Bags packed, flights booked, concert tickets in hand — now what? Whether you’re flying to Seoul for your favorite K-pop group’s comeback or exploring a new city, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 is here to make travel stress-free and unforgettable.
Before You Go: Your AI-Powered Travel Planner
With the thinnest and lightest Galaxy Z Fold yet, planning is effortless. Just press and hold the side button to activate Gemini and say:
“Recommend a 4-day, 3-night itinerary including a K-pop concert and save it to Samsung Notes.”
Gemini will whip up a custom plan, complete with fan cafés, trainee-era hangouts, and must-visit spots. Not sure what to pack? Show Gemini your outfit options via camera sharing on Gemini Live — it’ll consider weather and your activities so you avoid overpacking.
Gate to Stage: AI Navigation on Demand
Landing in an unfamiliar airport with luggage? Ask Gemini:
“What’s the fastest and most affordable route to my hotel carrying two suitcases?”
In seconds, it displays train, bus, and taxi options with fares, travel times, and transfer info — no frantic Googling required.
Exploring Seoul: Tradition Meets Tech
Kick off your trip at Bukchon Hanok Village. With Flex Mode, you can rest the Z Fold7 on a ledge and capture perfect vlog shots — no tripod needed. Got photobombers? Photo Assist with Suggest Erase removes them instantly. Compare before-and-after shots side-by-side for that perfect Instagram post.
At K-beauty stores, Gemini Live translates Korean product labels (with emojis for extra clarity!) and can recommend the top picks for your skin type.
Main Stage Moments: Up Close from Anywhere
Even from the nosebleeds, the 200MP rear camera brings your idols into crystal-clear focus. The 10MP 100° front camera fits all your concert friends in frame, while Nightography keeps your low-light shots sharp and vibrant.
Editing on the Go
On the flight home, transform your Galaxy Z Fold7 into a mini editing suite. With Audio Eraser, remove background crowd noise so your videos sound as good as they look.
Why Galaxy Z Fold7 is the Ultimate Travel Sidekick
This isn’t just a phone — it’s your planner, translator, photographer, and editor in one sleek foldable. Wherever your wanderlust takes you, Galaxy Z Fold7 keeps up.
Launch Promotions (Until 31 August 2025)
Galaxy Z Fold7 — From RM7,799 with:
Double storage upgrade (worth RM600)
Samsung Reservation+ Voucher (RM210)
Samsung Care+ (worth up to RM999)
CIMB Rebate (RM400)
Enhanced Trade-In (up to RM500)
Plus, bundle with Galaxy Watch Series for extra rebates and freebies.
The art of laundry cleaning, we have all been there and done that. You either love it or hate it, but it is a recurrent household duty that many Malaysian homeowners have to be accustomed to once they are living on their own without a helper. Did you know that about one third of Malaysian consumers do their laundry two or more times per week? That is a lot of washing, which can be a cause to inefficient time management and running up high energy bills. Top that with their busy lifestyles; and any spare minute would be spent wisely on social matters, rather than having to wait around 1.5 hours to wash a full load in the washing machines.
Just as we thought nothing could have been done to speed up the process, Samsung goes a step further to bring us QuickDrive™, an industry game-changer that redefines the meaning of quick laundry without compromising washing performance. This is not an understatement, as on its Super Speed setting, a daily load of laundry completes in just 39 minutes! This is a major step forward for the industry and a pocket-friendly novelty, as users can now maximise their time productively to get more things done in a day, while saving cents and energy. A once dreaded chore can now be a chore that we all love.
But what exactly is QuickDrive™?
Outstanding Laundry Technologies for Improved Washing Performance
Beyond cutting washing time by 50%, QuickDrive™ reduces energy usage by 20%2, giving consumers the luxury of saving both time and cost. This washing technology by Samsung has been tested by Intertek, the world’s largest testing and inspection organisation, which concluded that the level of cleaning performance and fabric care is at the same level as existing, high-quality washing machines.
What makes QuickDrive™ so unique from conventional washers is its Q-Drum™ technology whichconsists of a large main drum and a plate that rotates independently. Unlike other washers, clothes going through Samsung’s QuickDrive™ are moved from the top to bottom in the drum, while the plate in the back of the drum introduces a back and forth movement. This creates a dynamic and revolutionary action powered by double forces that quickly, gently, and thoroughly remove dirt to deliver a fast yet intense and complete washing cycle.
Coupled with the brand’s innovative EcoBubble™ technology which provides powerful cleaning by mixing air and water to generate fine detergent bubbles that penetrate fabrics faster, Samsung’s washing machine with QuickDrive™ technology is also operable at low temperatures.
Smarter, IoT-Enabled Features for Extra Convenience
Throughout the washing cycle, QuickDrive™ offers a range of smart and convenient features, powered by its AI laundry assistant aptly named Q-rator. The assistant provides three key smart features to manage laundry more effectively and conveniently:
Laundry Planner enables consumers to manage a laundry’s finishing time, freeing consumers to control their schedule on their own terms.
Laundry Recipe gives automatic recommendations for optimal wash cycles based on the information inputted by the user, thus eliminating the need for guessing which cycle works best.
HomeCare Wizard monitors the washer by remote, proactively alerting users about potential problems and providing quick troubleshooting support.
Apart from that, QuickDrive™ is equipped together with Samsung’s innovative AddWash™, a feature that gives users the ability to add items in at any time during the cycle. With this option, users now have more freedom and flexibility in their laundry chores. From a forgotten sock to delicate fabrics that only need to go in later, AddWash™ even allows users to add additional detergent or fabric softener afterwards. This combination of Q-rator and AddWash™ creates a synergistic effect that further enhances convenience and as a whole, a much more pleasant user experience.
Designed for Higher Performance Durability
The QuickDrive™ washing machines have been designed for long-lasting performance. Equipped with Samsung’s Digital Inverter Technology, this latest washing machine significantly reduces noise and energy consumption while providing exceptional durability towards washing performance and fabric care, anytime.
