Samsung just launched the highly-anticipated Galaxy S24 FE smartphone in four main colour options! Take a look at all four main colour options, and tell us which YOU prefer!
Samsung Galaxy S24 FE : 4 Main Colour Options!
Samsung just launched the new Galaxy S24 FE (Fan Edition) smartphone, and it will be available in four main pastel colours:
Graphite
Grey
Blue
Mint
Samsung will not be offering any exclusive colour options on its online store, but will instead offer a 5th colour option in certain regions:
Yellow
I was amongst the few to get an early look at the Galaxy S24 FE, and here is my comparison video of all four main colour options! Do let us know which YOU prefer!
Samsung is making all four colour options, as well as the fifth limited Yellow colour, available for purchase from 26 September 2024 onwards, at these price points :
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Samsung just launched the Galaxy Tab S10 series of tablets in two colour options! Take a look at the two colour options, and tell us which YOU prefer!
Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Series : Two Colour Options!
Samsung just launched the new Galaxy Tab S10 series of tablets, and they will be available in just two colour options for the Galaxy Tab S10+ model:
Moonstone Grey (5G or Wi-Fi only)
Platinum Silver (Wi-Fi only)
And only one colour for the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra model:
Moonstone Grey
I was amongst the few to get an early look at the Galaxy Tab S10+ and the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra, and here is my comparison video of the two tablets and their colour options! Do let us know which YOU prefer!
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Samsung just launched the new Galaxy Z Flip 6 smartphone in four main colour options, and three online exclusive colours! Take a look at our four main colour options, and tell us which YOU prefer!
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 : 4 Colour Options!
Samsung just launched the new Galaxy Z Flip 6 smartphone at the Galaxy Unpacked 2024 event, and it will be available in four main colours with a matte finish:
Silver Shadow
Yellow
Mint
Blue
Samsung will also offer three other colour options exclusively on its online store:
Crafted Black
White
Peach
I was amongst the few to get an early look at the Galaxy Z Flip 6, and here is my comparison video of all four main colour options! Do let us know which YOU prefer!
Just in case you are wondering, the launch prices for the Galaxy Z Flip 6 went up a fair bit (~US$xx / £xx / A$xx / S$xx) over the launch prices for the Galaxy Z Flip 5.
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Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Samsung just launched the new Galaxy Z Fold 6 smartphone in three main colour options, and two online exclusive colours! Take a look at all three main colour options, and tell us which YOU prefer!
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 : 3 Main Colour Options!
Samsung just launched the new Galaxy Z Fold 6 smartphone at the Galaxy Unpacked 2024 event, and it will be available in three main colours with a matte finish:
Silver Shadow
Navy
Pink
Samsung will also offer two other colour options exclusively on its online store:
Crafted Black
White
I was amongst the few to get an early look at the Galaxy Z Fold 6, and here is my comparison video of all three main colour options! Do let us know which YOU prefer!
Here are renders of the three colour options for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 smartphone:
Silver Shadow Colour Option
Navy Colour Option
Pink Colour Option
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 : Colour Options + Price
Samsung is making all three colour options, as well as the two exclusive online colours, available for purchase from 24 July 2024 onwards, at these price points :
Just in case you are wondering, the launch prices for the Galaxy Z Fold 6 are slightly higher than the launch prices for the Galaxy Z Fold 5.
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Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Find out how to register for the BUDI MADANI diesel fuel subsidy initiative in our step-by-step guide!
BUDI MADANI Registration For Diesel Subsidy
On 22 May 2024, Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced that the government will cut diesel subsidies in Peninsular Malaysia, with Sabah and Sarawak spared as the use of diesel vehicles is widespread in those states.
Cutting this diesel subsidy is expected to save the government about RM4 billion (about US$850 million a year) – or about 0.2% of its GDP, and help to achieve the goal of the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA) to reduce the debt level so that it does not exceed 60% of the GDP, with a fiscal deficit of between 3.5% and 3% by 2025.
Instead of providing a direct subsidy of diesel fuel, Malaysia has announced a new diesel subsidy scheme called BUDI MADANI, which is much more limited, and targeted.
Step 3 : A notice will pop-up, informing you that your MyKad number is not found in the BUDI MADANI system. You are then given the option to register for an account.
Step 4 : Click on the Daftar Akaun (Register Account) button.
Step 5 : In the BUDI MADANI registration page, you will need to key in these details:
MyKad number
Full name
Email address
Step 6 : Enter a safety phrase that only you will know. Make it something short and easy to remember, like Show me the money!
This safety phrase will appear whenever you log into BUDI MADANI in the future, allowing you to verify that you are not logging into a fake, phishing website.
Step 7 : Key in a password that must be at least 8 digits / characters long, and must consist of a mix of numbers, small and capital letters, and symbols.
Step 8 : Once you are done, click on the Daftar (Register) button.
Step 9 : A pop-up will appear, informing you that you have successfully registered for a BUDI MADANI account. You should immediately receive an email.
You will now need to check your email account (the one you keyed in above), for the BUDI MADANI confirmation email.
Please verify that the email came from budimadani@hasil.gov.my, and that it was sent right after you register for the account.
Once you are sure it is a legitimate email, click on the link inside the confirmation email, to verify your email address and activate your BUDI MADANI account.
Step 10 : Clicking on the link should lead you to the login page. If it does not, simply go to the BUDI MADANI login page again, and key in your MyKad number.
Step 11 : This time, you will be shown your safety phrase. Click Ya (Yes) to confirm that it is the safety phrase you registered, or Tidak (No) if it’s the wrong safety phrase.
Step 12 : Now key in your password, and click on the Log Masuk (Log In) button.
Step 13 : After logging in, you will see the BUDI MADANI screen with two options. Click on Permohonan BUDI Individu (Application for BUDI Individual)
Step 14 : You will need to key in your other personal details:
Tick the Police / Military checkbox and key in your Police / Military number, if you are in the police or military.
Mobile phone number
Bank
Bank account number
Step 15 : You will then need to key in the details of your diesel vehicles (up to 5):
Vehicle number plate number
Vehicle road tax expiry date
Vehicle brand and model
Vehicle class
Step 16 : Once you are done, verify the details and click on the Teruskan (Proceed) button.
Step 17 : You will be presented with a CAPTCHA challenge. Key in the letters you see in the box below, and click on the SAHKAN CAPTCHA (Verify CAPTCHA) button.
Step 18 : You will be presented with a declaration. Click on the checkbox to proceed.
Step 19 : Now click on the Hantar (Send) button to submit your application.
Step 20 : You will receive a notification that your application was successfully submitted. Click on the Keluar (Leave) button to exit, or click on the Cetak Permohonan (Print Application) button to download your application.
You can also click on the Semak Status (Check Status) to see if your application has been approved.
That’s it! You have successfully submitted your BUDI MADANI application for diesel subsidy! Best of luck!
Please Support My Work!
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Jetpack Stats is no longer free – Jetpack has started charging websites a monthly fee to keep an eye on their stats!
Here is what you need to know, and what you can switch to…
Jetpack Stats Is No Longer Free!
On 10 April 2024, Jetpack announced that it will now start charging websites a monthly fee to keep an eye on their stats, based on the amount of traffic they receive.
While Jetpack says it is “excited” to share that personal websites are staying free, it is likely that the vast majority of websites will never qualify, as Jetpack’s definition of “commercial sites” is wide-ranging. You are considered “commercial”, as long as:
your website has advertisements of any kind, including Google Adsense
you sell products or services on your website
you promote a business on your website
you solicit donations or sponsorship on your website
In other words, you will have to pay even if you are a charity seeking donations, or a Girl Scout troop hawking cookies.
On top of that, Jetpack is not charging a flat rate for its Stats module, but a pretty hefty fee based on the amount of traffic you receive every month!
Please note that you are billed yearly. To make it easier for you to understand the cost, I summarised the prices for Jetpack Stats in this table:
Monthly Limit
Monthly Price
Yearly Cost
10K page views
US$8.34
US$100
100K page views
US$16.67
US$200
250K page views
US$25
US$300
500K page views
US$41.67
US$500
1M page views
US$58.34
US$700
2M page views
US$79.17
US$950
Every additional
1M page views
+US$20.83
+US$250
Mind you – this is just the cost for Jetpack Stats, which appears to be a separate and additional cost to the Jetpack Security and Jetpack Complete subscriptions, which are US$9.95, and US$24.95 per month respectively.
So you are talking about forking out serious money just to monitor your website stats, and get some insights.
Best Free Jetpack Stats Alternative : MonsterInsights
To be sure, Jetpack Stats was a useful and convenient tool, when it was free, but it really doesn’t make sense to pay so much to stick with it. After all, it’s basically displaying a summary of your Google Analytics data!
Fortunately, there is a great alternative – MonsterInsights. It looks remarkably similar to Jetpack Stats (or vice versa), so you should have no problem switching. It’s also easy to install and setup – I took less than 10 minutes to migrate from Jetpack Stats to MonsterInsights. Best of all – MonsterInsights is FREE!
There is a paid MonsterInsights Pro version, but that’s only necessary for those who need specialised features like events tracking, ecommerce tracking, custom dimensions tracking, page speed reports, popular post tracking, custom dimensions, affiliate link tracking, video, tracking, etc.
Step 7 : Sign into your Google Account, and select the right Analytics Property.
Step 8 : Complete the rest of the setup, including selecting the features you want. Then wait for it to complete its setup process.
That’s it! You should be able to instantly monitor your website stats using MonsterInsights, without paying to use Jetpack Stats!
We hope you found this guide useful. Please SHARE this article, and please SUPPORT our work!
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Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Take a look at the performance of the Samsung Galaxy A55, and find out how well the Exynos 1380 performs against the competition!
Samsung Galaxy A55 : Powered By Exynos 1480
The Samsung Galaxy A55 is built around the new Samsung Exynos 1480 mobile platform that officially launched on 11 March 2024.
Fabricated on Samsung’s own 4 nm EUV process technology, the Exynos 1480 comes with a Samsung Xclipse 530 GPU, an improved 6K MAC NPU, as well as eight CPU cores arranged in two performance clusters:
four Arm Cortex-A78 high-performance cores, and
four Arm Cortex-A55 low-power cores.
The Samsung Exynos 1480 has an integrated 5G modem that supports Sub-6GHz and mmWave standards, as well as LTE Cat.18 uploads and downloads for current 4G networks.
It also supports Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3, as well as the four main GPS networks – GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou and Galileo.
On paper, this is a powerful mid-range mobile platform, but let’s take a look at how it actually performs!
We first tested the Galaxy A55 using PCMark, which simulates work applications like web browsing, playing video, writing text and editing photos.
Work 3.0
S23
Ultra
Galaxy
A55
Galaxy
A54
S22
Ultra
Galaxy
A73
Mobile Platform
SD 8
Gen 2
Exynos
1480
Exynos
1380
SD 8
Gen 1
SD
778G
Performance Score
16408
13583
13523
12860
12522
Web Browsing
15680
11453
10659
10442
11736
Video Editing
7879
7393
7363
7444
7082
Writing
22257
17915
17485
15471
14796
Photo Editing
35533
25962
28805
30177
26340
Data Manipulation
12171
11742
11443
9691
9502
Look at that – the Samsung Exynos 1480 was virtually identical in performance as last year’s Exynos 1380, that powered the Galaxy A54. Perhaps that’s not surprising since they both use the same A78 and A55 cores.
The Exynos 1480 has its four A78 high-performance cores running at 2.75 GHz, instead of 2.4 GHz, but it appears that work applications don’t need all that much performance so the 14.5% higher clock speed did not matter.
Even so, the Samsung Exynos 1480 remains a fast mid-range mobile SoC, coming within 17.5% of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 mobile SoC, which powers the Galaxy S23 Ultra flagship smartphone!
