Alleged 12th Generation Intel Core i7, Core i5 CPU Details Appear Online

By now, there’s been a fair bit of news about Intel’s 12th generation Alder Lake-S desktop CPU lineup and more recently, alleged details about the Core i9-12900K and its performance. Now it appears Intel’s pipes has sprung more leaks and this time, the details seemingly belong to two other Alder Lake-S CPUs: a Core i7-12700K and Core i5-12600K.

Like the 12900K, both the 12700K and 12600K share an uneven number of cores and threads, brought about by the odd-coupling of Golden Cove and Gracemont cores. With the 12700K, the CPU will seemingly have a 12-cores, 20-thread layout, with a boost clock of 4.7GHz, while Turbo Boost will bring that number up to 5GHz. Moreover, it will also have a 20MB L3 Cache and a TDP of 125W.

As for the 12600K, the Alder Lake-S Core i5 is expected to sport a 10-core, 16-thread design, comprising 12 Golden Cove cores and four Gracemont cores. In terms of speed, it should come with a boost clock of 4.5GHz and a Turbo boost clock of 4.9GHz. By contrast, we’re looking at performance similar to the Intel’s current mid-range Rocket Lake-S CPU, the Core i5-11600K.

Sadly, that’s all the alleged information there is about the Core i7-12700K and Core i5-12600K. Once again, these details are merely rumours and hearsay at this stage, so as always, we do advise you to take it with a grain of salt. That said, what is confirmed is that, as part of the Alder Lake-S lineup, these CPUs will most certainly benefit from its upcoming support for DDR5 and PCIe 5.0.

Sony WF-1000XM4 Price Leaks Online; Pegged At EUR280

The Sony WF-1000XM4 leaks seem to keep coming. Having seen a promo video for the upcoming TWS buds earlier, we thought that it would have the same asking price as its predecessor. It looks like that may not be the case, as it may actually come with a bigger price tag.

The Walkman Blog reports that the Sony WF-1000XM4 has appeared on Slovakian online store Datart.sk. And it comes with a EUR279.99 (~RM1414) price tag. The listing has since been removed, but it stated that the buds will also come with three foam tip sizes while it was up.

It’s important to note that prices in Euros are usually higher than what they eventually end up being in ringgit. At least when converted directly, and then compared to what they actually are when they arrive. But this is still a higher price than what the WF-1000XM3 launched with. For context, it was revealed alongside a EUR250 price tag. From this, it’s probably safe to assume that, when Sony brings the WF-1000XM4 to our shores, it would be with a bigger price tag than RM949.

Of course, this is a fair amount of speculation on our part considering what we know. It’s probably a good idea to save up anyway if you’re waiting to buy the Sony WF-1000XM4. But of course, there’s hope that the company pulls a fast one to the consumers’ benefit and launch it with a lower price.

Survey Shows Southeast Asian Social Media Users Don’t Want Their Financial Info Stored Online

A whopping 76% of social media users said they would choose not to store their financial information online, according to a Kaspersky-YouGov survey of several Southeast Asian countries, including Malaysia.

But there are notable gaps between generations. Baby Boomers (85%) show the highest resistance against having their financial data stored online, followed by Gen X (81%), Millennials (75%), and finally Gen Z (68%). It’s possible that this reflects young people’s greater openness to fintech innovations like e-wallets.

In general, social media users in the region don’t want their personally identifiable information (69%), family information (64%), and current location (54%) stored online. But only 47% would choose not to have their job details stored online – probably because of the widespread use of employment and professional networking websites.

“It is a welcome insight that users here are now thinking thoroughly about the data they share and don’t share online. Most also know now that cybercriminals and the general online public should never get their hands on such information. Awareness, however, does not necessarily equate to action,” said Kaspersky Managing Director for Asia Pacific Chris Connell.

Just 54% of Southeast Asian social media users check and change the privacy settings of devices, apps, or services they use, and very unsurprisingly, only 47% avoid illegal or pirated software and applications.

