Hoping to bounce back from a lengthy period of dormancy, Motorola Mobility formally announced its re-entry into the Philippine market yesterday, which coincided with the local launch of 3 Motorola smartphones that are slated for release in the near future. I’m referring to the Moto X (2014), Moto G (2014), and Moto E (2015), which are expected to show up in stores by the end of July. (Sorry, Nexus fans. It looks like a local release is currently out of the question for the Nexus 6.) The Moto X (2014), Moto G (2014), and Moto E (2015), which are expected …
10 things you should know about DOST’s free WiFi project
There’s hope for a connected Philippines yet. The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) held a press conference today to discuss the upcoming rollout of its P1.4-billion public WiFi project and to clarify certain aspects of the landmark service that will connect millions of Filipinos to the Internet at no cost. The internet is now a vital component of every day, be it in public or at home. This has spawned a competitive industry of internet companies trying to provide the best deals for customers. Although there are those who prefer using an office cell signal booster to get the …
What does DOST’s 50MB of free Internet get you?
Image via The Verge Earlier this week, reports surfaced that the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) has already begun installing Internet access points in the Quezon City Circle. This is in anticipation of a P1.4-billion project that plans to deploy 7,000 public WiFi hotspots across the Philippines before the end of 2015. Its initial rollout is slated on July 24, and according to DOST, it will offer free Internet access to anyone with a WiFi-capable device, albeit with certain restrictions — chief of which is a 50MB daily data cap. You can’t use it to download stuff from torrent sites, …
Xiaomi Mi 4i headed to the Philippines this July
(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 …
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, …
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) …
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 …
Hands-on: OPPO Joy 3
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 …
OPPO Joy 3 arrives in PH, priced at P6,490
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 …
P6,999 Cherry Mobile Flare X w/flagship specs revealed
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.