At IFA 2018, Acer revealed the Acer OJO 500 – the world’s first VR headset to feature a detachable design, as well as sound pipe and inter-pupillary distance adjustment technologies. What does that mean to us – the users? Let’s find out!
The Acer OJO 500 Windows Mixed Reality Headset
The new Acer OJO 500 headset brings several new features to the Windows Mixed Reality platform. It now features a one-of-a-kind detachable design, as well as new patented audio and visual adjustment technologies.
The Acer OJO 500 Detachable Design
The Acer OJO 500 has a unique detachable design that enables the lens and head strap to be individually removed. This makes the headset easy to store and clean – especially beneficial for businesses who want to provide customers with clean headwear for each use.
Available with either a hard or soft head strap, both options provide a snug yet comfortable fit. The soft head strap is machine washable (for a limited number of times), and the extra-large padding on the hard head strap helps the headset fit securely and firmly in place.
In addition, the mask can be flipped up, eliminating the need to remove the entire headset to answer the phone or converse with people in the room.
Inter-Pupillary Distance Adjustment Wheel
For maximum clarity, the Acer OJO 500 includes a built-in inter-pupillary distance (IPD) wheel and a patented smartphone app to measure IPD distance (the gap between the eye’s pupil and the display).
The software-assisted IPD measurement app, Acer IPD Meter, along with Acer IPD Indicator software lets you modify this distance for sharper, clearer images and a more enjoyable experience.
High-Speed, High-Resolution Displays
Two front-hinged 2.89-inch high-resolution liquid crystal displays provide a wide 100 degree field of view and deliver a 2880 x 1440 resolution.
A fast refresh rate of up to 90 Hz delivers clear and realistic images for an immersive mixed reality experience.
Sound Pipe Design Eliminates Need For Earphones
In a first for VR headsets, the integrated audio system uses a patented sound pipe design that directs sound from the built-in speakers toward the wearer’s ears. The unique sound pipe design means you can hear audio without wearing earphones, allow you to remain aware of your surroundings while still enjoying an immersive experience.
This is ideal for use in public spaces where you may not want to be totally cut off from their surroundings. The integrated audio system consists of embedded speakers, a patented sound pipe, and a built-in mic array. If you require more privacy and deeper immersion, you can use the built-in earphones that come with the hard head strap, or an earphone of their own choice with the soft head strap.
Easy Set Up with Inside-Out Tracking
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Featuring inside-out tracking, the camera is on the headset so there is no need to drill holes in a wall or set up extraneous hardware. As soon as the headset connects to a Windows Mixed Reality-ready PC, it installs the required software. Setup is quick and easy taking about 10 minutes.
The 6 degrees of freedom positional tracking includes forward / back, up / down, and left / right as well as pitch, yaw and roll. The headset comes with a 4 meter (13 feet) cable allowing a wide range of movement, and connects to a PC via HDMI 2.0, while a USB 3.0 connector downloads data.
Optional Motion Controllers
The Acer OJO 500 comes in an optional configuration that includes two Bluetooth-enabled motion controllers that sync with the headset; a Windows 10 button, touchpad, and grab button to letusers interact with digital objects in mixed reality.
The Acer OJO 500 Price + Availability
The Acer OJO 500 will be available in North America in November, starting at $399; and in EMEA in November, starting at €499.
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SNS Network just introduced a highly-affordable ultra-thin laptop – the JOI Book 100. Priced at only RM 1,299 / $325, it has a premium metal and glass design, with a Full HD IPS display and solid state storage. Here are the full details!
Introducing The JOI Book 100!
Despite its low cost, the JOI Book 100 boasts a full metal and glass design that gives it a premium look and feel that is quite unlike any other laptop in the same price range. Its 14.1-inch display does not only come with a Full HD IPS panel, it has a full glass cover and very narrow bezels.
Performance
Powering the JOI Book 100 is a power-sipping Intel Celeron N3450 quad-core processor – it uses just 6 W of power while delivering clock speeds between 1.1 GHz and 2.2 GHz. It is backed by 2 MB of L2 cache, Intel HD Graphics 500 and 4 GB of memory.
Storage
The JOI Book 100 is unique in that it comes with a 32 GB eMMC boot drive, preloaded with Windows 10 Home. For additional storage, it has an M.2 SSD bay with a 128 GB Intel SSD 545s drive installed.
This SSD bay has an easy-access hatch that allows you to easily swap out the existing SSD for a larger drive later. If that’s not enough, you can also add a microSD card for additional storage of up to 64 GB.
Mobility
The JOI Book 100 comes with a 10,000 mAh lithium-ion battery that will last 6-8 hours. It is also very slim at just 14 mm and weighs only 1.35 kg, which means you will have no problem slipping it into small bags.
JOI Book 100 Specifications
Specifications
JOI Book 100
Display
14.1-inch IPS display
- 1920 x 1080 pixels
- full glass panel with 3 mm bezels
As you already know, the JOI Book 100 only costs RM 1,299 / US$ 325. It is available in two colour options – Dark Grey and Gold.
It will come with a complimentary 128 GB Intel SSD 545s drive (worth RM 249 / $62) preinstalled, and a JOI Anti-Theft backpack (worth RM 129 / $32).
In addition, from 12th to 15th July 2018, Gloo.com.my and Gloo @ Lazada will be offer an exclusive promotion. Every purchase of a JOI Book 100 will come with a free wireless mouse and PWP offers of Microsoft Office 365 Personal at RM 99 and Seagate Back Up Plus 1TB at only RM 169.
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Microsoft just revealed the Surface Go – an affordable Surface model for the masses. In this article, we will take a look at its specifications and key features!
The Microsoft Surface Go Revealed!
At just over 520 g / 1.15 lbs, the Microsoft Surface Go is the smallest and lightest member of the Surface family. With its 10-inch PixelSense Display, you can use touch, as well as a stylus and mouse or trackpad to work with Windows apps.
Surface Kickstand
The built-in kickstand with full friction hinge extends to 165 degrees and helps you stay in your flow from tablet to Studio mode. The hinge design helps you find the perfect angle for any task: from adjusting the device angle on the plane to pushing the kickstand down to ink on a photo to share with your friends.
Portable Performance
Powered by the 7th Generation Intel Pentium Gold 4415Y processor, the Microsoft Surface Go is optimised for running mainstream productivity applications with minimal impact on battery life.
Long Battery Life
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The Microsoft Surface Go boasts a long battery life of up to 9 hours on a single charge. It recharges through the USB-C port using a small 24 W power adaptor.
Enterprise-Grade Security
Windows Hello facial recognition is built-in, with TPM 2.0 and Windows Defender Antivirus, to ensure maximum protection against malware.
Premium Accessories
Microsoft will offer options like the Surface Go Type Cover, the Surface Mobile Mouse and Surface Pen.
The Surface Go Type Cover has an integrated backlit mechanical keyset, and is available in standard black or as the Signature Type Cover with Alcantara in three rich colors — Burgundy, Cobalt Blue and Platinum. It also features a full-size Precision Trackpad that is made of glass and has five-finger multiple touch support.
The Surface Mobile Mouse features Bluetooth pairing and elegant design. For a natural inking experience, the Surface Pen provides low latency, tilt sensitivity and 4,096 levels of pressure.
Microsoft Surface Go Specifications
Specifications
Microsoft Surface Go (2018)
Operating System
Consumer : Windows 10 Home in S mode
Enterprise : Windows 10 Professional (configurable to S mode)
Build
Magnesium alloy body
Kickstand
With full-friction multi-position hinge (up to 165 degrees)
5 MP front camera (1080p video)
8 MP rear camera (1080p video)
Security
Windows Hello sign-in
Built-in TPM 2.0 enterprise security
Audio
Stereo speakers with Dolby Audio Premium
Dual microphones
Sensors
Ambient light
Accelerometer
Gyroscope
Network
WiFi : 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
Bluetooth : BT 4.1
LTE : Optional
Card Reader
microSDXC card reader
Ports
1 x USB Type C
1 x Surface Connect
1 x 3.5 mm headphone jack
Power
Internal lithium-ion battery of unknown capacity
- up to 9 hours of battery life
- 24 W power adaptor
Dimensions
245 mm (9.6 inches) wide
175 mm (6.9 inches) deep
8.3 mm (0.33 inches) thick
Weight
522 g / 1.15 lbs
Colour
Platinum
Warranty
One Year Limited Hardware Warranty
Microsoft Surface Go Price + Availability
The new Microsoft Surface Go is available for pre-order from 11 July 2018 onwards in Australia, New Zealand. Pre-order in Malaysia starts from 2 August 2018.
In the coming weeks, it will be available for pre-order in Japan, Singapore, Korea, and Thailand and in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan with more markets to follow.
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On 30 April 2018, Microsoft released the Windows 10 April 2018 Update. This is the latest major update, with a number of new Windows 10 features and improvements.
In this article, Yusuf Mehdi, Corporate Vice President of the Microsoft Windows and Devices Group, shares with us the new Windows 10 updates and improvements being introduced in the April 2018 update.
New Windows 10 Feature – Timeline
The proliferation of devices, combined with the explosion of information, has led to an influx of screen time. In fact, today, practically all free time goes toward screens. Your information is spread across multiple devices – making it increasingly harder to find your stuff.
We’ve all had the experience of digging through your email or file folders for the document you know you wrote, but can’t find. Or looking for photos and videos that you know you’ve seen and love, but can no longer locate. Timeline can help you get back this wasted time.
With Timeline, your Windows 10 PC lets you go back in time up to 30 days to find your stuff, whether you were working on it earlier today, last week, or a few weeks ago. Because much of our activity is on the go, you can even pick up what you were doing if signed into your Microsoft account while using Microsoft Edge or Office 365 on your iOS or Android device when you return to your Windows 10 PC.
Imagine looking at bathroom vanity options for that home remodel when you’re out and about on your phone, and then finishing that purchase when you’re back at your PC. Or working on a document on the bus during your commute and seamlessly picking it back up when you’re at your desk.
New Windows 10 Feature – Focus Assist
Today, most of us spend between 3-6 hours – each day – on screens. Much of this time is spent on social media, where the constant stream of distractions across our myriad of devices makes it hard to focus. In many ways, our attention is being hacked, pulling us into continuous scrolls of information, but distracting us from what matters most.
This war on attention is real – in the workplace, the average amount of time people spend on any single event before being interrupted or switching tasks is about three minutes (outside of meetings). Since the average person needs about 23 minutes to regroup after being interrupted, we see our productivity and creativity diminished.
With the April 2018 Update we’re introducing Focus Assist to help you stay in the zone. Turn on Focus Assist whenever you want to get things done without distractions, like social media or other notifications. Or set it to turn on automatically at certain times during the day when you want focused time.
When you finish, you receive a summary of what came through, whether notifications, emails or updates, while you were heads down. If you’re waiting on a specific call or email, choose people who you want to break through.
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Microsoft Edge Improvements
We’re also helping you focus while on the web with updates to Microsoft Edge. You can now click the audio icon to mute and unmute a tab that is playing sound. Books, PDFs and Reading View pages can go full-screen for a distraction-free reading experience.
Shopping gets easier as your address, payment and other information can be securely saved with the option to autofill on web payment forms. You can now clear out clutter from your printouts by printing web pages in a cleaner format with the new clutter-free printing option.
Finally, anyone needing a little help with reading can use the new Grammar Tools button to enable comprehension aids. Grammar Tools can break the words on the page into syllables, as well as highlight different parts of speech such as nouns, verbs, and adjectives.
