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In the next few days, Xiaomi Malaysia is going to launch a number of discounts and bundle offers on its upcoming devices. The company has announced two sale dates – 11 December 2014 and 16 December 2014 when it will sell its three new devices; the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4G smartphone, the 16000mAh Mi Power Bank and the Mi in-Ear headphones. These devices can be ordered after exactly 12PM on the said dates. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 4G model can be purchased separately for RM589 on both these dates, however, if you want to purchase any of Xiaomi's accessories, you'll have to purchase one of the two bundles which will be available on those days. For example, the Power bundle adds a Xiaomi PowerBank with the Redmi Note 4G. There are three different variants of the power bundle available, each with a different power bank. They are listed as below:

• Bundle 1: Redmi Note 4G + 5200 mAh Mi Power Bank - RM614
• Bundle 2: Redmi Note 4G + 10400 mAh Mi Power Bank - RM625
• Bundle 3: Redmi Note 4G + 16000 mAh Mi Power Bank - RM668

Currently, there are many smartphones in the market which are IP67 compliant which means they are water and dust resistant. However, those who are looking for a phone or a tablet that can withstand extreme outdoor conditions should take a look at the new Panasonic Toughpad FZ-E1. The device is ultra-rugged and can withstand a 10 feet drop on the concrete or even a dip in the pool for over 30 minutes. It also supports the fast 4G LTE networks and some of its models can also make and receive calls, so you can use it as a smartphone too. Apart from the ultra-durable materials used, the tech specs are fairly high-end with a 2.3 GHz Snapdragon 801 processor, 2GB RAM, 32GB storage, 5-inch 720p display and large 6200 mAh battery. While the resolution is a bit smaller than other rivals, the company claims that the display is extremely bright and features high contrast which makes it the ideal outdoor companion. The tablet runs on Windows 8.1 but you can also opt for the FZ-X1 which runs on Android. No Malaysia release dates or pricing details yet though but you can check out the video below in the meantime.

In the past few months, many small manufacturers have managed to create a stir in the market by announcing affordable smartphones with high-end specs. Another such startup company, called Xodium is all set to release a smartphone with the latest Snapdragon 805 processor for less than $350 (RM1220). Unfortunately, there are very little details about the new company except for a website from where you can pre-order the device. As for the tech specs, the Xodium comes with a 2.7GHz quad-core Snapdragon 805 processor, 3GB RAM and 32GB/64GB internal storage with MicroSD card support. Featuring a 5.5-inch quad HD display up front, the company may have taken some inspiration from the recently unveiled Meizu MX4 Pro. As for the camera, you get a 16MP rear camera with phase detection autofocus and OIS along with a 5MP front camera sensor. It runs on the latest Android 5.0 Lollipop OS and comes with a 3200mAh battery inside. You get all these for an incredible price of $329 (RM1143) for the 32GB version and $379 (RM1317) for the 64GB version. According to the website, the Xodium requires no invites or contests and will ship to any country in the world. This could well be vapourware though, so we recommend taking a wait and see approach just to be safe.

Although Apple's latest releases, the Apple iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus have been popular right from the start, their older plastic sibling, the iPhone 5C hasn't seen the same popularity and may be discontinued. Be that as it may, a new report says that Apple is planning to release a smaller 4-inch display iPhone by Q2 2015. The compact form factor has always been Apple's motto, until it succumbed to consumer demand and released the new iPhone 6 models. Even the smallest device of the two, the iPhone 6, measures 4.7 inches in size, which is much bigger than any of the iPhones released to date. Given that the earlier iPhones too were quite popular among buyers, there must be a number of users who were disappointed to see a larger Apple device. According to the supply chain sources of the company, a smaller 4 inch iPhone is in the works aimed at the compact phone lovers and women who would want a phone which can be operated with just hand. Moreover, this phone can be the ideal candidate to replace the fading iPhone 5C. Unfortunately, there are no tech specs, Malaysia release dates or pricing details about this 4-inch iPhone, but make sure you check back to the website for additional information in the coming weeks.

Lenovo Malaysia has just revealed the release date and pricing of the upcoming Lenovo Vibe X2 smartphone. The company will launch the dual SIM variant of the device in Malaysia next week for a price tag of RM1199. The Vibe X2 smartphone is Lenovo's answer to Huawei's Honor 6 and Xiaomi's Mi4. It comes with a Mediatek MT6592 Octa Core processor clocked at 2.0GHz with 2GB RAM. The 32GB internal storage that comes with the device is non-expandable. You get a 5 inch screen up front with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels and it is pretty compact too, measuring 140.2 x 68.6 x 7.3 mm. Unlike the smartphones these days which feature a Unibody design, Lenovo has taken a different route with its Vibe X2. The device has a unique three tone layered metal design which sets it apart from other phones in the market. But even with the extra layers, the device remains thin at 7.27mm. At the back, you have a 13MP camera, while up front you get a 5MP shooter. It runs on Android 4.4 Kikat with Vibe UI 2.0 on top and comes with a 2300mah battery. If you'd like to be there when it comes Lenovo are offering a chance to win 500 free invites for the Malaysia launch party of the Lenovo Vibe X2.  

