DiGi starts pre-order for HTC One X & One V

DiGi has started its pre-orders for the HTC One Series
HTC One X is offered as low as RM1,249 and the One V as low as RM299.
As usual, they are bundling the devices with DG Smart Plan 48, 68 and 88. Bundled pricing below:
HTC One X

DG Smart Plan 48 (12 months) – RM1,699
DG Smart Plan 48 (24 months) – RM1,599
DG Smart Plan 68 (12 months) – RM1,649
DG Smart Plan 68 (24 months) – RM1,399
DG Smart Plan 88 (12 months) – RM1,549
DG Smart Plan 88 (24 months) – RM1,249

HTC One V

DG Smart Plan 48 (12 months) – RM799
DG Smart Plan 48 (24 months) – RM649
DG Smart Plan 68 (12 months) – RM699
DG Smart Plan 68 (24 months) – RM449
DG Smart Plan 88 (12 months) – RM599
DG Smart Plan 88 (24 months) – RM299

If you order now, the devices will be delivered to you only on 6th April 2012. If you want to get it earlier, DiGi will be offering the device at their Pavilion Roadshow on the 2nd of April. It will be available at DiGi Stores nationwide on 6th April onwards.
So far DiGi & U Mobile have released their bundled plans. Next we are expecting Maxis to reveal its bundle plans the HTC One Series.
To pre-order, head over to their HTC One X and One V page

Clarion launches Mirage, the first Android-based OEM grade car stereo – retail sales to start in fourth quarter

Clarion, the ICE specialist, gave its new Mirage car stereo a world debut in Penang this afternoon. The Mirage’s claim to fame is that it’s the first Android-based full automotive grade car stereo in the market. ICE systems that utilise Google’s Android smartphone platform are in existence, but the key word here is full automotive grade, or OEM standard.
Japan’s Clarion is no stranger to the car stereo business, and is one of the most recognisable brands around, but the company now wants to take the tech lead with the Mirage, which Clarion Malaysia MD T.K. Tan calls “smart car stereo”, an equivalent to today’s smartphones.

“Anyone who uses an Android cell phone knows that it is much more than just a device to make and receive calls. It is a smart phone. Similarly, the Clarion Mirage is more than just your typical car stereo, it’s a smart car stereo that is upgradeable,” he said.
Conceived and developed at Clarion Malaysia in Penang, the Mirage is equipped with a 6.5-inch LCD hooked up to Android’s touch-screen graphical user interface (GUI). I don’t use an Android handset, but according to a Samsung Galaxy Note user, the Mirage’s GUI is instantly familiar.

With Android comes apps, and Clarion had one demo unit with Facebook, Twitter and even Angry Birds installed. There are of course many more apps from the Play Store.
This means that the possibilities provided by the Mirage are huge. Clarion’s latest uses the Android 2.2 Froyo, but customised for a car platform. The customisation was aided by Wind River, a wholly-owned division of Intel, which also provided software integration.

But let’s not forget that this is a car stereo, so besides the Android bits, the Mirage is an AVN style double-DIN player that accepts SD cards, USB devices and Bluetooth connect, although it doesn’t have a disc slot.
Clarion believes that it’s looking forward, and discs are yesterday’s media. Besides, the head unit will be more reliable and longer lasting without a disc mechanism, the R&D guys explained. Android it may be, but the Mirage is iOS friendly – plug in your iPhone or iPod to play your portable music.

The navigation engine is provided by Navigon AG. The Garmin company also helped Clarion compile maps of Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore into one big seamless map, which they say is the first of its kind.
Malaysian streets will be provided by Navi & Map while maps of our northern neighbour is courtesy of ESRI. Clarion’s R&D head tells us that Toyota in Thailand uses ESRI as well, so you’re in safe hands when wandering in Siam.

Other features include radio with RDS and VAPS 3D, Clarion’s proprietary digital sound processing system. Besides audio and video, the Mirage can also display still images in a slideshow.
For now, Clarion is marketing the Mirage to car manufacturers and assemblers. “In order to qualify the Mirage as a full automotive grade product, we have had to design, develop and test it to meet international automotive standards for quality and safety,” Tan said.

The Clarion boss revealed some names they’re talking to, and the list includes Proton (an existing Clarion customer), Perodua, GM Thailand, Nissan Thailand and “Nissan Malaysia” (he meant Edaran Tan Chong, we presume) so expect to see the Mirage in a future product.
Of course, each big customer can customise and pick the features they want in their cars. Expansion options include a vehicle telematics display, reverse camera, steering wheel buttons, additional rear LCD screens and a DVD player or changer.

