watts. It has a large 12 MB shared L2 cache, with a 128 KB dedicated L1 cache for each Firestorm core.
The E Cluster, on the other hand, is designed for a low power consumption of just 1.3 watts. It has a smaller 4 MB shared L2 cache, with a 64 KB dedicated L1 cache for each Icestorm core.
8-Core GPU : Mysterious Indeed!
The M1 uses an Apple-designed 8-core GPU, of which very little is known. Apple only says that it can handle up to 25,000 concurrent threads.
But from what we can tell, it has 128 execution units with an FP32 performance of 2.6 teraflops per second, a 82 GT/s texture fill rate, and a 41 GP/s pixel fill rate.
16-Core Neural Engine
The Apple M1 features a 16-core Neural Engine, which is capable of executing 11 trillion operations per second.
LPDDR4X Unified Memory
The Apple M1 uses a unified memory design, which means the CPU and GPU share the same memory.
Apple offers 8 GB and 16 GB LPDDR4X SDRAM options, built directly onto the package for near-instantaneous access.
Rosetta 2 Translation
As most Mac apps are compiled for x86 processors, they need to be translated to work with the Apple M1, which uses the totally different ARM architecture.
That’s where Apple Rosetta 2 comes in – introduced in macOS Big Sur, it translates or emulates x86 apps so that they can run properly on the M1 processor.
Certain apps, especially games, may require third-party software like Wine or CrossOver to work properly, like this example of The Witcher 3 running on the Apple M1.
Apple M1 : Specifications
Apple is hardly the most transparent company in the world, but here is what we know so far about the M1 chip’s specifications :
Specifications
Apple M1 (APL1102)
Fab Process
5 nm TSMC
Transistor Count
16 Billion
Die Size
120 mm²
CPU Cores
P Cluster : 4 x Firestorm cores
E Cluster : 4 x Icestorm cores
L1 Caches
Firestorm : 128 KB per core
Icestorm : 64 KB per core
L2 Caches
P Cluster : 12 MB shared
E Cluster : 4 MB shared
Clock Speed
P Cluster : 0.6~3.204 GHz
E Cluster : 0.6~2.064 GHz
CPU Power
Consumption
P Cluster : 13.8 W
E Cluster : 1.3 W
GPU Cores
8 Cores, 128 Execution Units
GPU FP32 Performance
2.6 TFLOPS
GPU Texture Fillrate
82 GT/s
GPU Pixel Fillrate
41 GP/s
Memory Size
8 GB / 16 GB
Memory Type
LPDDR4x-4266
Memory Interface
128-bit
Memory Bandwidth
68.27 GB/s
Neural Engine
16 Cores
Neural Engine
Performance
11 Trillion Ops / Second
TDP
10 watts (MacBook Air)
Apple M1 : How Fast Are Its CPU + GPU?
Unfortunately, we do not have access to the Apple M1, but Ars Technica tested it in the 2020 Mac mini. Take a look at some of the results they posted :
Note : While Ars Technica listed the M1 as a 10 watt part, this is only what Apple claims for the MacBook Air. It is likely to be clocked higher, with a higher TDP in the Mac mini and MacBook Pro.
Geekbench 5 : Single-Threaded CPU Test
Will you look at that? The Apple M1’s Firestorm cluster has really good single-core performance!
It was 7% faster than the Core i7-1185G7, in both 28W and 15W TDP modes; and 53% faster than the Ryzen 7 4700U!
Geekbench 5 : Multi-Threaded CPU Test
This is even more astounding! The Apple M1 is even faster in the multi-threaded test!
In the multi-threaded test, the Apple M1 was 22% faster and 54% faster than the Core i7-1185G7 in 28W and 15W modes, respectively. It was also 52% faster than the Ryzen 7 4700U!
Geekbench 5 : GPU Test
Even its 8-core GPU did very well, beating the Core i7-1185G7‘s integrated Iris Xe by 26%, and Ryzen 7 4700U‘s integrated Vega 7 by 65%.
Cinebench R23 : Single-Threaded Test
The Apple M1 was as fast as the 28-watt Core i7-1185G7 in the single-threaded test, and was 28% faster than the Ryzen 7 4700U. And it was only 6.5% slower than the Ryzen 9 5950X.
Cinebench R23 : Multi-Threaded Test
In the multi-threaded test, the Ars Technica team set a limit of 8 threads for a level-playing field.
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Windows gaming on the ARM-based Apple M1 is possible!
Watch how well the Apple M1 runs The Witcher 3 using CrossOver 20!
Apple M1 Gaming : Watch It Run The Witcher 3 On CrossOver 20!
AppleGamers successfully ran The Witcher 3 on CrossOver 20, using the 2020 Apple MacBook Pro with the new ARM-based Apple M1 SoC.
Here was their recorded gameplay of The Witcher 3 at the 1080p resolution, with the Medium graphics and post-processing presets, and VSync enabled.
They could not get the FPS counter to work, but it looks smooth and very playable, albeit with some visual artefacts.
Basically – Apple M1 gaming is not only possible, it is possible to play Windows games!
Windows Gaming On Apple M1 : Rosetta 2 + Windows API Translation!
That quick gameplay showcase of The Witcher 3 shows that Windows gaming is possible on the Apple M1.
The ability to run The Witcher 3 on CrossOver 20, and at such playable frame rates, is important for two reasons.
Windows App Compatibility
The Witcher 3 is a 64-bit Windows-only game, so you wouldn’t expect it to run well on the ARM-based Apple M1, right?
Running it on the Apple M1 involves translating Windows API calls using CrossOver, and then translating x86 instructions to ARM instructions using Rossetta 2.
Yet it not only worked, it ran pretty well on the Apple M1!
Performance
While AppleGamers was not able to obtain a frame rate, The Witcher 3 appears to run pretty well at the 1080p resolution.
That shows that the Apple M1’s integrated 8-core GPU is fast, and will have no problem handling native ARM games at 1080p, and likely 1440p as well.
Apple M1 : A Quick Primer
The Apple M1 is the first ARM-based SoC (System on a Chip) designed by Apple for use in Mac computers.
Packing 16 billion transistors, it is the first chip to be manufactured on the new 5 nm TSMC process technology.
It comes with 4 high-performance Firestorm CPU cores, 4 power-efficient Icestorm cores, an 8-core GPU, and a 16-core Neural Engine.
As the M1 is based on the ARM architecture, you can natively run iPhone and iPad apps on it. However, existing macOS apps will have to be ported over, or translated on-the-fly using Rosetta 2.
It is currently available in these Apple Mac computers :
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Machines just announced the closure of their Northpoint Service Centre after an employee tested positive for COVID-19.
Find out what happened, and if you need to be concerned about this new development!
Machines Northpoint : One Employee Positive For COVID-19
On 26 October 2020, Machines announced that an employee at their Northpoint service centre tested positive for COVID-19.
The employee, who last worked at the Mid Valley outlet on 16 October 2020, was summoned by the Malaysia Ministry of Health for testing, after close contact with a COVID-19 positive case.
The employee went for the test on 23 October 2020, and it came back positive today, 26 October 2020.
Machines immediately close their Northpoint service centre outlet for disinfection and cleaning, and it will remain closed until further notice.
They are now working with the Ministry of Health (MOH) to identify close contacts for COVID-19 testing and quarantine.
This is the second COVID-19 incident involving Machines. On 12 October, they shut down the Machines Mid Valley retail outlet, after an employee there tested positive.
Machines Northpoint : Official Statement On COVID-19 Case
Here is the official Machines announcement on the COVID-19 positive case at their Northpoint service centre :
Dear Valued Customers
We would like to confirm that an employee in our Machines Service Centre at Northpoint Office Mid Valley KL received a positive Covid-19 test result on 26 October 2020.
The employee has not been at work since clocking out on 16 October 2020. Following close contact with another Covid positive case outside of work, the employee was summoned to KKM for testing on 23 October 2020 and received her test result today.
We are working closely with KKM to identify contacts for testing and quarantine. We shall be conducting wider precautionary testing in the interest of the safety of our employees and customers. Our Northpoint Service Centre is closed for disinfection and cleaning until further notice.
We would like to take this opportunity to remind everyone to adhere to KKM’s and MKN’s guidelines and SOPs to deter the spread of the disease and keep our community safe.
Thank you.
Machines Northpoint COVID-19 : Should You Be Concerned?
These shopping mall infections reinforce the importance of contact tracing, and the MySejahtera mobile app which logs the movements of its users.
While shopping malls and all other public premises offer physical logbooks, we highly recommend that you use MySejahtera, because it allows for easier and faster contact tracing.
Using the MySejahtera mobile app also obviates the need to sign a physical logbook, which usually means using a shared pen – an unnecessary risk factor.
If you happen to be in close contact with this Machines employee at their Northpoint service centre, you will be contacted and asked to self-quarantine and undergo a COVID-19 screening test.
COVID-19 is easily destroyed by soap, so the deep cleaning operation will definitely clean the branch of any infectious particles.
More importantly, face masks greatly reduce the risk of infection. That’s why it is critical for everyone to wear a face mask in public.
COVID-19 : How To Keep Safe!
Here are a few simple steps to stay safe from COVID-19 :
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Just after Apple introduced their 15W MagSafe wireless charger, Xiaomi unveils the 80W Mi Wireless Charger!
Take a look at how fast a modified Mi 10 Pro recharged wirelessly using this new 80W wireless charger!
Xiaomi Disses 15W MagSafe With 80W Mi Wireless Charger!
Apple may have wowed their fans with the new 15W MagSafe wireless charger, but Xiaomi just showed us the future of wireless charging.
Introducing the new 80W Mi Wireless Charging Technology by Xiaomi!
