tech world - 20 march 2016

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SUNDAY STAR, 20 MARCH 2016

special

TECH WORLD

Keep yourselfconnected

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tech world

SUNDAY STAR,

20 MARCH 2016

Best plans tostay connectedDIGI Postpaid is a next-generationpostpaid plan created with the fullunderstanding that the Internet ismade of all things that matter.

Digi recognises the demands oftoday’s Internet users and launchedthis postpaid plan to meet these needsas well as the ones of tomorrow.

Digi Postpaid has plans that cater to

customers with various usage profilesand age groups, including individualsand family members.

Currently, this innovative postpaidplan comes with three key features:Beyond Internet, Best apps andservices, and Malaysia’s widest 4G LTE(Long-Term Evolution) network.

Beyond Internet

People want to stay connected nomatter where they are so that theynever miss the opportunity to get thelatest updates or to share theirexperiences with loved ones and therest of the world.

The offerings under the BeyondInternet feature in Digi Postpaid relates

to Internet quota and usage patternsand requirements. You will enjoy extraInternet quotas with any postpaid planof your choice.

Digi has also introduced a newInternet Rollover feature for itspostpaid customers to carry forwardtheir unused Internet quota to thefollowing month.

Now you can always keep in touchwith the people who mean the most toyou. Budget travellers going abroadcan now stay connected with familyand friends via Digi’s unlimited socialmessaging offer at RM10 a day,available in 10 countries with selectedoperators.

Digi also now offers the flexibilityfor customers to sign up for any

Digi postpaid plan for their familymembers. Family members on DigiPostpaid will enjoy free calls, SMSand MMS among one another.

Best apps and services

When choosing the right postpaidplan, you will want to know what yourservice provider can give you in termsof services and applications.

Digi Postpaid plans are optimised formore apps and service, which isperfect for users with highly activedigital social lifestyles.

For you to stay connected, DigiPostpaid plans come with unlimitedsocial chat for apps such as WhatsAppand WeChat.

Through the Digi Postpaid plan, youcan now enjoy unlimited musicstreaming from a host of popularmusic streaming platforms such asApple Music, Spotify, JOOX and manymore.

If you are a big fan of televisionshows and movies, you can now enjoya 12-month iflix subscription through

Digi Postpaid plans with a monthlysubscription of RM68 and above.

Furthermore, all Digi Postpaid plansign-ups are entitled to cloud storage ofup to 100GB from Capture.

For added convenience, you canenjoy direct operator billing services topurchase apps from the Google PlayStore without the need of a credit card.Digi is the first in Malaysia to enablethis capability.

Malaysia’s widest 4G LTEnetwork

The 4G LTE Internet network hasdefinitely changed the social digitallandscape and has helped usersachieve incredible Internet speeds.

You can now experience consistenthigh-speed Internet access onMalaysia’s widest 4G LTE network withDigi Postpaid.

The network enables customers toremain future-ready with Digi’s latestofferings in LTE advanced (LTE-A),Voice-over-LTE (VoLTE) andVoice-over-WiFi(VoWiFi).

Digiprides itselffor itscontinued 4GLTE networkgrowth, with acoverage of 72%of populatedareas in Malaysia.

It is available in150 cities and majortowns.

Digi’s LTE-Acoverage now serves31% of Malaysia. Digihas been testing VoLTEtechnology and theintroduction of VoLTE andVoWiFi has been slated forlater this year.

For a limited time, DigiPostpaid plan offers 7GBInternet and unlimited callswith Internet Rollover at onlyRM78 per month.

n For more information, visitwww.digi.com.

Digi postpaid 98

More calls and SMS

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Get this promo for life if you

sign up by June 30.

Unlimited calls to all networks

SMS:Unlimited SMS to3 Digi friends

Unlimited calls

Unlimited SMS

to all networks

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Internet quota7GB

Unlimited socialWhatsApp and WeChat

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Music Freedomiflix – 12 months full access

Subsequent chargesCalls 0 senSMS 10 senMMS 20 sen

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Digi postpaid 148 Digi postpaid 238

Choose the best Digi postpaidplan for your needs.

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tech world

SUNDAY STAR,

20 MARCH 2016

Living lifethroughtechnologyWE all have an ideal of what the

ture is going to be like. It isuite certain that we will beving with technology that is anxtension of ourselves.

Our reliance on technology hasramatically improved theuality of life, with rapiddvancements in medicine,anufacturing, education, design

nd communication pushingientific and societal

evelopment forward.Simple tasks can now be

ompleted with just a touch or awipe of a screen.

As we enter the age ofsruptive technology, tech

evelopers challenge conventionsnd traditional forms of how we

erform everyday actions.Here are some game-changingchnologies that have excited

xperts and enthusiasts and canefine our lives in the nearture.

mart health andtness

There is definitely a growingterest in the health and fitnessene globally.From gym rats and yoga gurushealthcare professionals,

eople not only want to monitornd document their progress,ey are also looking for waysey can make their health and

tness regime more personalised.Experts are starting to realiseat conventional cookie-cutterethods used in health and

tness are not producing resultsr individuals simply because

eople are all different.Smartwatches and fitness

ands have paved the way forersonal smart devices that caterhealth and fitness enthusiasts

y offering a variety of social andteractive fitness-basednctions.

In addition to stylish designs,

fitness bands offer a morepractical approach to fitnessand health monitoring.

Fitness band brands suchas Fitbit and Jawbone aretargeted specifically at theniche fitness community.

These devices guaranteeaccurate biometric readings forbasic health vitals, such as thenumber of steps taken in a day,calories burnt, pulse rate and sleeppattern, which can be monitored inreal time through your mobiledevices.

Health-based wearable deviceshave now evolved beyond fancywrist gadgets into smart apparelthat can help you keep track of

your fitness performance.Biosensors woven into fabric can

not only transmit biometric data toyour smart devices but alsoprovide information such asposture and muscle stress whenexercising.

The biosensors in Athos smarttraining apparel detects electricalactivity when muscles activate inreal time and transmit this data toits own smartphone app viaBluetooth.

Hence, you will be able tomonitor your muscle performanceand balance while you are workingout.

In the long run, health-basedapps, gadgets and wearable devices

are moving into the advancement

of remote and personalisedmedicine that is not only mobilebut can perform functions such asgive emergency alerts and providetreatment and therapy for theperson using the device.

Hi-tech home and living

Refrigerators or washing

machines equipped with touchdisplay settings and robot vacuumcleaners have become commonhousehold additions.

A great deal of advancement inartificial intelligence is now beingintegrated into seemingly regularhome appliances, allowing them tomake actionable decisions insaving energy.

Nest, for example, is a newsmart home thermostat that is notonly designed to record your homeenergy use but modulateaccordingly to save energy.

Its artificial intelligence featurewill “learn” your daily energyusage in six days and willprogramme its function based on

that. It will also monitor energyusage from time-to-time to makemodifications if necessary.

The integration of smarttechnology in householdappliances also offers consumers

the ability to personalise them.The new smart lighting

product from Philips known asHue is able to change thecolour of your lighting fromred to blue to white via an app

installed on yoursmartphone.

Different colours oflight have biologicalbenefits that allowyou to be moreenergetic in the

morning andcalmer before bed.With 3D

printing, décorenthusiasts have theopportunity to createpersonalised decorative itemsand furniture based on theirown design and material.

Yourdreamenvironment-friendly coffeetable could be areality with justsome coding and apush of a button.

Technology applications insecurity and surveillance havealso improved with theintroduction of smart securitysystems.

