Official pricing of iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus in Malaysia

The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus have been in the Malaysia market for some time, made available by grey importers and enterprising retailers. But they are priced at a premium.

Official launching for Malaysia is 6 November 2014, a date that commensurate with the 6th iteration of the smartphone.

The major differences between the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are the display size, the battery life and the camera's optical image stabilisation. The rest of the comparison is as follows:




iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus prices in Malaysia

The official retail price is as follows:

iPhone 6 (16GB): RM2,399
iPhone 6 (64GB): RM2,749
iPhone 6 (128GB): RM3,149

iPhone 6 Plus (16GB): RM2,749
iPhone 6 Plus (64GB): RM3,149
iPhone 6 Plus (128GB): RM3,549

Our initial expectation of the pricing was listed here.

Asus Zenfone - affordable Android phone for SE Asia market, starts at RM299

South-East Asia market is not short of high-end smartphones, and a lot of users in this region are using either the latest Samsung flagship, the Galaxy series or the top-end iPhone. But it is also in need of mid-priced to low-but-well-equipped phones. Asus meets this requirement with its latest Zenfone offerings.

The computer maker has launched the dual-SIM Zenfone series, comprising the Zenfone 4, Zenfone 5 and Zenfone 6, all named for their respective screen sizes, for the SEA market.

Asus Zenfone 6: RM899

Asus Zenfone 5: RM599

Asus Zenfone 4: RM299

Asus Zenfone 4, 5 and 6 Specifications

On paper, the Zenfone series specifications are comparable to the medium to high-end models from oher brands such as Sony, Samsung, LG and Apple. Time will tell, however, if the user experience and durability are up to expectations.

	Zenfone 4	Zenfone 5	Zenfone 6
Screen size	4-inch	5-inch	6-inch
Resolution	800 x 480  pix	1,280 x 720 pix HD	1,280 x 720 ix HD
	233 ppi	233 ppi	233 ppi
Processor	Intel Atom Multicore	Intel Atom Multicore	Intel Atom Multicore
O.System	Android 4.3 (Jelly Bean)	Android 4.3	Android 4.3
RAM Memory	1 GB	1 GB	2 GB
Storage	8GB internal	8GB internal	8GB internal
Additional	5GB Asus Cloud	5GB Asus Cloud	5GB Asus Cloud
Camera	PixelMaster	PixelMaster	PixelMaster
	18 camera modes	18 camera modes	18 camera modes
Battery	1,200mAh	2,050mAh	3,230mAh
SIM card	dual-SIM	dual-SIM	dual-SIM
Price	RM299	RM599	RM899

New in the offering are features such as What’s Next, which presents the user’s most important information on the lock screen, home screen and notification drawer. Also, there is the Do It Later feature which allows users to focus on the current task at hand by automatically creating reminders to help them follow up on things they may not have been able to attend to.

In real life, this is how the Zenfone measure up in the hand of a user.

Asus Zenfone: Prices and Availability

The phones are expected to be available in Malaysia from end-April 2014. Asus stated that the operating system can be upgraded to the latest Android 4.4 version (KitKat) by the end of the year. Recommended retail prices are as follows:

Asus Zenfone 4: RM299
Asus Zenfone 5: RM599
Asus Zenfone 6: RM899

Read more at Tech News.


TheGreenMechanics: More choices for consumers. Hopefully performance-wise, they are up to standard. Asus is pretty well known in the consumer electronic goods, in particular, computers.

Samsung unveiled its new flagship phone the Galaxy S5

Korean electronic giant Samsung unveiled the new iteration of its Galaxy phone, the Galaxy S5, during a recent media event in Barcelona.

In a stark contrast to the rumours, the S5 doesn't have a 4K screen, it doesn't have a 3-sided display that tracks your head movement, and surprise surprise, it's not metal! It is more of a minor design and upgrades rather than a revolutionary ones.



So, here's how the new Galaxy S5 is summed up:

Design

Looks almost similar to the S4 but slightly bigger and heavier. Remember iPhone 5 and iPhone 5S? They are pretty identical, so, yeah what's the big deal, right.

