PS4 with slow Wi-Fi? Here's a fix!

in , - on 23:44:00 - 2 comments
We're well past the halfway point of 2016, and Sony's E3 announcements have done everything but disappoint. A bevy of incredible games for the PlayStation 4 are on the way, and here are a few that I am rather excited for:
  • The Last Guardian, which has been in development for years apparently - it is also the conclusion to the trilogy of Ico and Shadow of the Colossus. Releases in 2017, though.
  • Horizon: Zero Dawn, hunting mecha-dinosaurs with high tech bows. What else do you need? It's by Killzone's developers too.
  • No Man's Sky, an inter-planet exploration game that is uniquely generated for each single play through.
  • Day's Gone, open-world zombie survival kinda game.
  • Gran Turismo: Sport, Gran Turismo finally comes to PlayStation 4
Sony's also placed a lot of emphasis on Project Morpheus, their PlayStation VR headset. Many games had a PlayStation VR demo at E3 - Sony is really pushing this one. Oh, Hideo Kojima's back too.

But let's push all that aside for now and talk about the PlayStation 4's Wi-Fi: It is pretty trash. There, I've said it. Seriously, for a modern-day console, I am very surprised at how bad the Wi-Fi connectivity for the PS4 can be.

Let's Fix the PS4's Wi-Fi

Here is how my setup goes: My router sits downstairs, while my laptop and PS4 is up in my room. My laptop and other mobile devices can achieve Wi-Fi speeds of about 28-30 Mbps download an about 9-10 Mbps of upload (I'm using TMnet's 30 Mbps Unifi plan), but the PlayStation 4 can only do this:

 32.7 kbps download and 1.1 Mbps upload?!

 That kind of speed is definitely not acceptable for a modern day gaming console. My downloads are unbelievably slow, my Spotify won't even stream properly - and worse of all my online multiplayer games lag.

 Because of how my Internet hardware is setup, there is simply no way at all that I can put in a direct Ethernet cable from my router to my PlayStation 4. So I decided on the next best thing: A Wi-Fi extender, or Wi-Fi repeater - whatever its called.

What does a Wi-Fi repeater/extender do?

Well, it does exactly what its name suggests: It extends your Wi-Fi connection by sort of repeating it again to other devices nearby. Not wanting to spend a lot, I set out to get the cheapest Wi-Fi extender I can get: the Aztech WL559E wall-plugged 300Mbps Wi-Fi repeater.

The Aztech repeater in "bridge mode" with a direct Ethernet out to my PS4.

Since I've also established the fact that the PlayStation 4's Wi-Fi capability is pretty crap at this point, I set up the Aztech repeater into "bridge mode". What bridge mode essentially does is to pick up a Wi-Fi signal, and then output it via an Ethernet cable to a computer or gaming console - thus bridging the gap, ha! 

So after setting up the Aztech repeater with my laptop (you gotta plug the repeater in to the laptop via Ethernet to set it up beforehand), I plug the Aztech repeater into my power extension, and then route an Ethernet cable from it straight into my PlayStation 4 and voila:

An impressive 21.0 Mbps download and 3.6 Mbps upload! Hurrah!

It's an incredibly simple fix and costs me no more than RM80 for the Wi-Fi repeater. I can now officially say good bye to slow downloads and multiplayer lags on my PlayStation 4.

 If you're having the same Wi-Fi issue with your PS4 as I am, you can try picking up the Aztech Wi-Fi repeater here.

If you wanna catch a game with me on PlayStation Network or just wanna drop a message, do hit up my PSN profile that you can find at the top of the page. I'm currently having a go at GTA V and Battlefield 4 again.
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Smartphone Buying Guide for Malaysians

in , - on 23:19:00 - 1 comment

It's quite an unexplainable bond.

Google's Nexus 6P by Huawei. Source: Huawei

In fact, it's almost symbiotic what most of us have with our smartphones. The smartphone has become a sort of necessity for most of us, and it's always on us. It's pretty much stitched to our palms and magnetized to our fingers at this point - not that it's a bad thing by any means.

There are an abundance of smartphones today, and new models are getting released every few months. Everyone's got a smartphone for them, young or old, girl or guy - the market is just saturated with smartphones! 