As this video showed, the 80W Mi Wireless Charging Technology recharges the 4,000 mAh battery of a modified Mi 10 Pro astoundingly quickly :
0% to 10% : 1 minute
0% to 50% : 8 minutes
0% to 100% : 19 minutes
In comparison, last year’s 30W Mi Wireless Charging Technology took much longer to recharge a similar battery :
0% to 50% : 25 minutes
0% to 100% : 69 minutes
80W Mi Wireless Charging : May It Come Soon!
Xiaomi has not announced when they will actually introduce 80W Mi Wireless Charging in a production smartphone, or offer the charger for sale.
However, based on the fact that they recently introduced the Mi 10 Ultra with 50W wireless charging capability, we could see 80W wireless charging introduced as early as next year!
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The HUAWEI Watch Fit comes in a nice white retail box, which we unboxed in this video.
Inside, you will find the following items :
HUAWEI Watch Fit smartwatch
Charging Cable + Dock
Quick Start Guide
HUAWEI Watch Fit : Hands-On Experience!
The HUAWEI Watch Fit seems designed to take on the new Apple Watch SE, offering a more rectangular design, at a fraction of the cost.
Its 1.64-inch AMOLED display is slightly smaller than the Apple Watch SE, with a slightly lower resolution of 280 x 456 pixels. But it has the same pixel density of 326 ppi as the Apple Watch SE.
HUAWEI does not state what protection they offer the display, only that it has a 2.5D curved glass cover. It also features a polymer fibre body, instead of an aluminium chassis.
But like the Watch SE, the Watch Fit is 5 ATM-rated (ISO 22810) for water-resistance. That means you can take it swimming, or a run in the rain.
Instead of a digital crown, it uses a single button on the right side. But it is mainly controlled by tapping and swiping on its touch display.
In addition to recording your daily steps, active hours and the intensity of your activities, the HUAWEI Watch Fit offers 24/7 real-time monitoring of your heart rate and stress levels.
It also offers the capability to measure your SpO2 blood oxygen saturation levels, as well as recording and tracking your sleep state for sleep quality analysis.
The HUAWEI Watch Fit is powered by the DK3.5+ST chipset, with a 180 mAh battery that delivers up to 10 days of battery life. That is significantly longer than the Apple Watch SE.
It offers Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity, with built-in GPS. However, it does not support LTE or Wi-Fi connectivity or wireless charging, relying on a magnetic charging thimble design instead.
Now, you cannot answer calls on the Watch Fit, but it will provide you with notifications about incoming calls, messages, and calendar events.
It can also offers the ability to control your phone’s music player and trigger its camera shutter, or locate your phone.
HUAWEI Watch Fit : Our Verdict
The HUAWEI Watch Fit is no Apple Watch SE, that’s for sure. Even on paper, it is superior in many ways. But the question is – do you really need all those extra features?
The Watch Fit is really for those with the “good enough” philosophy. It does away with nice-to-have, but not necessary features, like Wi-Fi and LTE connectivity, call and walkie-talkie capabilities, or NFC for mobile payments.
Instead, it just offers core features like fitness and health monitoring, 5 ATM water-resistance and a long battery life.
Now, we only got 5.5 days of battery life (continuous use) with Bluetooth connected, but that’s 7X longer than the Apple Watch SE’s paltry 18 hours.
That means sleep analysis and around-the-clock health monitoring is really possible with the Watch Fit. Not just something to check off the feature list.
One problem we encountered – try as we might, we can’t replace its default watch face with some pretty nice watch faces HUAWEI offers for free. Hope they fix that soon!
But overall, the value is pretty unbeatable – it costs less than half of the Apple Watch SE.
If you are not an Apple fan boy, and you don’t need those extra features the Watch SE offers, it’s worth considering the Watch Fit.
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!
Machines Mid Valley just announced their closure after an employee tested positive for COVID-19.
Find out what happened, and if you need to be concerned about this new development!
Machines Mid Valley : One Employee Positive For COVID-19
At around 3:30 PM today (12 October 2020), Machines announced the immediate closure of their Mid Valley retail store, after an employee tested positive for COVID-19.
The employee, who last worked at the Mid Valley outlet on 8 October 2020, informed Machines about COVID-19 positive cases in the flats where he lived on 10 October 2020.
They made arrangements for his self-quarantine and COVID-19 screening test, which came back positive today, Monday, 12 October 2020.
Machines Mid Valley : Closed After COVID-19 Exposure!
Machines immediately close their Mid Valley outlet for disinfection and cleaning, and it will remain closed until further notice.
They are now working with the Ministry of Health (MOH) to identify close contacts for COVID-19 testing and quarantine.
This incident only affects their Mid Valley outlet (G-063, Ground Floor), and does not involve their outlet in the adjoining Gardens Mall.
Machines Mid Valley COVID-19 : Should You Be Concerned?
These shopping mall infections reinforce the importance of contact tracing, and the MySejahtera app which logs the movements of its users.
While shopping malls and all other public premises offer physical logbooks, we highly recommend that you use MySejahtera, because it allows for easier and faster contact tracing.
Using MySejahtera also obviates the need to sign a physical logbook, which usually means using a shared pen – an unnecessary risk factor.
If you happen to be in close contact with this Machines employee at their Mid Valley outlet, you will be contacted and asked to self-quarantine and undergo a COVID-19 screening test.
COVID-19 is easily destroyed by soap, so the deep cleaning operation will definitely clean the branch of any infectious particles.
More importantly, face masks greatly reduce the risk of infection. That’s why it is critical for everyone to wear a face mask in public.
COVID-19 : How To Keep Safe!
Here are a few simple steps to stay safe from COVID-19 :
If you like our work, you can help support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
Apple recently advised everyone not to cover the camera of their Mac laptops, and rely instead on the camera indicator light.
Find out why Apple is WRONG, and why you need to physically cover your Mac computer’s camera!
Mac Camera Cover : What Is It For?
Cybersecurity specialists have long advocated covering the built-in camera of your computers, not just MacBook laptops or Mac desktops, with a camera cover of some sort.
This prevents hackers from taking over that camera, and secretly recording you. This has implications beyond just recording your embarrassing moments for blackmail.
With access to your laptop camera, hackers can determine when you are away from home, who lives at your home, who you are working with, and even where you currently are.
Apple : Don’t Use A Camera Cover For Your Mac
In their recent HT211148 tech advisory, they asked Mac laptop (MacBook, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro) users not to use any camera cover.
Instead, they recommended that you use these two built-in features for your privacy :
A. The Green Camera Indicator Light
Apple points out that your Mac computer has a camera indicator light that glows green whenever the camera is active.
They also claimed that the camera is designed not to activate unless its indicator light is also turned on.
B. The Camera Access Control
As an additional measure built into macOS Mojave or later, you must give an app permission before it can use your Mac computer’s camera.
To view which apps has access to your Mac computer’s camera, and to revoke any app’s access :
On your Mac, choose Apple menu > System Preferences, click Security & Privacy, then click Privacy.
Select Camera.
Select the tickbox next to an app to allow it to access your camera.Deselect the tickbox to turn off access for that app.If you turn off access for an app, you’re asked to turn it on again the next time that app tries to use your camera.
Why Apple Is Wrong, And You Need To Cover Your Mac Camera!
Apple fans may hate us for this, but they are wrong. You must physically cover your Mac computer’s camera to protect yourself.
Hackers Always Disable The Indicator Light
Mac computers are not the only ones to feature an indicator light for their built-in cameras. Most computers with a built-in webcam have such an indicator light.
It is, therefore, SOP for hackers to disable the indicator light after gaining control of the camera. Camfecting attacks won’t work if you are aware that the camera is turned on…
Apple asserts that the camera and its indicator light on Mac computers are wired in series, so the camera won’t work if the indicator light is turned off.
However, a 2013 Johns Hopkins University paper showed how it was possible to disable the indicator light of a Mac computer’s webcam, even though the camera module had a “hardware interlock”.
This isn’t just an obscure research subject. The FBI has the capability to covertly activate a computer’s camera without triggering the indicator light, according to Marcus Thomas, the former assistant director of FBI’s Operational Technology Division.
The only ways to prevent such attacks would be to either turn off your computer, or physically cover the camera.
Hackers Won’t Ask You For Permission
Security researcher Ryan Pickren showed in April 2020 how seven flaws in Apple Safari can let malicious websites hijack your camera and microphone to spy on you.
All you have to do is click on a link, and it lets the malicious website gain access to your webcam without asking for permission.
So much for the Mac Camera Access Control feature…
You May Not Notice The Light
Even if the camera indicator light is not disabled, it doesn’t mean you will immediately realise when the light turns on.
By the time you realise the green light is actually glowing, it may already be too late.
This is partly because it emits a steady glow, and doesn’t blink. Of course, a blinking light is bloody irritating, but we are more likely to notice it than a static green glow.
The only way to prevent that is to physically cover the camera.
Hackers Can Turn On Sleeping Or Hibernating Computers
Don’t assume that just because your Mac computer is sleeping or hibernating, hackers cannot access its camera.
They can potentially wake your computer, turn on the camera and record from it, with the indicator light turned off.
Security researcher Pedro Vilaça showed in 2015 how it was possible to remotely “root” and take over a Mac computer after it wakes up from sleep mode of 30 seconds or longer.
Irrespective of the method used, once hackers gain control of your computer, they can turn on its Wake On LAN (WOL) feature to remotely wake up your computer, like what the Ryuk ransomware does.
The only way to prevent that is to turn off your computer, or physically cover the camera.
Cybercriminals Can Trick You With A Fake Blackmail
Even if cybercriminals are unable to access your camera, they can still trick you into believing they somehow took compromising photos or videos from it.
They send out thousands of spam emails every day to trick people into believing they have been caught on camera.
People who don’t use a camera cover can be convinced into believing that their webcams were somehow compromised, and tricked into paying up to avoid exposure.
The only way to prevent that is to physically cover the camera.
