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Ramos is a mostly tablet making company from China and have come out with some fairly impressive tablets. Recently, they announced their first smartphone with the Ramos Mos1. Taking a step ahead of other Chinese smartphone makers the Mos1 is the first metal frame smartphone we've seen with curved yet layered look to it. According to Ramos, this was done to get the ideal 158-degree angle curve, improving the grip and making it stand out from the rest of the crowd. Tech specs and features are a mix of high-end and midrange with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 processor, 2GB RAM, 32GB storage and 5.5-inch FHD display. This display is protected by 2.5D Corning Gorilla Glass while a 13MP rear camera and 5MP front camera round things out. A 3050 mAh battery powers everything. The Mos1 measures in at 7.6mm thin and is priced at 1999 CNY (RM1226) placing it around the same area as the Honor 7 and Meizu MX5. No Malaysia release dates yet but keep an eye on third-party sellers like DirectD or SatuGadgetDotCom and it could appear there. 

Mi Malaysia recently announced that they will be bringing in the Xiaomi Redmi 2 Enhanced with 2GB RAM for RM459. The smartphone will be available on 16 July 2015 from 12PM at the Mi Malaysia site. Tech specs remain mostly the same with a 64-bit quad-core Snapdragon 410 processor and 2GB RAM but there is also 16GB worth of storage, double that of the 8GB storage on the Redmi 2. The Redmi 2 is currently retailing for RM399 so another RM60 for double the RAM and storage is a fairly good deal. Check out the full Xiaomi Redmi 2 Enhanced tech specs and features below:

• 64-bit quad-core Snapdragon 410 processor
• 2GB RAM
• 16GB storage + up to 32GB microSD 
• 4.7-inch display (1280 x 720 HD screen, 312 PPI)
• 8MP rear camera (BSI f/2.2) + 2MP front camera (BSI, 720p video recording)
• features 4G Dual SIM, Dual Standby
• 2200mAh battery (Quick Charge 1.0)

The Lenovo Vibe P1 recently appeared at TENAA in China revealing a few pics and tech specs. Featuring a 1.3GHz processor expected to be a Snapdragon 410, the Lenovo Vibe P1 packs in 2GB RAM, 16GB storage, a 5-inch display with 720 x 1280 pixel resolution, 8MP rear camera, 5MP front camera and 4000 mAh battery. The large battery is no doubt very tempting while the entry-level processor could mean a reduced price tag. No Malaysia release dates or local pricing details yet but it should appear soon.

Despite being the affordable postpaid plan that started it all, the FIRST Basic 38 by Celcom plan still offers massive value for subscribers at just RM38 per month, at least until the end of the promotional period due on 16 July 2015. After which date, subscribers won't be able to get the 3GB Internet + 3GB complimentary Celcom WiFi for life (or at least while they are still subscribed) currently on offer. Featuring free voice and SMS extras along with free movie tickets every month these plans pack a good amount of value already, in addition to the greater Celcom network coverage and ability to carry forward up to 3GB of unused Internet to the next month. Those looking to grab this last chance to subscribe for the FIRST Basic 38 by Celcom plans should walk-in to selected Blue Cube stores as soon as possible and there is even a complimentary smartphone for another RM10 per month. Check out the table and links in this article for more information but for other FIRST Basic 38 by Celcom details check out the Celcom site.

It appears that the ASUS ZenPad 8 is already available in the US for $199.99 (RM759). Tech specs are quite high for this price range with a 64-bit 1.83GHz quad-core Intel Atom Z3560 processor, 2GB RAM, 32GB storage, 8-inch display with 2048 x 1536 resolution, 5MP rear camera, 2MP front camera and Android 5.1 Lollipop. The tablet is WiFi only though and while it isn't the latest Intel Atom x3 or SoFIA powered device, it does offer good value for the money. There are no specific Malaysia release dates yet and it will probably come to Malaysia eventually, but we expect this to happen only after the ASUS ZenPad 7 tablets get their marching orders sometime in July or August 2015.