It is precisely because there is so many on the market that it can get a little difficult trying to choose one - I know I have that problem. We're all just spoiled for choice at this point, really. So if you're looking for a smartphone, this handy little quick guide of mine will set you straight.

First things first though: I believe that we all have to realize a few things about buying smartphones:
  • Bigger isn't always better.
  • Expensive isn't always better.
  • Beautiful and impressive specifications don't mean that a smartphone is going to be flawless. Great software optimization can always turn the tide - in simple terms: a smarter brain in your smartphone is always better than all brawn.
  • Buy a smartphone based on your own needs and uses - not anyone else's!
  • Always buy a smartphone that is within your means. Unless you've got loads of money, then hello flagship smartphones all the way.
  • Try to get the best that you can afford, it'll ensure your smartphone lasts longer.
The smartphones I'll be recommending here shouldn't be taken as an ultimatum and you have to remember that this entire guide is purely for reference (and entertainment), so be flexible. I also won't be showing a lot of specifications as it can be easily found in many places.

Now that we've got those settled in, let's begin! 

Ask yourself, "What do I need in a smartphone?"

To make things really simple, let's break up all smartphone users into five types: The Power User, the Photographer, the Marathoner, the Everyday Joe; and the Detached One.

All of us are placed into either one or a combination of those types of users, and that itself will make it easy to guide ourselves into buying smartphones. Let me not waste your time any further and get right into it:

The Power User

You're the one smartphones fear; you push their boundaries and run the darn thing to its limit. You want only the best of the best in smartphones, the latest processors, the most RAM, the largest storage, the best camera. You'll never settle.
You know you're a power user when you notice a lot of the little things in your smartphone - that millisecond lag is all it takes to spoil your day. On a more serious note however you just want your smartphone to be fast, to keep up with your quick lifestyle. 
The camera has to be as versatile as possible, capturing images perfectly in every situation. The display of the smartphone has to be crisp in all manner of light too. It's going to be able to run the most intensive of mobile games.
Flagship smartphones are the best choice for you, there is truly nothing like the best device of a brand. Your best smartphones would be the likes of the iPhone 6S, Samsung Galaxy S7 (and S7 Edge), the HTC 10, and the LG G5. Flagship smartphones like these tend to go about RM2500 and above, but you do get your bang for buck. 



Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge. Source: Samsung

Here's a simplified list of a few suitable powerhouse smartphones for you:
The smartphones in the list above are all roughly RM2500 to slightly over RM3000.

 However, there are others that should be taken into consideration: Some other smartphone makers like Xiaomi (Mi Note), Huawei (P8 and Mate 8), and Asus (across the ZenFone 2 and upcoming ZenFone 3 range) have smartphones that are below RM2500, but may still very well fit the Power User's needs.

Another brand you should watch out for is OnePlus, as they were sort of the ones who revolutionized the whole "flagship-killer" class of smartphones, offering low prices for high-end specs. Their upcoming OnePlus Three seems to be a real show-stealer (probably under RM2000 too), you might want to check that out as well.

The Photographer

Snap, snap, snap. It's all point and click for you with your smartphone. The first thing you check on smartphones is the camera: You want to take photos all the time - you want a great selfie too. Everything else doesn't matter, as long as it works, but that camera has to be great. Great sensor, superb quality, crisp clean shots - that all matters.
Your smartphone today isn't just for communication and the Internet, this smartphone of yours is for capturing photographs too! Some argue that if you want to mainly capture photos then get a camera - but hang on, most people don't want to feel burdened by having to carry many devices around.

 Smartphone cameras are getting pretty amazing these days, and you'd be foolish to look down upon them. If you like to take photos with your smartphone, make sure the phone's got enough storage (or a microSD card slot for expansion) and the camera is able to take photos well in most lighting. A higher megapixel count doesn't mean a better photo, but it's still a welcomed addition. 

 The Samsung Galaxy S7 and the HTC 10 have the best smartphone cameras on the market currently, but the price tag might drive some people away. You might want to consider these few smartphones that are just about RM2000 (the Huawei P9 Plus and Sony Z5 can go for about RM2200 to RM2400 now) and below that are more photography-centric: 
A smartphone camera with optical zoom, the Asus ZenFone Zoom. Source: Asus

 You might want to check out this in-depth comparison of the top smartphone cameras by PC Advisor UK too: Click here. 