The Best Way To Cover Your Mac Computer Camera
While we strongly advise you to cover your Mac computer camera, that does not mean you should risk damaging your display.
According to Apple, we should not use any camera cover that is more than 0.1 mm thick. That basically rules out any camera cover, because it is impossible to make one that thin.
They also advise again using anything that leaves an adhesive residue. So that means cellophane tape (Scotch tape) and packaging tape should be avoided.
So here are the best options for you to consider, based on your requirements :
If you don’t intend to use the camera at all
a) Use your laptop in clamshell mode, with a separate monitor, keyboard and mouse
b) Cover the camera with masking tape, which is gentle and leaves no residue
If you plan to use the camera
– Cut a small piece of sticky note, so that there is an adhesive part and a non-adhesive part.
– Alternatively, cut a piece of masking tape, and fold part of it to create a non-adhesive portion.
– Cover the camera with the adhesive part
– You can then use the non-adhesive portion to pull it off whenever you need to use the camera
Desktop Computers (iMac, iMac Pro)
Desktop computers like the iMac or iMac Pro don’t have to worry about damaging their displays with camera covers of any thickness.
We therefore recommend using a proper camera cover that slides to let you use the camera whenever you want to, and physically cover it whenever you don’t.
Just make sure the camera cover does not use excessively strong adhesive, or leaves a residue that will require using solvent to remove, which could damage the display coating!
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!
After years of letting third-party companies sell camera covers, Apple just issued a warning that using a camera cover can damage your MacBook laptop!
Find out what’s going on, and why using a camera cover may be critical for your privacy, but can damage your MacBook!
Warning : Using A Camera Cover Can Damage Your MacBook!
In a new technical advisory, Apple warns that closing your MacBook laptop with a camera cover attached could physically damage the display, due to the limited clearance between the display and the chassis.
In addition, installing a camera cover can block the ambient light sensor located next to the camera. This will prevent features like automatic brightness and True Tone from working properly.
If you close your Mac notebook with a camera cover installed, you might damage your display because the clearance between the display and keyboard is designed to very tight tolerances.
Covering the built-in camera might also interfere with the ambient light sensor and prevent features like automatic brightness and technical advisory from working.
Instead of using a camera cover, Apple recommends relying on the camera indicator light to tell you when it is actively recording you.
If your organisation or work requires you to use a camera cover, Apple issued these recommendations :
Make sure the camera cover is not thicker than 0.1 mm.
Avoid using a camera cover that leaves adhesive residue.
If you install a camera cover that is thicker than 0.1 mm, remove the camera cover before closing your computer.
For Americans and anyone else still stuck with Imperial measurements, 0.1 mm = 0.00393 inch.
This example of an ultra-thin camera cover designed for the MacBook is 8X too thick, according to Apple.
It is physically impossible to create a camera cover that thin. In other words, Apple is telling you yet again NOT to use an actual camera cover!
Instead, try using a tiny piece of sticky note. It is not only thin, it is also soft. Just make sure it covers only the camera, and not the ambient light sensor.
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!
Will TikTok be banned by Pakistan after the death of a student today, like how PUBG was suspended recently?
Student’s Tragic Death While Shooting TikTok Video
Earlier today, 10 July 2020, a 14 year-old student in Pakistan accidentally shot himself while shooting a TikTok video, in the Bagan neighbourhood of Abbottabad, Pakistan.
The 14 year-old student, identified as Abdul Samad, was killed after he accidentally fired the gun while filming himself on TikTok.
Will TikTok Be Banned In Pakistan After Student Death?
This new tragedy follows a string of unfortunate deaths in Pakistan, while teenagers and children attempt to make popular TikTok videos :
June 2020 : 17 year-old boy accidentally pulled the trigger of his father’s gun while filming himself holding the gun to his temple in a TikTok video.
April 2020 : 22 year-old man died after being hit by a train, while performing a TikTok challenge at the Jumma Goth railway station.
March 2020 : a policeman was accidentally shot and killed while trying to snatch his gun back from a female friend who took his gun to film her TikTok video
December 2019 : 16 year-old boy accidentally shot himself while recording a TikTok video.
Considering PUBG was recently suspended after a student committed suicide, it seems likely that Pakistan may be forced to order a suspension of TikTok after this student’s death.
Should TikTok be held responsible for these deaths? Arguably, they have to consider if it is really smart to allow videos of people showing off and shooting guns on a short video platform that many children and teenagers use unsupervised.
There is no age check so anyone can watch those videos, irrespective of how young they are. Heck, you don’t even need an account to watch!
TikTok Controversies Keep Piling Up!
While TikTok is very popular with children and teenagers, it keeps getting wracked by controversies, some of its own doing.
It was caught spying on what we type in other apps, not once but TWICE. Coupled with Chinese belligerence in the Himalayas, that led to India banning TikTok together with 58 other Chinese apps.
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!
TikTok is getting exposed as a really bad piece of malware, and it doesn’t help when people like bangarlol claim to have reverse-engineered it, giving us a peek at how it all works!
TikTok : Controversies After Controversies
TikTok is a Chinese social networking service built around short video clips. Developed and owned by ByteDance which is based in Beijing, it is very popular amongst young people and even children.
This has led to numerous controversies as TikTok proved slow or reluctant to remove dangerous or racist videos :
TikTok Reverse-Engineered : A Peek At How It Works!
bangorlol, who claims to reverse-engineer apps for a living, claimed to have figured out how TikTok worked, and what it was “harvesting” from its users.
Data Harvesting Gone Mad?
He warned that TikTok is a “data collection service” that is “essentially malware that is targeting children“, collecting everything they can get their hands on, even data unnecessary for the features they offer.
other apps that you installed, even those you deleted!
everything on your network, including network configuration and devices!
your GPS location – roughly once every 30 seconds!
This data collection is so critical that the TikTok app is disabled if you block communications to their data analytics host at the DNS level.
What You Don’t Know Can’t Hurt You?
The TikTok app itself is specially designed to obfuscate (make it difficult to figure out) what they are really doing.
The First Taste Of Fame…
According to bangorlol, the TikTok service will entice you by letting your first post get more likes, giving you a taste of going viral.
This will hopefully hook you into using their app, which would lead to more users as your friends will want to join in too.
Remote Payload?
bangorlol found code that allows for the downloading of a remote file, unzipping it and then executing the binary – something no legitimate app will ever do.
Can’t Be Bothered With SSL But Encrypt The Data They Collect?
Apparently, TikTok has not been using SSL (HTTPS) for a long time, leaking user email addresses through their HTTP REST API, as well as the real names and birthdays of their users.
Yet they took the effort to encrypt all of the data they collect from their users, even changing the encryption keys with every update, so you don’t know what they’re collecting.
TikTok Reverse-Engineered : The Full bangorlol Post
For those who want to read bangorlol’s full post, here it is :
I reverse-engineered the app, and feel confident in stating that I have a very strong understanding for how the app operates (or at least operated as of a few months ago).
TikTok is a data collection service that is thinly-veiled as a social network. If there is an API to get information on you, your contacts, or your device… well, they’re using it.
Phone hardware (cpu type, number of course, hardware ids, screen dimensions, dpi, memory usage, disk space, etc)
Other apps you have installed (I’ve even seen some I’ve deleted show up in their analytics payload – maybe using as cached value?)
Everything network-related (ip, local ip, router mac, your mac, wifi access point name)
Whether or not you’re rooted/jailbroken
Some variants of the app had GPS pinging enabled at the time, roughly once every 30 seconds – this is enabled by default if you ever location-tag a post IIRC
They set up a local proxy server on your device for “transcoding media”, but that can be abused very easily as it has zero authentication
The scariest part of all of this is that much of the logging they’re doing is remotely configurable, and unless you reverse every single one of their native libraries (have fun reading all of that assembly, assuming you can get past their customized fork of OLLVM!!!) and manually inspect every single obfuscated function. They have several different protections in place to prevent you from reversing or debugging the app as well. App behavior changes slightly if they know you’re trying to figure out what they’re doing. There’s also a few snippets of code on the Android version that allows for the downloading of a remote zip file, unzipping it, and executing said binary. There is zero reason a mobile app would need this functionality legitimately.
On top of all of the above, they weren’t even using HTTPS for the longest time. They leaked users’ email addresses in their HTTP REST API, as well as their secondary emails used for password resets. Don’t forget about users’ real names and birthdays, too. It was allllll publicly viewable a few months ago if you MITM’d the application.
They provide users with a taste of “virality” to entice them to stay on the platform. Your first TikTok post will likely garner quite a bit of likes, regardless of how good it is.. assuming you get past the initial moderation queue if thats still a thing. Most users end up chasing the dragon. Oh, there’s also a ton of creepy old men who have direct access to children on the app, and I’ve personally seen (and reported) some really suspect stuff. 40-50 year old men getting 8-10 year old girls to do “duets” with them with sexually suggestive songs. Those videos are posted publicly. TikTok has direct messaging functionality.
Here’s the thing though.. they don’t want you to know how much information they’re collecting on you, and the security implications of all of that data in one place, en masse, are fucking huge. They encrypt all of the analytics requests with an algorithm that changes with every update (at the very least the keys change) just so you can’t see what they’re doing. They also made it so you cannot use the app at all if you block communication to their analytics host off at the DNS-level.
For what it’s worth I’ve reversed the Instagram, Facebook, Reddit, and Twitter apps. They don’t collect anywhere near the same amount of data that TikTok does, and they sure as hell aren’t outright trying to hide exactly whats being sent like TikTok is. It’s like comparing a cup of water to the ocean – they just don’t compare.
tl;dr; I’m a nerd who figures out how apps work for a job. Calling it an advertising platform is an understatement. TikTok is essentially malware that is targeting children. Don’t use TikTok. Don’t let your friends and family use it.
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!
After TikTok was exposed for spying on what we type, it got banned by India together with 58 other Chinese apps, for cybersecurity reasons.