All respondents in the survey, which was conducted last November, were working professionals active on social media. Aside from Malaysia, the other Southeast Asian countries included in the survey were the Philippines, Singapore, and Vietnam.

MCMC and PDRM Set Their Sights On The Viral Online Casino Raya Advert

Even though we have just entered the fourth day of Ramadan today, you may have begun to hear or see Hari Raya Aidilfitri promotions and advertisement on various platforms. Somehow, an online casino company decided to join in as well by coming out with a full-blown video advert for Hari Raya.

Produced by GDBet333 which primarily targets users from Malaysia and Singapore, the 2-minutes advert not only featured local actors and actresses but also has its own Raya song in Bahasa Malaysia. Apart from disregarding the fact that online gambling is technically illegal in Malaysia, the advert is also rather insensitive in nature.

This is because it positions gambling as a method to gain extra money for Hari Raya. As gambling is prohibited in Islam and Aidilfitri is a religious holiday celebrated by Muslims, the advert has certainly gone out of the line.

Not long after the advert made its way online earlier this week,  hundreds of netizens have since expressed their dissatisfaction with it. This eventually caught the attention of Malaysian authorities who have now sprung into action.

The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) today stated that it has requested Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube to take down the advert. The request is being done on the basis that the video does not meet the terms and conditions as well as the community standards of respective platforms.

It is not known whether any of the three platforms have responded to MCMC’s request, the original video that was posted on YouTube has since been set to private although it has been re-uploaded and shared by netizens. On a related note, Gbet333’s website can still be accessed from Malaysia for the time being despite the actions by MCMC.

Meanwhile, Deputy Inspector General of Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani has also revealed that a police report has been made in regards to the advert. He further stated that PDRM will be taking statements from the producers, actors, and actresses that were involved in the production of the advert.

With the assistance of MCMC, the case will be investigated under Section 504 of the Penal Code which covers intentional insult with intent to provoke a breach of peace. Additionally, the investigation will also include Section 4(1)(g) Common Gaming Houses Act that revolves around promoting a gambling venue.

It is going to be interesting to see how Malaysian authorities will be addressing this matter. Despite being illegal, the current provision in our laws have been seen as outdated and unable to handle online gambling. The insensitive nature of the advert may also lead to even bigger consequences to the people behind it.

Personal Data Of More Than 11 Million Malaysian Facebook Users Leaked Online

Personal data that belonged to more than 500 million Facebook users have been leaked online through a popular data marketplace forum that has previously listed databases from a Malaysian payment platform, e-commerce merchant, and the national electoral roll up for sale.

Over 11 million Malaysian Facebook users are said to be part of this leak which was first highlighted by Alon Gal, who is the Co-Founder and CTO of Israelian cybersecurity company, Hudson Rock. He pointed out that the leaked database contains not only users’ Facebook ID but also their phone number, full name, birthday, account creation date, relationship status, and bio.

It also contains their current and past location while some accounts also have their e-mails present in the leaked database.  A sample of the data has since been verified as legit by Business Insider who has matched them with phone numbers and e-mail addresses of known users.

This is not the first time that this particular Facebook database has leaked online though. Alon has actually highlighted it back in January but at that time, it was being presented through a Telegram bot and one has to pay for credits in order to obtain information from the leaked database.

Now, the data is generally being made available for free (if you were active enough in the marketplace forum) which means that the barrier is significantly lower than before. However, the Director of Strategic Response Communications for Facebook, Liz Bourgeois has tweeted out that the data came from an old security issue that the company had fixed back in 2019.

That being said, many of the details within the leaked database can’t really be considered “old” though. Hence, they seemed rather ripe and ready to be exploited by crude marketers, scammers, and hackers.

Now, the data is generally being made available for free (if you were active enough in the marketplace forum) which means that the barrier is significantly lower than before. However, the Director of Strategic Response Communications for Facebook, Liz Bourgeois has tweeted out that the data came from an old security issue that the company had fixed back in 2019.