It additionally uses a Ceramic Heater+, a new type of anti-adhesion coating which ensures up to 55% less scale build-up than conventional ceramic heaters, thus helping the heater to maintain its performance for longer with more durability.
Award-Winning Technology and a Major Step Forward in Laundry Innovation
Samsung’s QuickDrive™ technology has received its deserved recognition for revolutionising the industry. At the recent Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS) 2018, the front load washer won the Smart Home Technology award for its high performance and efficiency. With QuickDrive™, consumers have the extra convenience and are now able to enjoy more time away from laundry.
The QuickDrive™ is now available in Malaysia, starting at a recommended retail price of RM3,999. For more information about Samsung’s QuickDrive™ technology, please visit http://www.samsung.com/my/quickdrive/.
Samsung Members is giving users a chance to win an extravagant, gastronomic Dinner In The Sky experience, right in the heart of Kuala Lumpur!
Imagine being suspended at a height of 150ft, while enjoying a five-star, three course meal with your plus one, surrounded by a breathtaking perspective of the cityscape.
Now, this surreal experience could be yours in a matter of minutes!
All you have to do is to snap and upload a photo of yourself enjoying a coupon from Samsung Members and voila – you will be in the running to win a pair of coveted hot seats. It’s that simple!
From now till the 29th of April 2018, participate in the in-app contest by following these steps: Step 1: Select and redeem an ‘On-The-Spot Coupon’ Step 2: Take a creative photo of yourself enjoying the coupon Step 3: Upload the photo onto the Samsung Members contest card Step 4: Await the Announcement of Winners!
The Samsung Galaxy A8(2018) is Samsung’s most up-to-date mid-range device till date. It is targeted for those who would want premium-ness without having to sacrifice to much for a decent price. This simply means if you want to get the Samsung Galaxy S8 but if it is too costly, the A8(2018) isn’t too far behind. We have been using this phone for about 2 weeks as a daily driver and have come up with a proper user-based review.
Display & Design
This device comes with an edge-to-edge Super AMOLED Infinity Display. Nevertheless, we are all aware about Samsung’s capability of having the best displays in smartphone and how favorable it is to its consumers. The colors are rich and brightness could go really bright and even could dim pretty low compared to any other brands for low-light usage. The display is 5.6-inches with a resolution of 1080 x 2220 and resulting in a pixel density of 441ppi.
In terms of the design language, there are plenty of premium touches all-round. The back is made of glass while the frame is constructed of metal. Volume rockers are placed on the left while the power button lies on the right. Speaker is also placed on the right side of the phone which sits just above the power button. There is no dedicated Bixby button unfortunately but it could be a good thing to not have that for some consumers who barely relies on it.
There are two SIM card slot’s which are placed differently, one lies on the top of the phone while another on the right side of the phone. The top one has an additional slot for the microSD card which makes life easier as we could insert two SIMs and 1 microSD card simultaneously. On the bottom, we have the USB Type-C charging port which supports Samsung’s Adaptive Fast Charging technology. Not to forget the 3.5mm earphone jack which is placed beside the charging port which still makes wired music live long.
On the back, the Camera and Fingerprint reader is placed on the middle accompanied with LED flash. This is of course the latest placement of Fingerprint reader from Samsung rather than the traditional placement which is on the home button as well as the “not so favorable placement on the S8”. Overall, the “all black” version that we have with us is extremely attractive and be prepared for your friends to mistaken it for the S8.
Software & Performance
The A8(2018) comes out of the box with Android 7.1.1 Nougat rather than the latest Android Oreo. It is quite surprising that it did not come with that instead but Samsung has already scheduled for its release by Q1 of 2018. So let’s just keep calm and wait for the stable version of Oreo for our phone. This phone comes with the latest Android skin-on from Samsung which is Samsung Experience 8.5. Almost everything you find in S8 comes over here too such as the Always On Display, active fingerprint scanner and the overall smoothness of interface itself.
One of the features that you find on the A8(2018) will be the way you want the navigation bar to be. The orientation can be the default one which is Back – Home – Recents or Recents – Home – Back. This is actually good for those who have been using any other brand which could have different button placement.
The Always On Display can be customized as per below screenshots but the best part would be where we could schedule for its timing on when it could be activated and when it can be automatically disabled. Simply setup a time period such as for it to be on from 7am to 12am. Once you’re on the bed, the Always On Display will be already disabled which allows you to save the battery.
True multitasking such as the Multi-Window exists on the A8(2018). You can use two applications at the same time without having minimize and waste time switching from one application to another. Dual Messenger is also another feature which Samsung offers on the A8(2018). You can use two Facebook, WhatsApp, Messenger and any other supported applications at one time. Some might not even be using this feature, but for those who are business orientated would find this feature as an added advantage. On top of the fingerprint unlock, there is also face unlock which isn’t really safe to use as it can be a gimmick as people can use your photo to unlock it, but then again you have it as an additional feature.
Under the hood, this smartphone is powered by Samsung’s very own Exynos 7885 processor which has two A73 cores clocked 2.2GHz and six A53 cores clocked at 1.6GHz. This isn’t the best mid range processor out there but it could fall at second place behind the Snapdragon 660. There was almost no noticeable lags during our usage and since this chip is build based on 14nm process, the power optimization is pretty good and results in a good battery life. The A8(2018) comes with 4GB of RAM which boosts the performance as well as 32GB of internal storage.
Camera
How good is the camera on the A8(2018)? Well it did just about right. For the main rear camera, it comes with 16MP sensor paired with f1.7 aperture. There is no OIS(optical image stabilization) but fortunately still comes with PDAF(phase detection auto focus). If you are familiar with Samsung’s camera application, there’s nothing new here as the layout and features are the same. Swiping down will switch from back to front camera/vice versa, swiping right enables you to choose from different modes such as Auto, Pro, Panorama, Hyperlapse,Night, Food or you can download even more modes via Galaxy Apps. Swiping left allows you to choose the readily made filters. Below are some photos taken directly from the A8(2018) without any editing.
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As for the front selfie camera, there are two of them. One is 16MP while the other is 8MP with both of them having f1.9 aperture and fixed focus.
