Maribelle M. alba
ren alCantara
editOr-in-CHief
Managing editOr
#GIRLBOSS
Être fort pour être utile
@bellealba
@hisnameisren
tHeresa elOriaga
editOr-at-large I don’t travel light, I lug too many gadgets, I can walk for miles exploring a new city or shopping and I never say no to the local fare.
PresY alba
art direCtOr Garmonbozia. @theresaeloriaga
@presy1121
Jael MendOZa
President & CeO sales Manager aCCOunt exeCutive
JuniOr editOr
But He knows the way I take; When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold -Job 23:10
A bibliophile fascinated with tech. Also a walking fangirl dictionary. @miaissocoollike
@jaellaura_m
rObbY vaflOr
rOnel bautista
staff Writer
graPHiC artist
The incarnation of the award-winning, hit single ‘ Torn ‘ by Natalie Imbruglia.
Unable to start program:’C:\brain\ emotions.exe’ The system cannot find the file specified.
@sailorapollo11
@afterhourscritic
JOse alvareZ
gerrY gaviOla
COntributOr
staff Writer
Jose loves football, video games, computers, and history, but not necessarily in any order.
Cineaste. Audiophile. Gadget addict. facebook.com/gerry.gaviola.3
@josealvarez
Marisa Consuelo Carol Agabin
aCCOunting Manager aCCOunting staff
Maritess Pascua-Maulion Lorie Bernardo
Hr & adMin Manager adMinistratiOn staff
Amy Christine Giray Ramil Almojano Clifford Dela Paz
Mia Carisse barrientOs
graPHiC artist
Maribelle Alba
Pr & MarKeting staff legal COunsel
Paula Candoy Alba Law Office
GADGETS Magazine is published monthly by Great Minds Media Inc. Address all correspondence to Unit 801-802, The One Executive Office Bldg., #5 West Ave., 1104 Quezon City. Our telephone number is: 288-8588 Our website is: www.gadgetsmagazine.com.ph
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anne PatriCia CardeñO
intern
An introvert aesthete who loves cats, seeks God, and is learning to love herself. facebook.com/trish.eiri
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CONTENTS
OCTOBER 2017 | Volume 18 No. 3
06
Parade
22
Gadgets Lab
28
38
PhotoFeature
44
IFA Roundup
54
Mobility
64
66
68
The market’s newest and best offerings.
BoybandPH and Vivo V7+’s uprising.
Cult: The Zombie Films of George A. Romero
Reviews that detail what’s hot, and what’s not.
Tech’s new kids on the block.
Poetic Kinetics Sculptures that inspire.
Big Bad Things Brace yourself for tech’s monsters.
Everything about wheels.
Max Javelino A must-hear OPM artist.
The best way to wade into the zombie mythos.
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70
Everything Apple Announced
Apple goods to satisfy your tech craving!
76
Destiny 2 Time to put that game face on.
72
Apps for Relaxation
Everyone needs a breather.
78
Olight Marauder X7R Review
74
Lonewolf
Yours is the only battle that counts.
80
Ambe Tierro
Here’s to more women in IT.
Lumens from the heavens.
82
Bits and Bytes Stay up-to-date with all the hottest tech news.
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92
CRT Monitors The giant box that once triumphed.
OCTOBER 2017
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PARADE
Acer Aspire S24 Desktop
The Acer Aspire S24 is an entirely innovative desktop that blows away ordinary desktop computing. Aesthetically, Acer has created its slimmest desktop PC through the Aspire S24—the desktop sports a 5.97 mm ultra-thin and borderless display that’s matched with champagne-gold accents that exude a luxurious look. Powering the desktop is the powerful 8th generation Intel Core processor, and an optional Intel Optane memory. Additionally, the base of the device supports wireless charging for Qi-enabled devices.
Acer Chromebook 15 Chromebook
One of the products that echoes Acer’s legacy of reliable devices is its Chromebooks. The Acer Chromebook 15 is no exception to this legacy. Its 15.6-inch full HD IPS display that features wide viewing angles make the viewing experience specially immersive, while the extra-long battery gives users up to 12 hours of usage. Built with an aluminum top cover and a palm rest for a premium feel, the Chromebook 15 is able to merge beauty with utility. Additional features include a fanless design and upward-facing speakers that surround the keyboard.
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Acer Nitro 5 Spin Notebook
For casual gaming coupled with a stunning design aesthetic, the Acer Nitro 5 Spin Notebook gives you the power you’ll need. The Nitro 5 Spin is equipped with Intel’s latest 8th generation processor, NVIDIA GeForce GTX graphics, blazing-fast GDDR5 VRAM, a bright 15.6-inch FHD IPS display, two strategicallyplaced front-facing speakers, and a subwoofer. Whether it be forgaming, entertainment, or everyday tasks, the Acer Nitro 5 Spin is a powerhouse.