The plastic back panel is a textured matte finish, with 4 choices of colours.


Specifications

The Galaxy S5 sports newer processor, bigger battery, and a slightly larger display. The 0.2GHz bump in processing power shouldn't make a lot of difference. Samsung claimed the new device will provide 20% better battery life than the Galaxy S4.

The Galaxy S5's 5.1-inch display uses the same 1920-x-1080-pixel resolution as the GS4's 5.0-inch screen. Samsung claimed the S5 includes a new advanced auto-brightness system that adjusts colors based on the lighting in your environment.




Camera

The S5 has a new 16MP camera, up from 13MP in the S4. The camera can auto-focus in 0.3-second and you can expect speedier photo taking.

The live HDR preview mode is a new feature and it allows you to check out how HDR mode will look on an image before you press the shutter button.


User experience

It is dust- and water-resistant. And it has a heart rate monitor and fingerprint scanner. Not sure if this one will work, but let's just see when the phone goes on sale.

The USB 3.0 interface should allows for faster charging and data transfers, while the new Download Booster mode that combines LTE (4G) and Wi-Fi should make for faster data transfers.


Would you upgrade?

The Galaxy S5's user interface has not been changed drastically and is seen to be more of a refinement.

If you've been using Samsung's flagship phones for a while, the Galaxy S5 looks like a little step forward from the previous generation, but not a total rebirth of a new one. Until we see the slab and feel it with our own hands, I think it is too early to tell if a S4 owner should upgrade.



Source: Computerworld

Tablets that are loaded with both Android and Windows operating system

Mobile devices running on either Android or Windows are already more flexible, and they can be connected with other peripherals easier compared to Apple's. But manufacturers are not stopping there.

Chinese manufacturers are coming up with tablets that would be loaded with both Android and Windows 8. And they will come cheap; that's according to what was revealed during the International CES 2014 last week.

Tablet will load either one of the OSes on reboot and switch between them during operation.

Tablets running on both Windows and Android to cost $250

Four companies, all based in the Chinese city of Shenzhen, said at the show they'll start releasing the devices this quarter, with prices at around $250 (RM800).

Bmorn Technology displayed one such tablet, the W102, that it said can switch between the operating systems on reboot. It has a 10-inch, 1280 by 800 resolution screen, uses a 1.46GHz Intel Bay Trail processor, and comes with different storage and memory options.

Cheng Fong Digital-Tech is planning a tablet that can easily switch between the operating systems with a simple swipe of the screen. The upcoming tablet will use an Intel Bay Trail quad-core processor and has a 10-inch screen.

Bmorn and Cheng Fong sell their tablets to customers in Europe and the US.

Taiwanese PC maker Asus showed a PC convertible that can be used as both a tablet and a laptop, but also comes installed with both operating systems. An on-screen button lets users switch between Android and Windows with only 5 seconds wait in between.


TheGreenMechanics: Chinese manufacturers are flooding the market with cheap Android tablets, under little-known brand names. But they definitely have their market because when the price-and-quality is right they will have buyers.

The new trend of having tablets with both operating systems will sure give consumers more options and flexibility.


Source: MIS-Asia

Huawei phone that can charge other phones

Not my idea of buying a phone.

But if you are in a mood to share juice, then Huawei's Ascend Mate 2 might just be your answer. It is so big (it comes with a 4050 mAh battery) that you can actually connect another phone to it and get it charged.

The Ascend Mate 2 features a 'reverse' charging facility, allowing it to charge other devices.

Huawei's Ascend Mate 2 - The battery stores 3 times the amount of energy stored in an iPhone.


Ascend Mate 2 is a 6.1-inch phone and it charges other phones

Huawei, China's largest cellphone manufacturer, is releasing a phone that can be thought of as the inflight refueling system of the mobile world: it can be used to recharge other phones.

The Ascend Mate 2 has a 6.1-inch screen, making it more than twice as big as an iPhone 5. It's almost the size of a tablet, giving rise to the half-joking term "phablet." It's the successor to a phone of the same size launched last year.

