HE company responsible for Starmobile phones and tablets is now also in the TV box business, with the introduction of the new Starcube digital television box. Distributed by STAR Inc., the device promises an affordable way of watching free-to-air live channels in “cable quality,” without a cable subscription. And without splurging on a new set.
PLDT intros cheapest fiber plan. Is it worth it?
HE affordable has become cheaper. Two months after introducing Fiber Plan 1899, PLDT unveiled a fiber-optic internet-connection package whose monthly fee is friendlier to your budget than the 1899.
Here’s why the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 caught fire
HE world can rest easy, as Samsung today answered that — pardon us — burning question on everyone’s lips. At a news conference, the tech giant confirmed that bad batteries and bad decisions were to blame for the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 fire incidents that led to its discontinuation just two months after its launch.
These are the top 5 smartphone brands in Q3 2016
HINESE smartphone vendors still reign over the industry amid a 1.1 percent growth to 363 million shipments in Q3 2016, according to the latest numbers published by market-research firm IDC.
Buckle up, buying many gadgets and appliances may soon be taxed
HEY are not stopping with the vanity tax. After a controversial Philippine bill proposing to tax beauty and cosmetic products was filed January 11, here comes another plan that may end up being contentious, too.
Apple is PC industry’s biggest loser in 2016
HE latest report of market-research firm IDC did not surprise us; we had already expected the PC industry to shrink in 2016. Based on the data, worldwide shipments of traditional PCs — desktops, notebooks, and workstations combined — fell to 260 million units, down 5.7 percent from 2015. It was the fifth straight year that the industry shrank. And Apple took the biggest hit.
10 other interesting tech products on display at CES 2017
NOTHER January, another CES done. And once again, this year’s edition of the biggest consumer-electronic show gave us a look at what’s out there in the world of technology and what’s about to come. 2017 is even memorable as CES celebrates its 50th anniversary.
The iPhone is 10 years old and still has a trick that others can’t replicate
T’S been 10 years since Steve Jobs introduced the original iPhone. Yes, it has been that long. Today, the iPhone remains Apple’s most important product and its biggest cash cow, though it hasn’t been smooth-sailing for the Cupertino-based tech firm lately.
3 new Xiaomi products we wish were on their way to the rest of the world
ND when we say “the rest of the world,” we meant outside Xiaomi’s native China. Because while we had initially thought that the company joining CES for the first time meant an announcement of a concrete roadmap for its entry to the U.S., it turned out that we had thought wrong.
Amazon Prime Video now available worldwide, including PH [UPDATED]
E have been Amazon Prime Video users for a while now, using a VPN [virtual private network] connection to be able to watch our favorite shows. But we’ve been monitoring the local Play Store and App Store almost every day since it was announced that Amazon is preparing for a global launch of its streaming-video service. Today, December 14, look at what popped up in our other account!
LTE speed in PH improves, but still one of world’s slowest — report
IRELESS-COVERAGE mapping company OpenSignal’s latest State of LTE report is out. The good news? Data taken between July to September 2016 showed that average download 4G connection speed in the Philippines increased from 6Mbps in the fourth quarter of 2015 to 7.27Mbps this time. The bad news? We still lagged behind most other countries in the world.
Note 7 owners may get Galaxy S8, Note 8 for half the price of S7, but…
AMSUNG Electronics Philippines marketing director Chad Sotelo has confirmed that the tech giant has an upgrade program for Galaxy Note 7 owners. Unfortunately, it’s being offered only in South Korea — for now.
The resurrection of Moto: Why it might be successful in PH this time
ATCHING the re-entry of Moto to the Philippine market is like witnessing the resurrection of a dearly departed — twice. Motorola Philippines, which had been in the country since 1979, ceased operations in 2009. It returned in July 2015 as a company now owned by Lenovo, but went silent early this year. This week saw its comeback, and Moto might just make it this time around.
Samsung should stop selling Galaxy Note 7 after new round of explosions
week ago, we laid out some reasons many Filipino Samsung Galaxy Note 7 users might still prefer to get the “safe” Note 7 to another phone — barring a “new round of explosions.” Today, whether that’s still true or not, we believe Samsung should stop selling the device altogether.
PH has second-worst internet speed in Asia Pacific in Q2 2016 — report
OOD news: The Philippines did not have the worst broadband-internet connection speed in Asia Pacific in the second quarter of 2016. Bad news: It was second to the last in the ranking.
Why Filipinos might still opt for a ‘safe’ Samsung Galaxy Note 7
T was like a scene from a horror movie for tech enthusiasts. Every few hours starting end of August, we heard of a Samsung Galaxy Note 7 exploding until finally, the world’s largest smartphone vendor announced a global recall of its new flagship mobile device. Billions of dollars got wiped off the company’s market value; tech shares in other firms were sold to raise cash; Note 7s were banned from flights; recall processes got bungled, particularly in the U.S.; the arch-rival’s iPhone 7 and 7 Plus were launched… It was as if Samsung couldn’t catch a lucky break.
End of an era or long overdue? Bye-bye, BlackBerry
THERS described it as the “end of an era.” We thought it was overdue and that the writing on the wall has been clear for some time. Now it’s official — and we can finally say goodbye to an iconic phone brand.
Being a first adopter doesn’t always suck: Our case with Smart and Globe
EING an early adopter can have its downsides and its share of negative consequences. It can be soul-crushing when a Kickstarter project fails miserably. In rare cases, it can even leave you with a fire hazard that is the Samsung Galaxy Note 7. But being first has its own advantages, too. And some of those perks can be worth the risk of inconveniences in the long run. My Revü Philippines partner Alora Uy Guerrero and I have had the luck of the draw on our side on two separate occasions, both involving the Philippines’ largest telecom operators. Allow us to expound.
Leading PH airlines ban Samsung Galaxy Note 7 use on flights
e knew it was only a matter of time. Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines have joined other carriers around the world that ban the use of Samsung Galaxy Note 7 on their flights until further notice.
Recall program: How to replace your Samsung Galaxy Note 7 in PH
ess than a week after issuing a recall of Samsung Galaxy Note 7 units over exploding batteries, Samsung Electronics Philippines has announced details of its replacement program. This, despite no cases of battery fires being recorded in the country.