VOLUME 19 ISSUE 08
RM RM
AUGUST 2018
10.00 12.00 (WM) (EM)
NATIONS NUMBER 1 EWALLET CONQUERS BANGSAR
AUGUST 2018
CONTENTS Fully Automated Home
10
29
GIZMOS
42
TESTED
WIRE
12 Kre8tif! Conference Returns – Bigger and Better Than Ever!
14 Next-gen Compact Zoom 18 X-Mark is Found 20 AWS’ First Malaysia Hackathon
44 ASUS ZenFone 5Z 46 Sennheiser HD 820 48 Sony HT-Z9F 3.1 Dolby ATMOS/DTS:X Sound Bar 51 Western Digital Black High Performance NVMe 500GB
22 Switching it Up 24 World Cup Party Like No Other 27 High Tech Engagement 62 Alienware AW768 Gaming Keyboard 64 Fujifilm Instax SQ 79 Razer Wolverine Tournament Edition
2 AUG 2018
Sharp Malaysia | http://my.sharp
CONTENTS
Properly Enabling Partners
86
BIZ 2.0
95
PIXELS
102
GAMETIME
Empowering Digital Responses
88
90
SPOTLIGHT
INVIEW
92 Crypto-Jacking: The Next Threat 86 Adobe: Workflow Acceleration 4 AUG 2018
106
U Mobile Giler Unlimited First Round Play-Offs
108
PC Gamers: It’s Time to Hunt
109
Squall’s Beau Steps Up
110
Acceleration for Indie Games
111
Classic Remasters Coming Soon
112
Western Entry
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EDITOR’S NOTE
I
MASSIVE AUDIO/VISUAL ROUND-UP
t’s that time of the year again when next-gen TVs and sound systems start rolling out to the masses and provide plenty of choices for all to consider. What would work best? OLED or QLED? 4K or 4K HDR. Fret not as PC.com has taken the liberty of reviewing an extensive list of next-gen audio/visual gear for the month of August. This includes one next-gen home theatre projector, powered displays, feature-packed sound bars, studio-optimised headsets, and immersive in-ear headphones. Indeed, this issue should be called the AV Special and with good reason! Of course, AV is in reference to audio and visual systems. There are a couple in-depth reviews for next-gen flagship smartphones too, like the ASUS ZenFone 5Z (Pg 42) and OPPO Find X (Pg 54), and OnePlus 6 (Pg 58). Since this is a somewhat in-depth focus thematic issue for AV products, it also seems natural that there will be some focuses on smart home gear as well. Hence, in the Gizmo pages, progressive automation for the house and personal lifestyle are featured. The connected home does feel like it directly interacts the personalised cinema or sound system. Other topics included in the August 2018 issue includes a quick tell-all feature from five fast accelerating scale-ups. This, in many ways, is for the upcoming Independence Day festivities. There are also special features on artificial intelligence and innovation in security responses. All in all, while it might feel like a balanced issue, the August 2018 PC.com is most certainly for audiophiles and those into displays. Also, in reflection of the hey days from 10 years back, the Tested pages are the longest yet - 44 products in review for this month! Let’s hope there will be more reviews to cover in the coming months. Here’s to an informative and, as always, engaging read. Cheers
Victor Yap
Executive Editor, PC.com
Editor’s Review pg.42 ASUS ZenFone 5Z 6 AUG 2018
THE M TEA
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WIRE Smarter S-Pen Comes
The upcoming Samsung Galaxy Note 9 will likely sport a truly intuitive stylus By Shuqran Baharom
A
s the leaks start becoming official for the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Note 9, it’s best to stop following rumours and go with the real details. Where Samsung drop the obvious feature earlier – an updated stylus of all things – it continues from that narrative still. Indeed, most typically use a stylus for writing, drawing, and navigating menus. From the teaser visual alone, it is likely to change soon for the Samsung Galaxy Note 9. How so? Well, simply put, the next-gen Samsung S-Pen now uses Bluetooth too. A recent FCC filing reveals the all-new Samsung S-Pen will offer 10 AUG 2018
Bluetooth support. More specifically, it will put out 2.4GHz Bluetooth LE connectivity. This will open up many options that is atypical of its digital pen design. This little nugget is confirmed as leak-hunter, Droid Life, spotted the new stylus model number in the FCC filing. Apart from expectations of a remote control, leaker Ice Universe tweets that this next-gen Samsung S-Pen will likely feature a wireless Bluetooth speaker as well. It may also control the streaming of music and operate on a self-timer. Sadly, the integration of Bluetooth LE features mean the stylus will be thicker as space for a battery is now necessary.
In any case, these features seem rather useful and it will be interesting to see the device in action. As usual, Samsung is hosting a massive reveal event on 9 August 2018. This, of course, refers to the next Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event. Along with the Samsung Galaxy Note 9, this major Samsung S-Pen update is likely to also carry the event. It is, after all, the primary highlight – an anchor of sorts - on Samsung's invitation. Fans and the generally curious can catch the livestream of the unveiling on Samsung's website and primary social network platforms.
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WIRE
Hasnul sharing on what Kre8tif! 2018 is all about.
Kre8tif! Conference Returns – Bigger and Better Than Ever!
O
The long-running two-day creative extravagant will now run for an entire week!
ne of Southeast Asia's premium creative and animation conferences, Kre8tif! Conference, is back this year with even more lively content. Where previous years feature a 2-day seminar and exhibition, this year's take covers an entire week! In its seventh year running, this event will feature sharing sessions, discussion opportunities, and various exhibitions throughout the week. It will start with the Cyberjaya Kre8tif! Fun Run on 5 August 2018. A recently added event, this sporting element allows participants to exercise with producers and creatives who worked on these colourful animation brands. Mascots will be at the event as well and all are encouraged to cosplay, dress up, or support their fandom during the run. Right after that are the Kre8tif! Xhibition and Business Xchange, both concurrently falling on 6 and 7 August
12 AUG 2018
2018. The former has been an anchor event from the very beginning but will no longer be a part of the main conference. According to Hasnul Hadi Samsudin, Vice President of Creative Content and Technologies for Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation, this is to provide creatives who usually manage the booths the opportunity to join the conference. As for the latter, while also a recent addition, the industry networking aspect has also become an anchor element. After all, new deals and ideas are discussed among creative studios and broadcasters. The main event – Kre8tif! Conference – will showcase the best minds from the creative industry as they take the stage to share their experience and insights into current and upcoming trends. Major studios both global and local, broadcasters, industry analysts, marketing folks, and government agencies will be sharing the spotlight during this two-day power-packed event.
By Victor Yap
Kre8tif! is also introducing a new feature – the Kre8tif! Enterntainment Xperience. This platform is for all attendees to try out new innovations and concepts that have been popping out over the last 12 months. From virtual reality to new app controls and enriched multimedia delivery, this zone will have all that and more. There is, of course, a public facing event as well - the Cyberjaya Multimedia Festival (11 to 12 August 2018). For this, all are welcomed to join in on the fun as there will be movie screenings, meeting mascots, and music shows too. While this is the second-year running, unlike 2018, there will be an entrance fee. More details about this event can be found the main Kre8tif! Webportal (https://kre8tif.mdec.my/) while all ticketing details are at this weblink (https://kre8tif.mdec.my/#register).
Pop-Up Wonder Next-gen smartphone from vivo set to power innovation for the smart device sector
By Victor Yap
T
he long-awaited and highly anticipated vivo flagsip smartphone – the one with the pop-up selfie camera – is now available for purchase in Malaysia! The vivo NEX, featuring the latest in flagship specs, is the very first premium entry for vivo. High-spec features include the FullView Display with 91.24% screento-body ratio and cutting-edge hardware that keep the user experience ultra-smooth. After all, this next-gen smartphone entry is, as vivo puts it, the ultimate representation of innovation in design.
“We’re very excited to bring this ground-breaking flagship to consumers in Malaysia,” says Mike Xu, CEO, vivo Malaysia. “NEX is the culmination of many long months of developing breakthrough technologies like the Elevating Front Camera and In-Display Fingerprint Scanning Technology. With NEX, we hope to encourage our industry to continue pondering ‘what’s next?’ and inspire consumers to reimagine the mobile experience.” Underneath the 6.59” Super AMOLED display is an extensive list of
next-gen hardware like the 8MP Elevating Front Camera that is stays hidden when not in use; Screen SoundCasting Technology that converts the screen into a speaker system; and industry-leading In-Display Fingerprint Scanner. Powering all that is the top-end Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 mobile processor with 8GB RAM and Adreno 630 GPU. These three are what keeps the vivo NEX running like a well-oiled engine. As for the key features, like the pop-up camera and innovative sound system, these are wholly unique to vivo. It is these innovations that are reinforcing the fact that this upstart Chinese brand is now a major market innovator. The high-spec System-on-Chip also rocks a dedicated artificial intelligence (AI) system that works hand-in-hand with the Google Assistant and its related innovations. This includes Google Lens and AI Photography capabilities that the vivo NEX offers. It is with these technologies that vivo is able to stand-out and revolutionise the mobilephone space. In terms of pricing, the all-new vivo NEX is now retailing at RM2,799. As for availability, all vivo concept stores and authorised retailers and resellers will start selling the latest flagship from 28 July 2018 onwards.
(Third from left) Eric Tiew, Category Manager, 11street Malaysia; Ameen Abdullah, Chief Executive Officer, Tune Talk Sdn Bhd; Jacky Phang, Division Head of Digital Gadgets, Senheng Electric (KL) Sdn Bhd; Dato’ Yeoh Soo Keng, Executive Director, YTL Communications Sdn Bhd; Xu; Carl Lim; Head of Vendor & Product, Lelong.my; Kenneth Khor; Category Manager, Lazada Group Malaysia; and Mervyn Liew Assistant Manager, Business Development, Shopee Malaysia showing off the newly launched vivo NEX.
13 AUG 2018
WIRE
Next-gen Compact Zoom The Sony RX100 line finally has a zoom feature; all hail the arrival of Sony RX100 VI
W
hile Sony Malaysia has announced its latest flagship point-and-shoot entry – the Sony RX100 VI – it didn’t have a proper product launch. Of course, there are hints on a hands-on demo coming up for the new camera. That’s how this long-awaited try-out came to be – in an out of town location with a picturesque view. Even if it is Putrajaya, specifically where the hot-air balloon ride operates, it’s an awesome area for photograpgy; perfect to get a proper hands-on with the next-gen Sony RX100 VI. Before going into show-and-tell, here’s a round-up of details on the specs.
14 AUG 2018
The brand-new Sony snapper rocks a ZEISS Vario-Sonnar T* 24-200mm f2.8 – f4.5 lens. It pairs up with the 1.0-Type Stacked 20.1MP Exmor RS CMOS Sensor and Sony BIONZ X image processor. The first two aspects sport all-new features. Whereas the lens comes with zoom magnification – a first for Sony RX100 range, the CMOS sensor comes with DRAM. Just so it can keep up, the imaging system also sports an upgrade; specifically, it now has a Front-end LSI to ensure speedy visual processing. Now, the hands-on experience – let’s focus on the handling. For something so powerful, the Sony RX100 VI is very compact. Somehow, Sony manages to cram in all the high-end specs into a tiny chassis; this is to ensure it still offers the very best in photo-taking. Personally, it is a very easy to hold this next-gen sharp-shooter. In fact, all its main functions – zoom, engaging the shutter, and previewing images after – can be engaged with one-hand. Other features like the various photography modes,
By Victor Yap
video-recording, and changing settings require two hands, as always. Thanks to the zoom feature, the Sony RX100 IV now has a lens that can be the equivalent of a 24-70mm and 70-200mm. Paired with the built-in Sony Optical SteadyShot, there are no blurry results that comes out from zoom photography. As for the overall experience, with the cool pop-up electronic view-finder, using this snapper feels like a dream. The Sony High-Density Tracking Autofocus with High-Speed AntiDistortion Shutter and continuous 24fps burst shooting ensures all pictures turn out crispy clear. As for video recording wise, switching over to that mode only takes one button press.Oddly, it takes two to three moves to fire up 4K or 4K HDR (with Hyper Log-Gamma) capture. In terms of pricing and availability, the Sony RX100 VI is available for purchase – at RM4,899 – in all Sony Stores and authorised retailers.
WIRE
(From left) Min-Liang with Vincent showing off the new Razer Pay app.
Razer Breaks Out
By Victor Yap
The gamer peripheral maker is officially venturing into the e-Wallet space
A
s small teases from Razer Co-Founder and CEO, Tan Min-Liang, appear on his various social network accounts, all of them hint at a major reveal for the gamer hardware maker. Indeed, Razer Pay is deploying with immediate effect and it will take over from MOL e-Wallet services, MOLPay. This has been an accumulation of nearly six months or more; even far longer from when Tan boldly announces on Twitter to Singapore Prime Minister, Lee Hsien Loong, that Razer can put out a seamless e-Wallet in 18 months. This new venture into the mobile wallet space is the end-result of its earlier acquisition of MOL. Thusly, the
16 AUG 2018
Min-Liang revealing the primary functions of Razer Pay.
infrastructure and services that the Malaysian mobile payment developed for its long-running MOLPay is now under the management of Razer. This opened the door to a full re-branding and re-deployment of the entire paltform. For Razer, this is the opportunity it needs to make its biggest move yet for the fintech space. It’s a huge step and, in Razer’s case, a world’s first. After all, this is famous a gaming peripheral brand and doing this is totally outside of its original job scope. As is, this announcement is a global move for Razer. “We will roll-out into Malaysia first because we are working closely with Berjaya Corporation Berhad (Berjaya Corp). Part of this launch will see Razer Pay engaging more than 6,000 merchants, most of which are under the purview of Berjaya Corp. Of course, we’re more than happy to engage other merchants and, well, Razer Pay does more than act as a mobile payment system. There is the cash top-up and cash transfer features too,” shares Min-Liang. During the launch, Min-Liang goes into how easy it is to use Razer Pay as he shares on the three primary functions: Topping Up Easily, Transfer Quickly, and Pay Everywhere (Online and Offline).
Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Vincent discusses how Berjaya Corp will help the all-new Malaysia Government.
When queries on plans for expansion came up, Min-Liang reveals that somethings are in the pipeline but he didn’t elaborate. “We will be very aggressive with how we will roll-out Razer Pay. It will go to the rest of Southeast Asia for sure. It’s now a matter of when,” he reveals. Present for the launch is Tan Sri Dato Seri Vincent Tan, the Founder of Berjaya Group. Vincent reveals how he is very excited for this new platform and the potential it offers as an e-Wallet
service. To commemorate the launch of Razer Pay, he confirms that Berjaya Corp will commit RM10 to Tabung Harapan Malaysia for each transaction made on the new e-Wallet. This commitment has a cap of RM5 million and will run from 4 July to 30 August 2018. Those keen on trying out Razer Pay now will get a RM10 Bonus Credit. This is upon signing up for the app. It will also run from 4 July to 30 August 2018. The app is now available on Google Play and Apple App Store.
Min-Liang shares who the target audience is for Razer Pay.
17 AUG 2018
WIRE
X-Mark is Found
By Victor Yap
OPPO Find X makes its way to Malaysia way earlier than expected
(Second from left) Chan Peng Li, Maxis Head of Device Marketing; Goh Thih Liang, Country Manager of Qualcomm, Malaysia, Thailand, and Philippines; William Fang, CEO of OPPO Malaysia; Garry Gong, Sales Director of OPPO Malaysia; and Sharon Chin, Digi Head of Device Sales showing off the new OPPO Find X.
A
fter OPPO drops its latest flagship – the OPPO Find X – during a global reveal, many have been asking when it will reach local shores all over the world. For Malaysia, that is none other than 17 July 2018. There has been a week of hype before thanks to the press invite with teasers attached. Let's do a quick specs recap – the OPPO Find X rocks a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, 8GB RAM, and 256GB storage. These power innards will work in tandem with the 6.42" Full HD+ AMOLED panel. As for optics, the rear-facing shooter features
18 AUG 2018
a 16MP + 20MP Dual-Lens system while up-front is a 25MP snapper. Both sit on the motorised system that deploys when the camera app is fires up. Powering all that is a 3,730mAh battery. All the hardware is packed inside a near completely glass body with a Panoramic Arc Screen on the front façade. This is a truly seamless design with no cutouts for the cameras, earpiece, or sensors. The almost all-screen panel offers 19.5:9 ratio for visuals and a 93.8% screen-to-body design. More importantly, it comes in two shades that offer subtle
yet classy reflective gradients: Bordeaux Red and Glacier Blue. There are other innovations on board the OPPO Find X. One of them, an aspect that OPPO is proud of, is the Stealth 3D Cameras. Beyond the motorised slider that these shooters are parked on, there is a proper 3D Facial Recognition system on the front lens. This innovation, which replaces the fingerprint sensor completely as the primary security feature, uses 3D Structured Light Technology and 15,000 Facial Dot Recognition Projector. Both are necessary to capture a 3D scan of the user's face. Of course, this being a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 powered smartphone, there is some level of artificial intelligence present. Both camera and battery consumption will engage this feature. According to OPPO, pre-orders for the OPPO Find X are open from 17 July 2018. Those keen on purchasing this RM3,699 device can make their bookings on the OPPO Online Store or at Lazada, 11street, and Shopee. This all-new flagship will be available from 5 August 2018.
Lim showing off the DACSEE ride-hailing app.
Time to Step Up DACSEE, launched in January 2018, By Victor Yap is finally ready to accelerate
T
he DACSEE platform, a new entrant in Malaysia’s ride-hailing scene, is finally out to make a mark. While it did officially launch in January 2018, it’s been pretty quiet since that one big splash. This, in part, is all thanks to the shake-up from the Grab takeover of Uber SEA. Before going into the new updates that DACSEE revealed to the media, let’s do a quick recap. From the very top: what
is DACSEE and how does it stand-out? This the very first point the new ride-hailing platform addressed during its launch in January 2018. First, DACSEE is not a name, eventhough it is a wordplay of the work taxi. It is an acronym that stands for ‘Decentralised Alternative Cabs Serving & Empowering Everyone’. This concept, which came to be from the minds of a few local folks and their foreign partners, is community driven.
As per its name, the operational model runs on a ‘by the community, for the community’ motto. The premise is simple: create a platform that enables the community – likely drivers – to build, manage, and empower their own network of ride-hailing service providers. In short, it cuts away the middle-man. How does the platform make revenue then? Like Uber and Grab, there is an arbitrary 20% cut from drivers’ earnings. Where does the stand-out element come in? Unlike the market leaders, DACSEE will share its 20% cut with drivers if they start referring other drivers and/ or passengers to the platform. At press time, it’s been confirmed that 80% of the cut that DACSEE takes is re-contributed back into the system. More important is how DACSEE wants to expand its community system. This feature, according to Lim Chiew Shan, CEO of DACSEE, as per the description that this next-gen ride-hailing service shared, is like a social network with ride-hailing functions. There are no limits to the group type – be it compact cars, premium, geo-location dependents, female only, or school shuttle services. Groups can be public or private, depending on the needs of the administrator. Apart from groups, drivers and riders can add each other onto their own respective friends’ network on DACSEE. Shan and his team believes DACSEE can go far as they’re confident that this operation will take-off. Right now, it is still on-boarding new drivers and offers limited ride-hailing routes.
Lim: DACSEE is like a social network with ride-hailing functions.
19 AUG 2018
WIRE
AWS’ First Malaysia Hackathon
The inaugural AWS Hackdays in Malaysia kicks-off with decent response By Victor Yap
W
hile hackathons are now commonplace, it’s rare for service providers to put together such an event. Most times, it falls to government agencies or event managers. Amazon Web Services (AWS), famous for its AWS Hackdays, feel otherwise as it has been running its own hackathons at global level. This long-running annual event has seen regional iterations and now, for the first time, is going to country level. This is a follow-up to last year’s Southeast Asia AWS Hackdays at Singapore. This time, various countries in the region will have their own event to determine the very best among the entries. The winners get to go to Jakarta, Indonesia for the regional finals. Teams that secure a spot will be competing in the first-ever Robocar Rally, one of the major event highlights for AWS re:Invent. According to Donnie Prakoso, ASEAN Technology Evangelist – the moderator and person in charge for AWS Hackdays Malaysia 2018 – this whole concept is different from previous years. 20 AUG 2018
“Each country in Southeast Asia will have its own Hackdays and have it run for 12-hours straight before going into a round of pitching. The winner will get to compete at the regional finals in Jakarta. Also, instead of following one theme, this year, there are four categories to consider.” These four – Media and Entertainment; Transportation; Fintech; and eCommerce – allow more flexibility
in what participants want to go for. Of course, this being AWS, the categories must engage current IT trends; in this case, they are Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI). As for the goal of this hackathon: it’s very much to solve social issues. “We believe doing AWS Hackdays like this now is timely as the accessibility to new technology and data, along with
Prakoso: Personally, I’m satisfied with the turn-out. We miss the target by a lot but still, this is something.
the know-how to engage them, is more open now. How does AWS fit in? When Amazon built this platform, it worked on customer feedback. Basically, we listened to what customers want and work backwards. From ML, AI, and most features on AWS, they all feature ready-to-use API and task development processes. After all, we want to make these services easily accessible and easy to use,” Prakoso adds. 16 teams have signed up for Malaysia’s AWS Hackdays 2018, featuring a total of 53 participants. For Prakoso,
that’s a good response as it confirms many are keen to try a new challenge. “Personally, I’m satisfied with the turn-out. We miss the target by a lot but still, this is something,” he shares. Interestingly, the teams prefer to focus on fintech more than the rest. The others are in this order: Media and Entertainment, eCommerce, and Transportation. Some of the teams took a quick time-out to share about their concept. For Team SenseArt, one of the only entrants to compete in the Transportation category, they want to make the parking system
for malls more seamless. From ticket collection to payment and exiting, it’s a very disjointed experience. According to Team SenseArt leader – Chan Zhen Yu – the concept engages cameras, sensors, and the AWS platform to ensure a smooth experience. On AWS, the team is using language interpretation, ML, and AI. As for Team Parrot.Ai, they’re looking to make text transcribing and content documentation easier. For this team, there has to be a simpler way to take notes during conferences. They believe with the AI and ML capabilities that AWS has to offer, getting text notes should be easier to do. That is why they are putting this idea together. The third team that shared their idea on the side is Team Chaintope. Unlike most participants, this one is a veteran at hackathons. Having experience in the fintech space, they are working on a risk assessment for crypto-currency investments. With AWS services, this team wants to use AI and ML when deciding on the possible results of making smart investments on new initial coin offerings. It’s unfortunate that all three didn’t take the crown home. Instead, it went on to Team Astro and its ExtraTime solution. Using AWS empowered AI and ML systems, this idea automatically picks and streams football highlight reels.
