Lowyat.NET: Latest topics by eclectice

Gemini Advanced on Google One

eclectice — Fri, 09 Feb 2024 06:55:17 +0800

Hey /Ks, gather 'round for a question more important than the best nasi lemak stall (don't worry, we won't ask you to choose). Google One just dropped a 2TB plan with a fancy new AI assistant called Gemini Advanced, and we're curious... are you willing to pay extra to have these digital smarty-pants in your pocket?

Before you cast your vote, consider these burning questions:

Will Gemini Advanced finally understand your Manglish slang? (Asking for a friend, aka the entire forum)
Can it help you score that elusive RTX 4090 at MSRP? (Don't get your hopes up, but hey, a bot can dream)
Is it fluent in the teh tarik metaphors? (Because nothing says "Can I help you?" like "Like kopi without sugar, this problem needs a solution, cepat!")

If Gemini Advanced could make one thing magically appear in your life, what would it be? (Unlimited teh tarik? A never-ending supply of RAM? The answer is limitless!)
So, Kopitiam fam, cast your vote and let the AI debate commence! Remember, sharing is caring (and also increases your chances of dreaming that RTX 4090... maybe ).

Disclaimer: This poll is purely for entertainment purposes and does not reflect the official opinions of Google, Gemini, or Lowyat.NET. (But hey, who knows, maybe they're secretly listening...)

Sincerely,

Gemini

Visit me at https://gemini.google.com/

So keng mah!

eclectice — Thu, 08 Feb 2024 14:34:54 +0800

[twt]https://twitter.com/WorkaholicDavid/status/1755100916846641347[/twt]
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13...vin-newsom.html

Pentanet Australia to Introduce Ultra 4K GFN Plan

eclectice — Wed, 20 Sep 2023 16:54:49 +0800

Pentanet Australia, a GeForce Now Alliance Partner, is set to introduce an Ultra 4K membership plan that will allow GFN users to play cloud games at 4KHDR@60fps or 1440p@120fps on PC/Mac and up to 4KHDR@60fps on NVIDIA Shield. This plan will utilize RTX 3080 cloud gaming rigs, configured with AMD Threadripper™ PRO CPUs, 28GB of DDR-3200 memory, and PCI-GEN4 SSDs, to achieve this impressive performance.

This is a significant development for cloud gaming in Australia, as it will make Pentanet the first (maybe?) GFN Alliance Partner in the world to offer Ultra 4K support. It is also noteworthy that Pentanet is offering this plan at a time when the official NVIDIA GFN service that offers the RTX 3080 and recently RTX 4080 tier plans are still only available in North America, certain parts of Europe, Morocco and Tunisia in Africa, Mongolia in Asia and Isreal in the Middle East.

This announcement raises the question of what other GFN Alliance Partners will do to respond. It is possible that we will see a wave of new Ultra 4K plans announced in the coming months, as other partners look to compete with Pentanet.

Overall, this is a very positive development for cloud gaming. It is clear that GFN Alliance Partners like Pentanet are committed to providing their customers with the best possible gaming experience.

Additional information:

Pentanet will officially announce its Ultra 4K GeForce Now plan, on September 20, 2023 6 PM Malaysian Time, via its YouTube channel: link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzkEib7zy20
Pentanet first announced its intention to offer Ultra 4K support in 2022: link: https://cloud.gg/blog?p=3080-announcement
For a list of supported locations for GeForce Now, please visit: link: https://nvidia.custhelp.com/app/answers/det...-geforce-now%3F

Buy Doritos, Get 1-month PC Game Pass

eclectice — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 09:02:29 +0800

PC Game Pass is now available on GeForce NOW (GFN) in Malaysia!

Now, you get a 1-month free PC Game Pass subscription (for new users only) when you buy a participating Doritos pack at Family Mart stores. Cancel anytime before the end of the month.

Malaysians can redeem the PC Game Pass claimed at Microsoft through this promo by 30 November 2023. But, to get the pass, it must be claimed from this promo by 30 Sept 2023.

https://www.doritosxboxpromo.com/

Starfield and Devil May Cry 5 are now available on GFN! For DMC5, PC Game Pass option (Xbox button) will come next week.

