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More pictures of the metal body Samsung Galaxy Alpha have appeared and this time they are quite clear. The pictures reveal a fairly standard design with a matte white backside. No sign of any brushed metal back cover as shown in previous press renders but the sides reveal a flat and thin design very similar to an Apple iPhone 5s. Tech specs and features have yet to be confirmed but rumours indicate that they will be midrange. Further tech spec details include an octa-core Samsung Exynos 5433 processor, 2GB RAM, 32GB storage, 4.8-inch display with 720p pixel resolution, 12MP rear camera, 2MP front camera and Android 4.4.4. No Malaysia release dates or pricing details just yet, but it could likely be unveiled at the upcoming Samsung UNPACKED 2014 event alongside the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 on 3 September 2014. Check out the pictures for yourself below.

Confirming earlier rumours, Samsung has just sent out invites for an UNPACKED 2014 event right before IFA 2014 where they will unveil the new Samsung Galaxy Note 4 phablet. Tech specs still have not been confirmed for the Galaxy Note 4 but many are thinking it may offer a Snapdragon 805 processor, 3GB RAM, 5.7-inch display with 1440 x 2560 pixel resolution, 16MP camera with OIS, an ultraviolet sensor and Andoid 4.4 KitKat. We're still hoping that the RAM could get an increase to 4GB but this seems unlikely now. Other devices are also expected including the metal-body Samsung Galaxy Alpha and more (including some new wearable devices). No news on Malaysia release dates or pricing yet but we should find out in another month so stay tuned for more developments.

HTC and KDDI of Japan recently launched the new HTC J Butterfly smartphone for Japanese markets. The smartphone offers the same design as the HTC One M8 except that it is water-proof and doesn't have dual-front BoomSound speakers or the Ultrapixel Duo camera. Other tech specs and features for the HTC J Butterfly include a Snapdragon 801 processor, 2GB RAM, 32GB storage with microSD support, 5-inch full HD display, 13MP rear camera, 5MP front camera, supports 4G LTE and packs in Android 4.4. No specific Malaysia release dates or pricing yet but the HTC J Butterfly will be in Japan from late August 2014 and could eventually come to Malaysia hopefully.

Much has been said about the tougher properties of sapphire crystal displays and how it may be used for the upcoming Apple iPhone 6, but we've yet to see it being used on other consumer level smartphones apart from the luxury brands like Vertu. However, Kyocera recently announced their Kyoceria Brigadier smartphone, a ruggedly built tough smartphone that should be the world's first smartphone using a Sapphire Shield display. Other tech specs and features of the Kyocera Brigadier include a 1.4GHZ Snapdragon 400 processor, 2GB RAM, 16 GB storage + microSD, 4.5-inch Sapphire shield display at 720 x 1280 pixel resolution, 8MP rear camera, 2MP front camera, Android 4.4 KitKat and 3100 mAh battery. The smartphone is also rated for the military grade MIL-STD-810G standard, certifying that it is water, dust, shock, vibration, pressure and heat proof and capable of handling very rough environments.

Confirming earlier rumours, Samsung has just sent out invites for an UNPACKED 2014 event right before IFA 2014 where they will unveil the new Samsung Galaxy Note 4 phablet. Tech specs still have not been confirmed for the Galaxy Note 4 but many are thinking it may offer a Snapdragon 805 processor, 3GB RAM, 5.7-inch display with 1440 x 2560 pixel resolution, 16MP camera with OIS, an ultraviolet sensor and Andoid 4.4 KitKat. We're still hoping that the RAM could get an increase to 4GB but this seems unlikely now. Other devices are also expected including the metal-body Samsung Galaxy Alpha and more (including some new wearable devices). No news on Malaysia release dates or pricing yet but we should find out in another month so stay tuned for more developments.

Dynamics Distribution, main distributor of the ASUS ZenFone products recently confirmed tech specs for the newly released ASUS ZenFone 4 (A450CG) and yes, it sports a 4.5-inch display with 8MP rear camera (still no LED flash though). It will come in Black, Blue and White with a retail price of RM369. Another notable feature is that it will come with Android 4.4 KitKat right out of the box. No news yet on when stock for the ASUS ZenFone 4 (A450CG) might be available, but we expect it to already be around here in Malaysia, if in limited quantities. Check out the full tech specs list of the ASUS ZenFone 4 (A450CG) below:

• 1.2GHz Intel Atom Z2520 processor
• 1GB RAM
• 8GB storage + microSD + 5GB ASUS Web Storage
• 4.5-inch display (480 x 854 pixel resolution)
• 8MP rear camera (no LED flash) + VGA front camera
• supports Dual-SIM, 3G, WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS
• Android 4.4 KitKat

While a completely edge-to-edge smartphone has yet to become a reality, it appears that the upcoming Meizu MX4 smartphone could be the smartphone with the world's slimmest bezels yet. This rumour comes courtesy of ePrice who have leaked the front panel of the Meizu MX4 and the tech specs that the side bezels will be a near non-existant 1.1mm. According to other rumours, the Meizu MX4 will come in two versions with other tech specs and features to include a version with a 5-inch full HD display and another version with a 5.5-inch display with a 1536 x 2560 pixel resolution. While this may seem a bit off from the usual 2560 x 1440 resolution, Meizu have done weird resolutions before when they released their MX3 smartphone with a resolution of 1080 x 1800 pixels. Other notable tech specs include a Snapdragon 805 processor, 3GB of RAM and a 16MP rear camera but no confirmation on which model might have these. No Malaysia release dates or pricing yet but we expect the Meizu MX4 to appear in China next month in August 2014.

Despite it's standing as one of the top smartphone makers in the world, almost none of Samsung's smartphones have a complete metal body. While the rumours of a metal-body Samsung flagship smartphone have yet to die down, it appears that there are rumours about the first all-metal Samsung smartphone actually being a midrange model going by the name of the Samsung Galaxy Alpha or otherwise known as the Samsung Galaxy S5 Alpha or even the Samsung Galaxy F. Reportedly coming on 4 August 2014 tech specs for the Galaxy Alpha include a 4.8-inch 720p display, 32GB storage and fingerprint scanner (likely built into the home button). No news yet on Malaysia release dates or pricing but we should be able to find out more by next week at least. In the meantime, do check out these leaked pics of the smartphone next to the Samsung Galaxy S5.

Celcom is now offering the Huawei Ascend P7 from RM688 along with the Huawei Honor 3X at RM538. The Huawei Ascend P7 currently retails at RM1499 while the the Huawei Honor 3X is priced at RM1099. To qualify for these deals you'll have to sign-up for a 24-month contract under a Celcom First One plan. In addition to that, subscribers will also get a chance to win one of 100 TAG Heuer watches. Check out the table and links in this article for more details.

Canon has revealed two new cameras for those Super zoom compact camera fans. These include the Canon PowerShot SX400 IS and Canon PowerShot SX520 HS. The SX400 IS will be priced at $250 (RM794) and offer tech specs that include a 16MP CCD sensor, Digic 4+ image chip, 30x optixal zoom and various features such as Smart Auto. The PowerShot SX520 HS will be priced at $400 (RM1271) and go for a 16MP high-sensitivity sensor, a Digic 4+ image chip, 42x optical zoom and features a mini-HDMI port with enhanced stabilization. They should be coming in or after August 2014 although there are still no specific Malaysia release dates just yet.