Starmobile Up Neo: big screen, small price

In Phones by Ramon LopezJuly 2, 2015Leave a Comment

Starmobile today announced a new big-screen phone as part of its push in the low-to-midrange segment. The Starmobile Up Neo is the latest addition to the company’s Up series and sports a 5.3-inch, high-res display to go along with a nice metallic frame and a textured back cover.

The overall look is reminiscent of the Starmobile Knight Luxe, but with a larger screen real estate that has its share of pros and cons.

The overall look is reminiscent of Starmobile’s recently released Knight Luxe, but with a larger screen real estate that has its share of pros and cons. To its credit, though, the Up Neo’s dimensions are said to be no bigger than a regular 5-incher’s.

As far as the specifications are concerned, you’re looking at a 1.4GHz octa-core processor from MediaTek with 1GB of RAM and 16GB of expandable memory running Android KitKat 4.4.

You also get 13- and 5-megapixel main and secondary cameras with triple-LED flash (for the rear-facer) and backside illumination for improved performance in low-light conditions, as well as a 2,500mAh removable battery that supposedly delivers up to 18 hours of talk time or 642 hours of standby time.

The Starmobile Up Neo is priced at P6,490. It may be a decent option to consider if you’re after a big-screen phone on a budget. But if you’re picky about speed and gaming performance, there are certainly better options available in the sub-P7,000 segment.

Starmobile Up Neo specs (Price in the Philippines: P6,490):
* Dual SIM
* 1.4GHz 64-bit, octa-core MediaTek MT6592M CPU
* Mali-450 MP4 GPU
* 1GB RAM
* 16GB internal storage
* microSD card slot (up to 32GB)
* 5.3-inch IPS display (720 x 1,280 resolution)
* 13-megapixel rear camera with BSI triple LED flash
* 5-megapixel front camera with BSI
* 2,500mAh battery
* Android KitKat 4.4

[youtube link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPfJvd6J_AY” width=”560″ height=”315″]

Starmobile Up Neo preview courtesy of Starmobile’s YouTube channel

SALE ALERT: OPPO reduces price of Find 7a to P17K

In Phones by Ramon LopezJuly 1, 2015Leave a Comment

OPPO Philippines has announced a month-long sale for 4 of its existing smartphones. Throughout the month July, you can get the OPPO Joy Plus, Neo 3, Mirror 3, and powerhouse Find 7a at discounted prices across all OPPO stores and partner retailers nationwide. The sale lasts until July 31, 2015.

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You’ll find the full roster of discounted products in the list below.

OPPO Joy Plus — P3,990 (from P4,990)
OPPO Neo 3 — P5,990 (from P6,990)
OPPO Mirror 3 — P9,990 (from P10,990)
OPPO Find 7a — P16,990 (from P21,990)

If you recall, OPPO Philippines took the wraps off the affordable Joy 3 last week. Before that, the tech company launched a trio of new smartphones to round out its low-to-midrange offering.

[youtube link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45hQpWvr3vQ” width=”560″ height=”315″]

OPPO Mirror 5 preview from our YouTube channel

Mid-range Samsung Galaxy Tab A comes w/LTE, S Pen

In Tablets by Ramon LopezJuly 1, 20154 Comments

Samsung’s been in the tablet business for quite some time, and over the years, it has played around with different designs to keep things interesting. Right now, it seems the Korean giant has taken a different approach to making mid-range slates, as evidenced by the outward appearance and 4:3 screen ratio of its new Galaxy Tab A tablet. It is, in many ways, the unofficial successor to the Galaxy Note 8.0.

The 4:3 ratio, as Samsung puts it, “is ideal for reading books, magazines and newspapers, as well as surfing the net,” though I’d argue that packing more pixels into the 8-inch TFT screen would provide a better viewing experience. The 5-megapixel autofocus rear camera, meanwhile, is optimized to take serviceable photos and video.

Samsung Galaxy Tab A

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The slate’s insides, while certainly not the stuff dreams are made of, is, in fact, fairly decent. A glance at the spec sheet reveals a SIM slot for telephony and 4G LTE connectivity and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 410 processor running Samsung’s reworked (and improved) TouchWiz UI on top of Android Lollipop, alongside 2GB of RAM and 16GB of expandable storage. The 4,200mAh battery should deliver up to 12 hours of LTE browsing, but I’d rather put it through its paces myself before I buy the claim.

