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It happens quite often these days that upcoming smartphones accidentally get revealed by their own website and this seems to be the case with the Samsung Galaxy A7. While we still don't know how it looks like, leaked images of the Galaxy A3 suggest that it will share features with the metal-body Galaxy Alpha. The leaked tech specs for the Galaxy A7 include a 1.5GHz 64-bit processor and a 5.5-inch display with 1080 x 1920 pixel resolution. We assume that it will come out with Android 5.0 Lolipop but asides from that there's little else in terms of details. No Malaysia release dates or pricing but we expect it to be a bit lower than the Galaxy Alpha (which is RM1899) perhaps at RM1799 or so. Stay tuned for more developments.

While OPPO have been teasing the upcoming OPPO N3 relentlessly, it seems that another smartphone could also be released along side it. While this new teaser image comes direct from OPPO, showing a smaller smartphone next to the OPPO N3 with it's rotating camera, rumours suggest that this smaller smartphone could be the OPPO N3 Mini. Other rumours indicate that it could be 4mm thin, which would beat the current record of 5.1mm held by the Gionee ELIFE 5.1. This certainly seems unlikely so do take this rumour with a good amount of salt. In any case, we should not have to wait long for the OPPO N3 release as it is scheduled for the next couple of days. No Malaysia release dates or pricing yet but we'll let you know as soon as we find out.

While they were previously known as Nokia Lumia smartphones, Microsoft has officially confirmed that they will be dropping the Nokia branding from Lumia smartphones in the future. Windows Phone will also get dropped. Instead, Microsoft will be using their own branding so your next Lumia will be called the Microsoft Lumia smartphone. This applies to all Lumia smartphones for now, but not the older Nokia featurephones. Older Nokia Lumia users don't need to worry though as there are no changes in terms of support, tech specs, performance or features just yet. Nokia may be looking to resurrect the brand name elsewhere but for now Microsoft Lumia smartphones are here to stay.

The Apple iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus just can't seem to catch a break as more rather strange faults appear. This time, the white, plastic parts on the gold coloured iPhone 6 have apparently become dyed blue from the blue jeans pockets they were put into. Apple has said it can be removed using normal cleaning products, but afflicted users have said that this does not work. The 128GB iPhone 6 Plus on the other hand is crashing or looping continuously from a reboot. Many of these users apparently installed too many apps but this hasn't been confirmed to be the cause just yet. As per their earlier replacement policy, Apple has been replacing these crashing iPhones. While we don't want to stir up anything, we've had any number of white phones and blue jeans but no dyed blue smartphones yet, so this Dyegate problem could be just specific to the Apple iPhone 6. Our earlier recommendation remains the same though, get a casing on as soon as you get your iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus.

Intel Malaysia recently announced that it has appointed Sumner Lemon as the new Country Manager for both Intel Malaysia and Singapore. He will take on Intel’s sales and marketing activities in Malaysia and Singapore and drive strategic partnerships with the government and ecosystem partners in order to accelerate technology adoption in both countries. Lemon's background includes an MBA with honors from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business along with a BA in East Asian Studies from Colby College. He is an experienced tech journalist, covering the technology industry in China, Southeast Asia and Taiwan and is fluent in Mandarin with prior experience at Intel Hongkong. Here's what he had to say about his appointment:

“2014 has been a very exciting year for Intel in terms of innovation and product offerings and I am very excited at the prospect of working with the Malaysian and Singaporean teams to bring these solutions to market. It is a privilege to have been appointed to this position and I am ready to build on the firm foundations laid by my predecessor," Sumner Lemon, Country Manager for Intel Malaysia and Singapore.

Quite a few smartphone manufacturers here in Malaysia have had problems with local distributors either in jacking up prices or even not selling according to the promotion at hand. Many have sought to solve this by offering their own online store but this too has had problems with many of them offering much-wanted smartphones or devices in batches. While this may help raise the hype, quite a few users end up thinking it is a publicity stunt or getting disgruntled with the brand and online service. It seems that ASUS Malaysia may soon be opening up their own online store sometime in November 2014 in part to help users get products like the ASUS ZenFone smartphones and ASUS Fonepad tablets at the price offered. Our anonymous tipster says that they won't be selling in batches like other official online stores but we'll hopefully find out more in the next few weeks. Stay tuned for more information but as always with such rumours do take this with a pinch of salt.

Thanks anonymous tipster!

LG recently came out with their own mobile processor with the NUCLUN octa-core processor featuring support for 4G LTE-A Cat.6 connectivity. They also announced the first LG smartphone to use the NUCLUN with the LG G3 Screen, widely rumoured to be the LG Liger smartphone. Built based on ARM's big.LITTLE architecture, NUCLUN will use four 1.5GHz A15 processors for the heavy lifting and another four 1.2GHz A7 processors for the normal stuff. Apart from the 4G LTE Cat.6 connectivity notable features include a 5.9-inch full HD display and 1W high fidelity speaker for better overall audio. Check out the tech specs and what LG had to say about the NUCLUN and the LG G3 Screen:

“NUCLUN opens up a new chapter in LG’s history of innovation in the mobile industry. With this in-house solution, we will be able to achieve better vertical integration and further diversity our product strategy against stronger competition. NUCLUN will give us greater flexibility in our mobile strategy going forward.” Dr. Jong-seok Park, president and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company.  

• 1.5GHz Quad-Core  + 1.2GHz Quad-Core (Octa-Core) LG NUCLUN processor
• 2GB RAM
• 32GB  storage + MicroSD slot
• 5.9-inch display (1920 x 1080 pixel resolution, IPS)  
• 13MP rear camera (OIS+) + 2.1MP front camera
• 157.8 x 81.8 x 9.5mm | 182g
• Supports LTE-A Cat.6
• available in Black / White
• 3000 mAh battery
• Android 4.4 KitKat

We could soon see new ASUS ZenFone smartphones and a new ZenWatch in the next 4 to 5 days as ASUS Japan has revealed a countdown timer page with teaser images of a ZenFone and a ZenWatch. While this could just be a local Japan release for the ZenWatch it seems unlikely for an existing ZenFone since most of them have already been released. There are still no Malaysia release dates or pricing for the ASUS ZenWatch smartwatch or for a new ZenFone smartphone just yet though. For Malaysia, ASUS have revealed the ZenFone 4, ZenFone 5, ZenFone 6, a ZenFone 4 with a 4.5-inch screen and the ZenFone 5 LTE. Is it the ZenFone 5 with a 5.5-inch display? The teaser image certainly seems so, as it looks too thin to be a ZenFone 4 and not wide enough to be ZenFone 6. Personally, we're still waiting for a ZenFone 6 LTE but it could just as likely be a refresh of the Intel Atom processors being used on the ZenFone smartphones. Stay tuned for more developments as the countdown time indicates we'll find out more on 28 November 2014.

Celcom has revealed their registration of interest page for the Apple iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus with a surprising release date of 6 November 2014. This date is a day ahead of the date revealed by DiGi's registration of interest page but DiGi has followed up by removing their release date completely. This means that we will likely see the Apple iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus in Malaysia on 6 November 2014. Stay tuned for more developments in the next few weeks. 

Unlike the other Malaysian telco's Celcom isn't offering any registration of interest or pre-check page for the upcoming Apple iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus. The only thing about this on the site is a teaser image of the iPhone 6 and that it is coming soon to Celcom. Knowing Celcom, their Apple iPhone launch parties tend to be the biggest in the bunch, so it isn't too surprising that they aren't offering any registration of interest page just yet. No news on Malaysia release date or pricing yet for the iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus but DiGi says that they will be available on 7 November 2014, so stay tuned.