Many high-end properties in

Malaysia already come equippedwith biometric scanning on doorknobs and touch displaycombination locks, eliminating theneed for keys.People now want

security alertsand

surveillance inreal time through

remote services.To cater to this

need, smart security andsurveillance company

Canary has come up with adiscrete security camera andmotion sensor detectors that arenot only linked to your phone butalso notify you immediately ifthere is a break-in when your

device is armed. You can choose toview live, sound the alarm orcontact the authorities.

> SEE PAGE 6

Smartwatches (above) andfitness bands such as Jawbone(below) are proving popularwith fitness buffs.

Smart lighting such as Philips Hue canchange colour via a smartphone app.

Biosensors inAthos smarttraining apparelkeep track ofyourperformance.

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5SUNDAY STAR, 20 MARCH 2016

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tech world


Augmented realitytechnology allows usersto immerse themselvesin digital experiences.

ROM PAGE 4

Conceptualised in the 1920s as avice pilot training device, virtuallity was popularised in the0s as new age gaming

hnology.Virtual reality offers the user anificial visual environment basedcertain programming butates users from real life andy stimulates sight, leaving ther other senses behind.

A step up from that, augmentedlity combines virtual reality andl life. The technology has beend as a nifty advertising strategymany big brands from beautyduct giants to famous coffeein outlets since the early half of

2010s.The general idea of angmented reality feature is thaten your smart device scans acially designed article such asimage on an advert, you caneam exclusive content orform a certain function on yourbile device.

Tech companies are nownking of taking augmentedlity to the next level. By using

ur mobile device or a smartwing device such as smartsses, you can now not only viewur e-mails as holograms right innt of your face but also interacth the hologram by navigatingctions with simple swipes and

ks.ince the launch of Google’sart glasses, developers arehing the boundaries of creating

art glasses that can do moren just take pictures or videos.

Meta, an augmented realityveloper, is paving the way for

development of augmentedlity glasses.

With the development of itsond prototype, the Meta2, users

A new reality

can now immerse themselves in alimitless digital experience thatextends beyond the domains of acomputer screen and integrateswith the organic environment.

Without the need of fancy hand

gestures, Meta2 allows users tointeract with holographic three-dimensional images like they arereal objects.

It also allows you to collaboratewith other Meta2 users and can beused in a myriad of applicationssuch as in education, remotecontrol, design and medicine.

Exoskeleton aid

Memorable themes ofexoskeletons are foundeverywhere in pop culture, notleast in films ranging from Aliensin 1986 to Elysium in 2013.Exoskeletons are the fantasytechnology everyone is looking to

make into a reality.A lot of emphasis of exoskeletontechnology is put into military andweaponry development but theapplications of exoskeletons havealso been used in the field ofmedicine as a rehabilitation toolfor disabled and paralysedpatients.

One such company to headlinein this technology is ReWalk, whichis helping wheelchair-bound

patients walk upright with motorguidance at the hip and knee joints.

Exoskeleton developers are nowintroducing the technology at acommercial level especially in

construction and the handling ofheavy machinery.

These exoskeletons will enableusers to exert less energy whenthey are performing an action andalso protect them from injurieswhile performing such activities.

Ekso Bionics, anotherexoskeleton developer, initiallydelved into producing “iron suits”for the US military but thenventured into physio-rehabilitationfor people who have sufferedstrokes or are recovering fromaccidents.

They have now introduced anew line of exoskeleton devicesthat can aid construction workersin handling heavy equipment.

At the moment, these deviceswork in analogue, using simplephysics to distribute weight evenlyso that the user can use heavymachinery with little or no effort.

Powered exoskeletons, whichrequire an energy source, andmechanical and electricalhardware are in the works toallow regular people to performarduous activities with minimalmanpower. Exoskeletons help people walk upright with motor guidance.

Devices such as theMeta2 augmented realityglasses combine digitalcontent and the organicenvironment.

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tech world


Afordable homegrown techARTPHONES, tablets andtops are the buzzwordsoday’s world of mobilemmunication technologyd the devices seen in thends of people everywhere.While the market for thesevices is undoubtedly growing,e must admit that they do notessarily fall within an

ordable range of consumerds, especially those that offerter specifications and higherformance.

Cognisant of this, SNS NetworkSdn Bhd took the initiativereate a range of mobile

mmunication and information

hnology devices that better fitsegment of the population with

d-sized pockets.This led to the introduction of

JOI brand, Malaysia’s firstmebrand of mobile devices.The whole idea of starting thisnd was to offer a selection ofse devices – smartphones,lets and laptops – that areordable but do not compromisech on quality or performanceen compared with the higher-

d range,” says SNS Networknaging director Ko Yun Hung.owered by Intel and using a

ndows-based platform, the

brand made its entrance intothe Malaysian market in 2014with the JOI 8, a phablet (a phone-cum-tablet) that today has arelatively affordable price tagof RM688.

In the past 15 months since the JOI 8’s entry into the market, SNSNetwork expanded JOI devices to

include a smartphone, PC stick,tablet and its latest two-in-onelaptop and tablet, JOI 11.

The prices range from RM299(JOI 7 Lite tablet) to RM1,271(JOI 11).

Ko says these products arefinding their niche in the market,with more than 50,000 units

collectively sold since theirintroduction.

“We feel that JOI devices aregaining ground and attracting theinterest of users as they fill thegaps in the market.

“The JOI devices not only offeran alternative, they also offerconvenience and affordablemobility, especially the two-in-one JOI 11 laptop/tablet.”

Taking the cue from customers,some of these products can also“talk” to each other on Microsoft-based applications.

This enables customers to selectand configure mobile devices fromthe selection of JOI products that

can be synced with each other.This, for example, will be ideal

for those involved in presentationsand field activities within the scopeof their jobs.

JOI devices also have thedistinction of being powered andsupported by two big names in theinformation technology world –Intel and Microsoft.

JOI has the first combination ofIntel processors and Microsoft OSin a Malaysian homegrownproduct.

Other reasons to choose JOIinclude the fact that it is certifiedby the Malaysian Communications

and Multimedia Commission(MCMC), offering simple, easy-to-use designs and unbeatable value.

JOI tablets are compatible withtelevisions, monitors and otherdisplay devices that support theHDMI output.

Ko says SNS Network is nowfocused on building andstrengthening the JOI brand inthe local market where there isimmense potential.

Eventually, the company plans topartner with reliable parties totake the JOI brand across theborders of Malaysia.

JOI devices are available throughSNS Network’s group of retail

outlets and also a number of otherresellers.

Products can also be found inonline stores such as Lazada and11Street and GLOO, among others.

SNS Network is a one-stop centrefor a comprehensive range of ICTsolutions, offered through 32branches in Malaysia.

Its business encompass retail aswell as services and solutions,education and consultation, andcarries various brands, includingApple and Samsung.

n For more information, visitwww.joi.com.my.

Ko Yun Hung, managing director of SNS Network, with a range of JOI devicesin the company showroom.

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tech world 9

From screen to reality

SHARP-ROXY Sales & ServiceCompany (M) Sdn Bhd (SRSSC)offers its first AQUOS TV line-up –the XU Series with 8K resolutionin Super Premium category – thehighest resolution to be seen inthe AQUOS TV line-up.

The AQUOS XU Series wasawarded in the 2015 InternationalConsumer Electronics Show (CES)as 2015 Honoree.

The AQUOS XU Series, which isthe AQUOS flagship model,contains the X8-Master Engine Prowith 8K resolution (the world’sfirst) and 8K up-converter and ispowered by the latest platform ofAndroid TV.

The XU Series with 8K resolutioncombines Sharp’s proprietary pixelsplitting and Quattrontechnologies.

This television delivers fourtimes greater resolution than

traditional 4K ultra HD.Sharp’s latest generation 8K

up-converter mounted on thenewly developed X8-Master EnginePro unleashes the full potential ofthis stunning resolution, whetherit is HD or 4K Ultra HD content,promising detailed images thatseem to come to life.

