My Crappy Life | Syed ™

The Wall Street Journal reports that Google and Motorola are working together to produce an “X Phone” and “X Tablet” for 2013 release. The devices are said to be separate from the Droid line of products, which leads us to believe they could be sold under the Nexus brand.

Dennis Woodside, new Motorola Mobility CEO, told the Wall Street Journal that his company is “investing in a team and a technology that will do something quite different than the current approaches.” He admits that Motorola has ”fallen under hard times,” but it “now has the support of a shareholder in Google that has resources to do big things.”

Google CEO Larry Page is reported to have told the Motorola team to “think big” and wants them to reach the scale of Samsung Mobile’s business. People familiar with the matter said Page has ”promised a significant marketing budget for the unit.”

Details are limited, but Motorola is said to be working on “top-notch features for the phone’s camera and photo software.” Neither Motorola or the Nexus brand has ever been known for great cameras, so this would be an exciting development if true. Motorola is also said to be exploring the use of a “bendable screen and materials such as ceramics”, but they have “run into obstacles associated with manufacturing and supply-chain management.”

A person familiar with Motorola’s plans said they will incorporate new imaging and gesture-recognition features from Viewdle, a company they acquired earlier this year. Viewdle says their computer vision technology “showcases the power of your smartphone through camera-based innovations in augmented reality, device interaction, media management, gaming, and social networking.” Check out the video clip below for a preview of Viewdle’s technology.



We are huge fans of the Nexus brand, so it will be interesting to see what Motorola and Google come up with. Motorola has already demonstrated a focus on improving battery life, and it’s nice to hear that their camera technology will receive some upgrades.

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Acer may be something of a leaky ship. Just days after we saw the supposed V360 smartphone pose for the camera, a possibly related V350 model has reportedly shown up in GLBenchmark's results. Despite the lower number in the naming scheme, the device put through testing looks to be the higher-end of the two. It jumps to a 720p screen, a speedier 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 processor and even a slightly newer Android 4.1.2 build of Jelly Bean. Without a peek at other details, we don't know what else if anything might be upgraded over the V360, or if this is indeed a real device -- benchmarks aren't definitive proof, after all. If history is an indicator, though, we could get full details of the V350 near Mobile World Congress in February, like with past devices. We just hope Acer is timelier about actually getting to market this time around.



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2013 is going to be the year of Full HD smart phones with displays capable of pushing 1920×1080 pixels resolution. Sony is already known to be working on its next successor – C650X Odin and C660X Yuga which comes with a 5″ Full HD display.

Now word has it that the upcoming Sony Yuga will be called the Xperia Z. Just like the Xperia Acro S & Xperia V, the upcoming Xperia Z is also IP55/IP57 rated for water/dust resistance.

While the launch date is yet to be seen, Russian tech site Mobile Review has managed to get their hands on one which they have reviewed in detail. The device is found running on Qualcomm’s 1.5GHz quad-core S4 Pro processor, 2GB of RAM and 16GB on board storage which is expandable with micro SD. At time of their review, the device is running on Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean with Sony’s very own sleek UI. In terms of imaging it comes with a 13MP camera although the on screen option only shows 12MP.

Design wise, it looks like a Xperia ion with its clean all black front. Instead of physical buttons, the Yuga uses on-screen buttons like the Galaxy Nexus or Nexus 4. Just like the current crop of Xperias, the upcoming device uses flap covers for its ports which we find them pretty annoying and this time they have loads of them.

You can check out the full Mobile-Review of the device here or head after the break for detail shots of the Yuga.










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Samsung GALAXY S2 I9100 users are patiently waiting for the Jelly Bean update, we saw the pre-released of the S2 jelly bean 4.1.2 a while ago and it was good and very stable but not yet ready. Samsung scheduled the update for a Mid-November release but it was sadly postponed. Now we are getting reports that the Galaxy S2 Jelly bean 4.1.2 update will start rolling-out by January,2013 as a late Christmas present for the S2 users.



The Canadian carrier "Rogers" has also confirmed that the Samsung Galaxy Note (N7000) update will be due to Early January and Samsung Galaxy S2 (I9100) Jelly Bean update will start rolling-out by late January, according to their schedule (Photo above). As usual the update will Roll-out to unlocked devices first before it hits the carriers versions which means we can expect the International Galaxy S2 to get the update by Early-January.



Galaxy S2 users has gone through a major update before, ICS 4.0.3 Update, and most of them knows the delays the update gets before reaching their devices, So they have to be patient and they will taste the Jelly bean with all its amazing new features as Samsung promised.



