HWM Singapore August 2021

AS A TECHNOLOGY PUBLICATION, we’re used to seeing new gadgets, shiny distractions to our everyday lives that may or may not actually be useful in the long run. Remember when 3D was the next big thing for TVs? Or when modular smartphones were all the rage? Many of these technologies fell to the wayside simply because they were developed without real practical use, or were too expensive to become mainstream for the everyman. While we do see constant improvements in performance for all our gadgets - processors are faster, graphics more realistic, displays brighter, images sharper, sensors more accurate and connectivity more seamless - I do genuinely get surprised at next-generation technology that’s already available and implemented in the real world. For this issue of HWM, we explore a collaboration between…

How is M1’s 5G standalone (SA) network unique against other telcos? Denis Our priority with the 5G network rollout ensures that our network is more accessible to more customers. Besides ensuring greater network coverage, quality and resilience, our customer-centric approach allows our mobile users to enable 5G SA access in a quick and hassle-free manner. M1 has also been at the forefront of 5G development since 2018, with over 15 unique 5G trials, use cases and partnerships across the consumer, enterprise and government spheres, helping to create our 5G plans. We continue to leverage our expertise and experience to create more made-to-measure offerings and products that differentiate M1 in the market. How will M1 meet consumer needs as they move onto 5G networks? Denis Our new digital platform allows us to deliver hyper-personalised products…

Last week, I attended a short preview session for Minecraft Dungeons Arcade at Timezone VivoCity, which is the game’s first (and only) home here in Southeast Asia. For those who missed the memo, the game is functionally similar to the one on the Xbox Game Pass, albeit with a few mechanical differences to accommodate the arcade setting. The largest difference, apart from the fact that you’re now playing it in the arcade (duh) is that weapons and equipment aren’t picked up as drops or purchased in-game. Rather, players will make use of a collectible card system not unlike the one for Animal Kaiser and MushiKing to equip gear. There are currently five categories of cards, namely Skin, Melee, Range, Armour and Pet - which you can scan to acquire their respective…

By that, we’re not saying that all they care about are profit margins and new releases. What we do mean is that the respective parties should always be held accountable for what happens internally, regardless of which rung of the corporate ladder they’re hanging from. Needless to say, this goes double for serious issues like assault, sexual harassment, and general workplace toxicity. “Claims of sexual harassment and discrimination against women coupled with the use of manipulative tactics and uncompetitive pay for developers have left the studio with a less-than-stellar reputation in terms of workplace culture.” Unfortunately, if you’ve kept up with many of last year’s instances, there are already many prominent game companies that have found themselves on this list. Riot Games employees have staged walkouts, Ubisoft received a straight-up call-out on…

F&B operators collectively rolled their eyes and heaved a defeated yet understanding sigh. The banning of tunes underscored the importance of high-quality audio - a crucial aspect to delivering a comprehensive, enjoyable dining-out experience. Imagine, with all these measures in place, our surprise when BernieSound reached out to tell us it has managed to incorporate a high-quality speakerless audio system on behalf of popular F&B chain, Wine Connection. We had many questions. Why speakerless audio when conventional F&B audio solutions are widely accepted across the industry? How was it possible? Why now, when music is not allowed? To our pleasure, we’ve managed to catch up with Dominic Schober, General Manager (F&B Division) of Wine Connection, and the team distributing BernieSound in Singapore - Regional Director Kamil Jumat, and Managing Director Will Rimba. NOT…

ASUS’ penchant for wacky-looking routers continues with its latest RT-AX89X router. Similarities with the earlier ROG GT-AX11000 router are obvious. To say that the RT-AX89X is a conspicuous router would be an understatement. The eight external antennas dominate, yes, but the router itself is also very large and heavy. The measuring tape reads 35cm at the widest point and weighing a hefty 1.28kg. Putting its prodigious size and massive antennas aside, the other components of the router are actually quite restrained. The router itself comes in a flat shade of black, the ASUS logo on the top doesn’t flash, and there are no RGB lights to distract and annoy. Instead, the only lights are the LED status indicators on the side, which aren’t really prominent at all. The fact of the matter, however,…