UniFi promises Malaysians a richer, faster and more reliable online experience at affordable prices

Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM) recently launched its next-generation High Speed Broadband (HSBB) service at a grand gala launch event held at Dataran Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur. Graced by the Prime Minister, YAB Dato’ Seri Najib Tun Razak, Deputy Prime Minister, YAB Tan Sri Muhyiddin bin Mohd. Yassin and other members of the government administration, the launching ceremony of TM’s latest high speed broadband service dubbed as UniFi also featured broadband lifestyle showcases, interactive exhibitions and a live concert for the members of the public.

The brand name UniFi which derives from the words “Uni” which signifies togetherness and camaraderie and “Fi” which refers to fibre optics signifies the essence of the service – connecting and bringing people together to communicate and collaborate. Heralding a new age of digital lifestyle with a faster, richer and more reliable online experience both for the individual and business customers, UniFi delivers faster network access speed (port speed) for bandwidth hungry applications and superior end-to-end performance.

TM’s UniFi high speed broadband packages comprises triple-play services of high speed Internet, video (IPTV), and phone, with speeds of 5 Mbps, 10Mbps and 20Mbps. The IPTV service which makes up part of the bundled service will be delivered via an 8Mbps connection exclusively and in addition to the data speeds subscribed by the customers. With IPTV, customers can enjoy 22 linear channels, Video-On-Demand and interactive services such as games, tourism information, and much more.

UniFi subscribers also pay no installation and activation charges or charges for equipment such as their residential gateway unit, set top box and optical network unit, worth more than RM1,000. There is no deposit required as well.

New and existing 4Mbps Streamyx Combo and non-Combo customers will only pay RM140/month effective immediately, regardless of their location. This is to encourage 4Mbps Streamyx subscribers located in areas where UniFi is available to upgrade to UniFi and for those outside to switch to the Blockbuster package.

The initial areas covered by TM’s UniFi are the 4 exchange areas of Shah Alam, Subang Jaya, Taman Tun Dr Ismail and Bangsar. In addition to these 4 exchange areas, UniFi will be expanded to another 22 exchange areas by June and a further 22 by December. That means, by year-end 2010, TM’s UniFi will cover 48 exchange areas with a total of 750,000 premises passed. This would include key areas such as Putrajaya, Cyberjaya and Iskandar Malaysia. A schedule of expansion and area availability is available on the TM website.

UniFi customers in the initial four areas of Shah Alam, Subang Jaya, Taman Tun Dr Ismail and Bangsar can sign up at TM website, www.tm.com.my  or visit the selected six TMpoints within the four exchange areas. The selected TMpoints are in Taipan USJ, Damansara Utama, Menara TM, Bukit Mahkamah, Shah Alam and Bangsar. For enquiries or further details on UniFi, subscribers or potential subscribers can call 1 300 88 1222 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

*Sources derived from www.tm.com.my

Full HD 3D VIERA® Plasma HDTVs and Blu-ray 3DTM Player Create Groundbreaking Visual Experience

One year after announcing a major commitment to the development of Full HD 3D television, Panasonic recently made good on its promise by introducing a complete lineup of Full HD 3D consumer products.  The new range of Full HD 3D* capable VIERA Plasma HDTVs and a fully-featured Blu-ray 3DTM Disc player will bring a new era of immersive visual entertainment into consumers’ homes, by creating a 3D experience that easily rivals the best that can be seen in cinemas.

By delivering a full 1080p-resolution image to each eye, Panasonic’s Full HD 3D technology offers consumers the highest possible visual experience. To enjoy Full HD 3D programming, users wear a stylish and lightweight pair of active-shutter glasses. Recognizing the innovative quality of the Panasonic Full HD 3D VIERA Plasma HDTV, the Consumer Electronics Association named the Full HD 3D plasma TV a winner of its prestigious 2010 Innovations Award.

Panasonic’s new 3D Full HD Blu-ray Disc player, model DMP-BDT350, also received the Consumer Electronics Association’s esteemed Innovations Award for its innovative 3D technology. The player outputs stunning, rock-solid, and immersive Full HD 3D imagery to compatible displays. The player also handles a wide variety of audio standards, and upconverts all standard definition video formats to 1080p. The BDT350 will also play standard Blu-ray Discs, DVDs and CDs.

To create the best possible 3D picture, Panasonic has developed new, faster screen phosphors; coupled with its 600Hz sub-field drive, the new displays output alternating imagery at 60 frames per second to each eye. The brain then combines the images and interprets them as 3D.

In addition to its new 3D technologies, each Full HD 3D Plasma model incorporates a rich set of advanced features. VIERA CAST™, Panasonic’s innovative Internet programming package, gives viewers the ability to access  feature films plus information and communication offerings including Amazon Video on Demand™, Bloomberg News, Fox Sports, Netflix™, and Skype™ on Your VIERA TV, among others.