Retail sales will start in the fourth quarter of this year. No ballpark price was given, just that it will be “similar in price to today’s AVNs”. Doesn’t help much, we know, but this one looks like it could be worth the wait for those in the market.

BMW F30 3-Series launched – 335i, 328i, 320d from RM269k

The sixth-generation BMW 3 Series was revealed to the media this morning at the Mines Convention Centre. Codenamed F30, the latest compact sports sedan from Munich is available in three variants here – 335i, 328i and 320d.
The two petrol powered units can be had in ‘Luxury’ or ‘Sport’ trim lines. ‘Modern’ is not offered here, and the 320d gets no such choice, appearing quite basic in spec compared to its petrol siblings.

The trim lines are being introduced for the first time in the F30, which made its market debut in Europe just last month – good job to BMW Group Malaysia for introducing it so soon after! Sport and Luxury trims feature different lower front bumper designs and 18-inch wheel designs, among other details.
The Sport Line car’s kidney grille, window frame and and tailpipe trim are finished in gloss black, as opposed to chrome for Luxury. There’s also a small badge on the fenders that spells out the trim. The red car you see here is obviously the Sport.

Inside, Sport Line comes with sports seats, sports steering wheel, red stitching (steering and seats) and red accents on the dash – the latter is repeated on the key fob, quite a cool touch. There are also additional rings on the two dials.

Luxury Line features a “selection of classic colours”, chrome accents and wood trim. Many will opt for visually aggressive Sport, but I personally find Luxury very handsome in its own way, like a mini F10. Click here and here for hi-res galleries of the Sport Line and Luxury Line.

Moving on, under the 335i’s hood is BMW’s award winning TwinPower Turbo 3.0L inline-six with 306 hp and 400 Nm, good enough to propel the saloon to a 0-100 km/h time of just 5.5 seconds. Unlike before, this is the only six-cylinder unit available in a new all-turbo engine range.
Like the six-pot, the 328i’s 2.0L four-cylinder engine has twin-scroll turbo, direct injection and Valvetronic. It makes 245 hp and 350 Nm of torque, and is not much slower with a century sprint time of 6.1 seconds. That’s eight tenths faster than a Golf GTI, mind you.

The 320d is a great all rounder, marrying 184 hp/380 Nm output and 0-100 km/h in 7.6 seconds to a claimed fuel consumption figure of just 4.5 litres per 100 km. All self-shifting F30s use an eight-speed automatic gearbox.
Another new feature is ECO PRO mode, which can be activated from the “Driving Experience Control” button. Doing so reduces engine power delivery, air con output and non essential electric comfort functions to deliver up to 20% extra fuel savings. The savings can be seen as “bonus kilometres” added to the car’s range, so you can pat yourself on the back. Auto Start/Stop is also standard across the range. It can be switched off, if you wish.

BMW ConnectedDrive has been upgraded to include BMW ConnectedDrive Apps, an interface system which integrates the car’s Video Playback and iPod Plug-In functions to allow direct access to web radio, Facebook and Twitter directly through the on-board Control Display. This is enabled on the 328i and 335i.
The range topper adds on HUD and Variable Sport Steering that changes steering ratio based on angle.

The F30 range starts from RM268,800 for the 320d, moving on to RM309,800 for the 328i. The range topping 335i will set you back RM488,800. All prices are on the road, without insurance, but with BMW Service + Repair Inclusive.
Like how BMW Malaysia always does it, the initial batch of around 450 cars will be CBU imported units. It will take around three months from now for the CKD programme to start. The locally assembled units should be more competitively priced, with more kit for the money, but CKD prices have not been finalised as we type.

Suzuki Kizashi is finally here RM147,888

Suzuki Malaysia Automobile (SMA) has finally given the Suzuki Kizashi an official launch – the D-segment sedan was unveiled at the roof of Lot 10 this morning. Only one drivetrain is available here – a 2.4L four-cylinder engine with 176 hp (131 kW) and 230 Nm at 4,000 rpm.
This J24B unit is paired to a CVT gearbox with six ratios, controlled by paddle shifters. 0-100 km/h is done in 8.8 seconds and top speed is 205 km/h. We’re pleasantly surprised to see performance figures on the brochure, something not very common these days. Fitting, since the Kizashi is positioned as a sports entrant, and looks the part.

Fully imported from Japan, the Kizashi is new ground for Suzuki, both in price and type of car. Known as a small car expert, the Kizashi (translates roughly to “something great is coming” in Japanese) sees Suzuki trying its luck in a segment dominated by Japanese heavyweights and a new breed of Euro sedans coming in from VW, Peugeot and Ford. Let’s not forget that the Koreans are very much in the game, too.