The huge size of the Ascend Mate provides space for a large battery, with roughly three times the amount of energy stored in an iPhone battery. Huawei claims it will last for 3.5 days of "normal" usage, or half that for heavy usage. Through a USB port, this battery can be used to charge smaller phones.


Specifications of the Ascend Mate 2

Phone name	-	Ascend Mate 2
Processor	-	Snapdragon 400, 1.6 GHz quad-core
Graphic processing unit	-	Adreno 306
RAM	-	2 GB
Storage	-	16 GB
Screen size	-	6.1-inch
Thickness	-	9.5mm
Weight	-	202 g
Camera (back)	-	13-megapixel, autofocus, HDR-capable, f/2.0
Camera (front)	-	5-megapixel, f/2.4
Cellular	-	4G LTE, capable of 150Mbps download
Battery	-	4050 mAh, lasts 3 days on normal usage

If all you want is a long-lasting smartphone battery, this is the deal.


TheGreenMechanics: Now, that's what I call a 'phablet'. Move over Samsung Mega!

HTC One Max launched in Malaysia, retailed at RM2,499

HTC South Asia senior executives with SKWong (2nd right) Country Manager of HTC Malaysia at the launch. Photo - Computerworld Malaysia


HTC Malaysia has launched HTC One Max, a supersized version of its flagship smartphone that includes a new fingerprint scan feature, which delivers an enhanced smartphone experience, said the Taiwan-headquartered mobile devices manufacturer.

HTC phones are regarded as expensive alternative to Samsung's and the build quality is said to better with good luxury feel, although I've never bought one for myself to have the kind of experience.

HTC claimed that the upgrade to HTC Sense 5.5 (that's HTC's Android skin to you and me) will provide our most amazing mobile experience yet, with the HTC One max delivering the size and power required to do "everything you want, and more, without compromise."


HTC One Max specifications

Display           : 5.9" full HD1080p
Processor       : Quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 600
CPU speed     : 1.7 GHz
Memory         : 16GB or 32GB (news has it that the 32GB version may not be offered here)
Card slot        : micro SD
Battery           : 3300 mAh
Android skin  : HTC Sense 5.5
Price              : RM2,499 (expected retail price)

Additional 50GB of additional free Google Drive online storage is offered to HTC One max owners.

The built-in fingerprint scan feature, which is located on the back of the device, allows users to lock and unlock the screen and launch up to three favourite applications by assigning an individual finger to each, he said.

The HTC One max is available in Malaysia at all HTC retailers and selected mobile operators.


TheGreenMechanics: This is a phablet capable of giving Samsung Galaxy Note 3 a run for its money. The race for larger smartphone (or rather phablet) screen size isn't going to stop anytime soon, it seems. But I'll stick to my trusty old 4" screen phone for now, and maybe save a little bit of money.

I tend to agree with the recent research finding that bigger phones mean bigger bills.


Source: Computerworld Malaysia

Apple announced new, thinnest iPad Air

Apple has announced the next iteration of its premium tablet, the iPad Air.


With thickness of just 7.5mm this could the thinnest full-sized tablet around

It claimed that the iPad Air is thinner, lighter and more powerful, befitting the new name. And the new tablet weighs just one pound (469 g), down from the fourth-gen model's 1.4 pounds (652 g). It also boasts a 43% thinner bezel and a 20% thinner profile. 

It is 8 times faster than the first-gen iPad, and graphics are 72 times faster. 

Thanks to MIMO, you should enjoy faster WiFi, and expanded LTE support from international carriers as well. So, this should be LTE compatible in Malaysia.

As expected, the new iPad Air sports a 9.7-inch Retina display with 64-bit architecture on board with more than 1 billion transistors, and there's an A7 processor under the hood along with an M7 motion chip.


iPad Air specifications and comparison

To have some idea of how this one differs from the previous iteration, here is the comparison:


Apart from faster processor and lighter body, there's not much to shout about.

Will I upgrade now?