Samsung Galaxy A55 : Gaming Performance
For gaming, we tested the Galaxy A55 using 3DMark, with these results :
3DMark
S23
Ultra
S22
Ultra
Galaxy
A55
Galaxy
A54
Galaxy
A73
Device
SD 8
Gen 2
SD 8
Gen 1
Exynos
1480
Exynos
1380
SD
778G
Sling Shot
16344
11094
9058
6195
6620
Sling Shot Extreme
13904
7291
6908
4943
5358
Wild Life
14554
9106
3996
2860
2487
Wild Life
Extreme
3814
2220
954
799
689
This is where the Samsung Galaxy A55’s Exynos 1480 improved the most – it’s much better at gaming than the Exynos 1380, outperforming it by 19% to 46%. Very impressive!
Just in case you are wondering – no, the Xclipse 530 GPU used in the Exynos 1480 does not support ray-tracing.
Samsung Galaxy A55 : Overall Performance
We then tested the Galaxy A55 using AnTuTu, yielding these results :
AnTuTu
S23 Ultra
S22 Ultra
Galaxy A55
Galaxy
A73
Galaxy
A54
Device
SD 8
Gen 2
SD 8
Gen 1
Exynos
1480
SD
778G
Exynos
1380
AnTuTu Score
1212174
889167
720595
523209
522411
CPU
261886
203090
234309
159238
153230
GPU
538823
402617
177275
159364
149596
Memory
236163
146002
148103
88705
86578
UX
175302
137458
160908
115902
133007
Look at that! AnTuTu shows that the Samsung Exynos 1480 is 38% faster than both the Galaxy A73, and the Galaxy A54!
Samsung Galaxy A55 : Performance Summary
When I tested last year’s Galaxy A54, I pointed out that while the Exynos 1380 has a fast CPU, it has a weak GPU That changed with the new Exynos 1480 – it retains the same fast CPU, but has a much more powerful Xclipse 530 GPU.
In addition to snappy performance in web browsing and work applications, the Exynos 1480 now offers much improved gaming performance, making it a great all-rounder mid-range mobile platform.
Samsung Galaxy A55 : Price + Availability
The Samsung Galaxy A55 comes with 8 GB of RAM, and either 128 GB or 256 GB of storage, with the option to add a microSD card in the hybrid SIM tray. It is covered by a 2-year warranty, with the following launch prices:
8 GB + 128 GB : £439 / A$699 / S$618
8 GB + 256 GB : RM1,999 / £489 / S$698
Surprisingly, Samsung decided not to bring the Galaxy A55 to the United States, and suggested that customers consider the Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23 FE instead. However, it is possible to purchase Latin American unlocked devices in the US (see below).
There are four colour options, which are not available in all countries – Awesome Iceblue, Awesome Lilac, Awesome Lemon, and Awesome Navy.
Here are online purchase options (we may get commission from your purchase) :
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Ryan’s Autism Journey : How He Became Our Miracle!
I’m sorry, but your child exhibits behaviours consistent with the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
That is something no parent ever wants to hear. That is something no parent deserves to hear. But it is what it is. It would explain his inability to speak or stay still, his lack of eye contact, repetitive behaviours, screaming fits at night (night terrors), and more.
But no one ever accepts it when they hear it for the first time, the second time, or even the third time. We always hold out hope that it must be something else. Maybe he’s just slower than the other kids. Maybe he’s just cranky. No one wants to hear the dreaded A word.
Acceptance
IMHO, acceptance was KEY to our success. It was the first step we took into the dark tunnel, and out the other end.
Over the years, many people have confided in me how their friends or relatives refused to acknowledge the diagnosis, thus preventing them from moving to the next stage – helping the child.
If it helps, ignore the label. The diagnosis really does not matter. All you need to know is that your child is missing key milestones, and he/she needs help. That is all that matters.
Everyone goes through the stages of grief when you get the diagnosis. But time is of essence. Every day counts. So I decided right away to speed right through to acceptance, and get right down to work.
That meant reading up on the latest studies and treatments, and getting urgent referrals to the best doctors and therapists in the area.
It may be somewhat easier for me, because I already underwent a similar baptism of fire when my wife had two strokes just 1.5 years earlier. So I would understand if you may have trouble moving past this stage.
If I may offer a personal suggestion, try focusing on the fact that your child urgently needs your help, and every day counts.
Neuroplasticity
It soon became clear that the key was THERAPY, and the earlier he started, the better; because young brains are especially “plastic”.
Neuroplasticity – the ability of our brains to “rewire” itself – is how stroke patients regain function through therapy, and it’s the same reason why therapy works well in children with ASD.
The key is to start therapy as early as possible, to take advantage of the developing brain of young children, which is highly plastic.
You don’t even have to wait for a diagnosis. As our developmental paediatrician, Dr. Rajini Sarvananthan, once told me – as long as a child has developmental issues, therapy should begin.
We put Ryan on occupational therapy with Madam Teo Lee Fun to work on his sensory and behavioural issues, as well as his fine and gross motor skills.
We also put Ryan on speech therapy with Dr. Cindy Lian, to help him learn to speak, and later, to improve his pronunciation.
Finally, we managed to get a slot in an Early Intervention Programme – Bridges EIP – for two-hour sessions, twice a week.
EIP is an incredibly useful programme, where special needs kids are taught cognitive skills at the table for about 30 minutes, followed by 15-20 minutes of gross motor activities. Then they learn to eat by themselves, and interact with other children during snack time. After that, they usually have some kind of art and craft activity, and end with singing.
Many thanks to great teachers like Jeremy Yong, Rachel and Lois Fu!
Therapy sessions are not cheap, and we had a tough time coping financially with the costs. I’m sure many parents felt the same way too.
So a great way to save money and improve your child’s chances is to actually attend every therapy session yourself, and learn how to perform those therapies yourself. That way, you can cut down on the number of therapy sessions, without jeopardising your child’s therapy. Simply repeat the therapies at home, as often as you can.
Some parents have told me how some therapists refuse to let them join therapy sessions. If that is the case, then you should choose a different therapist. The therapists we worked with all insist that we join the sessions so we can learn and repeat at home.
Therapy Is Brain Exercise
Learning therapies and repeating at home isn’t just about cost. Therapy is literally brain exercise. The more you exercise, the better you get. So please understand this – weekly therapy sessions alone are NOT ENOUGH.
We not only made sure Ryan did not skip any therapy sessions, we also made sure we attended every session ourselves, to learn the therapies, and repeating them at home. The key is to repeat, repeat, repeat at home.
Even if you are rich enough to afford daily sessions, that still amounts to just a few hours a week. It cannot beat parents teaching their kids at home too.
No matter how often you send your child for therapy, please repeat, repeat, repeat the therapies at home as often as you can!
Looking back at my records, Ryan did not improve much for quite some time – at least 1.5 years. That is really a long time to stick with something with little to show for.
But I knew that therapies are literally the only proven treatment for ASD. So I never once considered stopping his therapies, even as I watched other parents give up to try alternative therapies.
As expensive in money and time as they were – my wife and I attended all of them, and we repeated the therapies at home. We slogged on, even when Ryan did not seem to be making progress at all.
Then suddenly, Ryan started to show improvements, and by golly, when that happened, it just kept snowballing! In just 1.5 years, he went from speaking only a few words and barely able to hold a ball, to being able to converse normally and he even learned the waveboard by himself in just two weeks!
He improved so much, we ended up sending him to a Chinese school – to keep pushing the envelope. Ryan is now in a public school, where he even won an award for being the most improved student in his class!
Three years after I first wrote this story, Ryan is now a prefect in his secondary school, and loves playing badminton. He doesn’t yet know what he wants to be when he grows up, but he wants to go to a university when he figures that out!
If there is any advice we can give to parents with children on the spectrum, it is this – please don’t fall for what’s easy and what’s miraculous.
Biomedical treatments that promise quick solutions, or supplements that promise a fast cure – they are all enticing, I’m sure. But don’t listen to what they have to sell.
Find out what WORKS, and seek advice from those who have actually SUCCEEDED. Don’t chase after miracles. BE THE MIRACLE!
No Special Treatment
This is not part of therapy, it’s just common sense. Don’t pamper or coddle your child, or treat him/her differently from the other siblings.
We made the conscious choice of making sure Ryan is treated no differently from his siblings. Not only is he FULLY VACCINATED, he has NO SPECIAL DIET / SUPPLEMENTS, and certainly NO PASSES for bad behaviour.
We are not going to be here forever. If we want him to be fully independent as an adult, he has to learn to eat, drink and behave like everyone else.
Ryan’s Autism Journey : Why It’s Important To Speak Up
We may be out of the dark tunnel, but we are not out of the woods yet. Even today, we are still working with Ryan on his social skills. But it is truly amazing how far we have come in the last 12 years.
I spent hours creating the video and writing this article, because it is important for those who have succeeded to lend a hand, and help those who are struggling with the enormity of the task at hand.
I hope Ryan’s journey will inspire all of you to persevere and trust in the evidence, and trust in the science.
Ryan did it, and so can your child.
All we ask is that when you succeed, you too will lend a helping hand to other parents, and be a voice for other children on the spectrum.
Thank you!
Please Support My Work!
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Find out how to create, join, or quit the new WhatsApp Voice Chat feature for large groups!
WhatsApp Voice Chat : What Is It?
On 14 November 2023, WhatsApp launched a new Voice Chat feature for large groups of 33 to 256 participants.
Previously, both voice and video calls in groups were limited to 32 participants, so larger groups have to manually choose which users to include under that threshold. That changed with the new Voice Chat feature, which allows larger groups of 33 to 128 participants, albeit still far below the maximum limit of 1,024 members for every WhatsApp group.
Unlike voice calls, group members won’t receive any sound notifications of Voice Chats. Instead, when you start a Voice Chat, group members will see a pop-up window in the chat group. Group members can then choose to join the voice chat, or ignore it.
Please note that WhatsApp Voice Chat is only enabled for large groups with 33 to 256 participants. It will not appear in smaller, or much larger groups.
Here is how you can create a new Voice Chat in your group.
Step 1 : Open the WhatsApp group, in which you wish to start a Voice Chat.
Step 2 : Tap on the Voice Chat option on the upper right corner of the group chat. The icon has a blue audio wavelength symbol.
If you don’t see the Voice Chat icon, that likely means your WhatsApp group is too small (32 or fewer participants), or is much too large (257 or more participants).
Step 3 : A Voice Chat pop-up will appear at the bottom of the screen. Tap on Start voice chat to initiate the voice chat for the entire group.
That’s it! All members in that WhatsApp group will now see a notification about a Voice Chat, which they can join or simply ignore.
Once you wish to end the Voice Chat, simply tap on the red X icon on the pop-up.
As you can see, it’s easy to create a new Voice Chat, and to stop it once you are done.
If you find this guide useful, please share it with your family and friends!
As you can see, it’s easy to join and quit any Voice Chat in your WhatsApp group.
You can also see how the Voice chat option appears like a message in the group, allowing participants to ignore and continue with their posts, and replies.
If you find this guide useful, please share it with your family and friends!
WhatsApp Voice Chat : Some Important Notes
Please take note of these limitations or possible concerns:
Voice chats are only available for groups of 33 to 256 people.
This feature is only available on your primary device.
Group members not in the voice chat can see the profiles of those in the voice chat from the chat header and the Calls tab.
Voice chats will end automatically once everyone has left the chat. They’ll also end if no one joins the first or last person in the chat for 60 minutes.
Please Support My Work!
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
TNG Digital just announced a 1% fee for all credit card reloads to the Touch ‘n Go eWallet! Here is what you need to know…
Touch ‘n Go eWallet To Charge 1% Fee For Credit Card Reloads!
TNG Digital just announced a 1% fee for all credit card reloads to the Touch ‘n Go eWallet, from 24 February 2024 onwards!
Touch ‘n Go eWallet users will have to switch to DuitNow Transfer, and debit card, for their reloads.
TNG Digital say that it made this move to reduce the high cost of credit card reloads that it has been subsidising all this while, and to curb the cashing out of the credit card reloads to bank accounts.
This move is to curb excessive cashing out of credit card balance to bank accounts and offset the heavy cost of credit card reloads which TNGD has been subsidising since its inception.
