Xiaomi Watch 2 Launches In China; Retailing At CNY1000

Launched alongside the new Xiaomi Civi smartphone yesterday is the brand’s next generation smartwatch, the Xiaomi Watch 2 (known as Watch Color 2 in China). Typical of any sequel device, the new wearable comes with upgrades such as a larger display and new health tracking features, among other things.

The Xiaomi Watch 2 comes with a circular 1.43-inch AMOLED display with 326 ppi pixel density. The wearable is offered in three colourways – white, black, and gray – which can be combined with over 200 watch faces and 6 strap colours including black, blue, white, green, yellow and orange. Like its predecessor, it is also water resistant up to 5 ATM.

Features-wise, the new smartwatch comes with dual-band GPS support, 24/7 heart rate, Sp02, sleep and menstrual health tracking capabilities, as well as over 110 sports tracking modes. The Watch 2 does not run on the new Wear OS platform but instead uses Xiaomi’s proprietary smartwatch-based operating system, which supports a fair number of third-party apps. 

The device has a battery capacity of 470mAh, which is a decent upgrade over the 420mAh capacity of its predecessor. The company claims that this is enough for 30 hours of continuous GPS tracking, and up to 12 days of regular use on a single charge. With Extended Mode switched on, the new smartwatch is said to be able to last up to 24 days.

The Xiaomi Watch 2 is slated to ship out in China on 30 September 2021 and will retail at CNY1,000 (~RM648). However, the company has yet to announce the new smartwatch’s expected availability in other regions outside of its home country.

Toshiba Launches Microwave-Assisted 18TB HDDs For Desktops, NAS

Toshiba recently announced its first 18TB HDDs for the consumer markets. Further, the new hard drives feature the brand’s flux-control microwave-assisted magnetic recording (FC-MAMR) technology.

The new 18TB HDDs can be categorised into two SKUs: the X300 and N300. The X300 18TB model is, as the “X” prefix would suggest, designed for users with high-end desktops, while the N300 variant is designed for inexpensive network-attached storage (NAS) solutions.

As per Tom’s Hardware, the X300 HDDs are the only hard drives in the world to use the MAMR technology for the consumer desktop segment, while the N300 series HDDs are designed for NAS with up to eight bays. Oddly enough, Toshiba hasn’t fully let its hair down in regards to the drives’ performance, but what is known is that the hard drives run on a 7200 RPM-class helium-sealed platform. And offer up to 281MB/s in average sustained data transfer rate.

At the time of writing, Toshiba has yet to disclose the pricing for either the X300 or N300 18TB HDDs. However, it has said that the drives should be out sometime in the fourth quarter of this year.

Government Launches New PPN Site With Easy-To-Understand Visuals

The National Recovery Council (NRC) recently launched a new webpage for the ongoing National Recovery Plan (PPN). The aim of the site is clearly to keep the nation informed about what the PPN is, through the use of easy-to-read visuals and tabs.

Each state has its own dashboard and selecting any of them will bring down the relevant information about them, including which phase of the PPN they are in, plus the SOPs they are in place for said phase. Stating the obvious, choosing WP KL will indicate that the Federal Territory is still in Phase 1, plus the SOPs and restrictions that are in place until the government moves it into the next phase.

That said, do remember that there is currently a special exception for areas that fall under the Klang Valley – that’s the state of Selangor, WP KL, and WP Putrajaya – whereby stores and eateries are allowed to operate and extend their services, but only to individuals that have completed their required number of vaccine doses and are able to provide proof of it.

Of course, it goes without saying store employees that are working must be fully vaccinated and must follow government guidelines regarding operational capacity for fully vaccinated staff.

In addition to the Phase and SOP dashboard, you’ll notice that there are also a total of 12 tabs under the “Find out more” section. Clicking on any one of these tabs, again, opens up and lists down the general SOPs for each phase. Additionally and depending on which state you reside in, you’ll see that a coloured outline on the relevant phase, indicating its current status. For example, Phase 1 is red, Phase 2 yellow, Phase 3 green, and finally, Phase 4 is blue.

