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After we managed to get an early engineering sample of the ASUS ZenFone 5 we got some sample pics using the 8MP rear camera. While it had some issues with the LED flash due to still being an engineering sample, we found the camera itself to be very fast and accurate. Once we get our hands on a bug-free retail version we're quite interested to see what the ASUS ZenFone 5 can really do, especially with the company's PixelMaster technology in play. For now, check out the pictures in this article.

As the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 looms on the horizon, rumours are popping up about how it might look like and what features it may have. Some of these rumours are indicating that like the artificial leather backside of the Samsung Galaxy Note 3, the look and feel of the Samsung Galaxy S5 could influence how the Galaxy Note 4 would look like. This could well mean an IP67 certified water proof and dust proof Galaxy Note 4 which is both more rugged as well as durable. Other tech specs point towards a 2K display with 2560 x 1440 pixel resolution along with a Snapdragon 801 processor and a 20.1MP camera sensor. We're thinking why not just go the distance and outfit the Galaxy Note 4 with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 but it could well be that we'll see a dotted backside on the Galaxy Note 4 in the next coming months. No details on Malaysia release dates or pricing but we expect the Galaxy Note 4 to come soon.

Most luxury smartphones tend to utilize premium materials but don't do much in terms of tech specs and innovative features, but this has changed with the TAG Heuer Meridiist Infinite smartphone. While it is still built from premium materials like full Titanium grade 5 the smartphone sets itself apart by placing a photovoltaic cell layer between the sapphire glass and display panel. Yep, this now means that you can actually charge your phone (or at least the Meridiist Infinite) by leaving it out in the sun. The tech utilizes Whysips by Sunpartner and also works with ambient light and when the battery level is zero. No details on how long you might have to wait for a full solar charge but at least the phone self-charges. No news on how much it might cost but TAG is limiting the Meridiist Infinite to just 1911 units so we expect this smartphone to be very premiumly priced even without any obvious bling. Check out the video in this article.

Sony recently announced their full-frame Alpha A7s mirrorless camera. Notable tech specs and features include an ISO range of 50 to 409600 and a 12.2MP full-frame sensor with downscaling for 3850 x 2160 4K video, but the real kicker is that it can output 4K video at 4:2:2 colour sampling via HDMI. While it remains true to the Sony Alpha school of design with it's solid build and feel, it offers a number of internal tech specs and features which add on a bit more value to the camera. This includes WiFi, NFC, XAV S-Format support, a Multi-interface shoe and APS-C cropping in 1080p mode. The Sony Alpha A7s remains a very solid still image camera but the new features make it a much better 4K and HD video recorder. Unfortunately, we still have no pricing or Malaysia release dates but we expect it to come within Q2 of 2014.

After being dropped, run over and dunked into an aquarium, the Samsung Galaxy S5 goes through a number of other water tests to see how far it can go. While the first test just pushes the Galaxy S5 a bit more than the IP67 certification states (depth of 1m for 30 minutes) in a pool, the second test is a lot more extreme and involves a pair of blue jeans and a washing machine. Like all of these water-proofed devices, the key to water proofing lays in the sealing, which Samsung seem to have pulled off much better than their first Samsung Galaxy S4 Active attempt. Check out the video for yourself in this article.

The ASUS ZenFone range of smartphones will be getting a regional launch very soon, but we managed to get our hands on what appears to be an engineering sample of the ASUS ZenFone 5 for a quick hands-on preview. Going for a slim but rounded back look, the ZenFone 5 feels both light and solidly built at the same time. Thanks to the curved backside, the ZenFone 5 fits nicely into the palm of your hand while the smartphone is thin enough to look both sleek and stylish. Thankfully, there isn't any protruding camera lens this time around while the back is matte, and doesn't attract fingerprints or smudges all that much.

Sometimes, all you want for your Smart TV, Android TV box, IP TV, computer or notebook is just a simple way to enter text and control the cursor from a distance. For those situations, RANGER have come out with their Palmtop II RF Keyboard which is designed to fit easily in the palm of your hand. Utilizing 2.4GHz radio frequency wireless technology, the full QWERTY keyboard integrates a touch pad and laser pointer for presentation purposes. A 10 meter operating range ensures that you can do everything from your couch or from the back of the room while smart function controls provide quick-and-easy shortcuts for multimedia and other functions. Check out the full list of tech specs of the RANGER Palmtop II RF Keyboard below:

• 2.4GHz Wireless frequency
• Up to 15 meters transmission distance
• Built-in Lithium-ion Battery
• 600-700 hours standby time
• 154(L) x 62.5(W) x 12(H) mm | 66g
• compatible with Windows 2000/XP/Vista/CE/7/8, Android 2.3 or above (with USB Interface), Mac OS 10.2.8 or above, Sony PS3, Microsoft Xbox 360, Linux(Debian-3.1, Redhat-9.0, Ubuntu-8.10, Fedora-7.0 tested)

Samsung have just announced 4 new covers for the Samsung Galaxy S5 with wireless charging capabilities. These will include the standar replacement backplate and an S-View flip cover. Both will come in black or white but there is only pricing for the standard backplate at $30 (RM98) for now. All of the cases will have the gasket which makes the Galaxy S5 water resistant and will be compatible with Qi based chargers. The S-View flip cover looks to have an artificial leather front but the back is the same dotted plastic.

The Samsung Galaxy S5 is not only waterproof and dustproof, it is also a lot tougher than it's predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy S4. Wanting to see how much tougher the Galaxy S5 is, TechSmartt took both smartphones for a drop test. Going a bit more than the usual head and waist heights, they even did a drop test at about 10 feet, all of which the Galaxy S5 did very well with. In the end, they even drove over it with an SUV. How do you think the Galaxy S5 fared afterwards? Check out the video for yourself in this article.

While Lenovo may have bought Motorola, the Project Ara modular smartphone remained at Google. Since it was based off of the Phonebloks concept, Phonebloks recently checked up on the Project Ara team to see how far they were going. The visit was documented into the video below which more or less shows that Project Ara is on track to becoming a working modular smartphone. Still no news when that might become a reality but Google has said that the entry-level unit should be priced not more than $50 (RM164), and that developers get the kit for free. The whole Project Ara looks to be quite thorough, right down to a user-friendly interface for non-techies to make their own pick and place modular smartphone, so check out the video in this article.