Sony Confirms Malaysian Availability for Xperia ZL

UPDATE: A rep from Sony Mobile stated that they “couldn’t confirm” the availability of the Xperia ZL for the Malaysian market before the showcase, which was why Malaysia wasn’t included in the list of countries announced in the original press release.

Sony Mobile has just confirmed with us that Malaysia will indeed be getting the less-premium Xperia ZL smartphone. During the regional showcase of the Xperia Z yesterday, we were told both by the PR agency and the Sony executives that Malaysia will be the only country in the Southeast Asia region to not have both the Xperia Z and ZL launched together. When asked, Matthew Lang, Sony Mobile Communications’ Vice President and Head of Southeast Asia & Oceania Customer Unit, revealed that they had “no plans” to bring the Xperia ZL to the Malaysian market.

However, we’ve just received news that Sony Mobile has backtracked on its decision, and it appears that the Xperia ZL will most likely be launched together with the Xperia Z in Q1 this year.

Sony’s Xperia ZL is the less-premium variant to the Xperia Z “superphone”. While the hardware retains the same Snapdragon S4 Pro processor and 2GB of RAM as well as the five-inch Full HD screen, the Xperia ZL loses the IP55/57 dust and water resistance rating. While it is slightly shorter than the Xperia Z, the Xperia ZL is both thicker (7.9mm vs 9.8mm) and a little bit heavier (146g vs 151g) too. However, the OmniBalance design language is also used here, despite the lack of a reflective glass back. The Xperia ZL will be available in black and white, but not the funky purple that’s available for the Xperia Z.

We have reached out to Sony Mobile’s PR for a statement, and will update the post when we receive it.

Avexir Memory Modules Are Now In Malaysia

Hailing from Taiwan, Avexir memory products are now officially available in Malaysia through the appointment of Play Interactive as their sole distributor for our market. While the outfit is still quite new in Malaysia as compared to other established names in the business, Avexir have actually prepared quite a number of products for local consumers.

One of the key products in Averxir’s line-up is its high-performance Core Series RAM modules which are available in capacities of up to 32GB and clock speed of up to 2800MHz. Performance aside, the Avexir Core Series RAM modules are equipped with LED lights which are loved by some users especially enthusiasts with transparent side window on their casing.

Just check one of them in action below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wmLqkIklx4&feature=player_embedded

If you like what you’ve seen above, the Averxir RAM modules are readily available right now in several retailers around Malaysia. Click on the Read More link for the list of dealers or head on to www.facebook.com/AvexirMalaysia.


Avexir Dealers in Malaysia

- Wellcom PC (Solaris Dutamas, Publika Shopping Mall & Wangsa Walk Shopping Mall)
- IT Comp Sales & Services (The Mines Shopping Mall & USJ 19 Shopping Mall, KL)
- APES.My (Seksyen 5, Wangsa Maju, KL)
- Heavy-Arm (SS15, Subang Jaya, KL)
- CK Multimedia (Subang Avenue, KL)
- Xgen IT Resources (1 Utama Shopping Mall, KL)
- Add-Ons (Mid Valley Mega Mall)
- Aspiration Technology (Tmn Setia Indah, Johor Bahru)
- Active Lansing (Danga City Mall)
- Command Com Technology (Tmn Malinja, Bukit Baru, Melaka)
- S2 IT Avenue (AEON Jusco, Seremban 2)
- N.T Computer Trading (One TJ ICT Shopping Complex, Sarawak)

Tags: avexir, avexir core, avexir memory, avexir rams, memory modules, play interactive, rams

Perodua Recalls 74,000 Myvi To Fix Electronic Power Steering Column

If you are one of the many proud Perodua Myvi owners out there, you might want to pay attention. Perodua earlier today has issues a statement that it is calling 74,000 Perodua Myvi that were manufactured between March 2011 and March 2012 in order to replace their Electronic Power Steering (EPS) column.