The X8-Master Engine Pro’s UltraDynamic Range Pro technologyincorporates a new direct LEDbacklight system to provide acontrast of extreme blacks andwhites by increasing the brightnessof the LED backlight in white areasand decreasing it in black areas.

this capability, language support,and level of accuracy.

In addition, the new AQUOSSuper Premium Series poweredby Android television also providessatisfaction for gamers as itcan be connected to a gamecontroller.

The television allows a total ofeight controllers to be connected tothe television, allowing customersto play interactive games withfamily members and friends on alarge screen with unbeatableimage quality.

To offer high definition and lowreflection effect, the AQUOS XUSeries television adopts the N-Black

Panel, which is a liquid crystalpanel that reduces reflection fromexternal lights and gives a glossyblack look on the screen.

The Sharp AQUOS XU Series with8K resolution comes in two screensizes – 80-inch and 70-inch – andwill be available for Malaysianconsumers in December.

The 80-inch model(LC-80XU930X) is priced atRM54,999 inclusive of GST whilethe 70-inch model (LC-70XU830X)retails at RM32,999.

n For more information, visitwww.sharp.com.my.

television as itsplatform.

As introduced in theUE630X series, Androidtelevision’s three keyfeatures Google VoiceSearch, gaming andGoogle Cast areavailable in the superpremium series toenhance your televisionexperience.

With its SmartRemote, customers cancommunicate easilywith their television.

By using themicrophone button on

Smart Remote, userscan give their televisioninstructions such as tosearch for information

on Google, videos or movies on YouTube or finding their favouriteapplications on Google Play.

Users need not worry aboutundetected languages because theGoogle Voice Search feature on thistelevision supports 87 languageswith a high degree of accuracy.

Besides being able to detectsentences, the Smart Remote canalso detect various regional dialectsworldwide. No other platform inthe Smart television market has

While it is analysing the images,the brightness of the images arecorrected and restored to closelymatch the brightness of theoriginal source.

Available in 80-inch (diagonal)screen size, the detailed picturedelivered is of the higheststandard of colour and contrast.

By combining Sharp’sproprietary Rich Color Pro in itsengine and the unique QuattronPro technology, this television

displays numerous shades ofcolour, more than any AQUOStelevision.

Their synergy effect presentedby the new LED backlight systemas well as colour restoration circuitwith new phosphor has allowedSharp to expand the colour rangereproduction to 140% as comparedto its previous conventionaltelevision models.

The brand new AQUOS XU Seriestelevision also adopts Android

Sharp’s AQUOS XU Series televisions greatly enhance theviewing experience.

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0 tech worldSUNDAY STAR,

20 MARCH 2016

Gadget worth the wait

HAT makes a good smartphone –raordinary design, ground-aking features or high-poweredformance? A good smartphonene that answers the needs and

mands of the user.Created for today’s mobilestyle, the Galaxy S7 edge doest that by leading the industryh a unique mobile experiencet features a refined design,her-quality camera, enhancedtware functionality andsurpassed connectivity to aaxy of services, products anderiences.n addition, Samsung’s latestgship device marries sleekign with powerful performance

users can do even more, fasterd easier.Here are seven reasons theaxy S7 edge is the mosticipated smartphone yet.

High-quality images, nomatter the time of day oration

The most raved about newtures of Samsung’s Galaxy Se-up are its new cameraabilities.

As the first smartphone to applyal Pixel technology, the device ise to capture high-quality imagesow-light environments, while age F1.7 aperture ensuresghter, sharper photographs.

New Motion Panorama andfie Flash functions let usersve an entirely newonetography experience.

Refined design, sleek curves

While preserving the designitage of its predecessor, theaxy S7 edge boasts an evenre seamless connection betweenglass and metal materials, alongh a slimmer rear camera.

Thanks to the curvy form of thevice’s glass, this model provideseven better grip and naturallyin one hand. And, bringingk the microSD slot, the new

gship smartphone is morectional than ever.

Water and dust resistanceFor people who work, travel

d play in all kinds of locationsd environments, the upgraded8 water and dust resistance of

device is especially welleived.

As the premium standard of

protection against water and dust,the feature allows users to enjoythe sleek, curvy design ofSamsung’s latest flagshipsmartphone without theinconvenience of a bulkyadditional case.

4 Made for gamingWith the optimised hardwareand enhanced user experience,which allow for smoother graphicsand longer playing times,Samsung’s new smartphone cansatisfy even the most demandingmobile gamer.

With the new Game Launcherapp, users now have the ability totake control of their mobile gaming

experience with numerouscustomisation options.

5Abundant photo and video

storageThese days, users are always on

the go and store abundant apps,music and files on theirsmartphones.

Conveniently embedded in theGalaxy S7 edge, the hybrid SIMcard tray allows users to eitherinsert two SIM cards or opt foronly one SIM card paired with amicroSD card for up to 200GB ofadditional storage.

6 Simple and soft userexperienceCustomisable lock and home

screens, beautified icons and theuser-friendly Android 6.0Marshmallow operating system

have taken the user experience ofthe new Galaxy smartphone to anentirely new level.

The refined dual-edge screen ofthe Galaxy S7 edge providespractical functions and easieraccess to users’ frequently used

content and tasks.

7 Longer usageCompared with itspredecessor the Galaxy S6edge’s 2,600mAh, theGalaxy S7 edge is equippedwith an impressive3,600mAh batterycapacity, allowing formore hours and higherscreen brightness without

draining out battery usagewithin a day’s use.Interestingly, the Galaxy

S7 edge also offers fast-charging technology, bothwired and wirelessly.

The Galaxy S7 edge isnow available inMalaysia.

About SamsungElectronics Co Ltd

Samsung Electronics Co Ltdinspires the world and shapesthe future with transformativeideas and technologies, redefiningthe worlds of televisions,smartphones, wearable devices,tablets, cameras, digital appliances,printers, medical equipment,

network systems, andsemiconductor and LED solutions.Samsung Electronics is leading

in the Internet of Things spacethrough, among others, its SmartHome and Digital Healthinitiatives.

n For more information, visitwww.samsung.com.

Seven reasons to own aGalaxy S7 edge

1. World’s first dual-pixel 12 megapixel.smartphone camera

2. Beautiful and refineddesign

3. Expandable memoryup to 200GB

4. IP68 water and dust

resistant5. All-day-long mobileusage with biggerbattery capacity

6. Immersive gamingexperience withVulkan API

7. Seamless hubconnectivity withother Galaxy devices

Storage space for photos, videos and additional files will no longer be anissue for Galaxy S7 edge users.

The Galaxy S7 edge is able tocapture high-quality images inalmost any environment.

The Galaxy S7 edgeallows smoother graphicsand longer playing times.

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tech world 11

Predator 8.

Predator 17.Unbeatablegaming experienceGAMING PCs constanling have tokeep up with gamers’ demands forbetter gaming performance.

Here are gaming PCs offered byAcer that will match your gamingneeds:l Acer Predator 15 and

Predator 17The Acer Predator 15 and

Predator 17 laptops sport abespoke design of red accents andblack chassis with geometric lines

and soft texture coating.These high-performance laptops

are powered by the latest IntelCore processors coupled withspeedy NVIDIA GeForce graphics,rapid DDR4 memory, cutting-edgecooling system and premium audiocapabilities.

They are supported by thePredator FrostCore feature, whichkeeps the laptop operating at alower temperature – a featureenabled by the swappable CoolerMaster fan module, availableexclusively from Acer.

The Predator SoundPound offersa combination of stellar audio

features with up to four built-inspeakers, two subwoofers andDolby Audio surround sound thatensures crystal clear audio and arich bass. The Acer Predator 15and Predator 17 laptops are pricedat RM6,999 onwards.

l Predator 8The Acer Predator 8 is a

dedicated gaming tablet with sleekbrushed aluminium design

powered by a powerful Intel Atomprocessor.