Just as reported earlier, HTC has announced the HTC Desire Eye smartphone and the HTC Re camera in Malaysia today. The Desire Eye will be available for a retail price of RM1699 in two colors - Submarine Blue and Coral Red. The Re camera will go on sale around mid-December for RM699 in Navy Blue, White and Orange. Although HTC's Desire range usually features mid-range tech specs, the HTC Desire Eye is an exception. Tech specs include a 2.3GHz Snapdragon 801 processor, 2GB RAM and 16GB internal storage with MicroSD card support. On the front is a 5.2inch IPS display with Full HD 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution. HTC has included the same 13MP sensor at both the front and the back, so the device can take beautiful selfies from its front camera too.  It is also IP57 certified, so you can take it for a dip or underwater selfie as well. The Re camera is a cylindrical shaped device made for simplifying the process of taking pictures of your everyday life.  Inside, you have a 16MP sensor which can take 1080p videos at 30 fps and 720p Slow-Mo videos at 120 fps. You can connect the device to iOS and Android smartphones using Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. HTC has not yet announced an exact date for the Malaysia availability of the Re Camera, but we expect it to happen sometime later around 15 December 2014.

The Sony Xperia Z3 is now available at U Mobile from as low as RM999. Originally retailing at RM2399, you will have to sign up for a 24 months contract under the U58, U88 or U Plus postpaid plans. You may also trade-in your older smartphones for up to RM750 in rebates. The no upfront payment option is available under certain conditions, one of which includes signing up for either the U88 or U Plus postpaid plans. The other conditions include paying for the deal using your credit card and then activating auto-debit for your monthly commitment fees. For more details, check out the table and links below.

U Mobile is currently offering the Huawei Honor 6 from as low as RM471. Granted, the retail pricing of the Honor 6 is just at RM999 but the addition of various U Mobile postpaid packages complete with voice and data makes this a pretty good deal. You can also trade-in your older smartphones for a rebate of up to RM750. You will have to sign up for a 24 month contract under the U58 and U88 postpaid plans but U Mobile are throwing in their no upfront payment option as well. To qualify for the no upfront payment offer you will have to sign up using the U88 plan, pay using a credit card and auto-debit the monthly payments. For more details, check out the table and links in this article.

Huawei Malaysia recently announced the availability of their Huawei Ascend G7 smartphone for Malaysia at authorized distributors and stores. The 5.5-inch phablet features 4G LTE connectivity, a 13MP rear camera and a metallic chassis much like the Huawei Honor 6. It will also come with the latest EMUI 3.0 Android user interface right out of the box. Check out the full list of Huawei Ascend G7 tech specs below:

• 1.2gHz quad-core Qualcomm MSM8916 processor
• 2GB RAM
• 16GB storage
• 5.5-inch display (INCELL, 1280 x 720 pixel resolution)
• 13MP rear camera (28mm wide-angle BSI lens) + 5MP front camera (wide-angle lens)
• Supports 4G LTE Cat4, WiFi, GPS, Bluetooth 4.0
• 153.5 x 77.3 x 7.6mm | 165g
• 3000 mAh battery
• Android 4.4 KitKat + Emotion UI 3.0

Microsoft has officially launched their new unofficial selfie smartphone for the masses, the Lumia 535. The most notable features of this smartphone include a 5MP wide-angle front camera, 5MP rear camera with LED flash and 5-inch display with 960 x 540 pixel resolution and Corning Gorilla Glass 3 for just RM429. The version coming to Malaysia supports dual SIM and will pack in Windows Phone 8.1 with the latest Lumia Denim update right out of the box. It will be available next week in black, cyan, orange and white. In addition, units bought in December 2014 will also come with a free bundle worth RM99 which includes a 2200 mAh power bank, 16GB memory card, screen protector, keychain and notepad. Trying out the Lumia 535 first hand, the smartphone is quite thin and light with the usual polycarbonate backside and it certainly looks better than the rather chunky Lumia 530. Other tech specs and hands-on photos of the Lumia 535 are listed below:

• 1.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 processor
• 1GB of RAM
• 8GB storage + 15GB OneDrive + up to 128GB microSD
• 5-inch display with 540 x 960 pixel resolution, IPS, Corning Gorilla Glass 3, Sunlight Readability
• 5MP rear camera with LED flash + 5MP front camera with wide-angle lens
• 1905 mAh removable battery
• 140.2 x 72.4 x 8.8mm | 146g
• Supports dual-SIM
• Windows Phone 8.1 Lumia Denim
• RM429