However, the Kizashi is rather unique, because it’s smaller bodied compared to a Camry or Accord. The car’s length and width of 4,650 mm and 1,820 mm is only 110 mm and 65 mm more than that of a Honda Civic, and the Suzuki’s 2,700 mm wheelbase is identical to the C-segment Honda’s. So it’s clearly not for those who want the most space for money, but the proportions lend the Kizashi a compact and muscular appearance, like a proper sports sedan.

Two trim levels are sold by SMA, the SDLX and Sport. The well equipped SDLX is priced at RM147,888 and it comes with six airbags, traction control, ESP, leather seats (from Japan, not locally fitted), electric seats (10-way for driver with three memory settings), auto cruise, keyless entry and push start, ABS, EBD, BA and Hill Assist.
There’s more. Stereo with steering controls and USB, front/rear parking sensors, auto folding side mirrors, auto dimming rear view mirror, auto leveling HID headlamps with washer and 17-inch alloys are all standard on the cheaper Kizashi. Quite a list.

The Sport, which looks more menacing, is priced at RM158,188 OTR with insurance. As seen on the white car here, it adds on 18-inch rims in a sportier design, sports suspension that lowers ride height by 10 mm, a different front bumper and chrome highlights around the car. Inside, Sport trim gives you a sport leather gear knob and silver stitching on the seats and gearshift/handbrake boot.
Here’s an interesting fact. The headlights of the Kizashi are from Malaysia! A supplier from Penang supplies the headlights to Suzuki Japan, which fits it on every Kizashi it makes.

Actually, SMA worked hard to get prices down to the current level, which is very decent for a fully-loaded 2.4L CBU import from Japan. On a different note, SMA bosses let slip that the new Swift will be assembled at DRB-Hicom’s Pekan plant, but it won’t start so soon, perhaps a year from now.

Chevrolet Colorado launched – 2.5L and 2.8L from RM90k

Naza Quest officially launched the Chevrolet Colorado pick-up truck yesterday night. The Colorado, which is made by GM in Rayong, Thailand, rolls in with two engine options (2.5L and 2.8L Duramax diesels) and two gearbox choices (5 M/T and 6 A/T). Only the double cab is available, and only in 4X4.
The three variant range starts with the 2.5 LT manual. This common-rail diesel unit makes 150 hp and 350 Nm of torque at 2,000 rpm, good enough to push the two-tonne truck from 0-100 km/h in 12.2 seconds. No automatic transmission option for the 2.5 litre engine – for a self shifting Colorado, one has to look at the 2.8L engine.

The 2.8L Duramax engine pushes out 180 hp and 440 Nm of twist from 2,000 rpm in the 2.8 LT manual. This one does the century sprint in 11.4 seconds.
The 2.8 LTZ automatic is the range topper, and the sole variant with an automatic transmission, which is a six-speeder with Shiftronic. The engine is not identical to the 2.8 manual’s – unlike the other two, this one is fitted with a variable geometry turbo. Power remains at 180 hp, but torque is bumped up to 470 Nm, the highest torque figure for a pick-up truck in Malaysia for now. 0-100 km/h is done in 10.2 seconds.

Spec wise, the LTZ trim of the 2.8 auto brings 17-inch alloys with 255/65 rubber (245/70 R16 for the rest), projector headlamps, power folding wing mirrors, fog lamp chrome garnish, LED tail lamps, roof rails, side steps, chrome gear knob, six-way powered driver’s seat, cruise control, auto door lock, buttons and leather on the steering and climate control. The latter is presented in a donut-style ring, while manual air-con continues with a three-dial layout.
Standard equipment across the board includes a USB/Bluetooth factory stereo, Driver Information Center, dual-airbags, ABS, EBD and Brake Assist. The 2.8 auto adds on ESP and a list of acronyms. They are Panic Brake Assist (PBA), Hydraulic Brake Fade Assist (HBFA), Cornering Brake Control (CBC) and Traction Control System (TCS).

The Colorado is priced from RM90,267 for the 2.5 manual. The 2.8 manual goes for RM96,008 while the 2.8 auto will set you back RM106,008. All prices are OTR without insurance. Note that the outdoor pics in the gallery feature non-standard equipment for demo purposes

Proton P3-21A given name as Proton Preve

This is believe from the coming Proton global car codenamed (P3-21A), now revealed the real name of Proton P3-21A is Proton Preve. Proton Preve will launch in 6th of April 2012 and the price is between RM60K – RM75k.

F30 BMW 3-Series Launched in Malaysia!