Apparently, Perodua discovered that the problem can be detected when the EPS indicator is lit, after which, drivers might feel a slight steering heaviness at speeds between 30 and 40 km/h . Although the problem can temporarily be fixed by switching off the engine and restarting the car, Perodua prefer to tackle the issue permanently and without any cost to users.

The replacement process will take around 80 minutes to be completed and owners of the said Perodua Myvi models are welcome to visit any of 170 Perodua’s service centre to get it done.


[Source: Perodua]

SAMSUNG ANNOUNCES WORLD’S FIRST CURVED OLED

Sick of all those TV you’ve been seeing in CES that either boasts a prettier design or a bigger size or even a mind blowing 4K resolution? Well, here’s something slightly different, the World’s First Curved OLED TV from Samsung. Why curved? According to the company, a curved OLED panel provides depth to the content, giving a more life-like viewing experience.

Curved OLED TV allows for an immersive panorama effect, which is not possible with flat-panel TVs.; users will be able to feel like they are surrounded by what they’re watching. Samsung also improved the picture quality of the Curved OLED TV to deliver a more comfortable viewing experience. No further details have been revealed about the Curved OLED TV like the size or if it’ll be equipped with the company’s Smart Hub and Smart Control.

Meanwhile, check out Samsung’s press event at CES 2013 in the video after the break and find out what’s new and even take a glimpse of what the Evolution Kit looks like.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=GzwdTApf2U8

LG INTRODUCES “WORLD’S FIRST” CURVED 3D OLED TV

It looks like Samsung isn’t the first to come up with Curved OLED TVs after all, LG is also showing off its first curved 3D OLED TV, a whopping 55” beauty, at the on-going CES 2013. Now, curved OLED TV brags the ability to “surround” a user so they get an immersive viewing experience, now top that off with 3D (and a pair of cheesy 3D glasses), and you might actually feel like you’re inside the video you’re watching.

No further details have been revealed like pricing or shipping date, but judging from the price of LG’s flat 55” OLED TV, USD$12,000, you can just estimate how many bombs this will cost.

PANASONIC ANNOUNCES TWO TOUGHPADS, ANDROID AND WINDOWS 8

Work in a mission-critical and highly mobile place like the military, construction, public safety industry, or simply a careless user who drops your gadgets all the time? Check out Panasonic’s world’s thinnest and lightest rugged Windows 8 tablet, the ToughPad FZ-G1. Running on Windows 8, the tough tablet from Panasonic features a 10” 1920 x 1200 display and is powered by a 1.9GHz Ivy Bridge Intel Core i5 processor with up to 256GB of SSD and up to 8GB of RAM. It’s equipped with USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 ports, have Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity as well as Wi-Fi and 3G on board.

The company also added a new Android Toughpad to its lineup – the JT-B1 – that features a 1024 x 600 7” display. Powered by a 1.5GHz dual-core processor with 1GB of RAM and 16GB of built-in storage, it runs on Android ICS out of the box, yes, Android Ice Cream Sandwich. Design wise, it has a built-in microSD slot, 13MP rear camera, 1.3MP front camera and packs a 5,720mAh battery.

Specs aside, like all Toughpads and Touchbooks, these new addition are ruggedized to MilSpec standard 810G, in layman terms, it means you can spill coffee on it everyday, bring it for a trip to the North Pole or bring it to a war and it’ll still function properly.

More details

Panasonic Toughpad FZ-G1: Key Features

Operating System: Windows 8 Pro
Processor: 3rd Generation Intel® Core™ i5-3437U vPro™ 1.9GHz up to 2.9GHz with Intel® Turbo Boost Technology
Memory: 128-256GB SSD, 4-8GB RAM, optional micro SDXC
Rugged: MIL-STD-810G, 4′ drop, IP65, 14° to 122°F (operational temp range)
Display: 10.1″, sunlight viewable, touch screen and active digitizer, 800nit, WUXGA (1920×1200)
Battery: 8.0 hours (user-replaceable)
Dimensions: 10.6″ x 7.4″ x 0.75″
Weight: 2.43lbs
Wireless: Bluetooth V4.0, 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, optional embedded 4G LTE or 3G
I/O: Full size USB 3.0, HDMI, optional micro SDXC, Full size USB 2.0, wired LAN, true serial port or dedicated GPS.