We first reported about Apple Watch smartwatch clones appearing at CES 2015 with the Hyperdon Smart Watch, but now it appears that the other clones have also arrived here in Malaysia. A quick search for 'smart watches' on Lazada.com.my reveals quite a few of them featuring the same rounded metallic body and dial control as the Apple Watch. Pricing for these variously named smartwatches range from RM145 ($38) to RM350. Do bear in mind that the original Apple Watch starts from $350 (RM1327). Tech specs for these Apple Watch clones include Bluetooth connectivity and compatiblity with iOS and Android devices but since they are cheap knockoffs you can expect some decrease in build quality and other features. However, there may be those who would cheat you by selling these clones as the original Apple Watch. One of the easiest ways of seeing if it is a clone is to check the underside. The real Apple Watch will have various sensors underneath it (like a heart rate monitor) while the clone will likely be just steel. Lazada and other major online sites require sellers to sell these clones with different names from the Apple Watch so it should be safe to get them from online sources, but if you're window shopping in real life best be wary.

ESCAPE  Axiata  Sdn  Bhd,  a  fully  owned  subsidiary  of Celcom  Axiata  Berhad have announced a new #SalomaHariRaya campaign offering duit raya and prizes worth up to RM50000 for all Malaysians from 26 June 2015 to 18 August 2015. To enter the contest, participants may lip-sync or sing to the Saloma sung 'Selamat Hari Raya' song, record it and share it on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with #SalomaHariRaya and @SalomaHariRaya tags. MAGIC SIM users can get extra duit raya with an additional #MAGICSIM hashtag. Participants can check their submisions at www.celcomESCAPE.com. The Top 50 submissions may win a chance to win RM200 duit raya from the total amount and may also appear in a final mash-up video at the end of the contest. MAGIC SIM users will get an extra advantage here as well, as they can win up five times the duit raya for RM1000 duit raya. In conjunction with the campaign, Xpax MAGIC SIM subscribers get to watch 6 complimentary box-office movies this Raya period at www.celcomESCAPE.com/magic. The movies include various box-office hits with each title starting with the letters ‘S’, ’A’, ’L.’, ‘O’, ‘M’ and ‘A’. Check out other promotions in this article as well.

The Xiaomi Mi5 Plus was recently spotted on China's TENAA, revealing a few portrait shots along with some tech specs and features list. Looking much like a Samsung Galaxy S6 edge with curved 2.5D glass on the sides (doesn't look like an actual curved screen) the flat and thin Mi5 Plus features a gold coloured metal frame with what appears to be glass covered front and back. The design is reminiscent of the Xiaomi Mi Note. According to TENAA tech specs include a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820, 4GB LPDRR4 RAM, 64GB storage, 5.7-inch display with 2560 x 1440 pixel resolution and Gorilla Glass 4 with a 13MP rear camera (dual tone LED flash) and 4MP front camera. The smartphone will support 4G LTE Cat9, WiFi ac, Bluetooth 4.0 and GPS with 155.1 x 77.6 x 6.95mm | 160g measurements. No specific Malaysia release dates or pricing details yet but it is expected in the coming months.

What would you do if you had an idea for a device but couldn't find it being sold anywhere? While you could try and prototype it or make it, previously it wasn't easy to put together a working computer platform designed specifically for those who like to tinker and make things. However, in this day and age, those who make things or 'Makers' now have access to system-on-chip boards and platforms designed to be modular for easy attachment of sensors and servos. The maker movement in Malaysia is quickly picking up steam, with more makers of every age appearing with bright ideas about devices you cannot find on the shelf but are nonetheless useful. The Intel Galileo board is Intel's solution for Makers and we were privilaged enough to get our hands-on with an Intel Galileo set which you can see in the video in this article.

The Samsung Galaxy A8 recently got leaked complete with Malaysia pricing. The folks at MDroid recently spotted it going for RM1888 while renders of the smartphone have also appeared courtesy of @OnLeaks. The leaked image certainly looks authentic and features a full metal frame like the other Samsung Galaxy A range. Tech specs include a Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 processor, 2GB RAM, 32GB storage, 5.7-inch FHD super AMOLED display, 16MP rear camera, 5MP front camera and 3050 mAh battery. It is set to come with Android 5.1 right out of the box and even has a fingerprint scanner embedded in the home button. While there are no Malaysia release dates it should be coming soon.