VIERA Link™ allows Panasonic owners to control their VIERA Link-compatible audio and video products with just one remote. With VIERA Image Viewer™, HD home movies and photos are easily displayed using an accessible SD Memory Card slot with its music slideshow functionality. And THX® Certified Display certification insures that every Panasonic Full HD 3D TV displays motion pictures and television content with exactly the quality and color palette that the director intended.

With Panasonic’s demonstrated “eco ideas” commitment to minimize the impact of its products on the environment, all new Full HD 3D plasma panels are designed with an effective screen half-life of 100,000 hours, or over 30 years of TV viewing, eight hours per day.  To cut toxic waste when the television does reach the end of its life, all models are manufactured without using mercury or lead.

Panasonic’s new Full HD 3D Blu-ray player DMP-BDT350 utilizes groundbreaking technologies incorporated in Panasonic’s proprietary UniPhier LSI chip, enabling the player to flawlessly process the large quantity of visual information necessary to create a Full HD 3D image in 1920 x 1080 resolution. Adaptive Chroma Upsampling insures that colors will be faithfully reproduced; and all native digital DVD formats are upscaled to 1080p resolution quality.

The new Full HD 3D Blu-ray player incorporates all features expected in a high-end product, including VIERA Cast Internet link, BD Live, 7.1 channel lossless audio, as well as Dolby® True HD and DTS™ HD audio formats. Digital still photographs and HD video can be easily viewed through the player’s SD Memory Card slot. And VIERA Link enables all compatible audio and video products to be controlled with one remote. Panasonic will launch a complete line of fully-featured Full HD 3D VIERA Plasma HDTVs in spring 2010, at suggested retail prices to be announced at a later date.

Notes:
*Current 3D content will be limited and may include certain Blu-ray Disc titles and satellite programming. Additional equipment and/or subscription fees may apply. 3D Blu-ray Disc player and discs sold separately. 3D Eyewear required for viewing. One pair included with purchase.

*Source derived from www.panasonic.com/3D

It’s a tale of betrayal. It’s a tale of devastation and determination. It’s a tale about a warrior fuelled by rage and consumed with only one purpose – revenge. Spread from the battlefield of ancient Greece to the lofty halls of the gods, an ex-Spartan warrior is prepared to take on those who have betrayed him. As one of the most talked about games in the history of PlayStation 3 makes its debut, it brings in an epic battle that’s bigger, better, gorier and definitely more satisfying for fans of the franchise. Developed exclusively for the PlayStation 3 system, God of War III puts the powers of the gods into your hands.

If you’re one of those who own a PlayStation 2, chances are you know a thing or two about the multi-million unit-selling trilogy, God of War. It’s been one of the console’s most successful franchises, well establishing itself amongst popular titles like Final Fantasy and Gran Turismo.

For the uninitiated, the single player God of War games are a twisted take on Greek mythology, where players take on the role of Kratos, his quest for revenge. Mind you, this is no playground for kids as the game is clearly marked as 18+ due to its intense gore, a certain amount of nudity and violence – well, basically decapitated enemies, torn limbs and gouged eyes.

Built by Sony Computer Entertainment’s Santa Monica Studios, God of War III kicks off from where 2007’s hit, God of War II for the PlayStation 2 left off. The epic battle is brought to life with spectacular graphics and an elaborate plot that puts Kratos at the center of a massacre and destruction as he seeks vengeance against the Gods who have betrayed him.

In God of War III, it’s like just another day in the office for Kratos. The former Spartan warrior heads for Olympus on his customary hack-n-slash spree armed with his trusty double-chained blades and various brutal instruments of war and magic as he dishes out death. In this new installment, several enemies are vulnerable to certain weapons, and knowing which weapon is appropriate to undertake a specific enemy brings a degree of strategy into the hack-n-slash routine.

The developers of the game have stuck to the same formula as the previous editions – Kratos has to kill a few pawns before getting into some intense boss battles and the ‘quick time’ games remain, where players have to perform a random button sequence in order to take down the enemy. The combat style remains the same and players are still required to collect red, blue and green orbs to power up the weapons, magic and health.

Also, God of War III offers many of em’ jaw-dropping moments. With the use of a new game engine develop from the ground up and state-of-the-art visual technologies, the development team behind God of War III has managed to bring out the realistic feel to the battlegrounds by presenting it in an uncompromising, in-your-face manner. With rich detailed textures, beautifully created environments, and a stunning dynamic lighting engine, it’s safe to say that God of War III pushes the PS3’s power to the maximum. As for the musical score, the grand orchestration and majestically ominous voices takes the epic battle to even greater heights.

Debates rage on about how good God of War III is – some love it, some don’t and some say that it’s just as good as other titles in store. But, love it or hate it, players will have to give the developers credit for delivering something that the fans have been dreaming of – fantastic, over-the-top graphics and definitely, a gripping storyline.

