TechPinas : Philippines' Technology News, Tips and Reviews Blog

Cherry Mobile Thunder 2.0 Sells for Php 6,299 : Cheapest 5-Inch Quad Core Dual SIM Android Smartphone Upon Release

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 21:31:00 +0000

The competition between local players in the Android handset and tablet game is becoming more and more fierce by the day.

Late last month, Starmobile wowed the media and the tech blogging community by introducing a slew of mobile devices having not just powerhouse features but also very affordable price tags.

For a while I thought Starmobile is already poised for an easy win but yesterday, the other local electronics giant, Cherry Mobile, shocked everyone by unveiling its JuneTastic line-up of stellar Android smartphones and slates -- as if to show that they can match whatever it is that their competition will throw at them.

You've already seen Cherry Mobile Fusion Wave, the first tablet by a local player to run on a Quad Core Exynos chipset by Samsung. Now, check out Cherry Mobile Thunder 2.0.

With official suggested retail price of only Php 6,299, Cherry Mobile Thunder 2.0 is set to become the most affordable 5-inch Dual SIM Android smartphone running on a Quad Core processor when it finally hits store shelves within this month. It will be Php 700 cheaper than Cherry Mobile Flame 2.0, which had an SRP of Php 6,999 when it was released last March.

Measuring only 9.9 millimeters at its thickest point, Cherry Mobile Thunder 2.0 comes with more than decent technical specifications with include a 1.2 GHz Quad-Core ARM Cortex A7 based MediaTek MTK 6589 Processor running Android 4.2 Jelly Bean operating system, PowerVR SGX 544 GPU, 512 MB of RAM, 5-inch FWVGA capacitive touchscreen display, 8 MegaPixel autofocus camera with LED flash, 2 MegaPixel front-facing camera, 4 GB of internal storage expandable via microSD card slot, 2,100 mAh Li-Ion battery pack, and WiFi, Bluetooth and 3G connectivity support.

Looking at the specs sheet, it's clear that what kept the price of this handset low is the fact that it has a lower resolution screen and less amount of RAM compared to the more expensive 5-inch Quad Core Android smartphones out in the Philippines like Cherry Mobile Omega HD 2.0 and the very popular O+ 8.15 -- albeit O+ isn't really a local company.

TP Friends, do you think Cherry Mobile Thunder 2.0 can help CM win big in the local handset game this year? Are you inclined to purchase this release or would you rather spend a bit more to get a more powerful handset?

Cherry Mobile Fusion Wave Price Php 7,499 : 8-inch Android Tablet, Powered by Quad Core Samsung Exynos Chipset!

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 11:41:00 +0000

Local electronics giant Cherry Mobile is finally ready to release several powerhouse yet affordable Android smartphones and tablets as part of its JuneTastic gadget promo.

All of their upcoming devices are pretty interesting but the one that immediately caught my attention is their new 8-inch Android slate, Cherry Mobile Fusion Wave.

On the outside, the tablet looks almost the same as Cherry Mobile's previous releases in this category. But looking at its specs sheet, you'll see that one feature that quite simply makes it a cut above the rest. Although the device runs a slightly outdated version of the Android operating system, it is nonetheless powered by a Quad Core 1.4 GHz Exynos chipset by Samsung, which I believe is similar to the Exynos 4412 Quad processor running Samsung Galaxy S3 smartphone. This makes Cherry Mobile Fusion Wave the first tablet by a local player to run on a chip made by the Korean company.

As per internal testing, Cherry Mobile Fusion Wave got an Antutu Benchmark Test Score of 14,865, which is more or less similar to that of Samsung Galaxy S3 smartphone.

Other technical specifications include an 8-inch Capacitive Screen, 8 GB of internal storage, 1 GB of RAM, Mali-400 GPU, 2 MegaPixel front-facing camera and another 2MP snapper at the back, HDMI port, USB On-The-Go, 5,100 mAh Li-Ion battery pack, and WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity support.

Cherry Mobile Fusion Wave - with official suggested retail price of just Php 7,499 - will be available at all Cherry Mobile stores and authorized retailers nationwide within this month. At that amount, I think it's already very sulit but it could been even more enticing had it come with Android 4.2 Jelly Bean OS right out of the box.

The Gadgets Inside My Bag (June 2013)

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 21:10:00 +0000

Ever since I started blogging about technology, the two questions that I've been asked most often by my friends and readers are "What's inside your bag?" and "Which gadgets do you carry around with you when you go out?"

I've been pretty private about the gizmos that I walk around with when I blog on the go -- for my own reasons. But a few days ago, while cleaning my work desk and putting several devices that used to accompany me out regularly like my Nokia N8, HTC Desire HD, Nokia N9, HTC Sensation, iPhone 4S, Samsung Galaxy Note, and BlackBerry PlayBook among others in the TP Gadget Vault, I realized that I ever rarely talked about our times together when they were still hot and that, maybe, I should have written more articles where I could have shared the reasons why I chose them to be my daily smartphones, laptops or tablets over others.

I kinda regret not doing that so to make up for it, I promise that - starting to day - I'll let you in more on the devices that I personally use regularly; sharing with you what exactly made me fall in love with each of them. I'll be a tad less private from here on out - at least in that aspect - and I want to start by opening my bag and showing you the gadgets that are inside.

TP Friends, I currently have two gadget line-ups that I bring with me when I work outside the house. I have the VAIO Squad and the Macbook Pro Squad -- based on the largest device in the pack.

My Mid-2013 VAIO Squad, shown in the photo above, is comprised of the following:

1. Sony VAIO T 13-inch, which I love because of the slick brushed aluminum cover, the spacious keyboard, the stellar innards headlined by its Intel Core i5 chip, 4 GB of RAM and 500 GB of hard disk space, the light-weight construction, and the patented VAIO Care feature which prevents the battery from being damaged by overcharging.
2. Apple iPad Mini
3. Sportscar Red Nokia Lumia 920 with its unique and eye-catching monoblock polycarbonate shell and powerhouse low-light imaging capabilities.
4. Apple iPhone 5 with Boostcase Hybrid Case
5. Nokia 808 PureView, the best cameraphone in the world today, doubling as my digital camera.
6. The new Apple Earpods
7. Inboosta 6,000 mAh Travel Charger
8. O+ 8.15, which I think is the most gorgeous and most powerful (based on benchmark scores) Android smartphone in its price category as of writing. (If you're wondering why I have to bring more than two phones when I go out, it's because I have multiple mobile numbers that are all active.)

I must admit I'm more of a PC person so this is the line-up that I use more often. Whether at home or in a cafe, I'm more comfortable working on a laptop running Windows and it's because most of the software I use for blogging are only available on that operating system. Sometimes, though, when I'm in the mood or if I know that I won't be working with those programs that much, I bring my Macbook Pro Squad with me.

Here, we have the following devices:

1. Macbook Pro 13-inch that I got as a gift for myself last December. I chose this over Macbook Pro with Retina Display because its innards are more powerful for the same price and I know that I'd still be needing the optical disk drive for graphic design work and to get PR articles and other files from CDs that some companies still give out during events or meetings.
2. Google Nexus 7, which I think is the best Android tablet in its price and size echelon as of today.
3. When I feel stronger than usual, I bring the far heavier New iPad with me in lieu of Nexus 7. I didn't upgrade to iPad 4 with Retina Display because - save for the Lightning port and the slightly faster processor - its specifications are largely the same as that of the one I already have.
4. Apple iPhone 5 with Boostcase Hybrid Case
5. Huawei Ascend W1 in my favorite color, Blue. Priced at only Php 8,990, this is one of the most affordable Windows Phone 8 handsets you can get in the market. And given its stellar specifications and ultra-cute design, I'd say it totally offers great bang for the buck.
6. Again, my trusty Nokia 808 PureView doubles as my digital camera.
7. What's cool about Buffalo Ministation 500 GB is that you can quickly send files to it from your Android or iOS smartphones and tablets without using wires.
8. I love Coloud The Pop earphones because of their youthful color combinations as well as the tangle-free system.

The non-gizmos that I always carry in my bag include a notebook or tickler, pen, a small box for business cards, hairwax, menpen, lip balm, mint, and perfume.

So there you have it, TP Friends! You've just seen the gadgets that I usually carry around with me these days. I use all of them for work so they are all very important and dear to me. What about you? Which devices can you not leave the house without? Do you also own some of the gadgets I have in my two line-ups?

Starmobile Knight Price is Php 11,290, Release Date Will Be By Mid-July, Exclusive Hands-On and Demo Video!

Sun, 16 Jun 2013 22:09:00 +0000

Last night, while I was watching the Father's Day Special of ABSCBN's weekend primetime show, Rated K, I got pleasantly surprised when the gifts segment came on and Korina Sanchez - the program's host - started talking about this familiar Android smartphone that she deems to be an ideal gift for dads.

It was the Starmobile Knight, the local electronics company's upcoming mid-2013 flagship release. As earlier featured on TechPinas, this stunning handset comes replete with 4.7-inch HD IPS display, scratch-resistant Gorilla Glass touchscreen, 1.2 GHz Quad Core ARM Cortex A7 based MediaTek MT6589 chipset, Android 4.2 Jelly Bean operating system, 1 GB of RAM, 18 MegaPixel autofocus main camera with dual LED flash and BSI sensor, 8 MegaPixel front-facing snapper with BSI sensor, a non-removable 2,000 mAh Li-Po battery pack, and WiFi, Bluetooth, and 3G HSPA+ connectivity support.