The main selling point here is the S Pen, which gives the Galaxy Tab A all the credentials of a productivity machine and differentiates it from just about every tablet around.

But the main selling point here is still the S Pen, which gives the Galaxy Tab A all the credentials of a productivity machine and differentiates it from just about every tablet on the market. Among other things, the feature-filled stylus lets you scribble away on a large screen, drag and drop multiple files, and trigger a small but useful set of functions to help you get the most out of the device.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab A is available in white and gray and due out this July for P15,990.

Samsung Galaxy Tab A specs (Price in the Philippines: P15,990):
* Single SIM with telephony and LTE support
* 1.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 CPU
* 2GB RAM
* 16GB internal storage
* microSD card slot (up to 128GB)
* 8-inch TFT display (1,024 x 768 resolution)
* 5-megapixel rear camera
* 2-megapixel front camera
* 4,200mAh battery
* Android Lollipop 5.0

[youtube link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOOMpLGa5IY” width=”560″ height=”315″]

TVC for the Samsung Galaxy Tab A culled from YouTube

Lenovo unveils 4 new laptops, price starts at P14,495

In Laptops, Tablets by Ramon LopezJune 30, 20152 Comments

Hoping to maintain its competitive advantage in the PC and tablet industries, Lenovo today unveiled 4 new consumer laptops for the local market. The company’s latest offering includes the Lenovo Yoga 300 and 500, Ideapad 100, and Z51 laptop, which is by design a multimedia workstation aimed at music and movie lovers.

The Lenovo Z51 is a 15-inch laptop equipped with a full-HD display and AMD Radeon graphics. Other internals include up to an Intel Core i7 processor and up to 1TB of built-in storage. Its base price starts at P42,995.

Lenovo Ideapad 100

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The entry-level Ideapad 100, on the other hand, is powered by up to an Intel BayTrail-M N3540 chip with an integrated GPU. When it comes to screen size, you’ve got two options: 14 and 15 inches. I’m told the Ideapad 100 is the most affordable 14-incher in the Philippines, with the base model starting at P14,495.

The Yoga 300 and 500 represent Lenovo’s latest line of convertible laptops and have a 360-degree hinge design that supports four usage modes.

The Yoga 300 and 500 represent Lenovo’s latest line of non-traditional, convertible notebooks and have a 360-degree hinge design that supports all the usual usage modes Yoga laptops are best known for. The Yoga 300 and 500 are now available in Lenovo stores and resellers, retailing for P22,995 and P28,495, respectively.

Lenovo is currently the world’s leading PC maker and holds the number 3 spot among tablet manufacturers. The company is also the second-largest tablet vendor in the Philippines, according to research agencies IDC and GfK.

[youtube link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHPsKRBGSks” width=”560″ height=”315″]

Promo video for the Lenovo Yoga convertibles

Globe’s free Facebook offer now comes w/photo, video browsing

In Business, Phones by Ramon LopezJune 29, 20154 Comments

Pretty much everyone is on Facebook now, and chances are, you use it a lot to keep in touch with your family and friends, share pictures, pass on news, and so on. Which makes Globe Telecom’s latest announcement all the more timely and important.

Globe and TM subscribers can now get free and full access to Facebook on Web, mobile, and app without data charges.

As of today, subscribers to any GoSurf data plan can get free and full access to Facebook on Web, mobile, and app (Android and iOS) sans data charges. They don’t even need to purchase any additional data plan and are not required to have a maintaining balance to be eligible for the promotion. By “full access,” I mean being able to stream videos uploaded to Facebook, view photos, post comments, and share content within the social networking site.

Globe and TM prepaid users who subscribe to any GoSurf plan automatically get free access to Facebook, while postpaid customers can opt-in to the promo by texting “FREE FB ON” to 8888. According to Globe, those who manage to register successfully will receive an SMS notification and will see a “No Data Charges” banner at the top of the Facebook website and mobile app.

If you recall, Globe was the first to announce a partnership with Facebook in 2013, which gave its subscribers free access to the social networking platform and thus drove mobile-browsing adoption in the Philippines.

Globe is undisputed leader in postpaid w/revenue market share of 57.8%

In Press Releases by REVU TeamJune 29, 2015Leave a Comment

Globe Telecom is the #1 postpaid brand in the country based on revenue market share, the global metric used in determining market leadership across telcos worldwide.

