Gadgets
ASUS Launches Refreshed 14-inch ExpertBook B5 Series
ASUS has announced refreshed models in the ultralight, kilogram-class ExpertBook B5 laptop series — ExpertBook B5 (B5402C) and ExpertBook B5 Flip (B5402F). Available in both traditional clamshell and 360°-convertible forms for the ultimate in portability, flexibility, and clarity, the latest ExpertBook B5 models feature expansive 14-inch displays and are packed with the latest high-performance and enterprise-grade security technologies, including up to a 12th Gen Intel Core i7 processor with Intel vPro support and Intel Iris Xe graphics, TPM 2.0, both IR and fingerprint login, a physical webcam shield, AI noise cancellation for crystal-clear conferencing, ASUS NumberPad for fast data input and, with ExpertBook B5 Flip, a quick-charging garaged stylus.
The new 14-inch ExpertBook B5 and B5 Flip laptops feature a precision-crafted and minimalist chassis that pushes the limits of lightness. Both the top and bottom covers are cut from pure aluminum, while the area around the keyboard is formed using magnesium-aluminum alloy. The premium materials and careful construction keep the weight down to as little as a feather-light 1.25 kg, and as thin as 1.79 cm while ensuring that the machines are ready for the rigors of everyday use in the office or on the go. They’re also engineered to empower all-day productivity, with a battery life that has the endurance to last for up to 11 hours on a single charge.
ExpertBook B5 and B5 Flip are primed to perform, with the latest up to 12th Gen Intel Core i7 processor with vPro support and Iris Xe graphics, 40 GB RAM and WiFi 6E — ensuring quick and responsive computing, superb graphical performance and ultrafast wireless networking. They also feature two SSDs to provide up to 2 TB capacity and extreme-speed data reads and writes. These drives also support RAID 0/1 technology for faster operation or improved data reliability.
When it’s time for work, both B5 and B5 Flip empower the user to excel, with a range of features to enhance both security and productivity. Robust, multi-layered security features ensure that confidential and private data does not leak out. These include support for the Intel vPro platform for superior business protection, an integrated fingerprint sensor, an IR camera for face login, a physical webcam shield for instant privacy and an optional TPM 2.0 chip to keep attackers away from private data. There’s even an integrated Kensington Nano lock slot, making them quick and easy to secure.
Productivity-enhancing features include two-way, AI-powered noise cancellation for high-quality communications and optional ASUS NumberPad — the exclusive illuminated touchpad that doubles as a numeric keypad — for crunching numbers. B5 Flip also includes a fast-charging garaged stylus, with a 15-second top-up providing enough power for up to 45 minutes of use — so the user is never left waiting to work.
Life on the road is tough, so the new ExpertBook B5 and B5 Flip models are designed to meet and surpass exacting industry thresholds — including the ultra-demanding MIL-STD 810H US military standard. This means they’re built to survive every extreme, from freezing temperatures to the searing heat of deserts, and high-speed shocks as well as everyday bumps.
They also undergo stringent in-house testing, including panel-pressure, shock and drop tests for an assurance of serious durability. Even the keyboard is resilient, and engineered to resist everyday spills and splashes. All ASUS ExpertBooks are engineered with sustainability in mind, and these latest models are no exception – with ExpertBook B5 and B5 Flip earning both ENERGY STAR and EPEAT certifications.
Gadgets
HUAWEI Launches WATCH GT 5 Series, WATCH D2, WATCH Ultimate Green, MatePad Pro 12.2-inch and MatePad 12 X
HUAWEI has launched a series of new gadgets at its Innovative Product Launch event in Barcelona, Spain. The company introduced a range of highly anticipated products, highlighting its ‘Fashion Forward’ approach to wearables. The new wearables lineup includes the HUAWEI WATCH GT 5 Series, HUAWEI WATCH D2, and the HUAWEI WATCH Ultimate Green. Additionally, Huawei unveiled the HUAWEI MatePad Pro 12.2-inch and HUAWEI MatePad 12 X—brand-new tablets offering advanced technologies for enhanced productivity and seamless connectivity. To provide a worry-free experience, Huawei is offering the HUAWEI Care+ Service, which can be purchased alongside the new devices.
HUAWEI MatePad Pro 12.2”: Brighter, Lighter, and Ready to Replace Your Laptop
Alex Huang, Chief Marketing Officer of Huawei Consumer BG, emphasised the brand’s global impact and commitment to innovation. “We aim to bring innovative products that offer consumers a unique blend of fashion and creativity,” said Alex. “By inspiring our users, Huawei strives to create a more connected and heartwarming world where technology enhances daily living and brings people closer together.”
