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Microsoft Malaysia recently announced the arrival of the Surface 2 here in Malaysia at a price tag of RM1399 for the 32GB version and RM1699 for the 64GB version. Tech specs for the Surface 2 look to be upgraded somewhat with a 1.7GHz quad-core NVIDIA Tegra 4 processor but it is still running Windows RT 8.1. Additional accessories like the Type Cover 2 or Touch Cover 2 cost RM409 and RM379 separately. The Surface 2 should be available after 14 March 2014 but it's announcement has also meant a price cut for the existing Microsoft Surface RT and Surface Pro tablets. The 64GB Surface RT tablet has been discounted down to RM1199 from RM1399 while the 128GB Surface Pro is now RM1899 from RM2749. Considering the slightly lower pricing for the Surface 2, we expect the Surface Pro 2 to go for around RM2649 making the current Surface Pro tablet a very tempting choice for those looking to get an older but powerful Windows 8 tablet.

It isn't impossible to type on a smartwatch, but the small display size usually means other methods of control like voice commands or gestures are more suitable. Acknowledging this, ASUS could be coming out with a smartwatch that has voice commands, gesture controls and a more natural user interface. We're not exactly sure what they mean by that but Jonney Shih, ASUS CEO has said that they will enter the wearable market with "attractive prices" which would certainly be welcome. Most wearables such as smartwatches, smartbands and smart glasses are rather expensively priced, however, things could change as more affordable wearable devices are coming soon so ASUS should speed it up a little.

You know how people predict all sorts of radical changes to the next Apple iPhone and Apple almost always deadpans them by just adding on a little bit here and a little bit there to the overall design. Well, Sam Beckett here is a designer who seems to be following that Apple spirit to the letter as he has come up with an Apple iPhone 6 or iPhone Air concept video which looks and sounds very close to how Apple would do it. Tech specs and features listed in the video include a 4.7-inch sapphire crystal display with full HD 1080p resolution, a chassis which is 7mm thin and a design that is just 8% larger than the current Apple iPhone 5S. A 10MP OIS camera is the only tech spec which seems far fetched in this case, but you can check out the video for yourself in this article.

Metal-casing smartphone lovers have been predicting and wishing for a metal-casing Samsung for quite some time. With the release of the Samsung Galaxy S5 most of the hopeful users are now expecting the premium Samsung Galaxy F range of smartphones to appear with a metal chassis. Designer Ivo Mari? has come up with a concept render of this metal chassis Samsung Galaxy F smartphone which looks very realistic, which you can check out for yourself in this article.

Despite all the advancements in technology, our one main stumbling block in the mobile device industry remains the battery. So far, the only solution is to carry around an external battery or powerbank, but it also means one other thing to bring about or forget to bring with you. Go Design aims to change that by offering the TravelCard, which is an 1300 mAh credit-card sized powerbank that should be able to take very little space while offering at least a charge up to the halfway point. Measurements for the Go Design TravelCard have it at 4.77mm thin and 56.7g. It is made from aircraft grade aluminum so it is both tough and lightweight and also comes with a built-in cable. Available in black, silver and white, the TravelCard is still a Kickstarter crowd-funded project with another 23 days to go, but it has already achieved it's goal. This also means that you can get the TravelCard for as low as just $40 (RM131) with the powerbank shipping in May 2014.

We've mentioned the Zauba registry listing before but for those who don't know, it is India's equivalent to Malaysia's SIRIM database, providing a listing of devices brought into the country. Quite a lot of flagship smartphones have leaked from the Zauba listings with one of the most recent ones being a listing for a mystery Samsung device. With the Samsung Galaxy S5 already well and launched, we're thinking that it could be the Samsung Galaxy S5 Neo. Details about the device show it having the model numer of SM-G800F while the Samsung Galaxy S5 has the model number of SM-G900F. Other details include that the SM-G800F is valued at 31790 rupees (RM1716) while the Galaxy S5 has a 33061 rupees (RM1785) price tag. While there aren't any other tech specs or features to give it away, it does hint at a possible lower end (and hopefully more affordable) version of the Galaxy S5. As always, take this rumour with a pinch of salt as even Samsung's other Neo products are sometimes sold for more than the original depending on the location.

In line with the waterproof Samsung Galaxy S5, reports out of Korea indicate that the next LG G3 smartphone could be waterproof and dustproof. So far, both Sony and Samsung are offering such smartphones while others are going for water resistant or dust resistant devices instead. The reports don't mention any other tech specs but the likelihood of LG doing this is quite high considering that every one else is. Do remember to take this rumour with a pinch of salt though as LG could just as likely go for a lesser water or dust resistant certification or have no proofing at all.

Offering a refresh of their Samsung Galaxy S3 mini, Samsung have since announced the Samsung Galaxy S3 mini Value Edition. While the design remains the same, the tech specs have been bumped up to a 1.2GHz dual-core Cortex-A9 processor along with Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean. Going for about €180 (RM819) in the Netherlands, the price seems a bit high considering the tech specs of RM500 and above smartphones today, but it should eventually be available here in Malaysia as well.

If you can't beat them, then join them seems to be the saying many tablet makers are going for as they strive to overtake the Apple iPad tablets. Following that, HP have announced the HP 8, which is a 7.85-inch display tablet that looks exactly like the first Apple iPad mini. Having bought one of these clones myself already I can't help but wonder if everyone is getting the same aluminum unibody shell from the same supplier as the Apple iPad mini because everything looks nearly the same. Perhaps the iPad mini may have a bit more chrome trim but the design is nearly identical. Tech specs are the same in some aspects as well including the aforementioned 7.85-inch IPS display, which has a 1024 x 768 pixel resolution.

Having just covered the Lenovo Vibe Z we can understand what a performer it is but we balked a little at the still rather high pricing. However, Celcom are now teasing the Lenovo Vibe Z for just RM688, which is a much lower price point than the normal retail price of about RM1750. While there aren't any specific plan details, Celcom will offer the Lenovo Vibe Z starting from 16 March 2014 with the promo price of RM688 for every Celcom mPro or mPro Plus plan sign up. In addition, you'll also get an RM50 shopping voucher. Details of the launch are set at the Blue Cube, Sunway, Oasis Boulevard at Sunway Pyramid Shopping Mall. The launching is set at 15 march 2014 with the first 30 customers getting the promo price of RM688 for signing up with the Celcom mPro or mPro Plus plan. If you're under Celcom's LTE coverage then the LTE-enabled Lenovo Vibe Z should be a good deal for you. For more information, check out the Celcom site.