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With the Apple iPhone 6 and Watch officially announced, the next device in the Apple stable will likely be the Apple iPads with a rumoured announcement set for 21 October 2014. This rumour comes from insiders supposedly, so do take it with a good pinch of salt. However, the previous iPad announcements did come in October around this time as well, so it could be possible. For now, there is no definite news on what will be available for the iPad. We are expecting an A8 chip refresh for both the Apple iPad Air and iPad mini along with a TouchID fingerprint sensor, but apart from that nothing else is definite. There are rumours about a 12.2-inch iPad Pro tablet but again, this is still very much a rumour.

While the iOS site for Malaysia has the operating system still in Coming Soon, Apple have already made their latest iOS 8 update available for download. The update is available to all Apple iPhone 4S and above users, iPad 2 and above users, all iPad mini users and those with a 5th generation iPod Touch. All you need to do is go to Settings > General > Software Updates. The update is almost 1GB but requires some free space (about 5.7GB for the iPhone) to update properly, so be sure to have a good amount of space available on your device. Like all updates be sure to back up all your important stuff and make sure you have enough battery life before you update.

While Panasonic have officially stopped making Android smartphones, this hasn't stopped them from making a camera in an Android smartphone with the announcement of the Panasonic Lumix Smart Camera CM1. Slim, thin and coming with a very thin telescoping zoom lens, the black and silver CM1 looks like a very flat digital camera. Other tech specs and features include a 2.3GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor, 4.7-inch display with full HD 1080p resolution, 2GB RAM, 16GB storage, microSD expansion slot, 4G LTE support, WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, NFC, 2600 mAh battery and Android 4.4 KitKat. It measures in at 21.1mm thick and 204g while the 20MP camera sensor with f/2.8 Leica lens can record 4K video at 15fps. No specific Malaysia release dates or pricing, but the Lumix Smart Camera CM1 will be available in France around November 2014 for 899 euros (RM3748). It's closest competitior would probably be the Samsung Galaxy K Zoom which is definitely a lot more affordable, but probably not as powerful in terms of features and tech specs.

Direct from Samsung Malaysia, the Samsung Galaxy Alpha smartphone will be coming on 19 September 2014 and will also be available with a FREE Samsung Gear 2 smartwatch. The offer is for the first 100 buyers of the Samsung Galaxy Alpha smartphone at the Samsung Experience Store in The Gardens KL, Gurney Paragon Penang and the Maxis Centre at KLCC. No confirmed Malaysia pricing yet but some retailers are offering the Samsung Galaxy Alpha from RM1899. The metal-frame Samsung Galaxy Alpha offers tech specs and features that includes:

• Octa-core Samsung Exynos processor (1.8GHz quad-core + 1.3GHz quad-core)
• 2GB RAM
• 32GB storage
• 4.7-inch display (Super AMOLED, 1280 x 720 pixel resolution)
• 12MP rear camera (ISOCELL, LED flash, 4K video record) + 2.1MP front camera
• features LTE Cat.6, WiFi 802.11 ac, MIMO(2x2), NFC, Bluetooth 4.0 BLE, Hall Sensor, Fingerprint Sensor, Heartrate sensor
• 132.4 x 65.5 x 6.7mm | 115g
• 1860 mAh battery
• available in charcoal black, dazzling white, frosted gold, sleek silver and scuba blue
• Android 4.4.4 KitKat

The RM355 entry-level Nokia Lumia 530 is now available for just RM57 after you purchase a Nokia Lumia 1520, Lumia 530, Lumia 930 or Lumia 630 in conjunction with Malaysia Day tomorrow. The Malaysia Day Sale will be on from 12 September 2014 to 16 September 2014. So far, there are no other conditions, asides from stock availability and buying from certain stores that include the following:

• Klang Valley
• Vlife Communication (Wangsa Walk Mall)
• URS Telecommunications (Mines Shopping Centre)
• Hello Station (Suria KLCC, Low Yat Plaza, Pavilion, The Gardens, Bangsar Village II)
• Lee Wai Trading (Pertama Complex)
• BBS Distributions (Low Yat Plaza
• Selangor
• Hello Station (1 Utama, The curve, Sunway Pyramid, AEON Bukit Tinggi)
• Gadget Boutique (Paradigm Mall)
• Amber Channel Trading (Digital Mall)
• Others
• Northern Point (Gurney Plaza)
• Speak Phone (Mahkota Parade)
• Incomm Marketing (AEON Tebrau City)
• Tristar Solution Distribution (KBMALL)
• Metro Elctronic Supplies (Centre Point Sabah)
• Allied Marketing (Wisma Saberkas)