Here is everything you need to know about this new ban, including the full list of banned apps!
India Bans 59 Chinese Apps, Including TikTok and WeChat!
Just two days ago, we showed how TikTok was caught spying on what we type in other apps, not once but TWICE.
The very next day, TikTok joined WeChat as part of a ban by India on 59 Chinese apps identified as malicious or posing data and privacy risks to their users.
The Ministry of Information Technology has received many complaints from various sources including several reports about misuse of some mobile apps available on Android and iOS platforms for stealing and surreptitiously transmitting users’ data in an unauthorized manner to servers which have locations outside India.
The compilation of these data, its mining and profiling by elements hostile to national security and defence of India, which ultimately impinges upon the sovereignty and integrity of India, is a matter of very deep and immediate concern which requires emergency measures.
Based on input from the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre, the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-IN) and representatives from both inside and outside the Indian Parliament, the Indian government announced the ban of 59 Chinese apps.
No doubt, the recent high altitude fatal brawl between Chinese and Indian troops in the Himalayas played some part in this decision.
This ban by India means that Apple App Store, Google Play Store and even the HUAWEI AppGallery must stop providing access to those 59 banned apps in India.
If you already have them installed, then they will still work. You just cannot install them from official app stores within India.
If you still wish to download and install them, Android users can download and install their APK (Android Application Package) installation files from their official websites and APK repositories.
Apple iOS users, as usual, are out of luck, unless they are using jailbroken devices.
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!
TikTok was caught spying on what we type in other apps, not once, but TWICE… so far.
Find out what’s going on, and what you should do about it!
TikTok : What Is It?
TikTok is a Chinese social networking service built around short video clips. Developed and owned by ByteDance which is based in Beijing, it is very popular amongst young people and even children.
This has led to numerous controversies as TikTok proved slow or reluctant to remove dangerous or racist videos :
TikTok Caught Spying What We Type In Other Apps… TWICE!
Beyond their obvious desire to grow their service at the expense of the danger to real people, there have been cybersecurity and privacy concerns about TikTok.
In a space of just four months, TikTok has been caught spying on what we type in OTHER APPS… not once, but TWICE. Take a look at this video expose…
TikTok Caught Spying On What We Type : First Time
Let’s start in March 2020, when Talal Has Bakry and Tommy Mysk exposed how they found that TikTok was spying on what we typed in other apps through the pasteboard / clipboard.
In the video above, you can see how TikTok immediately asked to read all text stored in the pasteboard, whenever it is launched.
The pasteboard contains everything you copied earlier – messages from other people, quotes from an article, or far more sensitive stuff like your password or account number.
And because of Apple’s universal clipboard feature, this means everything you copy on your Mac or iPad will be available on your iPhone, and therefore TikTok.
To be clear, TikTok was just one of the many apps that they found to be spying on what we type. Here were the apps they confirmed were spying on the pasteboard / clipboard.
News
Games
Social
Other
ABC News
Al Jazeera English
CBS News
CNBC
Fox News
News Break
New York Times
NPR
itv Nachrichten
Reuters
Russia Today
Stern Nachrichten
The Economist
The Huffington Post
The Wall Street Journal
VICE News
8 Ball Pool
AMAZE!!!
Bejeweled
Block Puzzle
Classic Bejeweled
Classic Bejeweled HD
Flip The Gun
Fruit Ninja
Golfmasters
Letter Soup
Love Nikki
My Emma
Plants vs. Zombies Heroes
Pooking – Billiards City
PUBG Mobile
Tomb of the Mask
Tomb of the Mask: Color
Total Party Kill
Watermarbling
TikTok
ToTalk
Tok
Truecaller
Viber
Weibo
Zoosk
10% Happier: Meditation
5-0 Radio Police Scanner
Accuweather
AliExpress Shopping
Bed Bath & Beyond
Dazn
Hotels.com
Hotel Tonight
Overstock
Pigment – Adult Coloring Book
Recolor Coloring Book to Color
Sky Ticket
The Weather Network
At that time, TikTok told Zak Doffman that it was Google Ads that was snooping into the pasteboard / clipboard.
“The clipboard access issues showed up due to third-party SDKs, in our case an older version Google Ads SDK. We are in the processes of updating so that the third-party SDK will no longer have access.“
They claimed it was because TikTok was using an older Google Ads SDK, which they have since replaced with a newer version.
TikTok Caught Spying On What We Type : Second Time
BFast forward to June, and the release of iOS 14 beta. The new clipboard warning feature in iOS 14 appears to have caught TikTok spying on the pasteboard / clipboard once again.
In the dramatic video shared by Jeremy Burge – the 1:35 point in our video above – he shows TikTok grabbing the contents of his iPhone’s clipboard every 1-3 keystrokes, as he typed in Instagram!
Okay so TikTok is grabbing the contents of my clipboard every 1-3 keystrokes. iOS 14 is snitching on it with the new paste notification pic.twitter.com/OSXP43t5SZ
This is even more egregious than the first time they spied on the pasteboard / clipboard! Instead of just looking at what you copied into the clipboard earlier, TikTok is literally reading what you are typing in a different app!
TikTok now claims that this issue was “triggered by a feature designed to identify repetitive, spammy behaviour“, and that they have already submitted an updated app without this “anti-spam feature“.
TikTok Caught Spying : What Should YOU Do?
If you are not a frequent TikTok user, the answer is simple – UNINSTALL TikTok.
If you really like TikTok, you should immediately update to the latest version, which ByteDance claims will no longer read your clipboard because it has both an updated Google Ads SDK, as well as their anti-spam feature removed.
Either way, if you are concerned about privacy issues with TikTok, you should write to privacy@tiktok.com and express your deep concerns about not letting them read what you are typing, whether it is in their app or other apps.
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!
TNB employees will no longer read the meter or issue any electricity bill during the COVID-19 MCO, but you still need to pay your electricity bill!
Find out how much you need to pay TNB for your electricity usage during the COVID-19 MCO!
TNB Meter Reading + Bill Rendering : Stopped During MCO!
After the Movement Control Order (MCO) started, Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) announced that they would stop these operations from 20 March 2020 until further notice :
on-premise meter reading, and
on-premise rendering of electricity bill
They also announced that :
you will be issued an estimated bill, based on your previous month’s consumption.
your bill will be adjusted only when they resume meter reading, after the MCO period ends.
during the MCO, TNB will not deliver any printed electricity bill to your premise.
You still need to pay your TNB electricity bill during the MCO / CMCO. Just because you don’t get your bill, doesn’t mean you get to stop paying.
Won’t TNB Resume Meter Reading + Bill Rendering During CMCO?
On 13 May 2020, TNB announced that they are resuming meter reading and bill rendering on a staggered basis, and only in green zone states :
Perlis
Penang
Kedah
Perak (except Sri Manjung)
Kelantan
That basically means they still won’t perform meter reading for most of the country during the Conditional MCO period.
How To Pay Your TNB Bill During MCO / CMCO?
There are three ways to handle your TNB electricity bill during the MCO / CMCO.
Option 1 : Pay The Estimated Bill
TNB mentioned that you will be issued an estimated bill, based on your last bill. If your last bill was RM 100, then your estimated bill during the MCO will be RM 100.
All you have to do is continue paying based on your last bill every month, as long as the Movement Control Order is in effect.
Just pay online through JomPAY using your online banking account.
Option 2 : Use TNB Express Payment
The easiest way to check your current bill and make payment is through myTNB.
Just key in your 12-digit TNB account number, and you will receive the current amount due.
You can pay up to RM 250 using a credit or debit card through Express Payment by clicking Next.
If you wish to pay more than RM 250 though, you will need to first register and log into myTNB.
Alternatively, you can pay through JomPAY using your online banking account.
Option 3 : Use myTNB App
The third option is to install and use the myTNB app, which is available as a free download on both Google Play Store and App Store :
Follow these steps to register and check your current TNB bill on the myTNB app :
COVID-19 : How To Keep Safe!
Here are a few simple steps to stay safe from COVID-19 :
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!
Samsung Malaysia just announced a trade-up program for their new Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20+ and Galaxy S20 Ultra smartphones, to reward their loyal fans!
Here are the Galaxy S20 trade-up program details, as well as the list of qualifying Samsung flagship devices and their prices!
Samsung Galaxy S20 Trade-Up Program : What Is It?
The Samsung Galaxy S20 trade-up program rewards existing owners of Samsung flagship devices by offering them a higher overtrade value for their devices.
Now, owners of Samsung flagship devices can trade in their old (working or non-working) smartphones, and trade-up to a new Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20+ and Galaxy S20 Ultra smartphone!
Organised by Samsung Malaysia in partnership with CompAsia, it will run from 3 March until 31 May 2020.
Samsung Galaxy S20 Trade-Up Program : How Does It Work?
The Samsung Galaxy S20 trade-up program is open to working, damaged, or non-working Samsung flagship smartphones, as long as they are unlocked.
The customer must be 18-years or older (as of 4 March 2020), and every customer is only entitled to trade up to one (1) Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20+ and Galaxy S20 Ultra smartphone.
Samsung Galaxy S20 Trade-Up Program : Qualifying Device + Price List
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!
Apple fans will soon be able to download the iOS version of Dell Mobile Connect for FREE!
This will give Apple users the same capabilities that Android users have enjoyed since 2018!
FREE Dell Mobile Connect for iOS Coming Soon!
Dell Mobile Connect was introduced in CES 2018 for Android devices, giving them the ability to make calls, send texts, get notifications and even mirror their displays on their Dell laptops and PCs!
Since it was released two years ago, Dell reported that over a million Mobile Connect users have sent or received over 150 MILLION phone calls and texts sing their free app.
Stay Focused
Dell Mobile Connect allows you to avoid splitting your attention between your PC and smartphone. You will be notified about phone calls, texts, instant messages and other app notifications right on your PC.