There is a feature called Live Focus which allows you to take images with blurred background and truly works great! Perhaps this is one of the best selfie camera after ages which does not rely heavily on beautification. The blurry effect does not look artificial as it actually works of smoothing the edge rather than having automatic software correction which always tend to mess up our photos.
Before
After
There is no 4K video recording as it is only limited to Full HD recording of up to 30fps on the A8(2018). All the video resolution comes with EIS (electronic image stabilization) except for one option where you can capture 2220 x 1080 video but no stabilization will be present.
Battery Life & Network
This smartphone comes with a non removable 3000mAh battery which supports Adapative Fast Charging. Thanks to the 14nm process based processor, you will end up having a decent battery life. Charging about 30/35% will take roughly about 25/30 minutes.
The A8(2018) could last slightly more than a day but won’t be able to last for entire two days. This is actually pretty good despite having only 3000mAh. Our usage is based on full usage of social networks/email/light usage for PUBG mobile as well as videos and music. The Always On Display was set to “always on” during our battery life test.
As for the network, both SIM slots support up to 4G LTE and if you’re a person who have started using VoLTE, yes you have it too. We have been using Digi’s network and it worked flawlessly on both calls and mobile data. The feature that only exists on most Samsung phones is Download Booster, which allows you to download large files(above 30MB) by using both WiFi and LTE at the same time. How awesome is that and how many of you were aware of this?
Samsung Pay
Well, most of you might be still hesitating or unaware of this feature. You can now make fast and secure payments with your device virtually anywhere instead of carrying your cards around. Although it is not widely used in Malaysia, but some top brands are already offering its availability. So you can actually go ahead and try it once you purchase your favorite Samsung smartphone which comes with Samsung Pay, thanks to its NFC technology which exists on the A8(2018).
For the list of shops that supports Samsung Pay, visit the following LINK
iP68 Dust Proof & Water Resistant
For the price tag that you are going to pay, of course you would want a special feature to exist in your smartphone right? The A8(2018) is indeed Dust and Water Resistant. You can use it while you’re swimming or even while taking your shower. Most mid-range smartphone out there lacks this particular feature, so please do not judge the A8(2018) just by the price tag as you get few premium stuff for a mid-ranger.
Conclusion
The Samsung Galaxy A8(2018) is a must by smartphone if you have the budget for it. You get almost everything from the flagship Samsung series with very little to sacrifice. You might argue that there are already a lot of phones looking similar to iPhone X with notch display, but how many of them are iP68 certified? In the end, it all comes to personal preference and what the priorities are. If you always wanted to have a water resistant smartphone with the Samsung branding on it and not a huge spender, this is the smartphone for you.
The Samsung Galaxy A8(2018) is priced at RM1799 and you could get it even cheaper if you opt to purchase it online such as below from LAZADA. Available in three color options – Gold, White and Black.
RM1649 – LAZADA. – not a sponsored or affiliate link.
In line with the aims to create positive change, responding to people’s needs around the world, and enriching their lives with its innovation and global network, Samsung Malaysia Electronics announced its participation as an official corporate sponsor for WWF-Malaysia’s Earth Hour initiative this year.
Last Saturday, on the 24th March 2018, 170 employees of Samsung Malaysia Electronics took part in WWF-Malaysia’s annual Earth Hour Night Walk, representing Samsung’s vision for a sustainable future and lifestyle for the environment. Held in Petaling Jaya, participants walked a 2.5 km route that started and ended at Sunway Giza Mall, Kota Damansara, in support of WWF’s annual global initiative.
“During Earth Hour each year, we see the whole world unite in conveying their support for the planet’s conservation. As Samsung promotes sustainable social development and support communities to create a better world, we are pleased to be a part of WWF’s mission in raising awareness on the importance of conserving our planet,” said Mr Yoonsoo Kim, President of Samsung Malaysia Electronics.
Earth Hour 2018, organised and led by WWF, is a movement which aims to spark conversation and raise environmental awareness on climate change and staggering biodiversity loss. By switching off all lights for just one hour a year, this movement is also a sign of support for environmentally sustainable actions.
Samsung has always recognised the importance of conservation and has been a supporting party of WWF over the years. Adding on to that, WWF’s conservation efforts are also largely aligned to the tech company’s sustainability strategy in driving greater energy efficiency and savings across its business environment.
“As a leading corporation in the technology industry, Samsung’s on-going vision is to create a positive change and help its surrounding communities exist in a harmonious and ecological environment. Hence, by sending our employees to participate in this Earth Hour event, this will continue to build momentum towards a renewable future and sustainable lifestyle. We hope that our actions and partnership with WWF will set an example for all of our fans, consumers, and peers to take accountability for their ecological footprint and protect the planet,” added Mr Kim.
We have tested in our lab the all new Samsung Galaxy A7, 2017 edition and we would like to start with the best statement regarding the smartphone. It is definitely the cheaper version of the legendary flagship smartphone Samsung Galaxy S7. We got very comfortable with it within a very short period despite getting used to Samsung’s UI again after a long break. How well did the Galaxy A7(2017) performed in our review? Find out by reading the entire review and please do take note that we only perform day to day based on real time happenings as a customer’s point of view. This is our full review of the Samsung Galaxy A7(2017) that we have used as a daily driver for two weeks.
Design & Display
When price gets cheaper, our first impression will be “Surely they gonna make the design ugly and use cheaper materials”. But wait, you would have guessed it wrong as it looks exactly like, perhaps the Note 5. Front and back is protected with Corning Gorilla Glass 5, with the front being 2.5D while the back has the exact same curved glass edges like the Note 5. There is a 5.7-inch Full HD display with Super AMOLED technology made available on the Samsung Galaxy A7(2017). The display quality is definitely gorgeous as we all know how good are Samsung smartphones when it comes to AMOLED based displays.
The frame is made out of high quality aluminium unibody. The positioning of slots could be slightly new for some people. There’s one SIM slot on the top of the phone while the speaker is placed on the right side of the A7,on top of the power button. Not to forget, the buttons are exteremely tactile and we love just how responsive they are. The speaker positioning is good in our opinion as it’s definitely a better position than having it at back of a smartphone and even at the bottom, because we tend to hold the phone on landscape orientation with hand placed on the top and bottom. Great thinking, Samsung.