21 AUG 2018
WIRE
Switching it Up Acer raises the stake for its next-gen business entries
W
hile Acer has always pushed the envelope for various designs and performance delivery in its systems, its efforts are not as far-reaching on the business front. Even if there are some gems, those don’t make as big a splash as the stuff that Acer Predator or the end-user lines offer. Come 2018, Acer is looking to play up a different ballgame. For the first time ever, Acer is rolling out an extensive list of business-class entries into its mobile and desktop lines. This includes the introduction of the allpowerful Acer Veriton range, its ever-
22 AUG 2018
By Victor Yap
popular Acer TravelMate range, and current fast-growing Acer Chromebook variants. “We are constantly pushing to innovate and improve every product in our extensive commercial line. We do this by introducing next-gen entries with the latest technologies, including the Intel 8th Generation Core processor. As a leader in Google Chromebooks, Acer will continue to excite the market with new devices as we continue to play up our pivotal role in accelerating the adoption rate in businesses, education, and at home. With more features available coming online for Google Chrome
OS, we are responding with new form factors that offer more meaningful benefits to our customers.,” says Chan Weng Hong, General Manager of Products, Acer Sales and Services Sdn Bhd. Of the many next-gen devices that showed up at the launch, the two that really stood out are the Acer Chromebook Spin 11 and Acer Chromebook Tab 10. The former – a 2-in-1 convertible – pairs an 11.6” HD IPS panel with an Intel Celeron N3450 CPU with 4GB LPDDR4 RAM (up to 8GB) and 64GB eMMC storage. Acer claims it can run up to 10 hours on a single charge. This is very suitable for users who are always on the run and are responsible for presentations as well. As for the latter, it is the very first education tablet to run on Google Chrome OS. Pairing an Arm Cortex-A72 CPU with 4GB RAM and 32GB storage, this QXGA IPS 9.7” device is more than ready for the classroom. Backing this capable device is the multitude of educational apps that are now available on Google Play. Further to that, this next-gen handheld can also engage the Expeditions AR app and Google AR services. The pricing of these two devices, and everything else, are as per the listing below: • Acer Veriton Series: From RM1,999 (spec dependent) • Acer TravelMate P2 Series: From RM2,499 (specs dependent) • Acer TravelMate X Series: RM3,999 (Intel Core i5), RM4,899 (Intel Core i7) • Acer Chromebook Spin 11: RM1,399 (CK95 – 4GB/32GB), RM1,699 (C6GV – 8GB/64GB) • Acer Chromebook 11 (2018 Refresh): RM1,099 • Acer Chromebok Tab 10: RM1,299 • Acer Chromebox CXI3: RM1,999
ADVERTORIAL
Going Beyond Big Outputs OKI DATA Malaysia introduces two all-new hyper-efficient ultra-wide format printers
H
aving hands-on opportunities are uncommon for business-to-business solutions and industrial platforms. When events like ARCHIDEX open its doors, that is one of the few critical sessions brands and interested clients get to really see these heavy-duty machines in action. This is what OKI DATA Malaysia had in mind when it put together a proper showcase for two of its newest entries into the OKI DATA Teriostar range. The two – OKI DATA LP-1040-MF and LP-2060-MF – are wide-format multi-function printing platforms that focus on boosting productivity for businesses. Both are specifically for architecture firms, graphic design houses, and engineering or reprographic service providers. Besides A1 format output, these two all-new entries into the OKI DATA Teriostar range also offer colour- and mono-scanning and user-friendly control interface.
Progressive Offerings
What makes these two large-format printers unique are how OKI DATA managed to include highly advanced capabilities; these aspects ensure a seamless, simple, and enhanced user experience for all. Of the many innovations, critical to the design and performance delivery output of these new OKI DATA Teriostar printers is the user-replaceable process cartridge. In combining the cartridge and photo-conductor drum into an easy-to-change design, changing out this part will not take as much time. The process can be done in less than five steps too, ensuring the down-time will be very minimal. This translates to better productivity rates and reduced support costs.
Intuitive Controls
One other major feature that the OKI DATA LP-1040-MF and LP-2060-MF is For more information, visit
www.oki.com.my
the robust security suite that sits within the command console. Beyond the usual PIN codes, there are also personalised usernames and passwords that act as another protective layer against unauthorized use and wastage. Other protective measures include complete deletion of the hard drive and more intricate controls for job logs. All these in-depth capabilities ensure better management on the productivity and overall operations for printing.
ADVERTORIAL
World Cup Party Like No Other It’s a power-packed festival that literally exemplifies the FIFA 2018 Finals
T
he most exciting moment in the month of July 2018 is, undoubtedly, the FIFA World Cup 2018 Finals. While everyone has hedged their bets against the underdog or vice versa, there are some quarters that prefer to ride on the even instead. The goal, of course, is to offer a great time to all for this long-awaited end-ofthe-championship match. One such major celebration is the Boost x PC.com Viewing Party that took place that very night. For this Night of All Nights, with the FIFA World Cup 2018 being the major highlight, this event took place at the heart of Jalan Telawi in Bangsar. Being
Brand partners:
in a central location, PC.com Magazine – along with its key partner, Boost – put together a massive viewing party that no one will ever forget. Activities include face painting, stage events, a proper photo-booth, and quizzes with awesome prizes up for grabs.
Not only did the crowd turn-out exceed expectations, the level of fun and excitement throughout the FIFA World Cup 2018 Finals reached fever-pitch. It’s been an awesome night that saw many happy French fans celebrate their latest win as World Champions in the football world.
WIRE
Viva la FIFA
Reach Publishing hosts World Cup Viewing Party for guests
I
n conjunction of the recently concluded 2018 FIFA World Cup, Reach Publishing Sdn Bhd together with Epson Malaysia jointly hosted World Cup Viewing parties for its corporate guests and employees - bringing together football fans and enthusiasts. The events have been well-received as guests enjoyed a night of fun-filled activities, which grooming tips by Philips and World Cup trivias.
26 AUG 2018
By Nur Atifi
The latter gave opportunity for guests to win prizes from Epson, Philips, and A&S. Guests also enjoyed a night out with scrumptious food and thirst-quenching drinks. They have also been introduced to Malaysia's up and coming e-Wallet platform, Boost, where guests can redeem and purchase their drinks from the respective venues with just a click of a button.
High Tech Engagement honor launches its first-ever Campus Tour as a reach-out effort for students
By Aron Raj
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he much-hyped 2018 honor Campus Tour kick-starts at the Asia Pacific University campus in Technology Park, Bukit Jalil. At this inaugural tour, students attending can check out honor’s latest flagship smartphone, the honor 10. They also manage to watch a surprise performance from Malaysian rapper, SonaOne. The newly launched honor 10 proved to be a hit among the students as many of them have been impressed with the Aurora Display design and the on-board artificial intelligence (AI) for the camera. In line with the honor Campus Tour, the smartphone upstart launched a selfie and wefie contest for students as well. To take part, they need to register with the honor Campus Tour team and snap a selfie or wefie with the honor Campus Tour background. They must then share their pictures on Instagram. The student with the most likes on the day would win a prize.
SonaOne wowing the crowd with his rapping prowess.
APU student, Santhushi Yasara Samarathunga, took home the prize after garnering the most likes for her selfie. The Sri Lankan student won herself an honor 10 Smartphone. Apart from the contest, the students also had the chance to listen on a keynote from honor Malaysia Country Head, George Zhou Zhiwei. The interactive session between the
students and Zhou saw many questions being asked about honor’s technology in mobilephones as well as its research and development efforts. After the talk, the students are treated to a performance by SonaOne. The entertainer entered the stage and belted the official honor music video; it is the very same song he co-wrote for the brand.
(Second from left) Li Zijian, Marketing Manager, honor Malaysia; Zhou; and SonaOne with the APU students during the roadshow talk.
27 AUG 2018
ADVERTORIAL
TRULY SEAMLESS NETWORK Netgear steps up its game in the wireless mesh space with Netgear Orbi RBK23 Whole Home AC2200
W
hen it comes to networking, there is always that one challenge that all must face: dealing with dead zones. Indeed, there is that one spot in the home or office that don’t seem to get adequate coverage. Netgear, a long-time innovator in the networking space, believes there must be a transformative solution to solve this neverending challenge. This is where the Netgear Orbi Wi-Fi Mesh comes into play.
WI-FI EVERYWHERE The Netgear Orbi Wi-Fi system has the largest choice of models to suit your needs. In the case of average-sized homes, the Netgear Orbi RBK23 Whole Home AC2200 Tri-Band Wi-Fi System will do. This entry – comprising two parts: Orbi Wi-Fi Router and two Satellites – is designed to provide wireless coverage of up to 6,000sqft. Orbi replaces your home router and extenders and easily works with existing service provider equipment. No matter which part of the home, Orbi shall dynamically pick the best way to connect to the router.
ON THE FASTLANE Having been in the industry for so long, Netgear knows what needs to be done to empower and energise a stable and fully functional wireless network. Hence, with the Netgear Orbi RBK23 Wi-Fi Router, multiple concepts have been packed into this innovative platform. This includes FastLane3 Technology, a dedicated 5Ghz Wi-Fi backhaul that ensures 4K streaming and gaming will always be a priority. This will ensure there is no lag or loading time for either.
STRAIGHTFORWARD ENGAGEMENT Setting up the Netgear Orbi RBK23 is easy enough and doesn’t require complex fiddling in the back-end. Just plug the devices in, turn them on, and fire up the Orbi mobile app to configure the system. The same app can, later on, be used to manage the wireless network. The more tedious tasks of managing the data flow and providing enough information security are now simpler to use thanks to the app. This is, indeed, the wireless solution to consider for seamless networking performance.
FULLY AUTOMATED HOME
GIZMOS Technology has introduced several improvements to the user experience and how people go about their dayto-day activities. While these innovations are more noticeable at the office and in terms of personal use, some are considered as primarily for the home. Take for instance, the smart platforms that are now quickly rolling out into houses – like smart lights, robots, and sensors. Indeed, for this month, it’s all about the smart home and the innovations that are being put together. While the list can be exhaustive, products being featured here encompass the goal of enhancing the user experience and improving one’s management of the home.
Truly Connected
Samsung SmartThings and Family Hub As the Internet of Things concept accelerates and become generally accepted, the idea of a smart home is not so far-fetched. After all, the trend is catching on among vendors and the like. Take for instance, Samsung and its Samsung SmartThings and Family Hub platforms. The former is an open ecosystem that links up various appliances in the home to a smart hub that manages these devices and their overall user experience. Operating the lights and air-conditioning, to detecting unauthorised movement or problems in the house, and managing frequently used appliances have never been easier. As for the latter, this is the interactive panel that Samsung introduced some time back. Powered with Google Android, it engages users with meal planning, scheduling, and offering entertainment features for the kitchen. This, if anything, can be the primary control and communications hub for the household. samsung.com/us/smart-home/smartthings samsung.com/us/explore/family-hub-refrigerator/ connected-hub | Price varies per device
Intuitive Cleaner
Samsung POWERbot Vacuum Cleaner with CycloneForce (250W)
This next-gen robotic vacuum cleaner from Samsung is the epitome of world-class innovation. Not only is it smarter than its predecessors, it even rocks an updated sensor, an all-new and fully-optimised suction system, and innovative Visionary Mapping Plus System. It’s tinier than before, even with the Widest Brush incorporated within. This makes it suitable to clean tight spots and hard-to-reach sections. Complementing that are the tweaks the brush received with this update. Bonus point: It’s rugged enough that it can work on various surfaces like tiles, carpets, or hardwood. Better yet, it can operate automatically, all on its own, thanks to its continuously updating control system. samsung.com/my/vacuum-cleaners/robotvr20k9350wk | RM3,395
29 AUG 2018
GIZMOS SHINY
Smarter Water Big Air Cleaning Xiaomi Mi Air Purifier 2
While it is very big in the smartphone space, it can’t be denied that Xiaomi has put the home appliance sector into an innovation tail-spin. Xiaomi, via its Mijia branding, is all for transforming this space; just like how it completely turned the smartphone sector on its head. While there are plenty of products to consider, let’s go with what is currently available: The Mi Air Purifier 2. This update takes the clean air system concept Xiaomi puts out and adds on marginal improvements. This includes larger air-flow coverage, similarly as high Clean Air Delivery Rate, and stronger air pressure output. All that in a more compact form factor. mi.com/my/air2/ | RM499
Mi Water Purifier
It’s not just air quality that Xiaomi is concerned with – it is equally as focused on water purity. For this, there is the Mi Water Purifier. Beyond the usual mix of fine and complex filters used within, which feature four filtration layers, Xiaomi has also incorporated a Reverse Osmosis system. This is to ensure all bacteria, antibiotics, and heavy metals are removed. There are sensors within that measure the water quality and filter quality. They also keep track of the core components that keep the system running in tip-top condition. mi.com/en/water | From US$450~
True Robotic Cleaning Tools Mi Vacuum Lines
Xiaomi is pushing, in a big way, into the vacuum cleaner space and is not shy to show how it wants to do it. First, the robotic entry – the Xiaomi Mi RoboRock Sweep 2. While it is very much like other robotic vacuums, it offers a couple of enhancements that step up the original entry by a few notches. Beyond the smart functions – like automatic navigation and sensor tracking – it is a smart-cleaner that sports a couple of big changes. In the literal sense, it now uses a larger bin capacity, a mopping mode, and quieter performance experience. Indeed, these are all major improvements over what the original offers. Even more interesting is the Xiaomi Roidmi. This intelligent roller vacuum offers high-speed suction power with low noise delivery. The smart aspect introduces seamless tracking of part performance, battery status, and filter management. roborock.com & roidmi.com/vacuum | From US$280 to US$500 30 AUG 2018
Full Control Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S
To make this truly work, there must be a proper control and management system that users can easily engage. This is where the flagship smartphone from Xiaomi, the most pervasive and top-end currently available being the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S, come into play. It sports the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 mobile CPU with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage – this ensures that everything can be seamlessly controlled and will not present any hiccups. After all, there are various products and services that must run properly to make the connected home dream real. It’s a big plus that this flagship smartphone also rocks a duallens camera and augmented reality capabilities. The 3,400mAh battery with fast charging – both wired and wireless – is a huge help too. mi.com/my/mix2s | RM1,999
31 AUG 2018
GIZMOS SHINY
Twin Turbo
Dyson Ball DC63 Cylinder Vacuum Cleaner The same innovative minds behind the bladeless fans that Dyson produces have put their thinking caps on again to create a highperformance vacuum cleaner. While there are a couple of smart, and equally as unique, cleaning systems – the one that stands out the most is the Dyson DC63. This, by far, is the most powerful entry in its class as it uses three Dyson innovations – the Dyson Digital Motor V4, Ball Design, and 2-Tier Radial Cyclone System with Radial Root Cyclone. All three features work in tandem to ensure the very best in suction output, promising that no dust is ever missed. dyson.my/vacuums/cylinder-vacuums/dc63.aspx | SG$799 / RM2,400~
Perfect Air Agent Dyson Pure Cool
With how polluted the air these days, there is a need to get air purifiers or filter systems that will remove these micro-sized health hazards. Dyson, famous for its bladeless fans, knows more needs to be done to produce comfortable, clean, and healthy air-flow in the house. On top of producing high-powered tower fans, the designers behind this one-of-a-kind innovation feels it’d be awesome if it applies the same technology to purify the air it is already circulating within the room. Sensors inside the Dyson Pure Cool will also detect, measure, and report the air pollutants present in real time. These features are accessible via dedicated Dyson smartphone app, the very same platform used to control the fan. dyson.my/fans-and-purifiers/purifiers/dyson-purecool/overview.aspx | From RM2,259
32 AUG 2018
Powered Scale
Drop Scale - Connected Kitchen Scale and Recipe App
Cooking is not as simple as whipping up something over the stove and making it extremely delicious. It is a mix of precise processes – cutting, mixing, marinating, and measuring. The most important is measurements as those working in the kitchen will always share – it’s all science. Drop, a recipe app, has put out a connected digital scale to make prep time for cooking a little easier. As it is linked to a smartphone, it will show the ingredients weight on the app. It’s a plus that this device works hand-in-hand with the step-by-step recipe guide in the app. getdrop.com/appliances/drop-scale | US$79.85 / ~RM330
The Helpful Bind
simplehuman 58-Liter Voice/Motion Sensor Trash Can What else can be connected to the smart home network? Lights, air-conditioning, and the refrigerator are in the list as they are goto home appliances. How about the trash can? Seriously, this is necessary as it saves time too Seconds wasted to step on the footpedal or manually opening the lid with one’s hand is now a thing of the past. That is what the simplehuman trash can wants to achieve. Just say “Open Can” or wave one’s hand over the sensor for it to flip up the lid. It’ll know when to close once the rubbish is disposed. It even offers a quiet operation too and comes in two design flavours. simplehuman.com/eu/sensor-can-with-voice-control | €249.99 / ~RM1,200
Seamless Connectivity Google Wi-Fi Mesh
Hate it when the Wi-Fi suddenly drops out in the home or office? Dead zones are periodical when the wireless connectivity is fluctuating badly and when it hits, it is usually very infuriating. With Google Wi-Fi, that is no longer the case. Mountain View makes the guaranteed promise that such issues will not be major concerns as it puts in place a network mesh that delivers consistent and strong Wi-Fi for that specific network zone. Users just need to replace their current router with a couple of these devices and it’ll do the rest. Of course, there is the basic setting up bits and making sure the automation knows what to engage and keep it going. store.google.com/us/product/google_ wifi?hl=en-US | US$129 / RM699 (1x), from RM1,2000 (x3) on Lazada
33 AUG 2018
COVER STORY
Malaysia SMEs: All About Growing Fast and Going Global
Malaysia’s own ‘Fab Five Scale-ups’ are flexing its muscles to go global by Nur Atifi and Aron Raj (Additional text by Victor Yap)
(From left to right) Reza Fahmi Razali; CEO of Getslurp, Syed Ahmad Fuqaha, Co-Founder and Managing Director of KATSANA, Kamarul A Muhamed; Founder and Group CEO of Aerodyne, Nadhir Ashafiq; Executive Director of The Lorry, and Nazroof Hakim; CEO of Billplz.
34 AUG 2018
T
his being the month of August, it is appropriate that the spotlight will shine upon some of Malaysia’s brightest business efforts. Among the many gems that are appearing of late, five specific up-starts – now calling themselves scale-ups – are looking to do more than just rattle their respective marketplaces. The focus is very literal – they are already expanding their operations. What would it take to get here and how much more needs to be done to push things forward? Well, according to the five, the journey of an entrepreneur is full of
ups and downs; weathering them can only strengthens one’s resolve. Often times, these can lead to fresh opportunities for growth. This has been the key takeaway that Malaysia’s own ‘Fab Five Scale-ups’ – Aerodyne Group; KATSANA Holdings Sdn Bhd; Billplz Sdn Bhd; The Lorry Online Sdn Bhd; and Getslurp – adhere to. All five are successful within their respective industries over the years. For them, the one thing that stands out, and they all instantly agree on, is to accept failure as a lesson. This paves the way for them to grow beyond expectations.
To find out more, Business Today – PC.com’s sister magazine – did an in-depth sit down with these companies’ leaders; specifically, the Founders and/or CEOs. For them, it has always been about how to persevere and – consistently – produce great results with their never-say-die attitude. The discussion picks on the brilliant minds of Kamarul A Muhamed, Founder and Group CEO of Aerodyne; Syed Ahmad Fuqaha, Co-Founder and Managing Director of KATSANA; Nazroof Hakim, CEO of Billplz; Nadhir Ashafiq, Executive Director of The Lorry; and Reza Fahmi Razali, CEO of Getslurp. 35 AUG 2018
COVER STORY Opportunities Abound An air of excitement quickly emerges when all five company leaders congregate together in the spacious meeting room of Aerodyne’s headquarters in Phileo Damansara. After all, it is not every day that these five charismatic industry stalwarts are able to sit down and share about their entrepreneurial journey. It’s easy to tell that the scale-up community in the country is a tight-knit group; everyone either knows, or have interacted with each other, at one point of their scale-up life. This core trait is also pervasive among start-ups. While each business operation may be different, a common denominator is their involvement in the digital ecosystem. From Artificial Intelligence (AI) and data analytics, to payment gateway, freight, and process management, these companies have evolved to meet the current demands within their respective market sectors. For Aerodyne, it has not always been about providing AI-drive drone services for enterprises. Incorporated in 2014, its operations initially provided high-end visual solution with strong ties in unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) services. “Those days focused on beautiful pictures, though we quickly realised that there is more to it than this. There is potential of what can be derived from aerial data. This idea has inspired our first transformation, from beautiful pictures to ‘beautiful data’,” says Kamarul. The company has embarked on several transformations that, soon after, proved to be disruptive to larger enterprises. He explains: “A year into successfully delivering actionable data, we realised we needed to provide more. That became our second transformation, where we start to provide an integrated drone-based total solution in 2016. “Our business grew manifold as we have been able to deliver real values to our enterprise clients. After all, our mantra is ‘Faster, Better, Cheaper!’” Similar to the development of recent technologies, digital transformation is very much a continuous process – a work in 36 AUG 2018
progress, so to speak. Just like Aerodyne, KATSANA has undertaken a shift in focus as it moves to harness and analyse more than three million kilometres of driving data that is generated every day. “We also started our business in 2014, starting from a simple idea of tracking stolen cars. Since our inception, KATSANA has recovered 94% of the stolen cars under our charge,” shares Fuqaha. From 2015 onwards, large enterprise fleets started using KATSANA. The company shifted from providing security for vehicles to providing fleet managers with the ability to understand drivers on the road. More importantly, the service focuses on improving accountability among drivers. Fuqaha adds: “New algorithms and features have been engineered to provide meaningful insights for fleet managers, allowing them to rank drivers based on their behaviour on the road.” While Aerodyne and KATSANA re-evaluate operations to remain relevant, companies like Billplz, The Lorry, and Getslurp address specific market needs; the goal for them is to innovate and add value. The payments industry has grown leaps and bounds in the advent of eCommerce. For Billplz, it means addressing the pain points for merchants who engage with payments services. They do so by by providing
the assurance of getting paid faster, at the lowest cost possible. Nazroof, who worked as a manager in Pos Malaysia, believed in needing to steer the national postal service towards eCommerce. He shares: “Even back in 2010, eCommerce has already been showing very promising compound annual growth rate (CAGR); specifically, for gross merchandise volume (GMV) and transaction volume.” According to Nazroof, eCommerce has three main pillars: merchandise, payment, and delivery. “PosLaju is already
doing well in delivery, so payment is the obvious thing to focus on after.” However, he got tired of waiting: “I decided to quit Pos Malaysia and applied for a grant from Cradle to develop a prototype. I also received strong support from various parties like the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC). Malaysia Venture Capital Management Berhad (MAVCAP) and 500 Startups also came on board as investors in 2015. The rest, as they say, became history.” As for The Lorry, its land freight platform connects customers to owners of lorries, vans, and 4×4 pick-up trucks. It is currently working with more than 5,000 drivers in three countries: Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand. “Our vision has been the same from day one. It is to innovate and provide value-add to the logistics segment with technology. This sector is always considered a dinosaur industry – one that is slow with adopting new of technology. We want to change this by being a proponent and champion of progressive innovations; basically stuff that reduces cost and increases efficiency,” explains Nadhir. Using technology to help other businesses, Getslurp, as the name suggests, is focused on operations management for the food and beverage industry. It aims to provide small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in the space with the right tools; the goal is to enable them to compete with bigger operators that have access to numerous analytics and resources.