Users are encouraged to use bank transfers via DuitNow which has exactly the same process as fund transfer among bank accounts.
– TNG Digital CEO Alan Ni
TNG Digital had earlier reduced the amount of credit card reloads that Touch ‘n Go eWallet users can transfer to their bank accounts. In March 2023, it reduced the amount of transferable credit card reloads to RM1,000 per month.
Upon exceeding that RM1,000 limit, users can choose to further use their credit cards for reloads with a 1% fee. The new February 2024 policy basically removes the free credit card reload for the first RM1,000.
How To Avoid 1% Fee On Touch ‘n Go eWallet Reloads
From 24 February 2024 onwards, the only ways to get free reloads on the Touch ‘n Go eWallet is to use DuitNow Transfer, or your debit card.
Reloading using your debit card is no different from using your credit card, so it should be easy for you to simply switch to your debit card.
Transferring using DuitNow Transfer is, unfortunately, not so straightforward with the Touch ‘n Go eWallet. For those who are not familiar with using DuitNow Transfer, here’s a quick guide:
Look For Your DuitNow Account Number
Step 1 : Open and log into your Touch ‘n Go eWallet.
Step 2 : Click on the Profile button at the upper right corner of the screen.
Step 3 : Under your name, you will see your 12-digit DuitNow account number. Write it down, or click on the copy button to copy it.
Reload Using Your DuitNow Account Number
Step 1 : Log into your preferred bank’s app or website.
Step 2 : Select the Transfers option.
Step 3 : Select the Transfer to other banks option.
Step 4 : Select Touch ‘n Go eWallet or DuitNow Transfer option.
Step 5 : Key in your Touch ‘n Go eWallet DuitNow account number.
Step 6 : Key in the amount you want to transfer, and click the Next or Transfer.
Step 7 : In the transfer summary page, verify the details and click Proceed. If you wish, you can also select “Add as Favourite” to make it easier to transfer more funds in the future.
As you can see, the DuitNow Transfer isn’t as user-friendly as using the credit card, which could put off many users. So a better alternative might be to use your debit card instead. Even so, I foresee many people switch to alternative e-wallets for payments.
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
In addition to those four main colours, you can also buy the Galaxy S24 Ultra in these three special colours, which are available exclusively through the Samsung.com website:
Titanium Green
Titanium Orange, and
Titanium Blue
In addition to those four main colours, you can also buy the Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24+ in these three special colours, which are available exclusively through the Samsung.com website:
Jade Green
Sandstone Orange, and
Sapphire Blue
Samsung Galaxy S24 Series : Price + Storage Options
The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra comes with 12 GB of RAM, and storage options of 256 GB, 512 GB, and 1 TB. Here are the official launch prices for the three available storage capacities:
The Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus (S24+) comes with 12 GB of RAM, and storage options of 256 GB, and 512 GB. Here are the official launch prices for the two available storage capacities:
The Samsung Galaxy S24 comes with 8 GB of RAM, and storage options of 256 GB, and 512 GB. Here are the official launch prices for the two available storage capacities:
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Series : Price + Storage Options
The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra comes with 12 GB of RAM, and storage options of 256 GB, 512 GB, and 1 TB. Here are the official launch prices for the three available storage capacities:
The Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus (S24+) comes with 12 GB of RAM, and storage options of 256 GB, and 512 GB. Here are the official launch prices for the two available storage capacities:
The Samsung Galaxy S24 comes with 8 GB of RAM, and storage options of 256 GB, and 512 GB. Here are the official launch prices for the two available storage capacities:
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Samsung just launched the new Galaxy S24 series of flagship smartphones, and here is our comparison of all three models, and their key specifications!
Samsung Galaxy S24 Series : 3 Different Models!
Samsung just launched the new Galaxy S24 series, and there are three models with different specifications:
Galaxy S24 Ultra, with a large 6.8-inch display, and five cameras,
Galaxy S24 Plus (S24+), which is almost as large at 6.7-inch, but with only four cameras, and
Galaxy S24, which has a 6.2-inch display, and four cameras too.
Here is a quick summary of their key features, and how they stack up against each other.
Flagship-Class Performance
The Galaxy S24 Ultra is exclusively powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy in all regions of the world. It comes with a slightly overclocked prime core, but with other cores slightly underclocked.
However, that cannot be said for the two smaller Galaxy S24 models. Depending on region, the Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24 Plus (S24+) are either powered by the same Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, or Samsung’s own Exynos 2400 mobile SoC.
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is an 8-core mobile SoC, while the Exynos 2400 has 10 CPU cores. Here’s a quick comparison:
Specifications
Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
for Galaxy
Exynos 2400
CPU Clusters
4
4
CPU Cores
1 x Cortex-X4 (3.39 GHz)
3 x Cortex-A720 (up to 3.1 GHz)
2 x Cortex-A720 (up to 2.9 GHz)
2 x Cortex-A520 (up to 2.2 GHz)
1 x Cortex-X4 (3.2 GHz)
2 x Cortex-A720 (up to 2.9 GHz)
3 x Cortex-A720 (up to 2.6 GHz)
4 x Cortex-A520 (up to 1.95 GHz)
GPU
Qualcomm Adreno 750
Samsung Xclipse 940
Improved Cooling
To ensure that the processor remains cool, the Galaxy S24 smartphones sport larger vapour chambers:
Galaxy S24 Ultra : 90% larger than Galaxy S23 Ultra
Galaxy S24+ : 60% larger than Galaxy S23+
Galaxy S24 : 50% larger than Galaxy S23
As a result, the Galaxy S24 series smartphones sold have better sustained performance during intense gaming sessions or AI photo or video editing,
The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra sports the same 200 MP Adaptive Pixel camera from last year, but introduces a new 50 MP telephoto camera, with 5X optical zoom. This camera allows for better night photography through the use of 60% larger pixels (when combined), and the wider f/3.4 aperture.
The Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24+ models though retained the same rear cameras from last year. All three models also retain the same 12 MP front camera as well.
However, Samsung said that its deep-learning AI algorithms now allow for much better quality digital zoom. The faster processor also allows for better quality video zooming through Video Super Resolution.
Titanium Frame
The Galaxy S24 Ultra is the first Samsung smartphone to feature a titanium frame, which is not only tougher, but also allows for a thinner chassis. It is also protected in the front by Corning Gorilla Armour glass, which is not only tougher against scratches, it also reduces reflection by up to 75%.
The Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24+, on the other hand, retains the Armour Aluminium frame, and Gorilla Glass Victus 2.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Series : Specifications Comparison
Here is our comparison of the key specifications of the three Samsung Galaxy S24 models:
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Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Find out how to renew your Malaysian passport online through the MyOnline Passport service in 2024!
You Must Renew Your Malaysian Passport Online!
MyOnline Passport is a service by the Immigration Department of Malaysia, which allows you to renew your Malaysian passports online.
On 11 May 2022, the Immigration Department stopped allowing most people to walk-in for their passport renewal. Except for a selected group of people, everyone else must renew their passports online.
The MyOnline Passport service was originally designed by the Immigration Department of Malaysia as a convenient, online way for people to renew their Malaysian international passports.
However, it is now the only way to renew your Malaysian passport for most people, from 11 May 2022 onwards. Here is what you need to know about the process.
Only For International Passport Renewals
The first thing you must be aware is that MyOnline Passport can only be used to renew existing international passports issued by the Immigration Department of Malaysia.
You cannot use it to apply for a new passport, or to replace a stolen or damaged passport. You also cannot use it to renew special or restricted passports.
To apply for a new passport, or to replace a stolen / damaged passport, or renew special or restricted passports, you must walk-in.
Children who are less than 13 years old, special needs individuals, and those performing the Haj, must also walk-in to renew their passports.
Who Can Apply For Online Passport Renewal?
The MyOnline Passport service is only open to applicants 13 years and older, with existing Malaysian e-passports (passport with microchip).
Underaged applicants (13-18 years old) must have the consent of their parent(s) / legal guardian(s) to apply online, and the parent(s) / legal guardian(s) must be present during the collection of passport.
Can Overseas Citizens Use MyOnline Passport?
This service is also open to Malaysian citizens living overseas, with collection centres in these countries :
If you submit the online application before 3 PM on a working day, you will be able to collect the new passport on the same day.
If you submit the online application after 3 PM on a working day, or anytime during a holiday, you can collect the new passport after 10 AM on the following working day.
Where Do You Collect The Passport?
Applicants can collect their renewed passports from a Passport Recipient and Issuance Office of their choice, from a list in the system.
The collection date and time will be provided, depending on the date and time the application was submitted.
How Much Does It Cost?
The MyOnline Passport service is free. You only need to pay for the standard Malaysian international passport renewal fees :
13 to 59 Years Old : RM200
Above 60 Years Old : RM100
Payment must be made via a credit card or debit card / direct debit (FPX) on the website.
Key in your 12-digit MyKad identity card number (without dash).
Click on the Check button.
If you get the green No restriction result, then you may apply to renew your passport online.
What Is Required To Submit An Application?
Here is what you need to have, before applying for online renewal of your Malaysian international passport.
an existing Malaysia e-passport (passport with microchip) that is not defaced or water-damaged
a digital passport-sized photo with these specifications :
a) background must be white, and without shadows (coloured backgrounds will not be accepted)
b) applicants must wear dark clothing that cover the shoulders and chest.
c) applicants who wear a scarf or hijab must wear dark-coloured scarf / hijab, and it must not cover the face.
d) uploaded photo must have been taken at a professional photo studio, in the format provided by the photo studio. Polaroid photos will not be accepted.
e) applications that do not meet these specifications will be put on-hold, resulting in delayed issuance and collection.
f) you may have your passport photo taken at the Passport Recipient and Issuance Office you selected to collect your passport, if your passport photo does not meet the required specifications
a valid credit card / debit card / online bank account to make the required payment
In addition, you must be sure that :
you are able to physically collect the new passport in-person (a representative may not collect for you)
for underaged applicants : both applicant and parent(s) / legal guardian(s) must be present to collect the new passport
Passport Photo Specifications
Here are the latest specifications for online submission of passport photos (source | source):
Background must be white and without shadows. Coloured backgrounds will not be accepted.
Applicants are required to wear dark clothing that cover the shoulders and chest.
Applicants may wear dark-coloured scarfs or hijabs but they must not cover the face.
Applicants must not wear glasses, coloured contact lenses, or hair/head accessories. Hair should not cover the face.
Applicants must look directly at the camera, with both eyes open, and the mouth closed.
You must take the photo at a professional photo studio, and upload the soft copy in the format provided by the photo studio. Polaroid pictures will not be accepted.
If the photo you upload do not meet the specifications, your application will be put on-hold, and you will be asked to resubmit the photo, or get one taken at a passport office.
Finally, when it’s time to collect your renewed passport, please make sure you bring :
your MyKad identification card
your existing Malaysian international passport
the payment receipt issued by the system
for underaged applicants : your parent(s) / legal guardian(s) must bring your Birth Certificate
You cannot send a representative to collect your passport. If you fail to bring the necessary documents, or collect your passport in person, the renewed passport will not be released.
Underage applicants must be accompanied by their parent(s) / legal guardian(s), or their renewed passport will not be released.
You may make multiple passport renewals, but you must submit one application per person.
Please avoid registering from 10:55 PM to 12:30 AM, because that’s when the system undergoes daily maintenance and no payment can be processed during that time.
If You Get An Error Message…
If you get an error message while making payment, please contact your bank for further instructions.
If your photo was rejected, you can upload a new photo, or have your passport photo taken at the Passport Recipient and Issuance Office you selected to collect your passport.
If you get this error message – “Kindly contact the Immigration Department of Malaysia”, it means your online application was unsuccessful for one of these reasons :
The file containing your fingerprint was damaged or deleted. You will be required to go to the passport office to have your fingerprint taken again, to avoid problems at the airport arrival / departure gates.
Your application does not meet with the specifications listed on MyOnline Passport.
The information provided was inaccurate, and/or contradicts the information in the Immigration Department system.