You can then decide to respond, or ignore. You can also decide which apps you would like to receive notifications from.
Stay Connected
You will never miss a single call or notification from SMS, WhatsApp, Uber, PayPal, Instagram, and other mobile apps.
Your larger PC keyboard, display and speakers will also allow for more enjoyable communications via text or calls.
Bring Your Mobile Apps To The Big Screen!
Dell Mobile Connect lets you have direct access to your mobile apps through its advanced mirroring feature.
You can directly view and access your mobile apps on your PC display, and control them with your keyboard, mouse and touch display!
Secure Wireless Connectivity
Dell Mobile Connect uses Bluetooth and Wi-Fi Direct technologies to keep your PC connected to your phone, so feel free to leave your phone in your bag or pocket!
The wireless connection is also secured and does not go through the Internet. All your phone’s data can only be accessed by the paired PC, and only when you are in wireless range.
Dell Mobile Connect for iOS Availability
It has taken Dell two years to do this, but finally, the iOS version of Mobile Connect is coming in March 2020!
Starting mid-March 2020, it will be available to download for free from the Microsoft Store.
Starting end-March 2020, it will come pre-installed in all Dell consumer PC systems.
Dell Mobile Connect, and all updates, are available for free on all Dell consumer PC systems that run on Windows 10 – XPS, Inspiron, Vostro and Alienware – as long as they come equipped with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capabilities, and were purchased after January 2018.
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!
After a hiatus of 18 months, Apple finally launched the 7th Generation iPad – at around the same time Samsung released their Galaxy Tab S6.
So how do these two tablets compare against each other? Let’s pit the 7th Gen iPad against the Galaxy Tab S6 and find out!
Note : This is not a fair comparison because the 7th Gen iPad is a mid-range device, while the Galaxy Tab S6 is a flagship device. Yet, there are people who are actively considering these two options – this comparison is for them.
iPad 7th Gen vs Galaxy Tab S6 Compared!
Display : Samsung Galaxy Tab S6
They both have similarly-sized display – the 7th Gen iPad has a 10.2-inch display, while the Galaxy Tab S6 has a slightly larger 10.5-inch display.
The 7th Gen iPad has a resolution of 1620 x 2160 pixels, with a pixel density of 264 ppi. The Galaxy Tab S6, on the other hand, has a wider display with a resolution of 1600 x 2560 pixels and a slightly higher pixel density of 287 ppi.
But what won us over was the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6’s Super AMOLED display, which is certainly superior to the iPad’s IPS display.
Design : Samsung Galaxy Tab S6
Design-wise, they are very similar – large slabs of glass and metal. However, the Galaxy Tab S6 has a far more refined design with narrow bezels, while Apple maintained the iPad’s classic large bezels.
This allows the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 to give you a larger display in a 11% smaller form factor than the 7th Gen iPad.
So it runs rings around the Apple A10 Fusion, which was introduced in September 2016, as these results show!
Benchmarks
Samsung Galaxy
Tab S6
Apple iPad
7th Generation
Difference
AnTuTu
441,406
260,080
+69.7%
Ice Storm Unlimited
78,767
38,262
+105.9%
Sling Shot
7,051
3,464
+103.6%
Sling Shot Extreme
5,277
2,559
+106.2%
RAM + Storage : Samsung Galaxy Tab S6
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 comes with a base configuration of 6 GB RAM + 128 GB of storage, with the option for 8 GB RAM + 256 GB of storage. It even comes with a microSD card slot, so you can add up to 1 TB of additional storage!
The Apple iPad 7th Gen tablet, in contrast, only comes with 3 GB of RAM, and either 32 GB or 128 GB of storage. Needless to say – the iPad does not come with any microSD card slot, or any other external storage option.
Cameras : Samsung Galaxy Tab S6
Unbelievably, Apple continues to use the ancient 1.2 MP front camera in the 7th iteration of the iPad. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 has a far superior 8 MP front camera, with a brighter f/2.0 aperture.
In the back, Apple retained the old 8 MP camera with f/2.2 aperture. The Galaxy Tab S6 offers a dual-camera system – a 13 MP main camera, and a 5 MP ultra-wide camera.
This is an easy win for the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 over the Apple iPad 7th Gen.
Stylus : Samsung Galaxy Tab S6
Both the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 and the Apple iPad 7th Gen support the use of a stylus.
Apple has repeatedly declined to reveal the pressure sensitivity of their Apple Pencil, even while Samsung proudly declares that their S Pen supports 4,096 pressure levels.
On top of that, the Galaxy Tab S6 ships with the S Pen included, while the iPad does not – you need to pay an extra $99 for the first-generation Apple Pencil.
Connectivity : Samsung Galaxy Tab S6
Because it’s built around a newer platform, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8150, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 supports up to LTE Cat 20, WiFi-AC and Bluetooth 5.0.
The Apple iPad 7th Gen supports WiFi-AC as well, but falls short in LTE and Bluetooth connectivity – it only supports “Gigabit-class LTE”, and Bluetooth 4.2.
Audio : Samsung Galaxy Tab S6
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 comes with a quad speaker system tuned by AKG, as well as support for Dolby Atmos. The Apple iPad, on the other hand, only comes with stereo speakers.
Fingerprint Sensor : Samsung Galaxy Tab S6
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 has an optical fingerprint sensor placed under the display, while the 7th Gen iPad continues to use the same old Touch ID sensor that is integrated into the Home button.
Functionally, they are similar, but the more expensive optical in-display fingerprint sensor allows for a more compact form factor.
Battery : Samsung Galaxy Tab S6
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 comes with a large 27.11 WHr battery, while the Apple iPad 7th Gen has a 19.5% larger 32.4 WHr battery.
But in our test, running full-screen YouTube through Wi-Fi with the display set to 50%, the Galaxy Tab S6 ended up with a longer battery life :
Battery Life
Samsung Galaxy
Tab S6
Apple iPad
7th Generation
Difference
Full Screen YouTube
12.5 hours
10.7 hours
+16.8%
Weight : Samsung Galaxy Tab S6
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 weighs just 420 g, while the Apple iPad 7th Gen weighs 483 g (WiFi-only) or 493 g (LTE).
Price : Apple iPad 7th Gen
The biggest advantage the Apple iPad 7th Gen has over the Galaxy Tab S6 is its much lower price tag. Here’s a price comparison of the Wi-Fi only models of both tablets, with 128 GB of storage :
iPad 7th Gen vs Galaxy Tab S6 : Which Should YOU Buy?
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 was always going to win over the Apple iPad 7th Gen, in all aspects except price. After all, it is Samsung’s flagship tablet.
However, not everyone needs a Porsche like the Galaxy Tab S6. A minivan like the 7th Gen iPad may better suit your needs. So here is our advice :
If you want a powerful tablet, with the best possible performance, with the option to add storage through a microSD card, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 is worth considering.
If you want a cheap tablet to view photos and videos, and play simple games, nothing beats the Apple iPad 7th Gen.
iPad 7th Gen vs Galaxy Tab S6 Specifications
Specifications
Samsung Galaxy
Tab S6
Apple iPad
7th Generation
Operating System
Android Pie
iPadOS 13
Display
10.5-inch Super AMOLED
10.2-inch IPS
Display Resolution
1600 x 2560 pixels
1620 x 2160 pixels
Display Pixel Density
287 ppi
264 ppi
System Platform
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8150
Apple A10 Fusion
Memory
6 GB / 8 GB LPDDR4x
3 GB LPDDR4
Internal Storage
128 GB / 256 GB
32 GB / 128 GB
External Storage
microSD card (up to 1TB)
None
Front Camera
8 MP camera (f/2.0)
1.2 MP camera (f/2.2)
Rear Camera
13 MP main camera (f/2.0) 5 MP ultra-wide camera (f/2.2)
8 MP camera (f/2.4)
Stylus
S Pen
(Included)
Apple Pencil 1st Gen
(Not Included)
LTE Network
LTE Cat20
– DL : 2.0 Gbps
– UL : 150 Mbps
Gigabit-class
Wi-Fi
WiFi-AC (dual-band)
WiFi-AC (dual-band)
Bluetooth
Bluetooth 5.0
Bluetooth 4.2
Connector
USB 2.0 Type C
Apple Lightning
Speakers
Quad speakers
– optimised by AKG
– supports Dolby Atmos
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!
One of the issues you may face after upgrading to macOS Catalina is a sudden failure to connect to your NAS. And no matter what you do – you just can’t access your NAS!
Fortunately, we have the solution for this problem. Here is our guide on how you can fix the NAS connection failure in macOS Catalina!
The macOS Catalina NAS Connection Issue
After upgrading to macOS Catalina, you may experience a sudden and persistent inability to connect to your NAS.
When you try to access your NAS, it will say Connection Failed. And nothing happens when you click the Connect As… button – you don’t get the usual security pop-up to log into your NAS.
This is beyond annoying, because you have now lost all access to your NAS on macOS Catalina.
It is definitely a macOS Catalina issue because if you try using a Windows PC or an old macOS system, you will have no issue accessing the same NAS.
So what should you do?
The Cause Of The macOS Catalina NAS Connection Failure
From what we can tell, this issue is happening because Apple apparently dropped support for SMB1 and SMB 2.0 in macOS Catalina.
With many NAS defaulting to SMB1 for compatibility reasons, users will immediately lose the ability to connect once they upgrade to macOS Catalina.
How To Fix The macOS Catalina NAS Connection Failure
The key is to set your NAS to use SMB 3.0 or later. This should not be a problem if your NAS is less than 5-6 years old, because SMB 3.0 was introduced in 2012.
In our guide, we are going to use the screenshots from our Synology NAS. But it should be similar in concept to NAS from other brands like QNAP and WD :
Log into your NAS
Go to Control Panel > File Services.