Ryzen 7-Powered Acer GX-281 Desktop
Gaming is one of the many things the Ryzen 7-powered Acer GX-281 can handle. Embodying the principle that ‘quality and affordability should never be a compromise’, the Acer packs a ton of power alongside its attractive armor-shaped housing and stylized red LED lights. Its attractive aesthetic is backed by the Ryzen 7 processor that skyrockets the GX-281’s performance with its eight CPU cores, 16 threads, 3.4 GHz base clock speed (that’s boosts up to 3.8GHz), and Extended Frequency Range (XFR), for cooling and for nextgeneration performance.
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Vivo Y69
Smartphone The latest addition to Vivo’s Y series of phones boasts of 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of on-board storage, upgradeable to 256 GB via microSD. It is powered by an octa-core MT6750 processor and runs on Vivo’s Funtouch OS 3.2 based on Android 7.0. The Vivo Y69 highlights its powerful, 16-megapixel front-facing camera with a softlight glow feature for even better selfies. The rear camera is an f/2.0, 13-megapixel shooter with a Live Photo feature. The Y69 also sports fast fingerprint unlocking via the solid-state, 2.0-second fingerprint scanner doubling as the home button. The display is a 5.5-inch, 720p screen protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3. The phone supports Vivo’s Smart Split 3.0 and App Clone function.
PHP 10,990
Mi Mix 2
Smartphone As Xiaomi’s newest flagship phone, the Mi Mix 2 features Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 835 processor, 6 GB of RAM, up to 256 GB of storage, and a massive 3,400 mAh battery. Merging utility with design, the phone sports a ceramic back aesthetic, a neat aluminum finish for its frame, and on top of that, an amazing 91.3-percent screen-body-ratio. If you you love Android and if you’re looking for a phone that’s almost all-screen, then this is your best bet. Photo and video capture is handled by the the Mi Mix 2’s 12-megapixel, f/2.0 camera that’s complemented with optical image stabilization. For its OS, we have the MIUI 9 that’s based on Android 7.1.1 Nougat.
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OCTOBER 2017
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iPhone 8
Smartphone Apple’s announcement of the iPhone X has made every Apple fan giddy. The price however, not so much. Budget-reluctant iPhone fans, rejoice! The iPhone 8 is here. Though touting a lower numeral, the iPhone 8 is no less capable. Covered front and back with glass, this phone is not just beautiful, it is also durable and engineered to resist water and dust ingress. Wireless charging is also possible through its glass covered back. Upfront, its Retina HD display with True Tone technology promises a wide color gamut and better viewing experience even under harsh light. This iPhone variation also features an advanced 12 MP rear camera, smart and intelligent A11 Bionic chip, Apple-designed GPU, augmented reality capabilities, and iOS 11.
Apple Watch Series 3 Smartwatch
Except for the tiny red dot in the Cellular + GPS edition and an added thickness of 0.25 mm from last year’s model, the Apple Watch Series 3 barely features any cosmetic changes. Much of what’s new is embedded inside. For starters, the watch now sports LTE connectivity, meaning that you can now make and receive calls and texts without your phone nearby. Using cellular will now also allow you to enjoy thousands of songs via Apple Music streaming. Siri now speaks responses to you, and the latest variant now sports a smarter activity tracker. Only disturbing you when necessary, it’s the perfect companion to have with, if you wish to “stay in the moment” without having to be fully distracted by your phone.
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iPhone X
Smartphone If bezel-less is the future, then this is what the future looks like. The most innovative iPhone, design-wise, yet, this device flaunts a virtually all–screen front that’s gorgeous and purposeful at the same time. This 5.8-inch Super Retina display offers nothing but a feast for the eyes with accurate, stunning colors, true blacks, high brightness, and a lot more. Picture quality is not the only exciting feature of the iPhone X, you also get TrueDepth camera, water and dust resistant-design, intuitive gestures, faster processing, power efficiency, adaptive Face ID, and so much more.
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OCTOBER 2017
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Vivo V7+
Smartphone Affordable yet powerful, the V7+ sits as Vivo’s newest flagship that packs a ton power and a new, sexy look. Now sporting a 5.99-inch bezel-less display that increases the screen to body ratio to 84.4-percent, users are now able to enjoy a groundbreaking visual experience without having to sacrifice size for comfort. For a smooth and powerful performance, the V7+ is packed with Qualcomm’s 1.8 GHz octa-core CPU, 4 GB of RAM and an impressive 24 MP front camera. Additional features to look out for is Face Beauty 7.0, portrait mode, and Hi-Fi music.
PHP 17,990
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Lenovo Miix 520 Hybrid Laptop
A sleek and stylish 2-in-1 detachable, the Miix 520 is a powerhouse with its up to an 8th Generation Intel Core i7 processor working in tandem with an up to 16 GB of DDR4 memory and up to 1TB PCIe SSD. Optimized for great performance and experience, the Miix 520 has a detachable form factor allowing it to adjust to your needs. It is LTE-capable and Windows 10 equipped so you can get your productivity going anywhere. Visuals-wise, the Miix 520 boasts an FHD IPS touchscreen and support for optional Lenovo Active Pen 2 for accurate pen-on-paper precision while just weighing 1.26 kg.
