DiGi has made a drastic change on its Galaxy Nexus offering after more than a week of its pre-launch sales. They have stopped offering the device from RM1,399 with 12 and 24 months options completely. Now the device is offered at RM1,999 with just RM100 off.

Just like the iPhone 4S deals, the new offer subsidises less on the phone but they give extra rebates on the monthly subscription instead (RM28 for DG Smart Plan 48 and RM38 for DG Smart Plan 68). In terms of contract period, DiGi now only offers a single option of 24 months duration. It also appears to be no upfront payment required since you’re paying almost full retail price for the device.

So how does this affect the overall cost? If we compare with the previous plan, it is much higher overall. For the current 24 months DG Smart Plan 48, the cost of ownership is RM1,999 (Device) + RM672 (Subscription) which totals up to RM2,671 (previously RM2,581). On 24 months DG Smart Plan 68, now it costs RM1,999 (Device) + RM2,911 (subscription) that totals up to RM2,911 (previously RM2,551). All prices are after auto-billing rebates.

Overall, those that have ordered earlier would have gotten a better deal overall especially those that took up the 24 months DG Smart Plan 68 option. For more information, head over to DiGi.

Thanks to @weisheatan for the alert on twitter!

If you have the time, you should really check out this interactive video the people at DiGi have put up on YouTube. If you don’t have the time, drop whatever you’re doing and make time. It’s really worth a look.

In the video, you follow the story of J.P who has a spooky encounter with the supernatural kind, as you go through the video, you’re presented A or B choice to help J.P survive his gila scary night (Note to mobile viewers, the options will not be available on YouTube mobile. Doesn’t work on iPad as well. So you’ll need to watch the video on your computer if you want to watch the video all the way to the end).

The video is of course promoting DiGi’s Gila Internet sale but instead of the run-of-the-mill humdrum ad, DiGi opted for this really creative approach to get us to watch the video.

It’s genuinely scary, it’s funny and at the end of the video the message comes across loud and clear, as an added bonus, because the video is so entertaining some of you would want to share it with your friends, can’t ask for more from an ad really.

Thanks @841001 for the tip.

The Galaxy Nexus goes on sale today in Malaysia and naturally if you are planning to get one, you would want to know everything about the device before you plonk your hard-earned cash for the Google’s latest wonder device.

Naturally, we’re here to help. Welcome to the SoyaCincau.com Galaxy Nexus Buyers Guide. Listed here is probably everything you need and want to know about the Galaxy Nexus to help you make the right decision on whether to get one or not. If you are planning to get the Galaxy Nexus with a contract, we’ve got you covered as well with our plan-for-plan comparison between what Celcom and DiGi has to offer. We’ve even listed down all the Samsung Elite Partners (SEP) where you can get your Galaxy Nexus for easy reference.

So head on over to after the jump to know almost everything there is to know about the Galaxy Nexus in Malaysia.

Galaxy Nexus Plans
How much is the Galaxy Nexus?
RRP is RM2,099 although you can get it for as low as RM1,399 with DiGi 24-months and RM1,368 with Celcom 18-months. Check out the Celcom Plans here and the DiGi plans here.

How long is the warranty coverage?
12 months for device 6 months for battery from Samsung.

Are both the 16GB and 32GB versions available in Malaysia?
No, we only get the 16GB version. Currently only the LTE Galaxy Nexus has 32GB of on board storage.

Which operator offers the best deal overall?
Answer

I want to purchase the Galaxy Nexus outright without contract, where can I get one?
Currently, you can get the Galaxy Nexus from the SEPs listed at the end of this post.

About the Galaxy Nexus
Galaxy Nexus with Ice Cream Sandwich officially revealed
Galaxy Nexus Keynote
By the numbers: Galaxy Nexus & Motorola RAZR compared
Galaxy Nexus First Impressions
Galaxy Nexus Unboxing
Galaxy Nexus Teardown
Galaxy Nexus Sample Pictures
Galaxy Nexus Sample Video
Galaxy Nexus Super AMOLED Screen Scratch Test
Galaxy Nexus #2 on TIME’s Top Ten Gadgets of 2011
Galaxy Nexus Commercials and How-To Videos

Everything about Face Unlock
Chief Android designer responds to Face Unlock issue
Clarification on the Ice Cream Sandwich Face Unlock video

Galaxy Nexus – The Fun Stuff
Nexus Ninjas Unbox the Galaxy Nexus
Viral video praises the Galaxy Nexus at the expense of the iPhone 4S

List of Samsung Elite Partners:

PJ/Sunway
Convergence Gadget Sdn Bhd – SK 2A 2nd Floor, 1 Utama Shopping Centre, Bandar Utama, 47800 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Netzcom (M) Sdn Bhd – Kiosk K-G13, Grd Flr Digital Mall, No.2 Jalan 14/20 Seksyen 14 46100, PJ, Selangor
Welfon Telecommunication Sdn Bhd – Unit No. F1.38, First Floor, Sunway Pyramid, Bandar Sunway, 46150
Petaling Jaya, Selangor

KL
AMS Mobility Sdn Bhd – Lot 1-TC 1-31A, 1st Floor, Low Yat Plaza, 55100 Kuala Lumpur
Welfon Telecommunication Sdn Bhd – Lot No T-242A Third Floor The Gardens Mid Valley Megamall, 59200 KL
BBS Distribution – GB-12, 1st Floor Sg Wan Plaza, Jalan Sultan Ismail 50250 Kuala Lumpur

Puchong
Welfon Telecommunication Sdn Bhd – Lot GK09 Ground Floor, IOI Mall, Batu 9 Jalan Puchong, Bandar Puchong Jaya, 4710 Puchong, Selangor

Seri Kembangan
Ocean Eleven – Unit No. L4-31, The Mines, Jalan Dulang, Mines Resort City, 43300 Seri Kembangan, Selangor

Klang/Shah Alam
Ashita Communication Sdn Bhd – No1, Ground Floor Klang Parade, No:2112 KM2, Jalan Meru 41050 Klang
KTS Cellular Sdn Bhd – No.8 & 10, Jalan Goh Hock Huat, 41400 Klang Selangor
Ashita Communication Sdn Bhd – 3rd Floor Kiosk. No.3MPK 10-1, 01, 06, Alam Sentral Plaza, Shah Alam, Selangor

Seremban
Ashita Communication Sdn Bhd – Kiosk C6 Lot No. F-02, )4, 06 & 08 First Floor, Terminal One Shopping Centre, Seremban

Ipoh
Arrow Link Telecommunication Sdn Bhd – Lot G21, Tingkat Bawah, Greentown Mall, Jalan Hospital, 30450 Ipoh Perak
Life Choice Telecommunication Sdn Bhd – Lot F66 First Floor, Jusco Ipoh, Ipoh Perak

Johor
UI Mobile Sdn Bhd – Lot 1-08, KSL City Shopping Mall, Taman Abad, 80250 Johor Bahru, Johor
Incomm Marketing – S73, Aeon Jusco Terbau City Shopping Centrem Taman Desa Tebrau. 81100, Johor
TSM – Lots L3-201 & L3-202, Sutera Mall. Tmn Sutera Mall Utama, 81200, Johor Bharu, Johor

Melaka
Steven Tele-World Centre Sdn Bhd – Lot KG 6E, Ground Floor, Mahkota Parade 75000 Melaka

Kuantan
East Coast Tele – GCE-2, Ground Floor, Kuantan Parade, Jalan Haji Abdul Rahman, 25000 Kuantan, Pahang Darul Makmur

Kelantan
First Touch – GF02F & GK02C, KB Mall, Jalan Hamzah 15050, Kota Bahru Kelantan

Penang
Mobile Spirit Sdn Bhd – Lot 2C-K-06&07, First Avenue Shopping Center, Penang
Exclusive Telecommunication – 33-G-16, Prangin Mall, Jalan Dr Lim Chwee Leong, 10100 Penang.

Kota Kinabalu
Skytrek – S-113, 2nd Floor, 1 Borneo Shopping Complex, Jalan Sulaiman, 88450 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
Northern Point – 170-03-29, Persiaran Gurney, 3rd Floor, Gurney Plaza, 10250 Penang.

Kuching
Easy Cell – Lot 222, 2nd Floor Wisma Saberkas, Jalan Green. 93100 Kuching, Sarawak

Update: At 1625hrs DiGi announced via Twitter that services in affected areas in Petaling Jaya and Damansara has been fully restored.

If you’re using DiGi and are in Petaling Jaya and Damansara and are currently experiencing problems getting connected to the internet and, making and receiving phone calls, well then you’re not alone.

As it turns out the DiGi is currently having issues with its network in Petaling Jaya and Damansara. We can’t determine how many customers are affected by this but the fact that DiGi has made a public announcement about the issue via its Twitter account indicates to us that the issue is something that affects a lot of people.

DiGi is currently undergoing an ambitious network upgrade exercise. Whilst this is going on, DiGi say subscribers can expect intermittent network disruption but referring to the update schedule posted by DiGi, upgrades in Petaling Jaya should have been completed by December 16. In the schedule, DiGi assures that “there would be no service interruptions in your area if it is not listed in the Upgrade Schedule” and Damansara is currently not listed in the update schedule. It’s also worth pointing out that the schedule has not been updated since December 2.