The Marathoner

You don't really mind if your smartphone's specifications aren't at the peak of technology, you just want it to last you through your day (or more). Your phone's battery life is the most important thing, you want a large battery, and you want it to last long. 
If you're always on the go and constantly travelling, finding your smartphone low on battery life without any power outlet nearby or power bank on hand can be very frustrating. You're probably wondering "Why the heck can't my phone last longer?!" Well, you're the Marathoner. 
A large battery in a beautiful design, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3. Source: Xiaomi

 Your ideal smartphone is the one with a large battery: Being able to last for a whole day and more. Sure, the other specifications and the camera must fulfil your uses, but you place a larger emphasis on the battery - there's just no other way to explain your preference. Fortunately, there are several smartphones out there with large battery capacities and acceptable performance.

For the Marathoner, here are the top three popular smartphones in Malaysia with massive batteries:
Besides these, Sony Xperia smartphones are also known for their incredible battery life; they may not have very large batteries in their phones, but great optimizations and innovations do help a lot more (smart brain, not brawn!).

 Let us not forget the existence of power banks too! There are many great power banks out there that can keep your smartphone juiced up. The Xiaomi power bank range is one of the best available, as it's not only affordable, but very efficient and high quality too (get them here.)

The Everyday Joe

Or Jane. You're not looking to spend big bucks on your smartphone, you want to stay within the reasonable range. Your smartphone's gotta fulfil your needs and it doesn't need to be over the top. You just want a smartphone that works.
A smartphone for you is first and foremost just something you'll want to help make your life a little bit more convenient. You need it to make phone calls, you need it so you'll be able to catch your emails, news, and some entertainment on the go.

 You want to be able to perform quite a number of tasks on a smartphone. Maybe even play a few mobile games - throwing a few birds here and there, nothing too intensive. If you're an Everyday Joe/Jane, you are probably not going to want to spend a lot on a smartphone, but not something that's too little either.

 Mid-ranged smartphones are probably the best bet for the Everyday Joe type of user, probably somewhere below RM2000 - or even below RM1500, really. Entry-level smartphones (usually around RM500 or so) are also acceptable in some cases - entirely dependent also on how simple your usage is. For the iPhone user, the current iPhone SE is also a rather commendable mid-range iPhone of sorts. Flagship smartphones, of course, are always welcomed if you've got the budget.
Asus ZenFone 2. Source: Asus

 Here are some really great options (there are many more in the wild!) for the Everyday Joe:

The Detached One

You don't really care for a smartphone's capability or feature. It's just for you to make calls, the occasional photograph or news bit on the Internet - maybe send an email, even. You don't look to spend any large sum of money at all - in fact, lesser money spent the better. 
You know you're detached when you don't really even bother knowing everything a smartphone can do - in fact, you probably aren't even reading this to begin with; you know someone who's The Detached One.
Moto G (4th Generation). Source: Motorola

Users like these just want the smartphone mostly for the phone part: They want to make calls, send text messages, utilise data messaging apps such as Whatsapp and Telegram, read the occasional email etc. It's all very, very simple use. Affordable and easily replaceable are the best.

 So what kind of smartphones are suitable for these users? Entry-level to mid-ranged smartphones are great! There are still many smartphones out there that can be had for around RM500! Don't let the price point fool you though, these smartphones are rather reliable as well. Here's some that I would recommend.

Once again: The smartphones I have recommended here shouldn't be taken as an ultimatum and you have to remember that this entire guide is purely for reference (and entertainment), so be take it easy! I'll happily take any comments and feedback! 
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New Pebble 2 and Time 2 smartwatches, plus the all new Pebble Core

in , - on 23:48:00 - 2 comments

Pebble returns to Kickstarter for their new smartwatches

The ever popular crowd-funded, Kickstarter-started smartwatch company is back with a third generation of smartwatches. And staying true to their origins and their second generation watches, the company is right back on Kickstarter for their next watches, the Pebble 2 and Time 2 - as well as a little fitness companion called the Pebble Core.

However, the biggest difference this time around for both smartwatches from the previous Pebble smartwatches is the presence of a heart rate monitor. Users who wanted a Pebble with heart rate monitors can now rejoice - last I heard there was another crowd-funded attempt to make a heart rate strap for the Pebble Time, I wonder what goes with that now. 