“The F&B market in Malaysia itself is huge. An advantage for us is how Malaysians are early adopters of technology. This has enabled us to quickly test out new ideas and technologies easily,” shares Reza. Addressing Challenges It is easy to see how all five companies have worked hard to get to where they are now. All of them agree that it will usually take at least three to four years before one can fully reap what they’ve sowed. When asked about their early days, the affable entrepreneurs recall that while there have been opportunities, there are as many challenges they need to also face. Nadhir also shares how the first three months have been very tough. “It had been just us, two co-founders, working day in and out to ensure we got as many bookings as possible. At the same time, we try to remain sane while facing all the operational headaches,” he shares. “Aside from operations, we also had to focus on driver recruitment, digital marketing, selling the idea to corporate clients, fund raising, hiring, and about 1,001 other things! It has been super hectic. Also, it’s not easy for us to get things off the ground and gain credibility in a traditional market.” Similarly, for Nazroof, putting together a business strategy for Billplz has been easier said than done. “Clueless is the right word. How do you hire? How do you lead those you hired? What is even
Billplz’s business model? It’s then that I realise why there are more employees than employers in the market.” As for Reza, Getslurp started off with the wrong foot: “We started with a software that our merchants did not really want to use.” He quickly learned his lesson and listened to merchant feedback – incorporating them into Getslurp’s software. In turn, the process of selling the platform gradually became easier. Building Foundations Having the right support system has also helped these companies to drive further growth. All five businesses have been identified as high potential companies under MDEC’s Global Acceleration and Innovation (GAIN) programme. This initiative has helped them expand and become global players through market access, leadership and capability development, brand visibility, and scale-up capital. “The current digital ecosystem in Malaysia is very conducive for digital entrepreneurs. We are so blessed with all the kinds of assistance available at our disposal. Such supportive platforms are the primary catalysts for growth with many companies, us included,” says Kamarul. Fuqaha adds: “I’m filled with pride when I see how local start-ups have mushroomed and are able to compete in the international markets. We have benefitted directly from local investments, including venture capital and government grants.” 37 AUG 2018
COVER STORY Nadhir believes that the digital ecosystem in Malaysia is growing by leaps and bounds, following the dotcom bubble era. “Malaysia is definitely not lacking in talent and the drive to build great companies. The support from the Malaysian government through agencies – such as MDEC, Malaysian Global Innovation & Creativity Centre (MaGIC), Cradle, and TERAJU – also contributed to the propagation of entrepreneurship in the country,” he adds. In fact, each of the five companies have been working closely with local government agencies throughout their growth journey. “Billplz works with all the relevant agencies in Malaysia, especially with MDEC and Malaysia New Entrepreneurs Foundation (MyNEF). Aside from grants, they are active in sharing business leads and aligning their agendas with actual market demand,” shares Nazroof. KATSANA has also worked together with numerous agencies, in particularly TERAJU. Fuqaha explains: “We have been the winner of the first TERAJU SUPERB Grant in 2014. This
38 AUG 2018
win has helped us tremendously in our research & development.” “Being a technology company, R&D costs are high. Through this, we have been able to sustain the company while our technology matures. The grant and TERAJU’s support are truly instrumental to our early growth.” In his bid to ensure there is business continuity in its early days, Nadhir worked closely with MaGIC. He shares: “Through my early startup failure, I knew early on that I did not want to build The Lorry in a silo. I made it a point to join the community and signed up for a co-working space at MaGIC. I also participated in programmes, such as MaGIC Academy, to bolster my knowledge in digital marketing, product innovation, and business development.” These agencies have opened doors for the five companies to find success in Malaysia and brought them to the point when they are now expanding their sights beyond local borders. “If you are looking to expand beyond Malaysia, the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) is a great place to start. That platform offers
a wealth of knowledge when it comes to entering new markets,” shares Reza. Reiterating this, Kamarul reveals that MATRADE has been helpful with Aerodyne’s global expansion. As part of its third transformation, the drone service provider has re-engineered itself to become a global company. “We started in March 2017 and by the end of that year, Aerodyne has rolled out into 10 countries. Fast forward to May 2018, we are now in 18 countries, with more to come,” Kamarul shares. Following suit to expanding beyond Malaysia is Billplz. Nazroof shares that the MDEC EXPAND programme is “a fantastic way to play your expansion”. “I participated in MDEC EXPAND Indonesia and found many eager partners ready to collaborate,” he adds.
Gunning for Growth Moving forward, the companies have plans to conquer their respective sectors and become the leaders within. With more than a million F&B establishments in the region, Getslurp hopes to do well in the local market before expanding into new geographic locations. For KATSANA, its high recovery rate of stolen is known through the industry. Right now, it has the Malaysian insurance industry adopt its solution and scoring method. Both have been its biggest milestones so far. Next up, KATSANA now wants to improve on road safety. A positively inspired Fuqaha says: “We want to show that our locally grown technology can be a catalyst for reducing accidents throughout South East Asia (SEA) via intelligent use of data analytics, impactful engagements with the drivers, partnerships with motor insurers, and continuous support from regulators. We hope to, one day, be the de-facto driver scoring standard across the region.” Speaking about regional development, The Lorry aims to be the land freight champion as it serves in six
key markets. Nadhir confidently reveals: “I would love to be able to tell people that 1 out of 10 goods that are transported in SEA is done with The Lorry.” Meanwhile, Kamarul knows Aerodyne is only going to get better. The company is currently ranked 7th globally in the list of Top 20 drone services. “We want to capture more global market share. PwC forecasted how drone-based services in the infrastructure vertical will be worth more than US$42 billion by 2020. We want to get a substantial cut from this valuation. We think 10% is achievable…maybe even 30%,” he shares. He adds that Aerodyne aims to be a renowned global player with leading edge AI-driven drone technology. Above and beyond, it aims to drive notable changes in the way businesses are run. “We have some very interesting stuff hidden up our sleeves, especially with AI. This is where the future is. It is going to be mega disruptive!” Billplz, on the other hand, has its sights on being publicly listed in the near future. “I believe every action is based on your fitrah, your primordial nature.” These are very strong words from Nazroof. Hitting RM1 million daily in GMV, and securing MAVCAP as an investor, are just two of the proudest moments for Billplz. When asked what advice he has for new start-ups and entrepreneurs, he
answers, “Timing is everything. Can Uber be Uber before 2007? Get the A-Team to produce A results, because B/C/D team produces B/C/D results. Traction for your business will materialise accordingly or not based on your timing and team.” Reza echoes Nazroof: “Take your time to build your team and manage the cash flow. Always keep your costs low.” “When you have an idea in mind, find a way to test it at the lowest possible cost, as fast as possible. If it works, continue to build more features and provide value-add. If it does not, pivot to something else,” says Nadhir. Going back to budgeting, Fuqaha adds: “I would advise would-be entrepreneurs against spending money on the development of technology when you have no customers or understanding of the market needs.” He strongly advises to only invest in technology development after communicating with potential customers, understanding their problems, and seeing if they are willing to engage you to solve the challenges they face. As Kamarul simply puts it: “Be different, as you do not become successful by just doing what others are doing. Be fluid – as your first awesome idea may not be the most brilliant. In fact, it is not just about ideas; it is all about execution, delivery, and preserving trust.”
39 AUG 2018
Value | Expensive does not always means good. Performance | A measure of how well the product stands up to our testing.
Features | The best gimmicks and flashy parts get the top score.
Design | Aesthetics are important. The nicer it looks, the more points it gets.
Usability | The best for day-to-day tasks are
valued higher.
>7.5
>8.0
>9.0
TESTED
IF IT EXPLODES, WE'LL LET YOU KNOW.
40 AUG 2018
We are constantly improving our internal testing methodologies for all components and devices. The Editor's Choice Award is an accolade we take very seriously at PC.com. Every month, we identify the crème de la crème of the lot, from PCs, inkjet printers to smartphones and DSLR cameras.
TEST TOOLS
41 AUG 2018
TESTED
Proper Ramp Up ASUS ZenFone 5Z Near bezel-less FullView Display is a dream to look at
Same dual-lens camera capabilities, this time with real AI
Outdoor Mode for sound is insane!
What’s in the Name?
Z for Zenith
Minimal Changes
When ASUS confirmed it will bring back the ASUS ZenFone 5 as its 2018 flagship, it struck off many rumous; specifically, those that share how the Taiwanese innovator wants to tweak the name. After all, the original snapped up the name in reflection of its screen size. Of course, in re-taking the title, this all-new ASUS ZenFone 5 is all about stepping it up; raising the bar and all. In fact, its review in the PC.com July 2018 issue has many positive points. Big words indeed and then some, that is until the ASUS ZenFone 5Z showed up. While not surprising, it did confirm ASUS still has the capacity to surprise at times.
Originally rumour-mill, this effort is something ASUS kept under-wraps for a long while, but the leaks ruined the big reveal. Even so, no one could guess the name until the final days. The talk of having a modified name is true, though it’s more for the premium variant. In the case for adding the Z – for ASUS ZenFone 5Z – it makes perfect sense. The suffix can mean many things. Zero; Zeta; Zorro; Zen; but, personally, it should be Zenith. This is due to the specs that this premium nextgen flagship rocks. 6GB RAM and 128GB storage, it is the pinnacle for a flagship. There is a 8GB/256GB variant too. Hence, adding the Z prefix as it refers to the very top.
Looks wise, the ASUS ZenFone 5Z maintains the overall design and chassis configuration. Even the main camera array placement at the back is the same. If anything, most are likely to mistake this premium flagship as its more affordable counterpart. Indeed, out of the box, this high-performance entry looks exactly like the ASUS ZenFone 5. If not for the fact that the latter is in a protective sleeve, it’ll be hard to tell them apart. Of course, specs wise, it’s very different. Roaring inside is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845. Pairing with the amped RAM and storage space gives the necessary leg up it needs to stand out. Personally, this one change is remarkable enough.
42 AUG 2018
Long-lasting battery – close to 16-hours – on a single charge
Easy to mix-up with the ASUS ZenFone 5
24 HOURS EXPERIENCE 7am
8am
“Started checking social media and catching up on some game time. Battery life dropped to 90%.”
“GPS usage is smooth and accurate, while syncing Bluetooth devices is a cinch too. Another 10% of power knocked off.”
10am
12.30pm
2.30pm
5.30pm
8.30pm
10.30pm
“Setting up the ASUS ZenFone 5Z. Mistook the ASUS ZenFone 5 as the new review device, so had to keep the mid-range out of view.”
“Commuting to a meeting with GPS and Bluetooth streaming turned on again. Multiple stops during the trip so there are moments of social media lurking.”
“Almost quitting time – unwinding the left-over minutes with some music streaming. Power now at 60%.”
“More video streaming and game time, right after dinner. This time with the stereo speakers set to max volume. Battery life is now at 45%.”
“Minimal use at work aside from WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger alerts. Added in some more game time along with a couple of YouTube streams. Power holding at 75%.”
“Winding down and time to recharge. The battery on the ASUS ZenFone 5Z still has 20% left with the power management confirming it can still go for another hour or two.”
43 AUG 2018
TESTED Warm colour reproduction on 6.2" Full HD DCI-P3 panel
Quick Comparisons
Play it Cool
Second Ignition
After the initial setup, it is a must to do a direct comparison with the ASUS ZenFone 5 and 5Z. After all, the former has been the daily driver for a month or so, making it the natural next move. Beyond mistaking the two for each other, it’s clear which has the upper-hand for app management and battery use. While it’s an unfair comparison, the ASUS ZenFone 5 still stayed close to its more powerful brother in all comparisons. Impressive as it sounds, the ASUS ZenFone 5Z steps it up in terms of battery management, sound processing, and boot up time. Within the first hour, it’s obvious that the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 takes up the slack very quickly.
For something so powerful, the ASUS ZenFone 5Z is expected to heat up. This is the easy conclusion most will make, even yours truly. This is all thanks to the top-end Qualcomm System-on-Chip and 6GB RAM onboard. Personally, gaming is the best way to push any device and, of course, loads of games have been tried on this flagship. This includes Fate/Grand Order, Girls: Frontline, Asphalt 8, WarPods, OPUS, and Marvel Contest of Champions. Each game maxed out the processing potential this next-gen premium smartphone offers through various visual renders. Of course, this includes heavy graphic processing, running massive art assets simultaneously, and ensuring the network is consistently active. Surprisingly, this top-line device didn’t heat up at all during these tests.
To ensure the experience is thorough, gaming is only one critical aspect for this review. The ASUS ZenFone 5Z took on the role of designated daily driver throughout its review period. As someone who used this all-new high-spec flagship, it’s more than a step up. In fact, it can go toe-to-toe with immediate market rivals. It’s a big plus that it runs cool all the time and can keep going for almost 16-hours on max battery after a single charge. In fact, the battery life for this flagship took a big hit when it nose-dived from full to 30% within six hours. This is with consistent gaming sessions. Regular use saw the full charge dip to 30% in the span of 14-hours.
44 AUG 2018
90% screen-to-body ratio
Proper sound stage with stereo speaker setup with amp
Sound Innovation
Third Advancement
Powered Progressive
When it comes to audio delivery, smartphones are infamous for delivering what they can with their tiny speakers. There are exceptions, of course, like the long-standing innovation stalwarts that believe in providing the best sound stage. Only brand-new 2018 flagships recently hopped onto the bandwagon. ASUS, with its next-gen duo, happens to be one such vendor. Thusly, the ASUS ZenFone 5 has a stereo system, comprising a single down-firing speaker and the earpiece cum loudspeaker. The latter comes into play only when the device is in the landscape position. The ASUS ZenFone 5Z steps it up with the inclusion of Japanese-sourced NXP Smart Amp. Both amp and the 5-magnet speaker drivers work together to create a literal punchy sound field.
This being the third take of the ASUS ZenFone 5, the premium spec bump for this flagship should be significant in many ways. While the design and, give or take, 80% of the chassis is similar – camera array included, the core specs are what make the premium flagship stand out. Sporting a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 and 6GB RAM, up to 8GB on the 25GB storage, raises the performance bar. The updated CPU is all that matters as it amps up the camera use and user engagement processes. In fact, the former is more intuitive as it offers better photo-taking options. In welllit environments, pictures turn out great. Even in low-light, the ASUS ZenFone 5Z performs remarkably well. This is all thanks to the artificial intelligence running in the next-gen mobile CPU and the optimisations ASUS put in place.
For the better part of July 2018, the ASUS ZenFone 5Z is the somewhat proper daily drive. It is obviously clear that the flagship will take out its lower-spec counterpart, so let’s focus on the overall experience. This top-end variant cut load times for apps, games, and enriched multimedia streams. Even if the ASUS ZenFone 5 delivers, there is still a clear winner among the two. Speedier processing and larger storage capacity are critical aspects that raise the bar for overall user experience. As is, the high-spec flagship is possibly the very best entry for Taiwanese-based technology wunderkind. With an affordable price-tag to boot, it may jolly well breakaway from normal convention in the retail space.
BENCHMARK AnTuTu: 270,266 PCMark Work 2.0 Performance: 8976
SPECS
VERDICT:
3DMark Sling Shot Extreme: 4711 (OpenGL ES3.1), 3766 3DMark Sling Shot: 6379 (Vulkan) GeekBench 4: 2471 (Single), 9090 (Multi)
“This premium take, with its affordable price, is out to set new milestones. It misses the mark a little, but it still stands out as a potential industry shaker.” - Victor
PRICE: RM1,899 DISPLAY: 6.2” Full HD Super IPS+ Panel PROCESSOR: Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 with AI Boost RAM / STORAGE: 6GB / UFS2.1 128GB (up to 8GB /256GB) EXPANSION SUPPORT: Up to 2TB CAMERA: 12MP + 8MP Dual Pixel with
6p Lens and Image Stabilisation (Rear), 8MP f/2.0 (Front) SOUND: Dual Speakers with NXP Smart Amp SIM: Dual nano-SIM BATTERY: 3,300mAh OPERATING SYSTEM: Android 8.0 Oreo with ASUS ZenUI 5
9.6 45 AUG 2018
TESTED
Crystal Clarity Redefined Sennheiser HD 820
erials t a m m Premiu eat build-up no h e s i m use o d e pr g n o l ro after p
Massive glass enclosure
Large ear-cans provides maximum comfort
46 AUG 2018
Rich Heritage
Apex Design
Glass Innovation
How often is one able to sit down and try out one of the best headphones in the world? Moreso, it’s from what many consider to be the best audio engineering brand to-date. Of course, when the invite from Sennheiser came in, there is no doubt whatsoever on what the response will be. Even when the details didn’t reveal the review unit’s name, it’s a rare opportunity not to be missed. Better still, to try it out in a controlled environment, it is something only a brand like Sennheiser would consider. After all, it must live up to its long history as the go-to audiophile vendor. Held at the Sennheiser Flagship Store in KLCC, it’s obvious that every element to create the perfect experience has been accounted for.
Upon discovering that this review focuses on the all-new Sennheiser flagship headset, the Sennheiser HD 820, it all made sense. For something so high-spec and stratospherically insane in terms of innovation, nothing can be left to chance. Not even the samples used for this review. Indeed, anything less than lossless will not be fitting for this premium ear-cans. Seeing it in person, it’s an easy guess why this headset needs to be reviewed in a managed space. Again, everything must be done right. The closed headset design, with its dynamically designed drivers, promise a unique sound stage that ramps up the user immersion. This top-end headset – a balanced mix of metal, glass, and leather – is both breathtaking and overly mad. Well, at least, it is at the very top of its game.
How does Sennheiser make it stand-out over its immediate rivals? Better yet, what did it do to raise the ante further in the premium audiophile headset space? Well for starters, the long-time audio expert managed to improve its legendary Sennheiser Ring Radiator transducers. To prove it is done with being traditional, reinforced glass is used in place of metal and plastics. Indeed, thick glass now acts as the housing case. This heavy glass cover, made from Corning Gorilla Glass, uses a concave design to reflect sound waves. In some ways, the reflected audio interplays with the sound stage to produce a more impactful experience. Of course, primarily, the reflection diverts to embedded absorbers below the drivers. This will, as Sennheiser claims, reduce resonance levels.
User-friendly design that ensure the cable doesn’t get in the way
Unmatched deep sound immersion delivery
Heavy chassis yet comfortable to use
Amped Delivery
Pure Clarity
Truly Worthy
So how does a pair of glass-back enclosed ear-cans sound like? While using words like insanely exceptional or mind-blowingly awesome are fine, they do not do justice to this one-of-a-kind experience. From the long wait-time for the exclusive oneperson hands-on experience and then the quick unboxing – it’s all a hyped-up affair. Of course, all these processes are worth the trouble once the Sennheiser HD 820 came into full view. Holding it, one can immediately tell that it isn’t the standard fanfare, not even Sennheiser’s usual. As someone that spent many years with the Sennheiser HD 700, it’s safe to say that there is no contest. The updated build alone is telling as this next-gen audiophile headset means business – from being hefty to the premium materials used, this is truly next level.
Before going into the sound stage delivery of the Sennheiser HD 820, let’s get the hardware details out of the way. Since this is a controlled environment, there will be some advantages for Sennheiser. This includes pairing the premium headset with the Sennheiser HDV 820 Amplifier and using a specially tuned symmetrical impedance-matching cable. The latter also rocks a balanced 4.4mm Pentaconn Stereo Jack. Both make doubly sure the sound stage is at its very best. Listening to Charlie Puth, Adam Levine, Ayumi Hamazaki, Jay Chou, and Bach for necessary classicals, all of them feel as if there is new audio aspects to each lossless track. Neverheard-before nuances, like the vibrato in Puth and Chou, or the sharp ping of the strings in Bach, come out with pure, almost crystal-like, clarity.
Is the Sennheiser HD 820 the one to consider for pure unadulterated sound delivery? In comparing this next-gen entry to one of the original premium ear-can pioneers, the open-case Sennheiser HD 700, it is as if the ultra-high performance of the predecessor has been given a huge boost. The closed design, coupled with pure lossless sound delivery, enables this all-new headset to go all out. Performance wise, the audio delivery is cleaner, more refined, and given additional details. There is almost no ambient interference and the output from the heavily optimised transducers are beyond top-notch. Just so this review is done properly, two lossy tracks from K-Pop vocal group, Mamamoo, slipped through and even they experienced punchier delivery. All in all, this headset certainly matches its asking price.
SPECS
VERDICT:
“A true audio masterpiece – nothing can ever compare or will be able to top for years!” - Victor
PRICE: RM12,990 DESIGN: Closed with Dynamic Sound Stage CONNECTOR: 1/4" Stereo Jack, Unbalanced; 4.4mm Pentaconn Stereo Jack, Balanced; XLR-4, Balanced
IMPEDANCE: 300Ohms FREQUENCY: 12 – 43,800Hz (-3dB), 6 – 48,000Hz (-10dB) SOUND PRESSURE: 103dB at 1KHz, 1V BUNDLED IN: 1x USB Flash Drive with instruction manual, 1x storage box, 1x microfibre cloth
9.7 47 AUG 2018
TESTED
The Perfect Sound Bar Sony HT-Z9F 3.1 Dolby ATMOS/DTS:X Sound Bar No wires at all between sound bar and subwoofer
sign e d m i l Ultra-s d bar for soun
48 AUG 2018
Loads of audio settings to use
Pretty Slim
Easy Arrangement
Seamless Sync
Sound bars are all the rage these days that almost everyone knows what it can offer for a simple TV set-up at home. It’s so commonplace that it now requires innovative or exclusive features to step up the user experience. What else could be added onto a sound bar to make it louder or better than it already is? In Sony’s case, it will be to throw in everything on hand to make it the very best sound bar it has ever produced. The result is the premium Sony HT-Z9F 3.1-Channel Dolby ATMOS / DTS:X Sound Bar. This being a Sony product, it features next-gen innovations like the Sony Vertical Surround Engine, S-Force Pro Front Surround, S-Master HX Digital Amplifier.
While the specs sound impressive, it usually means the sound bar would be on the heavier side. While it’s better to have more than a pair of hands to move the package around, one person is more than enough to unbox and put together the Sony HT-Z9F. While it may seem tricky and messy, it’s because this brand-new Sony is nearly wire-free that there is really no need for extra help. In fact, the subwoofer is the only heavy object in the box. It just took 15 minutes to properly arrange the sound system, jam in the power cords, and connect the TV and sound bar. It’s that easy and straightforward to put it all together.
It’s very cool to see how the subwoofer can just fire up and immediately link itself to the sound bar. It’s done in an instant and feels very seamless. That is how a true wireless next-gen sound system should operate, with only just the power cord being the only cable present. Even pairing with smart devices via Bluetooth is a smooth process as well. Of course, this being a sound system, it’s better to test out content from on the smart TV. This includes various shows on Netflix, Dolby ATMOS material, and Blu-ray movie trailers. As for music playback, both lossless and lossy songs are wirelessly streamed from the Huawei P20 Pro, OPPO Find X, and ASUS ZenFone 5Z.
Ready for the best home cinema experience
All-encompassing sound field via Sony Vertical Sound Engine
Big on Sound
Transformable Potential
Perfect for All
Sound bars are usually straightforward systems that only offer stereo, at most triple, channel outputs. Paired with the subwoofer, and Dolby ATMOS of late, it is the most ideal cinema set-up for the home. Sony is among the top-tier vendors that believes it can do more in this space and, with the Sony HT-Z9F, it puts in loads of innovations that reinforces the notion. With the Sony Vertical Sound Engine feature, listening to Dolby ATMOS – virtual or literal – is an exceptional experience. TV dramas like Netflix's The Crown and blockbusters, such as Ant Man, The Avengers, and Transformers: Power of the Primes trilogy, all of them sound amazingly immersive. From pin-drop silence to massive gunfights, everything is pitch perfect!
The Sony HT-Z9F is undoubtedly the go-to platform for sound bars as it sets several industry benchmarks. Beyond top-tier audio performance and seamless wireless connectivity, Sony has also added two other progressive functions. The two operate hand-in-hand to deliver the very best in surround sound. Firstly, the wireless pairing with the premium-type Sony HTZ9F Wireless Rear Speakers. This beefs up the all-new sound bar performance as it transforms the 3.1 system into a native 5.1. Second, this also engages all the progressive features in the sound bar, expanding the Vertical Surround Engine capabilities; literally, it switches over into a proper Dolby ATMOS system. This includes all related audio functions like Sony S-Force Pro, DSEE HX, and Hi-Res Audio.
If anything, the Sony HT-Z9F is highly suited for the home. Not only does it provide an awesome sound stage, it can also operate as a central multimedia hub. This is a viable option due to how this sound bar can sync up with, stream, and control other Sony wireless speakers. Take note, it's not just the dedicated satellites, but the proper Bluetooth ones as well. Pepper them around the house and the next-gen sound system can act as the primary music playback console. Oh, of course, this being a Sony device, it has native upscaling capabities for 4K HDR content and Dolby ATMOS sound too. Indeed, this is the powerhouse sound system that everyone is looking for.
