Apple up their repairability game

So now... no 3rd party can ever repair your phone cause even if they source genuine parts... your phone still brick..

only way to repair is to get their people to do it for you...

iPhone 13 pro max screen replacement cost $329 (RM1,374)... jia lat.... screen crack jer ....you have to pay 1/6 of your phone...

but wait... that is not alll....

your screen repair cost ain't gonna be the US $329 rate...

so far... they have not release iPhone 13 pro max screen replacement cost but since US charge the same for iPhone 13 pro max and iphone 12 pro max... it is safe to say the screen repair cost in Malaysia for iPhone 13 pro max would be the same with iPhone 12 pro max... which is RM1,899

Chinese Smugglers Try To Smuggle 256 CPUs By Wrapping Them Around Their Bodies

As you well know, the ongoing chip shortage and COVID-19 pandemic has been causing a crisis in the PC world and that shortage is reflected in how smugglers in China have been getting – and we’re using this word sparingly – creative in their attempts to smuggle PC components. Case in point, a truck driver and his co-driver crossing the Hong Kong – Macau Bridge attempted to smuggle a bunch of CPUs across the border by wrapping them around their bodies.

According to multiple reports, the driver and his cohort were detained by Hong Kong customs officials after it was discovered that the suspects had used cling-film to wrap 256 Intel CPUs on to their bodies. Specifically, the CPUs are 10th generation Core i7-10700 and Core i9-10900K CPUs, with a total worth of US$123000 (~RM515431).

The punchline here is that this wasn’t a one-off incident; more than a week later, another smuggling attempt was foiled, with customs officials finding 52 Intel CPUs hidden inside both the driver and passenger seats. Then, earlier this week, the Hong Kong customs seemingly hit the motherlode when it seized 2200 CPUs and 1000 RAM modules, all hidden within a container truck. Along with hundreds of smartphones and cosmetic items, with a total market value in excess of US$4 million (~RM16.8 million).

Alas, the more recent smuggling attempts, however, did not involve the driver and passenger cling wrapping CPUs to their bodies or stuffing them up personal orifices. The latter most likely to hurt if one were to attempt it with sharp-edged items like a CPU.

Apple Digital Legacy Service Lets Users Choose Heirs For Their iCloud Data After Death

Apple is adding a Digital Legacy feature that allows users to nominate contacts as legacy contacts who will be granted access to their Apple account in the event of their demise.

For years, users and campaigners have lobbied the tech giant to implement a formalised method of accessing emails, photos, and other contents of a loved one’s iCloud account after their death.

Up until now, the company had only advised users to include access to their personal information in their will:

“We encourage customers to add an inheritance plan to their will that covers the personal information they store on their devices and in iCloud. This may simplify the process of acquiring a proper court order and reduce delay and frustration for family members during a difficult time.”

With Digital Legacy, that process is both simplified and formalised; Legacy contacts will use a “legacy contact Apple ID” to sign in. The user will have access to the iCloud data and will be able to download it using the ID and access key.  Once logged in, the legacy contact user must provide a valid copy of the primary user’s death certificate in order to gain access to the deceased person’s data.

It should be pointed out that Facebook has had a Legacy contact feature for years. In the case of the social network, its Legacy contacts feature is in charge of memorialised accounts or offers users the choice of having their account deleted after Facebook is informed of your death.

It should be noted that for Apple’s Digital Legacy service, payment information such as credit card details, subscriptions, licensed media, and Keychain password will be excluded from the accessible data.

Bank Of England Governor Warns Crypto Investors That They May Lose All Their Money

Interest in cryptocurrencies may be surging but there are still notable skeptics out there. Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey warned cryptocurrency investors that they risk losing all of their money.

According to CNBC, Bailey was recently asked about the rising value of cryptocurrencies at a press conference, prompting him to say, “They have no intrinsic value. That doesn’t mean to say people don’t put value on them, because they can have extrinsic value. But they have no intrinsic value.”

“Buy them only if you’re prepared to lose all your money,” he added.

Unsurprisingly, his comments weren’t taken well by crypto enthusiasts. Cryptocurrency entrepreneur and billionaire Cameron Winklevoss tweeted, “People who don’t invest in #Bitcoin should be prepared to lose all of their money due inflation. All central bankers know this. Few understand this.”

Winklevoss and his brother, Tyler Winklevoss, famously sued Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg for allegedly stealing their idea for the social media platform. They later founded a cryptocurrency exchange called Gemini. According to Forbes, both are now billionaires – thanks to their investments in bitcoin.

Relatedly, the Bank of England itself along with the UK Treasury are exploring the possibility of introducing a central bank-backed digital currency.

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.

Android Will Soon Remind Users To Keep Their Heads Up While Walking

There are plenty of video clips with people walking into things because they were looking at their phone. Google’s Android mobile OS may be getting something to help make sure you’re not the subject of a similar video. And it has a very on-the-nose name, Heads Up.