How To Resubmit Photo / Supporting Documents
If you need to resubmit your photo or supporting documents, please use these links :
Please use this link to check your passport renewal status.
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Find out how to register for your PADU Central Database Hub account, so you can check and update your information!
PADU Central Database Hub : What Is It?
Malaysia introduced the PADU Central Database Hub – on Tuesday, 2 January 2024. Developed in just 7 months, PADU is designed to give the government a better way to distribute subsidies, and make other policy decisions going forward.
PADU accomplishes this by combining data from over 400 government agencies, and related organisations, into one central database, hence its name – Pangkalan Data Utama (PADU), or Central Database Hub in English.
The Malaysian government has currently made PADU open to Malaysian citizens and permanent residents, who are 18 years and older. However, it is not mandatory for anyone to register for a PADU account.
Registering for a PADU account will allow you to check and update your information in the system. But even if you do not register for an account – PADU will automatically consolidate your data from multiple government agencies.
Step 2 : Key in your basic information in the registration form:
Nama Penuh / Full Name
No. Kad Pengenalan / Identity Card Number
Poskod / Postcode
No. Telefon Bimbit / Mobile Telephone Number
E-mel / Email address
Then click on the Seterusnya / Next button.
Step 3 : The PADU system will send your mobile number a One-Time Password (OTP). Key in the OTP number, and click on the Seterusnya / Next button.
Step 4 : You will now be asked to create a password for your PADU account. Make sure your password meets these minimum requirements:
it must have at least 8 characters
there must be a combination of capital and small letters
you must include at least one special character like @$!%*$?&
Step 5 : Key in the same password to make sure it’s correct. You can click on the eye button to view the password. Then click on the Seterusnya / Next button.
Step 6 : The PADU system will generate a QR code, which changes over time. Open your smartphone camera app, and aim it at the QR code.
Alternatively, you can use a QR code reader on your smartphone to read the generated QR code.
Step 7 : When the link pops-up in your smartphone’s camera app or QR code reader, click on it to launch the e-KYC (electronic Know Your Customer) process.
Step 8 : You will now be asked to take and upload photos of both the front and back of your MyKad identity card.
Please make sure you do this in a bright area, as you should not use a flash.
You need to avoid glare – light reflecting off the plastic MyKad.
You need to make sure the MyKad is within the dotted-line frame, when you take the photos.
You also need to make sure the MyKad is in focus when you take the photos.
Note that there is a magnification feature at the upper right corner, that allows you to zoom in at up to 2.5X. This is actually a very useful feature.
After trying it out, I found that the best way to avoid shadows is to use the maximum 2.5X magnification feature to take the photo of the MyKad from a distance.
Reflections on the plastic MyKad is a problem. But you can avoid the glare by taking the photos at a slight angle.
Step 9 : Next, you will be asked to take a selfie using your smartphone, and upload it.
Even though there is the same option to zoom in with a magnification of up to 2.5X, don’t use it. Keep it at 1X.
There is no requirement to take the photo with a white background. You just need to make sure you take the selfie in a bright area, so there is no need to use a flash (to avoid glare).
You will need to make sure your face is within the dotted line frame, before you take the photo. Make sure you are looking forward, with your eyes opened. If you are wearing glasses, please take them off to avoid glare.
Note : Samsung smartphone users may notice that the system hangs with the “Trying to access lens” message. You can either wait a few minutes, or click on the Tukar Lens (Change Lens) option at the top left corner of the screen.
That’s it! After you upload photos of your identity card, and your selfie, you will receive a message stating that PADU will need up to 3 days to verify your identity, and will inform you when your account has been successfully created.
All you need to do is wait for the email or SMS notification. Once you receive the notification, you can proceed to log into your PADU account using the password you registered at https://www.padu.gov.my/.
We hope you found this guide useful. Please SHARE this article with your family and friends!
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Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Find out why your eMADANI application may be rejected, and how to appeal!
6.5 Million Malaysians Received Free RM100 eMADANI Credit!
On 27 July 2023, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced that the Malaysian government will give a special, one-off RM100 eWallet credit under the eMADANI programme.
The eMADANI programme kicked off on 4 December 2023, giving 10 million Malaysian citizens the opportunity to receive the RM100 eWallet credit.
As of Wednesday, 6 December 2023, some 6.5 million people have had their eMADANI applications approved. According to the Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan, another 1.8 million eMADANI applications are being processed.
However, many reported they failed to get the free RM100 eWallet credit. Find out why your eMADANI application may be rejected, and how to appeal!
Those who do not meet those qualifications won’t be able to receive the free RM100 eWallet credit.
You Received eBeliaRahmah
Those who received the eBeliaRahmah assistance earlier are automatically disqualified for the eMADANI programme, because they have already received eWallet cash to promote the use of cashless payments amongst the youth.
You Did Not Submit Your Tax Return
Unfortunately, the eMADANI programme is using your LHDN tax return for the 2022 assessment year to determine your income level, if you are not receiving the Rahmah Cash Assistance.
People who did not file a 2022 tax return will, unfortunately, not qualify for the free RM100 eWallet credit, even if they earned too little to require filing taxes with LHDN.
After applying for eMADANI, your application will be approved and rejected within 1-5 days. Unfortunately, if your application is rejected, the notification will not tell you WHY it was rejected.
The good news is – there is a dispute process. Sort of.
Contact The eWallet Service Provider
The first thing you can try is to reach out to the eWallet service provider you registered with, to find out why your application was rejected.
It is possible that you may need to submit additional information, or documents, like a copy of your identification card for verification.
If you are using the Shopee app, you can raise a dispute with their customer service.
Select eMadani Claimants as your user type.
Select “eMadani Unable to claim“
Fill in your personal details.
Upload any necessary photos or screenshots.
Contact The Ministry Of Finance
If you cannot resolve the problem through the eWallet service providers, you can try contacting the Ministry of Finance through these dedicated channels of eMADANI:
Email : emadani@treasury.gov.my
Telephone : 03-8882-4565
Toll-free : 1 800 88 2747
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Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Foreign visitors are now required to complete the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC)prior to arrival in Malaysia! Here is what you need to know…
Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) Requirement
From 1 December 2023 onwards, the Immigration Department of Malaysia (JIM) requires foreign visitors to complete the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) prior to their arrival in Malaysia.
The Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) replaces the physical white arrival card that foreign visitors usually complete before or on arrival in Malaysia.
This new rule applies to all foreign visitors, except:
people transiting / transferring through Singapore without seeking immigration clearance,
Malaysian Permanent Resident, and
Malaysian Automated Clearance System (MACS) holders
As an added benefit, foreign visitors from 10 countries can register their fingerprint at the immigration country, and will thereafter be able to use the Autogate (Egate) at Malaysian airports and other ports of entry to quickly get through immigration!
Australia
Brunei
Germany
Japan
South Korea
New Zealand
Saudi Arabia
Singapore
United States
United Kingdom
But please note that the MDAC is not a visa. Neither is it an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) that some countries use to pre-register visitors for multiple entries.
All foreign visitors (except those who were explicitly exempted above) will need to register for the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) for the first time.
Enrol for the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) at this official link.
Complete and submit the MDAC within three days (3) prior to your arrival in Malaysia.
You will be required to fill in these information:
a) Full name
b) Passport number
c) Nationality
d) Sex
e) Date of Birth
f) Date of Passport Expiry
g) Email address
h) Mobile Number
i) Date of Arrival : Must be within 3 days (including date of submission)
j) Date of Departure
k) Mode of Travel : Air / Land / Sea
l) Last Port of Embarkation
On arrival in Malaysia, you will need to enroll and verify your passport manually at the Malaysian Immigration Department counter.
After that manual enrolment, you will be allowed to use the Egate autogate system when you depart Malaysia.
On Subsequent Visits
On subsequent visits, foreign visitors will need to:
Complete and submit the MDAC within three days (3) prior to your arrival in Malaysia.
Use the Autogate system on arrival and departure
As you can see, the new Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) does more than just eliminate waste and improve efficiency through digital transformation of the physical arrival card. It also streamlines the immigration process for foreign visitors, and allows some of them to breeze through using the Egate system!
But again – please note that you can only submit the MDAC within 3 days of your trip, and this includes the date of submission.
Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) : Other Important Things
Here are other things about the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card that may be important:
You can check the status of your MDAC registration information here.
You can check the visit pass record for the latest 3 months here.
You can check your Egate eligibility status here. *
* Please note that Egate eligibility is only open to business and social travellers from these 10 countries, who have an e-Passport, and will only start after you have enrolled your fingerprints (biometric verification) at the immigration counter.
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Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
What exactly is the EPF “flexible” Account 3, and how does it affect your retirement plans? Here is what we know so far…
EPF Account 3 To Be Implemented In April 2024
When Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim tabled the 2024 Budget on 13 October 2023, he also announced that the government will introduce a flexible EPF account, which would allow people to withdraw their retirement savings immediately.
On 21 November 2023, the Deputy Finance Minister I, Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan, announced that the “flexible” EPF Account 3 will be implemented in April 2024:
EPF will announce its dividend in February 2024, and the Finance Ministry will then announce a detailed plan on the flexible account. The third account will be implemented starting from April next year.
EPF Chief Executive Officer Datuk Seri Amir Hamzazh Azizan said that it is fine-tuning details of the “flexible” third account:
We are looking at all possibilities, whether it (withdrawals) is free for all or whether it should be guided.
The concept at the moment is to have a flexible account because we have learned during Covid that sometimes there would be circumstances that make it difficult to go from day to day.
Here is what we know so far about the EPF “flexible” third account, or Account 3:
EPF Account 1 Won’t Be Affected
Currently, EPF contributions are divided into two accounts:
Account 1 : 70% of monthly contribution
Account 2 : 30% of monthly contribution
EPF chief strategy officer, Nurhisham Hussein, said in July 2023 that the percentage of contribution for the proposed “flexible” Account 3 has yet to be determined, but would be about 5% to 10% of the monthly contribution.
He also said that Account 1 would remain with its 70% contribution, and that contribution to Account 2 would be reduced instead, to fund Account 3. When implemented, the ratio would look something like this:
Account 1 : 70% of monthly contribution
Account 2 : 20% to 25% of monthly contribution
Account 3 : 5% to 10% of month contribution
EPF Account 3 Will Apply To All
When introduced, Account 3 will apply to all EPF contributors. This was confirmed by Deputy Finance Minister I, Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan, on 24 October 2023.
It can be accessed by all members, be they from the B40, M40 or T20 groups.
EPF Account 3 Will Have Lower Dividend
While there was speculation that the flexible Account 3 would have no dividend, EPF chief strategy officer Nurhisham Hussein, dispelled that notion on 11 July 2023.
However, the proposed EPF Account 3 is expected to have a lower dividend rate when implemented. The lower dividend rate has not been revealed.
The lower dividend rate for Account 3 will be a real concern for contributors who want to save for their retirement, and do not plan to withdraw their savings early.
Even a small reduction in the dividend rate will make a big difference, because of the snowball effect of compound interest over time.
Fortunately, Nurhisham said that members will have the option to transfer their Account 3 savings into Account 1 or Account 2, if they prefer to avoid the lower dividend rate.
Hopefully, this can be implemented with a single opt-in registration, and would not require the money to be transferred on a monthly basis.
EPF Account 3 Will Offer Immediate Withdrawals
In the past, contributors can request to withdraw from their Account 2 to fund certain large purchases:
To pay for education
To purchase or build a house
To pay for a housing loan
To cover medical expenses
Unlike Account 2, the proposed “flexible” third account will function like a savings account, and allow contributors to withdraw, as and when they wish.
EPF Accounts To Be Renamed
When EPF introduces Account 3, it will also introduce new names for the three accounts, to better reflect their purposes:
Account 1 : Retirement Account
Account 2 : Value-Added Account
Account 3 : Flexible Account
The renaming will help people better understand the use and purpose of each account.
Personally, I feel that the EPF “flexible” Account 3 is like swatting an elephant with a lidi stick.