BENCHMARK 3D Mark Sling Shot Extreme: 1,358 PCMark Work 2.0: 5,838
SPECS
VERDICT:
AnTuTu: 149,036 Geekbench: Single-Core: 1,860; Multi-Core: 6,462
“The sound bar that everyone needs – great price, awesome features, and immersive performance squeezed into one powerful platform.” - Led Wayline
PRICE: RM2,829.25 AMPLIFIER TYPE: Sony S-Master HX @ 400W Output (Sound Bar) CONNECTIVITY: HDMI (ARC), HDCP 2.2, Optical, Analogue, USB, Ethernet, Bluetooth 4.2, Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n SOUND FORMATS: Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, Dolby ATMOS, Dolby Dual, DTS, DTS-HD Hi-
Res Audio, DTS-HD Master Audio, DTS-ES, DTS:X SPEAKER LAYOUT: 3.1-Channel (Stereo + Centre, Subwoofer) I/O: 2x HDMI-In (ARC) with 4K/60p, HDR, HLG, and Dolby VISION Support with HDCP2.2 and Bravia Sync / HDMI CEC, 1x HDMI-Out (ARC), 1x 3.5mm Audio Jack, 1x Optical-In, 1x RJ-45 LAN, 1x USB 2.0 Type-A
9.8 49 AUG 2018
TESTED
Floating on Thin Air
LG OLED 65E8PTA UHD HDR Smart TV r-thin e p a p y Nearl HDR screen D OLED UH
Stand Slim
Deep Delivery
LG has always been focused on putting the very best with OLED technology. Ever since it secured the innovation’s name and proprietary features, it pushed the design envelope for its OLED and UHD entries. This has resulted in a variety of world firsts, like the superbly thin and sleek LG E8. The call came in to review this ‘floating’ entry and, personally, it’s very hard to pass up this opportunity. While there’s no setup hands-on, seeing the next-gen 65” panel is a sight to behold.
Glass meets metal in an elegant mix. That is how LG describes its latest UHD OLED TV and, seeing it in person, it’s beyond cool. While there are plenty of ultra-slim oversized TVs, the LG E8 is something else. The UHD HDR panel looks like it is floating off the table-top. Where is the sound system parked at then on this super ultra-thin design? Well, that is what the glass pane at the bottom is for as it holds up the front-firing 4.2-channel 60W Dolby ATMOS speakers.
Can the video and audio performance of the all-new LG E8 do justice and complement the super-thin pane design? Thanks to the OLED panel, along with the video processing that LG is renowned for, the colours and blacks really stood out. Every minute detail can be seen in crispy pixel manner. This, of course, is all thanks to the LG Alpha9 visual processor and how it knows what works best for HDR output. As for sound, mid and high frequencies are top-notch, though the bass is a little flat.
SPECS 50
Subtle glass support creates its unique ‘floating’ design
Seamless Design
VERDICT:
AUG 2018
Dolby Vision included to complement the Dolby ATMOS delivery
“The LG E8 truly defines innovation at its best. All it needs now is optimisation and the very best in progressive features.” - Victor
PRICE: RM22,999 DISPLAY: 65” OLED UHD HDR with Ultra Luminance Pro VIDEO: 4K Cinema HDR with HDR Effect, HDR10 Pro, and HLG support; PROCESSOR: Alpha9 Intelligent Processor with Advanced HDR, 4K HFR, HEVC (4K@120p, 10-bit), and VP9 (4K@60p, 10-bit) support
SOUND: 4.2-channel 60W Front-Firing Sound System SURROUND MODE: Dolby Surround, OLED Surround, Dolby ATMOS, SMART APP: webOS Smart TV I/O: 4x HDMI (1x HDMI CEC support), 2x ARC Sound, 3x USB, 1x LAN, 1x Component, 1x Composite-In (AV), 1x RF-In, 1x SPDIF, 1x LineIn/Out
9.4
The Power of 3D
Western Digital Black High Performance NVMe 500GB ll Black a around
Speedy transfers as per on paper
Ultra-thin design ensures quick installation and cooling
Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing
Black Beauty
High Speed, Low Drag
Western Digital (WD) has always been the traditional go-to for anything storage related. After all, this brand has everything – from entry-level power-efficient storage to high-capacity devices. It is only recently that WD is foraying into the SSD space. The latest effort from WD is the newly released WD Black High Performance NVMe storage. While it can be considered nextgen, it comes in the older packaging design – an odd move if any. While it’s a little less cool, the simplicity of it is refreshing and straightforward.
The WD Black NVMe is a M.2 2280 type and measures at 80mm in length. True to its name, the design is done up almost entirely in black. Other than the white sticker at the top, the PCB plug, flash modules, and main controller is in…well, black. Interestingly, the primary control interface is parked right in the middle of the PCB. This will certainly help with the cooling management. As for the NAND memory on this next-gen storage, the SanDisk 3D Layer TLC design is used.
To keep this NVMe ultra-slim, the topside of the PCB is populated while the bottom is kept free. This makes it easy to install the all-new WD Black. Performance wise, this next-gen storage is rated at 3,400MB/s and 2,800MB/s for read and write. This is done at 410K and 330K IOPS, respectively. However, real-life performances show otherwise. For data reading, it recorded 3,432MB/s. As for data writing, a more subdued 2,591MB/s is captured. These stats roughly translate to speedy file transfers. Perfect for almost all PC processes!
SPECS
VERDICT:
“This next-gen storage system, with its NVMe functions, promises warp speed performance.” - Din
PRICE: RM799 CAPACITY: 500GB (250GB and 1TB available) FORM FACTOR: M.2 2280 OPERATING TEMPERATURE: 0°C to 70°C
INTERFACE: M.2 PCIe Gen3 x4 8Gb/s READ/WRITE SPEED: 3400/2800 MB/s ENDURANCE: 300TBW
8.6 51 AUG 2018
TESTED
The Big Shot
Epson Home Theatre EH-TW5650 Wireless 2D/3D Full HD Projector No keystone adjustment necessary
Immersive sound-boosting within
ont r f p u s Big len
52 AUG 2018
Big Lens Design
Easy Assembly
Rich Resolution
When the call came in from Epson Malaysia with a request to review its latest runaway success from the home theatre line, it’s an easy affirmative. How could I say no to such an opportunity, especially when it is the all-new Epson Home Theatre EHTW5650 Wireless 2D/3D Full HD Projector? I’ve been reading up on it and the visual cues alone piqued my interest. Big lens for its one-gun projection system, compact in size, and rocking the very best in specs from Epson, this is definitely pulling off all the stops. In fact, Epson EH-TW5650 is even ready for some gaming time – that alone is an impressive deal-maker.
Taking the Epson EH-TW5650 out of the box is simple enough since it’s not overly large; setting it up is even easier as Epson adds in pre-calibration for each projector that rolls off the assembly line. That means all I needed to do is place it on a flat surface, make sure it’s pointing straight at the screen, and connect the cables together. For this review, the gear used includes the Razer Blade Stealth and a 4K Blu-ray Player that is already available at the Epson office. Indeed, I did this review in Epson’s very own dark room – a site that sits in the middle of the Malaysia’ first Epson Solution Centre.
Right off the bat, the Epson EH-TW5650 did not pull any punches – the 4K demo running – Lucy – feels immersive. Every skin flaw on Scarlett Johansson – the bits that the make-up crew missed – can be seen. Everything else, even the coiffured blonde curls, has a nice mix. I’ve seen plenty of huge Full HD systems – this next-gen entry from Epson sits right at the top. Since all the content available for this review is native 4K – Lucy in 4K Blu-ray, raw 4K clips from the International Space Station, and Dolby Atmos Introduction – the output had to be scaled down. The result: zero compromise on quality that delivers on vivid saturations.
Good for home and quick office meets Fast shutdown
Stunningly Sharp
Deep Audio
Perfect for Most
Equally as outstanding is how sharp the visuals are when being projected from the Epson EH-TW5650. There are a number of innovations that Epson uses to make the movie look crisp yet smooth. First is the Image Enhancement system – an advanced imaging processor that removes noise, so the image or video will remain clear. This includes the infamous grains that are closely associated to fast-moving scenes. Of course, the 480Hz Drive Technology throws in its weight as well as it provides super smooth transitions. While this feature works best with the 3D capabilities that the Epson EH-TW5650 offers, it does surprisingly well for non-3D content.
Projectors that come with a built-in speaker are those many consider as an all-in-one multimedia system. The descriptor – Jack of All Trades – is very apt and often used for systems that play in this category. For the Epson EH-TW5650, the 10W Monoaural Speaker is a delight to listen to. Not only is it loud, it is equally as clear on the mids and lows. Highs can be a little scratchy but that’s the speaker doing its utmost best. It performs better on lower frequencies thanks to the adequate air chambers within the projector’s chassis. Personally, even if for a short review stint, the sound stage is uniquely immersive.
Compact, high-performance, easy-tomange – really, what else does one need from a projector? Epson, with its Epson EH-TW5650, is all out to set benchmarks for the Full HD Projector space. While it has a number of top-spec features, it also offers a couple of cool user experiences. For one, it can operate in full daylight and not falter as visuals are just as vivid. Secondly, it is more than ready for a few eSports tournaments as it actively engages the 480Hz Drive Technology function. Third, and most important, it can be put together and go through tear-downs easily. Truly, the Epson EH-TW5650 is the every day projector most can go for.
SPECS
VERDICT:
“This is the Full HD projector to consider since it has everything one needs. Small, highperformance, decent sound-stage, and vivid visual delivery – it’s more than adequate.” - Victor
PRICE: RM4,999 LCD SIZE: 0.61” Wide-Panel (D10, C2Fine, 10-Bit) LAMP: 200W UHE PROJECTION DISTANCE: 80” Screen (Standard), 30” – 300” (Zoom: Wide – 0.87-8.9m, Zoom: Tele – 1.42 – 14.5m) BRIGHTNESS: 2,500 lumens CONTRAST RATIO: 60,000:1
KEYSTONE: Vertical/Horizontal (±30° / ±30° – Slide Bar), Vertical, Horizontal, Quick Corner I/O: 1x D-Sub 15-Pin, 2x HDMI (One with MHL Support), 1x Stereo Mini-Jack, 1x USB Type-A in, 1x mini-USB in WI-FI: 802.11 a/b/ac/n AUDIO: 10W Monoaural IMMERSIVE FEATURES: 3D Display (Format + Depth), 2D-3D Conversion
9.1 53 AUG 2018
TESTED
Flagship Redefined OPPO Find X
94% screen-to-body ratio on the front façade
Smooth design throughout but still offers a good handling experience
54 AUG 2018
Motorised dock for cameras deploys in an instant
Forward Innovation
Flawless Design
Ferocious Performance
When OPPO revealed its plans to move up the innovation ladder with its all-new OPPO Find X, it also confirmed a couple of key changes. Firstly, and this is something nobody expected, it is gunning for the leading role. It took the China-led smart device vendor a long time in research and development to achieve this goal; many, MANY, years to be exact. The wait is truly worth the time spent as OPPO can now, proudly and with gusto, declare its opening salvo to all comers in the top-end flagship segment. It’s the least this upstart mobile device brand from China can do and still not rock the boat too much. Second, the responsibility of carving a new trend falls squarely onto its new premium flagship.
Mention or make any reference to OPPO and the first reaction is to label it as a midrange smart device player. For those in the know, they might even refer to the past efforts OPPO has in the audio-visual space. These are big feathers for the hat and, with the OPPO Find X, another new achievement is now on the cards. The truly seamless design, sans the side-frame buttons and specific cut-outs, is one of a kind. This seamless look, and the subtle gradient the back sports, is wholly OPPO. However, there are two specific segments that break the flawless look – the USB Type-C port and camera array platform. Even so, the entire chassis is ultra-sleek, hence the name: Panoramic Arc Screen.
To reinforce its fighting words, AKA strong statement – no notch necessary – the hardware must be equally as awesome. Indeed, roaring within the dual-glass with metallic sideframe chassis are, as per expectations, top-end specs. Using Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 with Adreno 630, 8GB RAM, and 256GB storage, this is the best configuration for any flagship. While the competition sports similar powered innards, OPPO puts in its own optimisations to ensure the OPPO Find X always runs at max potential. From booting up to loading a tonne of apps, running 4K content and various livestreams, multi-tasking, and running games with heavy demands, nothing slowed down this OPPO powerhouse.
Advanced facial biometrics guarantees seamless device unlock
3,730mAh battery within promises almost 12-hours of all-day use
For Gamers
Frontier Pursuit
Formidable Entry
Let’s talk about gaming on the OPPO Find X for a bit. Like all flagships, this nextgen entry sports the bells and whistles that all are now expecting from a top-tier smartphone. Dual speakers sandwich the 6.42” AMOLED panel, promising a decent sound stage that adds some level of immersion for movies. More critical for this flagship is the Game Space app. This, while not on paper, is what sets apart this premium entry from OPPO with the rest. The Game Space platform is a gamer focus feature that always optimises the OPPO Find X before a game is loading up. Clearing the RAM, re-routing processing capabilities, and blocking notifications and calls, it ensures the device will always offer a smooth gaming experience.
Beyond enriching the multimedia and gameplay experience, OPPO is also gunning to be a system design innovator. The Stealth 3D Cameras system is truly one-ofa-kind due to the way they – indeed, both front and back cameras – are deployed when in use. Once the motorised platform rolls up, the back-facing dual-lens sharpshooter – featuring a 16MP and 20MP lenses, come into play. With some level of artificial intelligence, the rear-mount snappers can identify 800 scene modes and provide intuitive assistance. Of course, real world use isn’t always accurate. In well-lit situations, pictures turn out exceptionally vivid and switching to macro or food takes less than a second. Low-light photography is not as good and switching to Expert Mode is highly recommended. As for the 25MP front-loaded shooter, it works well enough.
Many have questioned the need for a motorised dock for cameras. Even more wonder why OPPO didn’t even consider other biometrics. Personally, cutting out the fingerprint sensor is a both good and bad. In positive light, it proves vendors don’t have to be traditional. Indeed, it isn’t wise for OPPO to make this call. The fingerprint scanner could be embedded on the power button. Even so, the 3D Structured Light Technology that OPPO Find X uses is not to be overlooked. During completely dark room tests, the device is still able to accurately scan and unlock the device. This is all thanks to the advanced array of sensors that sit alongside the front camera. All in all, this next-gen OPPO flagship is a force to be reckoned with. Personally, this is the premium flagship will give the upcoming next-gen entries a run for their money.
BENCHMARK 3DMark Sling Shot Extreme – OpenGL ES3.1: 4,624 3DMark Sling Shot Extreme – Vulkan: 3,624
SPECS
VERDICT:
PCMark 10 Work 2.0: 9,179 GeekBench 4.1: 2,322 (Single), 8,018 (Multi)
Antutu: 291,218
“As the epitome of flagship design and performance, the OPPO Find X is now unmatched and lacking in rivals. While some have loads of hate for its innovative ways, all the negativity is unfounded. If anything, this is the top-tier smartphone to beat right now.” - Victor
PRICE: RM3,699 CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 with Adreno 630 GPU RAM / STORAGE: 8GB / 256GB DISPLAY: 6.42” AMOLED SIM: Dual nano-SIM SENSORS: GPS/aGPS/GLONASS/ Beidou, E-Compass, Light, Proximity,
Acceleration CONNECTIVITY: GSM/WCDMA/LTE FDD/TD-LTE, Bluetooth 5.0/2.1 + EDR, Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ ac CAMERA: 16MP + 20MP with AI (Rear), 25MP with 3D Structured Light Technoloy (Front) BATTERY: 3,730mAh with OPPO SuperVOOC Flash Charge
9.9 55 AUG 2018
TESTED
Gaming Flair Add-On
Razer Goliathus Chroma Soft Mouse Mat e with l b a r u Config r mouse a Raze
Vulnerable stitched design
Spectrum of 16.8 million colours
Light Up the Night
Quality Feel
Intuitive Setup
When the Razer Goliathus Chroma came in, I had been inclined to try out the brand’s RGB lighting on a mousepad. Guess who got to do the review? Must be my “Are you kidding?!” face I had on. Well, let’s get to it – plugging it in, light tubes stitched around the edges of the pad begin to glow and alternate in differing patterns. Personally, the lights are cool to look at. I personally set it to react to mouse clicks, but appreciate options for static, fading, and ripple modes.
The Razer Goliathus Chroma’s soft mat uses a micro-texture cloth for balance and control. Underneath, the rubber base keeps the pad from slipping, even when vigorous movements are involved. With a big surface area of 255 x 355mm, I see little issue in moving my mouse around. Of course, the USB connector/cable jack on the top left does get in the way occasionally at times. Being a wired mouse mat, wire clutter is to be expected and can be a little distracting.
I’m a fan of how it’s easy to use the Razer Goliathus Chroma Mouse Mat. Just plug it into a USB 3.0 port of any computer, install the Razer Synapse 3 software, and get straight to customising. Even without the software, the mouse mat works, defaulting to randomly cycling multiple colours. One disappointing aspect, however, is that the mouse mat’s Reactive Effect only works with a Razer mouse. This shouldn’t be the case due to its steep price. All in all, it’s a good mat.
SPECS
VERDICT:
56 AUG 2018
“A great mouse mat with vibrant and flexible RGB, but make sure you’re buying it for the lights.” - Shuqran
PRICE: RM159 DIMENSIONS: 255x355x3mm MATERIAL: Micro-textured cloth BASE: Non-slip rubber SOFTWARE: Razer Synapse 3 LIGHT TUBE: Inter-device colour synchronisation
8.7
Bar None
A&S Cinematic Bar 800
True wireless connection between sound bar and subwoofer
Able to produce 5.1.2 Dolby Atmos audio
ltiple u m s t Suppor at one go inputs Odd Design
Multi Sound
Absolute Audio
This is certainly the weirdest package that I have ever unboxed. The surround sound system from A&S comes in an odd combo box, where the long sound bar juts out of a smaller package that has the subwoofer. At around 10kg in combined gross weight, it is certainly better if someone is around to help out when moving this around. Within, of course, is the speaker system, a subwoofer, one wall mount, singular HDMI cable, the power adapter and 3.5mm audio cable. All, in all, the bare basics.
The soundbar itself is the heart of the system. It accepts a plethora of sound inputs, namely 3.5mm AUX, coaxial, optical, HDMI, and wireless via Bluetooth. An embedded display shows what input is currently in use, with a dedicated button being made available for users to cycle through the inputs. There are two HDMI ports, with one offering passthrough, so one can connect both their set top box and gaming console. Doing so means it can be used as a fancy HDMI selector to determine what shows up on the TV.
Let’s focus on two aspects for the A&S Sound Bar 800 – wireless and sound stage. With the former, it’s an appealing aspect that jumps out as soon as device powers up. It’s easy to get it rolling – just turn on the sound bar, power up the subwoofer, and boom, it’s all ready to go. The best bit: it’s all wireless sans the need for a power cable. As for the latter, this powered sound stage really changes the whole user experience. From movies to videogames, everything is more pronounced.
SPECS
VERDICT:
“A good investment for a considerably decent sound bar.” - Din
PRICE: RM2,999 SOUNDBAR AUDIO INPUT SENSITIVITY: 700mV FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 120Hz ~ 20KHz MAX POWER: 380W SOUND STAGE: 5.1.2 with Dolby Atmos
INPUT: 1x 3.5mm, 2x HDMI (1x with ARC), 1x CoAxial Optical, Bluetooth 4.2 SUBWOOFER FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 40Hz ~ 120 Hz
8.4 57 AUG 2018
TESTED
Secret to My Sixth Sense OnePlus 6
Gaming Mode stops all distracting alerts
and Smooth ry slippe el backpan
Slightly protruding rearfacing main camera array
58 AUG 2018
Defying All Odds
Black and White
Good Hold
Once again, OnePlus releases a new flagship smartphone that, as expected, seemingly goes against all the stacked odds. Indeed, that is the focusing point here. After all, this is the OnePlus 6, the latest premium entry from the OnePlus brand. Taking over from the OnePlus 5t as the company’s top-end 2018 contender, this smartphone promises an alternative to the efforts of Samsung, Apple, Huawei, and then some. Everything is accounted for with this newly launched high-spec device – from the packaging, to chassis design, and how the box looks and is put together. All of these aspects are accounted for and can be seen as key considerations. Even the reflective characteristics and colour choice play a part.
The OnePlus 6 comes in a white and minimalistic style box. While one can easily spot the OnePlus logo on the top, taking a closer inspection will reveal a large numerical ‘6’ etching, all done in silver, on the top-side of the box. Inside, the OnePlus 6 comes encased in a red plastic compartment and underneath that are modular packages, all of which contain the USB cable, charger, and other miscellaneous accessories. While the Mirror Black variant showed up, there are also white and a Special Edition Red shades as well. When holding this flagship, it feels rigid and stiff, something yours truly prefers. Instead of metal, as per the predecessor, the back now sports a Gorilla Glass 5 backpanel.
The glass back makes the OnePlus 6 feel very premium, even if it is makes for a really slippery hand-holding experience. Thankfully, a silicone casing is included in the box. This protective shell has raised corners, making sure that even if this next-gen smartphone is facing down, the screen won’t be scratched by the surface it’s resting on. At around 76mm from side to side, this can be considered a large phone, but it’s comfortable enough for an easy grip. Also, OnePlus has moved the alert slider toggle to the right – just above the power button. Personally, this configuration makes it easier to use. Parked at the back is the dual-lens camera and just below that is a weird rectangular fingerprint scanner.
Big screen that is good enough
Great speaker output!
Alert Slide Toggle now on the right
All Screen (Notch Too!)
Fast and Slow
Amazing All the Way
OnePlus managed to cram a larger 6.28” screen on its all-new flagship. To optimise the screen-to-body ratio, OnePlus opted to use the still hot and much-debated notch design. While there are personal issues with that not-so-optimised use of space, at least OnePlus has included software tweaks in the setting so that the notch part of the display is not visible. It doesn’t do much beyond making the screen visually pleasing. Of course, the visual real estate itself is decent. Even if it’s just HD, the performance is sharp and comfortable to look at. This personal preference is something that many have come to expect from high-spec devices. Any fullscreen videos won’t cross over the notch area, of course.
Photos that OnePlus 6 captures are clear, sharp, and offer great colour reproduction. The addition of an optical image stabilisation system is a huge boon too, especially when taking pictures in lowlight conditions. It’s a good thing that the larger sensor on the main camera array is able to deliver, ensuring most night shots are brighter than most. That’s not all, with video-recording, users can now tap on 480fps slow-motion effect while on 720p format. There is 4K 60fps video recording too but there are specific limitations. These aspects, along with the top-end Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 mobile processor, ensure performance delivery is a non-issue. In fact, apps launch and run smoothly; as for videogames, they play like a dream!
All in all, the OnePlus 6 is impressive on all fronts. It’s large, comfortable to use, feels tough, and isn’t overly pricey. In fact, for the last one – this high-grade flagship is not asking for a lot; in fact, it's supposedly very affordable. While it might only rock a Full HD screen and doesn’t even sport HDR, the overall experience when using this smartphone instantly makes up for these shortfalls. Keep in mind, when is the last time users are able to get such a powerful smartphone? One that, to no one’s surprise, will force benchmark apps to put out a disclaimer stating that the OnePlus 6 will easily beat 99% of the rivals that are already on the list?
BENCHMARK Antutu : 287038 Geekbench Single : 2456 (Single), 9149 (Multi)
SPECS
VERDICT:
3DMark Sling Shot Extreme: 4651
“This entry still holds fast to the flagship killer moniker. It won’t stick as well but it can still put up a good fight.” - Din
PRICE: DISPLAY: 6.28”, 1080 x 2280px (402ppi) CHIPSET: Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 CPU: 4x 2.8Ghz Kyro 385 Gold + 4x 1.7Ghz Kyro 385 Silver GPU: Adreno 630 RAM / STORGE: 6GB RAM / 64GB (up to
8GB / 128GB or 256B) OPERATING SYSTEM: Android 8.1 Oreo CAMERA: 16MP f/1.7 + 20MP (16MP effective) f/1.7 with Optical Image Stabilisation, Dual LEDs (Rear); 16MP f/2.0 (Front) I/O: 1x USB 2.0 Type-C, 1x 3.5mm Audio Jack BATTERY: 3300mAh
8.6 59 AUG 2018
TESTED
True Personal Audio
Sony WF-SP700N Wireless Noise-Cancelling Headphones for Sports and t h g i e ghtw Very li obstructive non-
Near perfect noise cancellation
Can run for hours on end
60 AUG 2018
Breaking Norms
Quick Setup
Easy Engagement
While it’s not new for Sony to step into a new segment with its audio expertise, doing so with gusto is truly something different. After all, the in-ears segment is something Sony has been doubling down on recently. However, the sporting gear space is totally new – especially when Sony has a small record of dabbling on the side; specifically, with a handful of neck-band headphones and music players. That all changes with the Sony WF-SP700N, Sony’s very first and proper sports-based in-ear wearables. The most interesting bits: it’s IPX4 rated, comes with noise-cancelling, and has plenty of sound and user optimisations.