Globe posted postpaid revenues of P7.8 billion in the first quarter of 2015 versus Smart’s P3.3 billion and Sun’s P2.4 billion. Globe postpaid revenues have grown by 11% versus Sun’s 10% growth from previous year’s levels.

The revenue figures show Globe has cornered the mobile postpaid segment with revenue market share of 57.8%, leaving Smart with a 24.6% revenue share and Sun with a 17.6% revenue share.

Globe Senior Advisor for Consumer Business Dan Horan pointed out that Globe has been consistently growing its postpaid business both in number of customers and ARPU (average revenue per user), an important indicator of customer preference and stickiness to the network. “Clearly, mobile postpaid is a segment that Globe has long dominated over many years. Since 2012, Globe led the mobile postpaid business with a consistent revenue market share of 58% on a 2-player market. Our leadership in the postpaid business is clearly unprecedented, underpinned by sustained growth in this segment and our breakthrough offers and innovations attracting new customers.”

Providing access to the Filipino digital lifestyle, Globe launched the new postpaid myLifestyle Plan, allowing customers to fully embrace the digital experience with data and exciting content using mobile phones.

“The myLifestyle Plan was a significant growth driver of postpaid revenues and customer base in the first quarter of 2015 as it perfectly caters to our customers’ digital lifestyles. With the myLifestyle Plan, they get a postpaid plan made for the way they live today, giving them a full smartphone experience with focus on data usage. The myLifestyle Plan is set to become an invaluable life tool to allow our customers to enjoy a world of digital content that is built the way they live now,” says Erli Valdez, Vice President for Postpaid Business at Globe.

The new myLifestyle Plan gives customers access to an easier and simplified plan offer starting at P499 a month which comes with built-in unlimited calls and texts to Globe & TM plus freebies such as free 1-month choice of Navigation, Explore or Fitness Pack, free 1-month Gadget Care, and free 1GB Globe Cloud storage for 24 months.

On top of the base P499/month plan, Globe postpaid customers can avail of add-on services like Surf Packs for their mobile internet needs which are bundled with exclusive access to Spotify and/ or NBA League Pass. Customers can choose from GoSURF99 for 100MB of mobile internet monthly to as much as 15GB monthly with GoSURF2499.

For a richer data experience, myLifestyle plan customers can also choose from any of the Lifestyle Packs which includes Chat, Fitness, Navigation, Explore, Photo, Shopping, Work, as well as access to Facebook, HOOQ, NBA, Spotify, and Twitter. Moreover, they can also get extra calls and texts to other networks, as well as landline and international services with the Classic Packs.

All promo packs chosen will then be added to the P499 base plan, which will be equivalent to the customer’s monthly service fee (MSF). Customers then get to choose from a wide range of free devices and gadgets, depending on their MSF. The more services they add on top of the base plan, the better the handset they can get.

By adding P99 on top of the base plan, customers can get free smartphones with their postpaid plan ranging from CloudFone, Huawei, Lenovo, Samsung, or Microsoft Lumia devices.

Report: Apple’s next iPhones to have Force Touch

In Phones by Ramon LopezJune 28, 2015Leave a Comment

We’re just months away from seeing the next iPhone models — if history is any indication, Apple is expected to launch a new iPhone duo in September — which means the rumor mill is spinning wildly once again with iPhone-related news.

With Force Touch, iPhone owners would be able to perform different functions just by applying more force to their screen touches.

Case in point: A recent report from Bloomberg says that this year’s iPhone sequels will make use of pressure-sensitive displays that will incorporate Force Touch input, similar to the Apple Watch and the new line of MacBooks.

If that is indeed the case, then next-gen iPhone owners would be able to perform different functions just by applying more force to their screen touches. Imagine using Force Touch to see the dictionary definition of a word, scrub through videos, or preview a photo. That sounds like the kind of feature that smartphone novices and power users alike can appreciate.

Bloomberg’s tipsters also claim that the upcoming iPhones — in typical S model fashion — will retain the same design as currently available variants and will have 4.7- and 5.5-inch displays.

