(UPDATE: It’s happening, folks. I just received an invite to the Xiaomi Mi 4i launch event on July 20.) The days of teasing are essentially over: Xiaomi’s mid-tier variant of its current flagship phone, the Mi 4i, is headed to the Philippines this July. This has been confirmed by no less than the company’s local Facebook page. And if what’s happening in India is anything to go by, the phone may not even be the subject of a flash sale when it becomes available through online and offline stores. [frame src=”https://www.revu.com.ph/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Mi-Philippines-Facebook.jpg” target=”_self” width=”620″ height=”412″ alt=”Premium WordPress Themes” align=”center” prettyphoto=”false”] Similar to …
Samsung Galaxy Note 5 tipped to feature 4GB RAM
If the latest word from tech blog SamMobile is to be believed, the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Note 5 is shaping up to be a real contender in the high-end smartphone segment. According to a source familiar with the matter, the next Samsung flagship will reportedly include a whopping 4GB of LP-DDR4 RAM attached to the company’s own Exynos 7422 processor. There are phones with 4GB of RAM already on the market, of course, so it shouldn’t surprise you at all that Samsung is planning to bring the Galaxy Note line up to speed with the latest in smartphone technology. It is said …
Apple had 92% of all smartphone profits in Q1 2015
Speaking to investment firm Canaccord Genuity, The Wall Street Journal recently reported that among the top eight smartphone vendors in the world, U.S.-based tech giant Apple took in 92 percent of industry profits in the first quarter of 2015, up 65 percent from the same period a year earlier. Apple took in 92 percent of smartphone profits in the first quarter of 2015, up 65 percent from the same period a year earlier. Apple’s fiercest rival, Samsung, placed a far second with 15 percent of the total operating income. (It’s worth noting that the combined percentages exceed 100 percent because some companies …
Now available on Lazada: Meizu MX5
Heads up, Android fans: Meizu’s newest affordable flagship phone, the MX5, has been spotted on Lazada Philippines’ website for P16,999, which is quite reasonable given its launch price of 1,799 yuan (roughly P13,000) in China. Announced in Beijing last month, the MX5 aims to compete with the likes of the Apple iPhone 6, Samsung Galaxy S6, and LG G4, with uncompromising performance and quality that are hard to come by in the mid-priced segment. The Android Lollipop phone features a 7.6mm-thick, brushed-finish metal body reminiscent of the iPhone 6 and a fingerprint sensor that doubles as a physical home button. The …
Hello (again), Moto: 3 things Motorola must do in PH
Earlier this week, a couple of tech blogs reported receiving invites from Motorola Mobility, indicating that the Lenovo-owned electronics manufacturer is looking to make another comeback in the local market after years of near-total absence that allowed other phone manufacturers to flourish. If that is indeed the case, then this is pretty big news, particularly for people who want to get their hands on the Moto-made Nexus 6 and Moto 360 smartwatch, not to mention those who already own Moto devices. Because even though there’s no guarantee Motorola will honor the warranties of imported devices, the company is all but …
ASUS Zenfone 2 hacked to run Windows 7, because why not?
Remember the ASUS Zenfone 2? Yes, the affordable flagship smartphone that had everyone talking months ago, and perhaps even until today. Well, it turns out the device can be hacked to run Windows 7 — and run it well enough to be potentially useful for those in need of a truly pocketable computer, or those who simply want to impress their peers. With most devices using Windows 10, it is impressive that there is one that can still run Windows 7 (thanks to the Window 10 automatic update). If you are interested in finding out more about the end of …
GrabCar gets legal status in PH ahead of Uber
Recall that back in May, the Philippine’s transport and communications department and land-transport bureau inched closer towards legitimizing and regulating the likes of Uber and GrabTaxi by creating a legal framework for ride-hailing services in the country. Flash forward to now, and we’ve got the first ride-hailing service that can operate on a national scale without any legal threat: GrabCar, a subcategory of the GrabTaxi mobile app that can be downloaded for free on most app stores. GrabCar, a subcategory of the GrabTaxi mobile app, is the first ride-hailing service that can operate on a national scale without any legal …
What does free Facebook mean for messaging apps?
If you’re a Globe or Smart subscriber and you’ve spent time on Facebook for Android or the Web today using your mobile-data connection, then you may have noticed a small toggle on the upper right-hand side of the Facebook app or site.
And the top 5 phone brands in Southeast Asia are…
Research firm IDC has posted a new report about smartphone shipments in Southeast Asia in the first quarter of 2015, along with a list of the top 5 brands in the region. IDC’s findings reveal that Samsung, Apple, ASUS, OPPO, and Huawei shipped the most number of phones, with the Korean electronics giant accounting for 23 percent of the market on 5.5 million units sold. IDC’s findings reveal that Samsung, Apple, ASUS, OPPO, and Huawei shipped the most number of phones in Southeast Asia. Apple came in second with a 7.5 percent share on 1.8 million sales, while ASUS, OPPO, …
HOOQ vs. iflix vs. Blink: Who wins the streaming wars?
After months of growing pains, the next big thing on the Internet is finally gaining traction in the Philippines. No, I don’t mean ride-hailing services, such as Uber and GrabTaxi, though you could make a case that we’re seeing a greater demand for taxi alternatives. But I digress. What I’m trying to say is that, right now, there are more options than ever to watch movies and TV shows legally online, and the list will expand with time. And as wireless Internet access becomes more and more affordable and ubiquitous in the country, subscribing to a video-streaming service is fast becoming …
Facebook Lite is here. But why should you care?
Facebook recently released the Facebook Lite app for Android, six months after being in the beta labs. Essentially a watered-down version of the Facebook app and website, Facebook Lite is intended for emerging markets where Internet connections are unreliable and bargain-basement devices are outselling their mid- to high-end counterparts by an embarrassing margin. The app is currently available in India and the Philippines, and soon in Africa, Europe, and Latin America. Its only about 430KB in size compared to the full Facebook app, which gobbles up 140MB of my phone’s storage. [frame src=”https://www.revu.com.ph/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Facebook-Lite-interface1.jpg” target=”_self” width=”620″ height=”412″ alt=”Premium WordPress Themes” align=”center” prettyphoto=”false”] …
Starmobile Up Neo: big screen, small price
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 …
SALE ALERT: OPPO reduces price of Find 7a to P17K
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. [frame src=”https://www.revu.com.ph/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/OPPO-Philippines-sale.jpg” target=”_self” width=”620″ height=”412″ alt=”Premium WordPress Themes” align=”center” prettyphoto=”false”] 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) …
Mid-range Samsung Galaxy Tab A comes w/LTE, S Pen
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 …
Lenovo unveils 4 new laptops, price starts at P14,495
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 Image 1 of 17 The entry-level Ideapad …
Globe’s free Facebook offer now comes w/photo, video browsing
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 …
Report: Apple’s next iPhones to have Force Touch
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 …
OnePlus 2 slated to launch on July 27 in VR
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 …
Meizu M2 Note coming to PH in July
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 …
Yelp Philippines goes live w/thousands of reviews
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 …