Once out of the box, it’s advisable to not take the in-ears out of the case just yet. Instead, fire up NFC and Bluetooth on the smartphone and tap the underside of the carry-on pack. This will automatically pair the Sony WF-SP700N and tie-in all the necessary permissions. Personally, this level of ease should also be applicable to putting it on. While not as tricky as the Sony Xperia Ear Duo, it still took a while to put on Sony’s next-gen sport in-ears. As an aside, Sony Mobile’s own earphone pair, which dropped by the PC.com Tested Labs, encountered a major fault and could not do a proper test run.
After the pairing and short struggle to jam in the Sony WF-SP700N, a superbly easier task than hooking on the Sony Xperia Ear Duo, it’s time to extensively use these inears. It’s like putting them through the usual paces, so to speak. Let’s start with the controls – there are only two buttons so there isn’t much to go on. Or is there? The one sitting on the left in-ear controls the power on/off function and the active noise cancellation modes. Right, of course, manages incoming and outgoing calls, muting the music player, and calling up Google Assistant. How about volume levels? Well, that’s all done via mobile app or smartphone.
Punchy sound thanks to Sony Extra Bass
Conveniently sized compact charging case
Long Lasting
Solid Sound
Convenient Case
Before going into the performance, let’s also give due emphasis to the battery life of the Sony WF-SP700N. On a full charge, the in-ears last for a full day – with sporadic use – before it goes flat. In fact, putting them back into the case is what keeps them going too as the tiny carrier also acts as a portable charger. This is especially for folks who are always-on-the-go. When stored, the true earphones will recharge as much as they can before they are used again. Lesser use will allow these futuristic inears to last even longer – the furthest being two days tops. Indeed, true convenience for mobility has a new champ!
How does the audio delivery for the Sony WF-SP700N stand out against a multitude of in-ears, headphones, and then some? Well, it is a dream to listen music with and sounds from videogames are equally as awesome. This is achievable partially due to the enclosed ear-buds used. Working in tandem is the next-gen Sony Active Noise Cancellation system that is prevalent in all the 2018 headsets. This is what ensures these in-ears are top notch. Add to the fact that Sony has also thrown in the Sony Extra Bass function. That, and the sound balancing capabilities present in the Sony Headphones app, deliver a sound stage rarely present for in-ears.
Personally, the most important aspect about the Sony WF-SP700N is the charging case. Primarily, its role is to act as a protective cradle for the in-ears when they’re not in use. Equally as important is how it also provides the juice these earphones need to keep going for nine hours straight. While on paper it states that is the total time with all-day use, it’s proven that these high-spec ear-buds can run closer to 15-hours when used in short bursts. There is only one minor complaint – there is no clear indicators on the slide-over top-lid that help tell when the devices are charged. Since the LEDs glow upon docking, that aspect could be used.
SPECS
VERDICT:
“Personal audio with close to extreme levels of immersion is rare but the Sony WF-SP700N manages to pull it off by a hair’s thread.” - Victor
PRICE: RM709 HEADPHONE TYPE: Closed Dynamic DRIVER UNIT: 6mm Dome Type with Neodymium Magnets FREQUENCY: 20Hz – 20,000Hz (44.1KHz Sampling)
ADVANCE FEATURES: IPX4 Rating, NFC on Case, Charger Case, Active Noise-Cancelling CONNECTIVITY: Bluetooth 4.1 with A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, and HSP Support
9.4 61 AUG 2018
TESTED
Typing Never Felt This good Alienware AW768 Gaming Keyboard
c yet i t s i l a Minim design stylish
Accented and subtle lighting are always the best
Comes with a wrist-resting panel that lights up!
Sleek Spaceship
Quality Cruise Control
Alien Nation
Nowadays, many PC brands are releasing their own mechanical keyboards, all due to an influx of more affordable high-quality switches. Thusly, it’s not surprising to see Alienware with its own version of a mechanical gaming keyboard. Intriguing as it is, it’s also important to find out if this new peripheral is up to the task. Design wise, with a silver and black colour scheme, the Aliewanre AW768 Gaming Keyboard looks sleek yet still maintain its minimalistic design. Most interesting is how Alienware opted for Kailh Brown Switches.
A gamer’s favourite of late, the Kailh Brown Switches feature similar tactile feedback to Cherry Blues but without the loud clacking effect. Removing the keycaps confirms these switches are Cherry MX compatible. This means that the keycaps can be replaced easily. For what it’s worth, the default keycaps seem to be using double-shot ABS, meaning they will last longer. The keys are translucent just so the RGB LED underneath can shine through. This makes it easy to see the keys, especially in a dark room.
Plugging in the keyboard into a PC will immediately download the Alienware AlienFX Control Centre. It is through this app that users can control a number of functions. This includes LED effects and setting up the Macro Keys. As there are 15 programmable keys on the keyboard, most will certainly want to plan out their macros configurations on this platform. All in all, the Alienware AW768 is a robust and well-built mechanical keyboard that performs admirably. Personally, typing on this keyboard is great as the key-travel is simply awesome.
SPECS
VERDICT:
62 AUG 2018
“Not what one would expect from Alienware but it is a remarkable attempt.” - Din
PRICE: RM539 CONTROL CENTRE: AlienFX CYCLE LIFE: 50 million ACTUATION FORCE: 45g ACTUATION DISTANCE: 2mm TACTILE FORCE: 60g POLLING RATE: 1,000Hz (1ms)
KEYBOARD ADVANCE FEATURES: AntiGhosting, N-Key Rollover, 15 Macro Keys, Programmable Keys (All) MEMORY: 256KB ADDITIONAL FEATURES: Dedicate Volume Roller, Braided Nylon Cable, 3-Step Adjustable Legs
8.0
Customised Grip
Alienware AW958 Gaming Mouse Cable n o l y N Braided
Interchangeable side modules for more comfortable use
OMRON switches for all buttons
Customisable weight distribution
Silver Surfer
Sheep Clothing
Pure Control
While Alienware is more famous for its gaming systems, it also has some gaming peripherals under the same banner as well. This includes the unique Alienware AW958 Gaming Mouse that comes as standard with the Alienware AW15 R4 Gaming Notebook. Just how special is it? Well, at first glance, this gaming mouse looks, well, like most of its immediate rivals. It has that sleek design, with a dual tone that nicely mixes silver and black shades. A triple RGB LED sits at the top, done up in a ‘Y’ configuration.
Design wise, the Alienware AW958 flares out on both sides with wide grips, giving a comfortable handling experience. There are two buttons on both sides that are within easy reach. However, for those who feel there must be more buttons, they just need to rip the side and replace with an add-on that sport six buttons. This can be done on both sides. Indeed, interchangeable design is the way forward. This isn’t limited to side grips too, as the palm rest can open up for easy management of the embedded weights.
Plugging in the mouse will call up the installation for the Alienware AlienFX Control Centre. From here, users can configure just about anything for the mouse. This includes what each button does, Macro Keys, and RGB effects. It’s easy to tell that the Alienware AW958 is an amazing input device. The multiple customisation is great, although the six-button grip feels a tad too small to offer real comfort. The other concern would be the RM399 price-tag, though likely it will not turn off most folks.
SPECS
VERDICT:
“The Alienware 958 looks and feels like it is using real Alien Tech.” - Din
PRICE: RM399 CONTROL CENTRE: AlienFX OPTICAL SENSOR: Surface Calibration capable, 5x On-The-Fly settings DPI: 100-12,000dpi ACCELERATION: 50g
POLLING RATE: 1,000Hz (1ms) SWITCH: OMRON FEATURES: 13 Programmable Buttons, 4x Interchangeable Side Modules, Adjustable Weights (4x 5g) ONBOARD MEMORY: 512KB
8.6 63 AUG 2018
TESTED
Notch Above the Rest OPPO R15 Pro
20MP shooter on the front
ss Seamle user and design ience exper
Supports triple wireless frequency bands
64 AUG 2018
Classy Debut
Sleek Beauty
A Notch About Nothing
It seems that after a certain fruit named company released a flagship smartphone with a notch, various competing companies have followed suit as well. One of them is, none other than, OPPO. Its recent entry – the OPPO R15 Pro – comes before the next-gen top-end entry appears. It’s easily the sleekest and most defining concept that OPPO has put out yet. Indeed, everything about this high-spec smart device oozes class and then some. So impressive is the look and feel that it might as well be the benchmark that all must follow from now on. Other rivals have also put out other cool package designs, though it’s an odd thing how they never carry over onto their successors.
Everything about the OPPO R15 Pro is awesome. From the package to the unboxing experience, all of them reinforces the stylised delivery. Take for instance, how one opens up the box. It slides from the side, which is very cool, to reveal a neatly packed smartphone with its accessories. That, of course, includes the protective case, fast charger plug with VOOC compliant USB cable, and optimised OPPO in-ears. Out of the box, this all-new entry is amazing to see in person. The large 6.28” display covers most of the front, while the rear uses an all-glass design that tapers nicely to connect with the front. There is the metal side-frames too that keeps it all together.
Let’s get this out of the way first – right up front, at the very top is the 20MP f/2.0 20mm selfie snapper. It sits in the middle of the notch. As for the notch, well, with it, the OPPO R15 Pro rocks a 1080 x 2280px display resolution. While weird, the extra lines of pixels are there just to support the notch. While there are two camps over this design, which is why this review won’t discuss it at any length, the screen is very impressive. Vivid and bright, it punches out top notch (pun!) colour reproduction, as expected from a smartphone in this price range. Watching videos and playing games is a real pleasant experience.
Artificial intelligence support onboard Dual 16MP+20MP snapper at the rear
Top Grade Guts
Double of Nothing
True Speedster
Internally, the OPPO R15 Pro features a Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 Octa-Core chipset. Paired with the Qualcomm Adreno 512 GPU, this certainly makes it a smartphone that’s not to be underestimated or trifled with. This current flagship mid-ranger also features a massive 6GB RAM and 128GB system storage. Feel that it’s not enough? Sacrifice the second SIM card slot and one can add another 128GB of storage via microSD. Big plus, there is also a headphone jack at to bottom. Alongside it is the data connection that is, oddly, using a micro-USB connection. A fingerprint scanner is also present at the rear that is in easy reach of one’s index finger.
At the top left of the backpanel for the OPPO R15 Pro, one will discover that there are two camera lenses sitting in the main camera array bay. The primary 16MP camera rocks a Sony IMX519 sensor that has been co-developed with Sony. Personally, it is one of the best cameras to be made available on a smartphone. It’s snappy, takes images that are vividly sharp, and one of the few entries in its class that can comfortably operate with no issues in low light situations. The main lens also rocks a f/1.7 aperture that puts out cool bokeh effects. When portraits are necessary, that is when the secondary 20MP shooter comes into full effect.
The OPPO R15 Pro is definitely one of the best smartphones to come in for 2018. There are other impressive entries too for sure. However, this being OPPO, it is admittedly more impressive. In fact, it managed to blow expectations out of the water. This flagship mid-segment entry is snappy, large, and useful. More importantly, the main camera array is amazing. The selfie is equally as fun to use. It’s comfortable as a daily driver, even when operating in long stretches. This is very useful when watching movies and playing games. With its good looks and great performance, this is certainly a must have for those who wants a powerful device in their pocket.
BENCHMARK Antutu: 126,339 Geekbench: 1,320 (Single), 5,278 (Multi), 5,278 (Multi)
SPECS
VERDICT:
3DMark: 1,171
“This is a true response from the Android side.” - Din
PRICE: RM2,399 DISPLAY: 6.28” Super Full Screen OLED CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 Octa-Core GPU: Qualcomm Adreno 512 RAM/STORAGE: 6GB/128GB
OPERATING SYSTEM: OPPO ColorOS 8.1 (Google Android 8.1) CAMERA: Dual 20MP + 20MP with phase detection AF BATTERY: 3430mAh
9.0 65 AUG 2018
TESTED
All You Can Sing
DVoice Karaoke System Big control panel with messy user interface
o the t d e k n Li or Wi-Fi f al perpetu ds a downlo
Has 720p HD videos for songs that are legally on the platform
Need to Sing
Learn to Control
Somewhat Limitless
There are many times in my 15 years or so of my time as a young adult, including the here and now, that I had this very bad craving to sing. At a karaoke centres, of course – not in the private confines of the shower. However, the scarcity of these locations – especially those with anime songs – and the recent explosive price hikes prove to be excellent discouraging factors. There are home-user sing-along set-top boxes to consider, but those are expensive at-the-get-go too. DVoice believes things should be different.
When I came across the DVoice Karaoke System, by chance of all things, at a store launch – it called out to me. A massive 21.5” touchscreen pedestal stood there in the corner, waiting to be engaged. I couldn’t say no – not to something like this. Right away, a review session had been arranged and delivered over within the same week. Upon installation – one can immediately tell that the user interface is not very intuitive. Search, category listing, and personalisation are available but hard to discover and engage.
Even if the controls are unfriendly halfthe-time, mastering it is easy enough. That is when a world of nearly unlimited songs reveals itself. There is English, Malay, Bahasa Indonesia, Chinese, and – undoubtedly – Korean and Japanese. However, the big deal here is how there is a free download service for requested tracks. Users can ask for any song from DVoice and it will search or produce a karaoke version. Take note, older uploads are badly done. Even so, it’s not often one gets to karaoke in the comfort of their own home.
SPECS
VERDICT:
66 AUG 2018
“While not wholly intuitive or friendly to use, being able to sing with the DVoice, for a long period, more than makes up for it.” - Led Wayline
PRICE: +/- RM,5000 DISPLAY: 21.5” Full HD panel LANGUAGE: English, Mandarin, Malay, Tamil SUBTITLES: Chinese and English, with a smatter of Korean and/or Japanese
CONNECTIVITY: Wi-Fi, LAN I/O: 1x USB Port, 1x RJ-45 Network Jack, Touchscreen support COMPATIBILITY: Google Android and Apple iOS compatible
7.8
Premium by Design
LG TONE INFINIM HBS-920 Wireless In-Ears Offers decent noisecancelling capabilities
with y l i s a Pairs e evices via smart d tooth Blue
Ingenious retractable cables for the in-ears
Flexible and overly light neck-band
Premium Entry
Sturdy Design
Deep Impact
When LG jumped onto the neck-band inears space, it did so with the aim to be more than just a hands-free car-kit system. In fact, many consider the original LG TONE as more than just a simple wire-free earbuds system. Well, to a point, since LG packed some high-spec sound delivery features inside. Next-gen entries break away as they, instead, focus on specific market segments. This goes beyond being a companion for drivers as LG considers commuters, audiophiles, and every-day usage as primary focuses. Hence, the LG INFINIM HBS-920 variant.
For a neck-band, the next-gen LG TONE INFINIM HBS-920 – a top-tier entry by all counts – feels sturdy and offers decent user handling. This is the case even if it has a somewhat flexible neck-band; in fact, it bends too easily but doesn’t feel like it will snap so quickly. The in-ears, now with auto-lock cables that can retract with a push of a button, are a dream to use. In this age of convenience, performance is usually sacrificed for comfort. Not so with this allnew LG TONE INFINIM.
How well does the LG TONE INFINIM HBS-920 perform in terms of sound? Having reviewed a variety of in-ears and headphones for this month, it won’t be surprising if there is some level of jadedness. Thankfully, LG did not disappoint. This next-gen ear-buds have active noise-cancelling microphones to ensure there is no audio interference. Having Harmon Kardon Signature Sound also ensures the sound stage is always at its very best. Indeed, highs and mids sound exceptional, while the bass level can also be managed via the Adjustable Bass function.
SPECS
VERDICT:
“This neck-band in-ears – with it retractable Kevlar wires, is the epitome of design and performance for this product category.” - Victor
PRICE: US$149.99 (Estimted RM990 on 11street.my) IN-EAR TYPE: Neck-band with Kevlarbased Retractable Cables CONNECTIVITY: Bluetooth 4.2 with A2DP and AVRCP Support TALLK TIME: Up to 15-hours MUSIC PLAYBACK TIME: up to 12-hours
STANDBY TIME: Up to 25 days SOUND PROFIE: Harmon Kardon Signature Sound FEATURES: LG Metal-Layer Speakers, LG Tone Bass, LG Talk 2.0, Adjustable Bass on Earbuds I/O: 1x micro-USB port (charging)
9.2 67 AUG 2018
TESTED
Optane Power
Dell Gaming G3 15 Gaming Notebook (3579) mps a t a h t uild Solid b classy look up the Can do with more RAM, though it’s enough for most functions
Good for most eSports games
Packs more than the usual mix of I/O ports
Thin is In Again
White like Snow...
...Yet Tough as Jon
To-date, there have been various attempts to create the world’s slimmest notebook. Dell is one of the very few that makes this its primary pursuit. It’s latest efforts includes the latest Dell Gaming G3 15 Gaming Notebook entry. Of the many SKUs available, the Dell Gaming G3 3579 is the most interesting as it sports Intel Optane by default. This feature not only helps keep the chassis design thin, it also promises topend performance delivery. When closed, it only measures at 23mm – the thinnest yet.
This Dell Gaming G3 15 entry comes in a nice matte white finish. This shade, mixed up with silver accents for the Dell G3 logo and side colour-ways, signify a new level of classy looks. Underneath the cool-looking and clean top-lid is a 15.6” Full HD screen that pairs up with an Intel 8th Generation Core i5-8300H CPU, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 GPU, 4GB DDR4 RAM, and 1TB storage system. Running in tandem with the last one is Intel Optane, an advanced fixed memory function that promise snappier performance.
Build wise, the Dell Gaming G3 15 is strong and rigid, promising no wobbling. This is even if the material used feels like straightforward plastic. Thankfully, this sort of enhances the minimalism looks. All in all, the mid-to-high specs promise good performance for basic games and eSports titles. Having Intel Optane really helps as it uses the Intel Storage Manager intuitively. The difference, when it is turned on or off, is like night and day. Personally, it’s best to leave it running to ensure the very best user experience.
BENCHMARK PCMark 10 Work 2.0: 3,776 Fire Strike Ultra: 1,154
SPECS
VERDICT:
68 AUG 2018
Fire Strike Extreme: 2,706 Fire Strike Time Spy: 1,882
Novabench: 1,811 Geekbench: 4,363 (Single), 12,277 (Multi)
“It’s a good attempt for a gaming system though, personally, it’d do way better if Intel Optane can work in tandem with 8GB RAM instead.” - Din
PRICE: From RM3,209 DISPLAY: 15.6” Full HD Anti-Glare LED IPS Panel CPU: Intel 8th Generation Core i58300H RAM / STORAGE: 4GB DDR4 2666MHz / 1TB HDD Storage
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 CONNECTIVITY: 802.11ac, Bluetooth 5.0, MUMIMO I/O: 1x SD Card Reader, 2x SuperSpeed USB 3.1 Type-A with Power Share, 1x USB 3.1 Gen2 Type-A, 1x HDMI 2.0, 1x RJ-45 LAN, 1x Headphone/Mic Audio Jack
8.4
Jabber Away
Jabra Elite Active 65t ight e w t h g Very li ears inSimple case design with minimal recharging capabilities
Motion sensor embedded within
Smart power management included
Run and Talk
Easy and Intuitive
Functional and Reliable
The Jabra Elite Active 65t is an accumulation of the long service and indepth expertise Jabra is famous for. While I did look forward to trying out these sporty in-ears after the Editor called to confirm the assignment, the device looks and feels a little too simple. For something that is supposedly premium, it doesn’t go beyond offering the basics in the package. Even so, the overall design and personal functions have gone all-out to impress. Beyond responsive controls, the ‘Active’ aspect promises IP56 protection.
Before going into the role of the Jabra Elite Active 65t, let’s focus on the intuitive controls first – on the left is the volume control button, while the power/call/ music playback controls are on the right. Personally, they are easy to engage. Just as easy to manage is the Bluetooth pairing as all one needs is the Jabra App. This sort of intuitiveness is also present in the user experience these in-ears offer. Solid sound stage delivery aside, it also sports an embedded integrated motion sensor for enhanced activity tracking.
With just a glance, the Jabra Elite Active 65t is obviously an outstanding device. This review confirms this aspect; in fact, the in-ears are comfortable to wear and produces a crispy audio field. It’s a huge bonus that the batteries last a fair bit – five hours of non-stop use with one charge. With the case around, it can go up to 15-hours as per noted on paper. The most favoured aspect, personally, is the Jabra HearThrough. This feature allows ambient sound to filter onto the sound stage via external mics for constant user awareness.
SPECS
VERDICT:
“The Jabra Elite Active 65t is suitable for both the sporty types and audiophiles…well, even both if the user is into the two trends.” - Din
PRICE: RM899 MICROPHONES: 4x MEMS with 4-Mic System + Acoustic Open Chamber Design for Wind Noise Protection and Ambient Noise Reduction MICROPHONE FREQUENCY RANGE: 100Hz to 10,000Hz
MICROPHONE SENSITIVITY: -38dBV/Pa SPEAKER SIZE: 6.0 x 5.1mm SPEAKER FREQUENCY RANGE: 20Hz to 20,000Hz PROTECTION: 1P55 Water and Dust Resistance BATTERY: Five hours, 15-hours with charging case CONNECTIVITY: Bluetooth 5.0
8.2 69 AUG 2018
TESTED
All-Time Ultra-Flat
LG SIGNATURE OLED 77W8PTA UHD HDR Smart TV Hyper immersive experience for 4K HDR with Dolby ATMOS content
kQ LG Thin ready
Super-slim, near paper-thin, chassis design
Nearly bezel-less design
70 AUG 2018
Literally Slim
Wire Free
Visual Perfection
Having seen what LG has to offer for 2018 in terms of look and feel, anything appearing now will not leave a huge impression. This is also applicable to LG even if it is currently leading in the OLED UHD space. That notion is, at every angle, now non-practical all thanks to the brand-new entry into the LG SIGNATURE range. Indeed, the LG OLED 77W8PTA UHD HDR Smart TV steps up the innovation game as it proves that the already ultra-slim design can still be topped. Somehow, the enveloped is pushed further with the result being a wallpaperlike design. This, according to LG, is very hard to achieve. Of course, it doesn’t stop there as the accompanying sound bar enhances the user experience.
What else can LG do to make it even more seamless and intuitive for users? With the next-gen LG SIGNATURE OLED 77W8PTA UHD HDR Smart TV, the Korean home appliance and display panel expert has raised the stakes. While other TVs come with their own built-in speaker system or pair with a companion sound bar, this next-gen panel sports its own sound system. This cool-looking sound bar is outstandingly unique. Aside from acting as the brains for the next-gen wallpaper 4K display, it is this very platform that enable LG to even consider such a daring design feat. Because there is no input ports or core electronics to process videos, the entire 77” display is literally just an ultra-flat monitor.
Honestly, not much time is spent with the LG SIGNATURE 77” OLED. Even so, the hour or so that had been allocated is more than enough to create an immediate, yet in-depth, impression. In terms of imagery performance, this is – by far – the best in its class. It is the result of merging OLED with 4K HDR delivery, with both perfectly delivering true blacks and stunning contrasts. What LG calls the Perfect Black, it is a feature that boosts hue and saturation processing and adds in new levels of visual depth. The 16 million colour palate, shadow play, and hyper clarity of all multimedia content – be it movies, videogames, or photos – look exceptionally rich and crispy sharp.