OnePlus 2 slated to launch on July 27 in VR

In Phones by Ramon LopezJune 26, 2015Leave a Comment

Smartphone startup OnePlus has announced the launch date of the OnePlus 2, with the unveiling set for July 27, a month from today. Even better, the company will stream a 360-degree video feed of the launch event so that anyone with an Internet connection and a VR headset (Google Cardboard, anyone?) can watch the debut of its second-gen flaghship in full next-gen splendor.

As previously reported, the phone will sport an improved version of the Snapdragon 810 chipset — Qualcomm’s latest and fastest yet — and will make use of a USB Type-C port. Yes, it’s the same reversible connector found in the latest 12-inch MacBook. That said, don’t expect the OnePlus 2 to be as affordable as its predecessor.

However, you’ll still need an invite to purchase OnePlus’ next phone, which is unfortunate.

Oh, and another thing: You’ll need an invite to purchase OnePlus’ next phone, which is unfortunate. For the uninitiated, getting an invite often requires months of waiting and jumping through hoops in the OnePlus forum.

[youtube link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JPM8mSl9kc” width=”560″ height=”315″]

YouTube video of OnePlus’ USB Type-C cable charging a 12-inch MacBook

Meizu M2 Note coming to PH in July

In Phones by Ramon LopezJune 26, 20153 Comments

Speaking to tech blog Unbox, local distributor of Meizu smartphones Novo7 Tech has confirmed the Philippine release of the Meizu M2 Note sometime in July. The 5.5-incher, which debuted in China earlier this month, will be heading to local shores as a timed exclusive that can be purchased on Lazada Philippines’ website at a discounted price of P6,990. After the initial sale period, the phone will be available at a slightly higher price of P7,490 in Novo7 Tech stores.

The M2 Note is heading to local shores as a timed exclusive that can be purchased on Lazada’s website at a discounted price of P6,990.

The Meizu M2 Note is backed by an LTE-capable, octa-core processor with 2GB of RAM and 16GB or 32GB of built-in storage that can be expanded via a microSD card. Other highlights include Android Lollipop 5.1 based on Meizu’s Flyme 4.5 operating system, a ~~fingerprint sensor that doubles as the phone’s~~ physical navigation button, 13- and 5-megapixel main and secondary cameras, and a 3,100mAh battery.

There’s a ton of locally available options for those looking for an affordable smartphone, and the Meizu M2 Note may be as good a choice as anything on the market right now.

Meizu M2 Note specs (Price in the Philippines: P6,990):
* Dual SIM with LTE support
* 1.3GHz 64-bit, octa-core MediaTek MT6753 CPU
* Mali-T720 MP3 GPU
* 2GB RAM
* 16GB/32GB internal storage
* microSD card slot (up to 128GB)
* 5.5-inch IGZO display (1,080 x 1,920 resolution)
* 13-megapixel rear camera with dual-LED flash
* 5-megapixel front camera
* 3,100mAh battery
* Android Lollipop 5.1

[youtube link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbmfLSqPmaA” width=”560″ height=”315″]

Meizu M2 Note unboxing video

Yelp Philippines goes live w/thousands of reviews

In Business, Games, Apps, and OS by Ramon LopezJune 25, 2015Leave a Comment

That’s right! Yelp, the de facto online business directory for many — the yellow pages of the Internet, if you will — is now live in the Philippines, which means you can now mosey over to Yelp Philippines and read thousands of crowd-sourced reviews to find your next favorite restaurant or watering hole. Business owners, on the other hand, can look forward to a new way of promoting their establishments by tapping into a local community of Yelpers (read: Yelp users). Yelp can also provide them a means of gauging consumer interest online.

Yelp, the yellow pages of the Internet, if you will, is now live in the Philippines.

Since being founded in 2004, Yelp has grown exponentially, expanding its reach across Europe and Asia. Currently, there are Yelp communities in 32 international markets, including Singapore, Japan, and Hong Kong, among many others. Throughout the first quarter of 2015, the company’s site traffic from mobile devices fetched an average of 79 million unique visitors per month.

Yelp in the Philippines is available via desktop, mobile, and app (Android and iOS) in both English and Filipino.

Hands-on: OPPO Joy 3

In Phones by Ramon LopezJune 24, 20159 Comments

Amid the recent renaissance of value-for-money smartphones in the Philippines, OPPO has refreshed its entry-level Joy series to compete with local and foreign players in the industry. Say hello to the OPPO Joy 3, which is more like a spiritual successor to the Joy Plus, seeing how close the release dates of both phones are.