HUAWEI WATCH GT 5 Series
The HUAWEI WATCH GT 5 Series elevates smartwatch fashion with sharp, geometric designs and premium materials. Boasting IP69K certification for water and corrosion resistance, the series is built for durability. It’s available in two editions—HUAWEI WATCH GT 5 Pro and HUAWEI WATCH GT 5—with three sizes and 12 colourways. The 46mm version features an iconic octagonal dial, a 1.43-inch AMOLED display, and durable materials like sapphire glass and titanium. The sleeker 42mm version offers a nano-ceramic build with gold accents and a 1.32-inch AMOLED screen. The HUAWEI WATCH GT 5 Series provides the sleek 41mm and a larger 46mm options. Unlike the Pros, these are constructed with durable stainless steel.
The HUAWEI WATCH GT 5 Series introduces a major leap in health and fitness tracking with the debut of the HUAWEI TruSense System. It now leads the industry in tracking vital signs such as heart rate, blood oxygen levels, and respiratory rate. The new Emotional Wellbeing Assistant allows the watch to infer the user’s emotional state. The battery life remains impressive, boasting up to 14 days on the 46mm model and 7 days on the 41mm version. The watch is compatible with Android and iOS smartphones.
HUAWEI WATCH GT 5 Series will be available in UAE on September 26thwith pre-orders starting on September 19th price from 899 AED from Huawei’s online platforms as well as certified retailers.
HUAWEI WATCH D2
The HUAWEI WATCH D2 is the successor to the HUAWEI WATCH D, which brought blood pressure monitoring to the wrist. The new watch introduces Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring (ABPM), offering 24-hour blood pressure tracking throughout a full sleep-wake cycle. For individuals with hypertension, the watch helps identify their blood pressure circadian rhythms and detect abnormal nighttime blood pressure decline rates. For those without hypertension, the watch can help assess their risk.
The HUAWEI WATCH D2 also offers comprehensive health monitoring capabilities, including heart rate, blood pressure, blood oxygen, stress, skin temperature, ECG, vascular elasticity, pulse wave arrhythmia, and sleep apnea detection. With a single tap, users can measure nine body indicators and generate a Health Glance report to identify potential health risks. In terms of design, the HUAWEI WATCH D2 features a glossy mirror bezel and a rotating crown that exudes a premium feel.
HUAWEI WATCH D2 will be available in UAE on October 14th at AED 1599 from Huawei’s online platforms as well as certified retailers. Subscribe now and get an early bird voucher worth AED 150.
HUAWEI WATCH Ultimate Green Edition
HUAWEI WATCH Ultimate introduces the new Advanced Golf Course Features and the enhanced Expedition Mode, along with a new green edition. The new green edition brings an exclusive dual-colour nano-tech ceramic bezel, crafted through a highly complex manufacturing process. As Huawei’s ultimate luxury smartwatch, the HUAWEI WATCH Ultimate boasts a Zirconium-based liquid metal body and a high-strength sapphire glass cover, ensuring maximum durability and wear resistance. Additionally, it offers a 100-meter diving mode with audio functions.
HUAWEI WATCH Ultimate will be available in UAE on October 14th at AED 2999 from Huawei’s online platforms as well as certified retailers. Subscribe now and get an early bird voucher worth AED 300.
HUAWEI MatePad Pro 12.2
The new HUAWEI MatePad Pro 12.2” features an innovative Tandem OLED PaperMatte screen capable of reaching an astounding 2000 nits of brightness. It delivers stunning HDR visuals, ensuring lifelike colours even in bright sunlight. This display incorporates cutting-edge anti-sparkle and nanoscale anti-glare etching technologies, alongside magnetron nano optical layers to reduce light interference and glare offering a paper-like viewing. The all-new HUAWEI Glide Keyboard offers integrated stylus storage and charging, with a magnetic hinge for easy mode switching. Built with anti-stain materials, it resists coffee spills, oil, and lipstick smudges.
The GoPaint app on the new tablet introduces Splatter and Fluid brushes, delivering pro-level tools for digital painting. The MatePad Pro 12.2” comes in a stunning Golden Silk rear cover that redefines artistry in gadget design. HUAWEI MatePad Pro 12.2” will be available in UAE on October 3rd with pre-orders starting on September 26th at AED 2999 from Huawei’s online platforms as well as certified retailers.