It supports the Predator Quadio,a throng of four-front facingspeakers that delivers enhancedvirtual surround sound qualitywhile the Predator ColorBlasttechnology brings high-qualitycolour from professional monitorsto the tablet, supporting 100%NTSC colour gamut.

It also comes with PredatorTacSense that improves gameplaywith tactile feedback and PredatorMedia Master, a unique Acerapplication that allowscustomisation of audio and

video setup for standard, album,movie and game use.

The Acer Predator 8 retails atRM1,499.

l Acer Predator G6 andPredator G3 desktops

These war machines feature amenacing armour-covered chassisdesign, powered by the latest IntelCore processors, high-performanceNVIDIA GeForce graphics and Acer

IceTunnel, an enhanced thermalsystem that optimises airflow byefficiently removing internal heatof the desktops.

The Predator G6 featuresOne-Punch Overclocking, a featurethat unleashes the full potential ofthe machine at just the touch of abutton.

The SoundBlaster X-Fi MB5feature allows full control of allgaming audio in the Predator G6with the support of Scout Modethat amplifies the sound offootsteps and dialogue, EAX 5.0that provides sound effects thatadapt to different environment

and Voice FX that masks voiceswhen chatting in-game with otherplayers.

The Acer Predator G6 is priced atRM8,999.

l Acer Predator Z35, PredatorX34 and Predator XB1

This gaming monitor line-upcomes in 27-inch to 35-inch.

These new Predator gamingmonitors feature GameView

technology, which allows instanttoggle between three customisabledisplay profiles and the tweakingof settings such as Dark Boost,Overclock and aim-point assistanceto suit a wide array of gamers.

The Acer Predator Z35 is a35-inch 21:9 UltraWide Full HD(2560 x 1080) curved gamingmonitor with a curvature of 2000Rfeaturing NVIDIA G-Sync forimmersive, wraparound gamingexperience. It supportsoverclocking to a lightning-fastmode of up to 200Hz refresh rate.

The Acer Predator XB1 comes intwo models – XB271HU and

XB281HK, which sport 27-inch and28-inch screens respectively.

Both these models come with thelatest NVIDIA G-SYNC technologythat provides amazingly detailedimages and smooth visuals.

The Predator XB271HU has azero-frame-edge-to-edge designwith a WQHD (2560 x 1440) IPSpanel that supports 100% of thesRGB gamut and NVIDIA ULMBtechnology that reduces motion

blur in fast-paced gamingsituations.

The Predator XB281HK comeswith a 4K UHD panel that has a fastGTG (gray to gray) response time of1ms.

TheAcer Predator X34 is a34-inch IPS 21:9 ultra-wide QHDcurved monitor that eliminatestearing, minimises display stutterand input lag to provide animmersive gaming experience.

The price for Acer Predatormonitors starts from RM2,599.

n For more information, visitwww.acer.com/predator.

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20 MARCH 2016

The HuaweiMate 8.

The Mate 8features aslim body.

Designed for modern on-the-go professionals, the Mate 8 will keep youconnected anywhere, anytime.

Powerfuldevice, perfectperformance

the Mate 8 redefines design andexperience, bringing about a newstyle for young business elites.

The Mate 8 offers speed,convenience and connectivity in abeautifully designed package thatstands out in a competitive

landscape.The compact, slim phone has an

83% screen-to-body ratio. Its edgesare only 2.7mm wide – 0.4mmthinner than the Mate 7.Its dimensions are 157.1mm x80.6mm x 7.9mm and it weighsapproximately 185g.

The Mate 8 has a six-inch FHDscreen with negative LCD. Thescreen’s 95% colour saturation ishigher than both the Mate 7 (71%)and iPhone 6s Plus (68%).

The side and rear surfaces ofthe phone are designed withgreat precision. A meticuloussandblasting technique is usedon the rear surface to create anelegant textured appearance.

The glass of the rear camera isplaced accurately to the nearestmicron with a meticulousprocedure of sandblasting,trimming and fine metallicdrawing.

The Mate 8 comes in fourthemed colours: champagne gold,

moonlight silver, spacegrey and mocha brown.

Perfect balance

Designed for users toexperience a world without

boundaries, the Mate 8’sKirin 950 chipset strikes the

perfect balance between highperformance and low-power

consumption.Furthermore, the SOC chip

architecture includes new 8+1cores: quad-core Cortex A722.3GHz+, quad-core Cortex A531.8GHz+ and i5 co-processor.

The Mate 8 is the firstsmartphone in the industry toadopt the 4 x A72+4 x A53big.LITTLE architecture and thefirst to use the ARM Cortex A72SOC processor. With the Kirin950,the Mate 8’s CPU boosting powerincreases by 100%, GPUperformance up to 125% andpower efficiency up to 70%compared with the Kirin925.

This smartphone’s innovativesix-layer thermal conductivity

structure allows for higher heatdissipation and lower powerconsumption.

The DX19 thermal materials’conductivity is nine times higherthan stainless steel, resulting in aphone with a cooler temperature.For example, after 30 minutes ofgaming, the Mate 8’s temperatureis recorded at 4.1°C, which is coolerthan the iPhone 6s Plus.

It also allows users to take

advantage of its high performancewithout losing battery powerquickly. The device is equippedwith a 4,000mAh high-densitybattery, compared with the2,750mAh battery of the AppleiPhone 6s Plus.

To prevent the battery fromrunning low too quickly, the Mate 8combines the remarkable Kirin 950chip with the new EMUI 4.0 smart-power technology, which allowsusers to enjoy a long standby time.In fact, regular users can gowithout charging their phone for2.36 days and heavy users for 1.65days.

The charging speed is 105%faster than the Apple iPhone 6sPlus. With only 30 minutes ofcharging, the battery is charged to37%, which equates to a whole dayof regular usage.

Enhanced security

As the Mate 8 is meant to assist anew generation of businessindividuals and entrepreneurssync work with leisure, security isa major concern.

The smartphone comes withnext-generation fingerprintrecognition technology; its speed istwice that of the Mate 7 and theerror rate has been decreased byhalf.

The concave depth of thecircular fingerprint sensor on theback of the phone has beenreduced from 0.85mm to 0.45mm,increasing the effectiveidentification area by 10% andfurther improving user experience.

The Mate 8 also has a protected

firewall formed by the Kirin950’sTrustZone and secure OS. Thephone automatically savesfingerprint data and has strongchip-level security achieved by thehardware isolation betweenoperating environment and storagespace of the Android system.

Dataprotectionis highpriority –every time auser reads orwrites data,

automatic encryptionand decryption arelogged into the chip,protected by TrustZone.If a user’s Mate 8 isstolen, this data cannotbe extracted.

The Mate 8 enables themicroSD card to lock,preventing anyone fromaccessing content in the cardwithout a password so that userdata cannot be obtained if thephone is stolen.

Global connectivity

The Mate 8 is perfect for themodern on-the-go professionals

who need to be constantlyconnected anywhere in the world.

The smartphone comes withbuilt-in support for variousnetwork bands and 1,334 sets ofoperation parameters. Therefore, itcan be used in 217 countries andregions.

The device integrates the world’sleading Cat6 LTE Internetconnection technology, offeringdownload speeds of up to300Mbps.

Users will enjoy high-speedInternet connections that allowthem to take advantage of the bestthat the Internet has to offer, fromweb browsing and streamingmedia to connected gaming.

The Mate 8 also supportsNetwork Neighborhood CIFSstandard protocols andautomatically discovers homewireless equipment such as PCand iMac that support NetworkNeighborhood CIFS standardprotocols.