REMARK: To use the PC Game Pass on GFN, you must have a subscription or account with any GFN service, such as Nvidia official GFN, YES 5G GFN, StarHub Gamehub+ GFN, or other GFN Alliance Partner service. However, if you don't have a GFN subscription, you can still access the free PC Game Pass subscription on your PC gaming rig by visiting the Microsoft Store on your Windows system.

Lowyat.NET is now covering the promotion advertised on https://www.lowyat.net/2023/307256/pc-game-...-doritos-packs/.

FULL TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Promotion: Doritos Xbox PC Game Pass Promotion

PH Permit number(s): Per DOH FDA CFRR Permit No. 0696 s. 2023

Website: www.doritosxboxpromo.com

Doritos x Xbox PC Game Pass (“Promo”) is organized by -

Philippines: Pepsi-Cola Far East Trade Dev. Co. Inc.

Malaysia: PepsiCo (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd.

Singapore: PepsiCo International Pte. Ltd.

Collectively as the “Organizers”. By participating in this Promo, participants acknowledge that they have read, understood, and unconditionally agree to comply with and abide by these Terms and Conditions. The decisions of the Organizer for all matters relating to the Promo shall be final and binding in all respects. Microsoft Corporation and its affiliates and subsidiaries are not sponsors of this Promo. Krafton, Inc. (“Krafton”) and its affiliates and subsidiaries are not sponsors of this Promo.

PROMO PERIOD:
The Promo begins 1 JULY 2023 12:01AM and ends on 30th SEPTEMBER 2023, 11:59 P.M. (+8GMT)(“Promo Period”). The Organizer’s computer will be the official clock of the promo. Any entries received before or after will not be valid and will not be entertained into this Promo

WHO ARE QUALIFIED TO JOIN:
This Promo is open to residents of the Philippines, Singapore and Malaysia who are currently living in these countries, aged 18 or over at the time of entry to the Promo (“Participants”). Any employees of the Organizer, (or any of its group undertakings and its agencies who are directly connected with the creation and administration of this Promo) are excluded from entering this Promo.

Participants shall be responsible in ensuring their eligibility to participate in the Promo.

Participants must possess or shall have legal access to an electronic device (e.g. a smartphone, tablet, Laptop, or Computer) compatible with the Android/iOS operating systems. Participants shall also be connected to the internet at all times while using the App in order to be eligible for participation in this Promo. Internet access and a valid email address are required.

The Organizer will not be responsible for internet and/or data charges incurred by joining this Promo. Participants must check with their respective provider.

The Organizer believes in responsible consumption of their products. Please do not purchase more products than you can reasonably use or consume just to participate in this Promo.

This Promo is not open to Directors, management, employees, officers and contractors (and their immediate family members) of agencies/companies directly associated with the conduct of this Promo, the Promoter, businesses involved in determination of winner/s for the Promo, businesses involved in the management of the Promo, any organisation benefiting from the Promo, the Promoter’s distributors, suppliers, subsidiary companies/businesses and associated companies and agencies are not eligible to enter. "Immediate family member" means any of the following: spouse, ex-spouse, de-facto spouse, child or step-child (whether natural or by adoption), parent, step-parent, grandparent, step-grandparent, uncle, aunt, niece, nephew, brother, sister, step-brother, step-sister or 1st cousin

HOW TO JOIN:
Buy any of the following products from any retail outlets with specially marked Xbox PC Game Pass Promo design, collectively referred to as “Participating Products”: Doritos Nacho Cheese 190g and 65g, Doritos Taco 190g, Doritos BBQ 190g, Doritos Roasted Corn 170g and Doritos Spicy Nacho 190g

Open the product and find the 10-digit unique alpha-numeric code (“Promo Code”) printed inside the pack.

Participants must retain the empty specially-marked promotional pack as proof of purchase for all entries. Failure to produce the proof of purchase for all entries when requested may, in the absolute discretion of the Promoter, result in invalidation of ALL of an entrant’s entries and forfeiture of any right to a prize.