That being said, many of the details within the leaked database can’t really be considered “old” though. Hence, they seemed rather ripe and ready to be exploited by crude marketers, scammers, and hackers.

Karen Mok, Sam Hui to perform at online concert in memory of Leslie Cheung

Hong Kong singers Sam Hui and Hacken Lee will be joining fellow singers Karen Mok and Julian Cheung at a virtual concert in memory of late singer-actor Leslie Cheung.

Affectionately known as Gor Gor (elder brother in Cantonese) in Hong Kong show business, Cheung took his life on April 1, 2003. He was 46. The In Loving Memory of Leslie Cheung Online Concert 2021 will be held from 7.30pm to 8.30pm on April 1 on HiEggo's YouTube channel, Facebook page and other mainstream media platforms.

HiEggo held two online concerts by Hui and singer Aaron Kwok last April and last May respectively to boost the morale of Hong Kongers during the pandemic.

Both actor Lawrence Cheng and producer Patrick Siu, who were involved in last year's concerts, will be the online concert's creative director and director respectively this year.

Hui, Mok, Lee and Julian will perform Leslie Cheung's classic songs at the concert, together with the Metro Vocal Group, an American a cappella group based in Hong Kong, and the Hong Kong Baptist University Symphony Orchestra.

Mok, 50, who was the first to agree to perform at the concert, joked that she was likely Gor Gor's first fan as she knew him when she was seven years old. She recalled being one of the dancers when Leslie Cheung took part in a singing contest then.

Lee, 53, told Hong Kong media that he used to have meals regularly with the late singer-actor as they had many mutual friends.

"I felt like I struck the lottery when Gor Gor went for a karaoke session with me during the period he stopped singing," Lee recalled.

Lee said he would perform Cheung's classic song For Your Heart Only (1985) at the concert.

The free online concert is jointly supported by the Hong Kong Tourism Board, Hong Kong shopping centre Harbour City and fan club LesFANmily. Hong Kong's Food Angel – a food rescue and assistance programme – has been named the beneficiary. 

US-UK Survey Finds That 30% Of WFH Workers Wore Pyjamas In Online Meetings

Nearly one-third (30%) of people working from home have worn pyjamas during online meetings, the Evening Standard said citing a YouGov survey which polled both US and UK workers. One in ten (11%) didn’t even bother to wear pants.

The survey, which was commissioned by AI-powered transcription app Otter.ai, also found that, during meetings, 23% of remote workers had shopped online, and 15% had played computer games.

Unsurprisingly, there’s a good deal of resistance against returning to traditional in-office work. Only 14% wanted to return to the office full-time when it’s safe to do so. A full 20% don’t want to return to the office – ever.

But a good plurality prefers a middle ground. 45% want to work between one and three days per week in the office once it becomes safe to do so. Why? It’s obvious. 43% of remote workers miss office conversations and chatter – the top item picked by people when asked what they missed about the office.

As for the top reasons why people want to continue working from home at least part-time, 51% picked to avoid the commute to the office and 34% flexible working hours. 26% said they were more productive working from home.

Conducted in January this year, the survey had 2,027 respondents roughly split between US and UK remote workers. In Malaysia, the government is proposing legal changes to support the work from home culture and promote flexible working arrangements, The Star said.

Disney+ Hotstar Malaysia’s Instagram Page Went Online Again For A Short While

Back in January, the scene erupted with the sudden activation of the Facebook and Instagram page for Disney+ Hotstar Malaysia. This was among the first major indication that the highly anticipated streaming service may be preparing to launch in our market.

However, the social media pages and postings were taken offline not long after that which baffled many fans. At the same time, Disney’s silence regarding the status of Disney+ for Malaysia is not helping the cause as well.

Fast forward to earlier this month, the discovery of the Malaysian-specific user interface and RM 89.90 annual subscription fee within the Disney+ Hotstar’s Android app once again sparked excitement among local consumers. Fueling the excitement further, Twitter users @muhdraziqq_ and @itzwiin have noticed that the Disney+ Hotstar Malaysia’s Instagram page that was deactivated back in January is now live again.