OPPO, makers of the rotating cameraphone the OPPO N1, may reveal their OPPO N3 smartphone in October 2014. This comes direct from OPPO's Facebook page but other sites have supposedly got their hands on early press renders of the OPPO N3. Like the Oppo N1 before it, the renders show a rotateable camera on top with dual LED flash and some fairly large speakers on the sides of the hinge. The design looks rather different from your average smartphone, with super slim bezels and the cylinder-like camera hinge on the top but it certainly looks very thin. No details yet on tech specs or features, but we expect it to be at least a 16MP camera to top the previous 13MP camera on the OPPO N1. No exact Malaysia release dates but we expect it to be either in October 2014 as OPPO is teasing or the next month. While the news on the release date is directly from OPPO, the press renders are not, so do take it with a pinch of salt. If you're unfamiliar with the rotateable camera on the original OPPO N1, do check out our OPPO N1 review later on.

Microsoft and Nokia Malaysia recently announced Malaysia Day apps along with a Nokia Lumia 530 smartphone giveaway. Just tell Nokia Malaysia on LINE Messenger how you're going to use the Windows Phone apps in their Malaysia Day Collection for the Malaysia Day Celebrations for a chance to win 1 of 2 Nokia Lumia 530 smartphones. Send your entries from 11 September 2014 to 16 September 2014. Check out the Windows Phone Malaysia Day Collection in the table below:

Samsung Malaysia recently teased an image showing off the metal  frame of their Samsung Galaxy Alpha smartphone. After years of putting out mostly plastic smartphones the Galaxy Alpha is the first Android smartphone from Samsung to offer a full metal frame. The teaser image says to go check out a Samsung Experience Store like the one in Mid Valley this 19 September 2014. While the frame is premium metal, tech specs for the Galaxy Alpha include the following:

• Octa-core Samsung Exynos processor (1.8GHz quad-core + 1.3GHz quad-core)
• 2GB RAM
• 32GB storage
• 4.7-inch display (Super AMOLED, 1280 x 720 pixel resolution)
• 12MP rear camera (ISOCELL, LED flash, 4K video record) + 2.1MP front camera
• features LTE Cat.6, WiFi 802.11 ac, MIMO(2x2), NFC, Bluetooth 4.0 BLE, Hall Sensor, Fingerprint Sensor, Heartrate sensor
• 132.4 x 65.5 x 6.7mm | 115g
• 1860 mAh battery
• available in charcoal black, dazzling white, frosted gold, sleek silver and scuba blue
• Android 4.4.4 KitKat

While the Apple iPhone 6 and Apple iPhone 6 Plus have yet to arrive in Malaysia, and won't be for another month or so, the Apple iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C have both received a price cut at the Malaysia Apple Store. The 16GB version Apple iPhone 5S now starts from RM1999 (previously it was RM2399), while the 32GB version will be priced at RM2199. An 8GB Apple iPhone 5C on the other hand will be priced from RM1499, with no 16GB or 32GB version available at the Malaysia Apple Store. Colours remain the same though, with the iPhone 5S coming in silver, gold and space gray while the iPhone 5C comes in vlue, green, pink, yellow and white. We expect the pricing at Malaysian telcos to go down even further soon, perhaps even for FREE for the Apple iPhone 5S (the iPhone 5C is already free). We also expect the higher-end 16GB and 32GB Apple iPhone 5C and 64GB Apple iPhone 5S smartphones in stock to either get a quick sale or disappear off the shelves quietly.

Announced earlier in June 2014, iOS 8 generally was more open to customization, with the ability to change out the standard QuickType keyboard, a more useful Siri and new features like the Health hub app and Family Sharing. While Apple did not release the final version at the Apple iPhone 6 launch event, they did say when it would be released and for what devices. According to Apple, iOS 8 will be available for free download on 17 September 2014. It will be available to users who have an Apple iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPhone 5C, iPhone 5S, iPod touch 5th generation, iPad 2, iPad 3, iPad Air, iPad mini and iPad mini with Retina Display. As always, be sure to backup before you download the update, just in case.