The segment was cool and all but what I particularly liked about Korina's feature is that she let us in on some previously undisclosed information about this handset -- to be specific, its official suggested retail price of Php 11,290! If you remember, a couple of weeks back, Starmobile formally introduced this handset through an event at SM North EDSA but they made no mention of its price.

So as soon as the show ended, I immediately sent a message to one of our friends from the company to confirm the information and to ask exactly when the device will be available. He verified that Starmobile Knight's SRP will indeed be Php 11,290 and he told me that they're looking at a mid-July release. "We're hoping [to make the phone available to everyone] by the 2nd week of July. We just wanna make sure that when we release it, everything's been checked - both the software and hardware. [The phone has to pass our] durability and stress tests," he shared.

If you're one of the many who are looking at purchasing this smartphone when it hits store shelves next month, you might want to watch this exclusive video showing a hands-on demo and specs rundown of Knight that Mr. Ryan Joeyson Uy, Starmobile's Customer Care Supervisor, gave us during their event last May 29.

Starmobile Knight 4.7-Inch Quad Core Android Smartphone Looks Like iPhone 5! Specs Rundown, Price and Release Date Guesstimate!

Sun, 16 Jun 2013 09:24:00 +0000

It appears that Starmobile has altogether decided to adopt Samsung's way of marketing its Android smartphones -- and that is to release as many devices as possible in various price echelons.

Come the latter part of June or early July, Starmobile will have two flagship smartphones having almost the same 'more than Php 10,000' price tag. The Starmobile Diamond V7, which has been featured earlier on TechPinas, will be the company's top-of-the-line phablet while Starmobile Knight, shown in these photos, is set to be its 2013 flagship smartphone superseding Starmobile Diamond.

The first time I saw Starmobile Knight, I immediately thought that it looks like a larger Apple iPhone 5 -- albeit lacking a metal shell. The two phones flaunt a similar tall rectangular form factor with curved corners and a slightly protruding glass touchscreen. Even the off-center, upper left corner placement of the camera at the back is reminiscent of that Apple's flagship handset.

This is merely a prototype of this handset model. Obviously, branding on the back case of the final release will be far more attractive.

Knight sure looks nice - in fact, according to Starmobile, it is currently the lightest and thinnest Dual SIM Quad Core smartphone out in the market - but its specifications are just as attractive. You get a ultra-clear 4.7-inch HD IPS display with 315 ppi pixel density protected by scratch-resistant Gorilla Glass touchscreen, 1.2 GHz Quad Core ARM Cortex A7 based MediaTek MT6589 chipset running Android 4.2 Jelly Bean operating system, 1 GB of RAM, 18 MegaPixel autofocus main camera with dual LED flash and BSI sensor plus a staggering 8 MegaPixel front-facing camera with BSI sensor, which is great for taking selfies, and a non-removable 2,000 mAh Li-Po battery pack. As for connectivity, the handset supports WiFi, Bluetooth, and 3G HSPA+.

During Starmobile's big event at SM North EDSA several days back, our friends from the local electronics company told me that Starmobile Knight will hit store shelves either late June or early July. They didn't disclose the official SRP but I believe that it should don a price tag within the range of Php 10,000 to Php 12,000. Stay tuned for our hands-on and demo video and initial impressions post.

Update: Starmobile Knight's official SRP is Php 11,290 and it will be released within the second week of July.

iLuv Glow in the Dark Cases for iPhone 5 : Available in Snoopy, Ninja, Mummy and Aurora Designs! Price Starts At Php 1,050

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 21:37:00 +0000

If it looks cute, attractive and unique, I've got to have it!

And these glow-in-the-dark iPhone 5 cases by iLuv, which are now out in the Philippines via MSI-ECS, have sure caught my fancy.

Available in black, pink, and white retro patterns, iLuv cases do not only protect your iPhone 5 against dings and bumps but also make your phone come alive and become more eye-catching.

First time to hear about iLuv? Well, iLuv Creative Technology is one of the world's leading providers of accessories for mobile devices. Born in New York City, iLuv has evolved into a premium brand garnering both media and consumer respect along the way. iLuv is actually an acronym for 'Innovative Lifestyle Unquestionable Value,' the company's corporate mantra, which has been validated not only by our 35 prestigious CES Innovations, Good Design, iF, and red dot awards, but also by countless media accolades and glowing reviews of satisfied customers.

iLuv cases have an anti-static coating and are made of high-quality silicon rubber to provide protection against regular impacts. What I find really cool about them, though, is that they have these playful illuminating patterns, which are totally fun to look at. Also, these youthful glow-in-the-dark drawings make it a lot easier for me to look for my iPhone 5 in my room at night without having to turn on the light.

You can now get these iLuv cases from MSI-ECS starting at only Php 1,050 for those with Aurora, Mummy, and Ninja designs while the very cute Snoopy version, which I personally love, sells for Php 1,260. For more information about the availability of the product and to learn how and where you can buy it, kindly give MSI-ECS a ring at (02) 688-3180.

Sony Xperia Z Ultra Phablet with 6.44 Inch Full HD Triluminos Display, 2.2 GHz Quad Core Snapdragon 800 Processor, Coming Soon!

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 22:44:00 +0000

When Sony Xperia Z Ultra or ZU officially hits the market later this year, it will altogether eclipse and replace Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3 as the smartphone with the largest display currently available.

The legendary Japanese company has yet to disclose details about this upcoming mega phablet (with codename 'Togari') but based on leaked photos and rumored technical specifications, it appears that the device will not only be the larger but also the more powerful version of the current flagship, Sony Xperia Z, which is selling fairly well in various territories.

According to industry insiders, Sony Xperia Z Ultra will come replete with a massive 6.44-inch Full HD 1080p Triluminos display, 2.2 GHz Quad Core Snapdragon 800 processor running Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean operating system, 2 GB of RAM, 16 GB of internal storage expandable via microSD card slot, 8 MegaPixel autofocus main camera with BSI sensor and LED flash, 2.2 MegaPixel front-facing camera with BSI sensor, and a large 3,000 mAh battery pack.

As earlier featured on TechPinas, Sony's patented Triluminos display technology provides a heightened sense of depth to images, showcasing colors as they should be. This next-generation back-lit technology expands the gamut of viewable colors, reproducing natural shades for a more vivid, richer, and more intense range that’s as close to reality as any display gets. The company's BRAVIA line was the first to get this innovation and, as promised by Sony, it has finally landed on the Xperia.

Obviously, the main highlights of this release would have to be its ginormous and brilliant display matched by its powerhouse innards but its design and construction are just as cool. It is rumored that ZU will have dimensions of 179.2 x 92 x 6.5 mm and weigh just 212 grams - making it extremely thin and light for a phablet with such large screen. As for the design, it is said that Sony Xperia Z Ultra will flaunt the same glass-sandwich construction as that of the current flagship, which I think looks very slick and attractive, and will also be dust and water resistant.

Mark of TP: As I've shared in previous posts, I own a Sony Xperia Z and all things considered, it's an amazing release that I highly recommend. Is it perfect? No. For one, its uptime is oddly short. Nonetheless, it has enough redeeming qualities - like its gorgeous scratch-resistant glass enclosure, its 13 MegaPixel camera delivering great photos, and the fact that I can survive being submerged in water - that more than make up for any weakness it may have. For me, Sony Xperia Z is a totally worthy competitor to the Samsung Galaxy S4 and I'm just so excited to learn more about its beefed-up version, Sony Xperia Z Ultra, when Sony unveils it on July 4 in Paris.

iOS 7 Beta on iPhone 4S Screenshots : Control Center, Notifications Tab, Camera App, Lock Screen, Siri, Safari, Multitasking Page, Photo Gallery

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 12:39:00 +0000

Apple released iOS 7 beta version for developers right after the revamped OS' official introduction last Monday at WWDC 2013. As a developer, I got really excited and I immediately worked on installing it on iPhone 4S and iPad Mini.

As soon as I got the upgrade running, I contacted my good friend Mark of TechPinas and sent screenshots of the new iOS' various sections. I told him, "I know a lot of iPhone 4S users will be interested to see these shots especially since it won't be until September or October that they'll be able to get iOS 7 on their handsets." So here you go, TP Friends.

With the new Control Center, all you need to do is to swipe up from the bottom of the display to get to the panel where you can quickly turn off or turn on Airplane Mode, WiFi, Bluetooth, Sleep Mode and Rotate Screen. In this pop up tab, you can also quickly adjust the brightness of your screen, play music, turn on/off the backlight and convert it into a flashlight (formerly available via 3rd party apps) and launch often used apps like Clock, Calculator and Camera.

The Notification Center is now more organized and even has three sections, namely, Today, All, and Missed. Today shows all events happening within the day. All is for notifications from various apps. And Missed is for all events and other notifications that you may have - well - missed.

To access Notifications Center, all you have to do is to swipe down from the top of the screen -- even if your phone is locked. In fact, you can launch and view both the Control Center and Notifications tab from any screen, i.e. even while you're playing Candy Crush or browsing Facebook.

With the past iOS versions, whenever you double press the home screen, you get list of all running apps at the bottom of the screen. With the improved Multitasking feature of the the iOS 7, you still get a list of all running apps but you now have live windows or thumbnails showing what's happening inside the app.

Mark of TP: Honestly, the iOS 7 multitasking page layout is similar to that of Windows Phone 8 and the active thumbnails are reminiscent of what we see on BlackBerry 10 OS.

The Camera app has also been improved. What I really like about it is that you can quickly switch from Video, Photo, Square and Panoramic view just by swiping.

Also, you can now edit photos right after you shoot them. Choose from various filters including Mono, Tonal, Noir, Chrome, among many others.