Probably no. I'm happy with how my current iPad 3 perform, it serves the intended purpose and I have little complaint with its overall performance. Besides, iOS 7 works fine under the hood.

I'll wait for the next generation.

iPhone 5S, 5C to launch in Malaysia on November 1

Good news for iPhone lovers. iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C will be available in Malaysia starting Novermber 1, 2013 according to recent Apple press release.



Apple announced that the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C will be available in 35 new countries on October 25 and in another 16 countries on November 1.

Countries such as South Korea, New Zealand, Taiwan, and Thailand are among the 35 countries that will get the new iPhones slightly earlier than Malaysia on October 25, which is about one away:-

Launch Date	Countries
October 25	Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, French West Indies, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Malta, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Reunion Island, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan and Thailand.
November 1	Albania, Armenia, Bahrain, Colombia, El Savador, Guam, Guatemala, India, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mexico, Moldova, Montenegro, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and UEA.

Major telcos have updated their websites indicating availability of the devices at launch date and you can view them here:

• Celcom
• Maxis
• DiGi

No official pricing yet at the time this article was written but you can expect the iPhone 5S to be marketed here starting at RM2,199 (16GB) as posted here.

If you would like to purchase from the official Apple Store, the pricing there looks good and is according to the officially-released prices. You can also purchase from re-sellers but from my previous experience, they would increase the prices up to RM300 more than the recommended retail price, RRP.

If you are in Sabah, you can purchase it at the actual RRP at Technocrats, one of the few premium re-sellers in Malaysia.


TheGreenMechanics: Have fun with your new toy!

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 price - Malaysia

The Galaxy Note 3 has been available in Malaysia for over a week now and the recommended retail price, RRP is RM2,399 without contract.

However, almost all telcos in this country offer the phone with voice and data packages to make the selling price more attractive. The followings show the comparison of prices and packages offered by major telecommunication services providers:-

DiGi - starts at RM1,319




Celcom - RM1,538




Maxis - starts at RM1,199






U Mobile - starts at RM999



For more information and to compare between different telcos, go to their respective websites. But for me, I normally visit their service centres before deciding on which carrier to choose.

New iPhone 5S price in Malaysia

The US unlocked price for the iPhone 5S was announced ten days after its official launch on September 10, 2013. T-Mobile contract-free prices for the the 16GB, 32GB and 64GB are $649, $749 and $849, respectively.

Some say the new iPhone 5S is awesome from the inside, not from the outside

Closer to home, the iPhone 5S is now available in Singapore at the following retail prices:

16GB : S$988.00
32GB : S$1,148.00
64GB : S$1,288.00

A direct conversion of Singapore prices to Malaysian Ringgit would give us a price range of between RM2,502 and RM3,262 which is quite unbelievable.


iPhone 5S Malaysia prices

It has not been announced yet but from past experience, prices for Malaysia market are most likely to be as follows (at current exchange rate):

16GB : RM2,199.00
32GB : RM2,499.00
64GB : RM2,799.00

I won't confirm this but I'm quite certain of the Malaysia pricing. Stay tuned, this space will be updated when the official pricing is announced. Bear in mind though, that retailers other than Apple Store will start selling the sets at RM200 higher.

Apple announced premium iPhone 5S, together with iPhone 5C for the budget conscious

As expected, and rumoured for a long time, Apple unveiled its latest flagship smartphone, the iPhone 5S (premium) and iPhone 5C (lower-priced). I was looking at replacing my still-working iPhone 4S and was hoping that Apple has something special up its sleeves.

iPhone 5S looks identical to the older sibling, iPhone 5

A bit disappointing to see the just-a-refresh iPhone 5S as it is basically an iPhone 5 with some sprucing up on operating system and tweaking on the processor. Then again, people say the iPhone 5S is a stunning phone from the inside, not from the outside.

Yeah, maybe it is to some extent. The 64-bit CPU architecture and the re-written iOS 7 operating system is a consolation.

iPhone 5C for the budget conscious. But is it really affordable?

