Metalenz could help flatten out huge smartphone camera bumps in the future

 It seems that a new company called Metalenz has recently been spotted, offering a new type of lens that could potentially reduce the size of the rear camera bump on future smartphones. While not much is known in regards to which smartphones will come equipped with the new lens, it does give us a better idea on how the smartphones could look like in the future.

As for how it functions, the Metalenz’s technology function by using a single lens that’s built on a glass wafer up to 3x3 millimetre in size with nanostructures that are designed to bend light onto the sensor. As of now, it seems that Metalenz is currently working with a smartphone partner which will most likely unveil a device equipped with the new lens technology in the near future.

realme V11 5G release: Dimensity 700 chipset, 5000mAh battery, and up to 13MP camera at ~RM754

 It seems that realme has officially unveiled a new smartphone in China called the realme V11 5G, which is only available in one variant at the priced of RMB1199 (~RM754). Unfortunately, there is no news on the Malaysia release date, so you might want to check back with us in the near future.

In terms of the tech specs, the smartphone in question comes equipped with a Dimensity 700 chipset, 4GB RAM, 128GB ROM, 6.52-inch display, as well as a 5000mAh internal battery. As for the camera, the devices has a 13MP + 2MP rear camera while the front comes with an 8MP selfie camera.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 & Z Fold 3 may launch in July 2021

 Around last week, there was a rumour about the possible launch window for Samsung's foldable device. It's said that Galaxy Z Flip 3 and Galaxy Z Fold 3 could be launched together. Now it seems a reliable source has a good idea of when they're launching.

According to Ice Universe, we will have to "wait 5 months" from now to see both models. This puts the launch window in July 2021, which is when the Galaxy Z Flip 5G launched last year. Interestingly, another leaker followed up by mentioning that he could get his hands on samples in 2-3 months.

With the gap between this rumoured launch and the Galaxy S21 series, we can probably expect other phones in the meantime. For example, the Galaxy A52 5G and Galaxy A72 5G were spotted recently. There's also a rumour that Samsung is working on a Galaxy A82 smartphone that could feature a pop-up or flippable camera module.

A woman got scammed RM18,000 through a fake SMS and KWSP is warning us about that

 After tricking the public by building a fake Maybank website, the scammer has another method to get your money now. It is reported that a woman has lost RM18,000 after interacting with a link in an SMS notifying her that her bank account is locked. KWSP is warning the public to beware of such suspicious SMS to not fall into the trap set up by vicious scammers.

During this time, some of you may have applied to withdraw money from your KWSP account under the i-Sinar program as well. Therefore, it is important to verify any SMS received before clicking on anything. Not just SMS, you should also be doing the same for phone calls or e-mails to avoid being scammed.

Microsoft Cuts Donations to Politicians Who Voted in Favour of Donald Trump Against US Election Results

 Microsoft on Friday said it is temporarily cutting off donations to politicians who voted against certifying the US election results or supported efforts to overturn President Joe Biden's victory.

Contributions from employees, shareholders and family members channeled through a Microsoft Corporation Stakeholders Voluntary PAC will be withheld from those lawmakers through the 2022 election cycle, according to corporate vice president Fred Humphries.

He added that the political action committee will create a Democracy Forward Initiative to support campaign finance reform and voting rights.

"We believe these steps are appropriate given the importance of these issues for the stability and future of American democracy," Humphries said in a blog post.

The PAC had suspended political contributions after the deadly attack last month on the US Capitol Building by supporters of former president Donald Trump.

In an unprecedented second impeachment trial, Trump is accused of fomenting the attack by his supporters on the US legislature, forcing a halt to proceedings to certify Biden's victory in the November presidential election.

The January 6 violence continues to reverberate in Washington. Prosecutors have charged some 180 people in the attacks, according to a tally by the George Washington University Program on Extremism, and hundreds more are under investigation.

The Justice Department has suggested it could build a case for seditious conspiracy by some Trump-supporting extreme-right groups in the attack.

In a White House rally just before the attack, Trump encouraged supporters to reject the election results and to "fight like hell."

The Microsoft PAC is suspending all donations to members of Congress who voted to object to the certification of the election results, according to Humphries.

More than 3,000 Microsoft employees donate to the PAC, and Humphries said the announced moves resulted from feedback gathered from many of them in video-meetings.

"We do realize that these steps, while significant, will be too much or too little for some employees," Humphries said.

