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It appears that the other variants in the Samsung Galaxy Alpha family are coming soon as what appears to be the Samsung Galaxy A3 has come up at China's TENAA. The photos reveal a fairly slim Samsung smartphone with slightly smaller display listed as a 4.52-inch AMOLED with 540 x 960 pixel resolution. It will also have tech specs and features that include a 64-bit 1.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 processor, 1GB RAM, 8GB memory, support for microSD, an 8MP rear camera with LED flash, 5MP front camera and Android 4.4.4 KitKat. It measures in at 130.1 x 65.5 x 6.9mm and weighs in at 112g, making it suitable for the compact midrange smartphone market. No Malaysia release dates or pricing yet but we expect it to be within this year of 2014.

Samsung Mobile recently put up a teaser showing their "S CARPET" launch event for the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 worldwide. In the map, Malaysia was marked at 24 October 2014, signifying that we could see the launch here on that date. As it is, Samsung have already revealed an unboxing video of the Galaxy Note 4 on their own, along with several other trailers which you can check out below. From current rumours it seems like the tech specs for the Galaxy Note 4 coming to Malaysia will include an Exynos 5433 (N910C) processor to go with the 3GB RAM, 5.7-inch Super AMOLED screen with 2K resolution and 16MP ISOCELL rear camera. Still no Malaysia pricing details yet but we'll let you know as soon as we do, so stay tuned for more developments.

The recent discovery of the Shellshock vulnerability has made things very scary for practically everyone on the Internet, including mobile users. Since the Shellshock vulnerability allows an attacker to run any commands on an affected system, hackers could use Bash a core program to steal user data with ease. Already, a malware exploiting the Shellshock vulnerability called ELF_BASHLITE.A was spotted by Trend Micro. In response to this, Trend Micro are now offering free solutions for the Shellshock vulnerability but these are just for MacOSX and Linux servers for now. Android device users should pay attention and install any relevant updates to remain protected. For more information, check out the full infographic in this article.

OPPO have confirmed that their upcoming OPPO N3 smartphone will come in two versions. One with an aluminum lithium alloy frame and the other with a stainless steel frame. While the steel version will no doubt offer a bit more in terms of strength and durability the aluminum lithium alloy could offer a lighter OPPO N3 smartphone. Lithium is known to be one of the lightest metals in the world but is also known for being active and flammable which is why it is often used in batteries. No news on Malaysia pricing or release dates yet but we expect the aluminum lithium alloy version to be a bit more expensive if a bit lighter than the stainless steel version. While we expect the OPPO N3 to come sometime next month in October, some renders of the smartphone have appeared showing the same swivel camera hinge as the previous OPPO N1 smartphone. Rumours indicate that the new OPPO N3 could have a Snapdragon 805 processor, 3GB of RAM and a 5.9-inch full HD display, but do take such rumours and the rendered picture with a pinch of salt.

The large screen Samsung Galaxy Mega 2 is the large screen device for the latest large screen smartphone for the masses but even at the retail price of RM1299, some people would appreciate a little help or a bundled postpaid plan. This is why Maxis are now offering the 6-inch display phablet from RM599. You will have to sign up for a 24-month contract for one of the MaxisONE plans but you still get limitless calls and SMS. Those who have good payment records won't have to pay the advance payment. For more details, check out the table and links in this article.

The OnePlus One smartphone was originally titled as the affordable flagship killer offering the latest tech specs at just $299 (RM978). However, getting it here in Malaysia would involve getting it from a third-party seller who usually price it above RM1K or so (there are import costs after all). However, that could all change as a job vacancy posting has revealed that they may be coming to Malaysia soon. The job vacancy posting located on their main site reveals that they are looking for a General Manager in Malaysia. Apart from tech specs that include a 2.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon 801 processor, 3GB of RAM, 4G LTE Cat4 and a 13MP rear camera with dual-LED flash, the OnePlus One is also one of the few smartphones to have optional wood back covers, so we're quite interested in them as well. No Malaysia release dates or pricing yet, but it should be as soon as a proper GM can be chosen, which could be the next couple of months or so. If you think you're the one for the job, then by all means, the sooner the better.

Right on time, Huawei Malaysia have launched their Huawei Honor 6 smartphone in Malaysia for RM999. Featuring Huawei's own octa-core Hi-Silicon Kirin 920 processor and other high-end tech specs like 3GB of RAM, a 5-inch full HD 1080p resolution display, 4G LTE Cat6, a 13MP rear camera with Sony IMX214 sensor and an aluminum metal casing, it should be available on 17 October 2014 at VMALL.my and Lelong.com. For now, you can still prebook it from 29 Spetember 2014 to 14 October 2014. We managed to get a little hands-on time with it and it certainly looks and feels a lot more premium than the price tag would suggest.