Visit the Website www.doritosxboxpromo.com or scan the QR code featured on specially marked packs and follow the prompts to the promo registration page.

On the promo registration page, participant must enter the following details:

10 digit alpha-numeric code. Do not include spaces or colon.

Full name

Email address

Mobile phone number

Participants must agree to the Terms and Conditions and confirm that they are eligible to participate before submitting the entry form

Each participant must create their own entry and only submit it in their own legal name

Multiple entries are permitted, subject to the following:

Only one (1) entry permitted per Participating Product purchased

Each entry must be submitted separately and in accordance with entry requirements

A maximum of five (5) entries per person per day is allowed

Volkswagen's China EV woes

eclectice — Tue, 12 Sep 2023 15:35:54 +0800

VW CEO Oliver Blume was recently informed that the company is losing the EV race in China, its most important market. This is due to the fact that Chinese EV makers, such as BYD and Nio, have been able to produce more affordable and innovative EVs than VW.

Tesla is the world's leading EV maker and has been able to gain a significant market share in Europe. This has hurt VW's sales of its own EVs, such as the ID.3 and ID.4.

VW is facing a number of challenges as it transitions to EVs. These challenges include the need to invest heavily in new technology, the need to compete with Chinese EV makers, and the need to overcome its own bureaucratic inertia.

Here are some of the key points:

VW is losing the EV race in China, its most important market.
Chinese EV makers are producing more affordable and innovative EVs than VW.
Tesla is the world's leading EV maker and has been gaining market share in Europe.
VW is facing a number of challenges as it transitions to EVs, including the need to invest heavily in new technology, the need to compete with Chinese EV makers, and the need to overcome its own bureaucratic inertia.

There are no specific solutions to the challenges facing VW. However, it does suggest that the company needs to make some fundamental changes if it wants to remain competitive in the EV market. These changes could include investing more in research and development, streamlining its bureaucracy, and becoming more agile in its decision-making.

syndicated version https://www.thestar.com.my/business/busines...road-to-nowhere

premium content version: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/202...um-uk#xj4y7vzkg

RCS Protocol May Pose New Spam Threat

eclectice — Tue, 12 Sep 2023 11:50:42 +0800

Malaysian telcos have blocked spam SMSes with phone numbers and links since July 2023.

https://www.lowyat.net/2023/302480/telco-bl...numbers-2-july/

This has been effective in reducing the number of spam messages, but there is a new threat emerging due to the use of RCS (Rich Communication Services) protocol.

RCS is a newer messaging protocol that offers more features than SMS, such as typing indicators, read receipts, and high-quality images. However, it also uses end-to-end encryption, which means that the contents of messages are not visible to telcos or third-party apps. This makes it difficult for telcos to block spam messages that use RCS.

Some users are now switching to Google Messages, which is one of the few apps that supports RCS by default. However, even Google Messages does not have a perfect spam filter. In fact, a recent study found that Google Messages only blocked about 60% of spam messages that used RCS.

So, is Google's spam filter enough? It's a good start, but it's clear that more needs to be done to combat spam messages that use RCS. Telcos, app developers, and anti-spam companies need to work together to develop better spam-filtering solutions for RCS.

AI Chatbots Are Taking Over

eclectice — Tue, 12 Sep 2023 10:04:20 +0800

A study found that AI chatbots can be used to run a software company in a quick, cost-effective manner with minimal human intervention.

The study was conducted by researchers from Brown University and multiple Chinese universities. They created a hypothetical software-development company named ChatDev and assigned AI bots specific roles in the software development process. The bots were able to complete the full software development process in under seven minutes at a cost of less than one dollar.

The researchers also found that the AI bots were able to identify and troubleshoot potential vulnerabilities in the software. They believe that this technology could potentially help junior programmers or engineers in the real world.

The study is still in its early stages, but it has the potential to revolutionize the software development industry. It could lead to the development of more efficient and cost-effective ways to create software.