Almost wire-free setup
Super-slim, near paper-thin, chassis design
Deep Immersion
Cinematic Delivery
Smart Controls
Visuals are not the only elements the LG SIGNATURE OLED 77W8PTA UHD HDR Smart TV is enriching. Thanks to the companion sound bar, this next-gen LG display also delivers an immersive 4.2 sound stage. Pairing Dolby Surround with Dolby ATMOS, the audio delivery is uncompromised as it is unparalleled. For something that looks like it belonged on the International Space Station, this oversized platform of innovation is not to be underestimated. Even when the hands-on is done in an open space, the audio delivery is pin-drop sharp. From raspy voices of the narrator, heavy rain fall, crashing waves, and the crackling sound of fire is loud, detailed, and lively. There is no distortion or off-putting interference whatsoever.
Combining the two – perfectly vivid visuals with an immersive sound stage – delivers a true cinematic experience. It also helps that LG has added in a handful of functions that take the entire user experience to the next level. Besides Dolby ATMOS for sound, the all-new 77” LG SIGNATURE also packs in LG Cinema HDR, Dolby Vision, and Advanced HDR by Technicolor. All these progressive functions enable this innovative panel to properly support HDR10 Pro and HLG Pro. In using the advanced video processing together, along with the LG Alpha9 Intelligent Processor, LG is able to recreate the look and feel that most movie directors are aiming for. Movies are truly a sight to behold on this panel.
These days, it’s not just about offering the perfect cinematic experience for TVs. The other key aspect to keep in mind now is the user experience. Where other brands offer Google Android TV as the platform to use, LG engages the LG ThinkQ system instead. It pairs up artificial intelligence with LG’s own proprietary user interface, resulting in a control centre that is hyper-intuitive. On top of the traditional remote control, there is voice command and the unique pointer system. With voice, the pro-active digital assistant will constantly provide suggestions. As for the pointer, it uses the remote control like a mouse though like how one wields a wand. This fully complements the awesome multimedia experience this next-gen TV offers.
SPECS
VERDICT:
“This is the dream for any audio/visual enthusiast!” - Victor
PRICE: RM79,999 DISPLAY: 77” OLED UHD HDR with LG 4K Cinema HDR, Perfect Viewing Angle, Perfect Colour, Infinite Contrast, and Ultra Luminance Pro PROCESSOR: LG Alpha9 Intelligent Processor VISUAL SUPPORT: Dolby Vision, HDR10 Pro, HLG, Advanced HDR by Technicolor, HDR Effect, 4K HFR, HEVC (4K@120p 10-bit), VP9
(4K@60p, 10-bit) SOUND: LG Sound Bar with 60W 4.2-channel Surround Speakers, native support for Dolby ATMOS, Clear Voice III, Dolby Surround SMART TV: LG ThinkQ with webOS Smart TV I/O: 4x HDMI (1 with HDMI CEC support), 1x ARC on HDMI #2, 3x USB, 1x RJ-45, 1x Component AV-In, 1x Composite AV-In, 1x RFIn, 1x SPDIF, 1x Headphones Out, 1x Line-Out
9.6 71 AUG 2018
TESTED
The Perfect Commuter Companion
Sennheiser HD 4.50 Bluetooth Noise-Cancelling
Can switch to analogue mode when necessary
and Compact t design eigh lightw Ear-cans doesn’t warm up when under prolonged use
Battery life can last a week with sporadic use
Compact Dream
Straightforward Match
Truly Peerless
It’s very hard to find an audiophile headset that is both high performance yet rugged enough to withstand various travel challenges. Such a find, if any, will be the commuter’s dream – great sound stage, ultra-slim and sturdy design, and long battery life. For the Sennheiser HD 4.50 Bluetooth Noise-Cancelling (BTNC), it is all that and more. Even if the packaging is remarkably small, the audio delivery isn’t and that is what is most important for any good pair of headphones.
Pairing any wireless headset usually takes some time as there is that necessary moment of figuring out how to turn on the wireless search mode. With this Sennheiser that isn’t necessary as the left ear-can has an NFC marker that tells the user this is the spot to tap their smart device. For those who prefer to deal with manual connection, just hold the power button four seconds longer once it powers up. Indeed, it’s that simple to pair it up and get going.
It is very hard to top anything from Sennheiser. There are legit contenders for the coveted audiophile throne. However, time and again, the brand with the sound engineering background proves it cannot be unseated. Even with this mid-to-high range Sennheiser HD 4.50 BTNC, it’s choked full of innovations that one must wonder – how does it make the sound stage more awesome than it already is? Coupled with the Sennheiser NoiseGard system promises a truly top-notch audio performance, even if it’s a heavily optimised wireless headphones.
SPECS
VERDICT:
72 AUG 2018
“The Sennheiser HD 4.50 BTNC Wireless Headphones is most suited for commuters or those who prefer to work without dealing with cables.” - Victor
PRICE: RM980 HEADPHONE DESIGN: Closed Back with Wireless/Wired Options IMPEDANCE: 18Ohm FREQUENCY RESPONSE (MICROPHONE): 100 – 10,000Hz FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 18 – 22,000Hz SOUND PRESSURE: 113dB (Passive 1KHz/1VRMS)
PICK-UP PATTERN: Dual Omnidirectional Microphones BATTERY: Li-Ion Polymer CODECS: AptX I/O: 1x 2.5mm Audio Jack, 1x micro-USB Port ACCESSORIES: 1x Carry Case, 1x 2.5mm to 3.5mm Audio Cable, 1x USB Type-A to microUSB cable
9.6
High Performance STRIX
ASUS STRIX X470-F Gaming Motherboard
esign d k c a l All b for an makes g visual tin interes
Big and spacious among the slots and bays
Reinforced PCIe bays ensure they can take the massive GPU weight
Rainbow lights present on the motherboard
All-New Considerations
STRIXly BlaxK
Large Brain
Since the AMD Ryzen 2 is now officially available, it makes sense for customers to go for the latest motherboard. It’s definitely better than flashing the BIOS on the older entries. After all, the next-gen AMD X470 chipset – now available on the newly released mainboards – offers native support for the new AMD processor. This entry also packs in the very best in ASUS proprietary features and capabilities. Thus, it can be considered as one of the better and most innovative AMD X470 motherboard entries to-date.
This being an ASUS entry, one closely related to ASUS Republic of Gamers, it’s fine to presume it’ll be a mix of black and red hues. Not so with the ASUS STRIX X470-F Gaming as it comes completely in black. Of course, it isn’t just that one shade as there are great-looing cyber-font inspired graffiti splashed across the major heatsink covers. This being 2018, there is bound to be RGB embedded in the hardware and ASUS STRIX delivers as its next-gen motherboard lights up all over.
On this specific AM4 motherboard, the nextgen AMD socket has more than a handful of VRMs and capacitors surrounding it. Even so, it’s still spacious enough for massive third-party cooler blocks. Besides the usual array of DDR4 3600MHz RAM banks and PCIe x16 slots, there are a couple of NVMe slots too. They sit beside the SATA slots. These advance features pair up with the all-new AMD Ryzen 2 CPU and Western Digital NVMe storage system that came in this month. The entire experience is mindblowingly awesome!
BENCHMARK Geekbench: 4,672 (Single), 25,849 (Multi) PCMark 10: 5,523
SPECS
VERDICT:
Cinebench: 176 (Single), 1,704 (Multi)
“The perfect companion for the AMD Ryzen 2 processor, featuring all the bells and whistles, at an affordable price.” - Din
PRICE: ~RM1050 CHIPSET: AMD X470 SOCKET: AM4 (Support AMD Ryzen 2nd Generation with AMD Radeon Vega, AMD 1st Generation, 7th Generation A-Series, Athlon X4) RAM: 4x DIMM DDR4 Dual Channel (Up to 3600MHz at 64GB) STORAGE: 3x M.2 Socket 3 with M Key (SATA & PCIe 3.0 x4, SATA, and SATA & PCIe 3.0 x2), 6x SATA 6Gb/s GRAPHICS: Integrated GPU with AMD Ryzen and AMD Radeon Vega,
Supports HDMI 1.5b @ 4K/24Hz or 60Hz, Supports DisplayPort 1.2 @ 4K/60Hz LAN: Intel I211-AT with Gigabit LAN Controller, Anti-Surge LAN Guard, ASUS ROG GameFirst Technology SOUND: ASUS SupremeFX 8-Channel HD Audio with Dual OP Amps and ASUS Sonic Radar III I/O 1x PS/2 Keyboard/Mouse Combo, 1x DisplayPort, 1x HDMI, 5x USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-A, 2x USB 3.1 Gen2 Type A, 1x USB 3.1 Type-C, 1 Optical S/PDIF Out, 5x Audio Jacks, 1x Anti-Surge RJ-45 LAN
9.0 73 AUG 2018
TESTED
et Sleek y ssis ha heavy c
Sleek and Tough
Dell Inspiron 15 7000 (7570)
Tough all-metal exterior
Good keytravel with some minor issues
74 AUG 2018
Business Focus
Hi Ho Silver
Minimalism Experience
With each passing day, multiple notebook manufacturers are releasing more and more entries with the latest Intel 8th Generation Core CPU. One of them is, of course, the ever-popular Dell and, indeed, it has sent one its latest Dell Inspiron units, equipped the new Intel CPU. From the get-go, the updated Dell Inspiron 15 7000 looks and feels like its for the businessminded consumer. At first glance, it feels like a no-nonsense machine and something most can guess is all about serious work. Reflecting this is, of course, the tough allmetal design the chassis sports. Indeed, having an all aluminium construction that is reinforced, it is very much about being used in rugged and unsafe locations.
With its choice of shiny silver metal, the Dell Inspiron 15 7000 has an elegant silvery look that oozes class. Of course, the polished metal is not just for show. Indeed, it is very sturdy and has minimal chassis flex. This means, it’s very hardy and prepared to be roughed up. One thing that I love about the build is how Dell ditches the sheen that its rivals love to use. The silvery-look is done up in matte, hence it does not leave fingerprint smears all over the body. Hallelujah! Take note, while it delivers on looks, this business choice platform is over 2kgs. This is not like current business notebooks that now come in thin and light designs.
When opening the top lid of the notebook, one will be immediately greeted with the nearly bezel-less IPS screen. While this next-gen Dell Inspiron falls in the 15 line, it might as well be in a bigger space. Indeed, even if it is on or under the 15” category for Dell, it leans towards 16" by looks alone. On this notebook, the screen size measures at 15.6”. The full-screen resolution is sharp and the monitor itself is bright. Oddly, there is no touchscreen on this unit. That’s odd seeing as most notebooks now sport this handy feature. It is already weighty on its own so, personally, it seems doable to just pile another gram or two.
Awesome sound stage delivery Runs for six to eight hours, depending on the workload
Comfortably Familiar
Missing Memoirs
Necessary Connectivity
For the keyboard, the black chiclet keys with white backlighting somewhat refers to a certain fruit-named company. Even so, there is more tactile response and better key-travel. In fact, typing out the entire review, along with a few others, on this is very comfortable. There are only two complaints – first, not having the numpad present on the side. This is essential for most business folks. Second is the decision to make the ‘ENTER’ and ‘Arrow Keys’ smaller than most. While it is about fitting everything into the keyboard, personally, there is loads of free space to put a full-sized keyboard in. In fact, there will be room still for users to rest their wrists as they type.
Underneath the easily removeable rear cover, Dell packs in an Intel 8th Generation Core i5-8250, a Samsung PM871b 128GB m.2 SSD, which works with the Seagate 1TB HDD, and 4GB of DDR4 RAM. In this day and age, 8GB is the bare minimum for business-oriented machine. Hence, it is a little disappointing to see that it’s lower than expected. Indeed, 80% of the RAM is used up just to open Chrome for browsing. Thankfully, there is another spare DDR4 RAM slot that can be used to add in for memory. Interestingly, an NVIDIA GeForce 940MX with 4GB dedicated video memory is included. This is a big plus for the folks who do some light gaming on the side.
For those that need to connect their peripherals onto a notebook, they’ll be very pleased with this unit. Indeed, this next-gen Dell Inspiron 7000 is loaded out with ports. It manages to cram three full-sized USB 3.1, one USB 3.1 Type-C with DisplayPort, a proper HDMI jack, an ethernet port, the necessary card reader, and a TRRS headphone/mic combo port. All in all, this all-new entry is robust and well-built, ensuring it is suited to the right target market. With the Intel 8th Generation CPU and NVIDIA GPU, it is more than ready for heavy duty workloads. If only the 4GB RAM can be set to 8GB by default, then all is good.
BENCHMARK Novabench: 1366 Geekbench: 3756 (Single), 10595 (Multi)
SPECS
VERDICT:
PCMark 10: 3181
“Silver is your friend! Well, in Dell’s case, this silver-hued system is the next best go-to for business folks on the run.” - Din
PRICE: From RM4,200 onwards (specs dependent) SCREEN SIZE: 15.6” Full HD IPS CPU: Intel 8th Generation Core i58250 GPU: NVIDIA GeForce 940MX/Intel UHD 630 (NVIDIA Optimus) RAM/STORAGE: 4GB DDR4 / 128GB SSD
(Operating System) + 1TB HDD OPERATING SYSTEM: Windows 10 Home Premium I/O: 1x SD Card Reader, 2x USB 3.1 Gen.1 Type-A, 1x USB 3.1 Gen.1 Type-C (DisplayPort/Power Delivery), 1x USB 3.1 Gen.1 Type-A with PowerShare, 1x Ethernet, 1x HDMI, 1x Audio Jack BATTERY: 42Wh LiPo 3 Cell
8.4 75 AUG 2018
TESTED
Retro is In Fujifilm X-A5
ting s a l g n Lo life y r e t t a b
4K Burst allows 15fps image snapshots
76 AUG 2018
Modern-day Combination
Big Follow Up
Sharper Pictures
The Fujifilm X-Series is renowned for combining traditional styling with cutting edge innovative technology. Its latest entry – the Fujifilm X-A5 – nails that perfectly as it jumps into the deep-end of the pool; its goal: to tackle like-minded mirrorless cameras. With its slick retro look, it is something the young ones will want to have. If anything, this next-gen entry is the sort that will definitely get users to be noticed, not just for the photos taken. The design stands out on its own as well. Photography enthusiasts, especially those who enjoy taking photos without using their smartphones, will enjoy this camera.
As a direct follow-up to the Fujifilm X-A3, the all new Fujifilm X-A5 is the smallest and lightest mirrorless entry yet for the X-Series range. Combining a new 24.2MP sensor with the X-Series signature colour reproduction technology, this next-gen mirrorless sharpshooter offers a host of new features. This includes a newly developed zoom lens, 4K movie recording, touchscreen, and the latest Bluetooth pairing technology for immediate image transfers. It is a major mix-up of new innovations and equally as intuitive features. More amazing is how Fujifilm managed to cram all these progressive functions into such a compact body.
After using the Fujifilm X-A5 for a couple of weeks to snap various photoshoots, it’s become pretty clear that this snapper is no pushover. Paired with the 15-45mm power zoom kit lens, it is good enough to grab some awesome pictures both in low and high ISO levels. From close-ups to sceneries, and even selfies, the camera can easily deal with most challenges. The display panel can be moved out and turned around at 180-degrees. This works well for a selfie. Oddly, the movement isn’t as userfriendly as one would expect. Engaging the flip-out screen must be done carefully.
Advanced remote access for smart devices
No electronic viewfinder onboard
Intuitive Auto
Video Insights
Here’s the interesting bit: the SR Auto mode lets the camera take care of everything. Just select a scene mode manually from the 14 available settings and experiment with Advanced Filters like Fog Remove, CrossScreen, Dynamic Tone, Soft Focus, Low-key, Toy Camera, HDR Art, and POP Color. This function is really fun to use and gives effects to the same picture. Just switch to the regular programme AE, aperture priority, shutter priority, or other manual modes if there is a need to be in control. There is also Fujifilm’s highly regarded Film Simulation mode, including Provia, Velvia, Astia, Classic Chrome, Pro Negative, Monochrome, and Sepia.
For video enthusiasts, the Fujifilm X-A5 shoots 4k Video, though it can only do so at 15fps. However, when it is recording in HD mode, the videos can go up to 60fps. This will enable the slow-motion effect feature, allowing it to be applied to any HD video that is captured. Having tried out both modes, it is best to use this next-gen X-Series entry to shoot HD videos. Meanwhile, the MultiFocus Mode automatically stacks 4K quality images, whilst cleverly changing the depth of field setting as and when required. This is a huge help for shots that must be taken in 4K and be able to alter the focus.
SPECS
VERDICT:
Retro Sense Overall, the Fujifilm X-A5 is probably the best mirrorless camera to come out from this long-time stalwart vendor. From its retro look to its lightweight design, this shooter will definitely be a big consideration for trendy and young users. It serves as the camera to consider for someone looking to try the mirrorless market as it sets them up on a journey of learning the best in photography. Just keep in mind that, the low recording aspect for 4k video may be a hinderance to some. Even so, the camera still delivers on what it is made to do – taking pictures.
“Retro is in for mirrorless and Fujifilm shows how it is done.” - Aron
PRICE: RM3,988 IMAGE SENSOR: 24.2MP with APS-C CMOS IMAGE CLEANING: Ultra Sonic Vibration STORAGE MEDIA: SD/SDHC/SDXC UHS-I FILE FORMAT: JPEG/RAW/RAW+JPEG (Still) / MOV, H.264 (Movie)
LENS MOUNT: Fujifilm X EXPOSURE CONTROL: TTL 256-Zone Metering (Multi/Spot/Average) LCD PANEL: 3” TFT LCD Touchscreen I/O: 1x USB 2.0 High-Speed / micro-USB Terminal, 1x micro-HDMI, 1x 2.5mm Mini-Jack
8.0 77 AUG 2018
TESTED
Ripping Up the Formbooks
MSI X399 GAMING PRO CARBON AC nd Tough a uild b stylish
Loads and loads of RGB LEDs
MSI template available for 3D printing covers
Impressive Impression
Need for Speed
Big Boys Toys
While the headlines from AMD are usually filled with the powerful yet affordable AMD Ryzen series, the AMD Threadripper line is also fast becoming a favourite among highend PC enthusiasts. Thusly, it’s heartening to see one of the top-spec motherboards for the latter coming in for a review. Indeed, the MSI X399 promises max performance with the AMD Threadripper. Right out of the box, the motherboard looks and feels very premium. Also, how often do accessories come in a velvet drawstring bag? That there, is a class act!
The board itself is just as awesome as it looks as MSI managed to pack in all the bells and whistles that it can think up. From a 10-Phase VRM with tall heatsinks, to the 8-Pin headers that offer more power stability, and an extra 6-Pin PSU head, this is definitely for the enthusiasts. The all-black theme is a nice touch, though users can jazz it up with the extra covers. While the defaults are gold and silver, those who want to personalise can 3D print their own too.
In reflecting the power user focus, MSI has ‘reinforced’ all four PCIe x16 slots. This aluminium strengthening treatment is to ensure the oversized GPUs will not bend the slots out of shape. Oddly, only two are full x16 capable, while the other two are capped at x8. In between these PCIe bays, MSI managed to squeeze in three M.2 ports, all of which are NVMe ready. The cooler shroud for these slots are an amazing addition too. If anything, all these features have blown expectations out of the water.
BENCHMARK Nova Bench: 2,282 Geekbench: 3,999 (Single), 18,728 (Multi)
SPECS
VERDICT:
78 AUG 2018
PCMark 10: 5,350 Cinebench: 149cb (Single), 2,222cb (Multi)
“This MSI entry can truly speed up the AMD Threadripper experience!” - Din
PRICE: RM1,999 SOCKET: AMD TR4 CPU: AMD Threadripper Series CHIPSET : AMD X399 RAM: Quad Channel DDR4 up to 3600Mhz (OC) DIMM : 8 (128GB Max) PCIE : 4 (x16), 2 (x1)
M.2 SLOT : 3 SATA III : 8 I/O: Front – 1x USB Type-C (Gen2), 4x USB Type-A (Gen1), 4x USB 2.0; Rear – 1x USB Type-C (Gen2), 1x USB Type-A (Gen2), 8x USB Type-A (Gen1), 2x USB 2.0, 1x 7.1-Channel HD Audio
8.5
Premium Chroma-Lighted Controller
Razer Wolverine Tournament Edition It’s just wired-only
Razer Chroma lighting
tra Four ex for s, button fun extra Impressive Handling
Buttons Everywhere
Pricey, But Premium
Pulling it out of the box, my first reactions are that it’s surprisingly well-fitted and highly ergonomic; very much unlike many non-Microsoft controllers out there. I am however slightly disappointed to see that the Razer Wolverine Tournament Edition (TE) is wired-only. With such a high asking price, it’s odd that there isn’t a wireless feature. Thankfully, the wire is pretty long and sturdy thanks to its braided design. The customisable RGB lighting on it is a nice touch too.
This controller has four extra buttons, perfect for those who have various button configuration needs. However, I did end up disabling the two paddles on the back. That’s because it’s just way too easy to engage them accidentally. The actual ABXY and bumper buttons are made of quality stuff, feeling like proper mouse-clicks. Cutting down the trigger travel time by so much ensures I get milliseconds of an advantage. Personally, the direction sticks could use a little more tension.
Overall, the Razer Wolverine TE is a good third-party controller. It feels almost like a standard Microsoft Xbox One joypad. It’s ergonomic and doesn’t feel bulky or heavy. The additional buttons are good, although the paddles and sticks can be tweak tighter. In terms of pricing, the Razer Wolverine TE is higher than most, especially for a wired-only controller. However, if there is money to splurge and one can find good use for the additional buttons, then there’s no doubt.
SPECS
VERDICT:
“A solid controller that does what it needs to, but with a pretty steep price.” - Raymond
PRICE: RM499 CONSOLE COMPATIBILITY: Xbox One or PC (Windows 10) CONTROLS: 4x Mecha-Tactile ABXY buttons, 4x bumpers, 2x paddles, 2x
triggers with trigger stops LIGHTING: Razer Chroma CABLE: 3m detachable braided cable I/O: 3.5mm audio port
8.6 79 AUG 2018
TESTED
Better Than TVs
ViewSonic 32” VX3276-2K-MHD WQHD IPS Monitor
2W stereo speakers present but don’t do much Vivid performance for all, mostly in part of the bezelless look
A true ultra-slim form factor
d to r a h t e y Sturdy e base-stand l assemb Traditional Assembly
Like a TV
Just Display
When the Editor checked in to see if I can do another monitor review for the August 2018 issue, it’s hard to turn it down. What can I say – I love working with TVs and sound systems. This time, the display in question is from ViewSonic, the ViewSOnic 32” VX3276-2K-MHD WQHD IPS Monitor to be exact. It’s one of the biggest panels to sit on the review bench. If only putting it together is just as awesome. It isn’t as the triangular base and neck requires screw-in locks.
Once the ViewSonic monitor is ready for testing, it is only a matter of hooking up the Blu-ray player onto it. Unlike the oversized and RGB-illuminated PC panels that are now the rage everywhere, this nextgen panel takes a step back. Instead of regression, it is exemplifying the simplicity of it all. Instead of 4K output, this ultra-slim monitor – a fast becoming uncommon look – runs only at 2K tops. This is to ensure the immersive experience is seamlessly delivered through its compact form factor.
Even if the new ViewSonic panel is up to spec – and it is on so many fronts – it does sport one feature that is seen as a major let-down. Before going into that territory, I must say that the visual performance looks awesome. Now, the problem – there is some slight screen-tearing due to the slower screen refresh. Of course, it is better to ignore these minor issues as much as possible. That is the only way one can truly enjoy and appreciate the rich colours and deep black delivery.