After months of teasing and leaks the square like BlackBerry Passport smartphone has been officially announced. Priced at RM2399, key features and tech specs of the Passport include a 4.5-inch screen with 1440 x 1440 pixel resolution and a QWERTY keyboard with integrated trackpad capabilities. This means that while you can use the high resolution touchscreen, you won't have to as the trackpad lets you do so with ease. The integrated trackpad is quite innovative as you can just run your finger across the QWERTY keys, swype style to use the trackpad. Set for a release here in Malaysia from 10 October 2014 to 31 October 2014 under Celcom, the Passport will be available for everybody from 1 November 2014. Celcom is expected to start their postpaid plan bundles from RM638. Tech specs are very good with the full BlackBerry Passport tech spec list as follows:

• 2.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm snapdragon 800 processor
• 3GB RAM
• 32GB storage + up to 128GB microSD
• 4.5-inch display (1440 x 1440 pixels, 453 ppi pixel density)
• 13MP rear camera (Optical Image Stabilization) + 2MP front camera
• features 4 mics, 4G LTE, BlackBerry Assistant, BlackBerry Blend, NFC, GPS, 802.11 ac WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0 LE,
• 128 x 90.3 x 9.3mm | 196g
• 3450 mAh battery
• BlackBerry 10 OS

The Sony Xperia Z3 and Xperia Z3 Compact are now available in Malaysia with the Xperia Z3 retail price going for RM2399 while the Xperia Z3 Compact is going for RM1899. The new Xperia Z3 and Xperia Z3 Compact offer a number of refreshed tech specs and features over their predecessors which include a 2.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor and higher rated iP67 water proof certification. Awesome tech specs like the 20.7MP rear camera and thin design remain the same though. However, recent benchmark tests have revealed that the new Xperia Z3 and Xperia Z3 Compact now offer much better battery life than many other competing smartphones. Sony Mobile are also offering some great freebies which include:

• 22 free downloadable episodes of popular TV series, Blacklist, starting November 2014
• unlimited music streaming with Akazaoo, the social media app, for 6 months upon activation
• free 50GB of storage with Box
• RM100 Qoo10 online shopping vouchers
• real-time stock and financial information by Share Investor
• RM15 off MyTeksi rides (up to 3 rides), with a total value of RM45
• 3 free e-magazine titles from SPH Magazine's library of over 20 titles, worth RM 30
• Free bumper casing + premium tempered glass cover (for Xperia Z3 Compact only)

Microsoft Mobile Devices Malaysia recently launched the Lumia 830 and Lumia 735 smartphones for Malaysia. The Nokia Lumia 830 is currently the only midrange Lumia with a 10MP PureView rear camera (which includes features like optical image stabilization and other PureView camera functions) and will be priced at RM1399. The Lumia 735 on the other hand is the company's Selfie camera with it's 5MP front camera with a price tag of RM999. While the slightly lower-end Lumia 735 will offer a standard Lumia polycarbonate backside design in various colours, the Lumia 830 will offer a metal frame much like the Lumia 930. The two midrange Lumias should be available at all authorized retail stores and vendors by 3 October 2014. Tech specs for the Lumia 830 and Lumia 735 are listed as follows:

• Nokia Lumia 830
• 1.2GHZ quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor
• 1GB RAM
• 16GB storage + microSD (up to 128 GB)
• 5-inch display (720 x 1280 pixel resolution, 294 ppi)
• 10MP rear camera (Carl Zeiss lens, optical image stabilization, autofocus, LED flash +
  0.9MP front camera
• supports Wifi, NFC, GPS, 3G and 4G LTE
• 2200 mAh battery
• 139.4  x  70.7  x  8.5mm | 150g
• Microsoft Windows Phone 8.1 (Denim Update)

• Nokia Lumia 735
• 1.2GHZ quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor
• 1GB RAM
• 8GB storage + microSD (up to 128 GB)
• 4.7-inch display (720 x 1280 pixel resolution, 312 ppi)
• 6.7 MP rear camera (Carl Zeiss lens, autofocus, LED flash) + 5MP front camera
• supports Wifi, NFC, GPS, 3G and 4G LTE
• 2200 mAh battery
• 134.7  x  68.5  x  8.9mm | 134g
• Microsoft Windows Phone 8.1 (Denim Update)