Both the Pebble 2 and Time 2 will have the heart rate sensor on the back, which rests against our wrists, providing an accurate heart rate estimation.

Pebble 2 and Time 2; time to Pebble too?

Fans and users of the Pebble Classic smartwatch (like yours truly) will unmistakably notice the resemblance of the new Pebble 2 smartwatch with the previous Pebble Classic. Both watches have got very similar shape and design, although the new Pebble 2 will have a more angular design to it.

The Time 2 retains a more similar design with the Pebble Time, but I am rather surprise at the decision to start off with a stainless steel build instead of a plastic one. Pebble has always launched with a plastic build smartwatch, only to release a steel version of it later (or at the same time), but I'm just going to assume that the Pebble 2 will fulfil the more affordable end of their smartwatches.
Both Pebble smartwatches will feature their e-paper display, the Pebble 2 with black and white, and the Time 2 with a 53% larger colour display. The smartwatches will also retain their super awesome battery life of up to 10 days, and also still have their 30 meter water resistance. I'll have to say that the water resistance paired with the heart rate monitor does truly make the new Pebble smartwatches a very wholesome device, fulfilling both a smartwatch and an activity tracker.

The all new Pebble Core

I expected new smartwatches from Pebble, we all did. It's a brand new year and of course there's going to be some updates and new stuff, but I doubt anyone predicted the arrival of the Pebble Core.
It would seem that the Pebble Core acts purely as an activity tracker. It's basically a small little box-thingie that clips onto your clothing during runs to track your pace, distance and location. The Pebble Core has built-in cellular connectivity which can stream music from Spotify, and track your pace and location through GPS - which means it'll take a micro-SIM card for the tracking and streaming. 

 The idea of the Pebble Core for Runners is that we can leave our phones at home while we go for a run. No more having our large phones bouncing around in our tiny pockets or having a heavy armband weighing us down.
Developers will also be able to get their hands on the Pebble Core for Hackers, which omits all of the activity features and is simply a barebone miniature Android computer. Along with the Core SDK, developers will be able to program the Core for other tasks such as tracking their pets or perform actions with the two programmable buttons.

 If you're interested, it's a good idea to back them on their Kickstarter right here. Although knowing how popular Pebble crowd-funding is, it might have already surpassed their target and is all sold out.

 The Pebble 2 will ship out September 2016 and the Time 2 will ship out November 2016. The Pebble Core will be the only one having a much later release in the following year: January 2017.

 Pebble 2 and Time 2 don't strike your fancy? You can still purchase the previous Pebble Time.


Pictures are all sourced and retrieved from the Pebble 2 Kickstarter page.

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A Pebble smartwatch for a Malaysian

in , , - on 18:51:00 - 2 comments


We all know what are watches: they sit on your wrist and tell you the time and date --some even had calculators! 

In the past, I used to wear watches, digital, analogue, whatever. I just needed something to tell me the time. I was never a great watch connoisseur, just a guy who needed a watch.
So when I got into smartphones, I started to wear less and less of those little gadgets on my wrist, as my phone could tell me the time --and I was never in any situation where glancing at my own phone was criminal.

When I saw smartwatches start emerging from all over the place, I thought they were really... silly.

The one that made me scoff at smartwatches most was the ridiculous battery - why the heck would anyone need a watch that you'd have to charge every day or two?
I also argued that one could just easily just put their hands in their pockets or bags and whip out their phone to read that ever important Facebook status or Tweet.

I just basically didn't see any need for a smartwatch in my life.

Until that faithful day I happened upon the good ol' Pebble smartwatch, and I saw how its battery was supposed to be able to last you up to a week, and also how it's quite value priced: USD $99 for the plastic/classic Pebble. Of course Pebble's been around for a long time, I was slow to catch up to it until then.

At that point, I figured to myself that eh, I sort of do need a watch --but I didn't want something overly traditional, and so I thought I'd give the Pebble smartwatch a try.

And I made a complete hypocrisy of myself with my generalized statement that smartwatches are silly.

