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Yesterday, LG announced its successor to the LG G Flex smartphone at the CES 2015 event held in Las Vegas. The new LG G Flex 2 comes with a sleeker profile and a number of additional features, making it a true successor to the G Flex curved smartphone. LG has incorporated some important changes in the new device, like a smaller display with a higher resolution, top of the line Snapdragon 810 processor, Laser AutoFocus from the LG G3 and a fast charging battery. Apart from the impressive tech specs, the overall design has been improved to make the phone more ergonomic. The 5.5-inch display with a 700mm radius curvature makes it fit perfectly in the user's hands. Thanks to the curvature, the microphone is much closer to the mouth, thereby reducing background noise. The self-healing feature also makes a comeback, but this time it is much faster and effective. LG has managed to reduce the heal time from 3 minutes to just 10 seconds in normal room temperature. With the help of a special chemical treatment process developed by the company, the cover glass on the display is now 20 percent more durable too. The 3000 mAh battery onboard charges up to 50 percent in just 40 minutes. LG will start selling the G Flex 2 in South Korea by the end of January and will later release it in additional global markets. Full tech specs of the LG G Flex2 are given below.

• 64-bit 2.0 GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor
• Adreno T430
• 2GB DDR4 RAM
• 16 / 32GB memory + expandable storage up to 2TB
• 5.5-inch display (1920 x 1080 pixel resolution, Curved P-OLED, 403 ppi)
• 13MP rear camera (Laser Auto Focus, OIS) + 2.1MP front camera
• 149.1 x 75.3 x 7.1-9.4mm | 152 grams
• Supports 4G / LTE / HSPA+, 802.11 ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1, NFC, GPS, USB 2.0
• Features Gesture Shot, Gesture View and Glance View
• 3000 mAh battery (Fast Charge)
• Android 5.0 Lollipop
• Available in Platinum Silver / Flamenco Red

A few days back, HTC had hinted that it would focus on the 'Desire' range at CES 2015. The Taiwanese company today unveiled its first Desire smartphone of the year, the all new HTC Desire 320. Like the name suggests, this particular device is the successor to the Desire 310 that was announced about a year back. As for the tech specs, the phone features almost the same specifications as the previous generation model. It comes with a 1.3GHz quad-core processor with 512MB/ 1GB RAM options depending upon the region of release. Users can choose between 4GB and 8GB for internal storage and can even expand it further via MicroSD card slot. An external memory card is essential given the fact that the 4GB model has just 1.5GB of free memory available to the user after system and apps. The display remains the same as the Desire 310, a 4.5-inch FWVGA resolution screen. There is a 5MP camera at the back, which can take videos at Full HD 1080p resolution and a VGA front camera. As for the connectivity options, the Desire 320 features quad-band 2G and 3G (HSPA) network support, Wi-Fi b/g/n, GPS and Bluetooth 4.0. The phone runs on Android 4.4 KitKat OS and comes with a 2100mAh battery which provides up to 12 hours of 3G talk time. The phone will first release in UK followed by other regions. It is currently available in Canada for $99 (RM351). HTC has yet to reveal a Malaysia pricing or release date of the model but the current Desire 310 retails for around RM460.

Lenovo has been quite busy at CES 2015 announcing a number of products in different categories like smartphones, wearables, laptops etc. The company also updated its tablet lineup at the event with the all new Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2 with AnyPen technology. This technology allows the tablet user to use any kind of metal object as a replacement to the traditional stylus. The replacements can be anything, from a ballpoint pen, a fork, to even a knife. The company claims that this technology improves precision and is much better than using your finger to write on the tablet screen. Apart from this new tech, the Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2 features a 64-bit Intel Atom quad-core processor clocked at 1.8GHz. There is 2GB RAM on board with 32GB internal storage. On the front, the tablet comes with an 8-inch 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution IPS display. Other tech specs include an 8MP rear camera, 1.6MP front camera, 6400 mAh battery (rated at 15 hours on a single charge!) and stereo speakers with Dolby Audio and Wolfson amplification. The tablet measures 8.3 x 5.9 x 0.1 inches and runs on a Windows 8.1 operating system. Lenovo will release this device in January 2015 for $299 (RM1063). The company has yet to announce details like Malaysia pricing and release dates.