Panasonic Toughpad JT-B1: Key Features

Operating System: Android 4.0
Processor: TI OMAP4460 1.5GHz Dual core
Memory: 16GB ROM, 1GB RAM, micro SDHC
Rugged: MIL-STD-810G, 5′ drop, IP65, 14° to 122°F (operational temp range)
Display: 7″, daylight viewable, 500nit, WSVGA (1024 x 600)
Camera: Front: 1.3Mp fixed focus, Rear: 13.0Mp auto focus w/ LED light
Battery: 8.0 hours – Large 5,720mAh battery (user-replaceable)
Dimensions: 8.7″x 5.1″ x 0.7″
Weight: 1.2lbs
Wireless: Bluetooth V4.0, 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, optional embedded 4G LTE + 3G
I/O: Micro USB.

CES 2013: SAMSUNG ANNOUNCES EIGHT-CORE EXYNOS 5 OCTA PROCESSOR…BECAUSE THEY CAN

Not to be outdone by the other new processor releases announced at CES 2013, notably by NVIDIAand Qualcomm, Samsung has announced its latest chip architecture: the Exynos 5 Octa. From the name you’d figure that the new SoC will feature eight cores, and for the most part you’d be correct. The eight cores are actually split into four powerful Cortex A15 cores (which has enough processing power to be used in Google’s 2560 x 1600 Nexus 10 tablet, and even the new Samsung Chromebook) and four power-efficient Cortex A7 cores, which form ARM’s new big.LITTLE architecture which is the alternative to NVIDIA’s 4+1 architecture found in the Tegra 3 chipset.

We’d heard that Samsung, among others, were indeed developing a new SoC based on this new architecture way back in November, and now it appears to be ready for the masses. Essentially, the Exynos 5 Octa distributes the basic everyday tasks such as using the browser to the slower but power-sipping A7 cluster, and more intensive processes such as games to the more powerful A15 cores.

Interestingly, the 28nm Exynos 5 Octa is set to be more powerful than the Exynos 5 Dual chips that power the Nexus 10 and Samsung Chromebook due to the two extra A15 cores, while still being more battery-friendly with the inclusion of the four A7 cores – making it the most powerful chip on the company’s roster…and also means that they will be perfect for use in next-gen smartphones. Moving on to pure speculation here, we might even be seeing this chip making an appearance on Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S IV flagship.

PEBBLE SMARTWATCH ANNOUNCED; IT’S A $150 SMARTPHONE COMPANION

Back in April 2012, a Kickstarter crowdfunding program was launched for a smart watch that pairs with a smartphone via Bluetooth that remotely streams music and pushes notifications from the smartphone to the watch – a concept similar to Sony’s SmartWatch…only smarter. Called the Pebble smartwatch, it was one of Kickstarter’s success stories. Nine months later at CES 2013 this morning, the Pebble smartwatch is now officially announced.

Featuring a 144 x 168 e-ink display that does not consume any power when not backlit, the Pebble smartwatch has three buttons on the left, and one on the right side of the watch, which are used for simple navigations (up, down, back, select). It also manages an impressive 7+ days of battery life. The battery itself can be charged via a MagSafe-like USB charger. Despite the relatively long battery life, this water resistant watch is constantly paired via Bluetooth to an iOS or Android device, so whenever your phone is away from you (within Bluetooth pairing distance), the Pebble smartwatch will notify users of any notifications, such as incoming calls, emails, calendar alert as well as other social networking notifications (including Gtalk and iMessage). Also, it can access the user’s music stored in their smartphones and even remotely command the smartphone to play them.