The Photo Gallery is now more organized and even lets you view images based on the time and date when you snapped them or the location where they were taken.

According to Apple, with iOS 7, can share files to any iOS 7 devices in an instant with the new AirDrop feature. This, however, is only available on the iPhone 5, iPad mini, iPad 4 and iPod touch 5.

Siri has also received a few tweaks. You'll no longer see that round icon when you launch the app instead you'll see this line, which wiggles when you speak. As for voice to text accuracy and quality of response, those are a tad better now.

Lots of changes were also implemented on Safari. The search field is more unified with the address bar, creating an Omnibar similar that you see on Google Chrome.

Also, we now have a gorgeous 3D tab view allows you to scroll up or down to browse thumbnails of websites that you opened.

So there you go. These are only a few of many new features that iOS 7 brings to the table. To tell you honestly, there are a lot of elements that iOS 7 that appear to have been derived from features of other mobile operating systems like Android, Windows Phone and even Symbian. Nevertheless, the overall simplicity and understated elegance of the iOS 7 interface are totally in line with the image of Apple both as a brand as a company.

A financial trainer and a management grad from DLSU, Josh Lagasca is a gadget enthusiast. He used to be part of the Apple Genius team and been part of the friendly people of Apple in their Genius Bar. He is also the tech support guy of his officemates and friends whenever they have problems with their gadgets (may it be a tablet or a smartphone; Android, Apple, BB or even Windows based phones, name it). They fully entrust their gadgets to him and he always gives his best to help them at no cost. Josh loves reading tech blog sites with TechPinas as number 1 on the list as it shows him what tech blogging really is. Josh is also looking forward to seeing the country become more united with the help of the latest technologies.

Cherry Mobile Blaze 2.0 Price Php 9,499 : 5.7 Inch Quad Core Android 4.2.1 Jelly Bean Phablet, Out Now!

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 21:05:00 +0000

Last May 29, via an event held at SM North EDSA, local electronics company Starmobile formally introduced 11 new devices as part of its 2013 Android smartphone and tablet line-up. And during the launch, one of the handsets that instantly caught my fancy was their upcoming 5.7-inch Quad Core powered Starmobile Diamond V7.

Starmobile has yet to disclose V7's official release date and SRP but from the looks of it, the company's main rival, Cherry Mobile, isn't keen on taking chances and just letting Starmobile have all the fun in that mega phablet category.

A couple of days back, CM surprised everyone by announcing its third Quad Core Android smartphone this year - following Cherry Mobile Flame 2.0 and Cherry Mobile Omega HD 2.0 - the ginormous Cherry Mobile Blaze 2.0.

Looking at its technical specifications, which include a 5.7 inch 1280 x 720 pixels IPS display, Quad Core 1.2 GHz ARM Cortex A7 CPU in MediaTek MT6589 chipset, 1 GB of RAM, 4 GB of internal storage expandable via microSD card slot, Android 4.2.1 Jelly Bean OS with default AOSP interface, and 2,500 mAh battery pack, it's clear that Cherry Mobile Blaze 2.0 will be a tough competitor to beat in its price echelon.

Last night, one of my readers told me that Cherry Mobile Blaze 2.0 is but a rebranded GFive G9 Android smartphone from China. I checked the design and features of the smartphone by the Chinese OEM alongside that of CM and they do appear to be the same device. Interestingly, though, Cherry Mobile Blaze 2.0 has higher resolution main and front-facing cameras versus GFive G9 so if our speculations are correct, I believe CM must have asked the manufacturer to tweak the phablet's imaging capabilities before making a bulk purchase.

As for the overall performance of the device's innards, during an internal testing, Cherry Mobile Blaze 2.0 got an Antutu Benchmark score of 13,231. This is ever-slightly lower than the 13,365 score of my O+ 8.15 smartphone, which is a joy to use because of its very smooth touch response and gaming performance, so I'm expecting just as much from CM's phablet. Hopefully CM will be interested in allowing us to give their device a test run.

Cherry Mobile Blaze 2.0 is now available at all CM stores and authorized retailers nationwide for Php 9,499 -- making it the most expensive smartphone in the company's current product line-up. If you're cool with shelling out that amount, you can the phablet it in two colors: Black and White.

TechPinas Smartphone Technical Specs Table (TSTST)
Name	Cherry Mobile Blaze 2.0
Type	Slate Form Factor (Full Touchscreen)
Price Category	Midrange
Dimensions	157.4 x 82.9 x 9.9 mm
Weight	220 grams
Available Colors	White, Black
Operating System	Android 4.2.1 Jelly Bean
Display	5.7 inch, 1280 x 720 pixels, IPS, capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors
Processor	Quad-core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A7 PowerVR SGX 544 GPU MediaTek MT6589 chipset
RAM	1 GB RAM
Internal Storage	4 GB, expandable via microSD card slot
Camera	12 MegaPixels, autofocus, LED flash and BSI sensor, 3 MegaPixels front camera
Video Capture	720p
Audio and Video Playback	MP4, DivX, Xvid, FLV, MKV, H.264, H.263, MP3, WAV, eAAC+, Flac (to be confirmed)
Ports	microUSB v2.0, 3.5 mm audio jack
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, Wi-Fi hotspot, Bluetooth, 3G HSDPA, 21 Mbps; HSUPA, 5.76 Mbps,
GPS	Yes, with A-GPS
Sensors	Accelerometer, Digital Compass, Proximity, Gyroscope
Network	2G Network GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900, 3G Network HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100
SIM Card Type	Mini SIM (Regular)
Battery	Li-Ion 2500 mAh battery
Uptime	400 hours of Standby, 5 hours of Talk Time (to be confirmed)
Value-Added Features	Dual SIM Dual Standby
Announcement	June 2013
Availability	June 2013
Price	Official SRP: Php 9,499

Samsung Galaxy Ace 3 : Can It Beat Cherry Mobile, Starmobile, and MyPhone Android Smartphones in its Price Category?

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 22:33:00 +0000

Like Samsung's Galaxy S series of handsets, this branch of the Galaxy family has also come a long way. Members of the Galaxy Ace line, which include the first Galaxy Ace, Ace 2, Ace Duos, and Ace Plus have all become best-sellers in the Philippines and have helped the brand get a strong hold of the midrange smartphone category for the past three years.

Mark of TP: Samsung Galaxy Ace 3, the youngest and most powerful member of this family, is looking to experience the same success story as its older siblings. But considering the changing mobile landscape in the country, I reckon reaching similar heights won't be as easy.

Looking at these images, it's clear that Samsung Galaxy Ace follows the Galaxy S4's design language. As for technical specifications, the device sports a 4-inch TFT display with 480 x 800 pixels resolution coupled with an unspecified Dual Core 1 GHz processor and 1 GB of RAM. To keep the phone up and running, Samsung has paired it with a 1500 mAh battery which, I think, the Korean company has clearly skimped on. Now, as for the camera, we're getting a 5 MegaPixel snapper with LED flash and a front facing VGA camera, just like those found on Samsung Galaxy Ace 2. In terms of storage, you'll have 4 GB, which is expandable via micro SD supporting of up to 32 GB.

Mark of TP: Aside from the regular version that has all of those specs, Samsung will also release a Duos or Dual SIM variant with similar features and an LTE version with a slightly larger 1,800 mAh battery pack, 1.2 GHz Dual Core processor, and 1080p video playback capability.

Despite retaining some specifications of its former iteration, the Galaxy Ace 3 nonetheless comes with some software features of the current flagship release. The midrange handset will run Android 4.2.2 Jellybean out of the box skinned by Samsung’s TouchWiz Nature UX interface and will inherit some of the nifty applications available on the S4 such as: S Translator which instantaneously translates words when you need it, S Travel providing relevant travel information to help you prepare for your next trip, Smart Stay which keeps track of your eyes and smartly dims or turns off the display depending on where you're looking, and S Voice which is Samsung's version of iPhone's voice command functionality and virtual assistant - Siri. With all these features packed into that 4 GB internal space, I'm just hoping that Galaxy Ace 3 users won't experience any storage shortage.

The phone's design and set of specifications are decent but can Ace 3 become a success here just like the previous Aces? Personally, I think this phone definitely sell well because it offers a viable S4 alternative to those who can’t shell out a lot of cash to get Samsung's immensely popular flagship model. How about you, TP Friends? With all the powerhouse offerings by local companies like Cherry Mobile, MyPhone, and Starmobile, are you still willing to get this Ace 3? What are your insights about this phone? Let us know in the comments below.

Mark of TP: Samsung Philippines has yet to announce the availability of this handset in the country. I'm guessing though that it should land here sometime this Q3 with SRP of roughly Php 12,000 to 14,000 -- that's the based on the price tag of Samsung Galaxy Ace Plus upon release last year. In that price bracket, Ace 3 should go head to head with the likes of the moderately more affordable Cherry Mobile Omega HD 2.0, MyPhone A919i, and Starmobile Diamond V7. Now, to answer Nico's question, I think that if you're looking strictly at technical specifications, there's no competition. Without a doubt, these local Quad Core flagship releases totally slay SGAce3 in that department. In terms of design, well, that's subjective (though I've played with Starmobile Diamond V7 and it's gorgeous). So are there any advantages - if at all - to choosing Ace 3 over those three? Well, you do get all of those apps that are unique to Samsung handsets plus since there are more developers around the world who can potentially work on the phone, maybe you'll get more tweaks and even custom ROMs for it.