Uniform all around
“Design that is a delight to hold. Sitting perfectly level with the rear casing, the absence of any camera protrusion allows for uniformly smooth and symmetrical design from all angles.”
The volume rockers are placed on the left side while the charging port which is USB Type-C is placed at the bottom of the phone accompanied with the 3.5mm jack. (Yes, we still have it for now, at least on the A series). The fingerprint scanner is placed on the front home button which is click-able while the usual capacitive backlit buttons of “recent applications” and “back” are still present.
Lastly, on the front top there’s the front facing camera, ear-piece and proximity sensor while on the back there’s the main camera placed at the middle top paired with single LED flash. The camera is placed really nice without bulging out at all. This ensures that you can place it on a flat top and still use the smartphone firmly.
Water and Dust Resistant (IP68)
Again as we would love to see the features coming straight from Samsung Galaxy S7 series, there’s also IP68 certification given to the Samsung Galaxy A7(2017). This smartphone is now dust and water resistant for a really decent level.
To have an easier understanding on how what these ratings stand for, kindly refer the following:-
Dust Resistant level 6
6
Dust Tight
No ingress of dust; complete protection against contact.
Water Resistant level 8
8
Immersion beyond 1m
The equipment is suitable for continuous immersion in water under conditions which shall be specified by the manufacturer. Normally, this will mean that the equipment is hermetically sealed. However, with certain types of equipment, it can mean that water can enter but only in such a manner that it produces no harmful effects.
We have tested it just right especially during a daily usage of cleaning the phone up after going through a day full of fingerprints and dirt. We got rid of it as simple as washing it up and dry it later with a towel. Believe us, it is much cleaner than you wiping it off without involving any liquid. Going through harsh environment such as you have to take out your phone while it is raining is surely possible with the all new Galaxy A7.
Of course we have not tried going to a place where it is extremely dusty or rather full of sand such as the desert itself, but the A7 is still capable of handling such environment. So, we do hope we have explained enough on the IP68 rating. Oh, yes you can surely swim and take photos with it. Screen will be definitely not possible to press while you’re underwater, but you can use the volume rockers instead to snap sharp images even when you’re in the water!
How good is the camera?
The Samsung Galaxy A7(2017) features great hardware when it comes to camera department. Both front and back camera comes with a 16MP sensor alongside an aperture of f1.9 which allows a great amount of light to enter. This results in a clearer image especially during low-light situations.
The camera is obviously not as good as the one comes on Galaxy S7, however it does produce unbelievable images on Auto mode. There is also the Pro mode where you can tweak around the White Balance and the ISO levels. There is no manual focus available on the Pro mode which could have given an added advantage though many are not actually a fan of having it. Most end-users are the ones prefer to have a camera in a smartphone which can capture great images on Auto mode.
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Both front and back cameras are great performers while the front camera has “Screen Flash” rather than having a physical front facing LED flash. It works by flashing a bright white screen while you actually capture the image. This results in a brighter and actually better image than some with front facing flash. It might sound like a gimmick, but it serves its point and works flawlessly.
Check out our mini preview of the camera features that comes along with the Samsung Galaxy A7. Do take note that the video recording is up to Full HD and there is no 4K recording available in this model. The “Food” mode is our favorite because it really takes photo of food in a whole new level.
Samsung Pay
This is a feature that we are yet to try as there feature is still under “coming soon”. However, we have tested this during the launch event where you just have to swipe up on the screen, the card will pop out virtually on the display.
In order to authenticate, simply place your fingerprint on the fingerprint scanner. Lastly, you just have to tap your back of the phone on the terminal for the payment to be successful. This is only possible with Samsung smartphones that comes with NFC technology. Please do take note on why the Samsung Galaxy A7(2017) might cost you a little bit more than the previous version. There are a lot of upgrades and value-added features for the consumers to enjoy rather than paying above RM2000 for it.
Dual separate SIM slot + MicroSD card slot
A dream come true for those who want a dual SIM supported device with a dedicated slot for the micro SD card. The Samsung Galaxy A7 allows you to expand the memory up to 256GB without having to sacrifice a SIM slot as it comes with a standalone slot. You can now enjoy two SIM cards as well as one micro SD card in a single device.
Both the slots support 4G LTE connectivity and you can definitely use YES 4G’s VOLTE technology on this Samsung smartphone. We tested our device on Digi’s network as well and it worked flawlessly. The network did not fluctuate much during our usage and the call quality can be rated as excellent.
Always On Display and USB Type-C
Fancy the famous Always On Display on the Samsung Galaxy S7? You have it on the A7 now! This is one of our favorite feature as it is really handy. You can customize it to show the Clock, Calendar or even any preferred image that you want to display. The notifications will be shown by default on the Always On Display which you can also turn it off if you dislike it. Obviously we all would love to keep that on as that is the main catch of why we should have Always On Display on a smartphone.
We have something new that even the Samsung Galaxy S7 lacks. What is that? It is the USB Type-C! Well, we love having the latest connection port available on mobile smartphone to present on the A7. It is of course reversible, meaning you can use either sides that you slot it into the phone.
Processor & Storage
The Samsung Galaxy A7(2017) comes with Samsung’s very own Exynos 7880 Octa core processor clocked at 1.9GHz. Of course, its a flagship grade as well since its based on 14nm process. In terms of stability, it is pretty good and we are yet to see any sluggishness or any force close issues as well.
The 3GB of RAM certainly helps the phone to run buttery smooth. The Touchwiz has gone through massive upgrades and is considered one of the recently favored Skin On by local consumers. There are bloatwares within the smartphone which you can disable if you decide to find it annoying at some point.
Gaming on the A7 is pretty decent and of course we don’t really game on mobile phones. However, to satisfy your cravings, we have made Benchmark test via Antutu.