In case you don’t feel like doing a Google search, the Joy Plus debuted in the Philippines just last April, which leads me to believe that it will continue to occupy the bottom rung of OPPO’s smartphone hierarchy until the end of the year.

OPPO’s new Joy 3 sits somewhere above the Joy Plus, retailing for P6,490 locally. But beyond that, where does it stand in the ranks of affordable devices that have recently hit the market? More importantly, is it any good? Those questions, and more, are hopefully answered in this hands-on article.

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OPPO Joy 3 specs (Price in the Philippines: P6,490):
* Dual SIM (dual micro SIM, dual standby)
* 1.3GHz quad-core MediaTek MT6582 chipset
* 1GB RAM
* 4GB internal storage
* microSD card slot
* 4.5-inch IPS display (480 x 854 resolution)
* 5-megapixel rear camera with flash
* 2-megapixel front camera
* 2,000mAh battery
* Android KitKat 4.4.2

The OPPO Joy 3 is wrapped in glossy plastic that feels as sturdy and well-built as any budget offering out there.

The white variant of the OPPO Joy 3 is wrapped in glossy plastic (I’m told the gray model has a matte finish) that feels as sturdy and well-built as any budget offering I’ve come across, and its rounded corners keep the exterior looking up-to-date. The thick, brushed-metal band that runs along the edge of the phone adds to its charm in no small measure.

The button placement and gently curved back cover allow for easier operation with either hand. Speaking of which, I found the Joy 3’s size and weight to be perfect for one-handed use and gesture typing. The phone does come with the intuitive Swype keyboard, after all, which lets you glide your finger across the screen from one letter to the next to form a word.

Oppo Joy 3

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The OPPO Joy 3 comes with a 4.5-inch IPS display capable of producing accurate colors and wide viewing angles. It falls short of HD-quality visuals, though, and instead supports a resolution of 480 x 854, which works out to a pixel density of 218 dots per inch. As a result, individual pixels are easy to spot and text may look a bit fuzzy. Clarity-wise, it’s way behind the likes of the Cherry Mobile Flare X and Lenovo A7000, but the overall picture quality is still great for a sub-P7,000 device.

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The Joy 3 also supports screen-off and screen-on gestures, and based on my experience, the gesture shortcuts built into the device work as advertised.

The Joy 3 also supports screen-off and screen-on gestures, which allow you to wake the phone by double-tapping the screen or go directly to the camera app by drawing a circle, among other things. It’s a neat, if familiar, trick that gives you a more convenient way of launching your favorite apps. It reads well on paper, and based on my experience with the Joy 3, the gesture shortcuts built into the device work as advertised.

If there’s one thing I’d change as far as the hardware is concerned, it’s the Joy 3’s now-outdated application of the navigation bar, which sees a capacitive menu button on the left side of its chin. I’d much rather have a bottom row of navigation keys that has a multi-task shortcut, especially since many of today’s popular apps already have a menu button baked into their user interface.

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The Joy 3’s 5- and 2-megapixel rear and front cameras are among its highlights, despite both shooters relying on fixed-focus lens and missing a proper flash module. Notice that the operative word here is “proper”; the phone’s rear-mounted flash is limited to one setting (Fill Light) and isn’t all that helpful in low-light situations.

In good lighting, the 5-megapixel camera produces good levels of detail and lifelike colors. There’s also virtually no shutter lag between shots.

In good lighting, the 5-megapixel sensor produces good levels of detail and lifelike colors that pop when the occasion calls for it. There’s also virtually no shutter lag between shots, allowing you to snap photo after photo without delay. The 2-megapixel camera on the front takes decent selfies and is good for the occasional video call.

Running the ColorOS operating system, the Joy 3 is privy to OPPO’s own camera app, which includes a variety of filter effects and cool shooting modes. OPPO might have been content with a below-average shooter, but the Joy 3 is a strong contender in the budget space.

Below are sample photos taken with the OPPO Joy 3’s 5-megapixel camera.

Oppo Joy 3 sample photo

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Under the hood, the Joy 3 sports a 1.3GHz quad-core MT6582 processor from MediaTek with 1GB of RAM and 4GB of expandable storage. Given its modest specs, the user-replaceable 2,000mAh battery should provide enough juice to see you through a full day of moderate usage. In terms of connectivity options, the Joy 3 has all the features you’d find in a budget handset: 3G, WiFi, GPS, and Bluetooth 4.0. Sadly, it lacks support for 4G LTE networks. If that’s a dealbreaker for you, the cheaper Xiaomi Redmi 2 may better suit your needs.