Improved Dictation
Natural computing experiences enable us to speak directly to our devices to accomplish tasks, without typing. We see potential for voice input to dramatically change how people interact with their devices, far beyond novelty experiences or entertainment.
One way we’ve done this in the April 2018 Update is with Dictation. It’s now easier than ever to take a note or write a paper, with just your voice. With your cursor in any text field either in Windows 10 or in an app, simply press Win+H and start talking.
The improved Dictation feature in Windows 10 will capture your thoughts quickly and accurately so that brilliant idea you just riffed on with your colleagues or the speech you’re practicing for your best friend’s wedding isn’t lost forever.
With the April 2018 Update and Cortana enabled on your Windows 10 PC, you can manage your smart home right from your PC using just your voice. For example, want to come home to a warm house from a long day at work? Just tap Cortana on your PC and say “Hey Cortana, set the living room thermostat to 72 degrees” to control your ecobee, Honeywell, NestLearning thermostat and more4.
Of course, there are many more great new Windows 10 features in the April 2018 Update including simplified IT management tools for our enterprise customers, new ways to create with Photos, 3D and Windows Mixed Reality, new ways to keep you safer online and enhancements to your PC gaming experience.
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Ever since the Meltdown and Spectre exploits were exposed, Microsoft has been working overtime to patch Windows against them. Unfortunately, they were quite secretive about their Spectre and Meltdown patch list and schedule. We usually only find out when something bad happens, like when some patches bricked AMD systems.
They changed that stance recently, quietly releasing their Windows Spectre and Meltdown patch schedule. This schedule listed the patches they have released so far, or are about to release. For your convenience, we have divided and sorted them according to the applicable Windows version.
Please note that the current Microsoft Spectre and Meltdown patch schedule covers the January and February 2018. We will update the schedule as and when Microsoft releases them.
Article Update History
Click here for the Article Update History
Updated @ 2018-02-22 :Added the late January and early February 2018 Spectre and Meltdown patch schedule for Windows 10 and Windows Server 2016.
Originally posted @ 2018-01-24
The Spectre + Meltdown Patch Schedule For Windows 10
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Microsoft announced that the Surface Book 2 will be available for pre-order in Malaysia starting 7 February 2018 at local Surface authorized retailers. Here are the pre-order details of the Microsoft Surface Book 2, as well as its price and availability!
The Microsoft Surface Book 2
The Surface Book 2 is Microsoft’s most powerful laptop yet. With the latest 8th Generation Intel Core processors and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 and 1060 discrete graphics options, it is up to five times more powerful than its predecessor. Yet, the Surface Book 2 provides all-day battery life, supporting up to 17 hours of video playback.
For users that seek a powerful yet portable device, the Surface Book 2 (13.5”) weighs just slightly over 1.5kg, and is crafted from premium, lightweight materials that balances performance with size.
Work and play the way you want with the Surface Book 2
The Surface Book 2 is able to morph from a laptop into a powerful, lightweight tablet or even as a powerful studio for those who want a single device that can follow one from concept to sketch to creation. The device has been redesigned so that users can have a smoother, faster detach of the screen with just a push of a button. In addition, the Surface Book 2 can be simply folded to activate Studio Mode to ink or sketch with the Surface Pen and Surface Dial.
Available in 13.5” or 15”, and featuring a stunningly vibrant and crisp PixelSense Display supporting multi touch, the Surface Book 2 empowers users to create the way they want – whether by inking, touch or conventional keyboard and mouse input. For visual artists and creatives, the Surface Book 2 delivers almost seven million pixels onscreen, providing amazing pixel density on a digital canvas.
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For users who require productivity on-the-go, Surface Book 2 ships with Windows 10 Pro and supports Microsoft Office apps. The device also brings a full array of ports, including USB-A, USB-C, and full-size SD reader so that it is easier to connect to other devices, accessories and memory cards.
With the latest Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, Surface Book 2 users can unleash their creativity with the new Photos app, as well as a new range of experiences that allows for creating and interactive with 3D objects.
The Fall Creators Update is also the best version of Windows for PC gamers, and users can be sure that the device will be able to handle the most popular PC games at 1080p and 60 FPS – in some cases matching the graphics performance of game consoles like the Xbox One.
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You may recall our extensive coverage of Intel’s buggy Spectre 2 patches that were causing random and spontaneous reboots in over 800 CPU models. It’s gotten so bad that Microsoft was forced to issue KB4078130 – an emergency update to disable the Intel Spectre 2 mitigations that were causing the spontaneous reboots.
Spectre Variant 2
Colloquially known as Spectre 2, it is more accurately known as Spectre Variant 2, Google Project Zero Variant 2 (GPZ Variant 2), or officially as CVE-2017-5715.
After deploying the Spectre 2 patches in their new microcode updates, Intel started receiving reports of “higher than expected reboots and other unpredictable system behaviour“.
Microsoft confirmed this, stating further that their “own experience is that system instability can in some circumstances cause data loss or corruption“.
KB4078130 : Update To Disable Mitigation Against Spectre, Variant 2
Unwilling to wait for Intel to fix the problem, Microsoft decided to issue KB4078130 – an “out of band” or emergency update. All it does is disable the mitigation against Spectre 2.
Their tests proved that this update is sufficient to prevent the random and spontaneous reboots experienced by the affected Intel processors.
If you are a system administrator, or a 1337 techie, Microsoft is making available a new registry key to manually disable and re-enable the mitigation against Spectre 2.
Instructions for Windows administrators –KB4073119
Instructions for Windows Server administrators – KB4072698
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Microsoft has stopped pushing a number of Windows 10 updates, including the Meltdown and Spectre mitigation patches, because they were bricking some AMD PCs. Frustrated users were left with their AMD PCs in an unbootable state after installing those updates. The cure was, in this case, worse than the disease!
Updated @ 2018-01-16 : Added another affected CPU, a new section on Microsoft’s confusing statement, and a new section on what you should do.
Updated @ 2018-01-15 : Added 6 more CPUs affected by these Windows 10 updates, as well as the official word from AMD.
Updated @ 2018-01-11 : Added more AMD CPUs that were reported to have failed to boot up, after applying these Meltdown and Spectre patches.
Originally posted @ 2018-01-10
These Windows 10 Updates Are Bricking AMD PCs!
Following reports of users unable to boot up their AMD PCs after applying Windows 10 updates, Microsoft has identified the following security patches and updates from 3-9 January 2018 as the culprits :
In the affected AMD systems, the Windows logo will appear after the PC reboots to complete the upgrade process. However, it won’t complete the boot process.
What AMD CPUs Are Affected? Updated!
Neither Microsoft nor AMD have revealed what AMD CPUs are affected but based on user reports, here is a list of affected AMD CPUs.
AMD Ryzen Threadripper 1950X
AMD Ryzen 7 1700
AMD FX-8350
AMD A10-7800
AMD FX-6350
AMD Phenom II X6 Black Edition 1090T
AMD Opteron 180
AMD Athlon X2 5050e
AMD Athlon X2 4850e
AMD Athlon X2 4450B
AMD Athlon X2 L310
AMD Athlon 64 X2 6400+
AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+
AMD Athlon 64 X2 5600+
AMD Athlon 64 X2 5400+
AMD Athlon 64 X2 5200+
AMD Athlon 64 X2 5000+
AMD Athlon 64 X2 4600+
AMD Athlon 64 X2 4400+
AMD Athlon 64 X2 4200+
AMD Athlon 64 X2 4000+
AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+
AMD Athlon 64 X2 3200+
AMD Athlon 64 X2 TK-57
AMD Athlon 64 X2 TK-55
AMD Athlon 64 FX-62
AMD Athlon 64 FX-60
AMD Athlon 64 1640B
AMD Sempron 3200+
AMD Turion Neo X2 L625
AMD Turion 64 X2 TL-60
AMD Turion 64 X2 TL-56
AMD Turion X2 RM-72
AMD Turion X2 RM-70
There has been at least one case each involving the newer Ryzen 7 and Threadripper processors, but these are outliers. So far, this issue affects mostly older AMD Athlon processors. However, there
Needless to say, the list above is NOT EXHAUSTIVE. We will update the list, as and when, people report them.
On 11 January 2018, AMD stated that the problem affected AMD Opteron, Athlon and Turion X2 Ultra processors.
How Did This Happen?
Microsoft is blaming documentation from AMD, stating that “some AMD chipsets do not conform to the documentation previously provided to Microsoft to develop the Windows operating system mitigations to protect against the chipset vulnerabilities known as Spectre and Meltdown.“
Technically, Meltdown and Spectre are CPU, not chipset, vulnerabilities. So Microsoft was probably referring to CPU documentation provided by AMD.
What Is Being Done?
Because Windows 10 forcibly installs updates, Microsoft has temporarily stopped pushing those Windows 10 updates to the affected AMD processors. They’re now working with AMD to correct the problem with those patches.
According to AMD, the new patches will be issued sometime in the week of 15-21 January 2018. At the time of this update (16 January 2018), the new patches have not been released.
Microsoft’s Confusing Statement New!
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Microsoft invited some confusion when they stated on 11 January 2018 that “Microsoft has resumed updating the majority of AMD devices with the Windows operating system security update to help protect against the chipset vulnerabilities known as Spectre and Meltdown.”
As far as we can tell – they only resumed Windows 10 updates for the AMD CPUs that are NOT affected by this problem. They merely identified the affected subset of AMD CPUs, and only blocked updates to them – “A small subset of older AMD processors remain blocked to avoid users getting into an unbootable state after installation of recent Windows operating system security updates.”
Should You Install Windows 10 Updates? New!
As Microsoft claims to have accurately determined which subset of AMD CPUs are affected, it is theoretically safe to continue installing Windows 10 updates. Windows 10 should be able to identify your CPU and block the updates if it’s one of the affected models.
That said, there is still NO RISK of a Meltdown or Spectre attack. For all of the hype and panic, there are no know exploits of the speculative execution bug in the wild. The Meltdown and Spectre exploits also require physical access to the system.
So we still think it is better to be safe than sorry and HOLD OFF your Windows 10 updates, if you have an OLDER AMD CPU, until Microsoft releases the proper patches in the next few days.
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AMD updated their security advisory, confirming that their CPUs are also vulnerable to the Spectre 2 exploit. We updated our article Everything On The Intel, AMD & ARM CPU Bug, but it looks like many AMD fanboys still insist that AMD processors are only affected by Spectre 1. So let us burst their bubble and update them on what AMD actually said about this “issue”.
Updated @ 2018-01-15 :Added two new sections addressing the criticisms of the AMD and Intel fanboys.
Originally posted @ 2018-01-13
AMD CPUs Are Also Vulnerable To Spectre 2 Exploit
When AMD first released their security advisory on the Meltdown and Spectre exploits, they stated that, “Differences in AMD architecture mean there is a near zero risk of exploitation of this variant.”
Just over a week later, on 11 January 2018, Mark Papermaster, AMD Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, posted an update of their assessment, stating that “GPZ Variant 2 (Branch Target Injection or Spectre) is applicable to AMD processors.”
He clarified that while AMD believes that their “processor architectures make it difficult to exploit Variant 2“, they have defined “a combination of processor microcode updates and OS patches” to mitigate the Spectre 2 threat.
This development is significant, because Spectre 2 is the more problematic exploit of the two. Mainly because any efforts to reduce its risks significantly reduces performance.
According to Microsoft, only Spectre 2 mitigation patches have a significant performance impact. Their initial performance tests show that Spectre 1 and Meltdown mitigation patches have minimal or small performance impact, and are unlikely to be noticed by users.
What Is AMD Doing About Spectre 2?