Comparing the iPhone 5S, iPhone 5C and the retired iPhone 5

If you go into details, the newly announced iPhone 5S is not so much different from its predecessor. How so? Here is how:

Credit to Tobey of The Washington Post

But if you've been one to fancy colourful choices, you are in for a treat. The iPhone 5C comes in 5 different colours - white, yellow, green, blue and pink.




Verdict: I've been anticipating a radical change from Apple by introducing iPhone 6 with slightly bigger screen, like 4.3" or 4.5", not just a refreshed iPhone 5S. I like them to maintain the form factor for now.

The display seems like a deal breaker for me, for now. But we'll see when it land on our shore. Like I mentioned earlier, I'm looking at replacing my 4S, so, it's an eager wait for me.


Price of the iPhone 5S? Expect a similar pricing with the iPhone 5: RM2,299 in Malaysia for the 16GB variant and ramp up as the storage gets bigger.

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 officially announced in Berlin

Apple is expected to announce the latest iPhone next week, but just before that, Samsung sneaked in to announce two new devices on Wednesday - the Galaxy Note 3, the latest iteration of the Note family and the Galaxy Gear, a smart watch.

The latest entry to Samsung's popular phablet line is equipped with a 5.7-inch Super AMOLED display and its signature S Pen stylus, and is scheduled to launch later this month. September is poised to be a shopping month for the latest gadget!

The Galaxy Note 3 is equipped with a useful S Pen

Physical difference from the older Note 2

The Note 3 sports a 5.7-inch, full high-definition screen, a slight bigger than the Note 2's 5.5-inch display. But despite the bigger screen, the Note 3 is thinner and lighter, measuring 8.3mm and weighing just 168g.

The screen sizes have been creeping up slightly since the introduction of the first Note:

Galaxy Note 1 : 5.3 inches
Galaxy Note 2 : 5.5 inches
Galaxy Note 3 : 5.7 inches

Don't be surprised if the future Note's screen size overtake the Galaxy Mega's current 6.3 inches.

Thinner and lighter. With screen size bigger than Note 2's, the Note 3 is still lighter by a few grams

Specification of the Samsung Galaxy Note 3

Chipset	:	Quad Core Processor
CPU Speed	:	2.3 GHz (LTE) and 1.9 GHz octa-core (3G)
Memory	:	32 GB or 64 GB and 3GB RAM
Connectivity	:	3G, 4G LTE
Other wireless	:	Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Operating System	:	Android Jelly Bean 4.3
Display Technology	:	Super AMOLED
Display Size	:	5.7 inches
Resolution	:	1920 x 1080 pixels, 386.5ppi
Camera Resolution(Rear)	:	13 M
Camera Resolution(Front)	:	2.1 MP
Flash	:	LED flash
Dimension (HxWxD)	:	6 x 3.1 x 0.33 (inch), thickness 8.3mm
Weight	:	168 g
External Memory Slot	:	MicroSD up to 64 GB
Capacity	:	3,200 mAh
Video Resolution	:	4K or Ultra HD

As phones get bigger and tablets get more ubiquitous, it's good to see that the Galaxy Note 3 does something different that actually justifies the increased size. It multitasks!

I don't fancy big phablet as I tend to go for bigger tablet and smaller smartphone for the obvious reason, but this will be an interesting preposition for the big-phone lovers.

iPhone 5S (iPhone 6) to be announced on Sept 10, together with cheaper iPhone 5C

Same specs, same performance. Only difference is form factor?

In about eight days from today, we'll get to see the most anticipated release of the latest iteration of the iPhone - the iPhone 5S or, if you like, iPhone 6. They a planning to do that at a special media event on Sept. 10, 2013 although no confirmation from Apple as of today.

Cheaper version with plastic cover?

Most analysts believe the concept of the iPhone 6 is to offer a cheaper iPhone for people in lower income brackets and emerging markets, including China and India, two largely untapped markets for Apple, who can't readily afford the newest high-end iPhone.


Five features of the iphone 5S (iPhone 6) you should expect to see: 

1. Plastic but less scratchy form factor. The iPhone 6 is expected to release with many of the same features of the iPhone 5, but the key difference will be the form factor. The anodized aluminum body of the iPhone 5 will be replaced by a cheaper, but sturdier and more scratch-proof, polycarbonate shell.