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Toilets & Apps are an easy sources of humor, but in Japan, they take their toilets seriously. In most Japanese households you will find either a Toto or INAX commode that will heat the seat, spray warm water to rinse, and blow warm air to help dry things off... cool huh?

Knowing how technologically affluent Japan is, it was only a matter of time before we would witness the onset of a smartphone app and a compatible toilet to do our bidding via that App. The app does everything from raising the lid, to controlling the bidet or monitoring energy and water consumption.



The INAX "Satis" is a fully featured toilet that also has built in speakers so you can play music to foster your imagination while sitting on the "throne of thought." The Android app, "My Satis" connects via Bluetooth and in addition to controlling all the toilet functions it will also establish a diary of activity which may actually be handy in monitoring one's health.

This INAX toilet cost/ price around $4,500 and the App is available only in japanese, sadly.



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The splash-proof Sony Xperia Tablet S has finally arrived in Malaysia with the 16GB WiFi version being priced at RM1,399. The WiFi + 3G version is also available at RM1,799 for 16GB and RM1,999 for 32GB respectively.



To recap on the specs, the Xperia Tablet S runs on a 1.4GHz Nvidia Tegra 3 processor, 1GB of RAM and comes with 9.4″ IPS display that does 1280×800 pixels resolution. For expansion, the Xperia Tablet comes with a full size SD card slot at the side. In the camera department, it has a 8MP HD camera at the rear and a front facing 1MP HD camera. Design wise, it still retains the similar slopping look and it is 8.8mm thick at the thinnest and 11.85mm at the thickest point.

Compared to its predecessor, the new Xperia Tablet S comes with a aluminium back for better durability. It also has splash resistant capabilities being able to withstand up to 10 litres of running water for 5 minutes. Out of the box, it runs on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

As a special Christmas promo, those that pre-order for the 3G version will stand a chance to win another 3G unit for free. In addition, they are also giving out a free carrying case for the Xperia Tablet S and cleaning kit worth RM188.

For more information, head over to Sony Xperia Tablet Promo page.



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Still remember the buzz around Proton Prevé? Well, it seems that Proton is not done with the car just yet – say hello to the new Proton Prevé Hatchback!



Said to codenamed as P3-22A, this image was taken by an eagle-eyed driver on a highway in Shah Alam recently who originally thought that the car was a Ford Focus. Still in its disguised form, it should only a matter of time before more shots like this starting to pop up on the Internet given the Proton’s previous track record.

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The ASUS PadFone 2 is finally launched in Malaysia today with the price tag of RM2,799. As the successor of the original PadFone, the new version comes with a larger 4.7″ smartphone which is now powered by a quad-core 1.5GHz Qualcomm S4 processor mated with 2GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. The PadFone station which is the tablet dock is now slimmer and lighter at just 649 grams with the phone docked. Also new on the PadFone 2 is a slide-in docking mechanism which is much more seamless.



Other notable hardware specs include a larger 2,140mAh battery, 13MP f/2.4 camera and a better 4.7″ Super IPS+ display that now does 1280×720 pixels resolution. This time around, the PadFone 2 is lacking micro-SD memory expansion slot.

The key benefit of PadFone 2 is its seamless transition between phone and tablet mode. Since the brain is on the PadFone 2 phone, docking it simply transfers your current session onto the big screen with minimal lag. In our review of its predecessor, we find switching between phone and tablet to be rather seamless which also depends on the support by apps. If you carry both phone and tablet around and looking for a better convergence between the two, the PadFone 2 is definitely worth checking out if you don’t mind its rather hefty price tag.

To find out where to get one, you can check the list of participating outlets here.



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The Samsung Galaxy S III is being upgraded to the latest Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean which comes with a host of features that was first introduced on the Galaxy Note II. Dubbed as a Premium Suite upgrade, the S III will get features such as Multi-Window, Contextual Image Tagging, Best Faces, Paper Artist, Low Light Shot and much more.

To get acquainted with the new features, Samsung has released an official hands-on Premium Suite videos.




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UPDATE: Celcom iPhone 5 plans are now live on their website. They use a different plan table format from the one above and an advance payment between RM150-RM450 is required during sign up.



Celcom has finally revealed its iPhone 5 plans and offering to those who have registered their interest earlier on. Instead of the usual “i” plans, the iPhone 5 is now bundled on Celcom First plans with bolt on Mobile Internet.