The “Loading…” post that was published back in January has also appeared again inside the verified Instagram page. Unfortunately, minutes after we captured the screenshot above, both the post and the page were yanked out from existence once again.

Hence, we are still not sure whether Disney is finally opening the gates to its streaming service for Malaysian consumers given the flip-flop that we have seen back in January. Nevertheless, we will continue to monitor the situation and will keep you posted if there are any updates regarding Disney+ rollout in our market.

KPDNHEP To Introduce Special Online Business Licence To Protect Consumers

The Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDNHEP) is planning to introduce a special online business licence as a measure to protect consumers from potential scams or fraud. In 2020 alone, the number of complaints on online transactions have increased to a total of 11,510 compared to 5,414 in 2019, the ministry noted.

Deputy minister Datuk Rosol Wahid said that online merchants will be subject to conditions via the new licence, which would enable consumers to make online purchases without worrying about the legitimacy and reputation of sellers. The special licence would be enforced after amendments are made to the Consumer Protection (eCommerce Transactions) Regulations 2012 under the Consumer Protection Act 1999, he added. Details regarding the expected conditions that will be introduced in this new license have not been disclosed at this time.

For the time being, Rosol is advising consumers to avoid potential scams by checking sellers’ bank account numbers before proceeding with any form of online transactions. For this purpose, he is recommending the public to utilise the PDRM Commercial Crime Investigation Department’s “Semak Mule CCID” website and application.

The minister also noted another similar mobile app known as Idenfic, developed by the National Consumer Action Council (MTPN) and 7echnology Sdn Bhd. The app is currently available on both Google Play and Apple App Store.

As most of us are aware by now, eCommerce has become the more preferred approach for consumers to purchase goods, thanks to the ongoing pandemic. Also riding along with its significant rise is the potential risk of scams and frauds. Needless to say, we strongly advise our readers to always stay vigilant when shopping online and always be wary of too-good-to-be-true and other questionable deals.

myTukar To Handle Trade-Ins For Mitsubishi Motors’ Online Showroom

Used car e-commerce platform myTukar is set to handle vehicle trade-ins requested through Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia’s new online showroom. This strategic partnership between the two parties is aimed at easing customers’ buying process, which has dramatically changed as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Launched only recently, the Mitsubishi online showroom guides users through the entire browsing and buying process. myTukar steps in when customers want to trade in their current vehicle to help pay for a new one.

Users will have to complete and submit a form with all the relevant trade-in information, and then wait to be contacted by myTukar. It’s not exactly revolutionary, but Mitsubishi is essentially connecting users with a third party which actually deals in used cars.

myTukar CEO Fong Hon Sum said, “The collaboration will leverage on myTukar’s proprietary technology-enabled platform to provide Mitsubishi Motors with an instant, simplified and transparent valuation to ultimately enhance its retail customer experience.”

The platform’s involvement here is part of Mitsubishi’s efforts to digitise in an era of social distancing. As such, the Mitsubishi online showroom boasts 360-degree views of car exteriors and interiors, with zooming and navigation in every direction. And since May last year, the company has provided test drives at locations specified by customers.

myTukar itself has recently been on a partnership and collaboration drive. As previously reported, it had only inked a deal with EON to be its automobile trade-in partner. While it’s famously known for Proton, EON also operates dealerships for Mitsubishi.

Microsoft Study Says More Malaysians Are Facing Negative Online Interactions

Microsoft recently released results from the latest edition of its annual Civility, Safety, and Interactions Online study which includes a metric that the company has formulated as the Digital Civility Index (DCI).

The study involved 16,000 people in 32 geographies with 500 of them were from Malaysia and this particular instalment of the survey was conducted from April to May 2020. Each participant was asked about their experiences and encounters with different online risks.