2. Same iPhone 5 specs, same iPhone 5 performance. If this one materialise, it will be disappointing but it is believed Apple will release the iPhone 6 with most of the same specs as the iPhone 5, including a 4-inch Retina display at 326 ppi, an A6 chip, a FaceTime HD camera and an 8-megapixel rear side camera.

3. Five candy colors. The major difference between last year's iPhone 5 release and this year's budget iPhone 6, besides the new polycarbonate enclosure, will likely be its availability in five colors.

4. Pre-loaded with iOS 7. Phone hardware tends to get more attention than its software, but the operating system running on the iPhone 6 is just as vital to the iPhone experience as the phone itself.

5. It will be cheaper by a mile. Many people predicted the iPhone 6 would release at a price between $450 and $550 without contract. That would be around RM 1,500 to RM1,900 so, for a phone with similar performance with the iPhone 5, that price would be attractive.

Fancy multiple colour choices? Not me!

TheGreenMechanics: Eagerly waiting for September 10 announcement.

The new iPhone 5S / iPhone 6 will have no home button?

Would it surprise you if Apple ditch the physical home button for the soon-to-be-announced iPhone 5S/6? Rumour suggests it might make a landmark break from traditional iPhone design.


Eagerly waiting for the next iPhone? Rival Samsung have so far launched Galaxy S4, S4 mini, Note 2 and Galaxy Grand since Apple launched its single product, the iPhone 5.


According to a report Taiwanese site Technews.tw, which was brought to wider attention by Cult of Mac, the iPhone 5S will drop a physical home button in favour of an on-screen capacitive presser.

It’s not known whether the change, which flies in the face of reports that the seventh-gen iPhone will differ little from the current model, is to allow Apple to equip the handset with a larger screen.

The site does disclose, however, that the new button will be coated in scratch-resistant sapphire crystal glass to make it more resistant to the kind of wear and tear that has caused problems with iPhones’ physical buttons in the past.

Apple purportedly also favours sapphire glass because it is compatible with optic sensors.


Launching

Industry consensus suggests that the iPhone 5S will land in September 2013. The phone is set to be the first in which the iOS software that powers iPhones is helmed by hardware design hero Jonathan Ive.

Ive is expected to usher in a new iOS era marked by a 'flatter' look and feel and less in the way of cutesy skeuomorphic icons, whereby apps resemble real life objects – for example, the current Notes app that takes on the form of a notebook.


iPhone 5S/ iPhone 6 specifications? Source

Display      : 4.0 inches
Resolution : 1136 x 640 pixels
IGZO screen technology
Processor  : iOS 7
Camera     : 12.0 megapixel
Storage     : 128 GB internal memory (optional)
NFC chip
Fingerprint (for unlocking and payments)
Global 4G support
A7 chip
1.2GHz quad-core
2 GB RAM
SGX554MP4 GPU


Impressive! But I'm waiting for a screen size of at least 4.5-inch for the next generation iPhone. This is a deal breaker for me.

Huawei launches Ascend P6, the world's slimmest smartphone

China's Huawei unveiled its flagship smartphone, the Ascend P6, at its first standalone launch event in London this week, underlining its ambitions to compete with Apple and Samsung in the top tier of mobile technology.


WORLD'S SLIMMEST: The new Huawei Ascend P6 smartphone during launch in London on June 18, 2013


HUAWEI ASCEND P6 SPECIFICATIONS

BODY
               Dimensions: 132.7 x 65.5 x 6.2 mm (5.22 x 2.58 x 0.24 in)
               Weight: 120 g (4.23 oz)

DISPLAY
               Type: Capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors
               Size: 720 x 1280 pixels, 4.7 inches (~312 ppi pixel density)

MEMORY
               Card slot microSD, up to 32 GB
               Internal 8 GB, 2 GB RAM