AMD has already defined the “additional steps” that consists of processor microcode updates and operating system patches that will mitigate the threat of Spectre 2 to their affected processors.
They will make the microcode updates available for the Ryzen and EPYC processors this week, with microcode updates for older processors in the coming weeks.
Notably, Mark said that they would be OPTIONAL. This ties in with their assessment that it would be difficult (albeit not impossible) to exploit Variant 2 in an AMD processor. So AMD users will get the option of NOT applying these microcode updates, at least while no actual Spectre threat exists in the real world.
Linux vendors have started to roll out Spectre 2 patches, while Microsoft will be releasing Spectre 2 patches for Windows shortly.
AMD Fanboys Are Missing The Big Picture
Many AMD fanboys say that we are biased against AMD, because that the risk of a Spectre 2 exploit is small or “virtually non-existent”.
We love the AMD Ryzen just like you do, and find their performance-value proposition incredibly refreshing. In fact, we even wrote an article crediting The Ryzen Effect for creating better Intel processors.
What we reported is no different from the official statement by Mark Papermaster – the AMD CPUs are vulnerable to Spectre 2. But you are all missing the big picture.
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The point here isn’t to rub our collective noses in some kind of childish Intel vs. AMD fanboy war, it’s to point out that these Spectre 2 patches will have a significant performance impact.
Because there is no real world exploit of both Meltdown and Spectre, and because AMD’s microarchitecture is more robust against the Spectre 2 vulnerability, there is arguably no real need to apply the Spectre 2 patches.
That’s why we specifically pointed out that “Mark said that they would be OPTIONAL“, so you should have the option of “NOT applying these microcode updates“.
You guys would have realised that if you actually read the article, instead of just stopping at the title.
Intel Fanboys Should Stop Throwing Stones
Some Intel fanboys are using this article as evidence that “AMD got caught lying” or “AMD CPUs are just as bad”. Well, let us address those claims.
AMD did not lie – In their original disclosure, they stated very clearly that “there is a near zero risk” of a Spectre 2 exploit working on an AMD CPU. We specifically mentioned and underlined that in the original article to stress that AMD was already aware that their CPUs are somewhat vulnerable to Spectre 2.
AMD CPUs are far less at risk – Even with this upgraded risk assessment, AMD CPUs are still much less vulnerable to Spectre 2 than Intel CPUs, and they are completely impervious to the Meltdown exploit. Because they are less vulnerable, AMD users have the option of not applying Spectre 2 patches that can have a significant performance impact.
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Microsoft just revealed that pre-2016 Intel CPUs will be hit worst by the Meltdown and Spectre patches. They also pointed out that the performance impact detailed in benchmarks published so far did not include both operating system and silicon updates, and are therefore, inaccurate.
Microsoft is still working on their own set of benchmarks that will look at the performance impact after both operating system and silicon updates have been applied. In the meantime, Terry Myerson, Executive Vice President of the Windows and Devices Group, shared some preliminary findings.
Performance Impact Of The Meltdown + Spectre Patches
According to Terry, the patches for Variant 1 (Spectre 1) and Variant 3 (Meltdown) of the speculative execution bug have minimal performance impact.
It is the Variant 2 (Spectre 2) patches, both operating system and silicon microcode, that have a significant performance impact.
Here is a summary of what Microsoft has found so far :
Windows 10 With 2016 Or Newer Intel CPUs
Intel CPU Models : Intel Skylake, Intel Kaby Lake, Intel Coffee Lake
Performance Impact :Single digit reduction in performance. Microsoft does not expect most users to notice the impact, because the percentages are “reflected in milliseconds“.
Windows 10 With Pre-2016 Intel CPUs
Intel CPU Models : Intel Broadwell, Intel Haswell, Intel Ivy Bridge, Intel Sandy Bridge, or older.
Performance Impact :Significant slowdowns in some benchmarks. Microsoft expects some users to notice the decrease in performance.
Windows 8 and Windows 7 With Pre-2016 Intel CPUs
Intel CPU Models : Intel Broadwell, Intel Haswell, Intel Ivy Bridge, Intel Sandy Bridge, or older.
Performance Impact :Significant slowdowns. Microsoft expects most users to notice the decrease in performance.
Windows Server On Any Intel CPU
Performance Impact :Significant slowdowns in any IO-intensive application.
Why The Difference In Performance Impact?
In the newer Intel processors (from the 2016 Skylake onwards), Intel refined the instructions used to disable branch speculation to be more specific to indirect branches. This reduces the performance impact of Spectre mitigation patches.
There is a larger performance impact with Windows 8 and Windows 7 because they have more user-kernel transitions. For example, all font rendering takes place in the kernel.
What Should You Do?
If you are using a newer Intel CPU like the Core i7-8700K with Windows 10, you can rest easy knowing that the performance impact of the Meltdown and Spectre patches to be minimal.
If you are using a newer Intel CPU with an older operating system like Windows 8 or Windows 7, you should consider upgrading to Windows 10. This would reduce the performance impact of the Meltdown and Spectre patches.
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If you are using a pre-2016 Intel CPU with Windows 10, there is nothing much you can do except consider upgrading to a newer processor. You could possibly live with the performance impact of the Meltdown and Spectre patches.
If you are using a pre-2016 Intel CPU with an older operating system like Windows 8 or Windows 7, you can try upgrading to Windows 10 to reduce the performance impact of the Meltdown and Spectre patches.
If you are managing a Windows Server that uses Intel CPUs, you will need to balance the risk of leaving each Windows Server instance unprotected, against the significant performance impact of protecting it against Meltdown and Spectre.
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Samsung Electronics today announced the Samsung Notebook 7 Spin (2018), a versatile notebook that provides consumers with the accessibility needed to remain productive in today’s digital world. Check it out!
The Samsung Notebook 7 Spin (2018) Revealed!
Designed for working professionals, students and those looking for entertainment, the Notebook 7 Spin (2018) offers modern features including a 360-degree touchscreen for added convenience; an Active Pen (sold separately) for quick and easy note-taking; as well as the power and performance for more efficient multi-tasking.
“Our customers wanted a functional, intuitive device that includes a wide range of their favorite features, and that’s what we’ve delivered with the Notebook 7 Spin (2018),” said YoungGyoo Choi, Senior Vice President of the PC Business Team, Mobile Communications Business at Samsung Electronics. “This device meets the needs of today’s digital lifestyle, combining work and play with a smart, seamless and personalized experience that connects users with their other devices.”
At CES 2018, Samsung will showcase the new Notebook 7 Spin (2018) and a variety of features that allow consumers to work wherever, whenever and however they want while staying secure. These features include:
360-Degree Rotating Touchscreen – Provides the flexibility to view content as preferred, whether it be as a tablet or as a traditional PC in landscape mode
Active Pen-enabled – Perfect for attending meetings, conference calls or lectures, the Active Pen lets users create a sketch or jot down notes on the fly
Secure Fingerprint Log-in – Through simple fingerprint scanning, users can quickly log-in with Windows Hello and keep files secure in their own Privacy Folder
Power and Performance – Runs on Windows 10 operating system and equipped with an Intel i5 processor and 256GB SSD drive that allows for quicker startups and advanced multi-tasking capabilities[adrotate group=”2″]
Voice Note – Advanced smart recording featuring an integrated far field microphone to capture every detail of important meetings or lectures, which can be stored and shared easily via Samsung Cloud
Battery and Backlit Keyboard – Extended battery power to keep users connected throughout the day
Studio Plus – For users who wish to express their creative side, Studio Plus allows them to produce personalized movies featuring their favorite photos and videos
The Samsung Notebook 7 Spin (2018) will be available in select countries starting in the first quarter of 2018 in the U.S.
The Samsung Notebook 7 Spin 2018 Specifications
Specifications
Samsung Notebook 7 Spin 2018
Display
13.3" Full HD PLS display
- 1920 x 1080 pixels
Chassis Build
A/C metal
Processor
8th Generation Intel Core i5 processor
Memory
8 GB DDR4 SDRAM
Storage
256 GB SSD
Ports
1 x USB-C
1 x USB 3.0
1 x USB 2.0
1 x HDMI
1 x earphones + mic
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LAS VEGAS (January 6, 2018) – Acer today announced its new Acer Nitro 5 2018 gaming laptop, designed for casual gamers seeking great performance in an attractive laser-textured design. Powered by Windows 10, the new 15-inch laptop is targeted towards mainstream users who enjoy the thrill of gaming with friends, and building their own network of like-minded players.
The Acer Nitro 5 2018 Gaming Laptop Revealed!
The Acer Nitro 5 2018 packs in the latest-generation AMD Radeon RX 560 graphics for faster rendering, improved lighting and texture details so users can immerse themselves in on-screen excitement. Gamers will also benefit from the latest AMD Ryzen Mobile processors for amazing performance, whether it be for gaming, content creation or multi-tasking applications.
The Nitro 5’s internal solid-state drive is available up to 512 GB, plenty of storage for the latest gaming titles, music and movies. The lightning-fast speeds of DDR4 RAM of up to 32 GB combined with the SSD means fast booting, loading and restarting in mere seconds so players can get to the action immediately.
Once in the throes of battle, Acer’s NitroSense utility allows the monitoring of the CPU/GPU, and adjustment of cooling fan speeds via Acer CoolBoost to keep them in optimal operation.
Designed for Visual Seduction
The Nitro 5’s chassis features a top cover with elegant laser texturing that brings bold refinement to the gaming laptop. A matte, crimson red hinge is a gorgeous yet understated accent that beautifully matches the futuristic design of the backlit keyboard.
The 15.6-inch Full HD IPS display produces brilliant imagery with crisp details, letting users track with precision the bloodshed that reigns down on their enemies. For better online collaboration, a front-facing HD web camera lets users strategize face-to-face, and then celebrate together as they bask in their post-match glory
Users can also easily broadcast games live with Mixer, directly from the Game bar on Windows 10 simply by pressing the Windows key plus G.
Immersive Excitement and Connections
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To round out the gaming experience, Acer’s Nitro 5 2018 features finely-tuned, high-quality speakers with Dolby Audio Premium and Acer TrueHarmony technology. This equips gamers with the necessary gear to hone in on the faintest sound of tip-toeing attackers, and then relish in the reverberating boom of a carefully-placed landmine.
The Nitro 5 2018 features all of the supporting technologies and connections the casual gamer needs: fast and reliable dual-stream 802.11ac wireless technology, a plethora of ports, including hyper-fast USB Type-C, HDMI 2.0, and Gigabit Ethernet to enable users to enter any arena prepared to execute every mission at the highest level.
The Acer Nitro 2018 Pricing and Availability
The Acer Nitro 5 2018 will be available in North America in April with prices starting at US$799; and in EMEA in April with prices starting at €1,099.
Exact specifications, prices, and availability may vary by region
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LAS VEGAS (January 6, 2018) – Acer today launched the world’s thinnest laptop[i], the new Swift 7 (SF714-51T). At just 8.98 mm thin, the new Swift 7 is an always-connected PC running Windows 10 that’s designed for mobility, with an ultraportable design packing a powerful Intel Core i7 processor, all-day battery life and a personal, trusted 4G LTE connection.
The Acer Swift 7 2018 (SF714-51T) Revealed!
Always-Connected
The Acer Swift 7’s slim design is only the beginning of the new features on offer. Blazing-fast, built-in Intel XMM 4G LTE connectivity keeps users productive and always-connected, especially useful for professionals who wish to eliminate tedious wireless connection problems on the road so they can stay focused on the task at hand.