I ordered the Pebble watch off their website on sale ($79 instead of the original $99) and also some skins from GadgetWraps to protect the watch. Few weeks later, and wham, the two things I ordered were on my desk.
Pebble smartwatch and GadgetWraps skins
So what was it like using the Pebble watch? To sum it up: Very subtle, yet functional.

It's like the father of smartwatches - the OG, if you will. It has all the features that you'd expect a smartwatch to have: notifications, music control and the like. I had many uses in mind when I got the watch: glanceable information when I'm driving, when I'm out of my mancave socializing with people, swimming, and at work.

Setting the watch up is very easy: all I had to do was download the Pebble app onto my Android phone and then pair it with my Pebble; it immediately got an update to its firmware too. However, unlike the watch, the Pebble store/app is a rather buggy piece of software, but more on that later.

The Pebble without any skins or protector is just glossy plastic all over.
So I had set up the watch, taken some glamourous shots, and then applied my first GadgetWraps skin (which failed because I placed it wrong; but GadgetWraps allows people to purchase a replacement at only USD $1, which is great!). The skin is great, it's as waterproofed as your Pebble is and pretty easy to apply actually, looks great too - those looking to get a Pebble watch should really consider getting a skin and screen protector for it.

Then I literally took the watch to town.

Using the watch is truly subtle, and not at all distracting. Notifications from apps that you select in the Pebble smartwatch app appeared on the screen with the watch vibrating to notify me whenever a message came in or someone favourited a Tweet.
The Pebble locker page, where apps you aren't currently using on your watch are stored locally on your phone instead.

The simplicity of the Pebble and it's hardware buttons makes it actually perfect for doing things whenever you shouldn't pay full attention to it.
Whenever I'm driving with both hands on the wheel, I can just glance down quickly and back up to read any information that is coming through.
And yes, I know... I know it's wrong to use your phone when you drive; that's why I'm just looking at my smartwatch to y'know, check the time.

Pebble's music control can be set up to control any media app on your phone, such as Google Play Music or Spotify
I've never experienced any other smarwatches before until my Pebble, but I think a smartwatch with hardware buttons is much more practical than a touchscreen. Put it this way: we all remember how it was like to text with a feature phone without even actually looking at the screen, or when you shouldn't be texting during classes or meetings. Our hands and fingers naturally know where to press on the smartwatch because we can feel the individual buttons and perform actions without looking at the Pebble itself.

Before I actually put the Pebble into water, I was slightly worried and skeptical about it being waterproofed even though it is. I Google'd around and to my surprise there were quite a few cases of water damage. Keeping all those cases in mind, I still wore my Pebble and jumped into the pool. And by jump, I mean lowering my self and the watch in the pool slowly in fear of damaging it - just being paranoid.

And tadah! The Pebble is fine underwater, even the buttons work well in water - no leaks or anything. There is one issue however: The Bluetooth connection disconnects underwater, so my Pebble won't be paired to my phone. I guess this is more of the Bluetooth connection's properties more than the watch's hardware. This is not a problem as I pretty much use Pebble apps that don't require a phone.

Now, what of the battery life? Amazing.

I literally got through many one weeks in between charges for my Pebble, and I'm constantly getting notifications which vibrates the Pebble and lights up its display.

The Pebble's e-Ink display is one of those olden displays you'd see on older feature phones or that old Gameboy you have lying around. It's actually very effective and does the job much better than it sounds: you have great viewing angles, it's always on, you can view it in the day time without having the sunlight drown out its brightness. In short, it's a functional display, and I love it.

So, by now you must be wondering that this watch can't be all that great? You're right, but that's only on the Pebble app for the smartphones - that app is just buggy and takes a really long time to respond at times. It also zooms in for no apparent reason at random, so all I'm looking at is the top corner of the app. Settings of Pebble watchfaces and apps are also buggy, it is almost often I find myself staring at a blank screen when I click settings for apps.


To summarize my whole experience with the Pebble watch: It's a functional piece of gadget, it's not a distraction, it's not something you need to charge every day (my biggest fear); it just works. It shows you glance-size information, and you can respond to notifications with the AndroidWear compatible update with preset texts or emoticons.

Will I be getting myself a Pebble Time (or Time Steel)? Perhaps, but I'll definitely hold out until I've seen reviews of the first batch that goes out to people.

Until then, cheers!
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