Lenovo announced a number of new devices at CES 2015 including the Lenovo Vibe X2 Pro flagship and a flash accessory called as the Lenovo Vibe Xtension Selfie Flash. The top-of-the-line Vibe X2 Pro takes its design inspiration from it's predecessor, the Lenovo Vibe X2. It comes with a full metal body and a three color layered design. The phone runs on a 64-bit Snapdragon processor and supports 4G LTE networks. It features a 13MP front camera which puts it in direct competition with the recently announced HTC Desire Eye. The company has not included a front facing flash but interested users can purchase the Xtension Selfie accessory. It attaches itself to the phone's 3.5mm jack and the eight white LED bulbs on board illuminates your face. This extension is compatible with any Android smartphone with a 3.5mm headphone jack and can take up to 100 Selfies on a single charge. The Vibe Xtension flash will be available for sale from April 2015 for $29 (RM103). The Lenovo Vibe X2 Pro too will launch in April for $499 (RM1772) without contract. Full tech specs of the Lenovo flagship is as given below.

• 64-bit 1.5GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 processor
• Adreno 405
• 2GB RAM
• 32GB internal storage + expandable storage up to 128GB
• 5.3-inch display (1920 x 1080 pixel resolution, IPS LCD, 416 ppi)
• 13MP rear camera (autofocus, LED Flash) + 13MP front camera 
• 146.3 x 71 x 6.95 mm | 140 grams
• Supports 4G LTE, HSPA, dual Nano-SIMs, Bluetooth 4.1, 802.11 ac Wi-Fi, FM Radio, microUSB 2.0, GPS
• Features Geo-Tagging, touch focus, face detection, panorama, HDR
• 2410 mAh battery
• Android 4.4 + Vibe 2.0 UI
• Available in Champagne Gold / Rock Pink / Electric Blue

Along with the Lenovo Vibe X2 Pro flagship, Lenovo also announced an affordable high-end smartphone at CES 2015 called the Lenovo P90. The device features a very large battery and comes with top of the line tech specs. The P90 runs on Intel's latest 64-bit Atom processor which has a 5-mode XMM 7262 LTE modem. There's a 5.5-inch display up front with 1080p resolution. The rear camera measures 13MP and the front camera is 5MP. The highlight of the device is its 4000 mAh battery. Lenovo will launch the new P90 in February 2015 at a price tag of $369 (RM1312) without contract. Check out the full tech specs of the device below:

• 64-bit 1.8GHz quad-core Intel Atom Z3560 processor
• PowerVR G6430
• 2GB RAM
• 32GB internal storage
• 5.5-inch display (1920 x 1080 pixel resolution, IPS LCD, 401 ppi)
• 13MP rear camera (autofocus, LED Flash) + 5MP front camera
• 150 x 77.4 x 8.5 mm | 156 grams
• Supports 4G LTE, Bluetooth 4.1, 802.11 ac Wi-Fi, FM Radio, microUSB 2.0, GPS
• Features Geo-Tagging, touch focus, face detection, panorama, HDR
• 4000 mAh battery
• Android 4.4 + Vibe 2.0 UI
• Available in Pearl White / Lava Red / Onyx Black

Microsoft has just unveiled the company's most affordable Internet phone in the market called the Nokia 215. Yes, Nokia name makes a comeback, probably to take advantage of the legacy and reputation of the Finnish company, once the world's largest smartphone maker. The Nokia 215 will cost just $29 (RM103) before taxes and subsidies and will offer essential connectivity as well as an impressive battery life. The phone features a 2.4-inch QVGA display (320 x 240 pixels). There will be Bluetooth connectivity options as well along with SLAM for easy file sharing. Like earlier feature phones from Nokia, this particular device too will come with Opera Mini for web browsing. Apps like Facebook, Facebook Messenger and Twitter will be built-in for a smooth social networking experience. Given the price tag, the phone does not support Wi-Fi but the user can access the web via 2G and dual band EDGE networks. As for the battery, the Nokia 215 comes with a 1100 mAh capacity one which provides up to 20 hours of talk time and 29 days of standby time. At the back, there is a very small 0.3MP camera sensor. The LED is located on top of the phone and can be used as a flashlight. The Nokia 215 will also have a dual-SIM version. Both models will be sold in Europe, Africa, Middle East and Asia in the coming months. Expect more details like Malaysia release dates and pricing soon.