#TPWriterFellows Batch 1 Member and DLSU student, Nico Aguila is the self-proclaimed 'official' tech support guy of his friends. He's always ready to give you tips and tricks with Android devices and even gives you advice on which phone or tablet you should get -- whether it be running on Android, iOS, or Windows Phone operating system. Nico sees TechPinas as the best tech website in the Philippines and also as his safe haven when he reads tech news that is happening in the country. When he graduates, Nico plans to find a stable job in tech, have a family when he can, and of course, expose his future kids to technology and TechPinas so that they'll enjoy great bonding times together.

Macbook Air 2013 11-inch and 13-inch Models Have Intel Haswell CPU, Up to 12 Hours of Battery Life, and Slightly Lower Price

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 23:51:00 +0000

Macbook Air 2013 11-inch and 13-inch variants look exactly like their predecessors from last year but they do have a few things about them that clearly make them far more special.

"MacBook Air is the industry leader for thin and light notebooks, and now with longer battery life, we've set the bar even higher. With faster flash, more powerful graphics and up to 12 hours of battery life, the new MacBook Air packs even more performance into the portable and durable design our customers love," shares Mr. Philip Schiller, Apple's Senior VP for Worldwide Marketing.

I know this thin and tapered design identity is already more than year old but I think it still looks very gorgeous and highly attractive.

What makes extended battery life (9 hours of uptime for the 11-inch variant - up from 5 - and 12 hours for the 13-inch version - up from 7) and enhanced performance possible for the 2013 Macbook Air is the Intel Haswell CPU powering it. Perfectly geared towards ultrabooks or ultra-thin but very capable notebooks like the Macbook Air, Intel's new fourth generation Core i5 and i7 processors deliver up to 11% better CPU performance and 40% better graphics performance all while consuming 25% less power when compared to the Ivy Bridge CPUs that preceded them.

On top of that, MacBook Air 2013 11-inch now starts at 128 GB of SSD internal storage versus just 64 GB on last year's model. (This year, both 11-inch and 13-inch variants offer storage options of 128, 256 and 512 GB.) Note that Apple is keeping the $999 starting price of the 11-inch variant so you practically get twice the storage for the same amount. Also, the new 13-inch Macbook Airs are $100 less expensive than they were last year -- that's $1,099 and $1,299, instead of $1,199 and $1,399. Isn't that nice?

Sure, contrary to rumors and speculations that surfaced prior to WWDC 2013, we didn't get Retina Display on the Macbook Air this year. But all things considered, I still think 2013 Macbook Air 11-inch and 13-inch models are definitely worth checking out as they are now more "sulit" (offers great bang for the buck) than ever.

iOS 7 Coming to iPhone 5, 4S and 4, iPad Mini, New iPad, iPod Touch 5th Gen, iPad2, iPad4 with Retina Display by Q4 2013

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 21:05:00 +0000

The much-awaited, heavily revamped latest iteration to Apple's mobile operating system has just been officially unveiled!

"iOS 7 is the most significant iOS update since the original iPhone. To create it, we brought together a team with a broad range of expertise from design to engineering. With what we’ve been able to achieve together, we see iOS 7 as an exciting new beginning," shared Mr. Craig Federighi, Apple's Senior VP for Software Engineering.

In the past five years, we've seen a tremendous rise in the number of iPhone and iPad owners in the Philippines. In 2011, Smart Communications officially joined rival network Globe Telecom as an official partner network and carrier of the iPhone, creating a more competitive environment and helping drive the prices of plans down. In fact, it has a reached a point where competition is so stiff that both Globe and Smart have deemed it best to bundle the iPhone and iPad in some of their plans for free. Another thing that greatly contributed to the prevalence of Apple products in the country is the emergence and increasing popularity of online sellers like Kimstore, which bring these devices to the country, making them more accessible to consumers in provinces, far from an authorized Apple reseller. If you're one of the tens (if not hundreds) of thousands of Filipinos who are now using an iPhone 5, iPhone 4S, iPad Mini, iPad with Retina Display, the New iPad, iPhone 4, or iPod Touch 5th Generation, this post for you.

According to Apple, iOS 7 is completely redesigned with a totally fresh new user interface, but will still bear features that are instantly identifiable to the hundreds of millions of iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch users across the planet. The new interface actually makes your iDevice appear bigger because all elements are designed to take advantage of the entire screen. On top of that, the redesigned fonts look amazing on the Retina display, making text look sharper and more appealing.

"There is a profound and enduring beauty in simplicity, in clarity, in efficiency," said Mr. Jony Ive, the Cupertino company's Senior VP for Design who has taken the lead in this major UI redesign following the resignation of Mr. Scott Forstall, former Senior Vice President for iOS. "True simplicity is derived from so much more than just the absence of clutter and ornamentation —- it’s about bringing order to complexity. iOS 7 is a clear representation of these goals. It has a whole new structure that is coherent and applied across the entire system."

The typography has been refined for a simpler and cleaner look, and the smart use of transitions and translucency makes even the most simple tasks more engaging.

iOS 7 sure looks very slick and gorgeous but if there's anything that can match its appearance it would have to be the many enhancements that go with it. Apple's new mobile OS comes replete with hundreds of great new features, including improved Multitasking, a new Control and Notification Center, AirDrop - for sharing content with people nearby with no set-up or network required, a more intuitive Camera app and Photos gallery, New Safari and Siri, and it even introduces iTunes Radio, a free web radio service based on the tracks you often listen to on iTunes.

Control Center allows you to quickly turn on or turn off Airplane Mode, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth, among others, with just one swipe from the bottom of your device's screen. Likewise, it lets you adjust screen brightness, pause or play a song, jump to the next track and stream your music with AirPlay. The Control Center also provides instant access to frequently used apps such as Camera, Calculator, Clock, and Flashlight.

If lack of true multitasking is one of the things that you find frustrating about iOS, you'll be glad to know that with iOS 7, Apple has finally given developers the ability to enable any app to multitask in the background via a new API! Users will also get a redesigned multitasking page, where you will see thumbnails of applications running in the background.

Do you love Instagram? Well, iOS 7's new Camera app now includes a square camera option plus built-in filters so you can add real-time photo effects for quick sharing on the social networking site.

Siri on iOS 7 - which comes with deeper Twitter, Wikipedia, and Bing integration - can converse you with a male voice and even change device settings and play back voicemail.

Other features include an all-new Music app, Night Mode in Maps, strong Find my Phone Activation Lock, high-quality audio for FaceTime calls, Notification Sync across all of your iDevices, automatic updating of Apps, Contact Blocking for Facebook, Phone and Messages, enhanced in-car integration, and a more powerful Safari, which now supports full-screen browsing, smart search, improved parental control, new 'cover flow like' tab view, and iCloud Keychain where you can securely store passwords and credit card information.

Lots of things about iOS 7 to be excited about, really. For me, though, I'm just happy that it looks effortlessly attractive, that it gives quick access to connectivity settings, and that it finally heralds the arrival of true multitasking on the platform, which has long been overdue. I've always known that Jony Ive is a gem of a find for Apple but, to this day, every time he presents something new that he worked on, he still amazes me.

Right now, I'm just greatly looking forward to receiving and installing the iOS 7 firmware upgrade on my iPhone 5, iPhone 4S, iPod Touch, iPad Mini, and New iPad. Quoting Apple, "iOS 7 SDK and beta software are available immediately for iOS Developer Program members [via the developer website] while iOS 7 will be available as a free software update for iPad 2 and later, iPad Mini, iPhone 4 and later, and iPod touch 5th Generation starting this Fall in the US" -- that's late September or early October this year.

WWDC 2013 Livestream : iOS7 Flat UI Design and Features, OS X 10.9, New MacBook Air, Expected To Be Announced!

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 16:49:00 +0000

At around 1 AM Manila Time, Apple - via WWDC 2013 - is expected to formally unveil the latest iteration to its mobile and desktop operating systems as well as the updated version of the Macbook Air.

Lots of exciting stuff, but for me, the coolest part would have to be much-awaited announcement of iOS 7, the freshest upgrade to Apple's platform for mobile devices including the iPhone, iPad, iPad Mini, and iPod Touch.

In the face of abundant fan concept photos and supposed leaked images of iOS 7's user interface, Apple has remained tight-lipped on details pertaining to Jony Ive's new software design project. As some of you may already know, following the resignation of Scott Forstall - Apple's Senior VP for iOS - in October 2012, the Senior VP for Design - Mr. Ive - took on the cudgels of revamping the look and features of the company's mobile platform.

We've seen a lot of iOS7 fan renders these past few months and interestingly, despite the contrasting variety of purported enhancements presented, they seem to agree on one thing.

According to "industry insiders", looks-wise, one distinguishing characteristic that iOS7 will have is its 'flat' UI design. I know, it sounds cool and all -- but what does 'flat' mean in this case, exactly? Well, personally, I think it simply translates to less gradients and drop shadows, and more bold yet plain colors - similar to that of Windows Phone - not only in the rounded square icons but also in other elements of the interface.

iOS 7 is likewise expected to come with a new and even more powerful Siri, an enhanced Maps application, and a slew of new content sharing features.

If these rumors turn out accurate, this will be the first time since 2007 that Apple will implement such a major redesign on iOS. This may come as a big surprise to a lot of Apple fans who've fallen in love with how the operating system currently looks but I really think this revamp is already way overdue. Honestly, iOS is starting to look and feel very antiquated especially when placed beside Android, BlackBerry OS, and Windows Phone, which have all grown by leaps and bounds all whilst iOS got very minimal changes year after year.