Twitter user Jay Prakash Kamat shared screenshots of the feature in action on a Google Pixel 4a. And it’s as straightforward as it sounds. With it turned on, your phone will remind you to look up while walking, rather than at it, when you’re walking. Heads Up also comes with a reminder that this “doesn’t replace paying attention”. Or, if it’s telling you.

According to XDA, the Heads Up feature is rolling out only on the Google Pixel series of devices. Not entirely surprising, since the Pixel phones usually get new Android features earlier than any other. No word on when it will be available on devices by other brands just yet.

The Heads Up feature is another entry into overarching Digital Wellbeing umbrella, first introduced in Android 9 Pie. But it’s quite unfortunate that we’ve come to the point that we need our phones to remind us to watch where we’re going.

Paypal Co-Founder Peter Thiel Slams Google, Apple Over Their Links To China

Paypal co-founder and American billionaire investor Peter Thiel criticised tech giants Google and Apple over their respective links to China in a national security discussion with former Trump officials. Thiel, who sits on Facebook’s board of directors, slammed Google for refusing to work with the US military on AI technology, but working with Chinese universities and researchers instead.

He accused the company of “effectively working with the Chinese military” since there’s no clear separation between civilian and military spheres in the country. Puzzled by Google’s actions, he cited company insiders told him that “they figured they might as well give the technology out the front door, because if they didn’t give it – it would get stolen anyway.”

Google strongly denied Thiel’s claims and told CNBC, “We do not work with the Chinese military. We are proud to continue our long history of work with the U.S. government, including the Department of Defense, in many areas including cybersecurity, recruiting and healthcare.” Relatedly, former Google CEO Eric Schmidt chaired a government commission that recently urged the Biden administration to invest in AI-powered weapon systems to defend against China.

.@Paypal co-founder& FB board member Peter Thiel: There's something about the woke politics inside these [tech] companies, the way they think of themselves as not really American companies. And it's somehow very, very difficult for them to have a sharp anti-China edge of any sort pic.twitter.com/jfQYhwE43Y

— Richard Nixon Foundation (@nixonfoundation) April 7, 2021

During the event hosted by the Richard Nixon Foundation, Thiel also pointed to Apple as “structurally a real problem”, noting that its iPhone supply chain is deeply embedded in China.

He called on the US government to apply “a lot of pressure on Apple with its whole labor force supply chain on the iPhone manufacturing in China.” It should be noted though that manufacturing of Apple products – including iPhones – has already begun to shift elsewhere, like India and Vietnam.

Images Of Delidded Intel Core i7-11700K Make Their Way Online

It’s been a week since a full-on review of Intel’s 11th generation Core i7-11700K CPU by Anandtech was published, the renowned tech site having purchased the processor a full month ahead of the lineup’s official launch. Now, images of the CPU without its modesty-inducing lid and Thermal Interface Material (TIM) are beginning to appear online.

The image was first posted by MoBen over at Overclock – who also seems to have procured the 11700K through similar (German) channels such as Anandtech – and shows off the 11700K’s die in all its glory. It is reported that both the 11700K and last generation’s Core i9-10900K possess the same die size. However, by MoBen’s account and after a quick side-by-side comparison, they say that the 11700K is estimated to be between 260mm2 and 270mm2, making it approximately 28% larger.

Sadly for MoBen, the delidding process was not a successful one, meaning that they were not able to test the 11700K at all. That said, like all 11th generation Rocket Lake-S desktop CPUs, we know that the lineup will be the last to be based on Intel’s already archaic 14nm process node (backported from 10nm) but more to the point, it also finally supports the new PCIe 4.0 interface, which was first introduced by AMD and its Ryzen 3000 series CPUs and 500 series AM4 motherboard, back in 2019.

Study Finds Asia-Pacific Consumers Trust Robots Over Humans To Manage Their Money

An overwhelming majority of Asia-Pacific consumers said they would trust a robot more than a personal financial advisor to manage their finances according to a recent study by software giant Oracle and market research firm Savanta.

As noted by CNBC, the global study which is called “Money & Machine” had more than 9,000 respondents, including over 2,500 consumers and business leaders in the Asia-Pacific region.

Not only that, 68% trusted a robot more than themselves when it comes to financial management.  In addition to that, business leaders in the region are even more enthusiastic about machines (or distrustful of their fellow humans) as 83% have said that they trusted robots more to manage finances than their own finance teams.

“The role of finance teams and financial advisors will never be the same,” said Guruprasad Gaonkar, global go-to-market lead for Oracle’s ERP Cloud Business, according to CNBC. “90% of business leaders believe robots will replace finance professionals, and almost two-thirds (62%) believe it will happen within the next five years (by 2025).”

That being said, the age of humans isn’t ending anytime soon. Asia-Pacific respondents apparently gave robots the thumbs up in most tasks: freeing up spare time (38%), detecting fraud (36%), and reducing unnecessary spending (34%). However, the machines fell behind in one crucial, telling, and predictable area which is investment, as only 11% trusted robots to buy stocks.