EPF contribution amounts to 23% to 24% of your monthly salary. Even if Account 3 receives 10% of that contribution, that amounts of just 2.3% to 2.4% of your monthly salary.
Account 3 is targeted at the informal sector workers, many whom earn minimum wage or close to it. Let’s say you earn RM3,000 a month – TWICE the minimum wage of RM1,500.
Your Account 3 will only receive RM72 a month.
After 1 year, your Account 3 will only have RM864.
As you can see – that is not a lot of money, even for people who earn twice the minimum wage. Yes, it is better than borrowing money from loansharks, but the small percentage that funds Account 3 means you don’t really have much to work with.
On top of that, you are actually “losing” money even if you don’t actually withdraw any money. Parking all the money in Account 3 will garner lower dividends. It may be small, but the difference snowballs over time because of compound interest.
As it is, EPF announced in mid-November 2023, that some 48% of its contributors – 6.3 million people – have less than RM10,000 in their accounts!
If you can afford it, you should transfer all money stored in the “flexible” third account, to Account 1 or Account 2, when this scheme is implemented.
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Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
All states except Johor,
Kedah, Kelantan, Perlis
and Terengganu
14 Jan
15 Jan
Sun
Mon
YDPB Negeri
Sembilan’s Birthday
Negeri Sembilan
25 Jan
Thu
Thaipusam
Johor, Kuala Lumpur,
Negeri Sembilan, Penang,
Perak, Putrajaya and
Selangor
1 Feb
Thu
Federal Territory Day
Kuala Lumpur, Labuan,
Putrajaya
8 Feb
Thu
Israk and Mikraj
Kedah, Negeri Sembilan,
Perlis and Terengganu
10 Feb
11 Feb
Sat
Sun
Chinese New Year
All states
12 Feb
Mon
All states except Johor and Kedah
20 Feb
Tue
Independence Declaration Day
Melaka
4 Mar
Mon
Accession Anniversary
of Terengganu Sultan
Terengganu
12 Mar
Tue
Awal Ramadan
Johor, Kedah and Melaka
23 Mar
Sat
Sultan of Johor’s Birthday
Johor
28 Mar
Thu
Nuzul al-Quran
All states except Johor, Kedah,
Melaka, Negeri Sembilan,
Sabah and Sarawak
29 Mar
Fri
Good Friday
Sabah and Sarawak
10 Apr
11 Apr
Wed
Thu
Hari Raya Aidilfitri
All states
26 Apr
Fri
Sultan of Terengganu’s
Birthday
Terengganu
1 May
Wed
Labour Day
All states
17 May
Fri
Raja of Perlis’
Birthday
Perlis
22 May
Mon
Wesak Day
All states
22 May
23 May
Mon
Tue
Hari Hol Pahang
Pahang
30 May
31 May
Thu
Fri
Harvest Festival
Labuan and Sabah
1 Jun
2 Jun
4 Jun
Sat
Sun
Tue
Hari Gawai
Sarawak
3 Jun
Mon
YDP Agong’s Birthday
All states
16 Jun
Sun
Arafat Day
Kelantan and Terengganu
17
Jun
Mon
Hari Raya Haji
All states
18 Jun
Tue
Kedah, Kelantan, Perlis,
Terengganu
30 Jun
Sun
Sultan of Kedah’s
Birthday
Kedah
7 Jul
Sun
Awal Muharram
All states
8 Jul
Mon
All states, except Johor, Kedah,
Kelantan & Terengganu
7 Jul
9 Jul
Sun
Tue
Georgetown World
Heritage City Day
Penang
13 Jul
Sat
Penang Governor’s
Birthday
22 Jul
Mon
Sarawak Day
Sarawak
30 Jul
Tue
Sultan of Pahang’s
Birthday
Pahang
11 Aug
Sun
Hari Hol Almarhum
Sultan Iskandar
Johor
24 Aug
Sat
Melaka Governor’s
Birthday
Melaka
31 Aug
Sat
Merdeka Day
All states
1 Sep
Sun
Kelantan & Terengganu
16 Sep
Mon
Prophet Muhammad’s
Birthday
All states
16 Sep
17 Sep
Mon
Tue
Malaysia Day
All states
29 Sep
30 Sep
Sun
Mon
Sultan of Kelantan’s
Birthday
Kelantan
5 Oct
Sat
Sabah Governor’s
Birthday
Sabah
12 Oct
Sat
Sarawak Governor’s
Birthday
Sarawak
31 Oct
Thu
Deepavali
All states except Sarawak
1 Nov
Fri
Sultan of Perak’s
Birthday
Perak
11 Dec
Wed
Sultan of Selangor’s
Birthday
Selangor
24 Dec
Tue
Christmas Eve
Sabah
25 Dec
Wed
Christmas Day
All states
2024 School Holidays For Malaysia
The COVID-19 pandemic has thoroughly screwed up the school term and holidays. Instead of starting in January and ending in December, the new term now starts in March and every year will have two “academic years”.
It will now take until 2026 for the government to shift the school term back to January-December. This is quite confusing for many of us parents, so here is a quick summary of the school holidays for the year 2024.
Here are the school holidays for Group A states of Johor, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu.
Holiday
Start
End
Days
Term 1 Holiday
24 May 2024
2 June 2024
10
Term 2 Holiday
13 Sep 2024
21 Sep 2024
9
Term 3 Holiday
20 Dec 2024
28 Dec 2024
9
Year End Holiday
17 Jan 2025
15 Feb 2025
30
In addition, the government also announced these extra holidays for Group A schools:
Festival Holidays
Group A
Notes
Chinese New Year
Saturday + Sunday,
10 and 11 February 2024
Part of 2023-2024
Year-End Holiday
Hari Raya Aidilfitri
7 to 9 April 2024
10 to 11 April 2024
3 extra days
Public Holiday
Hari Deepavali
30 October 2024
31 October 2024
1 extra day
Public Holiday
Christmas
25 December 2024
Public Holiday
Chinese New Year
Wednesday + Thursday,
29 and 30 January 2025
Part of 2024-2025
Year-End Holiday
Group B Schools
Here are the school holidays for Group A states of Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Penang, Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and Putrajaya.
Holiday
Start
End
Days
Term 1 Holiday
25 May 2024
2 June 2024
9
Term 2 Holiday
14 Sep 2024
22 Sep 2024
9
Term 3 Holiday
21 Dec 2024
29 Dec 2024
9
Year End Holiday
18 Jan 2025
16 Feb 2025
30
In addition, the government also announced these extra holidays for Group B schools:
Festival Holidays
Group B
Notes
Chinese New Year
Saturday and Sunday,
10 and 11 February 2024
Within 2023
Year-End
Holiday
Hari Raya Aidilfitri
8 to 9 April 2024
10 to 11 April 2024
12 April 2024
2 extra days
Public Holiday
1 extra day
Pesta Kaamatan
Only for Sabah + Labuan Thursday and Friday,
31 and 31 May 2024
Part of
Term 1
Holidays
Hari Gawai Dayak
Only for Sarawak Saturday, 1 June 2024
Sunday, 2 June 2024
Part of
Term 1
Holidays
Hari Deepavali
Except Sarawak 30 October 2024
31 October 2024
1 November 2024
1 extra day
Public Holiday
1 extra day
Only for Sarawak 30 October 2024
31 October 2024
1 extra day
Public Holiday
Christmas
25 December 2024
Part of
Term 3
Holidays
Chinese New Year
Wednesday + Thursday,
29 and 30 January 2025
Part of 2024-2025
Year-End Holiday
Please Support My Work!
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Maxis just rushed out its own broadband deals, and is offering a free speed upgrade for existing customers! Find out why it’s really too little, too late.
New Maxis Home Broadband Deals In October 2023!
In early October 2023, Unifi announced that all broadband customers will receive a free upgrade of their Internet speeds – up to 3X their current speeds!
Weeks later – on 27 October 2023, Maxis belatedly announces new 1 Gbps and 2 Gbps broadband packages, as well as its own broadband deals to fight back. Unfortunately, they are pretty much too little, too late.
On top of introducing the new 1 Gbps and 2 Gbps (overkill) packages, Maxis announced RM10 discounts for their cheaper broadband packages.
Broadband
Speed
Old
Price
New
Price
Promo
Price *
2 Gbps (New)
NA
RM 319
NA
1 Gbps (New)
NA
RM 249
Free Max Wifi
500 Mbps
RM 159
RM 159
RM 149
300 Mbps
RM 149
RM 139
RM 129
100 Mbps
RM 129
RM 99
RM 89
* Only for new subscribers, and applicable to the first 24 months.
However, the pitiful RM10 discount is limited to new subscribers, and even then, only for the first 24 months! After that, the price goes back to the “New Price” list above.
This is quite unlike Digi or Unifi, whose prices are not limited to the first 24 months:
Broadband
Speed
Maxis
Unifi *
Digi
2 Gbps
RM 319
RM 289
NA
1 Gbps
RM 249
RM 159
RM 269
500 Mbps
RM 149 x 24
Then RM 159
RM 139
RM 149
300 Mbps
RM 129 x 24
Then RM 139
RM 129
Free 6 months Then RM 129
100 Mbps
RM 89 x 24
Then RM 99
RM 89
RM 89
* After free speed upgrade
If you are an existing customer, Maxis has announced a free speed upgrade for customers on 100 Mbps or faster packages. However, details on this free upgrade – how much faster, and when they kick in – are only coming in November 2023.
New Maxis Business Broadband Deals In October 2023!
Maxis also announced a new 1 Gbps business broadband package, but curiously did not offer a 2 Gbps package for business users. You would think that a business would need a 2 Gbps package more than home users, right?
In any case, Maxis is offering slightly better discounts on its business broadband packages. However, you must be a new subscriber, and you must register by 30 November 2023!
If you are an existing customer – too bad, so sad. Unlike Home Fibre customers, Maxis did not announce any free speed upgrade for their Business Broadband customers. It appears that the only way to get an upgrade and save money is probably to migrate to a different provider…
Broadband
Speed
Old
Price
New
Price
Promo
Price *
1 Gbps (New)
RM 189
(early bird)
RM 299
NA
500 Mbps
RM 269
RM 219
RM 199
300 Mbps
RM 149
RM 179
RM 139
100 Mbps
RM 139
RM 119
RM 99
* Only for new subscribers who register by 30 November 2023
That said – a quick check on their April prices show that Maxis was actually offering cheaper prices back then!
The 1 Gbps package was only RM189 – RM110 less than their “new price”, while the 300 Mbps package was only RM149 – RM30 less than their new price, and just RM10 more than their October-November 2023 promo price.
Please Support My Work!
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
How To Setup Galaxy S23 FE : Step-By-Step Instructions
It is very easy to setup the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE as a new device. However, please note that the Galaxy S23 FE setup process will take about 10 minutes or so.
Press the Power button for 4-5 seconds to start up your Samsung Galaxy S23 FE smartphone.
It will take about 23 seconds to boot up for the first time.
In the Welcome screen, it will default to English (or the default language for your region).
If you need to change the language, tap on the current language, and select the language you prefer.
There is also an Accessibility option below the Start button for those who need it.
Once you’re ready, click Start to begin the setup process.
The first thing you need to do is agree to the EULA (End User Licence Agreement) and the Privacy Policy.
You can skip sending Samsung your Diagnostic Data.
In the next screen, you will have the option to migrate your settings and accounts from your existing device.
If you prefer to set up the Galaxy S23 FE as a new device, tap on the option to Set up manually.
Next, you will be asked to log into your Wi-Fi network for Internet connectivity.
Select your Wi-Fi network and key in the password to connect.
Once your Galaxy S23 FE connects to the Wi-Fi network, it will try to connect to the mobile network.
This is when you will be asked to insert a SIM card, or set up your mobile network using an e-SIM.
To do all that later, simply tap on the option to Set up later.
The Samsung Galaxy S23 FE will now take about 46 seconds to get some stuff ready.
After that is done, you are given the option to copy your apps and data from your old smartphone.
This is a long process, which you can do now, or do it later after setting up the Galaxy S23 FE.
