APU’s New Campus – Your Future, Your Choice

APU’s New Campus – Your Future, Your Choice

Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU) unveiled the new iconic campus in 2017 that is strategically located in Technology Park Malaysia (TPM), Bukit Jalil. APU is a top-notch University recognised as a Premier Digital University by MDEC and was rated 5-Stars at the SETARA 2017 Ratings by Ministry of Higher Education.

APU’s Campus blends technology, integration, innovation and creativity under one roof. Designed by award-winning consultants and architects, APU’s new iconic campus provides not just a university learning environment, but also a lively community spot for our students to formulate new ideas, gain intellectual growth and discover new adventures.

Technology Park Malaysia (TPM), Bukit Jalil – A Location with Ultimate Connectivity and Accessibility

Strategically located within TPM, Bukit Jalil, the APU’s new iconic campus provides high accessibility through major highways from Puchong, Subang, Petaling Jaya and the heart of Kuala Lumpur. Apart from providing ample parking spaces on-campus for students and staff, the campus is surrounded by a wide array of public transportation, such as the Bukit Jalil LRT station and Terminal Bas Selatan @ Bandar Tasik Selatan. TPM, the technology park that also houses Astro, Mimos, Jaring and other various technological companies, is the ideal location for this contemporary campus, due to its strong positioning as Malaysia’s primary hub for leading-edge and high-tech developments in a wide variety of areas.

Well-trained academics at APU offer intensive knowledge sharing sessions in class, by making use of the highly-reliable educational technology within the APU’s New Iconic Campus.

Dynamic Environment Where Aspiring Young Minds Assemble

Being a university student can be one’s most exciting expeditions, where dreams are realized and the future is envisioned. The expedition starts at The Spine – a distinctive and unique feature that stretches from the main entrance all the way to the far end of the campus. While providing seamless connectivity to all areas within the campus, The Spine also aims to establish a community aspect for the university – where integration is the key. Covered walkways that extends from the Spine further promotes connectivity and cultivates exchange of ideas among students from different disciplines and academics, through the series of ‘intelligent’ teaching, learning, research, and social spaces spanning from the Spine. Within the Spine, a vibrant array of academic, leisure and social activities take place on a daily basis; it is not only the heart of the campus but also the nurturing ground for world-changing global ideas. APU’s Centre Point, which located at the center of the Spine serves as a melting pot of cultures from all over the world, where cultural activities are organized regularly at the campus, fostering long-lasting intercultural relationships among APU students, who come from over 110 countries.

Through a stylish blend of functionality & accessibility, APU’s new iconic campus sets a new benchmark for design excellence among Malaysian Universities. Highlighting the importance of transparency, the campus makes extensive use of glass to limit physical barriers between people. Teaching and learning facilities are redesigned to suit the needs of the industry, in line with the Industrial Revolution 4.0, a strong emphasis on cooperative learning is reflected at APU’s new iconic campus, through the abundance of communal spaces and discussion areas, where aspiring young minds come together to formulate innovative ideas. Wings spreading out from the Spine offer creative spaces intended to foster self-directed learning and teaching. Highly conducive teaching & learning spaces, study lounges, studios, laboratories, tutorial rooms, breakout rooms and syndicate rooms sit alongside modern, fully equipped lecture theatres where core knowledge is taught by well qualified academics. All spaces are carefully designed to create an unforgettable learning and lifestyle experience that lasts for a lifetime, while enabling professional learning and cultivating global mindsets.

State-of-the-art lecture halls and classrooms provides a comfortable and sophisticated learning experience to students during lecture and tutorial sessions.

The Library – A Contemporary Learning Space

The APU Library sits as a core of the Knowledge Commons, providing an intelligent space for exceptional learning experiences. Apart from the wide array of book selections, e-books, e-journals and other resources, the library also positions itself as a popular spot for interactive discussions and creative brainstorming sessions, in line with our teaching strategy that encourages open, multidisciplinary approaches. The contemporary two-floor library features an abundant array of discussion rooms that are well-equipped with LCD TVs, providing the facilities for students to gear up for their professional presentations, debates and group assessments. At another corner, the Bean Bag zone provides maximum comfort to students who wish to create and share knowledge in a casual yet aspiring way. A soundproof Quiet Zone is designed exclusively for students who prefer a quiet and cozy study environment for their upcoming exams and assessments.