According to the results, Malaysia’s DCI score worsened from 59 in 2019 to 63 in 2020, indicating that more Malaysians are experiencing negative online interactions or encountering online risks and Microsoft has noted that this is Malaysia’s least favourable DCI score over the past five years.

So, what’s causing this? Microsoft said that the percentage of people facing hate speech; hoaxes, scams, and frauds; and discrimination online are at all-time highs. For example, in 2020, 4% more Malaysians encountered hoaxes, scams, and frauds than in the previous year, bringing the overall percentage up to 24% of Malaysian users.

You can refer to this infographic for more figures:

The fact that we have more scams around these days is pretty much confirmed by the news. Still, 37% of Malaysian respondents said online civility improved during the COVID-19 pandemic versus 17% who disagreed.

Also, Malaysia performed better in the survey as compared to much of the Asia Pacific (APAC) region. Our DCI score of 63 is better than the 66 attained by the APAC region as a whole.

New Videos Of DJI FPV Racing Drone Leaks Online; Specifications Revealed

An unboxing video of the upcoming yet unannounced DJI drone, known simply as the FPV (an acronym for First Person View), has surfaced online. The video was originally shared by Dominion Drones, an authorised DJI store based in the US state of Virginia, but was pulled not long after due to unspecified (but obvious) reasons. An edited version of the video was later salvaged and uploaded on a different user’s channel, which can be viewed via this link.

This actually isn’t the first time the DJI FPV had been leaked, as images of a separate unboxing and hands-on with the drone was shared months prior by industry insider OsitaLV via Twitter. This new video basically corroborates with the former, confirming the upcoming quadcopter’s design, features and included accessories.

As seen from Dominion Drones’ video, contents of the package (believed to be the standard FPV combo) comprises the new quadcopter, a controller, goggles, charging brick, respective cables, and a power bank. The latter, as suggested by commenters, is meant to charge either or both the controller and goggles.

The drone itself features a small but unique looking design which includes a front main camera that only swivels vertically, as well as a set of front and downward-facing sensors. FPV drones are designed for racing instead of video recording, which explains the limited movement of its main camera. Covering the quadcopter’s upper chassis is a semi-translucent plastic shell, which can be replaced with a green solid coloured one that is included in the box. On its rear is a compartment that stores a removable rectangular battery.

Like recent iterations of DJI controllers, the one included with the FPV sports a gamepad-like design – complete with sculpted grips for each hand and trigger buttons in front. It also comes with detachable joysticks that can be stored in the inner side of each grip, and a flip-out wide antenna. Unlike the controllers included with most DJI aerial drones, this version does not include a mount for smartphones.

Meanwhile, the included goggles is an updated and lighter version of the company’s original that was originally introduced in 2019. It looks similar to its predecessor design-wise, complete with four detachable antennas that are located on each front corner of the goggles.

Specifications-wise, an alleged specs sheet of the drone provided by Twitter user Jasper Ellens suggests that the FPV quadcopter’s main camera comes with a 12MP 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor with an ISO range of 100-3200. Its lens features a FOV of 150-degrees, f/2.86 aperture, and focus range of 0.6 meters to infinity. Despite being a racing drone, the FPV also comes with video capture capabilities in MP4/MOV format, specifically 4K resolution at 3840×2160 px at up to 60 fps and FHD at 1920 x 1080 px at up to 120 fps.

The sheet noted that the new DJI FPV also comes with a 2,000 mAh LiPo 6S battery with 90W max charging power, and is capable of approximately 20 minutes of flight time. Both the quadcopter and its controller support 2.4GHz and 5.8Ghz frequency bands, with a maximum transmission distance of 10km. Other than that, it is listed that the drone comes weighs approximately 795g. Details of the goggles, believed to be listed on another page of the specs sheet, were not provided by the Twitter user. It’s also worth noting that Jasper Ellens also uploaded a video featuring the drone (shown below) on his YouTube channel, briefly showcasing its startup sound.