It's good to see that BMW brings the all-new 2012 BMW 3-Series into Malaysia just after a month it was launched in Europe. The all-new 3-Series is said to be grown by size, giving more space for the rather cramped rear space found in older generation of the 3-Series. The increase of size is not obvious, but it benefits the rear passenger as well as boot space.

The red car you see above is the Sport line, while the car at the bottom is Luxury line. Too bad Modern line is unavailable in our market.

This time around the 3-Series will be available in 335i, 328i and 320d. The 335i is powered by a TwinPower Turbo 3.0L inline-six with 306hp and 400Nm of torque, enabling the 335i to travel 0-100 km/h in just 5.5 seconds.Other than that, the 328i’s 2.0L four-cylinder, twin-scroll turbo engine churns out 245hp and 350Nm of torque, and travels from 0-100km/h in 6.1 seconds.

 The 320d has 184hp and 380Nm of torque, where 0-100 km/h in 7.6 seconds is possible. Great power doesn't necessarily means high fuel consumption where the 320d need just 4.5litres of fuel for 100km. There's also an ECO PRO mode, which reduces engine power delivery, air-con output and non essential electric component will give you 20% extra fuel savings!

Prices for the 3-Series are RM268,800 for the 320d, RM309,800 for the 328i and RM488,800 for the 335i, on the road without insurance. However, these are the prices for CBU 3-Series, so CKD models will be slightly cheaper in the future.

Angry Birds Space now available for download

If you’ve been waiting for the next installment for Angry Birds, today they have officially released its Angry Birds Space. The game play is somehow different this time in space as it involves a different trajectory, orbits and gravity.
For Galaxy Note users, they are offering exclusive Danger Zone updates with additional levels and a new Lazer bird.
Download them with the links below:
Android (FREE)
iPhone/iPod Touch (US$0.99)
iPad (US$2.99)

New iPhone could have a 4.6-inch Screen, Launch in Q2 2012 Says Industry Insider

The rumour mills are spinning on overdrive, in the midst of a slew of Samsung Galaxy S III rumours we see a report from Reuters about Apple’s upcoming iPhone.
The report came from a South Korean media – Maeil Business Insider – which quoted an unnamed industry source saying that the new iPhone will have a sharper and bigger 4.6-inch “retina” display. The source claims that Apple has started placing orders to its suppliers for the larger display and the device is to be launched around the second quarter of this year.
Rumour of a new iPhone sporting a larger, high-definition display is not new and so far, it’s not concrete either. But then again, Apple can’t avoid the strong user demand for devices with larger displays. This means it has to abandon the much loved 3.5-inch form factor for a device that many iFans would consider bulky and uncomfortable to use.
The game has changed a great deal since 2007 when Apple revolutionised the smartphone industry with the iPhone, this time around it would seem that the leader is playing catch up. Considering the demand for smartphones with bigger screens, a larger iPhone could just be the ticket for Apple to take back the top smartphone manufacturer crown.

P1 Fiber HSBB vs Maxis vs Unifi

I last wrote about Broadband Malaysia in my 2 last post:
Compare Malaysia Broadband plan| Malaysia Broadband compared(updated Oct 2011)
Let's compare Broadband plan Malaysia(as of 27Feb 2011)

The whole Malaysia now moving into 4G or LTE in future, with HSBB available, of course it might also cost more to us, the consumer
Look at below for comparison between P1 Fiber HSBB vs Maxis vs Unifi

Proton P3-21A probably will launch in 6th of April

Saw this confidential letter from Proton Holdings Berhad at [here]. Believe this announcement is for the Proton Sales Advisor refer.
The content of the letter :

This is an urgent announcement from Proton Holdings Berhard.
We recently received many complaints from the Sales Advisor that the uncertainty of launching date has caused many of the sales gone intouncertainty level that leads to the circumstances where we are unable to reach the sales target during the Power of 1 campaign.
We do realize that many of our potential customers are still holding their decisions before viewing the full cars during the launching date.
As we mentioned, the reason of the delay for our officiallaunching date is due to the tight schedule from our Prime Minister of Malaysia. We, Proton Holdings Berhard are taking every necessary step to ensurethe launching date will be set as soon as possible. Our latest expected launching date for now would be placed on the 6th of April. However, this is yet to be confirmed.
Calling all football fans! Make your dream trip to watch UEFA EURO 2012 a reality!
St Patricks Day is officially the Friendliest Day of The Year! #GuinnessStPats
There will never be another you. Appreciate your life.
We also asked for your co-operation not to reveal anything from the training and sales advising during your training. This is to protectour company sales and marketing as we are still doing the last marketing segmentation research which we might adding new minor features on the car to thecustomers. Please DO NOT promise the customers anything before the launching date as this is against the company rules and regulations of ethics sales.
In Addition, many still doubt about the quality of the production due to the delay of launching date. We insist that, this is a total false image from the reviewers and critics. The new P3-21a is ready and the teams are doing their last preparations before launching to ensure highest quality to be delivered to the end users.
We kindly seek for your patients and sorry for the inconvenience caused. We hope the launching date will help to boost up your personal sales.

