The barely 2 months old Samsung Galaxy S4 non-LTE version (9500) has gotten a massive price cut of RM349. Launched at RM2,199 with 16GB storage, the Samsung flagship device is now priced as low as RM1,850 outright for official Samsung Malaysia units. The 5.5″ Galaxy Note II is even affordable now at only RM1,680, making it quite an attractive buy.

Retailer IMCC has released its current Samsung Galaxy pricing as follows:

Samsung Galaxy S4 – RM1,850 (Previously RM2,199)
Samsung Galaxy Note II – RM1,680 (Previously RM1,999)
Samsung Galaxy S III – RM1,380 (Previously RM1,699)
Samsung Galaxy Grand – RM1,040 (Previously RM1,299)

For a flagship device to drop this much in such a little time is rather shocking. Another retailer IPMart has also dropped its Galaxy S4 pricing as well to as low as RM1,869.

In the mean time the recently rolled out Galaxy S4 4G LTE version (9505) with 32GB of storage is seen to be slashed as well to RM2,299 from its initial RM2,499 pricing. Thanks @abdulmj for the heads up.

Could this be an indication that more Galaxy models are coming to Malaysia? We won’t be surprise considering the Galaxy Mega, Galaxy S4 Active and Galaxy S4 Zoom are expected to make a local debut soon. Perhaps the rugged Galaxy S4 Active would be priced between the S4 non-LTE and 4G LTE version. With a water resistant credentials and LTE support, that might just demand a slight premium over the standard non-LTE S4.

For those waiting for the Galaxy S4 and without the need of LTE, the RM349 savings definitely certainly worth the wait.

[ SOURCE ]

If you’re looking for something big, the mammoth sized 6.3″ Samsung Galaxy Mega is coming soon with the price tag of RM1,599 as teased by IMCC. So far no exact availability dates were mentioned but it is believe it should be within the next week or two. Announced in April, the Galaxy Mega comes in 2 variants – 6.3″ and 5.8″, and we are getting the biggest and higher spec version which is the 6.3″ model.

Specs wise, the Galaxy Mega runs on a dual-core 1.7GHz Qualcomm processor with 1.5GB of RAM and with either 8GB or 16GB of storage. Like any Galaxy phones, you can expand the storage using microSD. The front 6.3″ display uses a TFT screen that does 1280×720 pixels resolution which gives a pixel density of 233ppi. In the imaging department, the Galaxy Mega comes with a main 8MP shooter and a front facing 1.9MP camera. Despite packing a generous 3,200mAh battery, it manages to maintain a rather slim 8mm profile and weighs 199g.

Overall, the specs are mid-tier compared to the flagship Galaxy S4 but its huge screen makes it more appealing for gaming or those needing a bigger display device but still able to fit into a pocket. To see how the Galaxy Mega compares with the Galaxy S4 and previous models, check out the video comparison here.

[ SOURCE ]

For those wanting to experience 4G LTE on the iPhone 5, Celcom has finally joined the bandwagon as it gets listed under Apple iPhone 5′s 4G LTE supported telco. This follows after Maxis’s commercial availability of 4G LTE on 1800MHz 2 months back. When Celcom announced commercial 4G LTE service, it was initially rolled out with a standalone wireless broadband service without any smart phone services.

A carrier software update is expected for iPhone 5 users on Celcom which allows users to enable LTE under Cellular Data settings. For more information on LTE availability, head over to Celcom’s 4G LTE coverage page.

Thanks @J18Way for the heads up!

[ SOURCE ]

Maxis network had experienced a technical issue yesterday afternoon which affected incoming/outgoing voice calls in the Klang Valley and selected areas. While mobile voice calls we’re affected, Maxis subscribers are still able to use SMS and mobile Internet service during the outage.

As a compensation for inconvenience caused yesterday, Maxis is offering free SMS within Malaysia from 6:00PM this evening (16th June) until 11:59PM tomorrow on 17th June. This is open to all Maxis customers nationwide. Full official statement on the outage below:

We apologise to our customers who have experienced difficulty in making or receiving calls in the Klang Valley and extended surrounding areas. Our engineers responded to a technical incident at 4:50pm on 15/6 and have worked around-the-clock to restore the service. We were able to isolate the fault and the voice service has been restored. Our SMS and internet services were not affected.

In view of the inconvenience caused and whilst we continue to monitor the performance of the network, Maxis will offer all its customers, FREE DOMESTIC SMS service from 6:00pm on 16/6 until 11:59pm on 17/6. Once again, we apologise for the inconvenience caused and thank our customers for their understanding and patience.

[ SOURCE ]

As hinted earlier through SenHeng’s pre-order, the Sony Xperia Tablet Z is officially available today with both WiFi only and 4G enabled options. The 16GB WiFi model is priced at RM1,499 while the 16GB 4G LTE version is an extra RM500 at RM1,999. If you’re looking to buy it on contract, Celcom is offering the 4G LTE model from RM1,438.

The Xperia Tablet Z is currently the thinnest, lightest and the only water resistant 10″ tablet with a thickness of just 6.9mm and weighing just 495grams. In terms of water and dust resistance, the Xperia Tablet Z like the Xperia Z smart phone is rated at IP55/IP57 and it is able to withstand being submerged under water (up to 1 meter) for 30 minutes. You can read our earlier hands-on experience here.