We should also point out that the page has two tabs, Rakyat and Business, both of which are self-explanatory. By default, information that visitors first see are related to the people, while switching to the Business tab shows the relevant SOPs. Do note that, because of the vast number of services under each sector, clicking on them will open up a separate tab that lists down Phase SOPs for each service within them.

We highly recommend that you all visit the site, especially if you wish to get a better understanding of the SOPs within each phase. By contrast, it is also a damn sight easier to navigate through, compared to the list that was initially posted on the MKN’s site.

Gigabyte Launches New AORUS Waterforce AIO Cooler Series

Gigabyte recently launched its new AORUS Waterforce AIO cooler series for the desktop DIY PC market. The new series comes in three sizes and feature similar designs, borrowed from the brand’s Waterforce X series.

Specifically, the three new AIO coolers are the Waterforce 240, Waterforce 280, and Waterforce 360. As their names suggest, the three coolers come in sizes of 240mm, 280mm, and 360mm. Much like their X-branded counterparts, the radiators are thinner than the standard AORUS AIO cooler but comes with better heat dissipation technology. On that note, the radiators are also connected to a radiator pump with a 330° rotatable cap, via two tubes with a 7.8mm diameter that Gigabyte says will improve water flow within by 37%. And therefore improving overall cooling efficiency by durability.

Again, like the Waterforce X series, the waterblock is also fitted with an AORUS ARGB lighting display with intelligent detection that shows users the current CPU temperature via different colours.

As for active cooling, each radiator model is equipped with either 120mm or 240mm fans, all of which are greased with Graphene Non lubricant ball-bearings that are designed to operate with ultra-low friction and noise. As a point of pride, Gigabyte says that its Waterforce 240 AIO cooler is able to effectively keep all the cores on Intel’s Core i9-11900K running at 5.1GHz ensuring that the accumulated never seemingly exceeds 81°C.

WhatsApp Officially Launches “View Once” Disappearing Feature

WhatsApp is finally rolling out its new “view once” feature to the general public in its latest update after being released a little over a month ago in the Android beta. The feature allows you to send photos and videos that can only be viewed once by the recipient, disappearing completely thereafter.

Similar to the disappearing messages in Snapchat and Instagram, it aims to give users more control over their privacy. Using it is simple: when sending pictures or videos to someone, click on the “1” button on the left of the send button. The recipient won’t see a preview of what you sent so they’ll have to click it to find out the content. Once they’re done viewing, you’ll see the message now says “opened” and they won’t be able to access it again. Of course, keep in mind that they can still take a screenshot and unlike Snapchat, you won’t be notified.

WhatsApp gave a use case example of sending somebody your WiFi password without having to worry about them sharing it with others, or maybe something like photos of new clothes you’re trying on at a store which you don’t need to take up your storage space. Seeing as how View Once messages are still end-to-end encrypted, maybe the feature would also be useful for espionage or just sending some “work-inappropriate” content.

The photos and videos sent through View Once can remain unopened for 14 days before they expire. Apparently, View Once messages can also be restored through backup if it was still unopened during backup. WhatsApp will also be able to see what you sent if the recipient reported your message for problematic content that breaks their terms of service. Obviously, you won’t be able to forward, save, star, or share View Once media.

Android-Powered Yongnuo YN455 Mirrorless Camera Launches In China

Yongnuo, a well known brand for its catalogue of camera accessories, has recently launched a new Micro Four Thirds (M43) mirrorless camera in China known as the YN455. It is powered by Google’s Android operating system, and comes with the ability to interchange between various M43 lenses.

The Yongnuo YN455 features a slim form factor, featuring a protruding handgrip in front and 5-inch flip-out LCD touchscreen which occupies a majority of its rear profile. Under its hood is a 4K/30fps-capable 20MP sensor, an unspecified 8-core 2.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor with 4G LTE support, 6GB of RAM, 64GB of internal storage, and expandable storage support of up to 256GB via MicroSD.

Also onboard the YN455 are two USB-C ports, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, GPS support, a 3.5mm headphone and microphone jacks, and a 4,400mAh removable battery. It is not known which version of Google’s mobile operating system is featured on the camera, but it is very likely to be Android 11.