By incorporating cutting-edge technologies, APU students will be able to keep up with the latest technological trends and equip themselves with necessary skills to be a highly-employable graduate.

Cutting-Edge Technologies

At APU, we aspire to ensure success in our students’ future careers, granting them ability to combat the global challenges that lie ahead. The campus is a unique fusion of technology, innovation and creativity, to reflect our identity as Malaysia’s leading technological university. Apart from being a vibrant campus, APU’s new iconic campus is also established as a smart campus, where reliable high-speed wireless internet access and cashless payment systems combine to create a whole new level of campus lifestyle experience.

APU’s graduates are self-starting, innovative problem solvers with skills attuned to their particular professions. They are capable, enterprising and entrepreneurial, and hence highly employable. Our educational technology environment supports the development of graduates of this calibre, in which well-equipped computing and engineering laboratories with advanced software, hardware and technologies place students at the forefront of technological excellence. By applying the latest technology and design, the campus supports a vibrant community of scholars, who will eventually become highly-employable working professionals, and commit to engaged, reflective learning and research in a connected, interactive environment.

The Atrium, located at the center of the campus, serves as a melting pot of cultures from over 110 countries at APU.

Comfort Away From Home –
On-Campus Accommodation

Studying away from home is an experience of a lifetime. At APU’s new iconic campus, the experience is made an unforgettable one, as the on-campus accommodation aspires to amalgamate comfort and security at the same time. Built within the campus grounds, all dormitories have en-suite facilities, where students are accorded maximum comfort and privacy. The residential blocks can be independently accessed from the main university teaching zones, providing ultimate accessibility and convenience to its tenants. In addition, a fitness sweatzone and student lounge provide spaces for relaxation and socialization throughout the day.

APU’s New Iconic Campus features an abundant array of communal spaces, in line with our teaching strategy that promotes interaction and active sharing of knowledge.

The APU’s New Iconic Campus is a campus made ready for the world, to nurture professional graduates who are career-ready upon graduation. To date, the global campus houses 11,000 students who came from 110 countries. For more information, please visit our website www.apu.edu.my, email [email protected], or contact student services at +603 8996 1000 or hotline 1 300 888 278. To be connected, join us on APU Facebook at www.facebook.com/apuniversity.

Acer turns up entertainment with the latest AIO desktop and monitors

Acer turns up entertainment with the latest AIO desktop and monitors

Kuala Lumpur, 1 March 2018 – Acer Malaysia kicked off 2018 with the unveiling of the Acer Aspire S 24 All-In-One (AIO) desktop, as well as three monitors. Designed with elegance in mind, the Acer Aspire S 24 boasts a powerful performance with the latest 8th Gen Intel® CoreTM processors and optional Intel® OptaneTMmemory. Acer XF270HA monitor offers smooth gaming experience and convenient multipledocument viewing. The Acer ED242QRA monitor provides more immersive in-game experience while the Acer EB321HQUB monitor offers clearer and sharper images

Acer Aspire S 24 All-In-One Desktop PC

The Acer Aspire S 24 All-In-One is Acer’s slimmest ever desktop, featuring a sheer 5.97mm ultra-thin side profile. The 2.7mm super narrow bezel provides 90% screen-to-body ratio that maximizes the viewing area for more screen space. The combination of black and matte gold colors is stylish, adding a touch of sophistication to any home décor.

Complementing its looks is the premium performance and fast responsiveness. The 8th Gen Intel® CoreTM processor with optional Intel® OptaneTM memory enables the Acer Aspire S 24 to accelerate everyday digital tasks while delivering a smooth and responsiveness computing experience. The Aspire S24 comes with up to 32GB DDR4 and 1TB HDD of storage space, making it the perfect device for editing and storing video projects.