Despite Android Lollipop being a no-show in the Joy 3, the unit I played with is capable of holding its own against some of the best bargain phones around.

The Joy 3 runs OPPO’s proprietary ColorOS 2.0 operating system layered on top of Android KitKat 4.4.2, which is beginning to show its age. But despite Android Lollipop being a no-show in the latest iteration of the Joy series, the unit I played with is capable of holding its own against some of the best bargain phones around. It loads websites at the same brisk pace octa-core phones like the Cherry Mobile Flare X and Lenovo A7000 do, and there’s not much noticeable lag when scrolling up and down web pages and switching between apps.

It’s true that specifications alone don’t necessarily make a good user experience, so much of the credit must go to OPPO’s engineers for squeezing every drop of performance out of MediaTek’s quad-core chip.

Overall, I think the OPPO Joy 3 is a solid starter phone that punches above its weight where it matters most: user experience. It won’t be turning any heads with its raw power or affordability — and that’s okay. Truth be told, it doesn’t have to.

OPPO Joy 3 arrives in PH, priced at P6,490

In Phones by Ramon LopezJune 24, 20152 Comments

OPPO Philippines today unveiled the next iteration of the entry-level Joy series, the OPPO Joy 3. As you may have gathered, it’s a step above the recently released OPPO Joy Plus in a number of key areas, sporting a 4.5-inch IPS screen and a quad-core processor clocked at 1.3GHz under the hood, along with 1GB of RAM and 4GB of expandable memory. By contrast, the Joy Plus packs a 4-inch display and dual-core innards.

With the release of another budget challenger from OPPO, it could be argued that the company is taking aim at the bottom end of the spectrum.

The Joy 3 retails for P6,490 locally and is already available in stores. With the release of another budget challenger from OPPO, it could be argued that the Chinese phone maker is now taking aim at the bottom end of the smartphone spectrum. It’s not a bad strategy given the local market’s clear preference for low-cost devices. Check out my hands-on impressions of the OPPO Joy 3 for a deeper look.

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How Many Words are your Pictures Worth?

In News by Alora Uy GuerreroJune 23, 2015

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Tu vero, inquam, ducas licet, si sequetur; Verba tu fingas et ea dicas, quae non sentias?

Laelius clamores sofòw ille so lebat Edere compellans gumias ex ordine nostros. Roges enim Aristonem, bonane ei videantur haec: vacuitas doloris, divitiae, valitudo; Nam his libris eum malo quam reliquo ornatu villae delectari. Utram tandem linguam nescio? Tu vero, inquam, ducas licet, si sequetur; Ne amores quidem sanctos a sapiente alienos esse arbitrantur. Quorum sine causa fieri nihil putandum est.

Primum in nostrane potestate est, quid meminerimus? Deinde disputat, quod cuiusque generis animantium statui deceat extremum. Non enim, si omnia non sequebatur, idcirco non erat ortus illinc.

Sed quid sentiat, non videtis. Satis est tibi in te, satis in legibus, satis in mediocribus amicitiis praesidii. Dici enim nihil potest verius. Non quam nostram quidem, inquit Pomponius iocans; Etenim semper illud extra est, quod arte comprehenditur. Facit igitur Lucius noster prudenter, qui audire de summo bono potissimum velit; Bonum patria: miserum exilium. Si qua in iis corrigere voluit, deteriora fecit. Nunc haec primum fortasse audientis servire debemus.

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P6,999 Cherry Mobile Flare X w/flagship specs revealed

In Phones by Ramon LopezJune 19, 20151 Comment

Cherry Mobile made another huge announcement today with the unveiling of a top-specced Android phone that’s sure to shake up the local tech community. You’re looking at the incredibly powerful and incredibly affordable Cherry Mobile Flare X — which I reckon is the higher-end version of China’s JiaYu S3.

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Cubix Cube is a Lazada-exclusive, octa-core phone

In Phones by Ramon LopezJune 19, 20155 Comments

It turns out Cherry Mobile is also positioning itself at the forefront of the online retail revolution, alongside other players like Xiaomi, Huawei, and Lenovo. The company recently announced the creation of a new sub-brand — Cubix — whose focus is on smart devices that will be sold through Lazada Philippines’ website.