With the network upgrade DiGi hopes to be the first LTE network in the country by the end of the year and also at the same time deliver a more robust and reliable 3G service to customers. While DiGi’s aspirations are indeed noble, we’re not sure if subscribers are patient enough to wade through the disruptions as DiGi sorts out its network. Chances are most won’t be.

UPDATE: Celcom finally reveals official Galaxy Nexus bundled plans. Details are the same however there’s no mention of RM60 rebate.

UPDATE 2: DiGi has made some drastic changes on their Galaxy Nexus offering. They no longer offer 12 months option and the offered device price is now RM1,999 with more rebates on the monthly subscription fee. Check out the latest comparison at the bottom of the post after the break.

Original Post Before 16th January
The highly anticipated Samsung Galaxy Nexus with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich will be officially available in Malaysia on Friday the 13th. DiGi has fired the first salvo by offering pre-orders ahead of launch from RM1399. Meanwhile Celcom too is expected to offer the Galaxy Nexus from as low as RM1368.

So what’s the difference between the 2? First is the contract duration where DiGi offers 12 & 24 months while Celcom offers 12 & 18 month options. Next is the subscription plan where both offerings are different.

On DiGi, the subscription fees are the lowest but that’s because it only comes with mobile internet data and calls & SMS are charged separately. This is perfect for those that hardly make much calls or SMS and rely greatly on mobile internet for communication with apps such as WhatsApp, FB Messenging and etc. For Celcom, all 3 plans on offer comes with bundled voice calls and SMS with its Celcom Exec plans.

So how much does it cost to own a Galaxy Nexus on these bundled plans? Read on for more.

We compared both plans from DiGi & Celcom and calculated the minimum cost of ownership. Obviously for DiGi you would be more likely incur more than the shown calculations below as calls and SMS are charged separately.

12 months

18 months

24 months

On Celcom, they are offering 6 months promo of RM10 rebate which effectively is RM60 extra rebate on all plan options. For DiGi, as usual they are offering RM5/month rebate if you opt for auto-billing. However if you do opt for the longer 24 months contract on DG Smart Plan 68, they are giving an extra RM15/month rebate for 24 months. That’s a total of RM480 savings and if you do the math, the effective subscription fee is only RM48/month for 3GB data during the contract period.

Do note that the Celcom figures are based on unconfirmed plan & pricing which is subject to change. There’s a small possibility that Celcom could change their promo rebates to counter DiGi’s offering. If you spot any mistakes, do alert us in the comments below.

UPDATE: We compare DiGi’s latest Galaxy Nexus Plan and Celcom’s official offering.

As you would noticed, DiGi no longer offers 12 months option which means that DiGi & Celcom do not compete in the same contract duration anymore. The biggest change is how DiGi offers the device where it no longer offers the Galaxy Nexus from RM1,399. Right now all Galaxy Nexus from DiGi are sold at RM1,999 with just RM100 subsidy but with rebated monthly subscription of RM20-RM30 off. If compared with DiGi’s earlier offer, the new plan is much higher than before. So those that have gotten it earlier will enjoy more savings.

12 months

18 months

24 months

DiGi has finally revealed its Samsung Galaxy Nexus pricing which is offered as low as RM1,399 with DG Smart Plan. Outright, the Galaxy Nexus with its Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich OS is priced at RM2,099. The bundled pricing and contract options as follows:

DG Smart Plan 48 (12 months) – RM1,749
DG Smart Plan 48 (24 months) – RM1,549

DG Smart Plan 68 (12 months) – RM1,649
DG Smart Plan 68 (24 months) – RM1,399

If you opt for DiGi autobilling, they will rebate RM5/month. On 24 months contract of DiGi Smart Plan 68, there’s additional RM15/month which gives it a total savings of RM480 inclusive of auto-billing rebate. Upon signing up, there’s advance payment required which ranges from RM50-RM500 depending on plan and duration.

Just like what they did with the iPhone 4S, you can pre-order now and have it delivered to you by next Friday on 13th January 2012. This is the most assured way to secure a unit once it is officially available in Malaysia. The other telco offering it next Friday is Celcom but so far there’s no official announcement or pre-registration exercise.

Head over to the DG Online Store to order.

Want to know more about the Galaxy Nexus? Check out our previous posts:
Galaxy Nexus First impressions
Galaxy Nexus Sample Photos
Galaxy Nexus Face Unlock

Since December 2011, DiGi has begun a network upgrade of epic proportions. DiGi says the exercise is the single most ambitious network modernisation the operator has embarked upon. That’s also indirectly saying that its network was probably not able to cope with the ever growing hunger for mobile data in Malaysia.