Now, as for OS X 10.9 - which people are also expecting to see at WWDC 2013, it is said that Apple's desktop OS will also get a design revamp similar to that of iOS 7 - for a more streamlined look across various product lines - and will likewise get Siri, Maps, and iOS style multitasking.

Finally, experts are saying that Apple is now ready to unveil a new Macbook Air with Retina Display similar to the Macbook Pros released last year. The ultra-thin enclosure with tapered sides that we're seeing on the current generation will be kept but the innards will get a major upgrade -- to be specific, we're expecting the inclusion of Intel's new Haswell processor made specifically for ultra-thin yet powerful notebooks.

Just like last year, when the company officially announced the iPad Mini, Apple will again do an online livestream of the main keynote presentations at WWDC 2013. Just go to Apple's official website to witness the event via Safari browser on your iPad, iPhone, iPad mini or iPod touch, and Safari 4 or later on your Macbook, Macbook Pro or Macbook Air. You can also enjoy the video on your Windows laptop or desktop if you have the latest version of QuickTime installed.

Notification Center and Ability To Close Apps from Multitasking Page, Coming to Windows Phone Blue

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 07:32:00 +0000

Obviously, Windows Phone - aiming for the third spot in this era's tight platform race - is playing catch-up with more popular competing mobile operating systems when it comes to a number of features -- but it sure is catching-up fast.

Looking at recently leaked photos of the supposed user interface of the next iteration to Windows Phone 8, which is now being called Windows Phone Blue, it appears that the much-requested Notification Center and the ability to close applications from the multitasking page are finally coming to Microsoft's mobile OS.

WP Blue's purported Notification Center looks and probably works a lot like that of iOS with notifications neatly grouped together based on applications for which they are for. Other images also confirm that there will be a separate section in the Settings where users can easily turn on or turn off notifications for every app simply by clicking on a switch.

The new Multitasking Page, on the other hand, still looks like the previous version found on WP8 but it now gives users the ability to close applications straight from the panel. You can do this simply by clicking on the X button located on the upper right corner of app thumbnails. This is very similar to what we've seen on Symbian Belle, Maemo, and MeeGo - platforms that Nokia had previously adopted - so I believe that the Finnish company is largely involved in the addition of this feature.

I'm really happy that Microsoft is catching up fast in the mobile scene but I really think they could and should be doing it faster. I mean, these two features should have been included in WP8. Still, things are clearly looking up for the platform and considering that Lumia sales are finally picking up, I believe Windows Phone could very well be the next big thing.

I just hope that all handsets running WP8 would eventually receive the Windows Phone Blue firmware upgrade and enjoy all the cool enhancements that go with it. I didn't appreciate the fact that WP7 and WP7.5 handset owners were clearly left out, ignored, and disowned when Microsoft launched Windows Phone 8. I mean, what's up with that?

Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom Specs, Price and Release Date Guesstimate : Android Smartphone Digicam Hybrid, Arriving Soon!

Sun, 09 Jun 2013 08:16:00 +0000

Samsung has just announced that they will be unveiling their new Galaxy and ATIV devices on June 20 in London. And as usual, when there is an announcement made from manufacturers like Samsung, HTC, Sony and many others, there will be leaks of their upcoming products. Check out Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom!

Based on this leaked promo photo, it's clear that Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom looks like an S4 Mini up front with the characteristics of the Samsung Galaxy Camera at the back. The device sports a 4.3 inch qHD Super AMOLED display paired with a 1.6GHz dual-core processor and Android 4.2 Jellybean with Samsung’s TouchWiz Nature UX interface. The big bulge on the back is its 16-Megapixel camera with optical zoom. For storage options, the Galaxy S4 Zoom has 8GB internal memory with micro SD support of up to 64Gb.

It seems that Samsung is banking on the Galaxy S4 namesake here. When you look at their current product line, they have the Galaxy S4, S4 Mini, S4 Active and now the S4 Zoom. But when you look at things from another perspective, what makes the Galaxy S4 Zoom different from Samsung’s current Galaxy Camera?

Both the S4 Zoom and Galaxy camera can send sms messages because the Galaxy Camera also has its SIM card slot but the similarities end there. The Galaxy S4 Zoom can also make phone calls unlike the Galaxy Camera which needs Google Voice services in order to do so (Google Voice is currently not available in the Philippines).

There you have it. The main difference between the Galaxy S4 Zoom and the Galaxy Camera – phone calls. Both have WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS and a host of other connectivity options (although it hasn’t been announced yet, for sure it will have because it is a phone after all). To differentiate the two, the Galaxy Camera is what it is – a digital camera which has tons of connectivity options, and is running on Android. The Galaxy S4 Zoom, on the other hand, is Samsung’s first cameraphone based on Android. Who knows, maybe this is their take on Nokia's PureView 808.

Mark of TP: Last year, the fact that Samsung - for all of its new found chutzpah - held back on making the Samsung Galaxy Camera a full-fledged smartphone baffled me. I'm just glad that they finally took that leap on Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom. I think the device - despite its thickness and lack of a big battery pack - looks quite cool. I just might check it out when it lands here. As yet, though, the Korean giant hasn't disclosed any official detail about this hybrid but I believe it should become available across the globe by Q3 2013 with SRP of around Php 25,000.

#TPWriterFellows Batch 1 Member and DLSU student, Nico Aguila is the self-proclaimed 'official' tech support guy of his friends. He's always ready to give you tips and tricks with Android devices and even gives you advice on which phone or tablet you should get whether it be running on Android, iOS, or Windows Phone operating system. Nico sees TechPinas as the best tech website in the Philippines and also as his safe haven when he reads tech news that is happening in the country. When he graduates, Nico plans to find a stable job in tech, have a family when he can, and of course, expose his future kids to technology and TechPinas so that they'll enjoy great bonding times together.

TechPinas Smartphone Technical Specs Table (TSTST) -- Initial, To Be Confirmed
Name	Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom
Type	Slate Form Factor (Full Touchscreen), Smartphone-Digicam Hybrid
Price Category	High End
Dimensions	TBA
Weight	TBA
Available Colors	White
Operating System	Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean
Display	4.3 inches (~256 ppi pixel density), 540 x 960 pixels, Super AMOLED, capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors
Processor	Dual-core 1.6 GHz, TBA
RAM	1 GB RAM
Internal Storage	8 GB, expandable via microSD card slot, supports up to 32 GB
Camera	16 MegaPixels, autofocus, LED flash, supports geo-tagging, touch focus, face and smile detection, 10x optical zoom, optical image stabilization, HDR, 1.9 MegaPixels front camera
Video Capture	Full HD 1080p 30 frames per second for main camera, TBD for front camera
Audio and Video Playback	MP4 / DivX / Xvid / FLV / MKV / H.264 / H.263 / MP3 / WAV / eAAC+ / Flac
Ports	microUSB v2.0, TV-out (via MHL A/V link), 3.5 mm audio jack
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, Wi-Fi hotspot, Bluetooth v4.0 with A2DP, EDR, 3G HSDPA, 21 Mbps; HSUPA, 5.76 Mbps, HSPA+, NFC
GPS	Yes, with GLONASS and A-GPS
Sensors	Accelerometer, Digital Compass, Gyroscope
Network	2G Network GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900, 3G Network HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100
SIM Card Type	microSIM
Battery	Li-Ion 1900 mAh battery
Uptime	TBD
Value-Added Features	S Voice, Dropbox 50GB free, Latest Version of TouchWiz
Announcement	Expected: June 20, 2013
Availability	TP Guesstimate: Q3 2013
Price	TP Guesstimate: Php 25,000

How to Turn Nokia Lumia, Samsung ATIV, or Huawei Ascend Windows Phone into a Portable WiFi Hotspot

Sun, 09 Jun 2013 07:45:00 +0000

Are you one of the many Filipinos who have already switched to Windows Phone from their iPhone or Android handsets? Did you know that just like your previous smartphone, you can turn your Nokia Lumia, Samsung ATIV or Huawei Ascend into a portable WiFi hotspot?

Yup, you can actually share the 3G mobile data connection on your WP device with your family and friends in five very easy steps. I'll show you how to do it!

1. Go to your phone's Settings.

2. Under Settings, click on Cellular.

3. Make sure that your Data Connection is On.

4. Click the Back button to go back to the Settings menu and go to Internet Sharing. Under Internet Sharing, just switch on Sharing and take note of your Broadcast Name and Password, which you'd have to give to your friends for them to enjoy the connection.

5. If you wish so, you can change your Broadcast Name and Password to your liking by clicking on the Setup button.

There you have it! I told you it's very easy to do. Kindly share this post with your friends on Facebook and Twitter who are also thinking about switching to WP or those who already have one so they can also enjoy this cool feature.

Nokia Lumia EOS with 41 MegaPixel Camera, Optical Zoom, OIS, BSI Sensor : Price and Release Date Guesstimate

Sat, 08 Jun 2013 13:37:00 +0000

Through the years, stellar imaging capabilities have been one of the strongest suits of Nokia smartphones. The Finnish company has given us Nokia N86, Nokia N8, and Nokia 808 PureView -- all of which have shooters so powerful that they can practically double as a digital camera.

Despite its change of platform from Symbian to Windows Phone, Nokia remains dedicated to providing consumers with the best cameraphones they can possibly get their hands on. And the recently leaked Nokia Lumia EOS (or at least that's what everyone seems to be calling it) is a clear testament to that.

As yet, we know very little about this powerhouse smartphone but we do have these leaked images - which look quite authentic to me - to check out. As you can see, the device appears to have the same monoblock polycarbonate design identity as that of Nokia Lumia 920 but the main difference between the two phones, looks-wise, is that that EOS has this big, circular camera module at the back.