ANTUTU Benchmark
Software & Multitasking
For usage such as web browsing, multitasking and social networking, this is definitely the phone to consider. You can use Multiwindow feature for real time multitasking where you can use two applications simultaneously. You can also minimize a Youtube video to your preferred size and continue replying your email if you want to.
Just a reminder, there are still smartphones out there that are not capable of offering these features yet. Not to forget, you can use up to 5 apps simultaneously. having “chat head” concept of Facebook Messenger. This is the real meaning of multitasking and you can barely sense any lag while using 5 apps in one shot. You can only get these feature on Samsung’s Touchwiz powered by Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow.
Battery at it’s best
The battery life on the Samsung Galaxy A7(2017) is extremely good. It comes with a non-removable 3600mAh battery which is powered for serious users. We managed to get around 8 hours of Screen-On-Time! with it lasting for two days. Of course, we did not play any games during this test. It was solely about replying emails, social network all the way and web browsing via Chrome.
In order to satisfy the end user’s cravings, Samsung have included Adaptive Fast Charging adapter which can produce up to 15W!. Having a Type-C enabled smartphone with fast charging is what we want. Future proof at its best. Also, if you are in trouble of having to charge while you’re outside, your friends could still offer their Powerbank with regular microUSB cable.
This is because Samsung has bundled along microUSB connector which you can carry along, just in case of emergency. Thank you for that Samsung!
Final Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy A7(2017) is a great smartphone to consider for the year 2017. There’s not many phone out there that are water and dust resistant. You might have to pay RM1899 for this beast, you won’t really disagree with the price tag if you have read what we mentioned above in our review. If you find the 5.7-inch display is too big for you, might as well consider the Samsung Galaxy A5(2017) which is slightly smaller sized at 5.2-inches. But if you want a greater battery life, do consider the A7 instead as the A5 comes only with 3000mAh battery capacity.
Price, Color & Availability
The Samsung Galaxy A7(2017) is priced at RM1899 inclusive of GST. It is widely available nationwide and Malaysia is the first country to have the new A series launched. The A7 is available in 4 colors, Black Sky, Gold Sand (the one we reviewed), Blue Mist and Peach Cloud. Get one for yourself by visiting Samsung’s official store in Lazada ===> LINK
It’s a whole new year with a whole new bunch of gadgets coming up in your news feed. One that went pretty viral was the official launch of Samsung Galaxy A5 and Samsung Galaxy A7 (2017) variants. Malaysians went pretty crazy about it as we are the first country in the world to get these two being officially launched.
A friendly reminder will be that A-series are always the mid-ranger whereby some who are not able to afford the flagship Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, you can opt for this one for a much lower price tag yet still packed with incredible features. Two things that S7 Edge is well known for will be the great camera and dust/water resistant. Samsung heard the feedback from their customers and felt that we should add the pinch into our mid-ranged A-series as this would be a great chance to own a flagship ranged smartphone with affordable price tag.
Probably a dream come true to some people out there. Best part is that the A7 and A5 feels premium nevertheless great build quality which you can expect from any IP68 certified smartphone out there, which is pretty limited. During the launch event that we attended, we managed to hold and try out the A7 and A5 which are amazing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjPPno2I_no
Before we get to the confirmed specifications, let us elaborate on the pre-order details:-
The period is from now to 15th of January and the best part about it is you will receive a FREE Level U Pro Wireless Headphone worth RM399. While stocks last.
There are two ways for you to place your pre-order:-
1.In-Store Pre-Order
Pre-order from now till 15th January 2017 and receive a FREE Level U Pro Wireless Headphone worth RM399. While stocks last.
Step 1: Walk in to your preferred participating Samsung outlet
Step 2: Fill in the required details on the pre-order form available
Step 3: Make a deposit of RM100
Step 4: Keep your “Customer’s Copy” receipt from the pre-order form
Step 5: Present the “Customer’s Copy” receipt and identification card at the same pre-order participating outlet and pay the balance of the amount during collection of your new Samsung Galaxy A (2017) from 25th January till 19th February 2017
The Samsung Galaxy A7 (2017) features a 5.7-inch Super AMOLED display with Full HD resolution and Corning Gorilla Glass 4 protection on the front and back since it has a 3D glass back design. Under the hood, this smartphone is powered by Samsung’s very own Exynos 7880 Octa core processor clocked at 1.9GHz.
To enhance the device’s capability, there 3GB of RAM accompanied with 32GB of internal storage which is expandable up to 256GB via micro SD card slot which is present on the Galaxy A7 (2017). Heading to the camera section, there’s 16MP camera on both the front and rear. Both of them come with f1.9 aperture which is great for capturing good low-light images. The front camera support Light+ Camera feature which works as an alternative of having a front facing flash.
This smartphones comes out of the box with Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow and will be definitely future proof despite update of Android Nougat coming real soon. The A7 (2017) is a dual sim device with the SIM tray being hybrid. Of course you get 4G LTE connectivity with the support of LTE-A that enables you to use YES 4G. The super fast fingerprint scanner is made available on the front home button.
Unique selling point of this smartphone will be its support of IP68. This ensures the phone could go through rough conditions as its Dust proof is rated at 6 while the rating of 8 represents its splash proof and a remarkable way of ensuring your Samsung Galaxy A7 to be safe from water spills and harsh environments. It is pretty hard to get a phone with such rating under RM2000, so this is definitely worth your money as well as reliability as it’s coming from Samsung. We all know how capable is the S7 Edge right?
Something worth mentioning would be its Super AMOLED Display. We definitely know how vibrant and sharp the images and videos from Samsung’s trademark display technology. Hence, this would be one of the best displays available out there for great movie and gaming pleasure.
The second best decision will be the battery capacity. You get a whopping 3600mAh of juice for the A7 (2017). On top of that, there’s fast charging as well. There’s definitely going to be enough battery that will last you at least two days. The speaker placement is good as well! It’s placed at the right side of the smartphone (above power button).
Lastly, do take note that this device has reversible USB Type-C port rather than the conventional one which is a good decision as it is getting pretty common and reliable these days. There’s two colors made available in Malaysia – Black Sky and Gold Sand while Blue Mist and Peach Cloud are coming soon to our shores. The Samsung Galaxy A7(2017) is priced at RM1899 inclusive of GST.