It is worth noting that this isn’t Yongnuo’s first camera product. The brand had previously launched its predecessor, the YN450, all the way back in 2018. It also featured an Android interface but rather than M43 lenses, it featured a mount which supports Canon EF lenses instead.

The new Yongnuo YN455 mirrorless camera is now available in China at a retail price of RMB3,888 (~RM2,516). However, the brand did not reveal any plans to release the Android-powered shooter for the global market at this time, and there’s a chance that it may end up as a China-only release – much like its predecessor.

Secretlab Launches TITAN Evo 2022 Series Gaming Chair With Improved Design And Features

Secretlab announced its 2022 Series gaming chair lineup and from the looks of it, the brand is streamlining both its Omega and Titan series into a single chair. That chair is the TITAN Evo 2022 and it comes in three different sizes, along with a handful of new design upgrades and features.

In regards to chair size, the TITAN Evo 2022 is available in either Small (S), Regular (R), or Extra Large (XL). Each size is designed to accommodate individuals within a specific weight category. In addition, Secretlab says that the S and R models have been refitted with shorter hydraulics and “improved design engineering” that should allow users’ feet to stay flat on the ground.

Moving on, the TITAN Evo 2022’s seat now uses what the brand calls a Pebble seat base that is supposedly a combination of the seats from its Omega and Titan lineup. Then, as now, the chair’s upholstery is available in two textures: Secretlab’s new NEO hybrid leatherette and a new and imrpvoed SoftWeave Plus fabric. Regarding the former, the NEO hybrid leatherette is 12 times more durable than its standard PU leather, which we’re guessing means that the material won’t peel off so easily after prolong use.

As for the new and improved features, let’s start with the seat of the TITAN Evo 2022; it’s fitted with the brand’s proprietary cold-cure foam mix that it says helps to distribute a user’s weight easily and relieve pressure over long hours of sitting.

On another note, even the chair’s lumbar support system has been upgraded with a new 4-way L-Adapt system that not only enables users to adjust it in or out, but also up or down. Depending on how much lower or higher your spine is. In addition, the lumbar system also has a lattice of living hinges that Secretlab says can intelligently adapt to the curvature of one’s spine.

Of course, it comes as no surprise that the 4D armrests on the TITAN Evo 2022 are now magnetic and hot-swappable, courtesy of the new CloudSwap system. As for what’s available as a replacement to the original armrests, there is one custom-made model that is filled with a heat-dissipating gel, with more designs and materials to be announced over the chair’s shelf life. Lastly, the memory foam head pillow is now magnetic and snaps effortlessly onto the headrest of the TITAN Evo 2022, doing away with needless fiddling of straps.

Razer Launches Hammerhead True Wireless X Earbuds; Retails At RM349

Gaming firm Razer has recently launched the new Hammerhead True Wireless X, which is now available for purchase via its official website, RazerStore, and authorised retailers. The earbuds is yet another variant of the original Hammerhead TWS that was released in 2019, which was then followed with the release of the Pro model late last year.

This latest iteration falls nicely in between the two variants in terms of hardware, while also sporting some notable improvements over its predecessors. It’s design is also reminiscent to the 2019 model, ditching the Pro model’s AirPods-like look. Each Hammerhead True Wireless X earbud is equipped with a custom-tuned 13mm driver, and an LED illuminated touch panel for managing calls, music playback and so on.

Unlike the Pro variant however, the new Razer TWS lacks active noise cancelling (ANC) capabilities. Not necessarily a deal-breaker, and its exclusion may also have contributed to the earbuds’ noteworthy price. More on that later.

A familiar feature found on the Hammerhead True Wireless X is the series’ Gaming Mode, which lowers down its Bluetooth latency to 60ms when activated. Speaking of which, the earbuds are equipped with Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity and also comes with Google Fast Pair support for Android smartphones. Razer noted that it is possible to pair the new Hammerhead to video game consoles, but you’re required to purchase an optional Bluetooth adapter for that.

In terms of battery, the gaming firm claims that the earbuds can last up to 24 hours in total, including after topping up from the accompanying charging case. Using the Hammerhead while having its LED lighting disabled, on the other hand, will let it run for several hours longer – approximately 28 hours, according to Razer.