As a special launch promo, Sony is giving additional 1 year warranty worth RM150 for the 16GB WiFi model while the 16GB 4G LTE model comes bundled with a Free Powerbank worth RM329. On top of that, new owners will also stand a chance to win Sony’s Smart Watch worth RM399 during the launch promo period which ends in 30th June.

For more information, head over to Sony’s Xperia Tablet Z product page.

If you’re looking for a thin and water resistant tablet, the Sony Xperia Tablet Z is offered by Celcom from as low as RM1,438. The device is tied with Celcom First Data plans with optional voice in either 12 months or 24 months duration. Outright, the Xperia Tablet Z with 3G/4G LTE support is priced at RM1,999.

Full bundled pricing of the Xperia Tablet Z below:

First Data Lite 1.5GB – (12 months) – RM1,788
First Data Lite 1.5GB – (24 months) – RM1,738

First Data Basic 4.0GB – (12 months) – RM1,688
First Data Basic 4.0GB – (24 months) – RM1,638

First Data Basic 6.0GB – (12 months) – RM1,588
First Data Basic 6.0GB – (24 months) – RM1,438

An upfront payment between RM200-500 is required during sign up which will be rebated back to your monthly bills across 10 months.

Celcom is also doing a special launch promo tomorrow (15th June) where the Xperia Tablet Z could be yours for just RM938 at 5 of their locations in Klang Valley. They are doing a lucky draw give away which includes NFC Bluetooth speakers and Cash Vouchers up to RM500 which is used to discount the Xperia Tablet Z price.

To recap, the Xperia Tablet Z is like the bigger tablet version of the Xperia Z smart phone. It retains the similar omni-balance design and its internals are identical with a quad-core 1.5GHz Qualcomm S4 Pro processor, 2GB of RAM and 16GB of storage. In terms of camera, it comes with a 8.1MP main shooter and a front facing 2.2MP camera.

Although the device hasa 10.1″ Full HD display (1920×1200) and 6,000mAh capacity battery, the Xperia Tablet Z is only 6.99mm thin and weighs just 495grams. In comparison, the Xperia Z smart phone is thicker at 7.9mm. If you haven’t seen it yet, check out our hands-on experience with the Xperia Tablet Z here.

For more information, head over to Celcom’s Xperia Tablet Z page.

Samsung has released an official video to prove that its plastic-build Galaxy S4 is tough enough to withstand day to day mishaps and abuses. Apart from the usual drop test, the Galaxy S4 is subjected to some extreme situations including continuous tumble, screen impact test, water drop tests and even subjecting it to high temperature and humidity.

Obviously these tests are beyond what the Galaxy S4 is capable of and the video constantly reminds you not to try this at home. Impressive nonetheless but we would rather go for the Galaxy S4 active for its more durable look and feel.

Watch the video after the break.

[ SOURCE ]

While HTC One is enjoying the limelight as a flagship device, the Taiwanese manufacturer has been working on its next sequel of its 5″ Full HD HTC Butterfly. The upcoming model pictured above is rumoured as the HTC Butterfly S which retains a rather identical design and 5″ screen size of its predecessor.

While it looks the same as the old one, the new Butterfly S is spotted with dual-stereo speakers at the front which gives a similar front facing stereo experience as the HTC One. Other changes include a newer Qualcomm 600 processor and its famed Ultrapixel camera, which is a similar offering as its flagship device. In terms of materials, don’t expect the premium aluminium feel but from the looks of the photos, the upcoming Butterfly seems to look better with a matte surfaced back.

According to the source, the device is expected to be launched on June 19th. Another close up photo of the Butterfly S after the break.

[ SOURCE ]

Sony is expected to release a couple of new flagship models and one of it is their humongous 6.44″ phablet. This is Sony’s first attempt in making a XL sized smart phone, adapting to what seems to be a growing demand for bigger sized phones.

Rumoured as the Xperia ZU or Xperia Z Ultra, the new device is purportedly teased in an upcoming event invite pictured above. Consistent with Xperia Z’s omni-balance design, it retains the similar design language and button design as its current flagship model.

In terms of specs, the front 6.44″ display is said to be using IPS LCD with a Full HD resolution of 1920×1080, which gives it 342ppi. Powering the device is said to be a Quad-core Qualcomm 800 processor running at 2.2GHz which is mated with 2GB of RAM. Other details include an on-board 16GB storage with microSD expansion and a rather large 3,000mAh battery. In terms of camera, it is said to be using a more modest 8MP shooter for the rear and a front facing 1.3MP shooter. If the rumoured details are true, this would be an upmarket competitor of the recently announced 6.3″ Samsung Galaxy Mega.

[ SOURCE, 2 ]

There’s a saying that the best Camera is the one that’s with you. Now it seems that Samsung is taking that phrase seriously with the introduction of Galaxy S4 Zoom, a smart phone with a full fledged compact camera (or vice versa). Announced yesterday, the Galaxy S4 Zoom offers mid-range spec hardware with a dual-core 1.5GHz processor with 1.5GB of RAM and it comes with a 4.3″ qHD AMOLED display.

Blowing away other smart phones is its 16MP main camera with a 10X Optical zoom (24mm-240mm) and Xenon flash. You can read up the full spec details in our previous post here.

To demonstrate the Galaxy S4 Zoom in action, Samsung has just released its official promo video showing off its usability and smart features. Watch it after the break.

[ SOURCE ]