This module, of course, is what sets this device apart from all other Lumias that came before it. According to unconfirmed reports, it houses a 48 MegaPixel sensor, said to be similar to what's found on the current best cameraphone in the world - the Nokia 808 PureView - albeit its back-illuminated for better low light performance and comes with a floating Carl Zeiss lens, which helps in reducing blur and shaking when snapping photos or recording videos while the phone is moving.

Of course, just like Nokia 808 PureView, EOS should come with Nokia's PureView innovation that compresses several pixels into one pure pixel resulting in the clearest and sharpest images possible.

As for other specifications, it is said that Nokia Lumia EOS will feature a 4.5-inch 768 x 1280 pixels AMOLED display protected by Gorilla Glass, a 1.2 GHz Dual Core processor running Windows Phone 8 operating system, 1 GB of RAM, 32 GB of non-expandable internal storage, and LTE connectivity support.

As of writing, Nokia hasn't disclosed any official information about this upcoming smartphone. However, given the fact that the company has yet to make Nokia Lumia 925 available in key markets, I'm guessing Nokia Lumia EOS should arrive within Q4 this year just in time for your Holiday gadget shopping. As for the SRP, based on price tags of Nokia's recent flagship releases, the TechPinas Guesstimate is around Php 28,000 to Php 30,000.

WeChat Takes Over The Philippines, Becomes Most Downloaded Free Application for iOS, Android, and Windows Phone!

Fri, 07 Jun 2013 08:54:00 +0000

The overwhelming success that WeChat is currently enjoying in the Philippines confirms at least three things.

Social Messaging app, WeChat, is now the number one most downloaded free app across three of the most popular platforms currently, namely, Android, iOS, and Windows Phone 8.

First, Pinoys love to use technology to stay connected with their friends and loved ones. The Philippines was once hailed as the Texting Capital of the World and is now perennially in the top 10 list of most active countries in giant social networking sites Facebook and Twitter. The fact that WeChat has quickly grabbed the top spot in the marketplaces of these platforms merely shows that a lot of Pinoys are constantly looking for even more new ways to stay in touch with the people who matter to them using their gadgets.

Second, WeChat's marketing strategy totally worked! I always say that showbiz and technology are almost inseparable in the Philippines. Most Filipinos love teleseryes and peering into the lives of celebrities, and a lot of brands are utilizing these to their advantage. I think WeChat marketing team made a great decision in getting off-screen lovers Iya Villania and Drew Arellano as flagship endorsers for the application. The two celebs - even prior to this campaign - have always been very active in social media sites and the fun and light-hearted WeChat television commercials featuring the couple highlighted just how well their vibrant personalities fit the brand.

Third, WeChat is taking over the country! To reach the top spot in the app market of one platform is already a notable feat but to do it across three - concurrently, mind you - is really something. I guess it's now safe to say that WeChat is now the coolest and most popular social messaging application in the Philippines. And at the rate things are going for the app - I mean, WeChat has been on the top spot for several week now - I believe its success will continue for the rest of the year and most likely, even beyond.

Anyway, I wouldn't want to be left our in this WeChat bandwagon. If it's cool, TP has to be there! Add me up on WeChat, TP Friends! Just look for my username: TechPinas.

O+ 8.12 vs. Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini Specs Comparison : Midrange Android Smartphone Battle!

Wed, 05 Jun 2013 23:58:00 +0000

As I've shared in a previous post, one of O+'s main goals in bringing their handset and tablet business to the Philippines is to be able to offer Pinoy consumers a viable alternative to far more expensive brands that are currently dominating the market.

According to our friends from the American electronics company, "We studied the Asia Pacific market and we learned that the Philippines is the most lucrative location for our business in this region because of Pinoys' rising interest in gadgets. We understand that the latest smartphone and tablet technology can come with a hefty price so our main objective is to make those more accessible to consumers by keeping the prices of our devices very affordable."

They also told me that a large part of achieving their goal is making sure that the power and quality of their products can match if not surpass that of their direct competitors from other brands. After all, low price tag is just one of the many factors that Pinoys consider when making a gadget purchase. "O+ is an OEM. We don't just rebrand phones. We make them ourselves and we always make sure that their design, specs, and features are up to par," they shared.

O+ 8.12 vs. Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini Specs Fight : Can O+ Win?

One of the most successful Android smartphones that O+ has released thus far is its flagship handset from December 2012 to April 2013, the O+ 8.12 -- and for good reason. The device sports the very best design, construction, and technical specifications that O+ could have given it during the time of its release.

"The phone comes with a durable body highlighted by a scratch-resistant touchscreen protecting the 4.5-inch QVGA IPS display. It is powered by a 1 GHz ARM Cortex A9 based MediaTek chipset and handles multitasking with 1 GB of RAM. At the back, you'll find an 8 MegaPixel camera with LED flash, which also works as an HD video recorder. But the best part is that it now ships with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean installed as opposed to ICS, which it had when we introduced it back in December," shares O+'s marketing team.

Looking at the handset's specs and Php 11,990 midrange price point, I would say that O+ 8.12's main competitor in the market right now is the Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini.

Upon release around November last year, the smaller version of the Korean company's 2012 flagship smartphone donned an SRP of Php 14,999 and had technical specifications, which include a 4-inch WVGA SuperAMOLED display, a 1 GHz ARM Cortex A9 based NovaThor chipset, 1 GB of RAM, 5 MegaPixel main camera, and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean operating system.

As you might have noticed, there are overlaps in the specs of the two handsets - like the processor, RAM, and the OS - and I believe this serves as proof that O+ has already delivered on its promise of providing a viable alternative to more expensive models. Also, Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini arrived just a month ahead of O+ 8.12 and it's amazing that despite the proximity of their release dates, O+ was able to price their stellar 'alternative' Php 3,000 less than the Korean company's handset.

But what's even cooler is that, studying this comparison table between the two smartphones, it appears that in terms of technical specifications - at least, O+ 8.12 runs circles around Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini.

Click table for full resolution view in another tab.

Looking at the table, it's clear that O+ 8.12 has a higher resolution main camera and a bigger battery pack, plus it comes replete with more value-added features including a scratch-resistant touchscreen and O+'s patented Air Shuffle technology for the Camera, Photo Album, FM radio and Music, allowing you to take photos and browse content simply by waving your hand in front of the handset's display. You can argue that Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini has a SuperAMOLED screen, which looks better than the IPS panel on O+ 8.15 but you should also note that the latter's display is 0.5 inch larger.

As for the phones' innards, since they're largely the same, I opted to run Antutu Benchmark Test on both handsets to measure the overall power of their CPU, RAM, 2D and 3D graphics, and I/O. SGS3 Mini got a score of 6897 while O+ 8.12 scored 6,848. Based on the figures, I'd say that in terms of performance, the two phones are almost the same with SGS3 Mini having a very, very slight edge.

Again, I want to remind you that this is just a specs comparison between the two phones. There are, of course, other factors that I didn't touch like design, ecosystem, and after-sales support, which you should consider when making a gadget purchase. To those who are wondering about what O+ can deliver in the Android smartphone category, I hope I was able to give you an idea of how competitive the company is in the specs department. If you have further questions and clarifications (or if you're an O+ 8.12 or Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini owner), kindly share your thoughts below.

Starmobile Jump Price Php 4,990, Specs, Release Date, In the Flesh Photos, Quick Demo Video!

Tue, 04 Jun 2013 09:55:00 +0000

Starmobile is truly on a roll these days. During their big event at SM North EDSA last week, they introduced some pretty slick and powerful handsets for the high-end echelon but they also made sure that have strong contenders for leadership in the midrange and entry level categories.

According to our friends at the company, Starmobile Jump - which I think looks a lot like Sony Xperia Neo L - will be their stellar budget dual core offering this 2013. Donning an official suggested retail price of only Php 4,990, the goal of the handset is to deliver decent specifications at a price point that every Pinoy can afford.

Some of the phone's key technical specifications include a 4-inch WVGA TFT display, 1 GHz Dual Core ARM Cortex A9 based MediaTek MTK6577 chipset running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean operating system, 512 MB of RAM, 4 GB of internal storage that you can expand via microSD card slot, 5 MegaPixel autofocus camera with LED flash plus a VGA front-facing snapper - neither have BSI sensor, video recorder, Dual SIM Dual Standby capability, and WiFi, Bluetooth and 3G connectivity support.

If you want to see more of the handset, check out this quick hands-on and demo video of Starmobile Jump, which I recorded at the event exhibit. Hopefully the short clip gives you an idea of the smartphone's design, build, and its screen's responsiveness to touch gestures.

Starmobile Jump will be available at all Starmobile stores and partner retailers across the country within this month. Again, it is priced at only Php 4,990 and I believe it will be available in three colors, namely, White, Black, and Red.

New iPod Touch 2013 16GB with No iSight Main Camera Sells for Php 12,490, Out Now! What Its Existence Tells Us

Mon, 03 Jun 2013 09:14:00 +0000

Steve Jobs used to call the iPod Touch "The iPhone without the Phone." And almost two years after his passing, that's still the most accurate way to describe the iDevice.

Thanks to Apple's masterful marketing strategy and to major upgrades that the portable media player gets with every fresh release, iPod Touch has went on to become one of the best selling portable gaming devices in the world - eclipsing even Sony's PSP and Nintendo Gameboy Advance - with more than 100 Million units sold since its release in September 2007.

