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HTC announced the HTC One M9 flagship at MWC 2015 held in Barcelona, Spain earlier today. However, the One M9 wasn't the only product that the company unveiled at the event. HTC also announced its first fitness tracker called the HTC Grip at MWC this year. The Grip is a fitness oriented smart band designed for hard core fitness enthusiasts and athletes. The device is powered by Under Armor's UA Record platform. Its sensors can record and track a user's sleep patterns and workout regime. Like most smart bands these days, the Grip is water proof too. It features a 1.8-inch curved AMOLED displays which can show time, distance travelled and even notifications. Inside, there is a 100mAh battery which will power the device for up to 2.5 days on a single charge without GPS. However, if GPS is turned on, the battery life reduces to just 5 hours of continuous usage. The new HTC Grip will be compatible with both iOS and Android platforms. It will first be released in North America by Spring 2015 in Deep Teal and Lime colors. Unfortunately, the company has yet to announce plans for a Malaysia release date or pricing details. 

HTC was expected to announce a new flagship, HTC One M9 at the MWC event in Barcelona this year. However, the company has surprised its fans by introducing not one but three new devices at the event including the new HTC Vive virtual reality headset. This marks the Taiwanese giant's entry into this growing industry. The HTC Vive will directly compete with products such as the Oculus Rift, Samsung's Gear VR and Google Cardboard. The company developed this brand new VR headset in partnership with Valve, the famous game developer and distributor. It will use Valve's Steam VR tracking technologies for an immersive VR experience. The Vive features over 70 sensors and 360 degrees room tracking. It enables real world like interactions. For example, the user can walk and experience the virtual world with the headset at an impressive 90fps. There are two different VR controllers for the device with various VR experiences. HTC is partnering up with a number of well-known game developers and companies for developing a favorable ecosystem for its Vive headset. Some of the renowned names include Vertigo Games, Bossa, Dovetail Games, Wemo Labs, and Google. Even HBO, Lionsgate and the National Palace Museum in Taiwan will provide content for the company's newly announced headset. HTC has not yet announced an official price for the HTC Vive, but the company says that it will be available for purchase before the end of 2015. Meanwhile, the developer edition will be available in spring 2015.

Like expected, Hauwei announced the successor to the Huawei X1 at the MWC 2015 event yesterday. The new Huawei Mediapad X2 brings a similar design with improved internals. The phone tablet now features a powerful octa-core Kirin 930 processor clocked at 2.0 GHz. There will be two different versions of the device, a 2GB RAM model with 16GB internal storage and a 3GB RAM version with 32GB internal storage. Up front, there will be a 7-inch 1920 x 1200 pixel resolution display along with a 5MP front camera. At the back, there will be a 13MP camera unit and a 5000 mAh battery. The tablet will run on Android 5.0 Lollipop OS out of the box with Emotion UI. There will be dual SIM variants of both the models as well. Huawei also announced an entry level LTE enabled smartphone called the Y635 at the event. Other than LTE connectivity, the phone has modest tech specs. It features a quad core 1.2GHz processor with 1GB RAM and 4GB of expandable memory. A 5-inch 854 x 480 pixel resolution display lays up front. There will be a 5MP camera at the back with LED flash and a 2000 mAh removable battery. No Malaysia pricing or availability details have been revealed as of yet but we're looking forward to the Huawei Mediapad  X2 as it could finally be the all-in-one device we've been waiting for. 

Apart from all the wearables like the Huawei Watch and TalkBand B2, Huawei have also announced their Huawei CarFi. While it looks like any other car plugin MP3 player it instead offers a WiFi hotspot that can deliver up to 150 Mbps of 4G LTE Cat4 connectivity for up to 10 devices. It can even charge your mobile device and can be transferred to different vehicles with minimal fuss. Huawei actually put it into on the spot field testing by offering it in 400 branded vehicles for the MWC 2015. Here's what they had to say about it:

“At Huawei, we aim to be one step ahead in providing great technology that meets connectivity needs in every aspect of life. As a leader in mobile broadband delivering next-generation LTE networks, Huawei devices such as Huawei CarFi Make it Possible for people to enjoy the freedom of connectivity on the move. Automotive connectivity, known in the industry as telematics, is a significant trend that will provide safety, convenience, and infotainment in the future.” Steven Liu, Vice President of Mobile Broadband and Home Product Line, Huawei Consumer Business Group. 