There are 4 options available:

Celcom First Prime + 4.05GB data – RM98/month
Celcom First Prime + 6.05GB data – RM128/month
Celcom First Premier + 6.1GB data – RM168/month
Celcom First Elite + 6.2GB data – RM238/month

All plans come with bundled Calls/SMS/MMS which varies depending on plan option. In terms of iPhone 5 bundling, Celcom offers either 12 months and 24 months contract. You can get one as low as RM278, which is tied with 24 months contract of Celcom First Elite Plan. If you’re wondering what’s with the weird 50MB-100MB data, that’s actually the bundled free data quota from the standalone First voice plans.

There’s no mention of advance upfront payment at the moment and from the table above, they are giving out extra rebates of 10 months (for 12 months contract) and 20 months (for 24 months contract) that ranges makes the monthly subscription between RM73-RM196 depending on plan and phone model.

To secure a unit, Celcom is offering pre-booking at RM200 which is available at their outlets nationwide. The official availability is on the 14th of December where all 3 telcos are offering it simultaneously.



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Windows Phone 8 devices are trickling into Malaysia with the recent appearance of the HTC Windows Phone 8X and Nokia Lumia 920. If you’re looking for something bigger, the yet to be made available Samsung ATIV S could be your cup of tea.



Seen as a WP8 cousin of the Galaxy S III, the ATIV S comes with a mammoth 4.8″ HD Super AMOLED display, removable 2,300mAh battery and an option to expand storage via microSD.

Unlike its Galaxy S III relative, the ATIV S comes in a aluminium-like design and finish and comes with a dedicated camera button as well. Compared to the rest, the ATIV S is the thinnest among the Windows Phone 8 offering at only 8.7mm.

While waiting for it to be rolled out, Samsung has released their official hands-on video of the ATIV S highlighting the design, UI, social capabilities as well as camera function.





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Samsung has just Officially released the Samsung GALAXY S III Premium Suite Upgrade, the Premium suite is basically some new features that will be added to the the Galaxy S III along with the Android 4.1.2 Jelly bean update very soon.



Samsung went through the trouble of producing a multi-part video (Watch Part 1 below). Under that heading, we have Page Buddy. This is a feature that someone should have thought of before. You can set your phone to recognize when the earphone jack is in use and have your phone automatically go to your music. The Contextual Menu will allow you to see the most frequently used apps first, and with the Contextual Tag, photos are tagged with the date, located and weather.



Enhanced Features include Multi-Windows, a multitasker's best friend. Two apps can be run on the screen which is split into two equal windows. Turn the Auto Share Shot mode to on and share photos and videos by tapping other devices that support NFC and S-Beam. Reader Mode lets you more easily control the size of the text on your phone and share it. Lastly, the Facebook Lock Ticker lets you view your Facebook news feeds on your lock screen.



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Samsung’s flexible OLED technology has been in the works for sometime now, but it could finally debut as part of the upcoming Galaxy S4′s hardware complement. But before you start conjuring up visions of a bendable, foldable handset, it is sounding like the technology will be deployed more for its resistance to breakage than for its pliability.



The screen of the Galaxy S4 has already made headlines after rumors that it will be Samsung’s first 1080p display. With a size of 4.99 inches, a pixel density of 441 ppi is generated. Adding in Samsung’s “unbreakable” tech, which takes advantage of the fact that OLED displays can be manufactured from plastics instead of glass, the screen will likely be one of the GS4′s key marketing points (as it has been with previous Galaxy models).

Analyst Nicolas Gaudois says signs point to an earlier release for the Galaxy S4 than previous Galaxy models, which typically have hit shelves around May or June. An accelerated schedule could see the phone debut as early as April (though we have already heard manufacturing delays involving the very screen tech in question could be hampering Samsung’s plans). As for those foldable displays, Stanford Bernstein analyst Mark Newman thinks those will emerge closer to 2014 as unbreakable screen technology develops.



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Maxis has finally taken the covers off from its iPhone 5 bundling which is tied to its iValue plans. On the device pricing, the iPhone 5 remains unchanged from its predecessor launch price with the recommended retail pricing listed as follows:

iPhone 5 16GB – RM2,199
iPhone 5 32GB – RM2,499
iPhone 5 64GB – RM2,799
iPhone 4S 16GB – RM1,799
iPhone 4 8GB – RM1,449

In terms of bundling, you have a choice from as low as RM100/month with the iValue 1 and it goes all the way up to RM375/month on its highest iValue 4 plan. It comes bundled with mobile internet data and calls to any networks, however bundled SMS and MMS is only for Maxis to Maxis only. Maxis is also throwing additional extras such as additional 1,000 call minutes and 200-800 SMS but it can only be used within Maxis network.