SPECS
VERDICT:
80 AUG 2018
“It’s one of the slimmest 32” panels to-date that out-performs in almost all aspects.” - Led Wayline
PRICE: RM939 DISPLAY: 32” WQHD IPS with TFT Active Matrix LCD BRIGHTNESS: 250cd/m2 CONTRAST RATIO: 1200:1 DYNAMIC CONTRAST RATIO: 80,000:1
RESPONSE TIME: 4ms COLOUR GAMUT: 75% of NTSC I/O: 2x HDMI 1.4, 1x DisplayPort 1.2, 1x miniDisplayPort, 1x 3.5mm Audio-Out
8.8
Simple but Handy BenQ Zowie EC1-A
ble a c r e b Rub
No drivers needed
Fixed dpi settings
Modest Design
Limited Customisability
Convenient for Emergencies
When in eSports, players need a reliable mouse that gets the job done and in an effective manner. The BenQ ZOWIE EC1-A gaming mouse strives to put this philosophy to the test. With an unimposing design, featuring no RGB lights, it’s easy to tell that this mouse is all about ergonomics and being non-distracting. The simple and smooth exterior neatly fits into the palm, with left and right mouse buttons that have nice tactile feedback. Definitely, very much a performance-over-aesthetic look.
The ZOWIE EC1-A comes with variable response control, ranging from 400 up to 3200dpi. Oddly, these settings are preset and cannot be customised. It’s a minor inconvenience that requires users to train their muscles around specific sensitivities; it’ll get better after some time. As is, the toggle switch itself lies below the mouse. This makes changing the dpi mid-match impractical compared to other mice. Additionally, an option to alter the report rate does exist but uses a cumbersome method and offers no visual indicator for changes.
One of the draws of the ZOWIE EC1-A gaming mouse is that it’s plug-and-play. Users don’t need drivers or third-party software to use this mouse. This is great for those traveling for events and are unfamiliar with the computer setup. However, for those good enough to win at major eSports events, its limitations mean it’s better to keep this ZOWIE entry as a spare. Otherwise, it’s a neat gaming mouse that works well enough without the dreaded acceleration or smoothing issues.
SPECS
VERDICT:
“Not the cream of the crop, but still a subtle and reliable mouse for one’s gaming needs.” - Shuqran
PRICE: RM299 DPI: 400/ 800/ 1600/ 3200 REPORT RATE: 125/ 500/ 1000 Hz BUTTONS: 2 side buttons (left) CABLE LENGTH: 200cm WEIGHT: 99g
8.4 81 AUG 2018
TESTED
French Kiss Wiko View2 Pro
life y r e t t Good ba
Still on micro-USB
Textured power button for easy engagement
View from Above
Seeing Double
Imaging Beauty
French-based Wiko is fast proving itself to be a capable brand as it recently launched its all-new flagship, the Wiko View2 Pro. Coming in either Gold or Black, it looks really sleek and futuristic. The 6” screen nearly fills the entire front façade; hence the need to opt for ‘notched’ display. At the rear, it looks shiny but, personally, it doesn’t feel like glass. That is definitely a good thing, as it makes for a better grip than other smartphones that sport a glass backpanel.
The 6” front panel, notch and all, is decent and bright. While 720p equipped smartphones aren’t sharp enough, the Wiko View2 Pro steps up. The display output is crispy enough that, most times, it feels like a Full HD panel. Also, this Wiko flagship is using a near stock Android 8.0 Oreo, making the user experience snappy and not burdened with bloatware. Inside is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 Octa-Core with 4GB RAM and 64GB storage. While not the best choice, it performs remarkably well.
Images captured from the two 16MP f/1.8 camera are very nice and looks well balanced. The camera app is fast and snappy, though the UI can be confusing to use at times. HDR does take a while to process, but other than that, it’s a decent performer. Images tend to come out a bit dark, but that’s only noticeable when comparing with other devices. Colour reproduction is good and visuals are sharp enough for social media use. All-in-all, the Wiko View2 Pro is a decent device that exceeds expectations.
BENCHMARK Antutu: 70,341 Geekbench Single : 769
SPECS
VERDICT:
82 AUG 2018
Geekbench Multi : 3,894 3D Mark : 446
“Decent smartphone that can do no wrong.” - Din
PRICE: RM999 DISPLAY: 6”, 720 x 1528px (282ppi) CHIPSET: Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 CPU: 8x 1.8Ghz Cortex A53 GPU: Adreno 506 RAM / MEMORY: 4GB RAM / 64GB
Storage OPERATING SYSTEM: Android 8.0 CAMERA: 2x 16MP f/1.8 with Dual LED (Rear), 16MP Big Pixel (Front) BATTERY: 3000mAh
8.2
True Brilliance
Dell 27 S2719DM Ultrathin Monitor
ooks l s s e l zelNear be
Exceptional visual processing performance
One true seamless chassis design
No speakers present
Installation Free Setup
Lacking in Audio
Vibrancy Redefined
Dell never ceases to impress when it comes to design innovation, as can be seen in the next-gen 2018 notebooks. Of late, this push for visual progression is also appearing in new accessories and peripherals. Take, for instance, the Dell 27 S2719DM Ultrathin Monitor that rolled into the PC.com Tested Labs for review. It’s odd that this supposedly super-slim panel sits inside a large package. It all became clear during the unboxing, the exact moment the display reveals it is already attached to the neck and base-plate.
This seamless design that this next-gen Dell 27 Ultrathin panel uses proves Dell is still innovating. Oddly, though, a sound system hasn’t been included with this screen. Personally, having achieved this space-age look, a simple stereo set could be squeezed in somehow. Just like how ultra-slim notebooks can still pack in decent speakers, it shouldn’t be too troublesome to do the same for this monitor. As is, there is a sound processor inside since an audio jack out is parked right at the top of the I/O array. That makes it odder that there are no speakers present.
Missing sound system aside, this all-new Dell 27 Ultrathin is truly outstanding. With almost no calibration necessary, beyond the brightness and contrast adjustments, this 600nit panel manages to put out super brilliant colours. Thanks to the DCI-P3 1976 and sRGB 1931 Coverage, along with Display HDR 400, almost the entire colour spectrum feels enriched. Blacks, whites, the primary hues, and the crispy sharp pixel processing – all of them stand out more. It’s so vivid, there are proper visible shades of blacks, all easy to spot among the dark greys.
SPECS
VERDICT:
“The Dell 27 S2719DM Ultrathin is one of the best in its class and highly suited for both home and office.” - Led Wayline
PRICE: RM1,889 DISPLAY: 27” WQHD IPS LED Panel with HDR and Display HDR 400 Support BACKLIGHT: White LED with EDGELIGHT System BRIGHTNESS: 400nits (Typical), 600nits (Peak) CONTRAST RATIO: 1000:1
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9 COLOUR GAMUT: DCI-P3 1976, sRGB 1931 RESPONSE TIME: 5ms (Fast, 8ms (Normal) SCREEN COATING: Anti-Glare Treatment for Polariser (3H) I/O: 2x HDMI-In 2.0 (with HDCP 2.2 Support), 1x 3.5mm Audio/Line-Out
9.6 83 AUG 2018
TESTED
Truly Lightweight
Canon EOS 1500D (Body Only) ly Superb ght ei lightw
Built-in NFC and Wi-Fi
Good feedback for the shutter button No touchscreen present
84 AUG 2018
Always Ready
It’s Light
Mega Sensor
As good as a smartphone’s camera can be, there will be a time that one will find it can still be somewhat lacking. That’s when realisation hits that it may be time to take the plunge for a real camera. Hold up, where would one invest their hard-earned cash into? A point-and-shoot is affordable, but it’s not much better than a smartphone. A proper professional camera has the ability to swap lenses, but they tend to be in the thousands of Dollars. Thankfully Canon has some great entry level models for its Digital SLR (DSLR) range, specifically the all-new Canon 1500D. Paired with the 18-55mm kit lens, its asking price is only in the RM2,000 range. Can this be a good starting point for budding photographers? Let’s find out.
As a replacement for the outgoing Canon EOS 1300D, the EOS 1500D is all for focusing on new users getting into the DSLR space. Thusly, Canon keeps this entry in the lightweight space in terms of design and handling. The layout is the usual minimalist take just so newbies do not feel intimidated when they’re using it. In turn, it also helps Canon in keeping the price tag on the low-side as well. Buttons are relatively within reach of one’s right thumb, with a dedicated flash button near the index finger. The features aren’t the only thing that tries to keep things light and easy – it’s literally light too, weighing in at 475g. While that might be a good thing for new users, it feels like a toy sometimes.
With a 24MP sensor included, the Canon EOS 1500D should easily cater to the needs of users that take pictures for hobby or fun. Of course, having a sensor that big means there is the added benefits of a overly large resolution images. This makes up for the aging Canon DIGIC 4+ processor since that particular aspect has a limitation of 3fps in burst mode. With an ISO range of 100 to 6400, this certainly is not a camera for lowlight photography. As expected of a DSLR, there is a plethora of options to consider when using the control dial, though new users are most likely to access the shutter priority, aperture priority, or manual modes later on. Personally, this main knob turns with a satisfying click.
Slow burst shooting offering – 3fps at best
Wireless Handy
Shutter Bug
Good for Beginners
The Canon EOS 1500DD features not only Wi-Fi but also a NFC connection as well. The former is now intuitive enough that it can be easily set up. Just install the appropriate app in the smartphone, connect it with the camera Wi-Fi, and it’s good to go! Just like that – instant image transfers. Personally, this function is likely to be a hit with those who must share on social media as they can now instantly share their professionally taken images of lunch on Instagram within minutes. As for those that want to record video, they can now capture it all on Full HD 1080p with this Canon entry. Of course, having the ability to change lenses, this is a great initial investment for budding or amateur cinematographers.
As the Canon EOS 1500D is exceptionally lightweight, it’s easy to feel the mirror moving when images are being captured. That means the dampening is not as good as the more professional and heavier entries. This can lead to motion blur as the camera is likely to shake a little due to the shutter firing. It took some time to get used to it as there is now a need to brace the camera when taking a photo. When used outside, this sharpshooter performs admirably. Images are clear, with great colour reproduction even when capturing in JPEG. The included 18-55mm lens is a great balance for close-up or wide shots, especially for new users. When used indoors, it tends to struggle, even in a well-lit room.
The Canon EOS 1500D will struggle in dark environments, forcing users to bump ISO 800 levels and beyond; even so, it’ll have to do. This will result in noisy shots but it’s still better than the grainy photos from smartphones. This is due to the larger sensor and processor that DSLRs use. All in all, Canon seems to have produced a good photography system that is suited for new users. As is, it offers a nice balance of features and an affordable price point. Indeed, there are just enough functions on this camera that can teach users the basic of handling a DSLR. For most, this is a great jumping off point, especially if one never handled a proper camera that professionals use.
SPECS
VERDICT:
“The Canon EOS 1500D is a good starting point for those who want to start dabbling with DSLRs.” - Din
PRICE: RM2,216 (with 18-55mm Kit Lens) SENSOR: 24.1MP APS-C CMOS PROCESSOR: Canon DIGIC 4+ ISO: 100-6400 (Expendable to 12800) VIDEO: Full HD 1080p up to 30FPS AUTOFOCUS: 9-point REAR MONITOR: 3-inch TFT
KIT LENS: EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 II kit lens FLASH MODES: E-TTL II Autoflash, FE Lock, Auto pop-up, Retractable, Built-in IMGAE STABIISER: Lens-Shift Type STORAGE: SD, SDHC*, SDXC*, *UHS-I cards compatible I/O: Hi-Speed USB, HDMI
8.0 85 AUG 2018
BIZ 2.0 Properly Enabling Partners
Microsoft Inspire 2018 drops three major announcements that will empower the partner ecosystem By Victor Yap
W
hen it comes to enterprise class systems and backend platforms, it’s always been a continuous development process; one that introduces new innovations and solutions all the time. For Microsoft, that means augmenting how things work in its ever-expanding ecosystem. The results of these efforts have been recently introduced at Microsoft Inspire 2018, a critical annual event for Redmond. Microsoft Inspire 2018 is not like other major events, such as Build, as it focuses partner innovation, growth, and differentiation. Where Build is more about what Microsoft is putting out for its next-gen platforms, Inspire is a completely different ball-game. The goal is to create global impacts with these Microsoft partners and to drive positive changes for all. At the recent Microsoft Inspire 2018, the operating system leader has introduced an extensive list of updates for its ecosystem. Of the many
86 AUG 2018
announcements, three major reveals stand out. First, the new innovations that Microsoft 365 now sport – a free version of Teams, new intelligent event capabilities, and Workplace Analytics. With this new take on Teams, all its features – unlimitied chat, built-in audio/ video calling, 10GB storage, and real-time content creation – are now open to all. The second announcement is related to Microsoft 365 as it introduces a smarter event tracking service. It can be simple or sophisticated, depending on what users require. Once the event is ready, a notification is sent out to all invited participants. With the third reveal, it has more to do with the major partnerships that Microsoft introduced at Microsoft Inspire 2018. While all are equally important, the more critical one happens to be the engagement with National Geographic. Both will be working together to manage a new fund, called the Artificial Intelligence for Earth Innovation Grant.
Containing US$1 million, it will support recipients who have plans to accelerate transformative change for the world through environmental science and ecosystem conservation. That and many other ecosystem support from Microsoft are now coming online or will go live in the coming months. This is how Redmond wants to empower digital transformation for its partners with the goal of unlocking incredible growth and success for all.
Dynatrace Perform 2018 Opens Its Doors Digital transformation for businesses are the top-of-mind topics for this all-new partner conference By Victor Yap
A
s digital transformation goes into full-swing, businesses all over – of varying sizes and operations – are searching for versatile, yet reliable, updating processes. While there are many solution providers offering their own guides and support programmes, they are usually dedicated to that brand. Dynatrace, while operating within the same space, wants to engage this trend differently. While there are many conferences that focus on one overarching brand and its related services or partners, Dynatrace believes otherwise as it puts together its annual Perform event. The latest leg for this event, which features knowledge sharing from the best and brightest in the ICT industry, took place in Kuala Lumpur recently. It is at this speaking platform that Dynatrace reiterates its
role as the integrator element for various infrastructure stacks. Alongside Dynatrace speakers, experts in the Cloud and Big Data space from across the Asia Pacific also take the stage to share their own insights. This
also include talks that explore digital innovation and software intelligence trends, both of which are shaping the future of businesses. Other topics that Dynatrace Perform 2018 in Kuala Lumpur focused on include artificial intelligence, and Internet of Things. There are also panel discussions on automation, micro-services deployment, deployment operations, and enterprise monitoring that take place throughout the event. Among the speakers that took the stage is Andreas Grabner, a DevOps Activist in Dynatrace. He shares about the need to push for smarter platforms at the back-end and how it will streamline everything else. He also touch on what exactly can Dynatrace help with for companies who want to initiate their own digital transformation.
87 AUG 2018
SPOTLIGHT
EMPOWERING DIGITAL RESPONSES Incidents are no longer confined to the real world as cyber-threats become major issues as well
By Victor Yap
88 AUG 2018
I
ncident responses are critical for all processes as they are the ones that ensure reactive results will be extremely helpful. Without them, any harmful incident would open the way to catastrophic consequences. From accidents to natural disasters, even digital-based cyber-threats – all of them need mitigative countermeasures to address and manage further incidences. Just as the digital world is expanding, so too are the threats that this ecosystem has enabled. Indeed, it’s a malicious trend that is accelerating at a fast pace. The last three high-profile cyber-attacks in the last 12 months are telling that there is a need for incident response. Not the sort that sees the current leadership resigning or being sacked, but more of what else can be done. How to respond better; what other preventive considerations are needed; why did the protective systems fail; and where did it all go so wrong? Currently, there are many ways to respond to these queries, though it is usually in a more proactive manner. For IBM Resilient, an entity borne from the IBM buy-out of Resilient in 2016, it believes understanding these threats is critical; especially when it is about developing the right proactive and reactive responses. PC.com manage to catch with attorney-turned-security-response lead Gant Redmon, the Programme Director of Cyber-Security and Privacy, IBM Resilient. He flew into KL recently to speak at the FIRST Security Conference, specifically on why incident responses must be more innovative. PC.com: Let’s start with what exactly IBM Resilient is and what is your role within IBM Security. Gant Redmon: I’m an attorney that, interestingly, works within IBM Security and I focus on the IBM Resilient product. This solution is an incident response platform that comprises solutions, plans, and books; these are the ones that advice customers what they need to do when there is a security-related incident. Included in that are the data
protection and privacy responses. Both aspects ensure every action taken will ensure the emergency-at-hand will always keep folks updated. I joined Resilient before IBM took over as I believe – as an attorney – that security and privacy must go hand-in-hand. This coming together of two highly-related yet different trends is what makes me excited the technology Resilient offers. There is a growing demand now for incident response capabilities and that’s why IBM Resilient is here at FIRST. PC.com: When did the interest in incident responses started to skyrocket? Redmon: It didn’t. This attention came to be after the IBM buyout. While IBM Security has a strong portfolio of data protection products, there isn’t a common dashboard that manages operations. Hence, it went looking for a platform that make all these other products work together. This is critical for the incident responder as all the relevant data must be called up as and when necessary. Resilient has a feature that pulls various data-sets into a command console, making it easier and seamless to process information. It’s important to stress this point: seamless. Small teams can manage the details since they know who is responsible for what area of focus. In big teams, that is not the case as it’s harder to understand what different teams are doing. PC.com: Has incident response needs changed over the years? In what ways has it become different? Redmon: The need to understand quickly and easily is also applicable to incident response. What used to be 30-, 60-, and 90-days has now become extremely short. Now instead of weeks, responders must address and solve incidents, with notifications in place to affected parties, within 72-hours. This is the new 90-days! It’s a totally different ball-game now, especially when there are new governances – like EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) – coming online. 72-hours is not a lot of time to
manage crises. There is going to be a lot of conflict when the timeline is tighter – do we notify clients or keep it under radar? This is a challenge for responders and it’s something that Resilient is looking into; even from before the IBM take-over. PC.com: IBM Resilient works on creating solutions for incident responders – is it specifically for normal incidences or digital? Redmon: It’s both – yet it’s something that most still struggle to define. This is a fascinating scenario as breach and notification have always, for the longest time, historically been linked with personal data. Laws, originally focused on protecting personal data, are now expanding out into doing the same for infrastructure and organisations. Usually, if personal data is affected, then users must be notified. The same applies to infrastructure and businesses; yet, if it also deals with the economy or national security – then other aspects come into play. There are various ways to define a breach now too. Beyond losing data during a theft, losing access or a breach of confidentiality are now major issues as well. PC.com: What else does Malaysia need to do if it is to step up on privacy laws? Redmon: I can’t comment too much on this beyond what I have seen elsewhere. It’s a small part but there is a need for guidance – to a point. Personally, this is a step forward, but can quickly lead to confusion when it is applied wrongly. With guidance, then the act of notifying falls to the customer and not the laws only. In understanding this, a better and more informed decision can be made. It’s a small thing but very relevant, not just for Malaysia but most countries as well. 89 AUG 2018
INVIEW
Budding AI Relationship
AI must be built on trust
By Ralph Haupter, President, Microsoft Asia and Corporate Vice President, Microsoft
T
he development of artificial intelligence (AI) is accelerating, enabling profound progress in every field of human endeavor – from healthcare to education, climate control, and crop yields. By combining AI with natural human ingenuity, the maximum potential of individuals is easier to engage and can be enabled to accomplish remarkable achievements. For example, research labs around the world are now trying to address one of humanity’s deadliest diseases – cancer. Not through test tubes and medical equipment, but with AI and machine learning (ML). Additionally, by leveraging on ML and natural language processing, the world’s leading oncologists are now more
90 AUG 2018
empowered as they figure out the most effective, individualised cancer treatment for their patients. This is done via providing intuitive ways that help sort through all the research data available. Another initiative that is being worked on is to pair ML with computer vision; this is to give radiologists a more detailed understanding of how their patients’ tumours are progressing and, more importantly, how to treat it. AI Raises Complex Questions on Trust and Ethics It is evident that AI has the potential to help societies overcome some of its most daunting challenges. However, its potential can only be maximised if it can collect, aggregate, and share data at a massive scale.
That raises ethical issues around universal access, security, privacy, and transparency. To some extent, AI has upended the relationship most folks once had with technology and the level of trust for these systems must be re-examined. In addition, on the societal level, as AI continues to augment the decision-making process, how can this concept ensure that it treats everyone fairly? Also, how can it ensure people and organisations remain accountable for AI-driven systems that are becoming more pervasive, intelligent, and powerful? These are some of the key questions that individuals, businesses, and governments need to ponder, analyse, and untangle as the advancement and proliferation of AI continues to accelerate.
To unleash the full potential of AI, service providers must build a solid foundation of trust. Users will not use a new AI-enabled solution if they do not trust that it meets the highest standards for security, privacy, and safety. As the benefits of AI are being studied, there is an inherent need to work together to find answers for these questions and be able to create systems that people trust. Building Trust in AI Ultimately, for AI to be trustworthy, Microsoft believes that it should not only be transparent, secure, and inclusive; it must also maintain the highest degree of privacy protection. To achieve this, up to six focused principles must be at the heart of any development and deployment of AIpowered solutions: 1. Privacy and security: Like other Cloud technologies, AI systems must comply with privacy laws that regulate data collection, use, and storage, It must also ensure that personal information is used in accordance with privacy standards. This includes protecting information from misuse or theft 2. Transparency: As AI increasingly impacts people’s lives, service providers must provide contextual information; specifically, on how AI systems operate. This is so that people understand how decisions are made and can more easily identify potential bias, errors, and unintended outcomes 3. Fairness: When AI systems make decisions about medical treatment or employment, for example, they should make the same recommendations for everyone with similar symptoms or qualifications. To ensure fairness, developers must understand how bias can affect AI systems 4. Reliability: AI systems must be designed to operate within clear parametres and undergo rigorous testing. This is to ensure that they respond safely to unanticipated situations and do not evolve in ways that are inconsistent with original expectations. People should play a critical role in making decisions about how and when AI systems are deployed
5. Inclusiveness: AI solutions must address a broad range of human needs and experiences through inclusive design practices. In doing so, potential barriers in products or environments that can unintentionally exclude people are easily identified 6. Accountability: People who design and deploy AI systems must be accountable for how their systems operate. Accountability norms for AI should draw on the experience and practices from other sectors, such as privacy in healthcare. It must also be adhered to during system design and be done so in an ongoing manner, just like how mainstream systems operate the world over These six principles guide the design of Microsoft’s AI products and services. Indeed, these considerations are being institutionalised by forming an internal advisory committee to help ensure all Microsoft products adhere with these values. Those keen on knowing more about these six AI principles, please look up ‘The Future Computed, Artificial Intelligence and its Role in Society’. It’s an engaging report that Brad Smith, President and Chief Legal Officer, and Harry Shum, Executive Vice President of Microsoft AI and Research Group, produced. This book examines how the world can best prepare itself for an AI future. Best bit: it is available for download at no cost.
As most know, Microsoft is deeply involved in efforts throughout the AI community and have co-founded the Partnership on AI. The latter aims to devise best practices for the AI industry, increase its awareness, and discuss the levels of influences AI has on people and society. Most of these initiatives reflect what Microsoft aspires to achieve – Responsive and Responsible AI Leadership. As is, the various approaches it engages will be grounded in, and consistent with, its long-time main mission: To enable every person and organisation on the planet to achieve more. Right now, the progress of AI can address many more challenges than they present. As is, the tools and services that are being created must assist humanity and augment humankind’s capabilities. The future of AI is bright and, indeed, the opportunities that it provides will create a better future for all. Of course, to ensure that this future is achievable, it will be essential for governments, businesses, academics, and civil organisations to work together in creating trustworthy AI systems.