Efficient power consumption

The Huawei Mate 8 strikes aperfect balance betweenhigh performance and lowpower consumption. Itspower consumption data islisted as follows:• Heavy users: 1.65 days

(1.03 days for AppleiPhone 6s Plus)

• Regular users: 2.36 days(1.53 days for AppleiPhone 6s Plus)

• Talk time over a 3Gnetwork: 28 hours

• Internet use over a 4Gnetwork: 20 hours (12hours for Apple iPhone6s Plus)

• HD video play: 17 hours(14 hours for AppleiPhone 6s Plus)

• Audio play: 98 hours (80hours for Apple iPhone6s Plus)

• Theoretical standbytime: 22 days (16 daysfor Apple iPhone 6sPlus)

ALLENGING the traditionaliness landscape with itsovative product offerings,awei Technologies is nowefining premium living andiness management with theawei Mate 8.

A productivity-drivenartphone with significantlyhanced power, efficiency andtery life, the Huawei Mate 8

ntinues Huawei’s track record ofivering high-end devices thatect global consumer demand.

The Mate 8 is currently the mostwerful smartphone in therket and features severalustry firsts, including thein 950 chipset, 16nm FinFETs chip technology and an ARMtex-A72 processor.

Together, these elements allowmodern professional to stayre productive and connectedn ever before.t runs on the next-generation

awei EMUI 4.0 operating systemed on Android Marshmallow.

mpared with the previoussion of EMUI, EMUI 4.0 featuresre than 500 individual usererience tweaks and

provements.One key improvement is thelusion of defragmentinghnology that automaticallyragments the device, improvingr experience and enhancingformance.

At the product launch earliers month, Huawei Technologieslaysia Consumer Business

oup country director Zhu Yongng said, “We believe the Mateill fit the lifestyles of many

ividuals here. We areited to be one of the first inregion to bring the Mate 8

Malaysia.”

odernity,eganceAccording to Zhu,awei’s continuous

mmitment to meetevolving needs of

nsumers hasulted in the

mpany ensuring

This simple process allowsusers to log in to shared foldersand directly copy photos and

documents between mobile phonesand computers.

Business is made convenient andefficient with the Mate’s ability toautomatically recognise and saveinformation on scanned businesscards to the phone’s contact list.The device features scanningsupport for 17 languages.

Furthermore, the Mate 8 offers aproductivity-enhancing split-screenmode that enables enhancedmultitasking between apps.

n For more information, visitconsumer.huawei.com/my.

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13SUNDAY STAR, 20 MARCH 2016

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20 MARCH 2016

The GPW-1000 comes ina range of colours tosuit any preference.

The GPW-1000 is bothdurable and energy-efficient.

Designedfor toughnessCASIO Computer Co Ltd has once againcaptured the hearts of G-Shock fans withthe development of the world’s firsthybrid time-keeping system in the form of

the GPW-1000.The watch is capable of receiving both

Global Positioning System (GPS) and has ahybrid radio wave time calibrationsystem.

The GPS allows the watch to pinpoint itscurrent location, letting the watch adjustitself to the current time zone.

The watch makes use of a hybridsystem of GPS location and Casio’sMultiband 6 technology to synchronisewith six atomic tranmission stationsaround the world to accurately set thetime by itself.

If the wearer travels abroad, he canquickly recalibrate the watch to theaccurate time zone with a simple pressof a button. The recalibration processonly takes up to a minute.

The watch displays two different timezones simultaneously. The time zone isindicated on the minute/hour hands andinset dials.

Durability, reliability

The G-Shock was born in 1983 outof an engineer’s passion for creating an“unbreakable watch”, challenging thecommon notion of fragile wristwatchesat that time.

Since then, the G-Shock series hasevolved through the incorporation ofadvanced technology and Casio’s devotionto creating incredibly tough watches.

Casio may have in its hands the mostdurable watch it has ever created.Combined with GPS and hybrid radio

wave technologies, the GPW-1000 can beworn in the densest of jungles and highestof desert dunes, underwater or in thebusiest metropolis and still be able toaccurately tell time, while not getting ascratch on it.

The watch’s durability is achieved withCasio’s Triple G Resist structure thatallows the GPW-1000 to withstand shocks,

centrifugal force and harsh vibrations.The protruding case and bezel design

protect the glass from any impact fromdrops.

To enhance the watch’s toughness, thecase is coated with DLC (diamond-likecoating) and attached to it is a carbonfibre insert band, which is reinforcedwith resin. This makes the watch almostscratchproof.

Solar charging

The case houses ultra-small motorsbeneath the bezels, which makes roomfor the GPS antenna and GPS LSI to beinstalled.

These highly important componentsare secured in a single module under thecasing, protecting the workings.

Casio’s Tough Solar charging systemenables higher-efficiency light receptionthat supports the stable operation of

various high-load functions.The GPW-1000 also consumes little

power. The watch features a new low-power consumption, high-performanceGPS LSI and high-output solar cell.

The solar cell is able to absorb solarenergy, to power the watch’s GPS, LED(light-emitting diode) lighting and motor.

The watch also has high-luminosity LEDlighting that lights up the face of thewatch, allowing wearers to tell time in thedark.

Currently, there are several colourvariations and models available in theGPW-1000 series, including GPW-1000-1A,which features blue-painted bezels, blackcase and band and a red and black crown;the GPW-1000-1B, which features an all-black case, band and crown; the GPW-

1000-4A, which features a bronze-paintedbezel, orange and black band and a blackcrown; and the limited edition GPW-1000TBS-1A, which features a gold ion-plated case and a special vintage look thatis achieved by ageing 6-4 titanium.

n For more information, visitwww.casio-intl.com.

Construction Shock-resistant; resistant to centrifugal gravitationalforce; vibration resistant

Water resistance 200m

Radio frequency

GPS signal reception Time-calibration (auto, manual);acquisition of position information (manual)

Radio wavereception

Automatic reception of up to six times a day(except for use in China: up to five times a day)

World time 27 cities (40 time zones, daylight saving on/off)and Coordinated Universal Time

Stopwatch

Countdown timer Measuring unit: 1 second (maximum 24 hours)

Alarm 1 independent daily alarm

Other functions Full auto-calendar; 12/24-hour format; battery levelindicator; LED light with afterglow of 3 seconds

Power source Solar power system (solar-charging system)

Continuousoperation

About 18 months with the power-savingfunction after a full charge

Size of case 66.0mm × 56.0mm × 18.1mm

Total weight Approximately 126g

GPS signal frequency 1575.42MHz

77.5kHz (DCF77: Germany); 60kHz (MSF: UK);60kHz (WWVB: USA); 40kHz (JJY: Fukushima, Japan)

/60kHz (JJY: Kyushu, Japan); 68.5kHz (BPC: China)

1/20-second stopwatch; measuring capacity:23’59.95”; measuring mode: elapsed time

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20 MARCH 2016

Great plan for new phones

ARTPHONESlve so quickly that

w features, upgrades anddels may be hard to keepwith. Although tech-savvytomers naturally want the

est and best in smartphonehnology, not many are able toord to switch it up as often asy would like.

Thankfully, First by Celcomkes it possible for you to stayrent without having to fork outrge sum of money with

wPhone, which allows you to getew phone for free annually andnge your phone as often as yount as long as it is in good

ndition.upported by a minimal monthlythis plan offers a superb

ection of smartphones at aminal fee. You have the optiongetting a new device at no extrat every 12 months by simply

Coverage Details

Robbery or snatch theft If your NewPhone device is stolen or snatched,a device replacement will be arranged.

House break-in If your NewPhone device is stolen in a break-in,a device replacement will be arranged.