Under the SMB section, click on Advanced Settings.
In the Advanced Settings pop-up, you will find that the Maximum SMB protocol is probably set to SMB1.
You need to set the Maximum SMB protocol to SMB3.
Now, this is not necessary, but while you are here, you might as well just set the Minimum SMB protocol to SMB2 and Large MTU.
Then click Apply at the bottom of the Advanced Settings pop-up to save the settings.
If it works, you should be able to connect to your NAS after you log out of your NAS. However, in many cases, you need to take an additional step by manually connecting to your NAS.
To do that, you need to select Go > Connect to Server… in Finder.
Then key in smb://ServerName/ (in our example, smb://DiskStation/) and click Connect.
This should finally launch the security login pop-up, where you can key in your Name and Password to log into your NAS.
After logging into your NAS, you should have no issue accessing your NAS. You can also drag and add your NAS folders to the Favourites list in Finder.
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!
Make sure you check for incompatible apps before you upgrade to macOS Catalina, because it no longer supports 32-bit apps!
Let’s take a look at the full list of 235 incompatible apps that the macOS Catalina installer has been programmed to look for.
Why Are These Apps Incompatible With macOS Catalina?
While many developers have transitioned their software to 64-bit versions over the years, there are still many 32-bit apps out there.
After all, not everyone is able or willing to upgrade to the latest version of any software. There are plenty of people who are happy to stick with the software they purchased years ago.
However, macOS Catalina is the first macOS operating system to drop all support for 32-bit apps, rendering all those apps incompatible.
There is no workaround – they will not work with macOS Catalina, period.
What If My App Is In The macOS Catalina Incompatible List?
If an app you are using is listed above, then it is a 32-bit app that will not work with macOS Catalina.
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You have two options at this point :
a) if you want to use macOS Catalina – you will need to uninstall that app, and replace it with a 64-bit alternative
b) if you want to continue using the app – then you should NOT upgrade to macOS Catalina. Just stick to macOS Mojave or earlier, and you will do just fine.
Check Your Other Apps Before Upgrading To Catalina!
It would be wise not to just rely on the list of incompatible apps that macOS Catalina recognises, because it is just a partial list of all the 32-bit apps that are still being used worldwide.
The Full List Of 235 Apps Incompatible With macOS Catalina
Hidden in the macOS Catalina’s installer code is a list of 235 apps that Apple has identified to be incompatible.
Please note that this is not an exhaustive list, and mainly covers popular software that Apple will highlight as incompatible during the upgrade process.
10.5 Software Update or earlier
1Password 2.12.1 or earlier
3D Weather Globe / 3D Weather Globe Deluxe Edition / 3D Weather Globe 2 Screensaver
3ivx 504 or earlier
ADmitMac 9.0.1 or earlier
Adobe Creative Cloud 1.0.x or earlier
Adobe Creative Cloud 1.1.x or earlier
AirDisplay 1.6.3 or earlier
AJA 12.2.1 or earlier
AJA Io HD Driver 6.0.3 or earlier
Antidote HD 7.2 or earlier
Antidote HD 3.1.6 or earlier
Antidote RX
App Tamer 2.0.5 or earlier
Apple Configurator 1.9.9 or earlier
Asepsis
AT&T Laptop Connect Card 1.0.4 or earlier
AT&T Laptop Connect Card 1.0.5 or earlier
AT&T Laptop Connect Card 1.10.0 or earlier
Avast! 1.0.1 or earlier
Avast Mac Security 10.14 or earlier
Avid CoreAudio Plugin 12.1.0.x or earlier
Bark 1.1 or earlier
Bark 1.0.1 or earlier
Belkin Router Monitor
Best Youtube Downloader
Billings Pro 1.6.5 or earlier
Box Sync 4.0.6567 or earlier
Camouflage 2.0 or earlier
Canon UFRII 2.25 or earlier
Canon UFRII 2.35 or earlier
cDock 1.1.3 or earlier
CHUD
Clusters 1.7 or earlier
CosmoPod 4.5.1 or earlier
DAVE 12.0.1 or earlier
Default Folder X 4.3.10 or earlier
Disk for iPhone
DisplayLink 1.9 or earlier
DisplayPad 5 or earlier
DisplayPad 1.4 or earlier
DivX 1.3 or earlier
DoubleCommand 1.6.9 or earlier
Dropbox 1.1.34 or earlier
eID 4.0.7 or earlier
ESET Cyber Security 6.0.14 or earlier
FastCut Threshold Plugin 1.0 or earlier
Flip4Mac 3.0 or earlier
FortiClient 5.4.0.493 or earlier
FinderPop 2.4.9 or earlier
Final Cut Server Preference 1.5.2 or earlier
Genieo 2.0 or earlier
GlimmerBlocker 1.4.12 or earlier
Glims 1.0b34 or earlier
Glims 1.0.42 or earlier
Google Japanese IM 1.13.1880 or earlier
GPG Mail 2.5.1 or earlier
Growl 1.2.2 or earlier
Gutenprint 5.2.10 or earlier
Hear Plugin 1.0.4 or earlier
Hear Plugin 1.0.5 or earlier
Hear Plugin 1.1.4 or earlier
InstantOn 7.2.1 or earlier
iStat Menus 2.9 or earlier
iStat Menus 4.20 or earlier
iStat Menus 5.10 or earlier
iStat Server 2.21 or earlier
Kaspersky Antivirus 2.2.0d16 or earlier
Kanbox 1.1.2.x or earlier
Kanbox 1.1.1 or earlier
KeyMagic 1.5 or earlier
KinemeCore 0.5.1 or earlier
LabTech Agent 1.0 or earlier
LaCie USB 3.0 Driver 1.0.8 or earlier
launch2net Drivers 2.13.0 or earlier
LazyMouse 2.5 or earlier
Litecoin Ticker 1.337 or earlier
Little Snitch 1.2.64 or earlier
Little Snitch 2.5.3 or earlier
Little Snitch 3.3 or earlier
Line6 TonePort Driver 4.1.0 or earlier
Logitech Control Center 3.9.4 or earlier
M-Audio Driver 1.10.1 or earlier
M-Audio Driver 2.3.1 or earlier
Macspoofer 1.0 or earlier
Magican 1.4.8 or earlier
McAfee Internet Security 3.3 or earlier
McAfee Security 1.0.0d1 or earlier
McAfee VirusScan 8.6 or earlier
Mou 0.8.7 or earlier
Move Media Player
MyBook RAID Manager 1.0.1 or earlier
Net Nanny 3.1.7 or earlier
Norton AntiVirus
Norton Internet Security 5.9.1 or earlier
Opswat Gears 10.2.185 or earlier
Parallels 2.5 or earlier
Parallels 7.0.15094 or earlier
Parallels Access 2.0.0 or earlier
Pen Tablet Preference 5.3.3-3
Plaxo 1.0 or earlier
Plaxo 3.16.2 or earlier
Plaxo 3.0 or earlier
Printopia 2.1.10 or earlier
Pro Tools 9.0f121 or earlier
Qmaster Components
Qmaster Preference 3.5 or earlier
QT Desktop Video Out 1.2.7 or earlier
QuickBooks 2009 10.0f2440 or earlier
QuickBooks 2010 11.0f2972 or earlier
QuickBooks 2011 12.0f5460 or earlier
QuickBooks 2012 13.0.f7630 or earlier
QuickBooks 2013 14.0f10166 or earlier
QuickBooks 2014 15.0f2630 or earlier
QuickBooks 2015 16.0.6 or earlier
Quicken Essentials 1.7.4 or earlier
QQ Input 2.8.999 or earlier
QQ Mac Manager 2.4.0 or earlier
Rapport 1.0 or earlier
Rapport 2.0 or earlier
Razer Kraken Audio Plugin 1.04 or earlier
Razer Kraken 7.1 Audio Plugin 1.02 or earlier
Razer Kraken 7.1 Chroma Audio Plugin 1.04 or earlier
Razer Kraken 7.1 Blue Audio Plugin 1.03 or earlier
Razer Kraken 7.1 v2 Audio Plugin 1.1 or earlier
Razer Mamba 2012 1.07 or earlier
Razer ManOWar Audio Plugin 1.2 or earlier
Rubbernet 1.2 or earlier
Screen Sharing 1.4 or earlier
Seagate Maxtor NotificationExec 4.1.6 or earlier
SecureVault LexarFilter 2.2.0 or earlier
Shake 4.10 or earlier
Smith Micro Internet Cleanup 5.0.4 or earlier
Smith Micro Internet Cleanup 5.1.1 or earlier
SMS Widget 3.4 or earlier
Snapz Pro X 4.0.0 or earlier
Sogou IM 2.9.0 or earlier
Sonner Qio 2.7.1 or earlier
Sophos AntiVirus 7.2.0 or earlier
Sophos AntiVirus 9.4.4 or earlier
Sophos Auto Update 7.3.4 or earlier
Sophos Endpoint 9.5.2 or earlier
Sophos Home 9.4.4 or earlier
Sound Bunny 1.0.1 or earlier
Sound Control 2.2.3 or earlier
SourceTree 1.5.6 or earlier
Sony Palm 6 Sync Driver 2.0.1 or earlier
SRS iWOW 3.1.x or earlier
SRS iWOW 3.0.x or earlier
SugarSync Manager 1.9.26 or earlier
Suitcase Fusion 17.0.0 or earlier
SugarSync 1.0 or earlier
SugarSync 1.0.9 or earlier
Switcher Maestro
SuperDrive Update 2.1 or earlier
Symantec Endpoint Protection 12.1.6565 or earlier
Synergy KM 1.0.1 or earlier
Sxs Memory Card Driver 1.0.45049 or earlier
TabExpose 2.3 or earlier
TelldusCenter 2.1.1 or earlier
TorchUpdated 25.0 or earlier
TotalFinder 1.6.2 or earlier
TotalSpaces 1.2.9 or earlier
Transmit 4.1.7 or earlier
Trend Smart Surfing 1.6.1089 or earlier
Trim Enabler 3.2.4 or earlier
Trusteer Endpoint Protection 1609.22 or earlier
Undercover 5.5 or earlier
VirusBarrier 10.6.12 or earlier
Visor 2.2 or earlier
Videobox TAAVPlugin 2.3T or earlier
Virtru 1.0.2 or earlier
Vodafone v2.0.6 or earlier
VMWare Fusion 3.1.4 or earlier
VMWare Fusion 4.1.1 or earlier
Wacom 6.3.8-2 or earlier
WD Drive Manager 2.2.7 or earlier
WD SmartWare 2.1.x or earlier
WD SmartWare 1.0.x or earlier
WebEx Outlook Plugin 32.5.1 or earlier
XtraFinder 0.25.4 or earlier
ZEV0 2012.09.23 or earlier
The list was consolidated somewhat, combining minor revisions for the same software.