To do it later, or set it up as a new device, simply tap on the Don’t copy option.
Now you will be asked to log into your Google Account, or create a new one.
To skip for now and do it after setting up the phone, click on Skip.
Next, you will be given the option of disabling certain Google services.
Generally, I would recommend leaving them enabled, except sending Google your usage and diagnostic data.
Now, you will be asked to protect your Galaxy S23 FE by selecting a preferred login method – Face recognition, Fingerprints, PIN, Password, or Pattern.
If you select the Face Recognition or Fingerprints option, you will need to select a secure screen lock method using Pattern, PIN or Password.
Next, you will need to go through the Face Recognition / Fingerprints training process.
The fingerprint sensor is built into the display, and the sensor area will flash green to guide you during the process.
Simply press your finger onto the sensor area, and lift it when you feel a vibration. Keep repeating the process, while shifting the position of your finger each time.
After setting up your fingerprints, you will be asked if you would like to download the Smart Tutor app.
Despite its name, this is actually a remote access tool that allows Samsung support staff to remotely diagnose your device.
Tap Next to continue and install the app.
Now, you will be asked to log into your Samsung account, or create a new one.
You can choose not to use a Samsung account, or do it later.
Until you use a Samsung account though, you won’t be able to access certain Samsung services.
You will now have the opportunity to turn off certain Samsung apps and services.
These are all key features that will greatly impact your use of the Galaxy S23 FE, so I recommend that you leave them all enabled.
Next, you will have the option of selecting either a Light or a Dark theme.
Select whichever you prefer and tap Next.
That’s it. The setup process is done. Tap Finish to start using the Galaxy S23 FE!
As you can see – it’s really quite easy to setup the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE as a new device!
Samsung Galaxy S23 FE : Price + Availability
The Samsung Galaxy S23 FE comes with colour options of Mint, Lavender, Gray and Silver, with two exclusive colours on their website – Tangerine and Indigo. They are all offered with two RAM and storage options:
6 GB + 128 GB
8 GB + 256 GB
These are the available models and launch prices for the Galaxy S23 FE :
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
If you want the very best mobile + broadband deals from Maxis, there is only one way – you must first quit Maxis! Here is how it worked for me…
Don’t Bother Asking For Special Deals On Maxis Mobile / Broadband!
I have been a loyal Maxis customer for many years, and every time my contract comes up for renewal, I will ask for special deals to stay on. The most I will get is a free smartphone to renew my contract for another 2 years.
But finally, I had enough. I was stuck with 0-1 bar of mobile connectivity from March until September 2023, and Maxis wouldn’t even compensate me for the poor reception. So I gritted my teeth and waited out my contract.
Once my contract expired, I quickly decided that I would save over RM1,900 per year migrating to Digi. But out of (misplaced?) loyalty to Maxis, I called their customer care hotline, and even went to a Maxis Center to check if there are any deals for me to stay on.
As usual, Maxis had nothing to offer me as a loyal customer. But there was a surprise for me this year – I will not be receiving a free smartphone to continue my contract, unless I choose to upgrade to the new Maxis 5G plans… with an increase, of course!
So learn from my experience – don’t bother asking Maxis for any special deals to stay on as a loyal customer. To be fair, other telcos likely don’t offer deals to loyal customers to stay on as well. But I have only been a Maxis customer, and can only speak from my own experience.
How To Get Special Deals On Maxis Mobile + Broadband!
I discovered that the only way that Maxis will ever offer me any special deals to stay on, is if I actually quit their service. And even then, Maxis only did it at the very cusp of my migration process.
When Maxis was ready to hand over my five mobile numbers to Digi, a member of their retention department called me and offered these great deals to stay on.
Existing Maxis 4G Package : RM423 Per Month
First, I should point out that my existing Maxis package bundled a RM98 principal line with four supplementary lines, and 100 Mbps fibre broadband. By bundling with broadband, my principal line has unlimited data, albeit only on the 4G network. There is no 5G connectivity.
However, Maxis only allows a single Share 48 supplementary line with 30 GB of data for the RM98 principal line. So I have to pay a ridiculous RM38 for the remaining three supplementary lines, with just 1 GB of data.
The total pre-tax cost was RM399 per month, or RM4,788 per year.
Maxis 4G Plans
4G Data
Cost
Postpaid 98
Unlimited
RM 98
Postpaid Share 48
30 GB
RM 48
Talk and Surf 1
1 GB
RM 38
Talk and Surf 1
1 GB
RM 38
Talk and Surf 1
1 GB
RM 38
100 Mbps Fibre
Unlimited
RM 139
Total Before Tax
–
RM 399
300 Mbps Broadband Offer : RM100 Per Month
First, Maxis agreed to match Digi’s offer of just RM100 per month for 300 Mbps. That’s RM39 (28%) cheaper than my current 100 Mbps plan, and RM49 (33%) off their current 300 Mbps plan.
Over two years, I will save RM1,176! But I was only getting this special offer because I was really quitting Maxis.
Bundled
Broadband
Maxis
Normal
Maxis
Special
Digi
100 Mbps
RM 129
RM 90
RM 90
300 Mbps
RM 149
RM 100
RM 100
Special Maxis 5G Offer #1 : RM245 Per Month
For the five mobile lines, Maxis offered me a RM245 plan, which would give every user 120 GB of 5G data per month.
There is a 2-year contract, but Maxis will throw in five free smartphones – a Vivo Y36 (8 GB + 256 GB) or equivalent per account.
Not only does that give all of us a heck of a lot of mobile data, and a new smartphone per person, it is also RM15 cheaper than my current package!
Maxis 5G Plans
5G Data
Cost
Special Postpaid 49
120 GB
RM 49
Special Postpaid 49
120 GB
RM 49
Special Postpaid 49
120 GB
RM 49
Special Postpaid 49
120 GB
RM 49
Special Postpaid 49
120 GB
RM 49
Total Before Tax
–
RM 245
Special Maxis 5G Offer #2 : RM281 Per Month
Maxis also offered me a more expensive RM281 monthly plan, consisting of a principal line with 300 GB of data, and four supplementary lines with 50 GB of data.
It would come with a more expensive HONOR 90 smartphone with 12 GB RAM and 512 GB storage, with a 2-year contract.
I should point out that the supplementary lines are not only RM10 cheaper, they come with 50X more data, and 5G connectivity!!! Makes you want to tear your hair out, doesn’t it?
Maxis 5G Plans
5G Data
Cost
Special Postpaid 169
300 GB
RM 169
Special Postpaid 28
50 GB
RM 28
Special Postpaid 28
50 GB
RM 28
Special Postpaid 28
50 GB
RM 28
Special Postpaid 28
50 GB
RM 28
Total Before Tax
–
RM 281
Special Maxis 4G Offer : Only RM200 Per Month!
If I prefer to stick with 4G connectivity only, Maxis offered me a 4G-only plan for just RM200 a month, without contract or free smartphone.
Basically, my supplementary lines would now get a ton of data, and I would save RM60 per month on my existing Maxis package!
Maxis 4G Plans
4G Data
Cost
Special Postpaid 48
70 GB
RM 48
Special Postpaid 48
70 GB
RM 48
Special Postpaid 48
70 GB
RM 48
Special Postpaid 28
50 GB
RM 28
Special Postpaid 28
50 GB
RM 28
Total Before Tax
–
RM 200
Why I Declined The Special Deals On Maxis Mobile + Broadband!
While the special deals offered by the Maxis retention department were enticing – free phones! more data! more speed! – Digi still offered a substantially better deal.
My parents, for example, do not need 50 GB of data. They just needed something more reasonable than 1 GB, and I wanted to pay a more reasonable price for their lines.
On top of that, staying with Maxis would not solve my biggest problem – poor connectivity. I have been suffering from poor reception for six months (and counting), and sticking with Maxis for another 2 years was unthinkable.
Maxis may have once been known for having “better coverage” than other telcos. But if they cannot restore proper connectivity after 6 months (and counting), it’s time to move on. I also did not like the fact that they refused to compensate me for the poor connectivity all those months.
But this article is not about dissing Maxis. I wrote this article to share with you the best way to get such special deals from Maxis.
I called them, I even spent time at the Maxis Centre to talk to the staff. There was simply NO special deal or offer for an existing customer. You must literally quit Maxis – sign an agreement to port out to another telco, and be on the verge of switching, before Maxis will ever offer you these special deals.
Even if you want to stick with Maxis, you should still quit and port out to another telco at the end of your contract. This way, you will get access to these special deals. You will only lose out if you stay loyal.
As for me, I bid adieu to Maxis, and started my journey with Digi hours later. It was easy. You should give it a try!
Please Support My Work!
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
I just saved over RM1,900 per year by simply switching from Maxis to Digi! Here is what happened!
Switching From Maxis To Digi Saved Me RM1.9K / Year!
My contract with Maxis just expired, and I decided to see if it was worth renewing with them, or switching to Digi. I had earlier asked my neighbours using Digi, and most of them seemed happy with their service.
So I compared the latest mobile and broadband packages from both Maxis and Digi, and I was shocked by how much cheaper Digi was, compared to Maxis. Take a look at what I found!
Existing Maxis 4G Package : RM423 Per Month
My existing Maxis package bundled a RM98 principal line with four supplementary lines, and 100 Mbps fibre broadband. By bundling with broadband, my principal line has unlimited data, albeit only on the 4G network. There is no 5G connectivity.
However, Maxis only allows a single Share 48 supplementary line with 30 GB of data for the RM98 principal line. So I have to pay a ridiculous RM38 for the remaining three supplementary lines, with just 1 GB of data.
The total cost was RM423 per month, or RM5,075.28 per year. Maxis offered to let me continue with this 4G-only package, but I would no longer get any free smartphone for a 2 year contract.
Maxis 4G Plans
4G Data
Cost
Postpaid 98
Unlimited
RM 98
Postpaid Share 48
30 GB
RM 48
Talk and Surf 1
1 GB
RM 38
Talk and Surf 1
1 GB
RM 38
Talk and Surf 1
1 GB
RM 38
4G Backup
Unlimited
RM 0
100 Mbps Fibre
Unlimited
RM 139
Total Before Tax
–
RM 399
6% Service Tax
–
RM 23.94
TOTAL PAYABLE
–
RM 422.94
New Maxis 5G Package : RM445 Per Month
If I wanted a free smartphone with a 2 year contract, I would need to upgrade to the new Maxis 5G plans. The existing RM98 4G plan has been replaced by a new RM109 5G plan – a RM 11 per month premium for 5G connectivity.
From what I understand, tying it with Maxis fibre broadband would still get me unlimited mobile data, but only on 4G. The 5G data is limited to 150 GB, which is more than plenty especially since 5G connectivity is limited.
What I cannot understand is why Maxis continues to limit this RM109 principal line to just one RM48 Share line. If I want all four supplementary lines to have more than 1 GB of data, I would need to upgrade my principal line to their RM199 plan! Ridiculous!
The only good news is they dropped the price of their 100 Mbps broadband from RM139 to RM129. But it makes more sense to upgrade to 300 Mbps for just RM149 per month. Even so, the new Maxis package works out to an unpalatable RM572.40 per month, or RM6,868.80 per year!
Maxis 5G Plans
5G Data
Cost
Postpaid 199
4G : Unlimited
5G : 300 GB
RM 199
Postpaid Share 48
30 GB
RM 48
Postpaid Share 48
30 GB
RM 48
Postpaid Share 48
30 GB
RM 48
Postpaid Share 48
30 GB
RM 48
4G Backup
Unlimited
RM 0
300 Mbps Fibre
Unlimited
RM 149
Total Before Tax
–
RM 540
6% Service Tax
–
RM 32.40
TOTAL PAYABLE
–
RM 572.40
Sorry, mum and dad, you guys are just going to have to put up with just 1 GB of data if we stick with Maxis.
With their sacrifice, I can get by with just paying Maxis RM445.20 per month, or RM5,342.40 per year. That’s a small 5% increase of RM267.12 per year.