Samsung Galaxy A5(2017)
Pretty much as good as the A7(2017) as well. Notable differences will be its screen size of 5.2-inch and the battery capacity of 3000mAh. Everything else is exactly the same in terms of specifications. If you prefer a smaller and slightly cheaper alternative than the A7(2017), this one will be the right choice.
Same thing applies here in terms of colors made available for purchase and two more coming real soon. The Samsung Galaxy A5(2017) is priced at RM1699 inclusive of GST.
Samsung Pay enabled
If you haven’t heard of Samsung Pay, you can actually make purchases at places where credit, debit and prepaid cards are accepted. It is an easy-to- use and secure mobile payment service compatible with NFC (Near Field Communication) and MST (Magnetic Secure Transmission) terminals. Samsung Pay is currently performing an open beta test for selected Maybank Visa cardholders, with more banks such as CIMB Mastercard, Citibank Mastercard & Visa, Standard Chartered Mastercard & Visa to be made available soon.
There have been a lot of leaks going out here and there for the Samsung Galaxy A 2017 series with the specifications being kept private for a long time. In Malaysia, pre-order image has been released by Samsung Mobile Malaysia with the price placed at RM1899 for the Samsung Galaxy A7 while RM1699 for the Samsung Galaxy A5.
Below are the specification leaks that we have combined for the A7 (2017)
5.7-inch Full HD display
Corning Gorilla Glass 5
3GB of RAM
32GB of storage
USB Type-C
3500mAh battery with Fast charge
IP68 rated for dust and water resistant
16MP main camera with OIS and f1.8/f1.9 aperture
Exynos 7880 processor
Glass body with aluminium bezels
Let’s wait for the official launch which will be held on the 5th of January 2017 and find out the final specifications. The pre-order starts the day after until 15th of January 2017. The best part of the pre-order will be the free Level U Pro wireless headphones by Samsung which the retail price is RM399.
Stay tuned for further updates and we look forward for the most affordable water resistant smartphone.
The S Pen—the signature of the Galaxy Note series—provides an experience that extends beyond traditional writing and navigational capabilities.
In a world that is more digitally connected than ever before, keeping your personal data safe is essential. That’s why the Galaxy Note7 provides best-in-class security features, like the new iris scanning technology, familiar fingerprint scanning capabilities and Samsung’s trusted Knox security platform.
Samsung’s fingerprint scanning technology has been widely used to ensure device security and protection of data, such as mobile payment information on services like Samsung Pay. But with the Galaxy Note7, new iris scanning technology has been integrated to provide users with an additional form of authentication to reinforce security. With this innovative, highly-secure technology, users don’t even need to touch their phone to verify their identity; they simply need to look at the device’s screen to complete the scanning process.
For Your Eyes Only
Iris scanning is an automated method of biometric identification that uses mathematical pattern recognition of images of an individual’s iris, either from one or both eyes.
To obtain these images, an authentication device scans the iris—which is the thin, colored ring of the eye that opens and shuts the pupil like a camera shutter, thus regulating the amount of light that reaches the retina.
Each individual has a uniquely different and highly intricate iris pattern in each eye, which is completely developed at a very young age and remains unchanged throughout one’s lifetime. This, combined with the fact that iris patterns are almost impossible to replicate, makes iris scanning one of the most secure and reliable biometric techniques available.
As a result, it is widely being used for access control in pharmaceutical dispensing, border control and airport security. Samsung has had success with this technology with theGalaxy Tab Iris, a highly secure biometric device created for government organizations and enterprises in India.
Bringing Biometrics to the Smartphone
Once a user registers his or her iris information on the Galaxy Note7, it is stored as an encrypted code. When a user attempts to access content, such as a protected app, the infrared (IR) LED and Iris camera work together to capture the iris pattern for recognition, extract and digitize the pattern, and compare the digitized pattern with the encrypted code to verify access.
Samsung was able to apply two new components to enable iris recognition without sacrificing the design of the Galaxy Note7. To do so, the device was equipped with a dedicated iris camera, which utilizes a special image filter to receive and recognize the reflected images of the irises with a red IR LED light.
This red light allows for the best range for iris scanning. Furthermore, unlike traditional visible (or RGB) images, which can be affected by iris color or ambient light, infrared images display clear patterns and have low light reflection.
Samsung’s proprietary technology also makes use of the light emitted from the Galaxy Note7’s display so the scanner can receive data even in low light environments.
Together, these components ensure that iris readings are accurate and speedy. In fact, iris scanning requires fewer registration trials and results in fewer false acceptances than fingerprint scanning.
And with the Galaxy Note7, users get the peace of mind knowing that their iris data is encrypted and stored safely in the hardware by the Knox platform, just as fingerprint data has been stored in the past. Furthermore, only one person can register his or her iris information, which means that even if the device is stolen or lost and someone else is able to gain access to the smartphone, the user’s iris information won’t be compromised.
The IR LED of the Galaxy Note7 is also safe to use with no health implications associated with the technology, and received the highest International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 62471 (photo biological stability) certification level. In addition, the device will automatically switch off if it detects that the human eye is too close or exposed too long to the IR LED sensor.
All Eyes on Mobile Security
Leveraging this iris scanning technology, the Galaxy Note7 offers newly added services to provide an additional layer of security.
The first is Secure Folder, a separate folder that lets users manage private apps and files securely via fingerprint, iris scanner, pattern or PIN.
Users may leverage this service to keep private and personal data, such as banking information, completely separate on their smartphone. It’s also a great tool for parents who want to block access to specific games or content from their children. Secure Folder is easy to use and has few restrictions for content storing or app sharing on the device.
Another added security feature, Samsung Pass, enables users to quickly log into websites on the Samsung Internet Browser using biometric authentication. Because users don’t have to waste time constantly inputting a username or password, Samsung Pass adds an element of convenience to the latest addition of the Galaxy Note lineup.