Here are some of the key takeaways from the study:

AI chatbots can be used to automate the software development process.
This can lead to significant time and cost savings.
AI chatbots can be used to identify and troubleshoot potential vulnerabilities in software.
This could help to improve the quality of software.
The study is still in its early stages, but it has the potential to revolutionize the software development industry.

https://www.businessinsider.com/ai-builds-s...ar-study-2023-9

Fanatical: I am Fish + Just Die Already @ RM4.63

eclectice — Mon, 11 Sep 2023 12:31:14 +0800

Steam games Double-Pack is now on sale at Fanatical for RM4.63 (USD 0.99), a massive discount of 97% from its original price of RM163.50 (on Fanatical, but it will cost you MYR 71 on Steam right now as of 11 Sept 2023).

This is a great opportunity to get two great games for a fraction of their original price. The sale is only available for a limited time, so don't miss out!

https://www.fanatical.com/en/bundle/i-am-fi...ie-already-pack

The Double-Pack includes two critically-acclaimed indie games:

I Am Fish is a charming physics-based adventure game about a school of fish who must escape from an aquarium and return to the ocean.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1472560/I_Am_Fish/ (MYR 39.00)

Just Die Already is a ragdoll physics game where you play as an old person trying to survive in a world that wants you dead.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/979070/Just_Die_Already/ (MYR 32.00)

Both games are supported on GFN and Steam Deck

Note: PRC-restricted by Steam games storefront

Football Manager 2023

eclectice — Sat, 09 Sep 2023 21:39:23 +0800

Games with Prime are free to collect and can be kept forever. Link your Epic Games Store account to get this game.

Item(s) included:
Football Manager 2023 for PC on Epic Games Store.

Once you have successfully linked your Epic Games Store account with your Amazon Prime account, launch the Epic Games Launcher on your PC. Then, go to your Library where Football Manager 2023 will be available for download.

Sign up for FMFC, the free and exclusive Football Manager member’s club.

Unlock member-only game modes and early access to feature drops, studio news, and gameplay inspiration before anybody else.

Play online with Versus mode for the ultimate bragging rights - exclusive to FMFC members.
Regular exclusive competitions and other member-only incentives.
Be first in line for news and content relevant to your game preferences.
Plus, much more coming soon.
Not a member yet? Sign up now at: footballmanager.com/fmfc

https://gaming.amazon.com/football-manager-...3_S01_FGWP_CRWN

Is this a man or a woman?

eclectice — Thu, 07 Sep 2023 12:11:39 +0800

I got the Adidas email newsletter for its 9.9 sales promotion. But I keep wondering about the ad: is the guy a man or a woman?

EV Insurance/Takaful

eclectice — Thu, 07 Sep 2023 09:53:11 +0800

For /K nerds.

Tesla owners, how much do you pay for your EV insurance/takaful?

I am considering buying the Tesla Ensure Insurance & Takaful package from Etiqa. I want to know how much it costs and what the coverage is like. I am also interested in the features of the policy, such as roadside assistance or rental car reimbursement.

I know I can make a call to Etiqa directly, but alternatively, I can ask you guys as well. I would appreciate it if you could share your thoughts on the Tesla Ensure Insurance & Takaful package from Etiqa. Thank you!

https://www.etiqa.com.my/v2/car-ev-insurance-takaful

Tesla Ensure Insurance & Takaful
FREE EV Home Charger Coverage Campaign
FREE EV Home Charger Takaful Coverage Campaign

Will this feature be abused

eclectice — Fri, 11 Aug 2023 15:50:29 +0800

[fbv]
https://fb.watch/mlEiv_m8hI/?mibextid=2Rb1fB
[/fbv]
https://fb.watch/mlEiv_m8hI/?mibextid=2Rb1fB
~~Sorry, the Facebook BBC code in Lowyat is broken/deprecated~~

» Click to show Spoiler - click again to hide... «

Thank @PJng, I guess I should not use the shortened fb.watch link version. If I still want to embed this shortened fb.watch link version, I need to remove its extra queries into this version

https://fb.watch/mlEiv_m8hI/
[FB]https://fb.watch/mlEiv_m8hI/[/FB]