This new package would also get me one of these smartphones with a 24-month contract:
Samsung A14
vivo A78
HONOR 90 Lite
Maxis 5G Plans
5G Data
Cost
Postpaid 109
4G : Unlimited
5G : 150 GB
RM 109
Postpaid Share 48
30 GB
RM 48
Talk and Surf 1
1 GB
RM 38
Talk and Surf 1
1 GB
RM 38
Talk and Surf 1
1 GB
RM 38
4G Backup
Unlimited
RM 0
300 Mbps Fibre
Unlimited
RM 149
Total Before Tax
–
RM 420
6% Service Tax
–
RM 25.20
TOTAL PAYABLE
–
RM 445.20
Digi 5G + 4G Package : Only RM286 Per Month!
But when I checked out the Digi plans, they completely wipe out Maxis.
The Digi RM90 principal line offers free 5G connectivity, with 60 GB of data per month. Unlike Maxis, tying up with Digi Fibre Broadband does not give me unlimited mobile data, but that’s okay – 60 GB is plenty.
More importantly, Digi lets me add up to six supplementary family lines, and their cheapest RM20 family line comes with 10 GB of data per month! That goes up to 15 GB with a 1-year contract, and 25 GB with a 2-year contract!
On top of that – Digi offers 300 Mbps fibre broadband for only RM 100 per month! Granted – there is no 4G backup, but that’s RM49 cheaper than Maxis! Would you pay RM49 per month for “4G backup”? Heck, no!
The Digi package is a mix of 4G and 5G, but that’s okay, because my parents no longer have to worry about how much data they have left.
Digi Plans
Data
Cost
Postpaid 90
5G : 60 GB
RM 90
Postpaid Family 20
4G : 25 GB
RM 20
Postpaid Family 20
4G : 25 GB
RM 20
Postpaid Family 20
4G : 25 GB
RM 20
Postpaid Family 20
4G : 25 GB
RM 20
4G Backup
NA
NA
300 Mbps Fibre
Unlimited
RM 100
Total Before Tax
–
RM 270
6% Service Tax
–
RM 16.20
TOTAL PAYABLE
–
RM 286.20
And here is the cherry on the top – for a 24-month contract, Digi gives you one of these two bonuses:
a free smartphone worth up to RM1,099 (HONOR 9o Lite / Samsung A14), or
extra 60 GB of mobile data, or
unlimited social media data, or
5 GB of international roaming data in 70 countries
Needless to say, this Digi package is a much better deal, as it only costs RM286 per month, or RM3,434.40 per year!
How Much I Save Over 2 Years Switching From Maxis To Digi
In the end, I switched to the Digi Postpaid 90 principal line, and gave all of my supplementary lines a decent 25 GB of mobile data.
Over a standard two-year contract, I will end up saving RM 3,281.76, and get a free smartphone worth RM 1,099. That’s a total saving of RM 4,380.76! Just think of what you can do with all that money!
If I renewed with Maxis, I would have upgraded to their new 5G plan to get that free smartphone and unlimited data. However, my parents would have to continue suffering with 1 GB of data, and I would have to pay an additional RM 3,816 over 2 years compared to Digi!
If I wanted my parents to have a decent amount of mobile data, I would have to really pay Maxis through my nose, and fork out an extra RM 6,868.80 – exactly twice of what the Digi package costs. It just doesn’t make sense to do that.
No matter how I calculate, it just doesn’t make sense (sen?) to stick with Maxis. I will save anywhere from RM1,900 to RM3,400 per year switching to Digi. It really pays to shop around!
Please Support My Work!
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Updated @ 2023-09-23 : Added a new free code.
Previous update @ 2023-09-01
Honkai Star Rail Codes + Bonuses
Honkai Star Rail is a free-to-play turn-based role playing game with flashy combat in a beautiful anime-inspired world.
To keep players engaged, and to encourage new players to join, MiHoYo regularly drops free codes that you can redeem for free Stellar Jade, Refined Aether or Credits.
This video gives you both the latest list of free codes, as well as the latest official update videos from MiHoYo! Enjoy!
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Updated @ 2023-09-20 : Updated the list of free Dead by Daylight codes and bonuses!
Dead by Daylight Codes + Bonuses
Dead by Daylight is a multiplayer (4 vs 1) horror game where one player takes on the role of the savage Killer, and the other four players play as Survivors, trying to escape the Killer and avoid being caught and killed.
Survivors play in third-person and have the advantage of better situational awareness. The Killer plays in first-person and is more focused on their prey.
The Survivors’ goal in each encounter is to escape the Killing Ground without getting caught by the Killer – something that sounds easier than it is, especially when the environment changes every time you play.
To keep the game fresh, Behavior Interactive regularly releases free codes that you can redeem inside the game for Bloodpoints, Iridescent Shards, Rift Fragments, Charms, and even cosmetic items.
Behaviour Interactive also offers special Dead by Daylight bonuses for simply logging in, or purchasing one of their other games.
Dead by Daylight Codes : How To Redeem Them?
Follow these steps to redeem the Dead by Daylight codes :
Launch Dead by Daylight.
Go to the in-game store.
Click on the Redeem code button on the upper right corner.
Enter the code.
Click on the Redeem button.
That’s it! It’s that simple! Don’t forget to tell your friends!
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Take a look at the performance of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5, and find out why it is a foldable computing + gaming powerhouse!
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 : Flagship Class Performance!
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 runs on the most powerful mobile SoC available for Android devices – the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy.
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy is a specially-binned and slightly-overclocked version that Qualcomm created for Samsung Galaxy flagship smartphones.
Fabricated on the latest 4nm TSMC process technology, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy boasts a powerful Adreno 740 GPU, as well as eight processor cores in a quad-cluster architecture :
a Cortex-X3 prime core running at up to 3.36 GHz (instead of 3.2 GHz),
two Cortex-A715 cores running at up to 2.8 GHz,
two Cortex-A710 cores running at up to 2.8 GHz, and
three Cortex-A510 cores running at up to 2.0 GHz.
On paper, this is about as powerful as it gets in 2023, but let’s take a look at how it actually performs!
We first tested the Galaxy Z Flip 5 using PCMark, which simulates work applications like web browsing, playing video, writing text and editing photos.
Work 3.0
S23 Ultra
Z Flip 5
Z Flip 4
Z Flip 3
S22 Ultra
Mobile Platform
SD 8
Gen 2
SD 8
Gen 2
SD 8+
Gen 1
SD
888
SD 8
Gen 1
Performance Score
16408
14655
14429
13317
12860
Web Browsing
15680
11404
12097
11637
10442
Video Editing
7879
7943
7387
7762
7444
Writing
22257
19525
17593
15316
15471
Photo Editing
35533
324420
31762
25357
30177
Data Manipulation
12171
11788
12523
11938
9691
Interesting, isn’t it? The Galaxy Z Flip 5 uses the same Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chip as the Galaxy S23 Ultra, but it is 12% slower.
I should point out that these are peak performance results. You are unlikely to be able to actually feel the difference between the two in normal usage. In fact, these benchmark results really surprised me!
What likely happened is that the Galaxy S23 Ultra has better cooling, and is thus, better able to maintain the processor’s peak performance for longer. But if you are upgrading from a Galaxy Z Flip 4, and hoping for a performance boost, you are out of luck.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 : Storage Performance
PCMark also has an Android Storage 2.0 benchmark that measures the smartphone’s storage I/O performance.
Storage 2.0
Z Flip 5
S23 Ultra
S22 Ultra
Z Flip 4
Mobile Platform
SD 8
Gen 2
SD 8
Gen 2
SD 8
Gen 1
SD 8+
Gen 1
Storage Score
48435
41647
27808
27271
Sequential Read (MB/s)
2676.53
2592.42
1457.68
1350.51
Random Read (MB/s)
49.95
38.25
37.73
33.94
Sequential Write (MB/s)
2631.38
603.29
856.21
256.81
Random Write (MB/s)
76.66
81.44
47.20
50.29
Will you look at that! The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 received a very big boost in sequential write performance for its internal flash storage!
The Galaxy Z Flip 5 was about 6% slower than the Galaxy S23 Ultra in random write performance, but was an astounding 4.4X faster in sequential write!
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 : Gaming Performance
For gaming, we tested the Galaxy Z Flip 5 using 3DMark, with these results :
3DMark
Z Flip 5
S23 Ultra
Z Flip 4
S22
Ultra
Z Flip 3
Device
SD 8
Gen 2
SD 8
Gen 2
SD 8+
Gen 1
SD 8
Gen 1
SD 888
Sling Shot Unlimited
16661
16344
10690
11094
9248
Wild Life Unlimited
14823
14554
11144
9106
3952
Wild Life
Extreme
Unlimited
3705
3814
2636
2220
1174
When it comes to less strenuous games (Sling Shot), the Galaxy Z Flip 5 was surprisingly faster than the Galaxy S23 Ultra, even though they both use the same Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, and the S23 Ultra has better cooling.
Even in the more strenuous game (Wild Life), the Galaxy Z Flip 5 continues to surpass the Galaxy S23 Ultra at lower resolutions.
It was only with the Wild Life Extreme 4K benchmark where the Galaxy S23 Ultra‘s better cooling performance allowed it to beat the Z Flip 5 by 3%.
Simply put – you don’t really need expensive “gaming smartphones”. The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 will easily handle any game you want to play.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 : Overall Performance
We then tested the Galaxy Z Flip 5 using AnTuTu, yielding these results :
AnTuTu
S23 Ultra
Z Flip 5
S22 Ultra
Z Flip 4
Z Flip 3
Device
SD 8
Gen 2
SD 8
Gen 2
SD 8
Gen 1
SD 8+
Gen 1
SD
888
AnTuTu Score
1212174
1187296
889167
856357
696767
CPU
261886
393404
203090
205939
206228
GPU
538823
282780
402617
362669
242573
Memory
236163
291048
146002
135707
133586
UX
175302
220064
137458
152042
114380
The AnTuTu benchmark tells a slightly different story. According to its tests, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 is about 38% faster than the Galaxy Z Flip 4. A very nice boost in performance.
On the other hand, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 is slightly slower – just 2%, than the Galaxy S23 Ultra. But note that its temperature jumped by over 12°C! At peak performance, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 can get quite toasty!
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 : Performance Summary
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 is a svelte smartphone when unfolded, and yet super compact when folded. You would not expect performance to be a key selling point.
In fact, I expected Samsung to tune down the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 for better battery life. It also lacks the better cooling found in the Galaxy S23 Ultra.
In the end, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 turns out to perform better than the Galaxy Z Flip 4, with better battery life to boot. Not a spectacular improvement, grant you, but it lets you have your cake and eat it too.
What you need to know is this – the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 is not just a fashion statement in your hands. It is also a computing and gaming powerhouse in a compact form factor.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the Galaxy Z Flip 5 turns out to be Samsung’s best-selling foldable smartphone for 2023!
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 Price + Availability
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 comes in four main colour options:
Graphite – legacy colour
Lavender – similar to Bora Purple, their signature colour for the Z Flip 4
Mint – new colour
Cream – new colour
In addition, Samsung will offer these four colours exclusively on their online store:
Gray
Blue
Green
Yellow
These are the available models and launch prices for the Galaxy Z Flip 5 :
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Is your brand-new Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 arriving soon? Take a look at what to expect inside the box, and just how easy it is to setup!
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 Unboxing : What’s In The Box?
When you get your hands on the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5, you will notice just how slim the box is. Inside, you will find only these items:
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 smartphone
Set of documents – quick start guide in two languages, and a warranty card
USB Type C to Type C cable
SIM card extractor pin
Despite supporting faster 25 watt charging, the Galaxy Z Flip5 does not come with any charger in the box. You won’t find any USB Type C earphones tuned by AKG either. Not even a TPU case to hold you over until you get a better case.
How To Setup Galaxy Z Flip5 : Step-By-Step Instructions
It is very easy to setup the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 as a new device. However, please note that the Galaxy Z Flip5 setup process will take about 8 minutes or so.
Press the Power button to start up your Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 smartphone.
It only will take 9 seconds to boot up for the first time.
