BURO Gadget Guide: 5 New gadgets on our radar this July 2022

In this month’s edition of BURO Gadget Guide, we have rounded up something new, something improved, and something for everyone. Whether you’re looking for the latest smartphone, a portable projector, or a lightweight tech companion to help you take on your next project, read on to find out what’s new for your consideration.

Nothing Phone (1)

Nothing is the latest brand that has been generating buzz in the world of tech recently, especially in view of its creator, former OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei. Since releasing the Nothing Ear (1) Earbuds following its launch last year, tech geeks have been patiently anticipating what else the mysterious start-up had to offer. Well, the wait is finally over—presenting the Nothing Phone (1). So, what’s all the hype about?

As promised by Nothing, the new smartphone does indeed offer something a little different. Its futuristic design flaunts a transparent back with LED lights called ‘Glyphs’ that display unique light patterns triggered by notifications, charging status, incoming calls, and more—while also serving as a portable ring-light for snapping pictures in the dark. The Nothing Phone (1) also boasts a pair of 50MP camera lenses that capture images with crisp details and shoot exceptionally stable videos.

Unlike many gadgets in the market, the Nothing Phone (1) is brought to life with environmental impact in mind. Its sleek body is made with 100 per cent recycled aluminum and over 50 per cent of its plastic components come from bio-based and recycled sources. Another notable mention is its 15W wireless charging capabilities, providing a full charge within 120 minutes.

Price: RM2,399

Availability: Crossover online store

For more details, visit the Nothing website.

Huawei MateBook D16

Arriving as the latest addition to Huawei’s MateBook series is the all-new MateBook D16, now with major updates and a completely new metal case reflecting the design of the MateBook 16s. Upgrading the typical 16:9 display panel to a more conventional 16:10, the MateBook D16 provides a wider view with a 1920 x 1200px resolution.

The new lightweight yet powerful laptop features a 12th Gen Intel Core H-Series Processor and for the first time ever, the MateBook D16 will also include a full 1.5mm key travel and numeric keypad.

Price: RM3,999

Availability: Pre-order from 27 July to 5 August 2022 on the Huawei online store

For more information, visit the Huawei website.

Samsung The Freestyle

If you’ve been keeping up with the latest trendy gadget on social media, you’re probably familiar with The Freestyle. Taking entertainment technology to the next level, The Freestyle is an ultra-portable smart projector with high-quality visuals and 360-degree immersive audio. It allows users to enjoy a breathtaking entertainment experience on any adventure thanks to its portability, weighing only 0.7 kilograms.

With a variety of ways to stream content, all you need to do is place it on a flat surface, power it up via a Micro-HDMI cable, lock in your preferred angle, and leave it up to The Freestyle to automatically adjust the screen with its Auto Keystone feature, while its processor self-adjusts the lens. On top of that, the Auto Focus feature will ensure that the graphics remain crystal-clear along with Auto Leveling to keep the screen horizontal, even if it’s positioned on a tilted surface.

Price: RM4,999

Availability: Samsung’s online store, Lazada, Shopee, and all authorised Samsung dealers nationwide

For more information, visit the Samsung website.

Xiaomi 12S Ultra

Xiaomi has finally unveiled the new Xiaomi 12S Series that is co-engineered with Leica —the culmination of the Strategic Partnership in Imaging Technology between Xiaomi and Leica, presenting a new standard for smartphones and photography. With Leica’s in-depth understanding of optics, image processing, and image quality paired with Xiaomi’s expertise in smartphone computing photography, the Xiaomi 12S Series shines a spotlight on its range-topping model—the Xiaomi 12S Ultra.

The primary camera of Xiaomi 12S Ultra adopts an 8P aspheric lens enhanced with anti-glare lens coating, lens edge ink coating, cyclic olefin copolymer material, and infrared light filter with spin coating technology, which addresses common photography issues such as flare, ghosting, and chromatic aberration. It is also the first Android device to support Dolby Vision HDR video recording and playback, offering vivid colours, sharper contrast ratio, and richer details, while the HyperOIS ensures ultra-stable performance.

Equipped with two proprietary Xiaomi Surge chips, the Xiaomi 12S Ultra supports 67W wired fast charging, 50W wireless fast charging, and 10W reverse wireless charging to keep up with the needs of performance users. Additionally, it adopts a whole new three-dimensional leaf vein pump cooling system with a bionic design that enhances heat dissipation performance, improves battery health, and offers lower heat emission and power consumption under high-load computing scenarios. 

Price: ~RM3,957.02 to RM4,616.64

Availability: At the moment, the Xiaomi 12S series is only available in China, via the Xiaomi online store

For more information, visit the Xiaomi website.

Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2

Weighing only 1,127 grams and equipped with a large precision trackpad, the Surface Laptop Go 2 is the ideal companion for the classroom, office, coffee shop, and anywhere you may find yourself. Users can expect enhanced graphics and sound quality during video calls with a vibrant 3:2, 12.4-inch PixelSense touch display and an improved HD camera complemented with dual Studio Mics. It packs the power of the Quad-core 11th Gen Intel Core i5 processor with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. Following the signature Microsoft Surface efficient design, the Surface Laptop Go 2 features an Instant On and Windows Hello through the fingerprint reader integrated into the power button.

Price:

• Intel Core i5, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD for RM3,488
• Intel Core i5, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD for RM3,788

Availability: All authorised Microsoft retailers such as All IT, Gloo by SNS Network, Harvey Norman, PC Image, Senheng, and TMT by Thundermatch, as well as Maxis

For more information, visit the Microsoft website.

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