OnePlus 2 to use improved version of Snapdragon 810

In Phones by Ramon LopezJune 18, 2015Leave a Comment

Earlier today, smartphone startup OnePlus revealed new details about its upcoming — and eagerly awaited — flagship phone, the OnePlus 2. According to the company, the successor to the brilliant OnePlus One will be powered by an improved version of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 chipset, which is said to run cooler than its predecessor.

The OnePlus 2 will be powered by an improved version of the Snapdragon 810 CPU, which is said to run cooler than its predecessor.

In case you haven’t heard, the first iteration of Qualcomm’s most powerful processor to date has faced a flurry of negative publicity since its launch after users complained about its poor thermal performance.

A previous report from Bloomberg suggested that Samsung dropped the Snapdragon 810 chipset from the Galaxy S6’s spec sheet due to overheating — a problem OnePlus says it has solved after working closely with Qualcomm engineers. To which I say: I’ll believe it when I see it.

All other details about the OnePlus 2 remain up in the air at this point, but the company promised to reveal more in the future. For now, we can only assume that the phone will feature some of the best components on the market, seeing that it already has one of the fastest processors available in tow.

[youtube link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDxGHijw0WM” width=”560″ height=”315″]

OnePlus One unboxing video from OnePlus’ YouTube channel

Starmobile Knight Luxe, Up HD are brand’s top sellers

In Phones by Ramon LopezJune 17, 2015Leave a Comment

It’s not often that we get a peek at how major players are faring in the local tech scene, so it’s always a welcome sight to see a company like Starmobile drop some information about its current best sellers.

According to the company, the Starmobile Knight Luxe and Up HD — both of which are fairly new releases, mind you — have become its most popular devices in 2015. In fact, Starmobile product development head Michael Chen says that both Android phones comprise more than a third of Starmobile’s smartphone sales from May to June of this year, even claiming that there’s now “unprecedented demand” for the Knight Luxe and Up HD.

What’s surprising about all this isn’t that consumers are opting to buy newer models — people prefer the latest specs, of course — but rather Starmobile bucking the industry trend of getting retail sales volume from entry-level smartphones.

Recent GfK data suggests that local brands make the bulk of their sales from selling sub-P3,000 devices — devices that typically offer subpar specs and subpar performance. The Starmobile Knight Luxe and Up HD retail for P7,690 and P4,990, respectively.

The success of both devices may not necessarily reflect how good they are, but it does seem to indicate that people are willing to spend more on phones.

The success of both devices may not necessarily reflect how good they are, but it does seem to indicate that people are now willing to spend more on smartphones. It would be interesting to know if other homegrown brands are seeing the same shift in consumer taste.

Starmobile Knight Luxe

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[youtube link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jkJCAx58eY” width=”560″ height=”315″]

Starmobile Knight Luxe unboxing clip from Starmobile’s YouTube channel

NBA Live 16 unveiled at E3, promises better online play

In Games, Apps, and OS by Ramon LopezJune 15, 2015Leave a Comment

The Electronic Entertainment Expo 2015, or simply E3 2015, is upon us, and one of the more interesting titles in EA’s lineup this year is the company’s upcoming basketball sim NBA Live 16.

NBA Live 16 will bring a fresh batch of modes and new gameplay mechanics, as well as a new feature that allows you to scan your face into the game using your phone’s camera.

The game will bring a fresh batch of modes, new gameplay mechanics that you haven’t seen before, including touch passing, dribble handoffs, and the ability to fight through screens, as well as a new face-scan feature that allows you to scan your face into the game using your smartphone’s camera.

After last year’s iteration of Live failed to upset NBA 2K15 as the champion of basketball video games, EA is confident that Live 16 has improved enough on its fundamentals to keep the competition on its toes. At the very least, EA says, Live 16 will offer better online play — something the NBA 2K franchise sorely lacks despite its solid mechanics. I should know — I play NBA 2K15 just about every day since its launch last year.

NBA Live 16 will be available on September 29 for the PS4 and Xbox One. Personally, I’m rooting for EA to bring the fight to 2K Sports. Competition, as they say, breeds innovation. For a brief first look at NBA Live 16, check out the videos below.