The Hammerhead True Wireless X retails at RM349, which makes it the most affordable variant among its TWS siblings. To recap, the original and Pro models launched at RM479 and RM949 respectively. Whether its audio performance is on par with its predecessors or otherwise remains to be seen… or rather, heard.

Razer Launches Hammerhead True Wireless X Earbuds; Retails At RM349

Gaming firm Razer has recently launched the new Hammerhead True Wireless X, which is now available for purchase via its official website, RazerStore, and authorised retailers. The earbuds is yet another variant of the original Hammerhead TWS that was released in 2019, which was then followed with the release of the Pro model late last year.

This latest iteration falls nicely in between the two variants in terms of hardware, while also sporting some notable improvements over its predecessors. It’s design is also reminiscent to the 2019 model, ditching the Pro model’s AirPods-like look. Each Hammerhead True Wireless X earbud is equipped with a custom-tuned 13mm driver, and an LED illuminated touch panel for managing calls, music playback and so on.

Unlike the Pro variant however, the new Razer TWS lacks active noise cancelling (ANC) capabilities. Not necessarily a deal-breaker, and its exclusion may also have contributed to the earbuds’ noteworthy price. More on that later.

A familiar feature found on the Hammerhead True Wireless X is the series’ Gaming Mode, which lowers down its Bluetooth latency to 60ms when activated. Speaking of which, the earbuds are equipped with Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity and also comes with Google Fast Pair support for Android smartphones. Razer noted that it is possible to pair the new Hammerhead to video game consoles, but you’re required to purchase an optional Bluetooth adapter for that.

In terms of battery, the gaming firm claims that the earbuds can last up to 24 hours in total, including after topping up from the accompanying charging case. Using the Hammerhead while having its LED lighting disabled, on the other hand, will let it run for several hours longer – approximately 28 hours, according to Razer.

The Hammerhead True Wireless X retails at RM349, which makes it the most affordable variant among its TWS siblings. To recap, the original and Pro models launched at RM479 and RM949 respectively. Whether its audio performance is on par with its predecessors or otherwise remains to be seen… or rather, heard.

Honor 50 Series Launches In China; Price Starts From RMB 2399

Honor has officially launched its new Honor 50 series smartphones in China earlier this evening. As previously reported, the latest flagships consist of three variations: the standard model, the Pro, and the entry-level Honor 50 SE. And it appears that most of the information regarding the new series that was leaked last week turned out to be accurate as well.

First we have the Honor 50 Pro, which comes with a 6.72-inch OLED FHD+ curved display with a refresh rate of 120Hz and an under-display fingerprint sensor. Under its hood is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G 5G chipset, paired with up to 12GB of RAM and a storage capacity of 256GB. Powering the phone is a 4,000mAh battery that supports a whopping 100W fast charging capability via USB-C. And as confirmed by the brand prior to this, the phone will feature Android 11 via Honor’s Magic UI 4.2 interface and also Google Mobile Services (GMS).

On the back of the Pro is a Huawei P50-like dual circular glass bumps which houses four different cameras. On the top circle is a sole 108MP main sensor, while below it is an 8MP ultra-wide, a 2MP macro, and 2MP depth sensor. Housed in the pill-shaped cutout on the phone’s display is a dual front-facing camera setup consisting of a 32MP and 12MP sensors.

Next up is the standard Honor 50, which features mostly the same hardware, features, and camera specs as the Pro – with some notable differences, of course. Its screen is smaller, coming at 6.57-inches, and its battery capacity is slightly larger at 4,300mAh. However, the phone only supports 66W fast charging capability via USB-C. Its rear imaging system is exactly the same as the Pro model, you can expect the same performance on the Honor 50. For selfies, however, the standard variant only comes with a single 32MP front-facing camera, housed in a punch-hole cutout on its display.

Last but not least is the Honor 50 SE, which shares an almost similar design language as its siblings. The more noticeable difference aesthetically is the number of cameras on its back, a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, and its flat but large 6.78-inch LTPS IPS LCD display with 120Hz refresh rate – making it the largest model among the three. Under the hood, you’ll be able to see some significant differences as well. Unlike the vanilla and Pro model, the Honor 50 SE comes with a MediaTek Dimensity 900 5G chipset, together with 8GB of RAM and up to 256GB of storage. Powering the phone is a larger 5,000mAh battery, which also supports 66W of fast charging via USB-C.