Built with dual focus on design and premium functionality, the Aspire S 24 features a 23.8 inch display that delivers a vivid and crisp viewing experience from all angles with its 178-degree full HD IPS screen. Thanks to the 2.1 channel subwoofer supported by Dolby Audio™ Premium and Acer TrueHarmony™ technology, the Aspire S 24 provides powerful and deep bass audio experience, enhancing subtle sounds in music and video.

Its frameless design maximizes the viewing area in minimum dimension and it is perfect for use in multimonitor setups. The Aspire S 24 provides new levels of functionality through Windows 10, which includes Cortana and Microsoft Edge. The wireless charging base which supports wireless charging for any Qienabled devices allows users to seamlessly power their mobile devices without the burden of cables.

The Acer Aspire S 24 can be tilted from -5 to 25 degree for comfortable use. It also features Acer ExaColorTM and Color IntelligenceTM for accurate colors while BluelightShieldTM and FlickerlessTM technologies help to reduce eye fatigue.

The ultra-slim Acer Aspire S 24 is priced at RM4,399.

Acer XF270HA Monitor

A 27-inch entry-level gaming monitor, Acer XF270HA features Full HD resolution with a 16:9 aspect ratio. The AMD FreeSync technology eliminates screen tearing and minimizes stuttering by syncing the display refresh rate with the frames output that the GPU renders. With a rapid refresh rate of 240Hz and fast response time of 1 ms GTG (Gray to Gray), Acer XF270HA shortens the time required for frame rendering, thus lowers input lag and offers an excellent in-game experience.

The Acer XF270HA is also equipped with Acer EyeProtect technology which incorporates several features including FlickerlessTM, BluelightShieldTM, Low Dimming and ComfyView display to reduce eye strain and provides a more comfortable viewing experience for users. The Acer XF270HA has an 3 ergonomically-designed stand that allows tilt, swivel, pivot and height adjustment, enabling users to find the ideal viewing position.

The Acer XF270HA monitor is priced at RM1,499.

Acer EB321HQUB Monitor

Featuring a 31.5-inch monitor with WQHD (2560 x 1440) display with IPS technology, the Acer EB321HQUB is designed for outstanding visual experience. The Acer EB321HQUB supports up to 10 bits color depth and presents 1.07 billion reservoir of colors to enable the best image quality and performance. It also comes with HDMI and DisplayPort.

Images on the Acer EB321HQUB are sharp, nature and crystal clear thanks to its impressive 100,000,000:1 contrast ratio. With a 4ms response time, the Acer EB321HQUB will have viewers caught up in the display of images and video, even when viewing from the angles courtesy of its 178 degrees viewing angle. Users can enjoy the screen together with sound from a built-in 3W speakers that support audio in and out.

Also, users will not feel eye strain even during long viewing as the Acer EB321HQUB protects users’ eyes with its FlickerlessTM, BluelightShieldTM, and ComfyView technology. This monitor also features Acer ErgoStand that enables height and tilt adjustment.

The Acer EB321HQUB monitor is priced at RM1,099.

All the above devices are available for purchase immediately at all authorized Acer resellers nationwide.

For more information, please visit Acer Malaysia Facebook or
call Acer’s Product Infoline at 1800-88-1288

(9am – 6pm, Mondays to Fridays).

Alliance Bank now offers 3.5% p.a. for Alliance SavePlus!

Alliance Bank now offers 3.5% p.a. for Alliance SavePlus!

Stretch Your Money Even Further With Alliance SavePlus’ high interest rate

Managing and saving your money is crucial to long-term financial health and personal well-being.

The recent Overnight Policy Rate (OPR) hike by Bank Negara Malaysia is especially good news to the man on the street, as many banks have revised their interest rates upwards, resulting in higher profits in savings. High interest rates equal higher returns for every Ringgit that you save.

There are also other aspects to consider, such as the flexibility to access your money without compromising the interest earned.

A high-interest, liquid option

The Alliance SavePlus Account now offers up to 3.5% per annum on your total balance. This is 25 basis points more than the average current or savings account in Malaysia, and higher than a one-month fixed deposit board rate.

