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Pictures of what appear to be two new smartphones from Xiaomi have surfaced. This includes what appears to be the metallic backside of the Xiaomi Mi Note 2 complete with dual tone LED flash and a fingerprint scanner. The other leaked picture shows a smartphone with dual rear cameras somewhat like the Huawei Honor 6 Plus. This still unnamed dual camera smartphone has dual LED flash and a rather glossy backplate with what appears to be a metal frame. As always with such leaks and rumours do take these pics with a good pinch of salt as Xiaomi have not hinted at any dual camera setup at all. In any case, there are no Malaysia release dates or pricing details but we could see these two new Xiaomi smartphone in the next few months. Stay tuned for more developments.

It appears that OPPO is beefing up their entry-level to midrange with the official announcement of the OPPO Mirror 5s. Following the trend of many Chinese smartphones these days, the Mirror 5S features a full metal frame with a crystal-like patterned backplate. Tech specs include a 64-bit 1.2GHz Snapdragon 410 processor, 2GB RAM, 16GB storage + microSD, a 5-inch 720p HD display, dual SIM 4G LTE connectivity, an 8MP rear camera with LED flash, 5MP front camera and 2420 mAh battery. A bit heavy at 160g the Mirror 5s measures in at 143.4 x 71.2 x 7.65mm. Thankfully it will come with Android 5.1 and Color OS 2.1. No specific Malaysia release dates or pricing details yet, but we expect this one to be around RM1K or so.

In light of the recent news about Harith Iskandar and his baby pictures appearing in a porn strewn web site, Trend Micro Malaysia have released a short list on tips and fixes to protect you and your family online. Recognising that everyone who uses the Internet will be exposed to such dangers, it becomes very important that we also take steps to protect ourselves instead of blindly exposing ourselves to high-profile hacks or identity theft or worse. Check out the steps and what Trend Micro Malaysia have to say about it all in this article.

Xiaomi recently announced several news including that as of the first half of 2015 they've managed to sell 34.7 million smartphones. This has allowed them to maintain their ranking as China's top smartphone vendor in terms of market share for the fifth consecutive quarter. The Mi 2, Mi 3, Redmi, Redmi Note, Mi 4 and Redmi 2 in particular have so far shipped over 10 million units each. In related news, they have also appointed former partner of international investment fund DST Shou Zi Chew as their new Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Other big name joins include former president of Qualcomm Greater China, Wang Xiang who became senior vice president of strategic cooperation at Xiaomi. Xiaomi have also announced their entry into new markets such as Brazil with their Redmi 2 smartphone going for as low as 499 BRL (RM599). No news yet of any other Xiaomi releases for Malaysia but stay tuned for more developments.

Canon recently announced the celebration of the 10th year anniversary for the introduction of the Canon EOS 5D and the subsequent models that followed. Launched in September 2005, the original EOS 5D was a digital single-lens reflex (SLR) camera that was aimed at advanced-amateur users and came with a 35mm full-frame sensor, something which was previously only available to professional users. Following this, the EOS 5D Mark II enabled full HD video while the EOS 5D Mark III featured significant improvements to image and video quality. According to Canon, it will continue to support and drive the EOS 5D series by further strengthening the EOS-series of interchangeable-lens camera lineup. While there are no specific models or Malaysia release dates named, we should expect more soon.

Logitech Malaysia recently unveiled their new Logitech Bluetooth Multi-Device Keyboard K480. Designed for up to three multiple devices the keyboard features an Easy-Switch dial which easily switches from your computer, smartphone or tablet. This allows it to connect to different devices with different operating systems with ease, without having to unpair and reconnect the keyboard for each device. Fully compatible with Windows, Mac, Chrome OS, Android  and iOS the K480 also has an integrated stand which holds your smartphone or tablet comfortably. Malaysia pricing for the Logitech Bluetooth Multi-Device Keyboard K480 is set at RM179 at all authorized distributors and resellers. Here's what Logitech had to say about it:

“Typing needs have evolved and consumers are computing and texting across multiple screens, often using two or three different operating systems. The Logitech Bluetooth Multi-Device Keyboard K480 makes it simple for people to work, create or communicate quickly and comfortably, no matter what computing device or platform they are using.”KP Sim, Logitech Country Manager of Malaysia, Philippines and Brunei

Rumours have surfaced about a new ASUS ZenFone for the entry-level market called the ASUS ZenFone Go. Coming in pastel colours, this new ZenFone follows the same design as the ZenFone 2 complete with rear volume controls. This position is currently held by the ASUS ZenFone C with its 4.5-inch display. This new ZenFone Go is rumoured to come with a 5-inch display with at least a 1280 x 720 pixel resolution. Other tech specs include a MediaTek MT6582 processor, 2GB of RAM, 8GB storage, 8MP rear camera and 2MP front camera. Despite the camera upgrades, it is expected to feature just 3G connectivity. While there are no Malaysia release dates or pricing details we suspect that the ZenFone Go is just for selected markets and won't be coming to Malaysia since we've yet to see any Mediatek powered ZenFones here just yet. It is expected by the end of July 2015 though, and we could see an Intel powered ZenFone Go for Malaysia instead, perhaps powered by the budget friendly and 3G modem integrated Intel Atom x3. Stay tuned for more developments.

The FIRST Basic 38 by Celcom deal remains one of the more affordable and value-added postpaid plan bundles in Malaysia at this point of time. It single-handedly spurred the appearance of other value-for-money plans from Malaysia's other telcos. However, as of today, Celcom have revealed that the promotion period to get 3GB Internet + 3GB complimentery Celcom WiFi for life at only RM38/month ends on 16 July 2015. Apart from the usual free voice and SMS extras, these plans also allow you to carry forward unused Internet up to 3GB to the next month. To subscribe just walk-in to selected Blue Cube stores and sign up before 16 July 2015. For an additional RM10 a month you can also get a complimentary smartphone but for more information about the FIRST Basic 38 by Celcom plan check out the site or the table in this article.

Most of the world's businesspeople use Microsoft Office to do work so according to Microsoft, they should also use their Lumia smartphones for the same purpose. Utilizing their Microsoft Lumia 640 XL, Microsoft have come up with a video showing just that and how easy it all could be if you switch your smartphone to a Lumia 640 XL. This is by no means a rumour but do take this with a grain of salt as it may not be the best fit for everyone. In any case the Lumia 640 XL certainly offers fairly good midrange tech specs and features such as a quad-core Snapdragon 400 processor, 1GB RAM, 8GB storage, 5.7-inch 720p display, 4G LTE connectivity, 13MP rear camera and 5MP front camera. These should be more than enough to do work on the go. While it is running Windows Phone 8.1, the Lumia 640 XL and a some other Lumia smartphones will soon get a Windows 10 upgrade. Check out the video for yourself in this article.

Nearly all smartphone users have the same problem of their phone battery running out of charge too soon. However, an upcoming smartphone called the Oukitel K10000 could have the answer to this problem by using a massive 10000 mAh battery (even most tablets don't pack in that big a battery). Coupled with rather lower-end to midrange tech specs like a quad-core MediaTek MT6735 processor, 2GB RAM and 5.5-inch display with 720p pixel resolution, the K10000 should last more than 5 days. Other tech specs include a 13MP rear camera and 5MP front camera along with what appears to be an angular metal frame on the side. No news yet on Malaysia release dates or pricing but it looks like a rugged smartphone designed for the outdoorsman. Stay tuned for more developments as we'll update you as soon as we find out more.