In addition to secure storing and faster access, Samsung is also establishing partnerships with major financial institutions such as Bank of America, Citibank and U.S. Bank to explore the integration of the iris scanner into mobile banking apps.
But mobile banking is only the beginning. As developers start to make use of the device’s onboard iris scanner to enable the verification of transactions and other activities, Samsung’s iris scanning technology will expand to various industries.
As we continue to store and have access to more private and highly sensitive information on our phones, the Galaxy Note7 delivers the security users trust and the privacy they rely on.
For enterprise, iris scanning technology can also be used to authenticate access to Knox Workspace container that is a trusted by many of our enterprise customers to reinforce security via their corporate EMM solution of choice.
In collaboration with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and DC Entertainment, Samsung Malaysia Electronics today announced that 500 units of Galaxy S7 edge Injustice Edition will arrive on Malaysian shores on 17 June 2016.
The Galaxy S7 edge Injustice Edition set comes equipped with a sleek deep black Galaxy S7 edge, accentuated by gold detailing and an iconic bat insignia on the back, inspired by DC Comics’ Batman. The set additionally offers a Gear VR (Black Edition), Back Cover (Injustice Edition), as well as exclusive contents and services vouchers*.
Also to commemorate the third anniversary of the popular mobile game, Injustice: Gods Among Us, the companies came together to bring Samsung’s technology and one of the game’s central characters, Batman, in a suave, high-performance smartphone.
Developed from the ground up by award-winning NetherRealm Studios, the Injustice: Gods Among Us mobile game delivers stunning graphics and a completely unique fighting gameplay experience. The game features a collectible card mechanic and engages players in 3-on-3 tag team combat that features many of DC’s most iconic characters. The Injustice: Gods Among Us game is available as a free download on Google Play.
The Galaxy S7 edge Injustice Edition set is available for online order starting from 10am, 17 June 2016 at recommended retail price of RM4,099 (inclusive of 6% GST) at http://www.samsung.com/my/gs7injustice.
*Enjoy ‘Injustice’ game credit worth USD$100 and Oculus VR contents voucher worth USD$50 with each purchase of The Galaxy S7 edge Injustice Edition set.
Just like everyone, there are times that I have wondered “what are the best budget smartphones available out there for me to use as a second (spare) phone?” Best budget phone here means that something that not necessarily just to be used for the extra sim card that you have. It should be a smartphone with capability to at least do whatever your main smartphone could do. Of course not as a heavy performer, but imagine just in case you need to draft an email quickly without major noticeable lag. Other than that, let’s say you would want to use the Facebook app. In this case, it is the native app and not the Lite version of Facebook. Trust me there’s plenty of budget phones out there could not handle the memory usage of certain widely used apps.
For instance, let’s take the Samsung Galaxy V Plus as an example which has 512MB of RAM. This smartphone lags pretty bad and you can only use this phone solely for lightweight social messaging apps. There’s no chance for any phones with 512MB of RAM to have a decent usage with the Facebook native app.
For the sake of trying, I have even tried the Samsung Galaxy J1 Ace. Keep in mind that these phones are pretty new in the market and considered to be in the category of budget smartphones. On this smartphone, you get 768MB of RAM which is definitely better than 512MB. You can use this phone decently with of course there are noticeable lags here and there which makes your life slightly miserable depending on how patient you are.
Check out this table on how the apps use your RAM.
Running Aplication
Used RAM
Remaining RAM
Facebook
70MB
307MB Used by Running Apps 85MB Used by other apps/system 608MB RAM available
Twitter
60MB
Instagram
30MB
Whatsapp
23MB
Email
15MB
Path
9MB
BBM
100MB
Again, being undecided which budget smartphone to get, I came across an advertisement on the net about the newer yet cheaper version of the ASUS Zenfone GO (ZB452KG) . This one is pretty new which comes at 4.5-inch in size compared to the one we are quite familiar of which comes at 5-inch. The one and only area of specification that I usually care about in the first place will be the RAM of course. This 4.5-inch Zenfone GO (ZB452KG) by ASUS has 1GB of RAM.
Since this caught my interest, I went to the nearest ASUS centre near me and talked while trying out the new Zenfone GO (ZB452KG). I was caught by surprise as according to the salesman, there are two versions of Zenfone GO 4.5 (ZB452KG). One of them has VGA/5MP camera while the other has 2MP/8MP. Each of them priced at RM299 and RM329 respectively.
Another phone that I considered to get is the Wiko Lenny2. This phone has similar specifications as the ASUS Zenfone GO 4.5 (ZB452KG) as well, the price being not too bad either. But then, the only thing that comes to my mind between these two will be the establishment and after sales service. ASUS have been in this industry for quite some time and is widely used in Malaysia while Wiko just came into place. It could be better, but I prefer to play safe. J
Talking about established brands here in Malaysia, there’s also OPPO’s Neo 7. This phone is priced at RM798. The price is extremely high for a phone which comes with 1GB of RAM. Of course OPPO claimed that the price is high due to the availability of LTE on it.
There’s also Huawei’s very own Huawei Y541. This phone comes with 1GB of RAM and priced at RM339. This could be a possible choice to get as well. But then when I compare the Software version and the battery, there’s a huge gap compared to the ASUS. The ASUS Zenfone GO 4.5 (ZB452KG) comes with Android 5.0 Lollipop VS the Huawei which still comes with Android 4.4 KitKat. In terms of battery capacity, the ASUS has a bigger capacity at 2070mAh VS the Huawei at 1730mAh. Theoretically both are good brands, but when it comes to pricing and specifications, I don’t think you could get anything better than the GO series.
Almost forgot to mention, the frequently used apps these days only allow you to install them on the internal storage. The Samsung models mentioned packed and comes with only 4GB of internal storage. Why does this matter? Well, do not forget the Operating System itself will take up some space. For example the Android 5.0 Lollipop consumes 3GB of storage capacity, which leaves you with only 1GB of internal storage left. (Assuming your internal storage is only 4GB). As such the chances to get future updates and even the latest Android version 6.0 Marshmallow will be low as it will have insufficient storage space and the manufacturer would rather pass on the idea to make it available for those models.