COMMUNICATION:
               GPRS Class 10, 32 - 48 kbps EDGE Class 10, 236.8 kbps
               HSDPA 14.4 Mbps, HSUPA 5.76 Mbps
               WLAN Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, DLNA, Bluetooth, NFC
               USB, microUSB v2.0, USB On-the-go

CAMERA
               Primary 8 MP, autofocus, LED flash
               Secondary 5 MP Video Yes, 1080p@30fps

OPERATING SYSTEM
               Android OS, v4.2.2 (Jelly Bean)
               CPU Quad-core 1.5 GHz
               GPS with A-GPS support and GLONASS

BATTERY Li-Po 2000 mAh


LAUNCHED IN LONDON

The company says the device, at 6.18mm thick, is the world's slimmest. It has a 5-megapixel front-facing camera, designed for taking "selfies", or pictures of the owner to be shared on social media networks.

The company picked the launch date - 6/18 (June 18) - to tie in with the smartphone's dimensions. The launch, at an arts venue in North London, takes a cue from Apple and Samsung, both of which have made new product announcements at high profile events for a number of years.

Previously Huawei unveiled its handsets at industry trade shows like Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. Huawei, which also makes telecom networking gear, is looking to drive sales of its consumer devices, a sector in which it has only had its own brand for about three years.

The company was the fourth-largest maker of smartphones in the first quarter of 2013, trailing LG Electronics and the two dominant brands Apple and Samsung, according to analyst firm Gartner. The top two sold more than 100 million units between them, while LG sold 10 million and Huawei 9 million, most of which were in its native China.

The Ascend P6 uses Huawei's customised version of Google's Android operating system.

Industry analyst Ben Wood at CCS Insight said that at the right price the Ascend P6 would attract buyers who had not considered Huawei before.

The device is not, at this stage, compatible with the high speed, next generation 4G networks, which are being rolled out across the world.


Image credit: AFP, sourced from: TechCentral

How 'Google Glass' works

Remember Google Glass? I wrote about Google giving away this wonder Glass sometime in February.

So far this piece of equipment have received not just praise but also opposition.

Google Glass: The probing cam and prism display is paired with sunglasses.

The info-graphic here describes how it works.

Courtesy - BGR.com

Every development in the IT and technology advancement in general has a downside to it. It is inevitable, so, it is down to every individual to accept or go against it.

Do you think gesture control will replace touchscreen?

Not too long ago, people relied on mouse, keyboard, and touchpad to communicate with their computers. Then portable devices emerged and touchscreens quickly became one of the more popular means of control and interface.

Touch-enabled smartphones and tablets have been very successful and as we progress further, people are now talking about gesture control.

The MYO works by using of muscle movement to control a wide range of devices

A magic armband that looks pretty simple

The MYO armband measures electrical activity in your muscles and translate that into signals before amplifying and relaying them to gadgets using Bluetooth wireless technology.

"A few years from now, it isn't hard to imagine people wearing Google Glass or a related headset, using a MYO armband to control the headset and other computers in the area, and having a Leap Motion to use a computer at their workstations"

- Technology blog Singularity Hub

I took part in an online poll by ScienceFocus and as of today, this is the result. During the first few days the ratio was 60:40 in favour of gesture control:

Sciencefocus poll result after 8 days

Reference: Pictures from MYO

Dual-screen YotaPhone: Would you use it?

The YotaPhone was showcased at the recent CES in Las Vegas.

It is a dual-screen 9mm thin - about the same thickness of an iPhone 4S - device that's half Android smartphone and half ebook reader. On one side is a standard full-colour screen, but flip the phone and you have an electronic paper display, the kind that is found in e-readers.

Colour screen on one side

grey-scale e-reader screen on another

YotaPhone Specifications

Powered by         : Qualcomm's 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 Plus
Memory              : 2GB RAM
Screen size          : 4.3 inch
Resolution           : 1,280 x 820
Thickness            : 9 mm
Connectivity        : 4G LTE, and NFC
Camera               : 12 MP, front camera 1.3 MP
Video                  : 1080p HD video
Storage capacity  : 32GB and 64GB
Expansion slot     : Without
Weight                :139g


Would you use one?