As mentioned earlier, DJI has yet to officially announce the new drone. According to various sources, the DJI FPV is rumoured to launch sometime in March this year. Hopefully we can finally see whether these leaks are proven accurate when the time comes.

Seller Claims Fresh Database Sold Online Contains Details of 200,000 Malaysians

We have received a tip that another set of personal data that belongs to Malaysians have been listed online. It was listed on the same marketplace that featured the alleged E-Pay Malaysia database earlier this week.

According to the listing, the seller claimed that the database contained 200,000 entries and includes information such as name, address, phone numbers, and IC number. The seller also stated that the database belonged to the local e-commerce platform, Ifmal.

However, Ifmal has since refuted that claim through a statement on its official Facebook page. According to the post, the e-commerce company apparently don’t that many customers in its database and Ifmal also never asked for buyer’s IC number.

We have checked Ifmal’s claim ourselves and it is indeed true that the platform did not ask for user’s IC number. In general, the information that the platform asked from its customers are quite different, as shown in the screenshot below:

So, now comes the important questions: who is the actual owner of the said leaked database? Is it even real? Regardless of the answer though, we believe relevant authorities may want to look into this so-called fresh data leak anyway as it is better to be safe than sorry.

E-Pay Malaysia Customer Data Is Being Sold Online; Involving 380,000 Accounts

A significant number of user accounts belonging to local e-payment provider, E-Pay Malaysia has made their way to a popular database marketplace forum. According to the listing, the seller claims that the database which was dated January 2020 contained information belonging to 380,000 accounts.

The listing was first noted by Twitter user @Bank_Security  which often listed bank and cybersecurity threats from all over the world. The existence of the listing was then spread like wildfire after it was made viral by local IT-oriented Facebook page, OMG Hackers.

The seller claimed that the database contained a user name, e-mail address, date of birth, contact address, and a mobile phone number. However, the account password and related tokens have apparently been masked.

Our quick check into the said forum showed that the listing has been removed though. That being said, we have discovered through a search cache that the seller is offering the database for just USD 300 (~RM 1,216).

Even though the listing is no longer there in the said forum, we highly recommend all E-Pay Malaysia’s customers and merchants out there to change your password. We are now attempting to reach out to E-Pay Malaysia for clarification as well as the Malaysia Computer Emergency Response Team who apparently have been alerted about the listing.

Sony Xperia Compact Phone Leaks Online; Has A 5.5-Inch Display

The last time Sony released a Compact model of its Xperia flagship device was all the way back in 2018. Since then, only rumours of such a device ever saw the light of day. The last one was as recent as just two months back. And now, a leak suggests that there’s some substance to that rumour.

Serial leaker @OnLeaks has shared details of a Sony Xperia Compact phone. Details aren’t exactly extensive, but there are plenty of images to show what it looks like. And boy does it look like an Xperia Compact device. It retains its very blocky look, with a substantial chin. But for some reason it has a water drop notch at the top that is very unlike an Xperia.

The supposed Sony Xperia Compact device has a 5.5-inch display on its 140 x 68.9 x 8.9 mm body. The front-facing camera in the notch is an 8MP shooter. The back looks to feature a dual-camera system with a13MP main camera, but no details on what the secondary one is.

On the right side, the new Sony Xperia Compact is said to come with a volume rocker, a power button / fingerprint sensor hybrid, and a camera shutter button. And the top of the phone has a3.5mm audio jack. All classic Xperia Compact elements.

And that’s all the details that was shared by @OnLeaks. But he also poses an important question. With the sales of the iPhone 12 mini being what it is, will Sony still go ahead with making an Xperia Compact device? That really depends on what the company plans to pack in the phone.

Sony Xperia Compact devices of old mostly shared the same hardware of their larger siblings. The downgrades to make up for the smaller size are usually negligible, like 1GB less RAM, or a slightly smaller battery. So long as it doesn’t exclude a major feature the way the iPhone 12 mini missed out on the sensor-shift tech in the Pro Max, the Xperia Compact would probably be fine.