HUAWEI MatePad 12 X
The HUAWEI MatePad 12 X is an elegant-looking tablet Available in three beautiful pastel colours—Greenery, Sakura Pink, and White. They all have a unique metallic white lustre, adding a refined aesthetic touch. Designed for young professionals, its 12-inch PaperMatte Display simulates the texture of paper using nano-level etching making it the most suitable screen for paperless creation. Paired with the HUAWEI M-Pencil, it delivers a writing experience that feels natural, improving precision by 47% compared with traditional tablets.
The HUAWEI MatePad 12 X also comes with Huawei Notes, a professional note-taking app designed by Huawei for seamless, paperless creation, making it the perfect tool for creativity and productivity. HUAWEI HUAWEI MatePad 12 X will be available in UAE on October 3rd with pre-orders starting on September 26th at AED 1699 from Huawei’s online platforms as well as certified retailers.
Artificial Intelligence
Acer Expands Copilot+ PC Line with New Swift AI and Swift Go 14 AI Laptops
Acer has launched its latest Swift laptops, powered by the new Intel Core Ultra processors (Series 2). The Swift 14 AI and Swift 16 AI Copilot+ PCs offer exceptional AI performance, sleek designs, and a suite of AI-powered features. Equipped with Intel Core Ultra processors, these laptops deliver up to 48 trillion operations per second (TOPS) of NPU AI performance. This enables them to accelerate generative AI tasks and creations with ease. The laptops also feature advanced security features, including biometric security and hardware-level protection, to safeguard user data.
The Swift 14 AI and Swift 16 AI boast premium aluminium chassis and stunning OLED displays with 90 Hz refresh rates and HDR TrueBlack 500 certification. The laptops also offer exceptional battery life, thanks to efficient power management and the new Intel Core Ultra processors. Acer’s suite of AI features includes Copilot+, which provides intelligent assistance for various tasks. The laptops also feature AcerSense, which allows users to control system settings and access AI features with a single click. Additionally, Acer Assist offers AI-powered document search and troubleshooting, while Acer PurifiedView and PurifiedVoice enhance video conferencing experiences.
The Swift 14 AI and Swift 16 AI are Copilot+ PCs, offering a new era of productivity and efficiency. With Copilot, users can access AI-powered tools like Cocreator for image generation and Live Captions for real-time speech translation. The Acer Swift Go 14 AI, powered by a Snapdragon X Plus 8-core processor, offers exceptional performance and long battery life. It is designed for everyday users who seek a powerful and accessible AI-powered laptop.
Acer’s new Swift laptops offer a combination of powerful AI performance, sleek designs, and innovative features. Whether you’re a creative professional, a student, or a business user, these laptops have something to offer.
Earbuds
Sony’s WH-1000XM5 and WF-1000XM5 Now Available in Smoky Pink Variant
Sony has announced a new colour addition to their 1000X noise-cancelling headphones. Released in collaboration with K-Pop girl group LE SSERAFIM, the WH-1000XM5 and WF-1000XM5 noise-cancelling headphones are now available in Smoky Pink. Both the WH-1000XM5 headphones and WF-1000XM5 earbuds offer noise-cancelling features and great audio quality. The WF-1000XM5 currently comes in black and platinum silver, while the WH-1000XM5 comes in black, platinum silver and midnight blue.
The Smoky Pink colour is soft and sophisticated, with a powdery matte texture that boosts your style. This colour fits perfectly with LE SSERAFIM’s aesthetic and their newly unveiled partnership with Sony’s For The Music campaign.
The record-breaking K-pop giants are known for their fearless attitude, chic fashion sensibilities, and empowering songs, which have resulted in multiple entries on the Billboard Hot 100 and 200 charts. With 20M+ combined followers on social platforms and a diehard global fanbase, there’s no question that LE SSERAFIM is a mainstay in the genre and one of the most exciting acts to watch in 2024 and beyond.
LE SSERAFIM also stars in Sony’s campaign for the WH-1000XM5 headphones and WF-1000XM5 earbuds, featuring their new song “CRAZY” from their same-titled fourth mini album, which was released on August 30th. “The connection we have with our fans is everything, and we can’t wait for them to be able to experience our music with Sony’s awesome Smoky Pink 1000X headphones and earbuds,” said LE SSERAFIM.
The Smoky Pink WH-1000XM5 headphones and WF-1000XM5 earbuds will be available in the Middle East and Africa from October 2024.