Latest News

SNS Network and Intel Malaysia recently sent out the invites for the launch of the first smartphone in the JOI series, the JOI Phone 5 and the JOI 7 Lite tablet. Both devices will be powered by the Intel Atom x3 processor and marks the first devices in Malaysia to carry the new processors formerly known as SoFIA. According to the invite, the launch will happen on 26 June 2015 but there are little to no tech specs or features provided. Based on the JOI naming convention, we expect the JOI Phone 5 to have a 5-inch display while the JOI 7 Lite will have a 7-inch display. Depending on which Intel Atom x3 processor that gets used, the display could offer 1280 x 800 pixel resolutions to 1920 x 1080 pixel resolutions with either 3G or 4G LTE connectivity (the JOI 7 Lite could have just WiFi connectivity). All of them are 64-bit and we expect the JOI 7 Lite tablet to be another Windows 8.1 device while the Phone 5 will be an Android powered smartphone. No news yet on a specific Malaysia release date or pricing details but we'll be on hand shortly to offer up all the details, so stay tuned for that.

China's TENAA recently saw the certification of the Samsung Galaxy A8. Along with pictures of the upcoming smartphone it looks like it will be the phablet entry in the current range of Samsung Galaxy A smartphones consisting of the Galaxy A3, Galaxy A5 and Galaxy A7. Featuring slim bezels and measuring in at 158 x 76.77 x 5.94mm thin, it could well be the thinnest smartphone from Samsung yet. Other tech specs include a 1.7GHz Snapdragon 615 processor, 2GB RAM, 16GB storage, a 5.7-inch AMOLED display with 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution and support for up to 128GB microSD. TENAA has it also coming with a 16MP rear camera and 8MP front camera but these features are usually saved for the flagships and not the midrange so we assume that this could be 13MP for the rear camera and 5MP for the front camera like all the other Galaxy A smartphones. The phone is also lightweight at just 142g but may also pack in the battery life with a 3050 mAh battery. No news yet on specific Malaysia release dates or pricing details but stay tuned for further developments.

The Honor 7 smartphone rumours keep on coming and this time reports indicate that it could be priced at $599 (RM2239). Earlier leaks have it coming on 30 June 2015 with features that include a metal body and fingerprint scanner. Leaked pictures show it to follow the same design as the Huawei Mate 7 but with a smaller 5-inch display. Tech specs remain unconfirmed but rumours say it could have a Kirin 935 processor, 3GB / 4GB RAM, 16GB / 64GB storage, a 5-inch FHD display, a 3280 mAh battery and a 13MP rear camera with OIS. While there is no news yet of a Malaysia release date or pricing details, we expect the Honor 7 to be just a bit higher than the current Honor 6 Plus which retails at RM1399. This would place the Honor 7 around RM1600 to RM1800 but as always with such rumours, do take this with a good pinch of salt, as things could change drastically when it actually arrives in Malaysia.

While the Samsung Galaxy S6 may not be able to actually crack walnuts, if you want a phone that can do that, there is always the Doogee Valencia2 Y100 Pro. Featuring a strengthened 2.5D Gorilla Glass protective layer 0.8mm thicker than normal, the smartphone is shown in a video being used to actually crack walnuts. You can check it out for yourself in the video in this article as the smartphone cracks multiple walnuts with no issues or cracks to the screen. Other tech specs are rather midrange though with a 64-bit 1.3GHz quad-core MediaTek MT6735 processor, 2GB RAM, 16GB storage and a 5-inch strengthened display with 720 x 1280 pixel resolution. Other tech specs and features include a 13MP rear camera with Sony sensor, 8MP front camera and 2200 mAh battery. It comes with Android 5.1 Lollipop and while there is no exact Malaysia pricing yet, it does go for just $129.99 (RM485). While it isn't yet available here at Doogee Malaysia, it may eventually make it's way here, especially if you're into tough smartphones. In the meantime you can always check out our review of the Doogee Ibiza F2 smartphone for now.

Apart from being the lightest, thinnest and most affordable tablet of the Microsoft Surface range of tablets, the Surface 3 also comes with an optional stylus called the Surface Pen. Tech specs for the tablet are still quite high-end with a quad-core Intel Atom x7 processor, 10.8-inch display with 1280 x 1920 pixel resolution and Windows 8.1. It is also one of the devices that will get a free upgrade for the upcoming Windows 10 upgrade on 29 July 2015. The video below shows just how precise and accurate the optional Surface Pen stylus can be for the Surface 3, recreating a painting in real-time. Check it out for yourself in this article.