Photography-wise, on the back of the SE model is a triple camera setup which consists of mostly the same sensors found on its siblings, except for the lack of a 2MP depth sensor. In front is a 16MP selfie camera housed in the display’s punch-hole cutout.

As for pricing, the Honor 50 Pro model will be offered in two configurations, with the 8/256GB version to retail at RMB 3,699 (~RM 2,380) and the 12/256GB at RMB 3,999 (~RM 2,574). Meanwhile, the standard version is offered in a total of three configurations, starting with the 8/128GB at RMB 2,699 (~RM 1,738), 8/256GB at RMB 2,999 (~RM 1,930), and 12/256GB at RMB 3,399 (~RM 2,188). Lastly, the Honor 50 SE is available in two configurations, an 8/128GB version at RMB 2,399 (~RM 1,544), and 8/256GB at RMB 2,699 (~RM 1,738).

Honor has revealed that the new series will indeed be shipped out globally, with Malaysia confirmed to be in the list. However, its expected local availability and pricing has yet to be determined.

AMD Launches New Ryzen 7 5700G And Ryzen 5 5600G APUs

AMD’s Computex 2021 keynote kicked off with several key product announcements. Chief among them is the addition of two new Ryzen desktop APUs: the Ryzen 7 5700G and Ryzen 5 5600G.

Starting with the Ryzen 7 5700G, the CPU portion of the APU houses an 8-cores, 16-threads processor that features a base and boost clock of 3.8GHz and 4.6GHz. In addition, it has an L2 and L3 Cache of 4MB and 16MB respectively.

Naturally, because it’s an APU, the 5700G also comes equipped with integrated 8 Compute Units (CUs), Vega-powered Radeon cores, running at a boost clock of 2GHz.

Moving on, the 5600G is very clearly an APU aimed towards the mid-range market. Its CPU uses a 6-cores, 12-threads build, has a base and boost clock of 3.9GHz and 4.4GHz, respectively. As for its graphics cores, the Vega-based Radeon integrated GPU houses 7CUs running at a clockspeed of 1.9GHz. Oh, and it has a 3MB L2 and 16MB L3 Cache.

As with all current-generation Ryzen processors, both the Ryzen 7 5700G and Ryzen 5 5600G are based on AMD’s Zen 3 CPU architecture and are made using the 7nm TSMC die lithography. Both APUs will be available globally from 5 August onwards, with pricing starting at US$259 (~RM1068) for the 5600G and US$359 (~RM1480) for the 5700G.

ASUS Launches ROG Zephyrus M16 Laptop With Intel 11th Gen CPU, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 Series GPU

ASUS officially revealed its latest ROG Zephyrus laptop lineup recently, which includes both new and refreshed models. Among the latest additions, one gaming laptop that stood out is a redesigned ROG Zephyrus M16.

Cutting to the chase, one of the highlights of the new M16 is its larger screen-to-body ratio display that measures 16-inches, and is crammed into a 15.6-inch body. Moreover, it offers a four-sided, narrow bezel panel that in turn provides a display ratio of 16:10. Adding on to that, the display has a maximum resolution of 2560 x 1600 pixels, plus a maximum refresh rate of 165Hz and 3ms GTG response time. Oh, it’s also Pantone Validated and has a maximum brightness level of 500 nits.

On a side note, the M16’s display also sports a super-slim 2MP webcam, which is nothing short of a feat, given how limited space already is on the panel.

Underneath the hood, the M16 is fitted with the latest 8-core Intel 11th generation Core i9-11900H CPU, a choice between an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 or RTX 3070, up to 32GB DDR4 RAM, and up to 2TB of NVMe Gen4 storage. Powering it all up is a massive 90WHr, 4-cell battery.

As for heat dissipation, both the CPU and GPU are connected by six heat pipes, which are cooled by Arcflow fans. Each equipped with 84 blades and feature ASUS’ self-cleaning Anti-Dust 2.0 system. Last but not least, despite all that hardware, ASUS has managed to keep the weight of the laptop under 2kg. Specifically, it weighs in at 1.9kg.