With the Alliance SavePlus Account, you don’t have to worry about incurring penalties for early withdrawals as it offers you unlimited access to your money anytime, anywhere.

On top of that, you get to enjoy waiver on transaction fees when you save with Alliance SavePlus Account. All you have to do is maintain a minimum of RM10,000 in the account and voila, you can perform fund transfers and ATM withdrawals for free!

For a better idea on how Alliance SavePlus works, let’s take a look at the following table:

Total Account Balance in Alliance SavePlus Account Benefits
RM0 – RM20,000 No transaction fees*
RM20,001 – RM100,000 1.8% per annum interest rate + no transaction fees
Above RM100,000 3.5% per annum interest rate + no transaction fees

* Terms and conditions apply.

Source: Alliance Bank

How the Alliance SavePlus Account works

Helping you achieve your financial goals

It is important to choose a bank account that matches your savings goals, and the Alliance SavePlus is one such no-frills bank account.

It lets you enjoy great returns on your money and the flexibility to withdraw your cash in case of emergencies.

The Alliance SavePlus Account is open to all Malaysians, permanent residents and non-residents of Malaysia aged 18 years old and above. Existing Alliance Bank current/savings account holders with online banking facilities may log on to allianceonline to easily open your Alliance SavePlus Account.

For more information on how to apply for an Alliance SavePlus Account, please visit www.alliancebank.com.my, drop by any of our nearest branches or get in touch with our Contact Centre at 03-5516 9988.

James, Blunt me!

James, Blunt me!

When someone mentions the James Blunt, one would harken back to the year 2005, where he slowly stripped his clothes in the pearly white snow, lip syncing “You’re Beautiful” in all his mopped hair glory, and proceeding to jump in the icy cold waters in Mallorca, Spain.

The song itself proved to be a huge hit, and almost everyone who had access to a radio heard of “You’re Beautiful” itself. Depicting a man who saw his ex girlfriend with another man in a train station, the lyrics were simple enough for a young teen to deduce, and an older adult to take a spanner and hit the radio as hard as he or she can. While the song would continue its run for the rest of 2005 and early 2006, the song proved to also be a bane to his career, for James Blunt was forever known as that ‘You’re Beautiful guy’.

If anything, Blunt’s endurance for criticisms has been nothing short of astonishing. A poll conducted in 2008 deemed him as the most hated man in Europe – only 3 years after bursting out of the seams, becoming the pop sensation of the mid 00’s. There were apparently more people hating him just because of “You’re Beautiful” playing in the airwaves than people hating the then-notorious Oasis, when the Gallagher brothers were on the verge of breaking up the band (which they eventually did). It was, and still is, hard being a James Blunt fan when the critics take up their tiki torches and ready to burn down Blunt’s career.

But how could we possibly hate Blunt? Handsome, a near to posh background, married to the granddaughter of the 8th Duke of Wellington, living on one of the most beautiful island in the world (Ibiza) and having the voice of an angel. He is, in fact, the British Tom Cruise, but Tom Cruise never had four albums out and being Twitter’s reigning banter king.

Image by bekia.es

fester and exist in this Internet era, Blunt is constantly a part of the circle-jerking, sometimes being called a failure in music or even a hack, being in the music scene in the first place due to him having a relatively easy life, being in a military family. In an article in Spin off, he mentioned that “I think it’s always worth remembering that online is one thing and there’s a real world out there, and the real world is probably more important”. This motif has stayed by Blunt for half his career, allowing him to sift through the negativities and still placing him as relevant in this competitive music scene.

If anything, his patience has derived from serving the Army in 1996. His accolades surprised even me as I type this; being named a Captain, participating in the Kosovo War by volunteering in the Blues & Royals squadron, being posted to the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment in London as the Queen’s Guard, and even standing guard during the Queen Mother’s funeral. His career choice from army to musician was a definite eye opener, but let’s face it; if he did not, there would be one less person to hate just because he has talent, no?

