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Just a few more hours before the Sony IFA 2014 reveal and nice looking press renders of the Sony Xperia Z3 and Xperia Z3 Compact have appeared. While the Xperia Z3 doesn't look that different in terms of design, it could be bringing some refreshed hardware but even then, this is limited to the processor and a few other tech specs. From the press renders, the Xperia Z3 could also be offering a number of different colour options including black, copper gold, jade green and white. The Xperia Z3 Compact may also come in black, green, red and white with the only difference being the smaller 4.5-inch or 4.6-inch display with 720 x 1280 pixel resolution and smaller battery. The refreshed 2.5GHZ Snapdargon 801 processor and 20.7MP rear camera should remain the same. Both are rumoured to have a higher water certification standard perhaps at IP68. Still no Malaysia release dates or pricing, but we should know more in the next 10 or so hours.

The upcoming Sony Xperia Z3 continues Sony's efforts to combine all their product knowhow and technologies into a single device from their previous Sony Xperia Z2 and Sony Xperia Z1 smartphones. Rumoured to have an international release date in August 2014, the smartphone has also been rumoured to get benchmarked on AnTuTu with a very high score of 37169, beating many of the current range of flagship smartphones. The Xperia Z3 is rumoured to go by the model number of Sony D6653 and may come with tech specs and features that include a Snapdragon 801 MSM8974AC processor. Other tech specs should also include a 20.7MP or higher rear camera, 3GB of RAM and 4G LTE connectivity.

The Sony Xperia Z3 just can't stop being leaked it seems as it has recently appeared at China's TENAA with some pictures and tech specs. It appears that early rumours about the same tech specs as the Sony Xperia Z2 appear to be true with the only major difference being a 2.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon 801 processor. Other tech specs include 3GB of RAM, 16GB of storage, microSD support, a 5.2-inch IPS LCD display with full HD 1080p resolution, 20.7MP rear camera and 2MP front camera. One other feature that could be different is the water resistant certification. The Xperia Z2 was certified with an IP58 certification which means that the device can be under 1.5m of water for 30 minutes. Recent teasers for the Sony IFA 2014 event reveal that it could be able to go as low as 2 meters, signifying that the Xperia Z3 will have a much higher water resistance certification. No Malaysia release dates or pricing yet but the Xperia Z3 is expected to be revealed soon at the upcoming IFA 2014.

Samsung Malaysia recently showcased their Samsung Level premium audio product range at Pavilion KL during the recent National Day weekend. Various activities were carried out, including flash mob performances throughout the 29 August 2014 to 31 August 2014 showcase period. The flash mob performances by the Samsung Level Squad showed off the mobility of the various Samsung Level products which include the Samsung Level On, Level Over, Level In and Level Box. Other activities included giveaways, contests and live testing in the sound-proofed Silent Box. Check out the showcase in this article.

Samsung has revealed their first smartwatch that doesn't need a smartphone to work with the official announcement of the Samsung Gear S. The smartwatch is fully 3G capable and comes with both Bluetooth and WiFi support along with IP67 water and dust resistance. Other tech specs and features include a 1.0GHZ dual-core processor, 512MB RAM, 4GB storage, 2-inch curved Super AMOLED display with 360 x 480 pixel resolution, 300 mAh battery and Tizen operating system. No camera on this Samsung Gear but it does have a heart rate monitor and supports S Health, S Voice and provides notifications for messages, emails and other apps.

Apple has sent out invitations for an event on 9 September 2014. The invite doesn't give much of a hint apart from the title "Wish we could say more". However, many are expecting the event to reveal the Apple iPhone 6 or at least the version with the 4.7-inch display. Already, any number of Apple iPhone 6 clones have appeared, many of which have been confirmed to be how the original will look like. Other devices may also make an appearance such as the Apple iWatch and possibly some premium Audio devices from Apple's recent purchase of Beats Audio. The final version of iOS 8 is also expected to be available on the same date but there are still no details on Malaysia release dates or pricing. If we were to follow the trend we should see the Malaysia launch in November 2014 at $100 (RM315) more than the previous Apple iPhone 5S.

Starting from today on 29 August 2014 tp 31 August 2014, Samsung Malaysia will be holding a showcase at the main entrance of Pavilion Kuala Lumpur for their recently introduced Samsung Level range of premium mobile audio products. Various activities and functions are scheduled including the sound-proofed "Silent Box" where users can try out the Level Over, Level On and Level Box audio products for themselves. The P.I.C. or Partners In Crime female deejay duo will also be around to spin hand-picked tunes for a greater audio experience. The Samsung Level Squad will also hold special flash mob dance performances throughout the promotion period. In addition, the first 1000 consumers to take a selfie picture with any Samsung Level product at the showcase may win limited edition merchandise. Those who want to try should take their selfie image and share it on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with the #mySamsungLevel hashtag. Samsung Level buyers will also receive exclusive merchandise and freebies along with Zalora cash vouchers up to RM100. The Samsung Level Over will be priced at RM1399 while the Level On will be priced at RM699. The Level Box device will go for RM659.

The rumoured Huawei Ascend P7 smartphone with a sapphire crystal display has finally been confirmed ahead of IFA 2014. Like the previous Arsenal Edition, the sapphire crystal covered version will be called the Huawei Ascend P7 Sapphire Edition. Tech specs and features are expected to be more or less the same as the Huawei Ascend P7 and this includes 4G LTE, a 13MP rear camera and 1.8 GHz quad-core HiSilicon Kirin 910T processor. No news yet if the sapphire crystal display will make the 6.5mm thin smartphone thicker but we assume that it will make it heavier than the super-light 124g of the original device. This is because while sapphire crystal is tougher it is also heavier than glass. No news on Malaysia release dates or pricing but we expect the Sapphire Edition to cost a bit more than the normal version. However, since the tech specs and features should not differ too much, if you're interested in getting the Sapphire Edition our Huawei Ascend P7 review may help you make that decision better.

According to Samsung, the metal-body Samsung Galaxy Alpha was originally based on the Samsung Card Phone or SGH-P310 partly for it's thinness and partly for it's grip. The curved corners on the Galaxy Alpha were actually designed that way to minimize shock from a drop as smartphones usually fall on the corners when dropped. To further enhance the grip a thin coating was placed near the sides, making it less likely to slip. For a closer look at the overall design, do check out the video of the Samsung Galaxy Alpha below:

ASUS has confirmed that their upcoming smartwatch will be called the ASUS ZenWatch in a new teaser video. While the official announcement for the ZenWatch remains 3 September 2014 at the IFA 2014 event, the video does reveal the curved look of ASUS's upcoming Android Wear smartwatch. So far, there are still no confirmed tech specs or features yet but the teasers have revealed that it could come with a "smooth shell", "front camera" and "genuine leather" strap. No news yet on pricing but many are expecting it to cost around $99 (RM313). Stay tuned for more developments.