TechPinas has witnessed how the iPod Touch became better year after year. In 2009, we saw how it got the very same innards as that of the iPhone 3GS, Apple's flagship smartphone that year. In 2010, the 4th Generation iPod Touch - which was a TechPinas Favorite then - received a major redesign resulting in a very slick body with tapered sides and even got the dual camera treatment from the Cupertino company. Finally, last year, iPod Touch became the thinnest iDevice ever and was given a higher resolution iSight snapper at the back with LED flash.

Really, I'm used to seeing the iPod Touch get big upgrades every time Apple churns out a new version so the release of this new 16GB iPod Touch with downgraded specifications comes as a surprise to me.

Flaunting a design identity similar to that of iPod Touch 5th Generation, the new iPod Touch features the same display and set of innards but comes with three notable deletions when placed vis a vis its predecessor.

First, it lacks the 5 MegaPixel iSight back camera with LED flash of iPod Touch 5th Generation, which means that it can't really double as a digital camera. Second, it only has 16 GB of non-expandable internal storage as opposed to 32GB and 64GB options that Apple offers on the previous release. And third, you can only get it one color: Silver with Black front-frame.

Nonetheless, what's particularly attractive about this release is its very affordable price tag of only Php 12,490 -- that's Php 4,000 less than the official SRP of iPod Touch 5th Generation 32 GB variant. So if you're on a tight budget and you've long been wanting to experience what Apple has to offer in this category, this could very well be the ideal device for you. Oh, and it also doesn't hurt that the package includes the new Apple Earpods, which I love.

Mark of TP Thoughts:

Looking at the technical specifications of Apple's previous mobile device releases, it's hard not to notice that downgrades in one category usually indicate an upgrade in another or the release of a new line altogether.

In September 2009, Apple released the first iPod Nano with integrated camera at the rear for taking videos. This model was received relatively well by Apple fans but interestingly, the camera feature never made it to the next iterations of the device. Instead, the iPod Touch line, which used to not have any imaging capabilities, received dual snappers in 2010.

In October 2012, the Cupertino company announced a new iPad with smaller screen and specifications similar to an iPad released in 2010. This fresh tablet with downgraded specifications - called the iPad Mini - heralded a new category in Apple's current product line-up.

These things considered, I'm inclined to believe that the recent downgrade that the iPod Touch line got is merely indicative of the imminent release of a new Apple product, which will sport whatever was taken away from the portable media player line. Now, I don't know about you but I really think it's going to be the cheaper version of the iPhone with plastic enclosure.

TechPinas Portable Media Player Technical Specs Table (TPMPTST)
Name	New iPod Touch 16GB
Type	Slate Form Factor (Full Touchscreen)
Price Category	Midrange
Dimensions	123.4 x 58.6 x 6.1 mm
Weight	86 grams
Available Colors	Silver; Anodized Aluminum back case, Black front frame
Operating System	iOS 6.1
Display	4-inch (diagonal) widescreen display with Multi-Touch IPS technology, Retina display, 1136-by-640-pixel resolution at 326 pixels per inch, 800:1 contrast ratio (typical), 500 cd/m2 max brightness (typical), Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating
Processor	Apple A5 Processor
Camera	1.2 MegaPixels front facing Facetime camera
Video Capture	720p HD, 30 frames per second
Audio and Video Playback	TV and Video: H.264 video up to 720p, 30 frames per second, Main Profile level 3.1 with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats MPEG-4 video up to 2.5 Mbps, 640 by 480 pixels, 30 frames per second, Simple Profile with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps per channel, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats Motion JPEG (M-JPEG) up to 35 Mbps, 1280 by 720 pixels, 30 frames per second, audio in ulaw, PCM stereo audio in .avi file format AirPlay Mirroring to Apple TV support at 720p AirPlay video streaming to Apple TV (3rd generation) at up to 1080p and Apple TV (2nd generation) at up to 720p Audio: Frequency response: 20Hz to 20,000Hz Audio formats supported: AAC (8 to 320 Kbps), Protected AAC (from iTunes Store), HE-AAC, MP3 (8 to 320 Kbps), MP3 VBR, Audible (formats 2, 3, 4, Audible Enhanced Audio, AAX, and AAX+), Apple Lossless, AIFF, and WAV User-configurable maximum volume limit
Ports	3.5 mm audio jack, Lightning 9-pin dock connector
Connectivity	802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi (802.11n 2.4GHz and 5GHz), Bluetooth 4.0
Memory	16GB, non-expandable
Sensors	Accelerometer, 3-axis Gyroscope
Battery	Built-in rechargeable Li-Ion battery Charging times: Fast charge in about 2 hours (80% capacity), full charge in about 4 hours
Uptime	Music playback time: Up to 40 hours when fully charged Video playback time: Up to 8 hours when fully charged
Value-Added Features	One of the thinnest iDevices ever, smaller Lightning port, new Apple EarPods included in the package
Announcement	June 2013
Availability	June 2013, Out Now
Price	Official SRP: Php 12,490

Huawei Ascend G510 Price Php 5,990, Specs, Quadrant Standard Benchmark Test Score : Out Now in the Philippines!

Sat, 01 Jun 2013 21:28:00 +0000

Huawei has just released a new and affordable entry-level Android smartphone in the Philippines -- and it's quite powerful and feature-packed too.

Priced at only Php 5,990 and now available across the archipelago, Huawei Ascend G510 comes with the best technical specifications in the Chinese electronics giant's current entry-level to midrange Android phone line-up. Some of the handset's key features include a large 4.5-inch 480 x 854 pixels IPS LCD screen, a Dual-core 1.2 GHz ARM Cortex A9 based Qualcomm MSM8225 Snapdragon chipset, Android 4.1 Jelly Bean operating system, a 5 MegaPixel main camera, HD video recorder, DTS Audio Surround Sound enhancement, and a 1,700 mAh Li-Ion battery pack.

Quoting Huawei Device PH Country Manager, Mr. Johnson Ma, "Huawei is bringing new hardware and software innovation to this market -- and not just to the high-end [category]. For years, entry-level smartphones have meant compromise – phones not powerful enough, with screens not big enough, to be able to truly deliver on the promise of the mobile internet. Huawei Ascend G510 is the latest in a line of Huawei handsets to challenge that, and our most powerful yet in the low-to-mid tier. It brings the very latest smartphone technology to the heart of broad consumer mass market, delivering big-screen mobile entertainment without compromise."

Huawei Ascend G510 got a score of 2,684 in the Quadrant Standard Benchmark Test for Android smartphones. It scored higher than fellow Dual Core devices Motorola Atrix 4G, Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, Samsung Galaxy Nexus, and LG Optimus 2X, which I think is great considering the phone's very affordable price tag.

I own two Huawei smartphones - the cute Huawei Ascend W1 Windows Phone 8 handset and the pocket-friendly Huawei Ascend Y210D - and I highly recommend them. Both have an attractive design and solid build plus they really offer great value for money. I'm sure Huawei Ascend G510 is right up there with these two in terms of quality so I'm excited to likewise give it a test run.

TechPinas Smartphone Technical Specs Table (TSTST)
Name	Huawei Ascend G510
Type	Slate Form Factor (Full Touchscreen)
Price Category	Entry-Level
Dimensions	134 x 67 x 9.9 mm
Weight	150 grams
Available Colors	White, Black
Operating System	Android 4.1 Jelly Bean
Display	4.5 inches (~218 ppi pixel density), 480 x 854 pixels, IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors
Processor	Dual-core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A9 CPU, Adreno 203 GPU, Qualcomm MSM8225 Snapdragon chipset
RAM	512 MB of RAM
Internal Storage	4GB, expandable via microSD card slot, supports up to 32GB
Camera	5 MegaPixels, 2592 х 1944 pixels, autofocus, VGA front camera
Video Capture	720p 30 frames per second for main camera
Audio and Video Playback	MP3, WAV, eAAC+, MP4, H.263, H.264 player
Ports	microUSB v2.0, 3.5 mm audio jack
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, Wi-Fi hotspot, Bluetooth v2.1 with A2DP, EDR, 3G HSDPA, 7.2 Mbps; HSUPA, 5.76 Mbps
GPS	Yes, A-GPS
Sensors	Accelerometer, Digital Compass, Proximity, Gyroscope
Network	2G Network GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900, 3G Network HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100
SIM Card Type	Mini SIM (regular)
Battery	Removable Li-Ion 1700 mAh battery
Uptime	340 hours of Standby, 6 hours of Talk time
Announcement	Philippines: May 27, 2013
Availability	May 2013
Price	Official SRP: Php 5,990

Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini Price, Specs, Release Date, Size Comparison vs. SGS4 : Comes in 3G, LTE, and Dual SIM Versions!

Fri, 31 May 2013 22:58:00 +0000

With the immense success of Samsung Galaxy S4, the Korean company has pretty much secured leadership in this year's flagship Android smartphone race.

The top-tier echelon is a good place to reign supreme in but the midrange category is just as lucrative. Last year, Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini - specifically created for that price bracket - made the company a lot of cash and I bet Samsung is hoping that the follow-up to that, the Samsung Galaxy S4, would have the same success story.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini i9190 and Samsung Galaxy S4 i9500, respectively. SGS4Mini has dimensions of 124.6 x 61.3 x 8.9 mm versus the 136.6 x 69.8 x 7.9 mm of the flagship release. As you can see in the photo, both handsets flaunt the same Nature-Inspired design identity.