Image by bellybuzz

If anything, his patience has derived from serving the Army in 1996. His accolades surprised even me as I type this; being named a Captain, participating in the Kosovo War by volunteering in the Blues & Royals squadron, being posted to the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment in London as the Queen’s Guard, and even standing guard during the Queen Mother’s funeral. His career choice from army to musician was a definite eye opener, but let’s face it; if he did not, there would be one less person to hate just because he has talent, no?

Besides having a decorated Army career and being the echelon of wit and sarcasm in Twitter, Blunt himself is also a philanthropist, being a hearty patron of Help for Heroes, a charity that rehabilitates wounded British soldiers. He is even an environmentally conscious person, screening the trailer for An Inconvenient Truth in concerts during the first years of his musical career, and performed in the Live Earth concert in 2007. How could you hate him now?

How?

Perhaps one may point to the ever expanding range of James Blunt’s music range. For the first four albums before his most recent one, The Afterlove, there were subtle changes to his musical touch, but not enough to garner any attention. However, in The Afterlove, his collaboration with Onerepublic frontman Ryan Tedder and best friend Ed Sheeran propelled him to create a synth-heavy, tropical beat based album that was unlike any of his previous albums. Singles such as Love Me Better or Bartender were so off the beaten track even by Blunt standards, even stalwart James Blunt fans would have to stop and take a listen to this album.

Image by popsugar

Critics call it ‘another inoffensive album’. Fans call it ‘different’.

I call it unique.

It has been a while since Blunt burst out in the pop music scene, filling our radios with his vibrato and well meaning songs. However, there has never been much progress in his musical path, especially with songs like Postcards or Bonfire Heart, both of them being songs in his fourth album, Moon Landing, did not land into the hearts of many outside of the UK. In The Afterlove, he decided to go for the electronic route, gagging himself with autotune and tropical grooves that can only be traced back to the Daft Punk Effect, where Random Access Memories lurks and still manages to influence the music industry and how their music sounds like, even after close to four years before The Afterlove was released.

We may have been wrong about Blunt before, but make no mistake about it; James Blunt is here to stay, and we will be so glad to have him for a long, long time.

Interested to meet James Blunt in Malaysia? Come join him in Dewan Wawasan, Menara PGRM, KL at 25th March! Get your tickets now!

Tickets are priced from RM122 (including RM4 handling fees)

and available online from
www.BuyTickets.com.my

or call 03-2280 0363
for phone booking.

Visit our Official Facebook Page
facebook.com/JamesBluntMalaysiaTour
for more exciting activities.

Are you too Blunt to know him?

Are you too Blunt to know him?

When James Blunt came into the spotlight fourteen years ago with nothing more than mopped hair and a guitar strapped across his waist, he was nothing more than another musician striving to make it big in the already competitive music scene in the mid 00’s. However, “You’re Beautiful”, his 3rd single off his debut album, Back to Bedlam, shot him up into the No. 1 spot in the Billboard charts, catapulting him into what seemed to be another soft rock sensation.

Fourteen years later, many Malaysians scratched their heads when he is mentioned.

Who is James Blunt?

James Hillier Blount, better known as James Blunt, was born in 22nd February 1974 in Hampshire, UK. Having graduated from the University of Bristol using a military bursary, he went on to serve for his country for 6 years, even participating in the Kosovo Wars and rising to the ranks of Captain.

After serving, he went on to sign with a recording company, and adopted Blunt as his stage name. After Back to Bedlam, he has released four more studio albums, including his latest album, The Afterlove, propelling himself into the mainstream pop music scene once more. Both his singles, Love Me Better and Bartender, echo his 2005 form with his melancholic singing and modern vibes, allowing him to stay relevant in this already competitive music scene.

You’re Beautiful?

When the song, “You’re Beautiful” was released as a single in May 2005, it was easily the most played and requested song of the year. The soulful tune, along with Blunt’s unique vibrato belting to a man’s lost love captured the hearts of everyone who had learned to appreciate his music.