"There were several other good ideas that arose from our recent meetings, and we will continue to consider other ways we can strengthen the MSVPAC."

iPhone SE 3, iPhone 12S Pro Concept Renders Suggest What’s Coming From Apple in 2021

 While Apple hasn't provided any details about the 2021 iPhone lineup, concept renders offering a glimpse into the possible design of iPhone SE 3 and iPhone 12S Pro have surfaced online. iPhone SE 3, aka iPhone SE (2021), seems to have a list of significant changes over the existing iPhone SE (2020) and the original iPhone SE. One of the key changes suggested by the renders is the absence of a home button. iPhone 12S Pro, on the other hand, appears to have the same design as iPhone 12 Pro, according to the concept renders. iPhone 12S Pro was earlier rumoured as iPhone 13 Pro, though the latter may come in 2022 — given the historical record of the iPhone lineup.

iPhone SE 3 concept renders

Slovakian blog Svetapple.sk published the concept renders of iPhone SE 3. The renders show a hole-punch display, along with thin bezels. The phone also appears to have a flat frame that resembles the design of the iPhone 12 series.

iphone se 3 2021 image render svetapple sk iPhone SE 3  iPhone SE 2021

On the back, the iPhone SE 3 renders show a single camera sensor, along with an LED flash. This is similar to iPhone SE and iPhone SE (2020). However, the renders show no home button. The blog instead mentioned that there could be Touch ID fingerprint recognition on the power key. This is similar to the latest iPad Air.

iPhone SE 3 specifications (expected)

In terms of specifications, the blog claims that iPhone SE 3 will come with a 5.4-inch LCD panel that will feature a high resolution — but not as good as the OLED displays on the high-end iPhone models. The rear camera sensor is also expected to have 12-megapixel resolution along with an f/1.6 lens. This is identical to iPhone 12 mini.

iPhone SE 3 is reported to have Apple A14 Bionic SoC with 4GB of RAM and 4G connectivity. The new model is also speculated to have 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB of storage options — just like the existing iPhone SE. On the pricing front, iPhone SE 3 could be available at $499 (roughly Rs. 36,400) for the base 64GB storage variant. The rumoured price is $100 (roughly Rs. 7,300) higher than the $399 (roughly Rs. 29,100) iPhone SE (2020).

That said, iPhone SE 3 is expected to debut in April 2021, along with the next-generation AirPods Pro. You can expect some further details to surface in the meantime.

Phone 12S Pro concept renders

In addition to the iPhone SE 3 renders, LetsGoDigital published the concept renders of iPhone 12S Pro in collaboration with Concept Creator. The new Pro model appears to have a thinner notch, with a chassis similar to that of the iPhone 12 Pro. You can, of course, expect multiple colour options as well. The renders also suggest the absence of a Lightning port. This means that Apple could offer wireless charging as the sole source to refill the inbuilt battery. However, this information should be taken with a pinch of salt as the Cupertino company hasn't made any official announcement.

iPhone 12S Pro specifications (expected)

LetsGoDigital and Concept Creator have also speculated on some key specifications of iPhone 12S Pro. The phone is believed to retain the 6.1-inch OLED display that's there on iPhone 12 Pro. It is, however, expected to have a 120Hz refresh rate. iPhone 12S Pro is also speculated to have in-display Touch ID fingerprint sensor — alongside Face ID.

Asus Wants Gamers in India to Join ROG Academy Programme, Company Executive Shares Insight

 sus ROG Academy is a new virtual initiative by the Taiwanese PC, component, and peripherals maker, aimed at enabling gamers in India to showcase their skills and get a chance to become professional e-sports players. Asus, with help from AFK Gaming, will organise this programme and pick six contestants to be part of the ROG Academy. Here, they will be put under the tutelage of professionals who will mentor, train, and guide them towards the goal of representing Asus ROG locally, as well as globally. With the significant growth of gaming in India especially in the last year owing to the pandemic, people can now have a virtual platform to not only compete with others, but assess e-sports as a legitimate profession for themselves.

ROG Academy is a year-long programme divided into four quarterly sessions that focuses on one of the most prominent games in the e-sports scene, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. Registration will start from February 1 and last till February 10.

Players will go through a rigorous selection process to make it to the top six and get a chance to be part of the academy. As per the companies, the final six players will be given Rs. 1,00,000 after successfully completing their three month training. They will also get a stipend of Rs. 15,000 along with a bonus on monthly basis during the training.