Accidental orliquid damage

If your mobile device has been accidentallydamaged,it will be repaired and returned througha convenient door-to-door service.

Airtime abuse If your stolen phone's airtime is abused, AmTrustMobile Solutions Malaysia Sdn Bhd will covercharges up to RM500 within the first 24 hours.This includes devices that are stolen, snatched ortaken in a house break-in.

Value AddedServices (VAS)

AmTrust Mobile Solutions Malaysia Sdn Bhd offersreimbursement of up to RM100 to cover any VAS

abuse of a stolen or snatched device.

Mobile device rentalwhile roaming

You can rent a temporary replacement mobiledevice while roaming for a total of 14 consecutivedays from the date of incident discovery for upto RM500.

Terms and conditions

To be eligible for Celcom’sNewPhone plan, you must be:• A new or existing Celcom

Postpaid customer• Above 18 years old• Financially responsible;

not on the CTOS CreditReporting Agencyblacklist

Other criteria to keep in mindwhen switching to this planare:• Those switching from

another mobile networkoperator to Celcom mustpay RM100, present theirpostpaid bills for the pastthree months, make amandatory three-monthpayment upfront and signup for Device Protection

• Existing Celcom prepaidcustomers must convert

to postpaid for at leastthree months

• Existing Celcom postpaidcustomers who havesubscribed for less than12 months must presenttheir postpaid bills for thepast three months, makea payment of RM150 anda mandatory three monthupfront payment for theplan, as well as sign upfor Device Protection

• Existing Celcom postpaid

customers who havesubscribed for more than12 months are advised toclear their bill beforesubscibing to theNewPhone plan. Theymust also pay RM180, butno other upfront paymentis required and DeviceProtection is optional.

Without DeviceProtection

(customers of morethan 12 months)

NewPhone fee withDevice Protection Cancellation fee

Monthlyfee

Samsung Galaxy J7 RM55 RM165 RM45 RM942 RM600

Samsung Galaxy A7 RM105 RM315 RM95 RM1,791.51 RM750

Samsung GalaxyNote 5 RM145 RM435 RM125 RM2,451.89 RM1,000

Samsung GalaxyS7 Edge RM175 RM525 RM145 RM2,923.58 RM1,100

Monthlyfee

Keep thedevice

Return thedevice

Upfrontpayment

Devicebrand/model

CELCOM offers a variety of Samsung models for customers under the NewPhone plan, which can bepaid for on a monthly basis. See the table below and pick the best plan for your new smartphone.

Table 1: Celcom offers Device Protection for NewPhone devices, a great securitysolution in the event of robbery or theft.

SamsungGalaxy A7.

SamsungGalaxy J7.

SamsungGalaxy S7 Edge.

Take your pick

turning in your currentphone.

Additionally, you canchange phones when youplease without waiting for 12

months by simply payingthe Express

NewPhoneFee. This feestarts from

RM500 and iscompulsory toensure your

upfront paymentis fully rebated

within the first threemonths of your

NewPhonesubscription.

Customers can restassured of hassle-freedevice protection that

ensures repair orreplacement of a damaged

device.First by Celcom’s

NewPhone puts the customerat greater liberty to decide on

mobile plans that best suittheir various needs and

lifestyles. It does not come with anobligation to choose a specific planor sign a contract for a certainperiod of time.

Flexibility is central as Celcomrecognises the importance ofmaking devices and plans work forindividuals. You can choose any

First postpaid plan to go with yourdevice.

Enhanced security

NewPhone devices comeequipped with Device Protection,an after-sales solution thatminimises hassle in the event ofrobbery, theft and other incidences(see Table 1).

Customers who want to claimNewPhone Device Protectioncompensation in the event of arobbery, snatch theft or break-in

must first block their SIM card, filea police report, and call 1800 880710 within 24 hours of the incidentto make a report. They must thenfax 03-7954 9191 or [email protected] with their police report

reference.Customers who want to claim

NewPhone Device Protectioncompensation in the event ofaccidental or liquid damage mustalso call 1800 880 710 within 24hours of the incident to make areport. They must then fax03-7954 9191 or e-mail [email protected] details of the damage andrepair.

All claims will be processed byMAA Takaful and you will benotified once it is approved. An

excess fee (varies according tomodel) will be charged for thedelivery of a replacement device.

Unique ofering

Leading mobile service providerCelcom is the only network with aplan that allows customers toswitch to a new phone anytime

and get a new device for freeannually.

Powered by its undisputed 4GLTE network, you can enjoy up to10 times faster Internet speedin Celcom Territory.

Celcom stays on topof its game by

offering exciting deals that attractand satisfy customers. Its positionas a major player in the Malaysianmobile technology scene has beenrecognised with consecutive winsat the Frost & Sullivan Awards inrecent years.

Visit your nearest Blue Cube tofind out more and sign up forCelcom’s NewPhone plan today.

n For more information, visitwww.celcom.com.my.

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tech world 17

Exceptional

notebook

RECENTLY, Hewlett-Packard (HP)Malaysia announced new premiumPCs that feature exclusive formfactors, sleek industrial designs,high-resolution displays and audioby Bang & Olufsen.

HP is now focusing on moreexciting new form factors, leading-edge design and powerful devices.

The new HP devices are abouthalf the weight, a third of theheight and have about twicethe battery life of their oldercounterparts and offer experiencesincomparable to aged devices.

Here is a look at HP’s newpremium PCs.l Detachable PCFor users who prefer a tablet-

first design without a compromiseon productivity, the HP Spectre x2combines a thin and light tabletdesign with the productivity of a

notebook and a superior metalkeyboard for the very best of bothworlds.

With up to 10 hours of batterylife, the tablet only weighs 850gand is just 8mm thick. The tabletwith keyboard weighs 1.2kg and is13.15mm thick, making the HPSpectre x2 the thinnest two-in-onePC that HP has ever made.

For productivity, the HP Spectrex2 comes with a full-sized, 1.5mmtravel keyboard and 120m x 55mmtouchpad.

For a full tablet experience, theSpectre x2 offers three cameras: aHP Truevision FHD five-megapixel

front camera for web chats, HPTruevision HD eight-megapixelrear camera to take pictures andshoot videos, and Intel RealSenseCamera R200 to capture and enable3D experiences.

l Powered by the Dark SideInspired by the Galactic Empire,

the Star Wars Special Editionnotebook has a “battle-worn”distressed design with GalacticEmpire written in the unique StarWars Aurebesh font on the hingeand iconic images of Stormtroopers

on the keyboard deck.The Star Wars Special Edition

notebook gets up to seven hours ofbattery life and is offered with fullHD in a 15.6-inch diagonal display.Users have the choice of sixthgeneration Intel Core i5 and i7processors.

l Limited edition convertiblePC

HP has updated its most highlyrecognised premium convertiblePC, the HP Spectre x360, to deliverultra-thin design, long battery life,

fast boot times and great Wi-Ficonnectivity.

The beautiful 13.3-inch diagonalHP Spectre x360 limited editioncelebrates Bang & Olufsen’s 90thanniversary.

The HP Spectre x360 is updatedwith 6th Gen Intel Core i5 and i7processors and with a lightningfast SSD of up to 256GB, usershave the horsepower andresponsiveness they want toget things done fast.

Weighing 1.48kg and measuring15.9mm thick, the HP Spectre x360with the full HD display will last upto 12 hours.

Users can expect fluid andseamless transitions betweennotebook mode for work, standmode for viewing entertainment,tent mode for touchscreenentertainment and tablet modefor portability.

l Thinnest and lightest Many users want a traditional

notebook for productivity andportability.The 13.3-inch diagonalHP ENVY notebook delivers a thinand light design with long batterylife and the latest Intel processorsfor users to do more, fast.