Designed to be power-saving for your car as well, the CarFi automatically turns off when no WiFi compatible devices are around. Nor does it overheat thanks to a built-in self-regulating protection function. While it looks good with a checkered wood and carbon fiber exterior, it is fairly easy to use with a single "on" button. It can also be remote controlled via Android and iOS devices through the Huawei Hilink app. No news yet when we may see the Huawei CarFi or any specific Malaysia release dates and pricing details, but it could eventually reach us through Huawei Malaysia.

Finally, the YOUM flexible smartphone with dual-edge bended display makes an appearance with the official announcement of the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge. Featuring a metal frame with a Corning Gorilla Glass 4 backside, the Galaxy S6 Edge looks something awesome. However, while it does sport an edge to edge, dual-edge design, neither of said side touchscreens are as functional as the Samsung Galaxy Note Edge. True, you can get a clock but that's about it. Other tech specs include a 64-bit 1.8GHz octa-core Samsung Exynos processor, 3GB RAM, 32GB/64GB/128GB storage, a 5.1-inch Super AMOLED display with 2K resolution and Corning Gorilla Glass 4, a 16MP f/1.9 aperture rear camera and 5MP front camera. Granted, the Galaxy S6 Edge does not offer IPx7 water proofing or an external microSD slot but like the Galaxy S6, the Galaxy S6 Edge also has a much streamlined TouchWiz interface. Despite being slower than the Galaxy S6, the Galaxy S6 Edge is expected to cost $750 (RM2722) or so and comes with a single-touch fingerprint scanner. No Malaysia release dates or pricing details but it could come with the Galaxy S6 in April 2015.

After years of waiting, Samsung have finally moved on from plastic to both glass and metal for their new Samsung Galaxy S6 flagship smartphone. Officially announced tonight, the new Galaxy S6 uses a rounded metal frame similar to the Lenovo Sisley with Corning Gorilla Glass 4 on both front and back. Available in black, blue, gold and white, the Galaxy S6 trades in it's water proofing for a whole new design. Weighing in at 138g and measuring 6.8mm thin, the Galaxy S6 is slimmer and lighter than the Galaxy S5. Tech specs include a 64-bit 2.1GHz octa-core Samsung Exynos processor, 3GB of RAM, 32GB / 64GB / 128GB storage, 5.1-inch Super AMOLED display with 1440 x 2560 pixel resolution (577 ppi), a 16MP rear camera with f/1.9 aperture and smart OIS, 5MP front camera and 2550 mAh battery. While the back cover and battery are not removable nor is there any microSD slot, the bloated TouchWiz interface has been streamlined to just the important features. In addition the Galaxy S6 also supports built-in wireless charging. No Malaysia release dates or pricing details but it is expected in April 2015 for around $650 (RM2359).

HTC has finally made the HTC One M9 official and it has retained the same design philosophy as the previous generations. The new HTC One M9 features a refined design with dual anodization and scratch resistant coating. The phone is lighter and smaller than the One M8. The company has made some essential changes as well, like the power button is now placed on the side and the volume rocker keys have improved too. The new HTC flagship is not water or dust resistant, but the company will unveil a number of IP69 certified cases to make it more rugged. Like previous rumors suggested, the phone comes in new dual color tone options, like silver plus gold accent on the frame or pink plus gold accent. There are two other colors as well – Gun Metal Gray and Complete Gold.