Apart from the new ASUS ZenFone 2, the world's first 4GB RAM smartphone, ASUS also unveiled three new laptop / tablet hybrids at CES 2015. These devices in the ASUS Transformer Book Chi lineup vary in size, tech specs and pricing and feature a detachable magnetic keyboard. The costliest of the lot is the higher-end variant of the 12.5-inch ASUS Transformer Book Chi T300. The hybrid comes with an Intel Core M 5Y71 processor clocked at 1.2GHz, 8GB RAM and a Quad HD IPS display. The lower end variant of the T300 will feature an Intel Core M 5Y70 processor with 4GB RAM and 1080p IPS display. ASUS claims that this 12.5-inch model will be thinner than Apple's latest MacBook Air at 7.5mm. The other two models are the Transformer Book Chi T100 and the Transformer Book Chi T90. The T100 will be powered by an Intel Atom Z3775 processor with 2GB RAM and 64GB internal storage. It will feature a 10.1-inch 1920 x 1200 pixel resolution IPS LCD display. On the other hand, the Chi T90 features an 8.9-inch 1280 x 800 pixel resolution display and is the world's thinnest 8.9-inch tablet. All the three models will run on Windows operating system. The higher end T300 will retail for $799 (RM2841) while the lower end model will sell for $699 (RM2485). The Transformer Book Chi T100 and T90 will bear a price tag of $399 (RM1418) and $299 (RM1063) respectively. All the three models will go on sale sometime in February 2015.

Seagate, has just announced three new portable storage devices before CES 2015. All the three hard drives offers cloud based storage options and will be showcased at the CES event held in Las Vegas. The first model called the 'Seagate Seven' will be the world's thinnest 500GB hard disk drive in the market. The company says that the 'Seven' will be available by the end of the month. The second model is the new 'Seagate Personal Cloud' which comes in three storage capacities – 3TB, 4TB and 5TB. The Personal Cloud for home users will start at $170 (RM601). However, the new Seagate Wireless is the pick of the announcements by the company. This particular hard drive takes portable storage to the next level by offering 500GB of cloud based storage for smartphone and tablet users who are hungry for memory. The Seagate Wireless does not require any cable connections as everything can be wirelessly streamed to the connected devices. Like the name suggests, this hard drive can create its own Wi-Fi signal. Up to 3 mobile devices can connect and stream media from this portable drive at the same time. It also has its own rechargeable battery which provides up to 6 hours of run time on a single charge. The Seagate Wireless will be available for sale by the end of January 2015 for $130 (RM460). The company is yet to reveal information about Malaysia release dates and pricing though.

Sony has revealed a new stainless steel edition of SmartWatch 3 and various other wearable devices at CES 2015. This includes a multi-sensor, waterproof headset prototype, Lifelog collaborations and more. The all-in-one headset will be called the Smart B-Trainer designed for runners with voice coaching and music playback. Other devices include the SmartBand SWR10 which features IP58 waterproof certification. The stainless steel SmartWatch 3 on the other hand features a 1.6-inch TFT LCD Transflective display at 320 x 320 pixel resolution. Other features include IP68 water proof certification along with a built-in GPS sensor, allowing it to work on it's own. While there are still no Malaysia release dates or pricing details, the SmartWatch 3 is expected to arrive sometime in February 2015. Sony will continue to explore collaborations with other parties especially through it's Lifelog Android app which is also acessible online at lifelog.sonymobile.com.

Recently announced, the Acer Liquid Z410 is a mid-range device which is priced very low to compete with phones like the Xiaomi Redmi 2 and ASUS Pegasus. It comes with a 64-bit MT6732 quad-core processor mated with ARM's Mali-T760 GPU. The phone has a 4.5-inch display with qHD resolution (960 x 540 pixels) which translates into a pixel density of 245 ppi. At the back, there is a 5MP camera with LED flash and up front, there is a 2MP shooter with 80-degree wide angle lens. The Z410 features front-facing speakers with DTS Studio Sound technology and a battery which will reportedly last for up to 5.5 hours or 400 hours of standyby time. Thanks to the processor, the device supports 4G LTE Cat4. The phone also comes with the company's AcerRAPID key below the camera which can be customized according to the user's needs. It even supports Acer QuickTouch gesture controls. No Malaysia release dates or pricing yet but the Acer Liquid Z410 will be available around February end this year in Europe, Middle East and Africa at a price of $155 (RM548).