The notebook has a metal chassiswith a curved profile and elevatedlift hinge to give users a morestable and comfortable typing andviewing experience.

The HP TrueVision Webcamfeatures dual array microphoneswith noise cancellation technology,

Get yours now

HP’s new premium PCsare all available now atthe following prices:

• HP Spectre x2 – RM4,699

• HP Star Wars SpecialEdition – RM3,999

• HP Spectre x360 – RM4,999 onwards

• HP ENVY 13 notebook – RM3,299 onwards

• HP Pavilion Gamingnotebook – RM3,499onwards

controlling background noise sousers on both ends of a web chatwill produce crisp, clear sound.

l Play with styleThe HP Pavilion Gaming

notebook delivers intensedesign, graphics, power andperformance that gamers cravein an affordable Windows 10gaming PC.

With the 15.6-inch diagonal HPPavilion, users can get the speedthey need even with the mostmemory-intensive applicationsas the HP Pavilion has up to16GB of system memory.

n For more information, visitwww.hp.com.

The HP

ENVY 13.

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20 MARCH 2016

A Swissbio-sensing chipimplanted in theepidermis willhelp medicalexperts topersonalisemedication forpatients.

3D-printed skulls are expected to save more lives in the future.

People with profound hearing loss are now able to hear againwith advanced cochlear implants.

he Syncardiaotal Artificialeart assumese full functionsa regular heart.

Technologybeneath the skinN the 1970s, the Six Millionollar Man was a popularlevision series about a former

stronaut who had to undergontense surgery and was rebuilt

ith mechanical parts after heas severely injured when his

paceship crashed.

His new body parts gave himuperhuman strength, speed andher additional powers to fight

vil for the government.Forty years on, humans are

ill far from being full-bodiedyborgs but medical experts andesearchers have found neways to implement technology

nside the human body.Here are some of thechnological innovations thatave been invented and trialledaid humans in the areas of

onvenience, safety or healthsues.

ounds amazing

Cochlear implants may not benew innovation but thechnology has certainlyrogressed and become

ncreasingly popular over theears.Unlike hearing aids that

mplify sounds, these electronicmedical devices replace theunction of the damaged innerar by providing sounds signals

the brain, allowing users whoave profound hearing loss toentify sound direction andcus on particular sounds in

oisy environments such ashen having a conversation in ausy restaurant.A sound processor

orn behind the earrst capturesound beforeurning it intoigital code andansmitting the codethe implant.The implant then

onverts the code intoectrical impulses

nd sends themong the

electrode array in the cochlea. Thecochlea’s hearing nerve finallysends the impulses to the brainwhere it is interpreted as sound.

Blood-pumpinginvention

With the help of the SynCardiatemporary Total Artificial

Heart and itsexternal Freedom

driver, patients atrisk of dying from

end-stage

biventricular (both sides) heartfailure are able to moveindependently at home instead oflying in a hospital strapped to abulky machine as they wait for aheart transplant.

The implantable total artificialheart system, which is designed toassume the full functions of aheart, has two tubes exiting thebody and connected to the portableFreedom machine that delivers

compressed air into the ventriclesto allow blood to be pumpedthroughout the body.

Easy accessSeven hundred employees of a

Swedish office complex calledEpicenter never have to worryabout leaving their office access orID cards at home ever again asthey now have round-the-clockkeyless access.

The security feature at the officeblock is a tiny chip implanted inthe hand of the employees.

The radio-frequencyidentification chip allows the userto swipe his hand over a traditionalpin code device to gain entry intothe building.

The chip also works as abusiness card (tap the phone onsomeone’s hand to get their details)and allows users to operate thephotocopiers as well as makepurchases at the office cafeteria.

Precise medicationneeds

Last year, Swiss research

institute Ecole PolytechniqueFédérale de Lausanne created abio-sensing chip that is capable of

measuring blood’s pH levels,temperature and metabolism-related molecules such as glucose,lactate and cholesterol as well asdrugs when it is implanted underthe skin or somewhere in theepidermis.

Made up of a circuit with six

sensors, a radio transmissionmodule and a control unit thatanalyses incoming signals, the chipworks together with an externalplaster-like patch that contains abattery, coil and Bluetooth moduleused to send the gatheredinformation to a mobile phone.

The 1cm2 device is seen as animportant tool for medical expertsas information about the preciseand real-time effects of drugs onmetabolism will help inpersonalising medication.

3D skull

Researchers have beenexperimenting with 3D printing for

various applications for a numberof years but the technology hasalso managed to save lives.

In December 2013, a woman inthe Netherlands who was havingsevere headaches due to athickening of her skull received askull transplant thanks todedicated surgeons and a plasticprosthetic skull that was madeusing a 3D printer.

Similar surgeries to replacedifferent parts of a skull have alsobeen carried out in the UnitedStates as well as on a three-year-old girl in China.

The little girl, who hadhydrocephalus where her headgrew up to four times the normal

size, received the 3D-printedtitanium alloy skull substitute in a17-hour-long operation.

Humans are stillfar from beingfull-bodied cyborgsbut medicalexperts and

researchers havefound new waysto implementtechnology insidetheir body.

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tech world 19

Get the smartphone you wantWE are now all accustomed tohaving smartphones. These devicesare equipped with variousfeatures and applications thatmeet the needs of a 21st centuryconsumer.

To stay relevant in an alreadysaturated and competitive market,smartphone producers areconstantly innovating theirproducts to take them one stepfurther.

As a consumer, choosing theright phone for you with the rightfunctionality paired with a suitablebudget can be an arduous processwhen there are so many options

out there.Thankfully, Digi’s 0% Easy

Payment Plan and no-cash upfrontpayment makes it convenient toown the smartphone that meetsyour needs. You can startmaximising the potential of yourDigi Postpaid plan in no time.

Here are some smartphoneoptions you can consider when you join Digi’s 0% Easy Payment Plan:

Samsung Galaxy S7 edgeThe latest gizmo put out by the

Korean tech giant comes equippedwith the Android 6.0.1Marshmallow operating systemboasting a 5.5-inch QHD SuperAMOLED display.

What really makes the SamsungGalaxy S7 edge stand out from itspredecessor is the curved screenthat gives maximum displaywithout making the phone bulky.

The powerful Exynoss 88901.6GHz octa-core processor anda 4GB RAM promise excellentmultitasking capabilities, gamingand video streaming.

The Samsung Galaxy S7 edgeboasts an exquisite picture-takingcapability with a dual-pixel12-megapixel rear camera withbrighter lens and a fast-focuscapability in addition to a

five-megapixel front camera.Though non-removable, the

3600mAh battery ensures a longerbattery life.

However, the most excitingaspect is its capless water and dustresistant (IP68) feature so you donot have to worry about a water-spill accident.

You can own a Samsung GalaxyS7 edge for only RM1,889 with DigiPostpaid 148.

Samsung Note5If you want a phone that keeps

up with your lifestyle, be it work orplay, then the Samsung Note5 is theone for you.

Samsung has refined thefeatures of the Note series in

the Note5, which

enhances usercompatibilitywithoutredundancy.

Even thoughNotes are known tobe bulky devices,the Samsung Note 5is designed to besleeker with back andfront glass finishing,metal sides and a 5.7-

inch QHD SuperAMOLED display. Italso comes withAndroid 5.1.1 Lollipop,TouchWiz operatingsystem.

Known for its efficient

multitasking capability,the phone comes with anExynos 7420 octa-core 64bit, paired with a 4GB RAMto handle multipleapplications seamlessly.

The Samsung GalaxyNote5 does not disappointwith a flat surface design soit is easier to hold and itsexceptional handwriting

recognition feature makes usingthe trademark S-Pen easy.

The Samsung Note5 comes witha non-expandable 32GB storagespace and 3,000mAh non-removable battery.