If you've been thinking why would a mobile phone need two screens, the idea is to improve both usability and battery life. The e-reader side will provide an easy interface for reading, while the colour screen will be perfect for browsing photos and videos.

Using the electronic paper display rather than the colour screen to browse the internet, write texts, and check emails should dramatically increase the phone's battery life.

I participated in a mini poll carried out by ScienceFocus magazine and the the following is the result as of today:

Would you use a dual-screen phone?

Availability

The YotaPhone is expected to go on sale at premium unlocked prices, arriving first in Russia in the second half of 2013, before coming to other countries. After that, expect another two to three months before it arrives  in Malaysia.

The 7 wonder gadgets from CES 2013

Consumer Electronics Show (better known as CES), the ultimate showcase for the industry's hottest new gadgets ended last week in Las Vegas. Scoured through some popular listings and I suppose the followings are some of the gadgets that will shape the consumer electronics world in 2013:


1. Samsung 85-Inch Ultra HD TV

Samsung 85" Ultra HD or "4K TVs" offers 4 times the resolution of regular HD TVs. This monster is the biggest Ultra HD TV ever made, set in a tiltable metal frame for a sleek floating effect.


2. Samsung Youm

Flexible screens took centre stage at this year's Consumer Electronics Show. OLED technology means that displays, whether they're built into phones or TVs, can now be paper-thin and bendable.


3. HAPIfork smart fork

The HAPIfork contains a number of sensors that record exactly how quickly and how much you're eating. Eat too fast and the fork vibrates to warn you to slow down. It also counts exactly how many forkfuls you're shovelling in. It's unclear though, if it's an effective method of losing weight.


4. Oculus Rift

This virtual reality headset creates a completely immersive 3D world, so the wearer feels like they can simply step into it and touch their surroundings. Pretty interesting.


5. Lenovo IdeaCentre Horizon PC

This could be classified into a new class of gadget, probably Table PC. It is touchscreen, 27-inch and can be laid flat horizontally so that several people can interact with it in table mode. Multiple users can share images round a table, read newspapers or play games. It comes with battery.


6. Nvidia Project Shield

This is a handheld Android-based gaming console for hardcore PC gamers. The Shield will stream your games from your PC via your Wi-Fi network and play them on its five-inch screen, providing you with high-end gaming on something that you can carry around with you.


7. Seagate Wireless Plus

The Seagate Wireless Plus 1TB WiFi/USB external hard drive is a standard external USB 3.0 HDD with a built-in WiFi adapter for multiple WiFi-enabled device connections. There is no need for any sort of internet connectivity. The end result is wireless data streaming of movies, photos, files and music.


Source: Sciencefocus, Mybroadband, Gadgetreview

They did it! Brazilian phones sold using 'iPhone' name

Moral of the story: It is troublesome, but if you take the trouble, you can defeat a giant.

Yes, that's true. After winning the legal right to use the name (obviously iPhone), a Brazilian company, Gradiente SA begun selling its own Android 'iPhone'. The bad news is that it runs on a relatively old version 2.3 Android. It sells for $300 (RM900) which is not too bad for a 3.7-inch phone powered by dual-chip processor, equipped  with Bluetooth, 3G, WiFi and camera.

Appearance similar to that of Apple's iPhone?

Brazil company sells cell phones with iPhone brand
via Yahoo-Finance news
Sao Paulo -- It's not your Apple's iPhone.

A Brazilian company has begun selling smartphones with the iPhone brand after winning the legal right to use the name in Latin America's biggest country. Adding insult to Apple Inc.'s injury, the phone runs on the archrival Android operating system.

Gradiente SA says in a statement that in 2008 the government gave it the right to use the brand on its cellphones.

Brazilian trademark office spokeswoman Maratan Marques says Gradiente requested permission to use the brand before Apple did and can use it through 2018.

Brazil Apple spokeswoman Maria Parra Rodriguez says the company has no immediate comment.

Gradiente says on its website it started selling its Android 2.3 phone on Tuesday for 600 reals ($300). - AP


Source