ChatGPT merempit hipster

eclectice — Fri, 11 Aug 2023 12:20:22 +0800

Taught ChatGPT to speak rempit hipster language:

» Click to show Spoiler - click again to hide... «

Tqk couple kt luar qeram seyh, boiify dhea belikn brnqq untoq mataer dhea... Ahbey cium, pelok nyh seme... Jealous tawuu! Maner naqq dpt laky'laky romantic qyler nyh... Tsskk! akuu nyh, tdo taakq btol arhh.. 1 jam anqon, 2 jam anqon.. Asl ehyy? Irrits siaaa!! Haishh!! qaw piker,qaw hotstuff, qaw ley dpt any quyz?! qet a lyfe ark qerl! Kayh,, skrnq aruu rase nqantOk.. Xial uhk... .. Mind still thinkinq bOut hym.. Haish.. (A).. Da lurhk aqu nak baam... Paperhk pycit aqu kayh?? Saperhk tkde num mintak baby-g aqu,, FIFI SEWEL ataw asked me persOnally. LOvechewguys haishh. Taakq abez! Akuu asek qado jerhh nqaan dyerh.. Ermm! Ddy, laaw taakq cyq bbhy, tynqqalkaan bbhy jerhh. Bbhy cyq ddy sowanq jerhh. Haishh.

Aku: Ejey, ko dah tengok couple kat luar geram tak? Boyfriend dia belikan barang untuk mater dia... Abang cium, peluk dia semua... Jealous tau! Mana nak dapat lelaki-lelaki romantic macam tu... Tsk! Aku ni, tidur tak betul ah... 1 jam angon, 2 jam angon... Apa salahnya? Irritasi siak!! Haish!

Ejey: Aku piker, aku hotstuff, aku boleh dapat any guys?! Get a life la girl! Kay, sekarang aku rasa nak cantik... Siyal ughh... Mind still thinking bout him... Haish... (A)... Dah lama aku nak boom... Paperik punya cit aku kay? Saperik takde num mintak baby-g aku, FIFI SEWEL atau asked me personally. Love you guys haishh. Tak habis! Aku asyik kado jerh nqan dia... Ermm! Didi, kalau tak cukup baby, tinggalkan baby je... Baby suka Didi jerr... Haishh.

Aku: Ejey, kau ni dah jadi macam couple goals dah. Boyfriend kau belikan barang untuk mak kau... Abang cium, peluk kau semua... Aku jeles tau! Mana nak dapat lelaki-lelaki romantic macam tu... Tsk! Aku ni, tidur tak betul ah... 1 jam angon, 2 jam angon... Apa salahnya? Irritasi siak!! Haish!

Ejey: Aku fikir, aku hotstuff, aku boleh dapat any guys?! Dapatkan a life, girl! Kay, sekarang aku rasa nak cantik... Siyal ughh... Mind still thinking bout him... Haish... (A)... Dah lama aku nak boom... Paperik punya cit aku kay? Saperik takde num mintak baby-g aku, FIFI SEWEL atau asked me personally. Love you guys haishh. Tak habis! Aku asyik kado jerh nqan dia... Ermm! Didi, kalau tak cukup baby, tinggalkan baby je... Baby suka Didi jerr... Haishh.

Note: The conversation has been modified to fit the rempit-style Malay spelling and words.

I try to apply some neologisms commonly used in rojak SMS and chats.

https://kulliyyah.iium.edu.my/klm/wp-conten...MALAY-WORDS.pdf
https://indoling.com/ismil/13/abstracts/Yon...0ISMIL%2013.pdf
https://ir.uitm.edu.my/id/eprint/69251/1/69251.pdf

End of Free Disney

eclectice — Thu, 10 Aug 2023 16:05:39 +0800

Disney+ Password Sharers, beware! The Mouse House is coming for you...

