Official pricing of iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C in Malaysia

The latest iteration of the iPhone will only be available in Malaysia on November 1, but that does not stop people from speculating the launch prices of the two variants - iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C.

UPDATED: Apple Store Malaysia has published its pricing and the prices are exactly as what appeared on Technocrats (one of the Authorised Apple Resellers) website.

This is the iPhone 5S official pricing:

iPhone 5S, 16GB - RM2,399.00
iPhone 5S, 32GB - RM2,749.00
iPhone 5S, 64GB - RM3,149.00


Source: Technocrats. These appear to be RM200 more expensive than the iPhone 5 when it was launched.


iPhone 5C pricing

iPhone 5C would not be that 'affordable' afterall as it will not be going below RM1,500. The colourful iPhone prices are as follows:

iPhone 5C, 16GB - RM1,999.00
iPhone 5C, 32GB - RM2,399.00

Source: Technocrats

Most of your local retailers and resellers will have them next week, so, check them out.

4 to 10 Mbps broadband penetration for rural residents by 2016

In about 3 years' time, folks in the rural areas will get to enjoy up to 10 Mbps of broadband connections. For those in the urban areas, you can expect to be connected at a speed up to 300 Mbps.

Great. I hope it will become reality and not just lips service!

I read that critics are already throwing the wet blanket, saying that rural folks cannot afford this as they are already burdened with higher petrol price, lift in the sugar subsidy, etc, and that they are likely to abandon their farms for spending too much time online.

What a nonsense! Why not let the people decide for themselves what they want to do with the technology at hand. They just need to be educated, they will decide when and what to look for  online.

Communication tower in the suburban area of Penampang. Photo by de engineur

Up to 10 Mbps broadband penetration for rural folks

Rural folks in the country would enjoy a faster broadband penetration of between four and 10 megabits per second (mbps) while urban dwellers, between 100 and 300 Mbps by 2016, said Communications and Multimedia minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek.

He was referring to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak's announcement in the Budget 2014 yesterday that the government would be implementing the second phase of the high speed broadband (HSBB) initiative with the private sector involving an investment of almost RM1.8 billion, that would benefit 2.4 million households nationwide.

According to him, foundation works on the project had been already been initiated. The allocation is already there and the sites for the towers and cable installations are already identified.

"In 3 years' time we will see a different scenario in which internet connection would be much faster. In terms of broadband coverage in the country we are not too far behind developed nations with almost 70%" - Communications and Multimedia minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek.

According to him, broadband penetration in the rural areas was presently between 1 and 2 mbps while in the urban areas, between 2 and 20 mbps.

TheGreenMechanics: Malaysians are a smartphone crazy lot. According to Nielsen, our smartphone penetration rate now stands at 80%, compared with US' 60% and UK's 72%. That is just about right for an improved broadband penetration. 

Of course there are pros and cons to all this. It is all up to us to choose what we want.

Pulau Gandang, Tuaran

Are you in a holiday mood this weekend? Why not go fishing.

If fishing is not your cup of tea, lazying in the sun, or just watch the kids play along the sandy beach would be a good idea to unwind.


Pulau Gandang (pulau is island in Malay) is not actually island as it is a long curved beach off Sulaman road in Tuaran. The cape extending long into the water along the beach front probably lead people to call this place 'island'





Happy weekend! And hopefully Manchester United play well against Stoke City tonight. Otherwise they can say goodbye to next year's Champions League tournament.