[youtube link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ta3B03UsI80″ width=”560″ height=”315″]

The first trailer for NBA Live 16 is here

[youtube link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKHxcH6olTQ” width=”560″ height=”315″]

EA shows off NBA Live 16’s new face-scan feature and gameplay mechanics

P7,999 Firefly Mobile Allure 64 LTE phone is stacked

In Phones by Ramon LopezJune 12, 2015Leave a Comment

Cherry Mobile, MyPhone, and Torque may be the most popular homegrown smartphone brands right now, but newcomer Firefly Mobile is quickly making a name for itself as a company with attention-grabbing offerings like the Intense 64 LTE and Intense Mini, both of which promise speedy performance without burning a hole in your budget.

Firefly Mobile’s latest release, the Allure 64 LTE, expands on that tradition by bringing upmarket features, such as a 5.5-inch IPS panel with curved-edge Corning Gorilla Glass 3 on top, an aircraft-grade aluminum-magnesium alloy frame, and a 360-degree fingerprint sensor to the sub-P8,000 segment.

Things look just as promising inside as they do on the outside, with the phone running Android Lollipop on a 1.7GHz octa-core, LTE-ready processor paired with 3GB of RAM and a 13-megapixel Sony camera with backside illumination.

The Allure 64 LTE retails for P7,999. I haven’t gotten up close and personal with a working unit, but it’s certainly worth a look.

According to Firefly Mobile’s Facebook page, the Allure 64 LTE retails for a very reasonable P7,999 and is now available nationwide. I haven’t gotten up close and personal with a working unit, but from what I’ve heard so far, it’s certainly worth a look.

Firefly Mobile 64 LTE

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Specs of the Firefly Mobile Allure 64 LTE (Price: P7,999):
* Dual SIM with LTE support
* Fingerprint sensor
* 1.7GHz MediaTek MT6752 octa-core, 64-bit CPU
* Mali-T760 MP2 GPU
* 3GB RAM
* 16GB internal storage
* microSD card slot (up to 128GB)
* 5.5-inch OGS IPS display with 2.5D Corning Gorilla Glass 3 (720 x 1,280 resolution)
* 13-megapixel rear camera with BSI and LED flash
* 8-megapixel front camera with BSI and LED flash
* 2,900mAh removable battery
* Android 5.0 Lollipop

Cherry Mobile has a new mid-range phone for under P10K

In Phones by Ramon LopezJune 4, 2015Leave a Comment

(UPDATE, June 19: According to Cherry Mobile, the Cosmos S2 is now available in Cherry Mobile kiosks and stores.)

As if you didn’t know already, things are heating up in the local mobile space in 2015, largely because of competition from Chinese brands like Lenovo, Honor, and Oppo that are making a strong push in the mid-range market. Homegrown players MyPhone and Starmobile have already responded to this year’s wave of low-cost, high-performance smartphones from the Far East by releasing their own iterations of bargain blowers running the Android operating system.

The Cherry Mobile Cosmos S2 checks many of the same boxes as its rivals, but with a heavier emphasis on design, as evidenced by its 6.3mm-thick frame and dual-glass exterior.

It’s not surprising, then, that local tech company Cherry Mobile has unveiled its answer to the likes of Lenovo’s A7000 and Honor’s 4X. I’m talking about the Cherry Mobile Cosmos S2, which checks many of the same boxes as its rivals, but with a heavier emphasis on design, as evidenced by its 6.3mm-thick metal frame and dual-glass exterior.

The phone is powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 processor that supports local LTE bands and comes with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of storage, which is expandable up to an additional 64GB via microSD expansion. The icing on the cake is a 5-inch AMOLED display with Gorilla Glass 3 protection and a quick-charge feature that promises to shorten charging times.

The Cherry Mobile Cosmos S2 will retail for P9,999 when it arrives in stores soon. Not bad for a device of this caliber.

Specs of the Cherry Mobile Cosmos S2 (Price in the Philippines: P9,999):
* Dual SIM (with LTE support)
* 1.5GHz 64-bit, octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 processor
* 2GB RAM
* 16GB internal storage
* microSD card slot (up to 64GB)
* 5-inch AMOLED display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 (720 x 1,280 resolution)
* 13-megapixel rear camera with BSI and LED flash
* 8-megapixel front camera with BSI
* 2,260mAh battery
* Android Lollipop 5.0

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