The upgrade is expected to continue through 2012 and within this period DiGi targets to upgrade over 400 sites a month on average. Once completed, a total of over 5,000 DiGi sites will have been upgraded.

DiGi says its “Tomorrow Network” will be Malaysia’s first LTE-equipped network by the end of 2012. At the same time the upgraded network will also expand existing EDGE and 3G coverage to 95.8% of the Malaysian population. In addition, DiGi also promises a more stable and environmentally friendly network once the year round upgrade is completed.

It’s certainly interesting to see what this new DiGi network can deliver to consumers. But we noticed that DiGi didn’t specifically put a number to how large its LTE network will be. Being Malaysia’s first publicly accessible LTE network is commendable but if it’s just a small coverage area confined to city centres, it wouldn’t be that useful either.

In this respect, Yes did an amazing job with its WiMAX network covering over 60% of the populated areas in West Malaysia from day one. What Yes did is a hard act to follow but it is not impossible and we’re pretty sure DiGi is aware of this. So we’re expecting DiGi’s LTE footprint to be considerable so that it will be practical.

While all this is fine and dandy, DiGi subscribers can expect some network disruption as the operator upgrade its network in stages. DiGi has put up an upgrade schedule where you can check which areas are currently being upgraded (thus will be prone to network disruptions). At time of writing, areas in Petaling Jaya, Shah Alam and Subang are affected. Do check the website periodically to see the latest areas affected by the upgrade.

We would like the information presented in the upgrade schedule to also include areas in which the upgrade works have been completed. This way, users can try the new network out for themselves and see if there are discernible increase in network performance and stability.

All the best in your network upgrade DiGi. To DiGi subscribers in the upgrade areas, do let us know if you noticed any difference in network performance and stability. Thanks!

For more on DiGi’s Tomorrow Network, click here.

DiGi is cranking up the beats by offering Beats Solo headphones for the first 5 customers that order the HTC Sensation XL from their online store. Normally out of the box, the Sensation XL is bundled with in-ear urBeats and the Beats Solo is an on-Ear headphone with a RM1030 price tag.

According to the T&Cs, the campaign will run until 11.59PM on 8th January so that’s 4 days to go. The 5 eligible subscribers are picked based on the first 5 that successfully purchased the HTC Sensation XL from the online store each day. Winners will be contacted by email in the next working day and the Beats Solo headphone will be shipped together with your Sensation XL order.

The Sensation XL which is sold RM2099 outright is offered as low as RM1399 with 24 months contract on DG Smart Plan 68. To recap on the specs, it comes with a large 4.7″ 800×480 display, 1.5GHz single core processor, 768MB RAM, 8MP Camera and a generous 16GB of storage.

For more information, head over to DiGi’s website.

UPDATE: Unconfirmed Celcom Galaxy Nexus plans.

UPDATE 2: DiGi starts pre-order of Samsung Galaxy Nexus from RM1,399.

If you’re looking for bundle offer for the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, you can now expect both DiGi & Celcom to offer the device at subsidised pricing with the usual plans like the Galaxy Note. As usual Maxis is still staying away from Android devices, except for its recent Motorola RAZR bundling.

So how much would the Galaxy Nexus go for on contract? Since the Galaxy Nexus is priced between the Galaxy S II and Galaxy Note, we are expecting the contracted pricing as follows:

• Celcom RM1150-RM1300 (on 18 months Celcom Exec 250)
• DiGi RM1249-RM1399 (on 24 months DG Smart Plan 68)

Originally planned for December release, the Galaxy Nexus is currently slated on the 13th January, which is just 2 Fridays away. For those who can’t wait, you can get a Galaxy Nexus from grey importers for as low as RM2040.

[ SOURCE ]

The Galaxy Nexus is the one of the earliest gadgets to look out for in 2012. Samsung has hinted that it will be available in Malaysia just before Chinese New Year and we are seeing grey importers selling it just slightly above RM2000.

For those that prefer to buy their gadgets with contract, DiGi seems be to dropping some hints on the Galaxy Nexus from a little tweet of theirs. The recent mention of it does arouse some expectation that telco will be offering it soon.

Previously, the predecessor model Nexus S was offered by Maxis for an ridiculously high price of RM2499 outright. Today Maxis is throwing its Nexus S for a special price of just RM799 outright while stocks last. Hopefully DiGi will bundle the Galaxy Nexus more competitively.

So how’s the Galaxy Nexus? Check out our hands-on first impression and sample shots taken from its 5MP camera.

[ SOURCE ]