In addition to a Nano SIM card slot, the Swift 7 features eSIM technology, allowing download and activation of eSIM profiles. The Swift 7 ships with a Transatel profile provisioned with up to 1 GB[ii] of free data valid for one month in 48 countries[iii] to help users get started immediately, while additional data plans can be easily purchased as needed through the Mobile Plans application while travelling around the world. 802.11ac wireless with 2×2 MIMO provides reliable and fast connections to the office or home network.
Both Brawn and Beauty
Powered by a 7th Gen Intel Core i7 processor, the Swift 7 provides incredible performance, a seamless Windows 10 experience and up to 10 hours[iv] of battery life. 256 GB of PCIe SSD storage offers plenty of room to keep important files at the user’s fingertips, while 8 GB of LPDDR3 memory keeps multitasking smooth and responsive. A fingerprint reader allows password-free and more secure sign-in through Windows Hello.
The Swift 7’s unibody aluminum chassis is pleasing to the eye and gentle to touch, perfect for modern professionals seeking a sophisticated look. Its new high-resolution display has been upgraded to 14-inches, and sports a Full HD IPS[v] display, Acer Color Intelligence for lifelike clarity at every angle, as well as a Corning® Gorilla® Glass NBT™ touchscreen and touchpad. Typing has never been easier thanks to the Swift 7’s backlit keyboard, which is handy in low-light conditions such as long-haul international flights or train journeys.
The Acer Spin 3 2018 (SP314-51) Revealed!
Acer has also announced its refreshed Spin 3 (SP314-51) laptop, designed for users seeking out a versatile device for all-day productivity and entertainment. Its durable 360° dual-torque hinge enables it to function as a laptop, tablet, display and even provides a space-saving tent mode, all in a single device.
Now equipped with a powerful 8th Gen Intel Core processor and impressive storage options, the Spin 3 merges exceptional performance with portability. It provides up to 12 hours of battery life for digital work and play on the move, with two front-facing speakers with Acer TrueHarmony technology. The Spin 3’s 14-inch display supports vivid imagery in Full HD with IPS technology, allowing on-screen content to shine through in exceptional detail.
[i] Based on Acer’s internal survey as of January 5, 2018 of competing clamshell laptop designs available on the market, running Windows OS or OSX
[ii] For devices sold in Germany, the trial plan will not be able for use domestically, but the validity period will be extended to six months for use abroad. For devices sold in Canada, as the trial plan does not include domestic coverage, the validity period will also be extended to six months for use abroad.
[iii] Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madeira, Malaysia, Malta, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, and Vietnam
[iv] Listed battery life is based on MobileMark 2014® productivity mode testing with wireless on. Details of MobileMark 2014 testing are available at www.bapco.com. Battery life rating is for comparison purposes only. Actual battery life varies by model, configuration, application, power management settings, operating conditions, and features used. A battery’s maximum capacity decreases with time and use.
[v] All brands and product names mentioned herein include trademarks of their respective companies and are used solely to describe or identify the products
Pricing and Availability
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The Acer Swift 7 2018 will be available in North America in March with prices starting at US$1,699; and in EMEA in April with prices starting at €1,699.
The Acer Spin 3 2018 will be available in North America in February with prices starting at US$599; and in EMEA in January with prices starting at €649.
Exact specifications, prices, and availability may vary by region
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There are many phablets in the market, but most of them are based on the Android operating system. So when a Windows 10 phablet hit the market recently, everyone took note. The Windows 10 phablet in question is the new Wise Pad W7. You will find it marketed as the Microsoft Wise Pad W7.
People immediately asked us to review it, and as if they were reading our minds, they sent us one! So today, we present to you, our review of the Wise Pad W7 Windows 10 phablet!
Updated @ 2017-06-23 : Updated the links in the review. Added more information on the included software. Reworked the Verdict.
Updated @ 2016-09-04 : Added new information on its manufacturer. Made various improvements and corrections to the review.
5.0 MP sensor (720p video recording) with single LED flash and f/2.4 lens
Connectivity
4G : LTE Cat4 (150 Mbps / 50 Mbps)
WiFi : 810.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth : 4.1 LE
USB : Micro USB 2.0
GPS
Yes, A-GPS
FM Radio
Yes, but lacks antenna (earphones)
Battery
3,200 mAh lithium-ion battery (11,840 mWh)
Dimensions
13 cm wide x 21 cm tall x 5 mm thick
Phablet, Not Tablet
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There was some confusion about whether the Wise Pad W7 is a phablet or a tablet. Partly because the advertisement calls it a “tab“. Let us clarify this once and for all.
The Wise Pad W7 is a phablet, not a tablet. There are tablets of the same size, like the ASUS ZenPad 7.0, but tablets do not have telecommunication capabilities. They cannot make calls like smartphones or phablets can.
The Wise Pad W7, on the other hand, is a 4G LTE phablet. You can make calls on it, like any other smartphone or phablet. It’s called a phablet because it is a smartphone that’s the size of a small tablet.
Designed & Made By Microsoft?
What attracted people the most was the claim that the Wise Pad W7 was designed, made and sold by Microsoft. Perhaps it had to do with the product descriptions in the advertisement :
Microsoft has truly outdone themselves with this creation, introducing innovative features and designs that are sure to impress.
Microsoft has engineered a unique design that showcases the tab’s 7-inch display screen in the slimmest form.
We reached out to Microsoft for clarification. They informed us that the Wise Pad W7 is not an official Microsoft product, but an OEM product running on Windows 10. Of course, Wise Pad may have cooperated with Microsoft, or received their assistance, in developing this phablet.
Our further investigations revealed that the Wise Pad W7 is actually made by Meizu, and marketed in Malaysia by Blue Kor (also known as Meizu Malaysia).
This makes no difference to our review process though. However, we will refer to it as the Wise Pad W7, instead of the Microsoft Wise Pad W7.
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Unboxing The Wise Pad W7 Phablet
The Wise Pad W7 comes in a nice, shrink-wrapped box with the Microsoft logo prominently printed on the upper left corner. Let’s take a look inside!
The Wise Pad W7 is a low-cost phablet, so you only get the bare essentials :
Unfortunately, the Wise Pad W7 does not come with any earphones, even though it has a built-in FM radio. The FM radio requires a pair of earphones to be attached, to serve as its antenna.
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Overview Of The Wise Pad W7
Now that it’s out of the box, let’s take a quick tour of the Wise Pad W7 phablet!
The 7″ IPS display is bright and vivid, but has a low resolution of 540 x 960 pixels. It lacks an oleophobic coating, so it smears very easily. However, it should not matter too much since you will likely install the provided screen protector.
The Wise Pad W7 comes with a 2 MP front camera that is okay for video chats, but takes noisy, low-resolution selfies. You will most likely rely exclusively on the 5 MP main camera at the back, which is supported by an LED flash.
The only physical buttons are located along the right side – a Power button and two Volume buttons. The micro USB 2.0 port is located at the top, together with the earphone port, and a compartment for the microSD and micro SIM cards.
Setting Up The Wise Pad W7
Let’s show you how the Wise Pad W7‘s initial setup process is like.
Unfortunately, the Windows 10 Mobile setup process is rather protracted. Android Marshmallow devices take no more than 5 minutes to boot and setup. The Wise Pad W7, on the other hand, took a whooping 82 seconds to start-up for the first time. Then after selecting the country of choice, it had to reboot, taking up an additional 53 seconds.
That’s not the worst of it though. After we set-up the Wise Pad W7, Windows 10 Mobile took an additional 2.5 minutes to decompress and install its apps. Generally, it will take you about 10-15 minutes to setup the Wise Pad W7.
Windows 10 Mobile
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Another point of confusion for many potential users is the fact that they marketed it as a Windows 10 tablet. It gave the impression that the Wise Pad W7 is a smaller and far more affordable version of the Microsoft Surface Pro 4.
The Wise Pad W7 actually runs on Windows 10 Mobile. This is the mobile version of Windows 10, that is designed to look and feel like Windows 10. However, unlike devices running on actual Windows 10, it is not capable of running Windows desktop applications.
Think of the Wise Pad W7 as a larger version of the Microsoft Lumia 950 and 950 XL smartphones. It will run Windows Mobile or Windows Phone applications, and comes bundled with Office for Windows 10, and Microsoft Edge.
Built-In Microsoft Apps
What’s advantageous is the fact that the Wise Pad W7 comes with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, OneDrive, the Microsoft Edge browser and even Skype pre-installed. That takes care of the productivity requirements for most users.
You can literally start using it to do your work right out of the box. And the tight integration between those Microsoft apps allow you to sync your files and switch between your desktop and the Wise Pad W7 very easily.
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Camera Performance – Photo
The Wise Pad W7 has a 5 MP main camera, with f/2.4 lens and an LED flash. It takes photos with a resolution of 2592 x 1456, with file sizes ranging from 650 KB to 1 MB. Here are some photo samples from the 5MP main camera.
The photos taken appear washed out, unless HDR is enabled. But because the lens is relatively slow, using HDR may result in blurry pictures. The highlights are also easily blown-out when HDR is enabled.
Generally, the pictures are okay for viewing on the Wise Pad W7 itself, or posting on social media. However, the camera’s limitations are very apparent when viewed on a high-resolution computer display.
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Camera Performance – Video
The Wise Pad W7‘s 5 MP camera sensor is capable of recording 1080p videos. However, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 212 processor powering the Wise Pad W7 is only powerful enough to handle 720p video recording. So you are limited to recording 720p videos. Here is a sample of the 720p video recording by the main camera.
Immediately, we can tell that the camera lacks optical image stabilisation. It supports electronic image stabilisation, but it does not help much in stabilising the image. You can see that the handshake is quite noticeable, even though we recorded this sample using two hands.
What is most distracting though is the camera’s inability to maintain focus. You can see the camera losing focus and seeking very often. The audio quality was also terrible, sounding really muffled and monotonous.
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Memory & Storage Capacity
The Wise Pad W7 comes with 2 GB of memory, and 16 GB of internal flash storage. Unfortunately, we cannot find out how much free memory is available for your apps to use. But we can tell you that out of the 16 GB of internal flash storage, you will have at least 10.75 GB of free storage space.
You can top up the storage capacity with a microSD card (up to 64 GB), which should be plenty enough for most users. The Wise Pad W7 also supports OTG drives, so you can easily transfer data.
Problems With The Display
The automatic brightness feature in the Wise Pad W7 does not seem to be working at all. Even though its light sensor is working (we checked), the Wise Pad W7 maintains the same brightness level whether it’s in the shade or in direct sunlight. Hence, the display was completely useless in bright sunlight. The workaround? Disable the automatic brightness feature and set the brightness manually.
The other issue we noticed was its improperly calibrated digitiser (touch panel). It appears to register our touches a few millimetres lower than expected. Unfortunately, there is no option to recalibrate the digitiser, so if you face this issue, you will need to learn to touch a few millimetres higher on the display.
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 212 is slow, period. It may have four cores, but they are the slower ARM Cortex-A7 cores. It was particularly poor at graphics, due to its slow Adreno 510 graphics processor.
Verdict
The Wise Pad W7 is an interesting phablet. Mainly because it runs on Windows 10 Mobile. This can be a boon or a bane, depending on what you are looking for.
If you are looking for a ton of games and apps, then you are going to be disappointed with the limited choices in the Windows Store. But if you are only interested in using Microsoft applications like Word or Excel, then you will love the tight integration of those Microsoft apps into Windows 10 Mobile.
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The Wise Pad W7 was definitely not designed or manufactured by Microsoft though. The design and build quality is far from what you would expect from Microsoft. It is certainly very cheap, but it is a mixed bag of hits and misses. You will have to compromise with its limitations.