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!
macOS Catalina (or macOS version 10.15) is coming in October 2019, bringing with it a slew of really nice improvements and new features.
However, unlike earlier macOS releases – you need to prepare for macOS Catalina, or you could run into trouble right after the upgrade!
macOS Catalina Requirements
Before we start, make sure you have one of these systems – macOS Catalina will only run on these Mac computers.
iMac Pro : All models
iMac : Late 2012 or newer
Mac Pro : Late 2013 or newer
Mac mini : Late 2012 or newer
MacBook Pro : Mid 2012 or newer
MacBook : Early 2015 or newer
MacBook Air : Mid 2012 or newer
macOS Catalina – Don’t Upgrade Until You Do This First!
Unlike earlier versions of macOS, Catalina drops support for 32-bit apps. Therefore, you must check if you are still using any 32-bit apps before you upgrade.
Here is a step-by-step guide on how to check for 32-bit apps in macOS :
Click on the Apple icon on the top left of the task bar.
Select About This Mac from the pull-down list.
In the Overview screen, click on the System Report… button.
When System Report loads, select Software > Applications from the column on the left.
It will now take a minute or two to scan all of your apps.
Once it loads, you can scroll through all of your apps to look for any that have their 64-Bit (Intel) status marked No.
However, an EASIER method is to locate the 64-Bit (Intel) column, and click on it to list all those marked No at the top.As you can see, quite a number of applications, including those used to setup the actual apps, are still 32-bit apps.
Now, you need to uninstall all those 32-bit apps and replace them with 64-bit versions. Otherwise, they will all fail to work once you upgrade to Catalina!
Why Do You Need To Run This Check Again?
You need to find out what 32-bit apps you are still running, because they will NOT work after you install macOS Catalina.
You will need to upgrade these 32-bit apps with newer 64-bit versions, BEFORE you upgrade to macOS Catalina.
Can’t I Upgrade My Apps After I Upgrade To macOS Catalina?
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It is possible to remove your 32-bit apps and install their 64-bit versions after upgrading to macOS Catalina.
However, you may have trouble removing all of the older components, if the old 32-bit app used an installer.
So we highly recommend that you uninstall all 32-bit apps, and install their 64-bit versions… BEFORE you upgrade to macOS Catalina.
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!
The new Apple Pro Display XDR is the pinnacle of Apple display engineering. But before you splash out thousands of dollars for it, do you know which configuration you really need?
In this configuration guide, find out options you have and what you should choose for the ultimate Pro Display XDR monitor! We even created a special infographic to help you make that choice!
The Apple Pro Display XDR Monitor
The Apple Pro Display XDR is a new 6K IPS display that is designed to complement the new 2019 Mac Pro workstation.
It boasts a 32-inch panel with a 6K resolution of 6016 x 3384 pixels, and Extreme Dynamic Range (XDR) capability with 576 local dimming zones!
Of course, HDR monitors have been around for some time now, with 384-zone models being introduced last year.
On top of that, it delivers 1000 nits of sustained brightness, with a peak brightness of 1600 nits! It also boasts dual ambient light sensors, to ensure an accurate viewing experience in any ambient lighting condition. Kind of like BenQ’s Brightness Intelligence Plus technology…
Why You NEED The Apple Pro Display XDR Monitor!
The Apple Pro Display XDR is the ultimate display for hardcore Apple fans, and graphics professionals who believe it’s the Viagra they need to perform at their very best.
It is designed to do two things – give you an ultra-premium 6K display experience, and the Tim Cook-anointed right to thumb your nose at the 99.9% hoi polloi.
Because when you have the Apple Pro Display XDR, you know you have proven your worth.
You are the TOP 0.1%. You are the BEST graphics designer in the world. The ULTIMATE Apple fan.
Apple Pro Display XDR Configuration Options
Don’t bother explaining to the ignorant rabble (or your boss) why you NEED the Pro Display XDR. Focus on what options you should select.
Standard vs Nano-Texture Finish
Everyone knows that graphics designers lose their eyesight after years of peeking at pixels. Remember how many times you mistook the glare off your display as an actual light flare?
To avoid that kind of problem, you can now pay Apple $1000 to etch a nano-texture pattern on your Pro Display XDR!
Our Verdict : The standard finish is for cheap schlubs. Go Nano-Texture, or go home!
Pro Stand / VESA Mount / Handheld?
The Pro Stand ($999), of course! It does everything a good monitor stand has been capable of doing for the past several decades, but with the flair and price tag that only awesome graphics designers like you understand.
The VESA Mount Adapter ($199) lets you hook up the Pro Display XDR onto walls, multi-monitor stands, or if you are really cheap – onto a non-Apple monitor stand.
But if you employ slave labour, you can always go old-school and have your slave hold it (FREE!). Remember – the Pro Stand does not support Siri… YET, so the slave route is the only way to control your Pro Display XDR by voice commands.
The Apple Pro Mug XDR Infographic
To make the choices simpler to understand, we created this special infographic, which uses an Apple Pro Mug XDR analogy to translate all those technical gobbledygook into something professional graphics designers can understand at a glance.
If you walk around with a standard finish, everyone’s going to know you are just another 0.1% wannabe. SHOW the world you are part of the REAL 0.1% with that matte nano-texture finish!
The Pro Handle will let you take the Apple Pro Mug XDR to the limits. Fill it with super-hot coffee or liquid nitrogen – all without fear of injuring your hand!
And the Pro Handle has special magnetic connectors, so you can easily detach the Pro Mug XDR, to attach it to a separate Pro Handle! Now you can share your drink without sharing the same handle! How hygienic!
If you must opt for the Universal Sleeve, tell people you are not being cheap – you are just being environmentally-friendly. Cardboard is recyclable and the Universal Sleeve does not use rare earth magnets!
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!
Realme smartphones are not known for the selfies, which is a shame. We took the Realme 3 on a trip across the US West Coast, and here is our Realme selfie guide and showcase!
Find out what settings you should use on Realme smartphones, and check out the selfies we took from the Grand Canyon to Las Vegas, San Francisco and Los Angeles!
The Realme 3 selfie camera has a higher-resolution 13 MP sensor with a brighter f/2.0 lens. The Realme 2, you may recall, has an 8 MP front camera with f/2.2 lens.
Its higher-end brother, the Realme 3 Pro, also has a front camera with a wide f/2.0 aperture. The only difference is it has a higher-resolution 25 MP sensor, instead of a 13 MP sensor.
The Realme Selfie Camera Guide
We highly recommend that you enable these settings before you start shooting – Location, Flip Selfie, and Auto HDR. These are the common settings you find in other Realme smartphones, like the Realme 2 Pro and the Realme 3 Pro.
Location
While travelling in the US, we do not always have time to note the exact location (building, street address, etc.) where we take these photos.
Enabling Location lets the Realme 3 add the GPS coordinates to every photo, so you can always look up the location when you get back.
Flip Selfie
We highly recommend turning on the Flip Selfie option, which basically gives you a mirror image of the selfie. This is important because it makes sure any text in the background will be readable.
This was not enabled by default, which led to some of our selfies not turning out right. Make sure you enable this option before you start taking your selfies!
Auto HDR
Selfies are often impromptu… spontaneous… There’s very little time to set-up a selfie, unless you’re an influencer and you would have a buddy or two, with LED lighting, etc (you get the idea).
This is why you should make sure Auto HDR is enabled. It lets the Realme 3 automatically decide when is the best time to take HDR shots (combining multiple shots with different exposures).
HDR will bring out the details in both dark and overexposed areas of a photo, while increasing the picture’s dynamic range. Take a look at this example :
Without Auto HDR, both faces in this selfie shot would be too dark because of the overly bright background.
It may not be obvious in the picture above, but it was CRAZY HOT and BRIGHT at the Grand Canyon when I took that photo in the shade. I was pleasantly surprised at how well it turned out!
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!
Realme 3 Selfie Samples From Boulder City
After landing in Las Vegas, we headed straight for Boulder City, which is a small town about 30 minutes away.
You will pass it on the way to the Grand Canyon, or Hoover Dam. So it’s a great place to stop for the night, especially if you plan to visit Hoover Dam.
But first, we had some burger and chicken fingers at The Chicken Shack. The folks here are extremely friendly!
Here is Nick with the Double Shack burger, with double beef patties and cheese. Only$9.79 before taxes, , with a side of fries and a drink!
And here are Steve and Justin with my order of chicken fingers!
The chicken tenders here are large strips of chicken breast meat. I prefer dark meat, but they were juicy and tender. Only $7.99 for 5 of “em!
This is Allyson from the Boulder Pit Stop, serving our Pit Burger and Turkey Burger. Seriously great burgers even without adding cheese, bacon or mushrooms.
The Pit Burger with a 1/3 lb patty is only $5.75 before taxes, and the Turkey Burger only $4.50 before taxes. If you’re ever going to Boulder City, make sure you try them out!