Tech specs wise, the HTC One M9 features the new Snapdragon 810 processor with 3GB of RAM onboard. The BoomSound speakers make a comeback, now with Dolby Surround Audio technology. The phone supports fast charging, however users will have to purchase a supported charger to use this tech. The rear camera is now from Toshiba, instead of the 4MP Ulrapixel sensor. This will be a 20MP rear camera and will support RAW capture along with 4K video shooting too. HTC has promised improved Zoe apps for a better camera experience as well. As for software, the HTC One M9 runs on Android 5.0 out of the box with the new Sense 7 UI on top. This Sense version brings new BlinkFeed features like lockscreen support, Yelp partnership etc. Sense 7 supports new themes as well, changing the overall looks of the device with just a click. Pricing and availability details have not yet been revealed, but a recent listing on Best Buy shows that HTC may sell the phone for $650 (RM2350). 

Full tech specs of the device are as given below. 

• 64-bit 2.0 GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor
• Adreno 430 graphics
• 3GB RAM
• 32GB memory + expandable storage up to 128GB
• 5-inch display (1920 x 1080 pixel resolution, Corning Gorilla Glass 4, Super LCD3 441 ppi)
• 20MP rear camera (dual LED dual tone flash, Auto Focus, 4K, RAW Capture)+ 4MP Ultrapixel front camera
• 144.6 x 69.7 x 9.6 mm| 157 grams
• Supports 4G / LTE / HSPA+, 802.11 ac Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, hotspot, Bluetooth 4.1, NFC, GPS, USB 2.0
• features BlinkFeed, Zoe camera apps
• 2840 mAh battery (Fast Charge)
• Android 5.0 Lollipop + Sense 7
• Available in Gold / Gun Metal Gray / Silver + Rose / Gold + Pink

Taking over from the Huawei TalkBand B1, Huawei have officially announced the Huawei TalkBand B2 smartband and TalkBand N1 stereo headset. Just like the previous TalkBand B1, the TalkBand B2 pops off of the strap and can be used as a Bluetooth headset. However, it now sports a more premium aluminum alloy body, thinner strap and 0.73 PMOLED touch screen but still retains an IP57 water and dust resistance rating. It still tracks your health and sleep. Other tech specs include a 6-axis sensor, 5-day battery life on standby, 30.6g to 32.2g weight, Bluetooth 3.0 support and dual-mic reduction. Compatible with iOS and Android devices it will come in black, silver and gold. The TalkBand N1 is a wireless stereo headset without a strap. Instead it acts like any other bluetooth dual earphone headset but offers 4GB of storage, a microphone and comes in grey, red and silver. No news on Malaysia release dates or pricing but they both look great and we can't wait to get our hands on either of them. Check out the videos of the Huawei TalkBand B2 and TalkBand N1 in this article.

While it did get unveiled by ads a little too early, Huawei officially announced their first Android Wear smartwatch with the Huawei Watch. Powered by Android Wear, the Watch is round and made into a 42mm diameter cold-forged stainless steel frame. Other tech specs and features include a Snapdragon 400 processor, 512MB RAM, Bluetooth 4.1 connectivity, 1.4-inch touch-sensitive AMOLED display, scratch proof sapphire crystal lens, heart-rate monitor and 6-axis motion sensors. The 1.4-inch round AMOLED display offers a 400 x 400 pixel resolution with 10000:1 contrast ratio while the body features a crown as well. It is coming in black, gold and silver, with various interchangeable metal, leather and other material straps. The Huawei Watch is compatible with both iOS and Android devices and comes with the usual health tracking features but the sensors should offer some other features as well. Unfortunately, no Malaysia release dates or pricing details yet. It is headed for Singapore with the first batch, so we expect third-party sellers to have the Huawei Watch available first for now.

Spotify for desktop recently offered a new update which brings several new features and improvements. These include a fully integrated lyrics engine powered by Musixmatch. To activate this feature click the Lyrics button while the song is playing. Other features include an improved Friend Feed to find out what your friends are listening to and daily viral charts for the latest and greatest tracks. Here's what they had to say about it:

“We’re excited to bring an update to one of our key platforms - one that makes the experience smoother and introduces some great features and integrations. Following in the footsteps of previous successful app integrations such as Songkick, we’re thrilled to bring desktop listeners such a sought-after feature as lyrics.” Dave Price, Director of Product at Spotify 

The new update also phases out the App Finder feature and third-party applications but for more information check out the Spotify developer blog.