As for how much the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 costs, the brand has yet to specify that detail. However, ASUS will be releasing two SKUs of it, one at the end of June, while the higher-tier SKU will be made available at the end of July.

NVIDIA Launches GeForce RTX 3050 Series GPUs For Laptops

After months of speculations and wild rumours, NVIDIA is finally breaking its silence and making the GeForce RTX 3050 series official. As per earlier reports, the series comprises two GPU models, the RTX 3050 Ti and RTX 3050, and will only be available as laptop GPUs.

Specs-wise, both the RTX 3050 Ti and RTX 3050 are based on NVIDIA’s Ampere architecture and feature 4GB GDDR6 graphics memory. Additionally, both cards utilise a 128-bit memory bus and like all RTX 30 series GPUs, they are able to make full use of the PCIe 4.0 interfaces.

As they are part of NVIDIA’s RTX family, both the RTX 3050 Ti and RTX 3050 are also capable of real-time ray-tracing and also support the GPU maker’s DLSS anti-aliasing technology.

There are, obviously, parametres that set both cards apart from each other; the RTX 3050 Ti comes with 80 Tensor Cores, 20 RT Cores, and a maximum boost clock of 1695MHz. For the RTX 3050, the GPU has 64 Tensor cores, 16 RT Cores, and a maximum boost clock of 1740MHz.

NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 3050 GPUs should be available starting this month, with the GPU maker’s brand partners launching their latest gaming laptops that are also being launched right now. To that end, these laptops are also being paired with Intel’s latest 11th generation Tiger CPU lineup.

Google Launches Mantap Bersama Initiative To Help Small Businesses In Malaysia

Google Malaysia has launched an initiative called Mantap Bersama to help small businesses across the country in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The goal is to help them build a digital presence on Google’s own search engine and Maps.

To that end, Google is asking the Malaysian public to chip in by reviewing and rating these businesses on the Google ecosystem. It’s essentially a crowdsourcing campaign aimed at raising the profile and credibility of small businesses.

The tech giant said there are four ways people can participate in the #MantapBersama initiative this Raya. Firstly, they can search (through the Google search engine) for products and services near them and discover a new small business. Secondly, they can write helpful Google reviews of small businesses.

Thirdly, they can share pictures of the business – for example, adding photos of the special Ramadan dish they ordered from a restaurant. And lastly and obviously, they can buy from small businesses, ensuring they (the businesses) have funds to support their employees.

To promote awareness of #MantapBersama, Google enlisting the help of three YouTube content creators who are small business owners themselves. They are Ili Sulaiman, celebrity chef and founder of Ili Pot; Fadhil Mohamad Isa (also known as Cardock), former newsreader turned YouTube creator who founded Cardock Academy; and Chef Kalidevan Murugaya (popularly known as Chef Dave), former cruise chef and vegan lifestyle advocate who started D’Vegan Academy.

The three will be promoting small businesses meaningful to them on their respective social media accounts, highlighting why these businesses mean so much to them and tagging others to share reviews.

ASUS Confirms Existence Of ZenFone 8 Mini Variant; Launches On 13 May

Rumours of an ASUS ZenFone 8 Mini first surfaced last month, complete with supposed specs of the device. Now, the company has seemingly confirmed its existence with physical invitations being shared with western tech news outlets.

PhoneArena has shared a few images of the invite, which consists of two cards. One reads “BIG IN SIZE”, and a smaller, transparent one has “on Performance” and Compact” written on it. Putting them together then reads “big on performance, compact in size”. This also implies that it would be called a Compact rather than a Mini, much like the older Sony Xperia devices. Naturally no specs of the device were revealed.

The card also has the launch dates of ASUS ZenFone 8 series, which will likely include the Mini or Compact variant. There’s also a web page for the launch event, with the same “big on performance, compact in size” line. Below that is a countdown to the launch event which, for our timezone, is 1AM on 13 May. And it’s just between two to three weeks away.

It’s always nice to see another manufacturer make a smaller device, in a market of six-inch plus devices. Hopefully the ASUS ZenFone 8 Mini or Compact does not differ too much from the larger device.