The Wise Pad W7 has a decent polycarbonate chassis with a matte metallic finish, but the display and the camera lens cover lack oleophobic coatings and are very easily smeared. The 7″ display has a lot more screen space than a smartphone, but it is limited by its low resolution of 540 x 960.
What really concerned us the most was the non-functioning auto-brightness feature and improperly-calibrated digitiser. We have no idea how it could have passed quality control checks at the factory. It also has a relatively small 3,200 mAh battery for its size. The much smaller ASUS ZenFone 3 Zoom, for example, boasts a 5,000 mAh battery!
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 212 processor is just fast enough for work applications, but do not expect to play 3D games on the Wise Pad W7. The good news is that it sips power, so the Wise Pad W7 putters on longer than we would expect for its small battery.
Pros & Cons
To summarise, here are the pros and cons of the Wise Pad W7 phablet :
Pros
Cons
Comes with Microsoft Office apps pre-installed and integrated
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At the prestigious The Edge of Beyond 2017 event, ASUS launched a stunning line-up of thin and light ASUS ZenBook and ASUS VivoBook laptops. Get the full details of the incredibly svelte 2017 ASUS ZenBook and VivoBook laptops, including their price and availability!
The 2017 ASUS ZenBook & VivoBook Laptops Revealed!
Thin and light is obviously the the motto of the day. Everything ASUS revealed was both thin and light. No exceptions.
The new ASUS ZenBook Flip S (UX370) is the world’s thinnest convertible laptop; while the ASUS ZenBook 3 Deluxe (UX490) is the world’s thinnest [1] 14″ laptop. Even the powerful ASUS ZenBook Pro (UX550) is the thinnest and lightest laptop in the professional-grade ultraportable series.
The ASUS VivoBook family also received the same treatment. The ASUS VivoBook S15 features a 15.6″ display in a 14″-class chassis; while the ASUS VivoBook Pro 15 packs a tremendous amount of computing and graphics power in a form factor that is less than 20 mm thick.
[1] As of 1st May, 2017 based on internal ASUS market analysis of 2-in-1 convertible laptops with the following key competitive criteria: Windows or OS X operating system; thickness measured at z-height; Intel Core processor; non-detachable keyboard.
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Price & Availability
In this video, Leo Tseng, Country Manager of ASUS Malaysia, reveals the price and availability of the 2017 ASUS ZenBook and VivoBook laptops.
Here is a summary of the price and availability of the 2017 ASUS ZenBook and VivoBook laptops :
ASUS ZenBook 3 Deluxe (UX490) is available now with an SRP of RM 8,299 / ~US$ 1,969
ASUS ZenBook 3 Pro (UX550) is available now with an SRP of RM 7,299 / ~US$ 1,729
ASUS ZenBook Flip S (UX370) is available in early August with an SRP of RM 6,699 / ~US$ 1,589
ASUS VivoBook Pro 15 (N580) is available in early August with an SRP of RM 4,799 / ~US$ 1,139
ASUS VivoBook S15 (S510) is available in early July with an SRP of RM 3,699 / ~US$ 879 (Core i7) or RM 2,899 / ~US$ 689 (Core i5).
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The 2017 ASUS ZenBook & VivoBook Laptops
ASUS ZenBook 3 Deluxe (UX490)
SRP (+GST): RM 8,299 / ~US$ 1,969 Availability: Available now
The stunning all-aluminum ASUS ZenBook 3 Deluxe, winner of a Computex 2017 d&i Award, has a 12.9mm-thin and 1.1 kg-light 13-inch-class chassis that houses a gorgeous 14-inch NanoEdge ultranarrow-bezel display. ZenBook 3 Deluxe is the world’s thinnest 14″ laptop, providing users with the perfect balance between portability and productivity.
The ZenBook 3 Series is designed to deliver unprecedented performance, and ZenBook 3 Deluxe takes this to the next level with the latest 7th Generation Intel Core i7-7500U processor, 16 GB of 2133 MHz LPDDR3 RAM, and a blazingly-fast up 1 TB PCI Express SSD — one of the largest-capacity SSDs available.
Unrivalled expansion capabilities are provided by two USB Type-C ports that are Thunderbolt 3-enabled with support for 40Gbps data transfers, dual 4K UHD external displays and power delivery. ZenBook 3 Deluxe comes with Windows 10 and is also equipped with a fingerprint sensor for easy one-touch login with Windows Hello.
ASUS ZenBook Pro (UX550)
SRP (+GST): RM 7,299 / ~US$ 1,729 Availability: beginning of August 2017
ASUS ZenBook Pro is designed to entice with pure, unadulterated power. This redesigned model —winner of a Computex 2017 Best Choice Award — is the thinnest, lightest and most powerful ZenBook Pro ever, offering discerning professional users a winning combination of serious performance and supremely elegant design. Every part of ZenBook Pro has been crafted to make it faster, more powerful and more amazing than the previous generation.
Using the highest performance 7th Generation Intel Core i7-7700HQ quad-core processor for notebooks, gaming-grade NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 graphics, a 512 GB PCIe x4 SSD and 16 GB DDR4 RAM, it delivers ultimate computing performance and unrivaled style, with day-long battery life of up to 14 hours.
The ASUS ZenBook Pro features a stunning 15.6″ FHD NanoEdge display for an expanded view and quad-speaker Harman Kardon surround-sound audio, creating an incredible visual and audio experience. ZenBook Pro features Windows 10 and is also equipped with a fingerprint sensor for quick and secure one-touch login with Windows Hello.
Despite its astonishing performance, ZenBook Pro is incredibly compact, with a precision-crafted all-aluminum unibody that’s just 18.9 mm thin and 1.8 kg light. The NanoEdge display has a slim 7.3 mm bezel that enhances the beauty of ZenBook Pro while minimizing its overall dimensions. Every detail of ZenBook Pro is even more beautiful than before — including its iconic Zen-inspired spun-metal finish, diamond-cut silver edges, and illuminated lid logo.
ASUS ZenBook Flip S (UX370)
SRP (+GST): RM 6,699 / ~US$ 1,589 Availability: beginning of August 2017
ASUS ZenBook Flip S, winner of a Computex 2017 d&i Award, is the world’s thinnest1 convertible laptop, and also one of the lightest. Combining elegant sophistication with the convenience and versatility of a 360°-flippable display, this ultrathin convertible is only 10.9 mm thin and 1.1 kg light. The innovative 360° ErgoLift hinge has a dual-action mechanism that lifts and tilts the keyboard into the perfect typing position when the display is opened beyond 135°.
ZenBook Flip S features Windows 10 and is powered by 7th Generation Intel Core i7-7500U processor and an ultrafast 512 GB PCIe SSD, allowing users to sail through everyday computing tasks with ease. To keep ZenBook Flip S comfortably cool, ASUS engineers invented a brand-new cooling system using state-of-the-art components, including a liquid-crystal-polymer fan impeller that’s just 0.3mm thin.
The FHD multitouch NanoEdge display on ZenBook Flip S supports an active stylus, combining an amazing visual experience with the convenience of effortless and intuitive interactivity. ZenBook Flip S also includes one of our smallest-ever laptop fingerprint sensors — measuring just 16 x 3.6 mm — for instant one-touch login via Windows Hello in either laptop or tablet mode.
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ASUS VivoBook Pro 15 (N580)
SRP (+GST): RM 4,799 / ~US$ 1,139 Availability: beginning of August 2017
ASUS VivoBook Pro 15 is a slim and lightweight 15.6-inch Windows 10 laptop powered by a 7th Generation Intel Core i7-7700HQ quad-core processor with 4 GB DDR4 RAM and gaming-grade NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 graphics. An intelligent dual-fan cooling system with a dual-copper thermal module and heat pipes ensures the system stays cool during intense gaming sessions or under heavy loads.
VivoBook Pro 15 has a FHD (1920 x 1080) display with wide-view technology and a wide 100 percent sRGB color gamut. It features Harman Kardon-certified audio, including twin speakers with large 8cc audio chambers and smart-amplifier technology for 3.2X louder volume. VivoBook Pro 15 features support for ASUS Pen (optional)
ASUS VivoBook S15 (S510)
SRP (+GST): RM 3,699 / ~US$ 879 (Core i7) or RM 2,899 / ~US$ 689 (Core i5) Availability: beginning of July 2017
ASUS VivoBook S15 is the latest and most premium model in the VivoBook Series. This 15.6″ slim and lightweight Windows 10 laptop is designed for those constantly on the go, with a 17.9mm profile and weighing just 1.5 kg.
It features an Icicle Gold finish for a quality feel, and a NanoEdge display with a slim 7.8 mm bezel that provides a larger display area for more immersive viewing.
This stylish laptop is powered by the latest 7th Generation Intel Core i7-7500U processor with 4GB DDR4 memory and NVIDIA GeForce 940MX graphics.
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Lenovo just announced Legion by Lenovo – a new sub-brand dedicated to creating powerful gaming laptops with DIY flexibility. The first two Legion gaming notebooks they launched are the Legion Y520 and the Legion Y720. Let’s find out what makes them special!
The Lenovo Legion Y720 & Y520 Presentation
The Country General Manager of Lenovo Malaysia & Singapore, Mr. Khoo Hung Chuan, revealed Legion by Lenovo, and the new Legion Y520 and Legion Y720 gaming laptops.
The Lenovo Legion Y720 Gaming Laptop
The Lenovo Legion Y720 is the world’s first Windows-based Dolby Atmos PC with JBL speakers. It is powered by an Intel Core i7 processor and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 GPU.
The Lenovo Legion Y720 has a backlit keyboard with programmable LED lights, and boasts an integrated wireless receiver that supports up to four Xbox One controllers (not included). Here is a quick look at the Lenovo Legion Y720 gaming laptop.
And here are its key specifications.
Specifications
Lenovo Legion Y720 - 15IKB
Upgrade Options In Future Models
Model Number
80VR001CMJ
Display
15.6" Full HD anti-glare IPS display (1920 x 1080)
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The Lenovo Legion Y520 Gaming Laptop
The Lenovo Legion Y520 gaming laptop has a 15.6″ Full HD IPS display, and is powered by either an Intel Core i5 or Core i7 processor, with an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 GPU.
It boasts Harman-certified speakers, and a red backlit keyboard, with a key travel of 1.7 mm. Here is a quick look at the Lenovo Legion Y520 gaming laptop.
And here are its key specifications.