Realme 3 Selfie Samples From Hoover Dam
The best view of Hoover Dam is actually midway across the Mike O’Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge.
Just turn off about a mile after the security check point, and walk up to the Memorial Plaza, which leads to the pedestrian walkway of the bridge.
There’s no need to walk all the way to the end. Just walk until you get a picture you like, or to the mid-point, so you can have one foot in Nevada, and another foot in Arizona! 😀
The lifts were undergoing maintenance so there were no tours that day. However, Hoover Dam tour guides like Alan gave us a presentation on the Hoover Dam instead.
You can feel the pride and love they have for this American engineering marvel!
Realme 3 Selfie Samples From The Grand Canyon
Being short on time, we took a short plane + helicopter ride to the Grand Canyon at a Boulder City airport.
Scott here took us on a short cruise down the Colorado river, through the Grand Canyon West Rim.
The bulk of the Grand Canyon West Rim (seen behind us) belongs to the US National Park, while the opposing side is part of the Hualapai Indian Reservation.
It was CRAZY HOT and really bright at the Grand Canyon that day, but thanks to its Auto HDR capability, this selfie taken at Guano Point turned out much better than I expected!
Since it was so bright, I expected harsh shadows on our faces, and a terribly blown-out background. Yet, the shadows were surprisingly soft, and you can clearly see the Grand Canyon in the back, and even the clouds and the blue sky!
Realme 3 Selfie Samples From Las Vegas
It’s been years since my last visit to Las Vegas, and while much has remained the same, a lot has changed!
Here is the venerable Las Vegas landmark – the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas signboard!
While it has not changed, it has been upgraded with a special parking lot built into the median, so tourists can park and not get hit by traffic on both sides of the Las Vegas Boulevard!
I then spent three days at Dell Technologies World 2019, where I met really nice people like Stephanie Silva from McLaren…
And Ben Driscoll and Kendall Peters, who ran the always-busy Press and Analyst Room!
We also had the opportunity to meet and take selfies with the incredibly funny and entertaining Penn & Teller!
These guys are AWESOME! If you can only catch one magic show in Las Vegas, you MUST catch Penn & Teller.
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Realme 3 Selfie Samples From San Francisco
After so many days in Sin City, we flew ourselves to San Francisco, and checked ourselves into the Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary!
Located just 1.25 miles or just over 2 km from the San Francisco, it served as a federal prison for 29 years. during which 36 prisoners tried to escape.
Ironically, hundreds of tourists now pay good money to visit Alcatraz every day!
Welcoming us was Ray Hood, a volunteer with the US National Parks Service.
He commutes from Sacramento to help US Park Rangers like Wendy Solis here educate visitors on the rich history of Alcatraz, and to warn us about being “painted white” by the current avian occupants of Alcatraz…
Prison chow at Alcatraz did not agree with us, so we escaped on a boat and headed to the Fisherman’s Wharf, where Ernesto served us Boudin’s new crab chowder in a sourdough bowl!
I met Rodrigo “Roy” Gutierrez outside of Pier 33. He spray painted that piece for me in just 5 minutes!
Again, Auto HDR kicked in for a nicely exposed photo, even though it was a dastardly bright day.
While I was in San Francisco, I had my MacBook Pro checked out by Brennan Duong at Apple Store Union Square.
Finally, we had to stop by The Baked Bear for their humungous and really delicious ice-cream sandwiches! This is Sam with my tastic ice-cream sandwich!
That’s a of an ice-cream sandwich! Not a or a but an actual …
We originally planned to have one each, but it was so big – we had to share!
Realme 3 Selfie Samples From Los Angeles
We only had a short time in LA, but I had the opportunity to chat with Officer Raviol of the Los Angeles Police Department.
Joshua thinks he looks like Nicholas Cage. I think he looks like Arnold Vosloo. What do YOU think?
Realme Smartphone Price + Availability
These are the latest Realme smartphones that are currently available for sale :
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Ready to migrate from an Apple iPhone to a Samsung smartphone? It’s really easy if you use their Smart Switch software!
Here is our guide on using Samsung Smart Switch to easily migrate from your old iPhone to a brand new Samsung smartphone!
What Is Samsung Smart Switch?
Switching from an Apple iPhone to a Samsung smartphone is easy thanks to the Smart Switch software, which you can download here, if it’s not pre-installed in your Samsung Smartphone.
It lets you easily transfer photos, music, videos and contacts from your existing iOS (or Android) smartphone to any Samsung smartphone.
The Samsung Smart Switch Guide For iPhones!
You have two options – to transfer your data wirelessly, or using the USB cable.
Option A : Wirelessly Using iCloud
Open the Smart Switch app on your new Galaxy device.
Touch RECEIVE data.
Step 1 : Open the Smart Switch app on your Samsung Galaxy device. Step 2 : Touch RECEIVE data
Enter your Apple ID and password. Then touch SIGN IN to connect to your iCloud account.
Select the content you want to transfer from your iCloud account. Then touch IMPORT and you’re done.
Step 5 : Enter your Apple ID and password. Then touch SIGN IN to connect to your iCloud account. Step 6 : Select the content you want to transfer from your iCloud account. Then touch IMPORT and you’re done.
Option B : Using A USB Cable
Open the Smart Switch app on your new Galaxy device
Touch RECEIVE data.
Step 1 : Open the Smart Switch app on your Samsung Galaxy device Step 2 : Touch RECEIVE data.
Touch CABLE.
With a USB connector, connect your iOS device to your Galaxy device via a Lightning USB cable.
Step 3 : Touch CABLE. Step 4 : With a USB connector, connect your iOS device to your Galaxy device via a Lightning USB cable.
Touch Trust on the iOS device.
Select the content you want, then touch TRANSFER and you’re done.
Step 5 : Touch Trust on the iOS device. Step 6 : Select the content you want, then touch TRANSFER and you’re done.
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Apple FINALLY kills off iTunes, and the world is a better place for it!
Find out what killing off iTunes means for Apple users, and why we should celebrate its death with champagne and loud cheers!
iTunes Lifeline Finally Cut!
Well, not right away though. That junk software will continue to soldier on until you upgrade to macOS Catalina (macOS 10.15) – their next-generation operating system.
After you upgrade to macOS Catalina, iTunes will no longer exist. Only then you can safely toast its demise with champagne.
iTunes Was A Bloated Piece Of Shit
Honestly, why are some Apple fans so crazy about iTunes, literally crying virtual tears over its impending demise?
That piece of shit should have been canned years ago. Cast in concrete and dropped into the deepest ocean humanity can find.
You guys do know that you can be an Apple fanboy without pretending to love iTunes, right? RIGHT?
Apple Just Cut It Into Three Pieces
I’m ecstatic Apple finally pulled the plug on that bloated, unwieldy junk software, instead of forcing a new version down our throats every year.
I’m just a little sad that they chose to split iTunes into three smaller apps – Apple Music, Apple TV and Apple Podcasts.
Apple Music for macOS Catalina
Apple TV for macOS Catalina
Apple Podcasts for macOS Catalina
Sure, this would finally align macOS devices with their iOS cousins, which already have those apps. But now, you have to use three separate apps to manage your media, instead of just one.
There is also the tendency for those apps to bloat, as Apple adds more features with each iteration.
Wasted Opportunity?
IMHO, Apple could have used this opportunity to reinvent (and revolutionise?) how we manage and use media.
Instead of killing iTunes, perhaps they should have created a completely new unified app, with a different concept and UI… and a new name.
Not only is the iTunes name now irrevocably associated with user frustration, it is also incongruous with what iTunes has become.
The BEST Part About Killing iTunes
The BEST part about Apple killing iTunes is something many people somehow missed – you can now backup, update and sync your iOS devices through Finder!
This feature alone is worth upgrading to macOS Catalina at the earliest opportunity, even if Apple did not kill iTunes.
No longer will you have to use iTunes to backup, update and manage files in your iOS devices.
No longer will you be forced to use specific folders to sync your media files with your iOS devices.
No longer will you wonder why iTunes stubbornly refuses to sync certain photos and videos, while syncing all other photos and videos.
Yes, no longer will you have to put up with the piece of shit software called Apple iTunes to use your iOS devices!
If it actually works as advertised, this feature alone will finally see me purchase my first iPad since I sold off my first-generation iPad many years ago.
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The 2019 Samsung Smart TVs, announced at CES 2019, promises to change how we interact with our TV.
Let’s take a look at the 3 key developments that the 2019 Samsung Smart TVs will introduce, and change the way you think about content and connectivity.
1. More Content With Apple Partnership
In March 2019, Samsung’s landmark partnership with Apple will come into effect. It will allow iOS devices like iPhone and iPad to stream directly to the 2019 Samsung Smart TVs using Airplay 2, without the need for Apple TV or additional connections.
In addition, Samsung customers in over 100 countries will have exclusive access to the new Apple iTunes Movies and TV Shows app on Samsung Smart TVs, when it is launched.
2. New Bixby For 2019 Samsung Smart TVs
The 2019 Samsung Smart TVs will come with a New Bixby AI assistant, that will learn about your preferences from each interaction. This will allow the new Bixby to make informed suggestions about what to watch.
The improved Bixby assistant will cover a wider range, and can hear voices from a greater distance. As such, there is no longer a need to press the speaker button on your remote control to talk to Bixby.
3. Seamless Connectivity At Home
The 2019 Samsung Smart TVs will also act as connectivity hubs for your home. You will be able to control connected devices around your home with the SmartThings dashboard.
You can also create automated tasks to trigger certain actions when certain conditions are met. For example, you can set your air-conditioner in a room to automatically turn itself off whenever windows are kept open for a period of time.
The 2019 Samsung Smart TVs will also let you remotely control and access your PCs, laptops, smartphones and tablets, using Remote Access. They can also interact seamlessly with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.
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