However, “You’re Beautiful” was also deemed as one of the most irritating song ever recorded, with Spike writer D. Sussman calling it the “worst song of all time”. It was largely derived from the song constantly being played in the radio stations, and would continue to do so for the year.

Twitter-Fingers

One of the most intriguing aspects of James Blunt’s career was not his music, but his Twitter account, where he frequently answer insults or negative comments made by Twitter users with sarcasm and dry wit, which gave him the repertoire of being snarky.

Some may call him rude or ungrateful towards fans, but James Blunt had unwittingly injected non-verbal humor in this verbal-heavy Internet era, and has never taken himself (or his songs) too seriously. If anything, that generated even more hate for him, which he had since turn it into free publicity.

Photo by Gala

Someone loves him…No, really, someone loves James Blunt

Being dubbed a playboy in the mid ‘00s, Blunt attracted many attractive women by his side, often showing in events with different women. One would have to assume that his swooning voice had something to do with that.

His infamy for female flatulence finally ended in 2012 after he married to socialite Alexandrina “Sofia” Wellesley, daughter of Lord and Lady John Henry Wellesley, and also happens to be the granddaughter of the 8th Duke of Wellington, Valerian Wellesley.

His music may be questioned by many, but his looks is not for many women out there!

The Carrie Fisher Factor

Many may not know this, but James Blunt’s fame was largely influenced, or indirectly so, by the late Carrie Fisher herself.

While having signed a record deal, James Blunt arrived in Los Angeles with nowhere to stay. Carrie Fisher offered him a place to stay, and they remained close friends ever since. One of his hit singles, “Goodbye My Lover”, was recorded in Fisher’s bathroom, and she named his debut album, “Back to Bedlam”, for him.

Their friendship never wavered even after his eventual success in the music charts, as Blunt continued to keep in touch with Fisher. A much more recent event before Fisher’s passing was at a Star Wars event, where Blunt was Fisher’s date of the day.

Interested to meet James Blunt in Malaysia? Come join him in Dewan Wawasan, Menara PGRM, KL at 25th March! Get your tickets now!
Tickets are priced from RM122 (including RM4 handling fees)

and available online from
www.BuyTickets.com.my

or call 03-2280 0363
for phone booking.

Visit our Official Facebook Page
facebook.com/JamesBluntMalaysiaTour
for more exciting activities.

James Blunt to perform for the very first time in Malaysia

James Blunt to perform for the very first time in Malaysia

James Blunt rose to fame with the release of his internationally acclaimed debut album ‘Back to Bedlam’, achieving worldwide fame with songs like, ‘You’re Beautiful’, ‘Goodbye My Lover’.

This album sold over 11 million copies worldwide, topping UK Album Chart and peaked #2 in the US and was one of the best-selling album in the UK in 2000.

This success also granted this singer-songwriter, numerous awards and recognitions such as like two British Awards, MTV Video Awards, Ivor Novello Awards, 5 Grammy Award nominations.

With the success of his debut album, he went on to release 3 multi- platinum selling albums; All The Lost Souls, Some Kind if Trouble and Moon Landing

James released his fifth studio album The Afterlove in March 2017. In this album, James worked with a wide range of talent including Ed Sheeran, Ryan Tedder from One Republic and Johnny McDaid from Snow Patrol

The first single ‘Love Me Better’ is a new light, thanks in part to Ryan Tedder’s fresh and modern pop production, and the lyrics combine a heartfelt poignancy along with touches of Blunt’s classic, self-deprecating humour.

James is currently on The Afterlove World Tour across Europe and Asia Pacific, after touring and opening for Ed Sheeran’s North America Tour.

James will be performing for the very first time in Malaysia, bringing his The Afterlove tour to his Malaysian fans

Date : Sunday, 25th March 2018
Venue : Dewan Wawasan PGRM, Cheras
Time : 8pm

Tickets are priced from RM122 (including RM4 handling fees) and available online from www.BuyTickets.com.my or call 03-2280 0363 for phone booking.

Visit our Official Facebook Page http://www.facebook.com/JamesBluntMalaysiaTour for more exciting activities.