The 38.2g watch has a polycarbonate body with a scratch and shatter-resistant glass with an anti-glare optical coating. The built-in three-axis accelerometer also means software developers can make apps for the Pebble, such as running and cycling tracker apps, or even a sleep monitoring app. In addition, there’s also a vibration motor and compass for more flexibility for developers to utilise the SDK.

Now that the Pebble smartwatch is official, the company will be producing around 15000 units a week and those who pledged on Kickstarter will be receiving their units from January 23 within six to eight weeks, with retail orders to follow next. The Pebble smartwatch will be available in black, grey, red, orange and white colourways and can be pre-ordered for $150 here.

HELLO KITTY…BECAUSE NO CES IS COMPLETE WITHOUT SOME PINK INVASION

Every year in CES, Hello Kitty must make an appearance to spice up the geeky floors of an electronic show with some pink action, and this year isn’t any different. While the pink cat may display some things that we’ve seen before last year, they do have some new kitty-branded appliances and accessories like dust-proof plugs for your 3.5mm audio jack, toasters, Bluetooth speakers and such. No innovative new technologies and such, just hit the break for some pink galore or visit our source links for even more.

CES 2013: A RECAP OF EVERYTHING SO FAR!

As you know, we’ve been following the CES 2013 news online since the press day started yesterday and boy is there a lot of amazing (and not so amazing) news that is coming from Vegas this year. While Vegas is 16 hours behind KL, we’ll try to bring you the most updated news we can, when we can! For those who aren’t night owls, hit the jump for summary of what we’ve written from CES so far:

NVIDIA

NVIDIA GEFORCE EXPERIENCE, A CLOUD-BASED GAME SETTINGS OPITIMIZER
PROJECT SHIELD, NVIDIA’S OWN ANDROID-BASED HANDHELD GAMING SYSTEM
NVIDIA GRID GAMING SYSTEM, THE COMPANY’S FIRST FULLY INTEGRATED PRODUCT
NVIDIA TEGRA 4 IS NOW OFFICIAL

Lenovo

LENOVO ANNOUNCES THE THINKPAD HELIX: IT’S AN OVERCLOCKING HYBRID. LITERALLY.
LENOVO ANNOUNCES NEW TOUCH IDEAPADS, THINKPADS AND THINKCENTRES AT CES 2013
LENOVO’S ANNOUNCES THE IDEACENTRE HORIZON: A “TABLE PC” FOR THE FAMILY
LENOVO ANNOUNCES K900 SMARTPHONE, POWERED BY INTEL “MEDFIELD+” PROCESSOR

ASUS

ASUS ANNOUNCES ROG ARES II; DUAL AMD RADEON HD 7970 CARD WITH 1050MHZ CLOCK SPEED
ASUS TRANSFORMER AIO HAS WINDOWS 8 AND ANDROID, INTEL CORE AND TEGRA PROCESSOR…BECAUSE IT SERIOUSLY CAN

Sony

SONY MOBILE XPERIA Z SPOTTED ON SHOW FLOOR
SONY ANNOUNCES 5 NEW CYBER-SHOT CAMERAS – ADVANCE FEATURES WITH AFFORDABLE PRICE
SONY ANNOUNCES WORLD’S FIRST 4K OLED TV
SONY ANNOUNCES NEW HANDYCAM CAMCORDERS; ENTRY-LEVEL, MID-RANGE AND HIGH-END MODELS
SONY OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCES XPERIA Z AND ZL

Toshiba

TOSHIBA UNVEILS ITS BUDGET ULTRABOOK – SATELLITE U845T AT USD$800

Alcatel

ALCATEL MAKES A COMEBACK TO THE MOBILE SCENE
ALCATEL ANNOUNCES NEW ONE TOUCH TAB AND EVO 7 TABLETS
ALCATEL ANNOUNCES WORLD’S SLIMMEST SMARTPHONE AND YET ANOTHER 5IN FULL HD ENTRY