Specifications
Lenovo Legion Y520 - 15IKBN
Lenovo Legion Y520 - 15IKBN
Lenovo Legion Y520 - 15IKBN
Lenovo Legion Y520 - 15IKBN
Model Number
80WK0050MJ
80WK0051MJ
80WK0052MJ
80WK004YMJ
Display
15.6" Full HD anti-glare IPS display (1920 x 1080)
15.6" Full HD anti-glare IPS display (1920 x 1080)
15.6" Full HD anti-glare IPS display (1920 x 1080)
15.6" Full HD anti-glare IPS display (1920 x 1080)
1 TB SATA hard disk drive (5400 RPM)
PCIe M.2 slot
1 TB SATA hard disk drive (5400 RPM)
PCIe M.2 slot
128 GB M.2 PCIe SSD
1 TB SATA hard disk drive (5400 RPM)
256 GB M.2 PCIe SSD
2 TB SATA hard disk drive (5400 RPM)
Audio
2 x Harmon-certified speakers with Dolby Audio Premium (2 W)
2 x Harmon-certified speakers with Dolby Audio Premium (2 W)
2 x Harmon-certified speakers with Dolby Audio Premium (2 W)
2 x Harmon-certified speakers with Dolby Audio Premium (2 W)
Connectivity
802.11a/b/g/n/ac (1 x 1)
802.11a/b/g/n/ac (1 x 1)
802.11a/b/g/n/ac (1 x 1)
802.11a/b/g/n/ac (1 x 1)
Battery
3 Cell Lithium-Polymer battery (45 WHr)
- Up to 4 hours of battery life
3 Cell Lithium-Polymer battery (45 WHr)
- Up to 4 hours of battery life
3 Cell Lithium-Polymer battery (45 WHr)
- Up to 4 hours of battery life
3 Cell Lithium-Polymer battery (45 WHr)
- Up to 4 hours of battery life
Dimensions
380 mm wide x 265 mm deep x 25.8 mm thick
14.96" wide x 10.43" deep x 1.01" thick
380 mm wide x 265 mm deep x 25.8 mm thick
14.96" wide x 10.43" deep x 1.01" thick
380 mm wide x 265 mm deep x 25.8 mm thick
14.96" wide x 10.43" deep x 1.01" thick
380 mm wide x 265 mm deep x 25.8 mm thick
14.96" wide x 10.43" deep x 1.01" thick
Weight
Starting from 2.4 kg (5.3 lbs)
Starting from 2.4 kg (5.3 lbs)
Starting from 2.4 kg (5.3 lbs)
Starting from 2.4 kg (5.3 lbs)
Launch Price
RM 3,299 / ~US$ 729
RM 4,219 / ~US$ 829
RM 4,919 / ~US$ 1,089
RM 5,419 / ~US$ 1,199
Price & Availability
All of these Lenovo Legion models are available right now from Lenovo Exclusive Stores and Lenovo Multi-Brand Stores.
The Lenovo Legion Y720 base model (80VR001CMJ), with an Intel Core i7-7700HQ processor, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 GPU, 8 GB DDR4 memory and 1 TB SATA hard disk drive, is priced at RM 6,099 (inclusive of 6% GST) / ~US$ 1,359.
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The Lenovo Legion Y520 base model (80WK0050MJ), with an Intel Core i5-7700HQ processor, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 GPU, 4 GB DDR4 memory and 1 TB SATA hard disk drive, is currently available for purchase at RM 3,299 (inclusive of 6% GST) / ~US$ 729.
The 80WK0051MJ variant of the Lenovo Legion Y520 model features an Intel Core i7-7700HQ processor, and is priced at RM 4,219 (inclusive of 6% GST) / ~US$ 829.
The 80WK0052MJ variant of the Lenovo Legion Y520 model features an Intel Core i7-7700HQ processor and an additional 128 GB SSD, and is priced at RM 4,919 (inclusive of 6% GST) / ~US$ 1,089.
The top-of-the-line 80WK004YMJ variant of the Lenovo Legion Y520 model features an Intel Core i7-7700HQ processor, 8 GB DDR4 memory, 256 GB SSD, and a 2 TB SATA hard disk drive. It is priced at RM 5,419 (inclusive of 6% GST) / ~US$ 1,199.
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On 2 March 2017, SNS Network revealed the JOI 11 tablet, with three optional accessories – the JOI Metal Keyboard, the JOI Leather Keyboard and the JOI Active Pen. This is a dual OS (Windows 10 + Android) tablet that readily converts into a laptop with the optional keyboard. Check it out!
The SNS JOI 11 Tablet Revealed
The founder and Managing Director of SNS Network, Ko Yun Hung, presented the key features of the new JOI 11 2-in-1 tablet.
Then Vivian and Harry gave an in-depth demonstration of the JOI 11 tablet, with the two keyboard options and the JOI Active Pen.
The SNS JOI 11 Tablet Hands-On Preview
The JOI 11 tablet features a sleek metal design with a 10.8″ Full HD IPS display. It weighs just 700 gm and is as thin as 8.8 mm. Internally, it has a quad-core Intel Atom x5-Z8350 processor with 4 GB of DDR3 RAM and 32 GB of internal flash storage, which is expandable via a Micro SD card (up to 64 GB).
The JOI 11 boasts the new USB Type C port, which allows for faster charging speed and data transfers. It also has a built-in mini HDMI port for easy video and audio output to external displays. For greater productivity, you can pair with an optional detachable keyboard with metal or leather finishing, and a JOI Active Pen.
All of that is powered by a 8,400 mAh battery that is good for 6-8 hours of non-stop use.
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The SNS JOI 11 Specifications
Quad Core Intel Atom x5- Z8350 Processor
4 GB DDR3 RAM
32 GB storage (expandable up to 128 GB MicroSD)
Microsoft Windows 10 Home
10.8” Full HD IPS display – 1920 X 1280 resolution, 3:2 screen aspect ratio
Rear 5 MP camera and Front 2 MP camera
Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0
USB Type C, Micro HDMI port
The SNS JOI 11 Price & Availability
Best of all, the SNS JOI 11 is available for pre-order at just RM 899 / ~US$ 199, with delivery in 2 weeks or so. The accessories are priced as such :
JOI Metal Keyboard – RM 249 / ~US$ 55
JOI Leather Keyboard – RM 199 / ~US$ 44
JOI Active Pen – RM 99 / ~US$ 22
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28 February 2017 – Sophos, a global leader in network and endpoint security, today announced Sophos Mobile 7, the latest version of its Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) solution. This new version extends containerization support for Android Enterprise (formerly “Android for Work,”) enables IT administrators to manage IoT devices, strengthens security features and will be available through the Sophos Central cloud-based management platform.
Sophos Mobile 7
Sophos Mobile 7 security enhancements include anti-phishing technology to protect users from malicious links in emails and documents and improvements to Sophos’ Android security and anti-malware app. There are also usability enhancements to the Secure Workspace and Secure Email app where users now can open, view and even edit encrypted and secure Office format documents and attachments without leaving the secure and encrypted container.
Sophos Mobile 7 is the latest in an increasing number of products that are available through the integrated Sophos Central management platform, including the next-generation XG Firewall, Sophos Endpoint Security, Sophos Intercept X, Sophos Email Security, Sophos Server Protection, Sophos Encryption and Sophos Phish Threat.
The new IoT functionality will provide basic management features to organizations that are designing and deploying solutions at scale using low-cost Android Things or Windows 10 IoT devices. This includes management tasks such as applying policies, checking the online device status, monitoring battery levels or confirming or updating firmware.
Sophos will be one of the first security companies to provide organizations with a cost-efficient way to add management and security capabilities to their IoT projects, offering a communication and management framework that can be built into industrial and commercial IoT solutions such as POS/retail or connected classrooms.
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Sophos Mobile 7 Availability
Sophos Mobile 7 is available now for on-site installation and will be available through cloud-based Sophos Central in mid-March 2017. For more details of Sophos Mobile for IoT, customers and partners can email Sophos-Mobile-IoT@sophos.com.
Sophos will also be demonstrating Sophos Mobile 7, including the new IoT features, at stand 5H31 in hall 5 at Mobile World Congress 2017 in Barcelona, 27 February to 2 March 2017.
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Last week, Lenovo revealed the new IdeaCentre Y710 Cube gaming system at the Lenovo Game On event. The Y710 Cube is not just another gaming system. It is a compact VR-capable gaming system that you can actually carry with one hand!
The IdeaCentre Y710 Cube Revealed
Gregory Beh, Gaming Category Lead, Lenovo Asia Pacific, flew in from Singapore to tell us about the new IdeaCentre Y710 Cube. Check it out!
The IdeaCentre Y710 Cube weighs only 7.4 kg (16.3 lbs) and comes with a built-in carry handle for easy transport. Inside its new, compact cube form factor, it can fit up to two NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 8 GB graphics cards, a 6th Generation Intel Core i7 processor and up to 8 GB of DDR4 memory.
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Its size certainly belies its capabilities. The Y710 Cube is powerful enough to easily handle 4K gaming, VR and high-quality video streaming in real-time.
The Y710 Cube also comes with Killer DoubleShot Pro Wi-Fi, Windows 10 Home with integrated Dolby Audio and up to 2 TB of HDD storage. For those who want even better performance, Lenovo will offer a 256 GB SSD + 2 TB HDD option very soon.
The Lenovo IdeaCentre Y710 Cube is now available with a starting price of RM 6,099 / ~US$ 1,499, inclusive of GST.
How About A Look Inside?
Gregory later gave us a quick tour of the IdeaCentre Y710 Cube gaming system. He even opened it up for us to look inside!
Please note that opening up the Y710 Cube will void its 3-year on-site warranty. So don’t do it!
The Lenovo IdeaCentre Y710 Cube Specifications
Specifications
Lenovo IdeaCentre Y710 Cube
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home
Processor
Intel Core i7-6700
Memory
8 GB DDR4 SDRAM
Graphics Card
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 (8 GB GDDR5)
Storage
2 TB Hard Disk Drive
(256 GB SSD + 2 TB HDD option coming soon!)
Audio
Integrated Dolby Audio
Optical Drive
None
Connectivity
Killer DoubleShot Pro WiFi
Dimensions
393.3 mm x 252.3 mm x 314.5 mm
Weight
Starting at 7.4 kg / 16.3 lbs
Colour
Black
Launch Price
Starting at RM 6,099 / 1,499 with 3-years on-site warranty
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We have an awesome giveaway for you guys this time. We are going to give away a 4G LTE phablet that runs on Windows 10! We present to you – the Wise Pad W7 phablet giveaway contest!
The Wise Pad W7 is a 7″ phablet that powered by a quad-core Qualcomm processor, and runs on Microsoft Windows 10 Mobile. For more details, please read our full review of the Wise Pad W7.
The Wise Pad W7 Phablet Giveaway Contest Mechanics
To win the Wise Pad W7, all you have to do is look for this contest icon that we have inserted into 5 articles we posted recently.
Once you find one, all you have to do is :
Click on the Wise Pad W7 contest icon, and it will open a contest registration form
Key in your name and email address
Click the Send button
That’s it! That’s all you have to do! Simple, isn’t it?
You only need to submit one entry to be in the running to win the Wise Pad W7. But you can greatly increase your chances by locating more of the same contest icon to submit more entries. Each contest icon will have their own contest registration form.
Bonus : You can also increase your chances by sharing any of our Facebook posts. Each share gives you a bonus entry. However, you must key in your Facebook account in the contest registration form, so we can credit you for the shares.
Where Do I Find The 5 Contest Icons? Updated!
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To make it easy for you to find the 5 contest icons, here are some clues… and their answers!
What Windows 10 phablet are we giving away in this contest? Answer : The Wise Pad W7 phablet.
A truck with Samsung smartphones apparently exploded in Florida. Answer : No, It Didn’t.
The Wise Pad W7 phablet giveaway contest ends at midnight, October 31, 2016 (GMT+8). We will randomly select the winner from the collated results, and announce the results by November 15th.
If you are a winner, you must receive an email requesting your mailing address and contact number. You must reply within 7 days, or we will select another winner.
The Wise Pad W7 phablet giveaway contest is open internationally, but Tech ARP will only pay for basic mail delivery, and will not be responsible for any taxes that may be levied. Winners may opt to pay for expedited or courier delivery services at their own expense.
Contest Results!
We are very excited to announce the Wise Pad W7 Phablet Giveaway Contest results! This time, a total of 110 contestants participated. Thank you for making it such a success!
We have not only selected the winner of the Wise Pad W7, we have also pre-selected a backup winner, in case the first winner does not get back to us on time. Let’s see who won!