As for taking pictures, the phoneis equipped with a 16-megapixelrear camera for improved pictureresolution and comes with phasedetection auto-focus, 4K resolutionas well as slow motion videocapabilities and a five-megapixelfront camera.

With just RM1,479, you can ownyour very own Samsung Note5with Digi Postpaid 148.

Samsung A7Known to beone of thebest mid-rangesmartphones

in the market,the SamsungA7 comes withan elegantmetal bodydesign and backand front glassfinishing.

The phone has a5.5-inch FHD SuperAMOLED display

and is equippedwith the Android

5.1.1 Lollipop,TouchWiz operatingsystem.

Powered by aQualcomm Snapdragon

615 1.6GHz octa-coreprocessor with a 3GBRAM, the phoneperforms well whenrunning applications and

features in general.As for storage, the phone

comes with 16GB internalmemory that can be

expanded up to 128GB viamicroSD.Samsung equips the A7 with a

13-megapixel rear camera andfive-megapixel frontcamera forcapturinggreatpictures topreserveyourmemorablemoments.

The bestfeature ofthe SamsungA7 is thebattery life asit comes witha 3,300mAhnon-removablebattery with a

fast chargefeature.Now you

can get theSamsung A7 for just RM869 withDigi Postpaid148.

HuaweiMate 8

Emerging fromShenzen, China,Huawei is makingheads turn with itslatest smartphone, the HuaweiMate 8.

For those of you who love largescreens on your phone, you are in

luck. The Huawei Mate 8 comeswith six-inch FHD screen displaywith 1,080p resolution and issupported with Android 6.0Marshmallow.

One of the most impressivefeatures of the Huawei Mate 8 isthe Huawei Kirin 950 octa-coreprocessor that offers powerfulperformance with lower energy

consumption.

It is paired with an i5co-processor that helps to furtherreduce power consumption toapproximately 70% withoutcompromising phone performance.

The phone comes with 32GBexpandable storage up to 128GBand runs on a 3GB RAM. Whatmakes the Huawei Mate 8attractive is the 4,000mAh batterycapacity that promises long-lastingbattery life.

For taking excellent pictures, theHuawei Mate is equipped with a16-megapixel rear camera pairedwith a dual-tone flash feature, 4xdigital zoom and time-lapse

recording in addition to an eight-megapixel front camera.

Moreover, the Huawei Mate 8comes with a responsivefingerprint sensor below the rearcamera as device unlockingmechanism.

You can now own the HuaweiMate 8 for just RM1,049 with DigiPostpaid 148.

Honor 5XWith Huawei breaking into the

mid-range smartphone market,Honor 5X is out to impress thecompetitive playing field with astylish metal and plastic encasingand a fingerprint sensor like itssister phone, the Huawei Mate 8.

With a 5.5-inch FHDdisplay with 1,080presolution, you haveclear and vibrantuser interface andviewing quality.

The Honor 5Xruns on Android5.1 with the EMUI3.0 and ispowered byQualcommSnapdragonMSM 8939,eight-core1.5GHzprocessorpaired with2GB RAM for

excellentperformance.The great

thing aboutthe Honor 5xis the abilityto expand itsalreadyavailable16GBinternalmemory

withmicroSD up to 128GB.

The battery capacity of this phonestands at 3,000mAh and can lastfor a day’s use on average.

The Honor 5X comes with a13-megapixel rear camera and a

five-megapixel front camera,which meet the quality for mostsmartphones in the mid-rangemarket.

The real pull factor of this smartphone is the attractive retail value.If you are on a budget and arelooking to get a smartphone tomeet your needs, the Honor 5X isavailable for RM159 with DigiPostpaid 148.

SamsungGalaxy S7edge.

SamsungNote5.

SamsungA7.

Huawei Mate 8.

Honor5X.

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0 tech world


Quirky gadgets fora tech-lled futureECHNOLOGY is constantlyvolving to make our lives betternd easier and waves of newseful gadgets are steadilyooding the market. Some of

hese gadgets are complex while

others are simple.There are some, however, that

are just plain weird. Althoughunconventional, these gadgets arestill innovative and useful. Hereare some of these gadgets:

Have you ever wished that you

could change your mood in aninstant? Well, now you can withThync, a wearable device that sendselectrical signals into your brain,activating pathways that eithercalm you down or energise you.

Thync is the product of a team ofneurobiologists and neuroscientistswho wanted to know if they could

change people’s moods in an instant

without the use of chemicalsupplements.The device works by placing one

end of either a “calm” strip or“energy” strip onto a Thync modulethat fits onto the right side of yourhead, just above your eyebrow, andsticking the other end of the striponto the back of your neck.

The strip then sends electrical

impulses to your brain, whicheither makes you calm or havemore energy, depending on whichstrip you use.

Paired with a mobile app of thesame name, you can select betweenmodes and control the level ofintensity of which the impulse issent to your brain.

Changing your mood with technology

“Mother” is a monitoring device that lets you trackalmost anything, such as the distance you have joggedor if grandma has taken her pills.

Created by Sen.se, a French company, Mother is aRussian doll-like device that you hardwire into yourrouter at home.

The device acts as a hub for the sensors that comewith Mother, which Sen.se calls Motion Cookies.These sensors can be placed on any household item.

The Motion Cookie detects movements,temperature and weight and sends data to Mother,which then relays information to an accompanyingapp called Pocket Mother, which you can downloadon Google Play or the iTunes Store.

Just like a good caregiver, Mother keeps track of allthat goes on in the house. If you would like to keep

track of how much water your child is drinking, justslap a Motion Cookie on your child’s water bottle andthe motion detectors can tell you how often yourchild picks up his bottle and drinks the water.

Virtuix Omni is a multi-irectional treadmill that

ets gamers controlmovements of theirn-game characters byctually walking orunning on it.

The machine is speciallyesigned to be paired withirtual reality headsetsuch as the Oculus Rift.

The headsets simulateision and the Virtuixmni simulates movement.The base of the machine

hat players run on is bowl-haped. Attached to thease are a support ring andharness to keep you in

lace when you run orwalk. The height of theupport ring can bedjusted to suit the player.The machine requires

players to wear speciallydesigned Virtuix Omnishoes that reduce friction,allowing for smoother andunrestricted walking orrunning motions.

As with most virtualreality gaming gadgets, theVirtuix Omni is designedfor games that are made tobe played in a first-personpoint of view.

However, some gamesthat allow players to switchfrom a first-personperspective to a third-person perspective alsowork on the Virtuix Omni.

These games include The

Elder Scrolls, Grand Theft Auto and ARMA. At themoment, the Virtuix Omniis only compatible with PCgames.

Virtual reality just got more realistic

SCiO is a handheld device, nobigger than your car remote,that lets you scan physicalobjects and retrieve information

regarding that object through anapp on your smartphone.

The gadget makes use ofnear-infrared (NIR) spectroscopytechnology, scanning andreading the chemical make-upof physical objects.

The device then sends thescanned data to a mobile appcalled SCiO Lab, which you can

download on Google Play orthe iTunes Store.

Birthgiver of the productConsumer Physics claims that

the SCiO is currently able toretrieve nutritional facts fromfood, information of popularplants and identify capsulescontaining medicine andnutritional supplements.

So how is this useful topeople? Well, you point thedevice at your salad, hit thebutton and voila, it sends

nutritional facts of each lettuceand tomato in your salad to themobile app.

From there, you can calculate

how much calories you areconsuming for every meal.This makes watching yourdiet a lot easier.

The SCiO constantly buildson its database of informationwhen new objects are scanned.This means that users areencouraged to scan everythingthey see in front of them.

Information at your ngertips

Mother of all tracking devices

tech world - 20 march 2016

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