News & Reviews:   ASUS ZenFone 6

While it hasn't officially landed in Malaysia just yet, the ASUS ZenFone 6 has arrived in limited quantities. Thankfully, ASUS Malaysia dropped one off for us to check out so we'll start out with an unboxing video before going on to a hands-on video and full review. Thanks to some really good tech specs and features like a 13MP PixelMaster rear camera, 6-inch Corning Gorilla Glass 3 covered display with 720 x 1280 pixel resolution, 2GB of RAM and 2MP front camera at RM899 it is currently being awaited for more than the other ASUS ZenFone smartphones. For now, check out the unboxing video of the ASUS ZenFone 6 in this article.

ASUS Malaysia has managed to bring in the 2GB version of the ASUS ZenFone 5 smartphone for Malaysia at the same price of RM599. Previously, the ASUS ZenFone 5 smartphone slated for Malaysia was the version with 1GB RAM and a lower speed processor but after some wrangling with ASUS HQ, ASUS Malaysia managed to get the higher-end version to us. At RM599, the new ZenFone 5 brings a faster 1.6GHz Intel Atom Z2560 processor and 2GB of RAM to users while other high-end tech specs and features like the 8MP PixelMaster rear camera, Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protected display and 5-element lens remains the same. For more information on where you can get your new ASUS ZenFone 5 smartphone, please contact the ASUS Malaysia Facebook page. ASUS Malaysia are now working on getting the ASUS ZenFone 6 to market soon and we're waiting for the review unit for the new ASUS ZenFone 5, but for now, do check out our ASUS ZenFone 4 review.

Most cameraphones offer users a number of features that aren't available to standard smartphones that have cameras. This includes fast focus, better quality lenses and better resulting images or videos. Quite often, you won't find such features in an entry-level smartphone much less one going for below RM300, which is why we were quite impressed with the performance shown by the ASUS ZenFone 4, the company's entry-level offering for their new range of ZenFone smartphones. How exactly does the ASUS ZenFone 4 impress and does it offer more than just cameraphone capabilities? Check out our full review of the ASUS ZenFone 4 below to find out.

The rumour mill continues as some chinese sites are suggesting that there could soon be LTE and customizable versions for the new ASUS ZenFone smartphones. According to them, this could be called the ASUS ZenFone 5 LTE and ASUS ZenFone DIY. This jives with what we have heard from our ASUS contacts and we could see the ZenFone 5 LTE come in Q2 of 2014. While some sites are suggesting that this 4G LTE enabled version could be powered by a Qualcomm processor and not the current Intel Atom processors, we think that the ZenFone 5 LTE could still be powered by an Intel Atom processor and SoC as Intel announced their Intel LTE for Atom chipsets back in February 2014 at the Mobile World Congress expo.

While many users are impatiently waiting for the delayed ASUS ZenFone smartphones, ASUS Malaysia has spoken up. According to their Facebook page, they said that stock for the ASUS ZenFone 4 would be coming in before the end of May 2014. According to them it could be even earlier, however, there still is no word yet on the ASUS ZenFone 5 or ZenFone 6 smartphones just yet. The Intel powered smartphones offer a number of interesting tech specs and features which many users would like to try out, but the recent delay has caused many to look elsewhere. Pricing for the ZenFone 4 looks to remain at RM299 for now. Hopefully, this latest announcement will be true so do stay tuned for more developments.

It isn't a big secret that the new range of ASUS ZenFone smartphones are powered by Intel processors, but what most users in Malaysia are asking is "when will the ASUS ZenFone 4, ZenFone 5 and ZenFone 6 arrive in Malaysia?". After the regional launch in Jakarta about a month back, the entry-level to midrange smartphone market in Malaysia has erupted into what appears to be the beginnings of a price war, while the ASUS ZenFone's appear to have been delayed. Intel Malaysia has since teased the ASUS ZenFone's low-light capabilities on their Facebook page, hinting as well that they should arrive on 10 May 2014. We think that such features are certainly worth waiting for, so stay tuned for more developments.

The ASUS ZenFone 4, ZenFone 5 and ZenFone 6 were recently announced for South East Asia, including Malaysia. One of the most notable features of the ASUS ZenFone smartphones is the PixelMaster Camera Technology. While each of the ASUS ZenFone smartphones are competitively priced below RM1000 (RM299 for the ASUS ZenFone 4, RM599 for the ASUS ZenFone 5 and RM899 for the ASUS ZenFone 6), ASUS spared no expense for the camera components. This includes a 5-element Largan lens, high quality camera sensors from Sony and Panasonic and some really awesome camera filter algorithms.

Following the trend of other smartphone makers offering their own user interfaces, ASUS have revealed the ZenUI with their latest range of ASUS ZenFone smartphones. The ZenUI takes the best from the latest batch of user interfaces while making it their own and this includes providing flatter icons while providing a not so invasive user interface like some others we could name. Integrating well with Google Now and Google Calendar the ZenUI is smooth and zippy, while providing a complete toolbox of features and functions that should make your ASUS ZenFone smartphone even more useful right out of the box. Here is a break-down of some of the more notable ZenUI elements:

What's Next
Working in tandem with the Google Calender and Weather feature the What's Next feature combines all of these reminders and information into a simple to understand timeline. It offers smart reminders for upcoming events and tasks while providing Timely Notification for unusual, postponed, canceled or changed events so that you'll always stay on top of things.

The ASUS ZenFone smartphone range caught our attention when it was first announced at CES 2014 due to it's design, price and performance. Now ASUS already have several smartphone devices in the market, but the ASUS ZenFone smartphone range look to be the first to seriously target the entry-level to midrange market with it's focus on price and performance. Rather than go for a Malaysia launch, ASUS Malaysia were kind enough to invite us for the ASUS Regional launch where the ASUS ZenFone 4, ZenFone 5 and ZenFone 6 smartphones were announced each for below RM1000. Check out the tech specs below for a refresher of the ASUS ZenFone 4, ASUS ZenFone 5 and ASUS ZenFone 6:

• ASUS ZenFone 4
• 1.2GHz dual-core Intel Atom Z2520 processor
• 1GB RAM
• 4GB storage + microSD
• 4-inch TN TFT
• 5MP rear camera
• 124.4 x 61.4 x 11.2mm | 115g
• supports Dual-SIM, 3G, WiFi b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, MicroUSB
• 1170 mAh battery

The Red Dot Design Award highlights great design combining innovation, functionality, egonomics and quality amongst others, so it comes as no surprise that ASUS recently won it for their new ZenFone range of smartphones. The ASUS ZenFone range of smartphones consists of the ASUS ZenFone 4, ASUS ZenFone 5 and ASUS ZenFone 6, with all of them utilizing the same ergonomic design and solid build quality. The screens are well-protected with Corning's Gorilla Glass 4 while the ASUS ZenUI brings Android 4.3 based energy efficiency together with smooth working functionality. We're all set for the upcoming regional release of the ASUS ZenFone series in the middle of April 2014 so stay posted for more details on the ASUS ZenFone range of smartphones.