91 AUG 2018
INVIEW
Crypto-Jacking: The Next Threat
Passive attacks may be the way forward in this day and age By David Maciejak, Director of Security Research, Fortinet
C
rypto-jacking, a new and fancy term in cyber-security speak, is a new step in the evolution of malware monetisation methods. It’s also become the new threat of late. One of the first successful monetisation formulas is none other than banking malware, where banking
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credentials are communicated back to cyber-criminals. However, the conversion of credentials into cash is not an easy one. Ransomware is another step that makes the process simpler − victims are forced to wire money directly to the cybercriminals. However, ransomware is losing its effectiveness as more computer users
become aware of the threat and improve their security and back-up procedures. This leads to crypto-jacking as a new form of attack. The one main advantage over the other two monetisation methods − if well designed – the mining process can run in the background without drawing attention to itself. In the best case, the user
will be unaware that there is any extra processing going on. This makes it almost a ‘victimless crime’, in the sense that the user may not be aware of any a problems present. This is unlike other threats where the computer is visibly disabled, can lose precious documents, or have money stolen from bank accounts. The downside for cyber-criminals hoping to profit from crypto-jacking is that many victims are necessary; this is to gain enough resources to make significant profits. Ultimately, that will be the factor that decides whether this new malicious trend will continue as an attack vector. If it goes the other way, its popularity will likely wane as new techniques come to light as the malware evolution continues. How should organisations tackle these new and evolving forms of attack
like crypto-jacking and revolutionary ransomware? Simply put, deciding on the right approach to cyber-security is essentially a risk management process; this is a key area that businesses must consider. Organisations need to conduct detailed reviews that cover the assets likely to be at risk, oversee and manage the protection mechanisms in place, and predict the potential damage to the company. The last one is vital as it determines if the losses are assets that are considered as stolen or destroyed. Assets may be information-based – like files, credentials or databases. It can also be physical as more devices, such as video cameras and security access systems, become connected to the
corporate network. This can be considered as true property assets. Currently, the damage to firms in the event of an attack may be difficult to assess. Usually, monetary losses from paying off ransomware attacks are easy to determine. As for things like document loss, related recovery costs, reputational damage, and legal liabilities due to loss of customer data, they are harder to quantify. Likewise, crypto-jacking losses are tough to put a finger on. Servers that are mining in the background will have reduced resources for dealing with real work, affecting business productivity. Customer experience on public-facing servers can also be degraded. These losses, whilst difficult to value, can be substantial and it becomes more important than ever to deploy a complete security solution; of course, it must cover all parts of an organisation’s network, from the access to the Cloud. This solution should not only protect against attacks, but also continually monitor the security ‘health’ of the network. In doing so, administrators, and the company management by default, will be able to identify these weak points and deal with potential breaches. After all, this is about making sure processes are in place before any real damage is done. 93 AUG 2018
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ISSUE 08
PIXELS
Canon EOS 5D Mark IV; EF11-24mm f/4L IS USM; 24mm; 1/800 sec,
f/7.1; ISO 160
THE ISLAND LIFE PICTOGRAPHY
THE BALI SERIES – PART 5: NORTH BALI BY RAFAEL MOURA Rafael Moura is a photographer and surfer from Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. His motto is: I live the life I love. He is currently based in California, USA. Check out his other works at instagram.com/rmbagus First published on Canon Snapshot Photography Content Platform
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PIXELS
M
ost visitors to Bali confine their holiday to Kuta, Seminyak, Canggu, Uluwatu, and Ubud. However, there is so much to discover on the other side of the state. Take for instance, North Bali.
Canon EOS 5D Mark IV; EF1124mm f/4L USM; 24mm; 1/800 sec, f/7.1; ISO 160 The Scenic Route One can drive along scenic routes, with an average travel time of three hours. Along the way, take the time to be amazed with beautiful landscapes, friendly people, and other attractions to shoot.
Canon EOS 5D Mark IV; EF70-200mm f/4L IS USM; 150mm; 1/1000 sec, f/4; ISO 160 Canon EOS 5D Mark IV; EF11-24mm f/4L USM; 11mm; 1/1000 sec, f/8; ISO 160
Discover Hidden Gems Bedugul is one of my favourite stops enroute to Singaraja, the former colonial capital of Bali. It offers nature experiences like challenging treks and hidden waterfalls. Simply put, Bedugul is a highland resort in the Beratan Mountains and is renowned for its sweeping views, cool climate, and three lakes. Crystal Clear Waters Another route to North Bali will pass along the East Coast, through Karangasem Regency. There are beautiful white sandy beaches to discover, along with its pristine waters. A perfect location for diving, snorkelling, and underwater photography. Boats to Penida, Cenigan, and Lembongan also leave from this location — providing even more photo opportunities.
Canon EOS 6D; EF11-24mm f/4L USM; 20mm; 1/640 sec, f/9; ISO 250 96 AUG 2018
Gateway to Heaven Finding quiet places is getting harder and harder. Thusly, such a criterion is what makes Pura Lempuyang a ‘must see’. This Balinese Hindu temple stands on the slopes of Mount Lempuyang. Just head up its many stairs to see an amazing sight of a temple reaching the sky. Aptly, this place is nicknamed Gateway to Heaven. Having Proper Equipment I usually take three Canon EF Lenses for road trips around Bali. For my visit up north, my kit features primarily the Canon EF50mm f/1.4 USM – at maximum aperture and with its shallow depth of field focus, it is very effective in low-light situations. For portraits, there is the Canon EF70-200mm f/4L IS USM with fluorite UD lens elements. It is a lightweight, compact telephoto zoom lens that provides excellent optical performance; specifically, in terms of resolution and contrast.
Canon EOS 5D Mark IV; EF11-24mm f/4L USM; 19mm; 1/640 sec, f/10; ISO 160
Last, but just as critical is the Canon EF 11-24mm f/4L USM. This is a truly versatile wide-angle zoom with an advanced optical design and constant f/4 maximum aperture. It’s reasonably-sized and is worth carrying around every day.
Those keen to check out the previous segments to this Bali Photo-Tour, please refer to the March, April, May, and June 2018 issues. It’s been an awesome ride and, please, do stay for more!
Canon EOS 5D Mark IV; EF11-24mm f/4L USM; 11mm; 1/1000 sec, f/5; ISO 160 97 AUG 2018
PIXELS
ce. Annapurna III (7555m) and Gangapurna (7454m) loom in the distan Canon EOS 6D; Samyang 35mm f/1.4 AS UMC; 2 sec, f/1.4; ISO 3200
ADVENTURE PHOTOGRAPHY
THE ANNAPURNA CIRCUIT AT NIGHT BY AMIR ROTHMAN Amir Rothman works in the TV/Film Post-Production industry but dabbles in adventure photography at every possible opportunity. Despite working in a claustrophobic studio, he constantly chases remote landscapes and cultures with Nepal being a second home to him. This time around, he treks the Annapurna Circuit in winter to pursue a clear view of the night sky and the stunning views of the Annapurna Massif.
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W
inters in Nepal produces some of the clearest views of the landscape. The humidity in the air is non-existent with constant winds blowing clouds away and the scorching sun during the daytime saps every bit of moisture in the terrain. I planned this trek with regards to the moon phases and had the incredible luck of catching the full moon as we trek passed an elevation of 3,500m. The clear weather would carry on till we crested the Thorong La Pass at 5,146m above sea level.
Heaven’s Guest House hides quietly next to the Marshyangdi river valley, hidden away from the fairly bustling village of Jagat. Canon EOS 6D; Samyang 35mm f/1.4 AS UMC; 2 sec, f/1.4; ISO 6400
A communications tower illuminates ancient houses in the village of Upper Pisang, Nepal. Canon EOS 6D; Samyang 35mm f/1.4 AS UMC; 2 sec, f/1.4; ISO 1600
Exploring the Diversity of Nepal The Annapurna Circuit Trek can be considered one of the quintessential treks to do in Nepal. Ranging from 14- to 21-days, this trek will
take hikers through some of the most distinct regions of Nepal. The four regions that all will pass through on the trek are Lamjung, Manang, Mustang, and Myagdi.
Canon EOS 6D; Samyang 35mm f/1.4 AS UMC; 1 sec, f/1.4; ISO 6400
Heaven’s Guest House in Jagat has been the wonderful teahouse that I stayed at after trekking into the Lamjung District of Nepal. That evening of rest turned into the first of many star-filled night skies that I am in search of. The moon had just risen over the hills behind me and illuminated the front facade of the teahouse, creating a natural fill for the foreground. After a long day of trekking, it definitely feels like I had died and gone to heaven. 99 AUG 2018
PIXELS At 3,519m above sea level, the village of Manang is a popular location for trekkers to acclimatise with the high altitude; it also acts as a critical location for rest days. There is no shortage of modern amenities here with movie houses, Wi-Fi access, a medical centre, and even proper espresso cafes. The last ones cater to the masses of trekkers that pass through this village.
A night of reflection after a week of trekking from the rooftop of the guest house in Manang. Canon EOS 6D; Samyang 35mm f/1.4 AS UMC; 2 sec, f/1.4; ISO 6400 Canon EOS 6D; Samyang 35mm f/1.4 AS UMC; 1 sec, f/1.4; ISO 640
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A lonely stupa under the vast night sky. Canon EOS 6D; Samyang 35mm f/1.4 AS UMC; 2 sec, f/1.4; ISO 1600
Moonlight Vigil As the moon phases increase in intensity, it is essential that I keep a close eye on position of the moon throughout the night as most pictures turned out best during the rising and setting of the moon. The goal is to have landscape that has been illuminated with the silvery light of the moon, but still retain some dramatic shadows for impact.
Gangapurna Glacier makes it way down a steep 7,455m mountain. Canon EOS 6D; Samyang 35mm f/1.4 AS UMC; 2 sec, f/1.4; ISO 800
An avalanche prone valley is the only way trekkers will be able to reach Annapurna Base Camp and thus most trekkers begin their day at first light while the snow is still frozen solid. Canon EOS 6D; EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM; 28mm; 30 sec, f/5.6; ISO 6400 At 4,850 meters, Thorong High Camp offers unfettered views of the night sky and Yakwakang (6,482m) Canon EOS 6D; Samyang 35mm f/1.4 AS UMC; 2.5 sec, f/1.4; ISO 6400
Want more pictures from the Nepal trip? Then stay tuned as the third part in this article series will cover more on the topic of Nepal. Next month I’ll be sharing more of my experience trekking and photographing the scenic treks up in this mountainous region. 101 AUG 2018
GAMETIME review
KAZUMA KIRYU’S SWAN SONG Yakuza 6: The Song of Life By Amir Rothman
102 AUG 2018
Y
akuza 6: The Song of Life is the latest entry in the long-running Yakuza series that Sega has developed and published for the last two Sony PlayStation entries. It is also the first game in the series to utilise the brand new ‘Dragon’ game engine, the platform that finally brings the Yakuza series into next-gen territory. Although
the game had originally been released in Japan around 2016, the new engine is good enough that players in 2018 won’t really feel the true age of this game. This game is also a little bittersweet for fans of the franchise as it will be the last chapter in the exciting life of the Dragon of Dojima, Kazuma Kiryu, the series’ protagonist.
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GAMETIME review
Similar Differences Veterans of the series will quickly notice the graphic fidelity of the new Dragon engine. Kamurocho, a fictional town based on Kabukicho in Tokyo, is now rendered in all its glory without a load screen in sight. As someone who’s been to Japan, it’s almost scary to see how well these locations are represented in-game. When it comes to atmosphere, Yakuza 6 has it in spades. The amount of NPCs and enemies appearing on screen gives the illusion of a bustling Tokyo town even more credibility; in fact, the player will go in and out of combat seamlessly. Also, a first in the series, combat can now finally spill into shop interiors that will elicit a funny response from owners or staff within the store. The lack of loading screens within the game adds to the immersion as gamers find themselves spending countless hours exploring Kamurocho and Onomichi. The latter is a new location to the series that is based off a quiet little town in Hiroshima. There are 51 sub-stories within Yakuza 6 and every one of them is just as interesting and amusing to play. Although, expect to put in 50 to 100 hours if one has the itch to complete all of these side-quests. The Daddy of Dojima The story of Yakuza 6 focuses on Kiryu’s relationship with Haruka, his adopted daughter. She is now hospitalised no thanks to
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a hit-and-run incident and Kiryu, subsequently, is on the hunt for Haruka’s attacker. Throw in a one-year old baby with an unknown father into the mix and the makings of a good-old Yakuza story, something fans have come to expect, will start to peek out. Of course, there are heaps of gangster warfare in between, but there’s also a good amount of daytime telenovela drama that is not out of place; especially, after playing all previous installments of the main Yakuza series. Some new characters also join the tangled web of drama with Beat Takeshi being one of the more recognisable faces for fans who are not too in tune with Japanese pop culture. My biggest complaint about Yakuza 6 is that while the story leans more towards family ties and the sun setting on Kiryu’s illustrious career as a yakuza, the lack of familiar faces is a slight disappointment. This is especially after all the amazing chaos that took place in Yakuza 0. Personally, the problem with Yakuza 6’s story is the severe lack of Goro Majima appearing in-game. Without the insanity of Majima to balance out Kiryu’s honourbound Yakuza ways, the story feels a bit flat. Even Yakuza Kiwami, a refresh of the first Yakuza game, features a ‘Majima Everywhere’ side activity that makes for a fairly fresh experience. All in all, the story of Yakuza 6: The Song of Life feels tame in comparison to the ludicrousness from the previous games.
Street Fighting Man Combat in Yakuza 6 follows the same philosophy that the Dragon engine uses. It’s more focused and streamlined in all aspects; hence, gone are the fighting styles introduced in that previous games as Kiryu now has only one singular moveset with different combos. As a result, the player is fully in charge of how Kiryu fights and what styles jive best with the player. As for the full fighting experience, it is now more dynamic and fluid. Depending on the situation and enemy mob faced, the player can switch combos to deal with them more effectively. While the combat system is now easy to get into for new players, veterans are not left out as old styles are represented in different combo sets. They even pop up when the new Heat Rage system fires up. Heat Actions are still in the game, albeit they are more violent now thanks to the new capabilities of the Dragon engine.
Publisher: Sega Developer: Sega Platform: Sony PlayStation 4 Release Date: April 17 2018 Genre: Role-playing, actionadventure Player(s): Single
score:
7.5
/10
GOOD
Proper Finale Yakuza 6: The Song of Life is, indeed, the shiny new entry into the Yakuza series and does well in closing the final chapter of Kiryu’s narrative. Even if it’s one of the shorter entries in the series, this last chapter is definitely a lot more grounded than Yakuza 0’s madness. Overall, the streamlined exploration and combat – coupled along with the high graphical fidelity of the new engine – makes this entry a solid Yakuza experience.
105 AUG 2018
GAMETIME news
U Mobile Giler Unlimited First Round Play-Offs
W
The kick-off event that will see different campusbased teams compete for RM25,000 in cash!
hen it comes to eSports, most would think it is isolated to the realm of the professionals; the very same ones that most tune in on Astro, Twitch, or YouTube to follow their latest efforts in competitive videogames. It’s not just addictive to watch for videogame fans, the matches are equally as exciting for casual fans. U Mobile, along with PC.com, know that there is loads and loads of untapped potential among the eSports faithful. It’s not a new trend as other gaming hardware vendors are already 106 AUG 2018
By Victor Yap
looking into this. However, this is PC.com’s very first mobile gaming contest that comes with a massive prize pool of RM25,000. The first elimination round took place at Multimedia University Cyberjaya recently and saw multiple entries joining in to see who’d take the campus title. The winners of this event will secure a spot for the Finals Elimination Round that’ll take place in October 2018. As for the team that took home the big win for this round, it’s none other than Team Icon! As the first event of many more to come, the crowd draw at the event area has been massive. Students who are generally curious and fans alike have come around the event booth and monitor zones to check out the matches. It’s a doozy mix of cheering, jeering, and fun banter during the team fights. There will be more to come as PC.com and U Mobile take the U Mobile Giler Unlimited Gaming Tournament moves to the other 18 campuses for their respective rounds. Stay tuned for the upcoming dates and venues on the Facebook pages of PC.com and U Mobile.
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GAMETIME news
PC Gamers: It’s Time to Hunt
Monster Hunter World confirms release for the PC By Shuqran Baharom
E
arlier in the year, Monster Hunter World made its debut on the Sony PlayStation 4 and Microsoft Xbox One. While Capcom did confirm that a PC version is in the works, it also wanted to give the port the critical development time it needed. As the months roll by, Capcom finally has revealed a release date for the PC version. Officially, the game launches on Steam on 9 August 2018 (10 August in Malaysian time). Players can already head over to the Steam page to pre-order their copy for RM139. Early pre-purchase will, of course, secure the exclusive Origin Armor Set and Fair Wind Charm bonuses. Also, to help gamers plan for next month’s release, Capcom has put out a list of minimum and recommended specs for the game:
RECOMMENDED OS CPU Memory GPU Network DirectX Storage Sound Notes
MINIMUM OS CPU Memory GPU Network DirectX Storage Sound Notes
Microsoft Windows 7/8/8.1/10 (64-bit required) Intel 8th Generation Core i3-8350 4GHz or Intel 2nd Generation Core i7-3770 3.4GHz, AMD Ryzen 5 1500X 8GB RAM NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 (VRAM 3GB) or AMD Radeon RX 570X (VRAM 4GB) Broadband internet connection Version 11 20GB available space DirectSound compatible (DirectX 9.0c or higher) Mouse, keyboard and game pads (both DirectInput and XInput) are supported. 30FPS at 1080p on HIGH graphic settings.
Microsoft Windows 7/8/8.1/10 (64-bit required) Intel 4th Generation Core i5 4460 3.2GHz / AMD FX 6300 8GB RAM NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760 / AMD Radeon R7 260x (VRAM 2GB) Broadband internet connection Version 11 20GB available space DirectSound compatible (DirectX 9.0c or higher) Mouse, keyboard and game pads (both DirectInput and XInput) are supported. 30FPS at 1080p on HIGH graphic settings.
Monster Hunter World on PC will support up to 4K resolution at 60fps. Since proper optimisation is in place for this port, the game is able to natively support mouse and keyboard inputs, alongside the normal game-pad use. In Monster Hunter World, players will take on the role of a hunter and must 108 AUG 2018
work on slaying ferocious monsters. This is all done in a living, breathing ecosystem. They can use the landscape and its diverse inhabitants to get the upper-hand. Hunt alone or in co-op with up to three other players at any given time and use materials collected from fallen foes to craft new gear and take on even bigger, badder beasts.
Squall’s Beau Steps Up Rinoa Heartily is the new surprise entrant
W
hen Final Fantasy Dissidia debut for home consoles, many have been pleased with the character roster. After all, it is a fine mix of heroes and villains from the Numbered series and the more popular entries into Final Fantasy (FF). Even the latest entry – Dissidia FF NT – generated positive impressions; mostly due to the updated graphics and improved fighting mechanics. Square Enix did confirm there will be downloadable content, featuring new characters like Noctis, from FFXV, and FFXIV’s Rhul. As usual, most are expecting main-stay characters from different FF entries. Interestingly, there is a tiny but active segment of fans who are campaigning for more love for FFVIII. Square Enix heard them loud and clear by responding with introducing Rinoa Heartily as the latest fighter to join the FF Dissidia roster.
By Led Wayline
The introduction and gameplay trailer pay homage to Rinoa with the flower fields and all-new remix of the infamous FFVIII Don’t Be Afraid BGM. She sounds fiercer spunkier. It’s nothing like the calm and soft-spoken Rinoa that fans have fallen in love with from the original JRPG. As for her move-set, she can call upon Angelo to attack on its own or in tandem with her primary weapon, Blaster Edge. Her ultimate, like her Limit Break in FFVIII, will release her Angel Wing form and raise her damage levels. Rinoa will make her official debut at the arcade version of FF Dissidia first in the July 2018 update. She will then make her way into Dissidia FF NT – the Sony PlayStation 4 variant – in August 2018. No details on pricing has been revealed at press time. 109 AUG 2018
GAMETIME news
Acceleration for Indie Games
By Shuqran Baharom
Google launches indie games accelerator programme for Asia
T
hose passionate and very keen on about building the next great mobile game, the chance to learn from the very best is now open to all, specifically in Asia. Google is offering Google Android developers for this region a chance to learn how they can make great mobile games; this will be through Google Play’s first Indie Games Accelerator programme. Currently, eligibility is open to gaming startups based in Southeast Asia.
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Interested parties and applicants must send in their registrations by 31 July 2018. The four-month Indie Gaming Accelerator programme will train promising developers from India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, or Vietnam. The training spans across the entire process of building, scaling, launching, and then marketing next-gen mobile games. Probably the best part of this deal is how accepted developers will
have access to Google’s broad network of personalities such as Rami Ismail (Vlambeer), Noah Falstein (ex-Chief Game Designer at Google), and more. Google’s vast insights and technologies will also be at participants’ disposal. Throughout the programme, developers will attend two all-expenses-paid gaming boot-camps at the Google Asia-Pacific office in Singapore. It is at these events that they will receive personalised mentorship from Google teams and industry experts. Further benefits also include Google Cloud Platform credits and invites to exclusive Google and industry events. Developers who are interested to participate in this programme, they must start applying now. Take note, however, that they must also demonstrate their ability with mobile app development. As such, registrations must also include a playable demo. Once the deadline passes, Google will announce its short-listed picks on 8 August 2018.
Classic Remasters Coming Soon
By Shuqran Baharom
The Shenmue I & II HD Remastered Editions locks in a August 2018 release
G
amers eagerly awaiting the return of Ryo Hazuki in Shenmue III can rejoice earlier as they can now refresh their memory of the previous games first. The remaster of Shenmue I and II will launch in less than two months; specifically, on 21 August 2018. The game will be available physically and digitally on Sony PlayStation 4, Microsoft Xbox One, and the PC. Since mid-July 2018, fans can preorder Shenmue I and II digitally on the Sony PlayStation Network, Microsoft Xbox Marketplace, and Steam. As an incentive, there will be a 10% discount ahead of the game’s release. Those who want to buy the game from Steam, for instance, will only need to pay RM115.20 instead of RM128. Unfortunately, the physical edition is only available for pre-order from retailers in the US and EMEA regions. Gamers who want this version will need to work on importing them. Still, it comes complete with a double-sided poster, starring fan-favourite characters as well as reversible cover art featuring the original artwork. Those new to the series, there’s no better time than to witness a gripping story of retribution as Ryo sets out to
avenge his father’s death. Through his journey, he also attempts to unravel the secrets behind a mysterious artefact known as the Dragon Mirror. The re-release will contain allnew modernised features, including a fully scalable screen resolution, choice
of modern or classic control schemes, PC graphics options, an updated user interface, as well as choice between Japanese or English voiceovers. For more information on the Shenmue I & II Remaster, head on over to: https:// shenmue.sega.com/
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GAMETIME news
Western Entry Tokyo Ghoul: re CALL to EXIST gets English release
By Shuqran Baharom
A
part from Electronics Entertainment Expo 2018, another major anime event – Anime Expo 2018 – is the next stop for animerelated videogames announcements. As this anime, manga, and games extravagant reaches a close, Bandai Namco drops a big surprise reveal at its keynote presentation. Among other things, an English release of Tokyo Ghoul: re CALL to EXIST is set to reach Sony PlayStation 4 and the PC. Previously, Bandai Namco only announced the game for Sony PlayStation 4 in Japan. However, it looks like Bandai Namco is giving fans on the PC a chance to shine now. No news as to whether Japan will also get a PC version, but there’s little
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doubt that its availability appeals more to the international audience. Tokyo Ghoul: re CALL to EXIST will be a third-person survival action game. The premise is set firmly in the world of Tokyo Ghoul and Tokyo Ghoul: re. Being based on the dark fantasy manga from Sui Ishida, gamers can expect the same atmosphere of gory violence and frenetic action. Still, it doesn’t look like fans will play as the series’ protagonist, Ken Kaneki. Instead, the game heavily features an online component as per what Bandai Namco
reveals in the debut trailer. Indeed, players will fight each other head-on as part of two factions, either Ghouls or Investigators. Ghouls eat humans in the guise of humans, while Investigators hunt down Ghouls using special weapons. Apart from these large battles, the game will also feature co-op battles to survive with friends. A release date isn’t confirmed as yet, but the game might reach this part of the world next year. This is taking into consideration Japan’s winter release and the time needed for a localisation.