DiGi Telecommunications recently announced it will offer iPhone 3GS and iPhone 3G in Malaysia beginning 31 March 2010, with a range of 3G tariff plans tailored for iPhone customers.

iPhone 3GS is the fastest, most powerful iPhone yet, packed with incredible new features including improved speed and performance - up to twice as fast as iPhone 3G - with longer battery life, a high-quality 3 megapixel autofocus camera, easy to use video recording and hands free voice control. The groundbreaking App Store provides access to more than 150,000 applications from games to social networking to financial planning and health management, generating more than 3 billion downloads to date. iPhone is now available in over 80 countries around the world.

"We are extremely excited to bring iPhone to our customers," said Albern Murty, Head of Marketing. "DiGi remains committed to making the Internet more accessible and to delivering an excellent customer experience on our Turbo 3G network through affordable, flexible tariff plans and financing options."

DiGi provides the nation's widest EDGE network, and its Turbo 3G™ HSPA network now covers about 30 percent of the Malaysian population since its launch a year ago. Customers in Klang Valley, Penang, Ipoh, Kuching and Kota Kinabalu can now enjoy instant access and consistent connectivity, as well as high-speed mobile web surfing. Plans are already underway to expand to additional markets this year.

iPhone will be available at 28 DiGi Centres and DiGi Specialised Stores nationwide from 3 April. Customers who pre-ordered iPhone online may go to these collection points: The Oval Concourse, One Utama New Wing from 31 March through 4 April; and the DiGi Centres on Beach Street, Penang and in 1Borneo Shopping Mall, Kota Kinabalu from 31 March onwards.

For more information on iPhone at DiGi and retail locations, please visit www.digi.com.my/iphone.

The miCoach interactive training system guides you to speed up or slow down by tracking heart rate, pace, distance and stride rate

adidas, a global leader in running, kicked off its worldwide New Year’s Resolution to help you become a better runner with the launch of the miCoach Pacer and Zone. The miCoach, along with the new Supernova Glide 2 and the adiNation of runners community, forms the holistic support system that adidas provides its runners.

At the official adidas miCoach launch held recently at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, Ng Chee Loon, Country Manager of adidas Malaysia said, “This is all about reaching your next level, whether you want to improve your personal best time, lose weight or want to train for your first marathon. miCoach acts as your own personal coach who is there with you on every run. It practically does all the thinking for you and knows exactly what you want to accomplish and exactly how to help you get there.”

“At adidas, we are constantly searching for ways to inspire, motivate and help our runners achieve their training goals. The miCoach, coupled with the new Supernova Glide 2 and the adiNation of Runners community comes together to form a holistic support system for our runners,” he added.

As part of the launch, adidas is giving away 100 MiCoach sets. With the purchase of any adidas running product, customers simply need to complete the adiNation of Runners pledge card before April 15th to qualify for the draw. 100 runners will be selected at the end of the promotion period. miCoach is an interactive training service developed to motivate, inspire and enable runners to become better and reach their training goals, whatever they may be. The miCoach offering features two separate products:

• The miCoach Pacer (RM519.90) - a small, lightweight device that delivers real-time audible coaching as you exercise via headphones or combined with your own MP3 player. During your run, the miCoach Pacer verbally coaches you (i.e. speed up to green zone, slow down to blue zone, etc.) to ensure that you are staying within your targeted heart rate zone and keep you running at the right personal level.
• The miCoach Zone (RM269.90) – an easy to read colour-code LED display on a wristband device provides accurate, real-time coaching making it easy for you to train at the right intensity with the help of a heart rate monitor.

At micoach.com you can create personalised training plans, set goals and proactively monitor and manage your progress over time. The miCoach platform includes six documented training plans, ranging from those who want to run faster and improve a personal time, to those who want to lose weight. You can also create your own personalised training plan on micoach.com to make you a better runner.

On micoach.com you receive a training program that’s tailored to your heart rate zones and will help you achieve your fitness goals more efficiently than traditional exercise regimens. miCoach listens to your heart to determine your personal training zone ranges, each represented by a distinct colour for easy-to-understand and effective training - blue, green, yellow and red. miCoach helps runners set goals and then reach them by monitoring their heart rate and telling them when to slow down or speed up to meet their personal goal.

To complement the launch of the miCoach, adidas has also evolved one of the most beloved running families with the introduction of the Supernova Glide 2 for spring/summer 2010. The Supernova Glide 2 is designed with different torsion systems for men and women as a result of carefully analyzing of the previous Supernova Glide and gender specific needs. miCoach compatible, the Supernova Glide 2 is available at adidas Sport Performance Concept Stores at a retail price of RM 399.90.

It is the adiNation of Runners community that makes the adidas runner support system complete. Through the adiNation of Runners, over 600 runners meet up on a weekly basis across the Klang Valley – where adidas trainers and fellow runners exchange tips, techniques and motivate each other to achieve their goals. For more information and to be part of the adiNation community, go to www.adiNation.com.

*Source derived from adidas miCoach press release