Sporting key technical specifications, which include a 4.3 inch 540 x 960 pixels SuperAMOLED display, Dual Core 1.7 Krait CPU in Snapdragon 400 chipset running Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean OS, 1.5 GB of RAM for the 3G and Dual SIM variants and 2 GB of RAM for the LTE version, an 8 MegaPixel main camera and a 1.9 MegaPixel front snapper, Full HD video recorder, and a removable 1,900 mAh Li-Ion battery pack, Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini is not only the smaller but also the far less powerful version of the regular-sized Samsung Galaxy S4.

SGS4 Mini may have far more modest technical specifications compared to its bigger brother but it does have its own charms. For one, it slips easier into your pocket and it does have a more pocket-friendly price. Also, it's available in three variants - 3G, LTE, and Dual SIM - giving you the freedom to choose one that meets your needs. That said, I'm sure that a lot of Android fans - especially the young and the budget-conscious ones - will be excited to check out this release even if there are now a lot of good options from other brands - both local and multinational - in the midrange echelon.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini is expected to start shipping in key markets for the company, which include the Philippines, within this month. As yet, Samsung hasn't disclosed the official price of the handset in this region but I'm guessing that it will enter the country with SRP of roughly Php 20,000. Here's to hoping that the actual retail price would be more affordable than the TP Guesstimate and that Sun, Smart, Globe would eventually offer it as a free bundled handset with their affordable postpaid plans.

TechPinas Smartphone Technical Specs Table (TSTST)
Name	Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini i9190
Type	Slate Form Factor
Price Category	Midrange
Dimensions	124.6 x 61.3 x 8.9 mm
Weight	107 grams
Available Colors	White Frost, Black Mist
Operating System	Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean
Display	4.3 inches (~256 ppi pixel density), 540 x 960 pixels, Super AMOLED, capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors
Processor	Dual-core 1.7 GHz Krait CPU, Adreno 305 GPU, Qualcomm MSM8930 Snapdragon 400 chipset
RAM	2 GB RAM for LTE version, 1.5 GB of RAM for 3G version
Internal Storage	8 GB (5 GB user available) expandable via microSD card slot, supports up to 64GB
Camera	8 MegaPixels, 3264 x 2448 pixels, autofocus, LED flash, 1.9 MegaPixels front camera
Video Capture	Full HD 1080p 30 frames per second for main camera, TBD for front camera
Audio and Video Playback	MP4/DivX/Xvid/FLV/MKV/H.264/H.263/MP3/WAV/eAAC+/Flac
Ports	microUSB v2.0, 3.5 mm audio jack
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, Wi-Fi hotspot, Bluetooth v4.0 with A2DP, EDR, 3G HSDPA, 21 Mbps; HSUPA, 5.76 Mbps, HSPA+; LTE Variant: Cat3, 50 Mbps UL, 100 Mbps DL
GPS	Yes, with GLONASS and A-GPS
Sensors	Accelerometer, Digital Compass, Proximity, Gyroscope
Network	2G Network GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900, 3G Network HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100, 4G Network LTE (depending on model)
SIM Card Type	microSIM, Dual SIM option
Battery	Removable Li-Ion 1900 mAh battery
Uptime	TBD
Announcement	May 29, 2013
Availability	TP Guesstimate: June 2013
Price	TP Guesstimate: Starting at Php 20,000 for the 3G only variant

Devant 55WIZ830 55-inch Smart LED 3D Internet TV Quick Review : Five Things I Like About It, Verdict!

Thu, 30 May 2013 21:39:00 +0000

As some of you already know, the TV in my own living room is the Devant 50iTV630 50-inch Smart 3D TV. I love my TV - I'm proud of it - and I trust Devant whole-heartedly.

In fact, every time my friends and readers would ask for my opinion about the Singaporean brand, I'd always tell them that it's easy to underestimate and underrate Devant because the company is relatively new but the truth is their TVs are totally right up there with all of these big names in the industry when in comes to design, build quality, and features. The main difference is that Devant prices its TVs far lower than the competition so more people can get the opportunity to enjoy them.

Anyway, a few weeks back, our friends at Devant sent me another cool TV to play with -- just in time for the NBA Playoffs! TP Friends, check out the ultra-gorgeous Devant 55WIZ830 Smart 3D Internet TV:

This one is both the younger and - uhm - bigger brother of my 50iTV630. It sports a larger 55-inch Full HD EDGE LED panel and offers several enhancements in both design and picture quality.

If you're thinking about trying out Devant and purchasing this specific model, allow me to give you a quick and uncomplicated review of the product by citing the five things that I love about it.

1. Stunning Design: 55WIZ830 flaunts what the company calls a 'Polished Silver with Crystal' design identity, which quite simply looks arresting. The display comes replete with a crystal-framed thin metallic lining and a four-legged metal stand with high-gloss finish.

These design elements combine to give the TV an air of understated elegance, which - I think - most consumers would find very attractive and pleasing to the eyes. Even the back panel - where we can find the neatly lined-up ports and terminals, including the the 3 HDMI ports, L/R Audio for component, 2 composite AV input, SPDIF, and the VGA input, among others - exudes this svelte aura.

2. Great Picture Quality: I know this review is supposed to be very down to earth but allow me to quote a few display specs just to give you - especially the more geeky ones - an idea of what 55WIZ830's 55-inch 1920 x 1080 resolution, energy-efficient EDGE LED panel can deliver.

Consumers get contrast ratio of 3,000,000:1, 500 cd/m2 brightness, 178º / 178º viewing angle, vivid motion of 120Hz, and response time of 6ms. Lots of numbers, eh? But simply put, these specs work together to create a brilliant display highlighted by crisp details, fluid motion, and vivid colors, which you can enjoy from almost any angle facing the screen. And the coolest part is that you can even tweak the display settings to match your taste.

3. Keeps you Connected! These days, you can't call a TV 'smart' if it can't connect you to the internet and let you browse websites and check your social networking accounts. That said, 55WIZ830 is smart all the way.

The TV comes with its own native web browser and even has applications for Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and even Picasa. Too bad they don't have one yet for Instagram (ahee!) and their current social media apps only allow you to check updates by your friends and not to post your own. Then again, you can always use the browser to do that.

To surf, you'd have to plug in the WiFi dongle (that ships with the package) to the USB port located at the back of the TV and connect to your hotspot at home. Then, use the remote control to navigate the interface and type names of websites by clicking on the up, down, left, and right buttons, which is a tad inconvenient. (So yeah, I wish the TV also comes with a remote control with QWERTY keyboard for easier and faster typing.)

4. Lets you Enjoy 3D! 55WIZ830 doesn't just let you enjoy 3D movies as you would on its far more expensive competitors, but just like them, it can also convert 2D content - including free TV and cable channels, games and 2D movies - to 3D with just a couple of clicks! Isn't that hot?

You get two handsome 3D glasses that you can recharge after hours use via its microUSB port!

5. More than Reasonable Price Tag! Finally, the best part is that you can get all that and whole lot more that Devant 55WIZ830 Smart 3D Internet TV offers for just Php 109,950! That might sound like a lot but when you consider the Php 150,000 to Php 200,000 SRP of TVs by other brands having the same specifications, I tell you, it's already a steal.

Verdict: So there you have it. Those are the five things I love about this TV. I've actually been thinking hard, trying to list down stuff that I don't quite like about it - apart from the lack of remote control with QWERTY keyboard - and I realized, what's there not to love about this stellar release? Whether you're a gamer or you just love watching cable TV, I'm sure you won't find it hard to fall in love with the Devant 55WIZ830 55-inch Smart 3D Internet TV. All things considered, I give it 9.8 out of 10 TP Stars.

Starmobile Diamond V7 Price, Specs, Release Date, Antutu Benchmark Test Score, In The Flesh Photos!

Thu, 30 May 2013 06:57:00 +0000

Yesterday, at SM North EDSA, local electronics brand Starmobile unveiled 11 new devices as part of its 2013 Android line-up. I graced the event, which coincided with the opening of their flagship store in Manila, and this new mega phablet instantly captured my fancy.

Equipped with a 5.7 inch HD display protected by scratch-resistant Dragontrail Glass, the slick Starmobile Diamond V7 is the largest smartphone that the company has come up with thus far. And according to Mr. Michael Chen, Starmobile's President, its primary goal is to push the boundaries of what a phablet can deliver.

I've seen a handful of smartphone-tablet hybrids over the past few months but what I particularly like about Starmobile Diamond V7 is that if offers a very attractive combination of svelte design, considerable power, and affordable price.

The handset sports an 18 MegaPixel main camera with LED flash and a secondary 8 MegaPixel snapper in front both with BSI or Backside Illuminated sensor. Such high resolution front-facing camera is unprecedented in the local smartphone scene and I think this shows that Starmobile is in tune with what a lot of young consumers love to do with their phones these days -- and that's taking selfies for social networking sites especially Instagram.

Starmobile Diamond V7 is powered by a rather large 2,600 mAh battery pack, which - I think - is just right considering the phone's massive display size and internal specifications.
The exterior of the handset - replete with metallic accents and eye-catching display - looks great and it is perfectly complemented by Starmobile Diamond V7's powerhouse innards. The phablet runs Android 4.2 Jelly Bean operating system with a Quad Core 1.2 GHz ARM Cortex A7-based MediaTek MTK6589 chipset - similar to the one powering MyPhone A919i Duo - and handles multitasking with 1 GB of RAM. Yesterday, I ran Antutu Benchmark Test on the device and it got a more than decent score of 13,042.

So when it be out and how much will it cost? Our friends at Starmobile told me during the event that this mega phablet should become available at all Starmobile stores and partner retailers across the country by early July this year. As for the price, they disclosed that Starmobile Diamond V7 will be in the area of Php 10,000 to Php 12,000, which is not bad at all especially when you think about everything that it offers.