The full iPhone 5 bundled pricing below:

iPhone 5 16GB
iValue 1 (12 months) – RM1,699
iValue 1 (24 months) – RM1,399
iValue 2 (12 months) – RM1,599
iValue 2 (24 months) – RM1,149
iValue 3 (12 months) – RM1,199
iValue 3 (24 months) – RM449
iValue 4 (12 months) – RM1,099
iValue 4 (24 months) – FREE

iPhone 5 32GB
iValue 1 (12 months) – RM2,049
iValue 1 (24 months) – RM1,699
iValue 2 (12 months) – RM1,899
iValue 2 (24 months) – RM1,499
iValue 3 (12 months) – RM1,549
iValue 3 (24 months) – RM749
iValue 4 (12 months) – RM1,399
iValue 4 (24 months) – RM299

iPhone 5 64GB
iValue 1 (12 months) – RM2,349
iValue 1 (24 months) – RM2,049
iValue 2 (12 months) – RM2,249
iValue 2 (24 months) – RM1,799
iValue 3 (12 months) – RM1,849
iValue 3 (24 months) – RM1,649
iValue 4 (12 months) – RM699
iValue 4 (24 months) – RM299

An upfront payment between RM300 – RM2,000 is also required upon sign up and there’s also 12 months Easy Payment Plans being offered by Citibank, HSBC, Maybank and Public bank. According to the FAQ, the iPhone 5 will be available at Maxis Centres and MEP centres on 14th December onwards.

For more information, head over to Maxis’s iPhone 5 rates page.



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Finally, the details for DiGi’s iPhone 5 phone bundle are out and you can get yourself a brand new iPhone 5 from as low as RM2,012. As with all DiGi’s iPhone offers, the telco does not focus much on subsidizing for the device, instead, they work on lowering the monthly commitment but still offering you calls, SMS and MMS worth the original value.



DiGi’s iPhone bundle ties you up to a 24 months contract as they do not provide an option for you to sign up for a 12 months contract. The preorder button is not working for us now (at the time of writing) but according to DiGi’s Facebook post, you can preorder today and have it delivered to your doorstep on 14 December 2012 or you can even opt to pick it up at a physical store on that day.







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Following Maxis’ move, Celcom has started pre-registration for the iPhone 5 as well in preparation of the December 14 launch date. Celcom’s pre-registration method differs greatly from Maxis’ and it seems that Celcom method requires a high degree of manual processing at the back end which could lead to errors or missing orders on collection day. Also unlike Maxis, the Celcom pre-registration doesn’t allow you to specify the iPhone 5 variant (16GB, 32GB or 64GB), it only allows you to choose either black or white.

While operators have starting talking about the iPhone 5 many important information related to the launch of the device are still unknown. Actual pricing, plans on offer and launch venue have all not been made public at the moment.

In any case, if you’d like to book your iPhone 5 with Celcom, click here.



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Right after Samsung announced the wireless charger for the Galaxy S III, Apple today has filed a patent application for a Wireless Power Utilization. It's a wireless charging system that uses near-field magnetic resonance NFMR.



It is obviously an improvement over the current wireless charging technology which requires you to put your handset on a pad. We really haven't come that far since Palm introduced the Touchstone wireless charging system when it announced the Palm Pre back at CES 2009, so this would seem like a great idea on its face. But there is a catch and it is a big one.



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Right on cue operators have started opening up Registration of Interest for the iPhone 5 after Apple made the official announcement that the latest iPhone will be available in more than 50 countries this month.

Maxis is the first out of the gate to open its registration of interest and you can expect Celcom and DiGi to start this week as well. With the advantage of its own online store, DiGi is very likely able to put an iPhone 5 in your hand without the need to stand in line but typical of Maxis, you can also expect that the operator will start selling the device from midnight December 14. Also, we have a feeling Maxis will offer a contract extension for existing iPhone owners still on contract to upgrade to the iPhone 5 but this has not been confirmed by Maxis at the moment. You can register for your iPhone 5 from Maxis here.



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With mobile internet scene heats up with competitive data subscription and larger quota, DiGi responds with its new Jualan Internet promo with up to 2X the monthy data quota being offered. The new promo quotas for postpaid as follows:

3G Postpaid Internet
Mobile Internet Monthly (1GB + 1GB) – RM48/month
Mobile Internet Monthly (3GB + 2GB) – RM68/month
Mobile Internet Monthly (5GB + 3GB) – RM88/month

DG Smart Plan
DG Smart Plan 48 (1GB + 1GB) – RM43/month (auto billing)
DG Smart Plan 68 (3GB + 2GB) – RM63/month (auto billing)
DG Smart Plan 88 (5GB + 3GB) – RM83/month (auto billing)
DG Smart Family (300MB + 300MB) – RM28/month

Postpaid Broadband
DiGi Discover Day [7AM-7PM] (3GB + 1GB) – RM33/month (auto billing)
DiGi Discover (3GB + 1GB) – RM53/month (auto billing)
Postpaid Tablet Plan (2GB + 1GB) – RM49/month

From the FAQ, the extra quota is valid for 24 months for new DiGi subscribers. Existing subscribers will automatically get the extra free quota for 3 months from 3rd December 2012 to 3rd February 2013.



