We haven’t seen a flagship OPPO smartphone after 2014’s N3, which had the tech community buzzing about its motorized, rotating camera. In 2015, OPPO Philippines launched a number of devices, including the OPPO Joy 3, Mirror 5, R7 Lite, R7 Plus, and Neo 7 — all devices aimed at the low or midrange market.
Samsung Galaxy S7 leaked case photos reveal a familiar design
The upcoming Samsung Galaxy S7 will reportedly be announced in February of next year, ahead of the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, so it’s not surprising to see cases of the said flagship smartphone leaked into the wild before its official unveiling.
Starmobile unveils Intel-based Engage 7i tab w/telephony on board
Starmobile today unveiled the newest addition to its Engage tablet lineup, the Starmobile Engage 7i. The device features a 7-inch IPS display and runs Android 5.1 Lollipop on a 64-bit Intel Atom X3 processor with 1GB of RAM and 16GB of expandable storage. A 3,000mAh battery, which Starmobile says delivers up to 20 days of standby time, powers the whole assembly.
OPPO PH drops prices of recent phones including R7 Lite, Neo 7
If you’re in the market for a new smartphone (and you haven’t blown your budget on holiday gifts yet), now’s a really good time to snag OPPO Philippines‘ recent models at decent discounts for a limited time.
What’s on HOOQ: our favorite Christmas movies
Christmas is a time for the family. It is also a time for curling up on the couch with a cup of hot chocolate while watching your favorite holiday movies, whatever they may be.
Cherry Mobile One G1 Android Marshmallow 6.0.1 update out now. Download here
In a bit of good news for Cherry Mobile One G1 owners, Google has released the Android Marshmallow 6.0.1 (MMB29K) update for the second-generation Android One smartphone.
Dell Precision 15 is a near-bezel-less MacBook Pro killer
Dell had proved its mettle in the PC business and has been one of the most enduring brands in the industry. And while I haven’t found its previous notebook designs to be prettier or better than the MacBook’s aluminum unibody, Dell’s Precision 15 refresh looks the part of a MacBook Pro killer, or a mobile workstation that people would want to own.
Globe Telecom brings largest Star Wars fair to PH
It seems like you can’t go anywhere these days without seeing anything about Star Wars, arguably the most beloved movie franchise on the planet, especially now that we’re at peak Star Wars: The Force Awakens season and only a few days removed from seeing Episode 7 hit local theaters. And in case you haven’t gotten your Star Wars fix yet, Globe Telecom has put together the country’s largest Star Wars fair at the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig.
Dell’s Power Companion battery packs can charge laptops, phones
Running short on battery life when least expected is a popular concern of notebook owners, and for good reason: external battery packs for laptops are hard to find, and there aren’t as many for sale. You’d be hard-pressed to find one from a big manufacturer, let alone something that’s fully compatible with your machine. Dell is aware of these challenges, and hence the company’s first venture into the world of portable power.
2015 in Revü: Our 10 favorite travel apps
There’s no denying that smartphones have made our lives so much easier, and not just because they have put Google and Facebook at our fingertips, along with a seemingly endless array of viral pet videos that suck away an inordinate amount of our free time. Smartphones, too, have made travelling, whether in the Philippines or abroad, cheaper than most people would think and more convenient than ever. Here are 10 travel apps that are worth checking out, if you haven’t already.
PH’s first online bazaar to go live December 18
Bazaars are now a fixture during the holiday season, but fulfilling your gift-buying duties in places where the finds are most often cheaper than goods being sold in malls, not to mention unique, can be a hassle these days. Metro Manila traffic alone is enough to dissuade even the most zealous of last-minute shoppers.
PLDT intros PC-on-a-stick broadband add-on… again
It seems PLDT is enjoying a successful run with its PC-on-a-stick broadband add-ons. Otherwise, why else would the local telecom giant bring in another product that’s admittedly very similar in pricing and features to the Intel-branded TVolution Stick PLDT released a couple of months ago?
Budget Intel-based Cherry Mobile MAIA Pad Plus announced in PH
Cherry Mobile just unveiled a new Intel-based Android tablet under its MAIA line. The MAIA Pad Plus is priced at P2,999 and is now available in stores.
Globe Telecom rolls out 100Mbps public WiFi service in PH
While the government’s public WiFi initiative seems to be in limbo at the moment, one company has doubled down on its efforts to provide the masses with free and, perhaps more importantly, fast Internet, albeit in only one address for the time being.
QC court orders new Uber, GrabCar applications stopped
The Quezon City Regional Trial Court today threw a wrench into the plans of Uber and GrabCar operators by ordering local transportation offices to stop accepting applications for 20 days, local news outfit Rappler reported earlier. To reiterate: The ruling isn’t meant to prevent customers from traveling in approved vehicles, rather it is to halt pending applications for new Uber and GrabCar licenses.
HOOQ to simultaneously show 2015 MMFF short films and animations
Here’s yet another reason to subscribe to HOOQ: The company recently confirmed to me that short films and animations under the 2015 Metro Manila Film Festival’s New Wave category will be shown simultaneously on the country’s biggest subscription video-on-demand platform.
Globe intros Plan 499 with 3GB of data, unlimited calls and texts
Globe Telecom has announced a new low-tier, SIM-only postpaid plan that costs just P499 a month, but comes with a decent amount of data and unlimited calls and texts to Globe and TM subscribers.
Android slider BlackBerry Priv now official in PH
BlackBerry launched the Priv for the Philippine market today, marking a renewed push to be competitive in the high-end segment. A vertical slider phone that runs Android Lollipop instead of BlackBerry 10, the Priv is the Canadian firm’s first product to use a third-party operating system; all previous BlackBerry hardware had its internally developed software on tap.
Cherry Mobile intros Flare S Play, LTE phone w/digital TV tuner
The year isn’t over for Cherry Mobile, as the company today announced the Flare S Play, yet another addition to its best-selling Flare smartphone series.
Samsung head for handset business steps down
The biggest Samsung-related news of today has nothing to do with the company’s Galaxy line of devices, or the homegrown Exynos chipsets that power some of them. Rather, it has everything to do with the chief executive behind them: Samsung co-CEO JK Shin is stepping down from his leadership role in the handset business to focus on new growth areas and long-term strategy.