The letter is stated will launch in 6th of April, which means is same date with the upcoming Inokom Elantra (Hyundai Elantra) will launch in the same date.

Suzuki Kizashi

Suzuki Kizashi
 
It is said to be a D-segment sedan (Toyota Camry), but size wise it's in the middle of a C-segment sedan (Toyota Altis) and a D-segment sedan. With a length of 4650mm, width of 1820mm and a wheelbase of 2700mm, the Kizashi tucked itself between an Altis and a Camry in terms of size. I never understand why Suzuki want to build a car oddly sized.

Although the CBU Kizashi comes with two trim levels, SDLX and Sport, both trims get the same powerplant. A 2.4litre, four-cylinder engine with 176bhp and 230Nm of torque at 4,000 rpm, mated to a 6-speed CVT. 0-100km/h in 8.8seconds! Both trims receive generous amount of kits such as ESP, 6 airbags, hill start assist, auto dimming rear view mirror, auto cruise control, leather seats, push-start button with keyless entry, headlamps washer, auto levelling HID etc.

The weird bump of the bootlid doesn't stop the Kizashi from looking butt-tiful...

While the SDLX wears 17-inch alloys, the Sport wears 18-inch alloys. The Sport variant (the white car above) has extras like sport suspension which lowers the ground clearance by 10mm, chrome finishing around the exterior and sportier finishing on the gear knob and white stitching on the seats. The SDLX costs RM147,888 while the Sport costs RM158,188 OTR with insurance.

Very cosy cabin!

I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the Kizashi in One Utama Shopping Centre on the very day it was launched to the public! Frankly I have to say the cabin surprised me with its plushiness and quality. Everything felt solid and on par with D-segment leaders, kudos to Suzuki.

Nuffnang Premiere Screening – Wrath of the Titans

Well, if the traditional swordfights and spear sailing isn’t your genre, may we suggest something more…..godly? If you fancy something that gives you the high-flyer shakes and trembles from gigantic minatours and double headed dragons, then you are in luck. We have just the right movie for you….*drum rolls please*… presenting the Wrath of the Titans. Brace yourselves Nuffnangers, prepare to face these bloodthirsty, power-hungry, fire-spewing gods and monsters in this epic sequel.

Summary
A decade after his heroic defeat of the monstrous Kraken, Perseus-the demigod son of Zeus-is attempting to live a quieter life as a village fisherman and the sole parent to his 10-year old son, Helius. Meanwhile, a struggle for supremacy rages between the gods and the Titans. Dangerously weakened by humanity’s lack of devotion, the gods are losing control of the imprisoned Titans and their ferocious leader, Kronos, father of the long-ruling brothers Zeus, Hades and Poseidon. The triumvirate had overthrown their powerful father long ago, leaving him to rot in the gloomy abyss of Tartarus, a dungeon that lies deep within the cavernous underworld.

If you would like to win a chance to witness Kronos and his monstrous minions unleash hell on earth, look no further. Thanks to Warner Bros Malaysia, we are giving out 40 pairs of tickets to this back to back action packed sequel.
Details of the screening are as follows:
Date: 27 March 2012 (Tuesday)
Time: 9:15pm
Venue: TGV, Sunway Pyramid
To secure yourselves a pair of tickets to this Greek mythology inspired sequel, tell us as creatively as possible your choice of ending in the movie. One of our Nuffies would like to see Perseus return back to Mt Olympus and take on a full time job as a demi-god warrior. Perhaps he could make a better living out of that as compared to returning to his village as a fisherman. What would your choice of movie ending be?

From the award nominated prequel Clash of the Titans: Sam Worthington (Persues) and Liam Nesson (Zeus) have returned from Mt Olympus to keep you glued on to your seats once again in this one heck of a movie, surely something you would not want to miss. We cannot word it any better, so for a sneak peek through the underworld, check out this video.

Proton Power of 1, Bukit Jalil

We’ve uploaded a huge photo gallery of shots from last week’s Proton Power of 1 event at Stadium Bukit Jalil. Look after the jump, or click the above image to access it. Enjoy!