The winner must PM or email us with your details within 7 days of this announcement, or the prize will go to the backup winner, and so on.
Full Name
Mobile / Telephone Number
Full Address
If you did not win this time, don’t worry – we have another contest coming right up!
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We first revealed a major new feature of the Microsoft Windows 10 Anniversary Update in our article, Microsoft Windows Ink Revealed. Well, it is now here and available! But you might be wondering – what other improvements and new features will the Windows 10 Anniversary Update bring to the table? Let us show you!
Windows 10 Anniversary Update Revealed
We were recently invited by Microsoft Malaysia to an exclusive tech briefing on the Windows 10 Anniversary Update. Andres Sirel, Windows & Devices Group Lead of Microsoft Malaysia, demonstrated new features like Windows Ink, as well as improvements in Windows Hello, Microsoft Edge, Windows Notes, etc. :
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Other New Features Or Improvements In The Windows 10 Anniversary Update
More security features for the most secure Windows: For all Windows 10 customers, the Anniversary Update brings new improvements to Windows Hello and Windows Defender.
With Windows Hello, customers can sign in with enterprise-grade security, password-free, to apps, and access supporting websites with biometric authentication using Microsoft Edge, the first and only browser to natively support biometrics.
Windows Defender anti-malware improves with the option to automatically schedule periodic quick scans of your PC; and provide notifications and summaries when scans are complete and if scans find any threats.
Building on the existing security features in Windows 10, two new security benefits for enterprise customers include:
Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection, designed to detect, investigate and respond to malicious attacks and informed by the world’s largest array of sensors and expert advanced threat protection, including a team of expert security researchers at Microsoft.
Windows Information Protection, formerly referred to as enterprise data protection, helps protect businesses from accidental data leaks by separating personal and organizational data where ever it goes.
Improvements to Cortana: the world’s most productive personal digital assistant gets even better with access above the lock screen, more ways to remember with the ability for Cortana to save and recall information, and synchronization across devices.
Increased power efficiency, extensions and accessibility with Microsoft Edge: The Anniversary Update includes even more power-saving improvements in Microsoft Edge, using fewer CPU cycles, consuming less memory, and minimizing the impact of background activity and peripheral content like Flash advertisements. Microsoft Edge Extensions, such as Pinterest’s “Pin it Button” and Amazon Assistant, will also be available in the Windows Store. The new accessibility architecture for Microsoft Edge also now supports modern web standards, including HTML, CSS, and ARIA. With this update, page structure and content are exposed more clearly with assistive technology. Visual presentation of web pages in high contrast mode provides additional visual context, while preserving text contrast. Also, form entry when using keyboard navigation and screen readers improve the browsing experience for people of all abilities.
An even better gaming experience: With Xbox Play Anywhere, gamers can buy a game once and play on a Windows 10 PC or Xbox One with shared progress, shared game saves and share achievements. Every new title published from Microsoft Studios will support Xbox Play Anywhere and will be easily accessible in the Windows Store on both Windows 10 and Xbox One. Cortana is also now available on Xbox One to help gamers find great new games, see what friends are up to, start a party, accomplish common tasks, and turn on Xbox One by saying “Hey Cortana, Xbox On”.
Top fan-requested features including Language Region Independence so gamers can choose any supported language on Xbox One, regardless of their location; and support for background music, will come with the Anniversary Update. As well, the new Xbox One S, available this summer starting at $299, will include the Anniversary Update. With a limited 2TB Xbox One S launch edition available in August for $399 USD, it’s the only console with support for HDR gaming and 4K Ultra HD video and Blu-ray.
Innovations for the modern classroom join great devices starting at $179: An all new “Set up School PCs” app will enable teachers to set up devices in 3 easy steps with a ‘Shared Cart of Devices.’ For schools with dedicated IT support, the updated Windows Imaging and Configuration Designer tool enables the setup of shared devices, in bulk, in a matter of minutes. For high-stakes tests that should not have copy-and-paste privileges, access to files or other distractions, the Take a Test app creates a browser-based, locked-down environment for more secure online assessments.
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Redmond, 30 June 2016 – Microsoft Corp. on Wednesday announced that the Windows 10 Anniversary Update is coming to all Windows 10 devices – for free – on August 2. Windows 10 continues to be the fastest growing version of Windows ever and is now running on more than 350 million devices.
The Windows 10 Anniversary Update has all-new breakthrough features that bring Windows Ink and Cortana to the mainstream; a faster, more accessible and more power-efficient Microsoft Edge browser; advanced security features for consumers and enterprises; new gaming experiences and new tools for the modern classroom.
To help protect businesses from today’s modern threats, Microsoft also announced two new security features for enterprise customers – Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection and Windows Information Protection, formerly referred to as enterprise data protection.
“When we introduced Windows 10, our vision was not only to deliver the best and most secure version of the OS ever, it was also to create an experience that would keep getting better, said Terry Myerson, executive vice president, Windows and Devices Group. “The Windows 10 Anniversary Update is a great example of this – and we look forward to building on it even further in the future.”
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Windows 10 Anniversary Update
New Deals, Plus Security, Productivity and Fun Features for Consumers
To celebrate the availability of the Windows 10 Anniversary Update, Microsoft is also making it easy for everyone to enjoy the great new features with special offers. Students can save $300 when they purchase an Xbox One and Surface or get a free TV when they purchase a Dell PC over $699. Plus, consumers can get $150 off select HP devices or $100 off select ASUS and Samsung devices.
The Windows 10 Anniversary Update is full of innovations that help people be more productive, stay safer online – and of course, have fun too.
More security features for the most secure Windows: For all Windows 10 customers, the Anniversary Update brings new improvements to Windows Hello and Windows Defender.
With Windows Hello, customers can sign in with enterprise-grade security, password-free, to apps, and access supporting websites with biometric authentication using Microsoft Edge, the first and only browser to natively support biometrics.
Windows Defender anti-malware improves with the option to automatically schedule periodic quick scans of your PC; and provide notifications and summaries when scans are complete and if scans find any threats.
Building on the existing security features in Windows 10, two new security benefits for enterprise customers include:
Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection, designed to detect, investigate and respond to malicious attacks and informed by the world’s largest array of sensors and expert advanced threat protection, including a team of expert security researchers at Microsoft.
Windows Information Protection, formerly referred to as enterprise data protection, helps protect businesses from accidental data leaks by separating personal and organizational data where ever it goes.
Windows Ink: an all-new experience that puts the power of Windows in the tip of a digital pen, enables people to write on a device as they would on paper. Integration with Office and other applications such as Microsoft Edge and Maps bring the power of inking everywhere.
Improvements to Cortana: the world’s most productive personal digital assistant gets even better with access above the lock screen, more ways to remember with the ability for Cortana to save and recall information, and synchronization across devices.
Increased power efficiency, extensions and accessibility with Microsoft Edge: The Anniversary Update includes even more power-saving improvements in Microsoft Edge, using fewer CPU cycles, consuming less memory, and minimizing the impact of background activity and peripheral content like Flash advertisements. Microsoft Edge Extensions, such as Pinterest’s “Pin it Button” and Amazon Assistant, will also be available in the Windows Store. The new accessibility architecture for Microsoft Edge also now supports modern web standards, including HTML, CSS, and ARIA. With this update, page structure and content are exposed more clearly with assistive technology. Visual presentation of web pages in high contrast mode provides additional visual context, while preserving text contrast. Also, form entry when using keyboard navigation and screen readers improve the browsing experience for people of all abilities.
An even better gaming experience: With Xbox Play Anywhere, gamers can buy a game once and play on a Windows 10 PC or Xbox One with shared progress, shared game saves and share achievements. Every new title published from Microsoft Studios will support Xbox Play Anywhere and will be easily accessible in the Windows Store on both Windows 10 and Xbox One. Cortana is also now available on Xbox One to help gamers find great new games, see what friends are up to, start a party, accomplish common tasks, and turn on Xbox One by saying “Hey Cortana, Xbox On”. Top fan-requested features including Language Region Independence so gamers can choose any supported language on Xbox One, regardless of their location; and support for background music, will come with the Anniversary Update. As well, the new Xbox One S, available this summer starting at $299, will include the Anniversary Update. With a limited 2TB Xbox One S launch edition available in August for $399 USD, it’s the only console with support for HDR gaming and 4K Ultra HD video and Blu-ray.
Innovations for the modern classroom join great devices starting at $179: An all new “Set up School PCs” app will enable teachers to set up devices in 3 easy steps with a ‘Shared Cart of Devices.’ For schools with dedicated IT support, the updated Windows Imaging and Configuration Designer tool enables the setup of shared devices, in bulk, in a matter of minutes. For high-stakes tests that should not have copy-and-paste privileges, access to files or other distractions, the Take a Test app creates a browser-based, locked-down environment for more secure online assessments.
One of the best ways to get the Windows 10 Anniversary Update is to upgrade to Windows 10 before the free upgrade offer ends July 29, 2016.
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TAIPEI, 1 June 2016 — Wednesday at Computex 2016, Microsoft Corp. invited its Windows 10 hardware partners to create virtual reality (VR) devices, augmented reality devices and everything in between with Windows Holographic, the platform that powers Microsoft HoloLens. In opening up Windows Holographic to partners, Microsoft shared its vision for mixed reality — a world where devices interact with each other to change the way people work, communicate, learn and play.
“With Windows 10, we’ve been on an incredible journey with our partners, and today we usher in the next frontier of computing — mixed reality,” said Terry Myerson, executive vice president, Windows and Devices.
Windows: The only holographic platform
With over 80 million virtual reality devices expected on the market, per year, by 2020, the business opportunity for virtual reality is vast. Yet, today’s devices are built with related but differing technologies — ranging from virtual to augmented reality. These devices and experiences do not work together today, because of different user interfaces, interaction models, input methods, peripherals and applications. Most virtual reality experiences can’t mix real people, objects and environments into the virtual world, making creation and collaboration difficult.
Windows Holographic
Windows Holographic unites these worlds and enables innovation across a range of devices. Windows Holographic offers a holographic shell and user interface, perception APIs, and Xbox Live services, enabling a familiar experience across apps and content. All Universal Windows apps can run on the Windows Holographic platform. Today there are nearly a thousand Universal Windows Apps that run on Windows Holographic.
In a mixed reality world, devices can offer experiences that extend beyond the virtual world. Imagine wearing a VR device and seeing your physical hands as you manipulate an object, working on the scanned 3-D image of a real object, or bringing a real-life holographic representation of another person into your virtual world so you can collaborate. In this world, devices can spatially map your environment wherever you are; manipulating digital content is as easy and natural as it is in the real world.
In addition to opening up Windows Holographic to its partner ecosystem for the future, Microsoft is working with Intel Corporation, AMD Inc., Qualcomm Inc., HTC Corp., Acer Inc., ASUS, Dell Inc., Falcon Northwest, HP, Lenovo Group Ltd., MSI and many others to build a hardware ecosystem supporting great virtual reality experiences on Windows 10.
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Microsoft has been working hard at improving the user experience of the Surface Pen. This includes adding new pen-optimised features like Web Notes in the Microsoft Edge browser. They are set to further improve the digital pen experience with the introduction of Windows Ink in the upcoming Anniversary Update to Windows 10.
Andres Sirel Demonstrates Windows Ink
In this video, Andres Sirel, Windows & Devices Business Group Lead at Microsoft Malaysia, demonstrates the Windows Ink capabilities that will be introduced in the Anniversary Update to Windows 10. Then we will take a closer look at the Windows Ink features below.