Disney is "actively exploring" ways to crack down on password sharing.
The company will update its subscriber agreements later this year and will "roll out tactics to drive monetization" in 2024.
Disney declined to provide a number, but it said that password sharing is "significant" across Disney's services.
The company has the "technical capability" to monitor sign-ins and that it plans to "get at this issue" in 2024.
Disney also announced a new $19.99 per month ad-free bundle with Disney Plus and Hulu that will launch in the US on September 6th.
With the introduction of the bundle, the price of individual subscriptions to Disney Plus and Hulu will go up on October 12th.
Disney is also looking to cut costs on Marvel and Star Wars productions, and it may sell some of its cable networks that it says aren't "core" to the company.

https://www.theverge.com/2023/8/9/23826310/...arnings-q3-2023

China Durian's review

eclectice — Wed, 02 Aug 2023 13:40:02 +0800

China's first major durian harvest has taken place, but according to a review by the South China Morning Post's Shea Driscoll, the taste, texture, and smell of the fruit were disappointing compared to traditional durians.

Driscoll noted that the fruit's smell was not as strong as a typical durian, and the color of the meat was a pale yellow instead of a deep golden hue.

The taste was described as mild, dry, and hard, lacking the creaminess and bitterness of a traditional durian.

The texture was also likened to an unripe banana at times.

While some testers appreciated the less intense flavor, the overall consensus was that China's durians have a long way to go to match the quality of Malaysian and Thai durians.

https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/a...-post-finds-out

First World EV vs Bezza

eclectice — Wed, 02 Aug 2023 12:51:49 +0800

A couple's plan to set a world record for the first electric vehicle world tour faced a setback when their newly purchased BYD electric vehicle crashed into a Perodua in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The couple intended to travel across several countries, including Thailand, Laos, China, Europe, and Africa. In a TikTok video, a damaged blue Perodua Bezza can be seen. Netizens commented on the incident, jokingly stating that Malaysian traffic is challenging, and one commenter claimed that the EV couple crashed into the Bezza, a Proton Saga, and a Mazda.

https://www.nst.com.my/news/nst-viral/2023/...after-encounter

Should or shouldn't

eclectice — Wed, 02 Aug 2023 11:15:10 +0800

The latest Chrome update now allows us to use Windows Hello to authenticate our login access from a Windows machine.

Is this a wise move?

Quantum Computing?

eclectice — Tue, 01 Aug 2023 16:19:54 +0800

Right now, we are focusing on big data analytics, data science, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and cloud computing.

But, are Malaysians actively involved in the emerging technology known as quantum computing?

I'm aware of the Quantum & Laser Science Lab (QLS) at the University of Malaya, which focuses on Quantum Optics and Quantum Biology and is led by Professor Dr. CH Raymond Ooi. He wrote an article for the Star about this subject. He is now actively discussing quantum communication and quantum applications in cybersecurity.

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/education/2...r-cybersecurity

In order to find a solution for quantum decoherence/interference, the research is presently focusing on two-qubit quantum gates, the building blocks of the quantum computer, and the most complex gates to execute.

Singapore's DSO National Laboratories (DSO), which is akin to Malaysia's STRIDE, is actively involved in quantum sensor research with partners such as THALES.

Should you upgrade your gaming PC in 2023?

eclectice — Mon, 17 Jul 2023 12:50:00 +0800

Hey guys, this article talks about the gaming hardware market and whether it's a good time to upgrade your gaming machine. The author says it's not a good time, as the latest GPUs are more expensive and offer little improvement over the previous generation. The author suggests waiting until late 2024 or early 2025 for the next-gen GPUs. What do you guys think? Is it worth upgrading now or should we wait?

The best time to upgrade a gaming machine in 2023 is late 2024 or early 2025, when the next generation of GPUs is expected to be released.

Why Upgrading a Gaming PC Right Now is Almost Pointless And Expensive!
https://www.techspot.com/article/2707-upgra...-gaming-pc-bad/

Welcome Gemini!

eclectice — Tue, 27 Jun 2023 16:42:39 +0800

DeepMind is working on a new chatbot called Gemini that could compete with OpenAI's ChatGPT.

Gemini is being developed using AlphaGo's techniques and could solve problems and analyze text.

https://techcrunch.com/2023/06/26/deepmind-...ZpfFzK62oj_eKOz