In the Welcome screen, it will default to English (or the default language for your region).
If you need to change the language, tap on the current language, and select the language you prefer.
There is also an Accessibility option below the Start button for those who need it.
Once you’re ready, click Start to begin the setup process.
The first thing you need to do is agree to the EULA (End User Licence Agreement) and the Privacy Policy.
You can skip sending Samsung your Diagnostic Data.
In the next screen, you will have the option to migrate your settings and accounts from your existing device.
If you prefer to set up the Galaxy Z Flip5 as a new device, tap on the option to Set up manually.
Next, you will be asked to log into your Wi-Fi network for Internet connectivity.
Select your Wi-Fi network and key in the password to connect.
Once your Galaxy Z Flip5 connects to the Wi-Fi network, it will try to connect to the mobile network.
This is when you will be asked to insert a SIM card, or set up your mobile network using an e-SIM.
To do all that later, simply tap on the option to Set up later.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 will now take about 23 seconds to get some stuff ready.
After that is done, you are given the option to copy your apps and data from your old smartphone.
This is a long process, which you can do now, or do it later after setting up the Galaxy Z Flip5.
To do it later, or set it up as a new device, simply tap on the Don’t copy option.
Now you will be asked to log into your Google Account, or create a new one.
To skip for now and do it after setting up the phone, click on Skip.
Next, you will be given the option of disabling certain Google services.
Generally, I would recommend leaving them enabled, except sending Google your usage and diagnostic data.
Now, you will be asked to protect your Galaxy Z Flip5 by selecting a preferred login method – Face recognition, Fingerprints, PIN, Password, or Pattern.
If you select the Face Recognition or Fingerprints option, you will need to select a secure screen lock method using Pattern, PIN or Password.
Next, you will need to go through the Face Recognition / Fingerprints training process.
Please note that the fingerprint sensor is built into the Power button on the right side.
After setting up your fingerprints, you will be asked if you would like to download the Smart Tutor app.
Despite its name, this is actually a remote access tool that allows Samsung support staff to remotely diagnose your device.
Tap Next to continue and install the app.
Now, you will be asked to log into your Samsung account, or create a new one.
You can choose not to use a Samsung account, or do it later.
Until you use a Samsung account though, you won’t be able to access certain Samsung services.
You will now have the opportunity to turn off certain Samsung apps and services.
These are all key features that will greatly impact your use of the Galaxy Z Flip5, so I recommend that you leave them all enabled.
Next, you will have the option of selecting either a Light or a Dark theme.
Select whichever you prefer and tap Next.
After that, you will be given a list of advice on how to take care of your Galaxy Z Flip5.
Arguably, the most important advice would be to avoid scratching the foldable display, or applying any film to the display.
You should also keep the Galaxy Z Flip5 away from credit cards and implanted medical devices.
Tap Next once you are done reading.
That’s it! You have successfully setup the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 as a new device!
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 : Price + Availability
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 comes in four main colour options:
Graphite – legacy colour
Lavender – similar to Bora Purple, their signature colour for the Z Flip 4
Mint – new colour
Cream – new colour
In addition, Samsung will offer these four colours exclusively on their online store:
Gray
Blue
Green
Yellow
These are the available models and launch prices for the Galaxy Z Flip5 :
Just in case you are wondering, the launch prices for the Galaxy Z Flip5 only went up by RM100 (~US$22 / £17 / A$33 / S$29) over the launch prices for the Galaxy Z Flip 4.
Here are some online per-order and purchase options for the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 :
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
In this guide, we will show you how to setup your new Samsung Galaxy Z.Flip 5 smartphone for the first time!
How To Setup Galaxy Z Flip 5 : A Video Guide!
We have the new Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 smartphone with us, and soon you will get yours too.
In this 4K video, we will show you how to setup the Galaxy Z Flip 5 smartphone for the first time, as a new device!
The setup process is very easy, and will only take about 8 minutes if you are setting it up as a fresh device.
How To Setup Galaxy Z Flip 5 : Step-By-Step Instructions
It is very easy to setup the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 as a new device. However, please note that the Galaxy Z Flip 5 setup process will take about 8 minutes or so.
Press the Power button for 2-3 seconds to start up your Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 smartphone.
It will only take 9 seconds to boot up for the first time.
In the Welcome screen, it will default to English (or the default language for your region).
If you need to change the language, tap on the current language, and select the language you prefer.
There is also an Accessibility option below the Start button for those who need it.
Once you’re ready, click Start to begin the setup process.
The first thing you need to do is agree to the EULA (End User Licence Agreement) and the Privacy Policy.
You can skip sending Samsung your Diagnostic Data.
In the next screen, you will have the option to migrate your settings and accounts from your existing device.
If you prefer to set up the Galaxy Z Flip 5 as a new device, tap on the option to Set up manually.
Next, you will be asked to log into your Wi-Fi network for Internet connectivity.
Select your Wi-Fi network and key in the password to connect.
Once your Galaxy Z Flip 5 connects to the Wi-Fi network, it will try to connect to the mobile network.
This is when you will be asked to insert a SIM card, or set up your mobile network using an e-SIM.
To do all that later, simply tap on the option to Set up later.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 will now take about 23 seconds to get some stuff ready.
After that is done, you are given the option to copy your apps and data from your old smartphone.
This is a long process, which you can do now, or do it later after setting up the Galaxy Z Flip 5.
To do it later, or set it up as a new device, simply tap on the Don’t copy option.
Now you will be asked to log into your Google Account, or create a new one.
To skip for now and do it after setting up the phone, click on Skip.
Next, you will be given the option of disabling certain Google services.
Generally, I would recommend leaving them enabled, except sending Google your usage and diagnostic data.
Now, you will be asked to protect your Galaxy Z Flip 5 by selecting a preferred login method – Face recognition, Fingerprints, PIN, Password, or Pattern.
If you select the Face Recognition or Fingerprints option, you will need to select a secure screen lock method using Pattern, PIN or Password.
Next, you will need to go through the Face Recognition / Fingerprints training process.
Please note that the fingerprint sensor is built into the Power button on the right side.
After setting up your fingerprints, you will be asked if you would like to download the Smart Tutor app.
Despite its name, this is actually a remote access tool that allows Samsung support staff to remotely diagnose your device.
Tap Next to continue and install the app.
Now, you will be asked to log into your Samsung account, or create a new one.
You can choose not to use a Samsung account, or do it later.
Until you use a Samsung account though, you won’t be able to access certain Samsung services.
You will now have the opportunity to turn off certain Samsung apps and services.
These are all key features that will greatly impact your use of the Galaxy Z Flip 5, so I recommend that you leave them all enabled.
Next, you will have the option of selecting either a Light or a Dark theme.
Select whichever you prefer and tap Next.
After that, you will be given a list of advice on how to take care of your Galaxy Z Flip 5.
Arguably, the most important advice would be to avoid scratching the foldable display, or applying any film to the display.
You should also keep the Galaxy Z Flip 5 away from credit cards and implanted medical devices.
Tap Next once you are done reading.
That’s it! You have successfully setup the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 as a new device!
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 : Price + Availability
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 comes in four main colour options:
Graphite – legacy colour
Lavender – similar to Bora Purple, their signature colour for the Z Flip 4
Mint – new colour
Cream – new colour
In addition, Samsung will offer these four colours exclusively on their online store:
Gray
Blue
Green
Yellow
These are the available models and launch prices for the Galaxy Z Flip 5 :
Just in case you are wondering, the launch prices for the Galaxy Z Flip 5 only went up by RM100 (~US$22 / £17 / A$33 / S$29) over the launch prices for the Galaxy Z Flip 4.
Here are some online per-order and purchase options for the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 :
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Dead by Daylight is a multiplayer (4 vs 1) horror game where one player takes on the role of the savage Killer, and the other four players play as Survivors, trying to escape the Killer and avoid being caught and killed.
Survivors play in third-person and have the advantage of better situational awareness. The Killer plays in first-person and is more focused on their prey.
The Survivors’ goal in each encounter is to escape the Killing Ground without getting caught by the Killer – something that sounds easier than it is, especially when the environment changes every time you play.
To keep the game fresh, Behavior Interactive regularly releases free codes that you can redeem inside the game for Bloodpoints, Iridescent Shards, Rift Fragments, Charms, and even cosmetic items.
Behaviour Interactive also offers special Dead by Daylight bonuses for simply logging in, or purchasing one of their other games.
Dead by Daylight Codes : How To Redeem Them?
Follow these steps to redeem the Dead by Daylight codes :
Launch Dead by Daylight.
Go to the in-game store.
Click on the Redeem code button on the upper right corner.
Enter the code.
Click on the Redeem button.
That’s it! It’s that simple! Don’t forget to tell your friends!
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
If you own an Android TV, or Android TV box, you might need to disable the Lock Screen requirement. Find out how to do that!
Why Do You Need To Disable Android TV Lock Screen?
Android TV, whether it’s already integrated into your television set, or in a separate box, requires a Google account to download and install apps through the Google Play Store.
If you have been using your Google Workspace account, or the Free Legacy G Suite account, you will likely encounter this error message:
To access your work account on this device, you’ll need to set a lock screen. This is your organization’s mobile device policy.
A lock screen? Android TV has a TV lock option, but by default, that’s disabled and rightly so – TVs traditionally do not require a password when you turn them on!
You can ignore it, and continue to use your Android TV or Android TV box, but you cannot log into Google Play Store to download and install any apps.
How To Bypass Android TV Lock Screen Requirement!
This Android TV Lock Screen error message appears because Google, by default, sets company accounts to require a Lock Screen on all mobile devices.
The easiest way to bypass this Android TV Lock Screen requirement is to simply use a personal Google Account. Or better still, create a new personal Google Account just for your Android TV.
Once you switch to a personal Google account, you won’t have to face this Lock Screen requirement, and can freely download and install apps from the Google Play Store. However, this method only works for people who only intend to download and use free apps.
If you intend to download and install a paid app, like Minecraft for example, then this method won’t work because that paid app is tied to your Google Workspace / Free Legacy G Suite account.
How To Disable Android TV Lock Screen Requirement!
If you need to use your Google Workspace / Free Legacy G Suite account (which is tied to a company) with your Android TV, then you need to disable the Lock Screen policy. In this video tutorial, we will show you just how to do that.
https://youtu.be/pe3XpfLgW_s
Just in case you prefer a step-by-step guide, here are the steps with screenshots.
Step 2 : Type “Universal Settings” in the search box at the top, and a list of relevant options will appear.
Step 3 : Click on Universal Settings. Alternatively, you can navigate manually using the menu on the left : Devices > Mobile and endpoints > Universal settings
Step 4 : In the Universal Settings page, click on General : Turn on device management and password controls to reveal the available general settings.
Step 5 : In the General section, you will see two options – Mobile management and Password requirements.
Either option will let you disable the Lock Screen requirement in Android devices. So you will need to select one of them.
I will share the two available methods as Option A and Option B below. Choose one.
Option A : Disable Mobile Management
By default, your account is set to Basic (Agentless) mobile management, which applies basic password controls (including requiring the Lock Screen).
Step 6A : Select Turn off mobile management (Unmanaged).
Step 7A : Click on Save to save the changes. The change generally happens instantaneously but can take a few minutes to propagate.
As turning off basic mobile management will deprive you of the ability to wipe work accounts, and remove compromised device protection, I would recommend you try Option B as the first resort, and keep Option A as a back up alternative.
Option B : Disable Password Requirements Recommended!
By default, your account is set to Require users to set a password, which has a basic requirement of “Any screenlock“.
Step 6B :Untick the Require users to set a password checkbox.
Step 7B : Click on Save to save the changes. The change generally happens instantaneously but can take a few minutes to propagate.
I personally recommend using this option, as it would leave you the ability to perform some basic mobile management of your devices.
Step 8 : While the change happens within seconds to minutes, you must remove your Google Account from your Android TV / Android TV box.
Step 9 : Log into Google Play Store using your Google Account again. It should now work properly, without asking you to register a Lock Screen.
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