Windows Ink Workspace
Windows Ink Workspace collates all of the ink-powered features and apps in an easy to access UX canvas. Just press the Windows Ink Workspace button in the system tray, or click the back of the pen, to launch it!
Sketchpad
The Windows Ink Sketchpad gives you a simple blank canvas to quickly and easily draw an idea, solve problems with your digital pen or just doodle. Best of all, it comes with a digital ruler that lets you draw perfect straight lines, just like using a real pen and ruler!
Screen Sketch
Screen Sketch lets you take a screenshot and then draw on it with your Surface Pen. You can circle important facts, annotate your comments or doodle on the screenshot before you share it out.
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Improved Sticky Notes
The Anniversary Update to Windows 10 will include an improved Sticky Notes. You will have the ability to create Cortana reminders, including smart entity extraction using Bing. For example, if you write down a flight number, it will use Bing to automatically fetch you the flight status.
Customise Your Pen Experience
Microsoft will also introduce new digital pen customisation options in the Anniversary Update to Windows 10. Just go to Settings > Devices > Pen to personalise your digital pen experience!
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The Microsoft Surface continues to be a popular choice for those who want the best Windows experience in mobile computing. In the recently announced FY16 Q3 earnings, Microsoft Surface products saw a second billion-dollar quarter in a row and grew its revenue by 61% year-on-year.
Bruce Howe, General Manager, Consumer Channel Group, Microsoft Malaysia said, “We couldn’t be more excited with what the future holds for Surface and Windows 10. When we first envisioned Surface years ago, we challenged ourselves with an ambitious goal: build a perfect product. We did this by designing hardware that people love and putting it together with the best of Microsoft; now with Windows 10, we have created an experience that is loved by both users and trusted by organizations.”
As the one-year anniversary of the availability of Windows 10 nears, more people at home, at schools, at small businesses, at large companies, and other organizations are adopting Windows 10 faster than ever, and use Windows 10 more than ever before. Windows 10 is now running on 300 million active devices around the world.
“We’re seeing great momentum but the innovation doesn’t stop here. At Microsoft, we continuously listen to our customers – improving and innovating as we go along to create a product that people truly want. In fact, there isn’t a better time to get onboard with Windows 10. The free upgrade offer to Windows 10 was a first for Microsoft, helping people upgrade faster than ever before. But time is running out – the free upgrade offer will end soon on July 29, so I urge all Malaysians to take up the free upgrade offer and don’t miss out,” concluded Howe.
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At just 1.17 kg, the new Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon is the world’s lightest 14″ business-class Ultrabook. It is amongst the thinnest Ultrabooks in the market with a thickness of just 16.5 mm. All this is thanks to its satellite-grade carbon fiber chassis.
Its carbon fiber construction also makes it tougher – the ThinkPad X1 Carbon has been qualified using nearly a dozen military-grade specification tests. So it will withstand the harshest conditions you can put it through.
The ThinkPad X1 Carbon is powered by the latest 6th Generation Intel Core i7-6600U processor running on Microsoft Windows 10 Professional, and comes with up to 16 GB of DDR3 memory and up to 1 TB of SSD storage. Yet you never have to worry about battery life, because its 52 WHr battery allows you to work and play for up to 11 hours.
Lenovo offers two display options – a standard full HD IPS display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080, and a higher-end 2K IPS display with a resolution of 2560 x 1440. Both displays have a maximum brightness of 300 nits. To ensure the security of the data, it even comes with a fingerprint touch sensor and the Intel TPM (Trusted Platform Module).
ThinkPad X1 Carbon First Look
After its official launch, we had some hands-on time with the ThinkPad X1 Carbon. Here is our first look video of the ThinkPad X1 Carbon. We hope you like it!
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participate in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donate to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
On the 12th of April 2016, STOM was born out of a collaboration between Thunder Match Technology, Intel and Microsoft. One of the two debut devices they launched was the STOM Spectrum i100 2-in-1 laptop.
STOM Spectrum i100
The 2-in-1 form factor melds a tablet with a detachable keyboard to offer the usability of a laptop with the convenience of a tablet. With a 10.6″ display, the STOM Spectrum i100 is one of the smallest 2-in-1 devices on the market to offer a full HD resolution of 1920 x 1080.
The STOM Spectrum i100 is powered by the same quad-core Intel Atom Z3735F processor used by the STOM PC Stick, and runs on Microsoft Windows 10. It comes with 2 GB of DDR3L memory, 64 GB of eMMC flash storage and a 8,900 mAh battery.
If you need more storage, it has a microSD slot that should allow you to add at least 128 GB of additional storage. It also comes with one full-sized USB port, one micro-USB port and a HDMI port, if you need to display out to an an external LCD monitor.
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Close Look At The STOM Spectrum i100
During the launch event, we had the opportunity to check out the Spectrum i100 up close. Take a look at the video we recorded.
Early Bird Offer
The STOM Spectrum i100 will retail for RM 1099 / ~US$ 275, with one-year local warranty for parts and labour at 51 service centers nationwide. As an early bird offer, the first 500 units will be sold at just RM 999 / ~US$ 250.
It is available immediately at all Thunder Match Technology (TMT) stores nationwide, as well as the Microsoft Online Store at Lazada, and the TMT Online Store.
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On the 12th of April 2016, STOM was born out of a collaboration between Thunder Match Technology, Intel and Microsoft. One of the two debut devices they launched was the STOM PC Stick.
STOM PC Stick
Techies will immediately recognise the STOM PC Stick for what it is – their version of the Intel Compute Stick, manufactured by ECS.
The STOM PC Stick is powered by the same quad-core Intel Atom Z3735F processor used by the STOM Spectrum i100 2-in-1 laptop, and runs on Microsoft Windows 10. It also comes with 2 GB of DDR3L memory and 32 GB of eMMC flash storage.
If you are worried about expansion or connectivity, the STOM PC Stick comes with two USB 2.0 slots (one standard port, and one micro port). It even connects to wireless devices using WiFi (802.11b/g/n) or Bluetooth. Once you plug it into a HDMI display, it runs like the STOM Spectrum i100.
In other words, you are pretty much carrying the computing power of the STOM Spectrum i100 laptop in your pocket!
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Close Look At The STOM PC Stick
During the launch event, we had the opportunity to check out the STOM PC Stick up close. Take a look at the video we recorded.
Early Bird Offer
The STOM PC Stick will retail for RM 599 / ~US$ 149, with one-year local warranty for parts and labour at 51 service centers nationwide. As an early bird offer, the first 500 units will be sold at just RM 399 / ~US$ 100.
It is available immediately at all Thunder Match Technology (TMT) stores nationwide, as well as the Microsoft Online Store at Lazada, and the TMT Online Store.
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If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participate in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donate to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
That was how Adrian Yu, Managing Director of Thunder Match Technology put it, when he explained how they came up with the name for their new brand of digital devices.
STOM Is Born
As Malaysia’s largest IT chain store, it was just a matter of time before Thunder Match Technology (TMT) came up with their own brand of digital devices. In this video, Adrian Yu details how TMT rose from a small retail store to 93 branches all over the country, leading to the creation of STOM with help from Intel and Microsoft.
Bruce Howe (General Manager of Consumer Channel Group, Microsoft Malaysia), as well as Sameer Tupaki (Head of Marketing Intel, Malaysia and Singapore), were both at hand to witness the culmination of their collaboration with Thunder Match Technology (TMT).
The New Devices
During the big reveal, STOM launched not one, but two, new mobile devices. The first is the STOM Spectrum i100 2-in-1 laptop. The second, the STOM PC Stick – their version of the Intel Compute Stick. Needless to say, they are both powered by Intel processors running on Microsoft Windows 10.
In this video, Ronald Cheong (Head of Business Unit Manager, Thunder Match Technology) briefs us on the key features of the STOM Spectrum i100 and PC Stick. Check it out!
For more information and a closer look at these two new devices, please take a look at our first look articles and videos :
Both devices are available immediately at all Thunder Match Technology (TMT) stores nationwide, as well as the Microsoft Online Store at Lazada, and the TMT Online Store.
The STOM Spectrum i100 will retail for RM 1,099 / ~US$ 275, but TMT will offer the first 500 units at just RM 999 / ~US$ 250.
The STOM PC Stick will retail for RM 599 / ~US$ 149, but TMT will offer the first 500 units at just RM 399 / ~US$ 100.
Both devices will come with one-year local warranty for parts and labour at 51 service centers nationwide.
Support Tech ARP!
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participate in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donate to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
1 April, 2016 – Malaysians can now look forward to the latest device to join the Lumia portfolio; the Lumia 650, starting at a recommended retail price (“RRP”) of just RM899 (~US$219).
Built for business users and Windows fans alike, the Lumia 650 is available for pre-order starting today till 7 April exclusively via the Microsoft Online Store on Lazada, while it will be available in Microsoft Authorized Reseller and Microsoft Mobile Reseller stores nationwide from 8 April onwards.
Customers will also be hugely rewarded when they purchase a Lumia 650 during this promotional period:
Pre-order
1-7 April: First 150 customers will receive 13,899 AirAsia BIG points, which can be redeemed for a free return ticket to their dream destination – whether it’s Phuket or Krabi – together with a RM25 Lazada rebate voucher.
Retail availability
8-15 April: As an introductory offer, customers can also enjoy 13,000 AirAsia BIG points, which can be redeemed for a free return ticket to their chosen holiday destination.
The Lumia 650 brings the power of Windows 10 to your pocket with beautiful craftsmanship and protection against modern security threats.
“As we sharpen our mobile strategy with a focus on phones, the Lumia 650 is another step towards bringing Windows 10 to more than a billion devices.” said Michal Golebiewski, Chief Marketing and Operations Officer, Microsoft Malaysia. ”We’re extremely proud of the Lumia 650 and believe it will quickly be seen as the device that provides the perfect balance between work and personal needs. With robust built-in security features, paired with maximum everyday business productivity and familiar Windows 10 experience, we designed the Lumia 650 to bring the best of Microsoft productivity and security to our customers, all wrapped in a beautiful, slim package.”
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Sophisticated Lumia 650 Design
With a highly polished, diamond cut and anodized aluminium frame measuring at only 6.9mm thick, the Lumia 650 is Microsoft’s thinnest phone ever. Its crisp 5-inch OLED display provides a clear and bright viewing experience, even in direct sunlight. The Lumia 650 also features a removable battery and expandable storage up to 200GB for flexibility on the go.
Lumia 650 features a 5MP wide-angle, front-facing camera and Microsoft’s flagship imaging algorithms, providing remarkable photo and video capabilities. Leveraging world-class optics, the advanced 8MP rear-facing camera includes options for rich capture and living images enabling users to always capture the memory as it happens.
The Best of Microsoft Productivity
Building on the promise to bring Windows 10 to more people, the Lumia 650 is perfect for business deployment thanks to the security of Windows 10 Mobile. It runs the latest Microsoft Office apps right out of the box, allowing users to create and edit documents on-the-go and sync them to the cloud via OneDrive.
The Lumia 650 fits perfectly into the enterprise with built-in support for Microsoft business applications, new third-party Universal Windows Applications like Uber, and one click setup of common everyday tools like Office 365. It also allows IT to test the latest Windows 10 Mobile updates against critical line of business systems and apps, before it is distributed to end users via mobile device management (MDM).
Availability
The Lumia 650, starting at a recommended retail price (“RRP”) of RM899 / ~US$ 219 is available for pre-order beginning 1 April on the Microsoft Online Store on Lazada, and will be in stores at various Microsoft Authorized Reseller, Microsoft Mobile Reseller Stores.
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If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participate in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donate to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