Don’t ever look down on battery capacity. This is something that you should definitely prioritize when considering to get a smartphone. The numbers do matter. These days, the battery capacity shows clear difference on the overall battery life. For a smartphone to last at least a full day, you will need to have at least 2000mAh of battery capacity. Those with lower capacity could still reach the target, however you have to sacrifice a lot of usage time in order to preserve the battery life. You’re going to pay for this phone, might itself get something that excels in every perspective right?
Just check this table below and you will understand why I am just going to end up getting the ASUS.
Samsung Galaxy V Plus VS Samsung Galaxy J1 Ace VS ASUS Zenfone GO (ZB452KG) VS Wiko Lenny 2 VS Huawei Y541 VS OPPO Neo 7
Criteria
Samsung Galaxy V Plus
Samsung Galaxy J1 Ace
ASUS Zenfone GO (ZB452KG)
Wiko Lenny 2
Huawei Y541
OPPO Neo 7
Display
4.0-inch TFT (480 x 800)
4.3-inch AMOLED (480 x 800)
4.5-inch IPS (480 x 854)
5.0-inch IPS (480 x 854)
4.5inch IPS (480 x 854)
5.0-inch IPS (540 x 960)
Storage
4GB internal storage + Micro SD slot
4GB internal storage + Micro SD slot
8GB internal storage + Micro SD slot
8GB internal storage + Micro SD slot
8GB internal storage + Micro SD slot
16GB internal storage + Micro SD slot
RAM
512MB
768MB
1GB
1GB
1GB
1GB
Software
Android 4.4.2 KitKat
Android 4.4.4 KitKat
Android 5.1 Lollipop
Android 5.1 Lollipop
Android 4.4.1 KitKat
Android 5.1 Lollipop
Processor
1.2GHz SC7727S Dual Core
1.2GHz Cortex A53 Quad Core
1.2GHz Snapdragon 200 Quad Core
1.3GHz Mediatek MT6580M Quad Core
1.2GHz Cortex A7 Quad Core
1.2GHz Snapdragon 410 Quad Core
Battery
1500mAh removable
1900mAh removable
2070mAh removable
1800mAh removable
1730mAh removable
2420mAh non-removable
Camera
Main 3MP, Front VGA
Main 5MP, Front 2MP
Main 8MP, Front 2MP
Main 5MP, Front 2MP
Main 8MP, Front 2MP
Main 8MP. Front 5MP
Cellular Data
HSDPA+
LTE enabled
HSDPA+
HSDPA+
HSDPA+
LTE enabled
Price
RM265 onwards
RM364 onwards
RM329 onwards
RM299 onwards
RM339 onwards
RM798 onwards
Few of many attractive colors available for the ASUS Zenfone GO ZB452KG
Not only that, the design itself caught my mind. It does not look like a >RM300 smartphone. The design language looks very identical to the higher end Zenfone 2 series. One particular thing to take note is the brand itself does not mean it is going to be a better phone disregard of the specifications. The brand and specifications should be decent with a proper price tag. You pay for what you get, that’s how you should decide on getting any smartphone for your budget. List down the potential candidates, shortlist them to reduce the choice based on specifications. Lastly, choose the brand you think could be the most reliable among all those shortlisted.
In this day and age, many consumers dream of owning a refrigerator that keeps food fresher for longer. They wish for their fridge compartments to be odour-free, flexible in terms of space usage and energy-efficient. Malaysians need not look further as Samsung today introduced their two-door RT7000 Refrigerator with Twin Cooling Plus technology. Previewed last month at the Samsung Southeast Asia Forum 2016 held in Kuala Lumpur, Samsung continues to strive to bring the best features and top-of-the-line home appliances to every household.
Up until the two-door RT7000 Refrigerator, top-mounted refrigerators faced the challenge of keeping food fresh and odour-free due to the sharing of a single evaporator between the fridge and freezer compartments. As a result, odour mixture occurs between both compartments, affecting the freshness and taste of the food stored in the refrigerator. With the Twin Cooling PlusTM technology, the two-door RT7000 Refrigerator has an independent cooling system with two separate airflows catering to their respective compartments – this prevents the cross-flow of odours, maintaining the natural flavour of the food.
The Twin Cooling Plus technology ensures a constant optimum humidity level and ideal temperature. With a humidity level of up to 70% in the fridge, fruits and vegetables no longer need a dedicated vegetable box or extra wrapping to maintain their crunch and fresh condition, even days after their purchase. This feature enables the entire fridge to be used as a vegetable and fruit box, increasing storage capacity. Home-owners no longer need to worry about their food drying up in the fridge.
The two-door RT7000 Refrigerator is fit for every family and caters to different needs and lifestyles, thanks to their smart conversion feature. With five different modes available (regular mode, energy saving mode, vacation mode, fridge-max mode, and mini-fridge mode), this technology allows for more efficient usage. The different modes refer to the settings of the fridge and freezer compartments; where each compartment can be converted to have the same settings as the other, or a compartment can be completely idle. Owners benefit by saving more energy, experiencing more flexibility in space usage and gaining more control over their refrigerator.
To add onto the refrigerator’s adaptability, the CoolSelect Plus feature enables different temperature settings depending on the family’s needs; where the temperature of the fridge compartment can be adjusted to better fit what is being stored.
The two-door RT7000 Refrigerator is built to be a storage haven of fresh ingredients; hence, the RT7000 Refrigerator comes in nine different capacities. Regardless of the size of the household, Samsung’s newest refrigerator can easily store a week’s worth of grocery shopping for the whole family. An extension of its large capacity is the refrigerator’s Big Guard feature where door compartments are built to hold larger items such as gallon milk bottles and large juice boxes.
In conjunction with the launch of Samsung’s new two-door RT7000 Refrigerator with Twin Cooling Plus™ technology, consumers can enjoy Parent’s Day Promotion during a week-long of digital appliances roadshow held at 1 Utama Shopping Centre. The new refrigerator is also available at all Samsung stores and selected authorised dealerships at a recommended retail price starting from RM 1,699 – RM 3,599.