It appears that the Xiaomi Mi Band 2 could be coming soon and may even have a touchscreen display. The previous Mi Band did not have any display and you had to rely on the app installed on your smartphone to find out your fitness tracking details. The render does not appear to be official and it looks a lot like the Huawei TalkBand B1 so do take this one with a grain of salt. As usual of such leaked pics, there are no details on Malaysia release dates or pricing but a release in July would coincide with the release of the original Mi Band, which was released in July 2014. Since the Mi Band did come in to Malaysia at RM59, we expect Xiaomi to maintain the status quo and price the Mi Band 2 at RM99. 

In answer to the recent FIRST Basic 38 by Celcom plan, DiGi have cut down their DiGi SmartPlan 50 and SmartPlan 78 monthly fees down to as low as RM36 a month. Offering 3GB of Data it also offers free calls and free SMS with call charges from 15 sen per minute and SMS from 10 sen per SMS. The offer is currently only available from 15 June 2015 to 15 July 2015 but once you do sign up, you can pay the discounted monthly fee for 12 months. In addition, there are no contracts, but after the 12th month, you have to pay the original monthly fee of RM50 or RM78. The offer is only available for sign-ups at the DiGi store or authorized distributors and unused data will not be carried forward to the next month. Check out the table and links in this article for more details.

Celcom is currently offering the Huawei P8 from RM438 on their FIRST by Celcom postpaid plans. This includes the new FIRST Basic 38 plan, FIRST Basic 85 plan and FIRST Elite plan with options for 12 months and 24 month contract subscriptions. While the sleek all-metal Huawei P8 is already quite affordable at a retail  pricing of RM1799 the Celcom bundles should offer a bit more value if you're looking for a total package. The FIRST Basic 38 plan for example lets you carry forward unused Internet and an additional 2 movie passes by Escape with an extra RM10 every month. In addition, if you're one of the earlybirds who sign up at the ongoing Huawei P8 roadshow, you could also get a Huawei TalkBand B2 smartband for free. Check out the tables in the article for more details.

Huawei has officially launched the Huawei P8, P8 Lite, TalkBand B2, Y3, Y5 and T1 in Malaysia and all of them will be available for purchase starting from today. Pricing for the P8 remains a very competitive RM1799 while the P8 Lite is going for RM899. The TalkBand B2 Classic comes in at RM558 while the TalkBand B2 Elite will go for RM668 with both being available on VMALL.my. The Huawei Y3 is priced at RM249, the Y5 for RM339 and the T1 for RM649. Everything should be available at all Huawei authorized stores from today. As part of the launch, a roadshow is currently being held in Pavilion showing off the Huawei P8, P8 Lite and TalkBand B2 so you can check them out up close and personal. Try out the light painting feature on the P8 first hand at their booth and in addition, if you purchase the Huawei P8 during this roadshow you will also get a free flip cover and 30% discount on the Huawei TalkBand B2. There are also other activities like a lucky draw and social media contest as well. The roadshow will continue until Sunday, 21 June 2015. Check out our hands-on pictures and videos of the devices on display below.

SNS Network, Intel Malaysia and Myteach have collaborated to launch the JOI KinderTab, an Intel Atom powered Android tablet designed for pre-school learning. The tablet will come pre-loaded with National Preschool Curriculum content and will be made available for RM499 (RM529 with GST) at Krista Education, AEON stores, Gloo.com.my, Lazada.com.my, Lelong.com.my andwww.myteach360.com. Krista Kindergartens may soon run a pilot program or study using the JOI KinderTab for classroom use sometime in June 2015. Here's what they had to say about it:

“Intel has spent the last decade leading education transformation around the world and we believe that young people are the key to future innovation. Devices like the JOI KinderTab offer the younger set of students limitless opportunities to enhance their learning experience. The availability of this affordable, purpose-built educational device brings us closer to our vision of enabling more students and teachers to participate in high quality education. Sam Al-Schamma, Director of Education Sales, Asia Pacific, Intel Corporation