DiGi offers either the Samsung Galaxy Y or the Samsung Galaxy Ace Plus on a special duo bundling as low as RM149 and RM649 respectively for 2 units. This comes bundled with either DG Smart Plan 48 (2GB) + 2GB DG Smart Family at RM88/month or DG Smart Plan 48 (2GB) + 600MB DG Smart Family at RM68/month. All bundles are tied with 24 months contract.

Prepaid For prepaid, DiGi too is giving more quota for its flexible prepaid internet plans. Full offer details below:

3G Prepaid Internet
RM3/day – (100MB + 50MB)
RM5 for 5 days unlimited whatsapp – (100MB + 100MB)
RM15/week – (300MB + 300MB)
RM48/30 days – (1GB + 1GB)
RM68/30 days – (3GB + 2GB)

DG Prepaid Smart Plan
RM10 reload – (100MB + 100MB)
RM30 reload – (300MB + 300MB)
RM50 reload – (500MB + 500MB)
RM100 reload – (1.5GB + 500MB)

Prepaid Broadband for PC & Tablet
RM30 reload – (900MB + 900MB)
RM50 reload – (1.5GB + 1.5GB)

For more informaiton, head over to DiGi Jualan Internet promo page.

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The wait is finally over. Apple has officially announced that the iPhone 5 is coming to more countries this month with Malaysian release next Friday, 14th December. South Korea will be getting it first this coming Friday 7th December while the other countries including Malaysia, Philippines, China and Taiwan having it a week later.

In terms of pricing, there shouldn’t be any difference from the iPhone 4S when it was first launched in Malaysia, starting from RM2,199 for the 16GB version. Telco bundling is expected from the big 3 telcos and registration of interest should start anytime soon. For those that prefer to buy one without contract, we are expecting the Apple Store to sell the iPhone 5 unlocked without contract.



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Google today announced an update to the Google Maps API which gives developers a better, more comprehensive set of tools to integrate maps into Android apps. It will be easier than ever to insert vector-based maps into applications, according to Google. Launching today as part of Google Play services v2.0, this is Google’s way of allowing for more simple and agile access to Google products within Android apps.

For more information, please see the Android developers documentation or read this post on the Android Developers Blog.

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Taking place at its Centre of Excellence in Shah Alam, Proton today has officially unveiled yet another edition of its Satria Neo hatchback in the form of the new Satria Neo R3. If the name sounds very familiar to you, you are right – this is not the first Satria Neo R3 that the national car maker has released into the market.

That being said, it is not anywhere identical to its predecessors. Unlike previous Satria Neo R3 releases such as the original 2008 Satria Neo R3, 2010 Satria Neo R3 Lotus Racing and 2011 Proton Satria Neo CPS R3 which were all factory tuned and fitted with extra performance parts, this particular version of Satria Neo R3 comes with a stock 1.6L Campro CPS engine that produces maximum horsepower of 125hp at 6,500 rpm and maximum torque of 150Nm at 4,500 rpm. The car’s suspensions remained stock as well.





However, it seems that more work was done to the car in terms of styling. The new Satria Neo R3 receives quite a number of R3 Design’s exterior parts such as front splitter, rear spoiler and a set of side protectors in titanium finishing as well as 16-inch R3 Design six-spoke alloy wheels. As for the car’s interior, it remains stock though with the exception of R3 Design leather upholstery for the seats and R3 Design floor mats.



Available in the market right away, the new Proton Satria Neo R3 is priced at RM 61,250 for manual transmission and RM 64,250 for automatic transmission. Customers are able to choose from four different colorways: Fire Red, GTi Silver (homage to the Proton Satria GTi), Tranquillity Black and Canary Yellow which is the colour of Satria Neo S2000 rally cars.

Meanwhile, the R3 division have readied several performance packages that are designed specifically for the new Satria Neo R3 such as R3 ECU and full exhaust system upgrade, R3 belt and aluminium pulley as well as R3 lowering spring set for customers that plans to enhance the car’s driving experience. In conjunction with the launch, R3 is offering the parts with discounts of up to 35-percent.





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