HP

HP ANNOUNCES 11 MONITORS – BIG, SMALL, EXPENSIVE, CHEAP AND EVEN A USB-POWERED ONE

ZTE

ZTE ANNOUNCES THE GRAND S – YET ANOTHER FIVE INCH SMARTPHONE

Intel

INTEL INTRODUCES ATOM Z2420 ‘LEXINGTON’ PROCESSOR, DESIGNED FOR ANDROID SMARTPHONES IN EMERGING MARKETS

AMD

AMD REVEALS PRODUCT RANGE FOR 2013

Samsung

SAMSUNG ANNOUNCES WORLD’S LARGEST 4K TV, POSSIBLY THE COOLEST-LOOKING ONE TOO
SAMSUNG ANNOUNCES WORLD’S FIRST CURVED OLED
SAMSUNG LAUNCHES POINT & SHOOT CAMERAS FOR EVERY WHIM… BECAUSE THEY CAN
SAMSUNG ANNOUNCES EIGHT-CORE EXYNOS 5 OCTA PROCESSOR…BECAUSE THEY CAN
SAMSUNG SHOWS OFF CURVED OLED PHONE…BECAUSE THEY CAN

Pebble

PEBBLE SMARTWATCH ANNOUNCED; IT’S A $150 SMARTPHONE COMPANION

ROCCAT

ROCCAT PUTS DUAL ARM PROCESSORS INTO RYOS MK PRO MECHANICAL KEYBOARD…BECAUSE THEY CAN

Polaroid

POLAROID SHOWS OFF ITS INTERCHANGEABLE LENS CAMERA AT CES

Nikon

NIKON PUSHES THE ENVELOPE IN THE MIRRORLESS CAMERA SPECS RACE

Steel Series

STEELSERIES ANNOUNCES NEW APEX GAMING KEYBOARDS

Canon

CANON POWERSHOT N HAS NO UP, DOWN, LEFT OR RIGHT, ALLOWS YOU TO SHOOT IN ANY ORIENTATION…BECAUSE IT CAN
CANON ANNOUNCES HIGH END POINT AND SHOOT WITH WI-FI AND 2 MID-RANGE POWERSHOTS

LG

LG INTRODUCES “WORLD’S FIRST” CURVED 3D OLED TV…BECAUSE THEY CAN, TOO.

Qualcomm

QUALCOMM REBRANDS SNAPDRAGON TIERS TO 800, 600, 400 AND 200
QUALCOMM ANNOUNCES SNAPDRAGON 800 AND 600 SERIES PROCESSORS, COMING LATER THIS YEAR

Acer

ACER OFFICIALLY REVEALS ICONIA B1 TABLET, PRICED AT UNDER RM 500

Huawei

HUAWEI OFFICIALLY LAUNCHES ITS FIRST WINDOWS PHONE 8 DEVICE, THE ASCEND W1
HUAWEI COMES OUT WITH THEIR 6.1INCH PHONEABLET THE ASCEND MATE… BECAUSE THEY CAN
HUAWEI ANNOUNCES ASCEND D2 – ITS ENTRY TO THE 5 INCH CROWD

Razer

PROJECT FIONA IS NOW THE MULTI-FORM 10-INCH RAZER EDGE GAMING TABLET

Panasonic

PANASONIC BLOWS THE RESOLUTION RACE WITH 20-INCH 4K WINDOWS 8 TABLET…BECAUSE THEY CAN
PANASONIC ANNOUNCES TWO TOUGHPADS, ANDROID AND WINDOWS 8

MISC

PARROT AR.DRONE 2.0 TO GET A BLACK BOX AND UPDATED APP
USB 3.0 DATA TRANSFER SPEED TO BE DOUBLED SOON, UP TO 10GBPS
KINGSTON ANNOUNCES 1TB FLASH DRIVE – BECAUSE IT CAN
DACOR ANNOUNCES ANDROID OVEN WITH BMW-DESIGNED UI…BECAUSE THEY CAN