Lenovo Yoga 920 Laptop
The Yoga 920 ups the ante for laptops with its smart pen functionality, voice recognition from a distance, mixed reality options, biometric security with Windows Hello, and more. Creators can go for an optional Lenovo Active Pen 2 for Windows Ink, which has 4,096 levels of pen sensitivity for drawing and jotting down notes with no discernible lag. Additionally, voice recognition comes to the Yoga 920 with Cortana. It can recognize voice commands in standby mode and even from up to 4 meters. Cortana also uses AI to learn from its owners, so the Yoga 920 grows smarter over time. This device is powerful with its up to 8th Generation Intel Core i7 processor, Windows 10 OS, along with a nearly bezelless 4K IPS touchscreen in a 13.9-inch frame. It also features the Yoga’s four-mode convertible flexes 360° that turns it from a laptop into a tablet.
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OCTOBER 2017
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Pioneer HDJ-X10 Headphones
Pioneer DJ’s new flagship pair of headphones, the HDJ-X10, ticks all the boxes for professional DJs, sound engineers, musicians, and the most discerning of audiophiles. The closed-type, dynamic headphones reproduce sound in high resolution with a frequency response range of 5 Hz to 40 KHz thanks to their powerful 50 mm drivers with 32ohm impedance. The new direct drive structure, with a re-engineered diaphragm shape and voice coil, eliminates mechanical loss, allowing the headphones to produce accurate audio from rich bass tones to clean mids and highs. To complement this impressive performance, the HDJ-X10 is designed to endure the rigors of even the most demanding musicians. It is made with high quality materials with a water-repellant, nano-coating, allowing it to withstand heavy use for much longer.
Pioneer HDJ-X7 Headphones
Pioneer’s HDJ-X7 monitors are based on the company’s previous flagship model, the HDJ-2000MK2 professional headphones, but this time the HDJ-X7 gets a 50 mm driver upgrade for more accurate audio reproduction. The shape and materials of the new diaphragm are optimized to create tighter bass tones and cleaner high frequencies than the 2000MK2 it was derived from. Like the new flagship HDJ-X10, the HDJ-X7 is built with premium materials and is sturdily constructed to handle heavy use.
Pioneer HDJ-X5 Headphones
Don’t let the smaller number fool you: the HDJ-X5 delivers clean, accurate sound like its big brothers the X7 and X10. This pair sports new 40 mm drivers with copper-clad aluminum wire voice coils. The headphones are expertly tuned and optimized, with the addition of fine noise suppression, to deliver precision audio for easy monitoring. The HDJ-X5 also features the same refined, highly portable and highly durable design as the X7 and X10.
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Ricoh Pro C5200s Production Printer
This entry-level production printer from Ricoh opens up new business opportunities and ramps up office productivity with its superior features yet economical costs. The Pro C5200s helps reduce print costs for in-house company print centers and commercial printers with high-volume and high-quality output with minimal footprint. It boasts of speeds of up to 65 pages per minute (ppm) at 1,200 x 4,800 dpi VCSEL quality, and a duty cycle of up to 300,000 pages per month. This speedy performance is coupled with consistent transfers and toner adhesion on specialty stocks thanks to its fusing belt. With this, printing across a wide range of media with various finishing options is possible. It has a total paper capacity of up to 8,250 sheets through four paper trays, and features tight registration, saddle-stitching, embedded Paper Library, and folding capabilities–Optional Cover Interposers and Booklet Finisher options are also available. The Pro C5200s is also capable of printing on thick stock of up to 360 gsm or 13 x 19.2-inch in size. This means customers can conveniently produce direct mail, menus, or other items without the need to outsource.
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OCTOBER 2017
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LG Signature OLED TV Smart TV
There’s a reason the TV is still king of the living room. There’s nothing yet that can take you to a completely new world while sitting in the comfort of your home. If the TV reigns, then the LG Signature OLED TV is the king of kings. This massive 77-inch masterpiece brings together stunning, razor-thin design, with unbelievable color, and clarity. Since each pixel is self-lighting, LG has removed the need for backlighting, creating a display that displays true blacks, and no color or bleeding. For those into streaming, smart TV functions allow you to watch shows from online streaming services, such as Netflix, as well as browse the Internet, should the fancy strike. With Dolby Vision, and Dolby Atmos built right in, you can be sure of a viewing experience like nothing you’ve ever seen or heard before.
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Pioneer AVH-Z7050BT Car Multimedia Receiver
The Pioneer AVH-Z7050BT is an all-in-one 1-DIN DVD multimedia AV receiver for all your navigation and entertainment needs. It sports a 7-inch WVGA 24-bit True Color Touchscreen crystal clear display for full HD video enjoyment and audiophile-grade components with special circuitry for a great audio listening experience. Bringing premium in-car entertainment features to the masses, the multimedia receiver lets users enjoy Apple Carplay, Android Auto, and AppRadio Mode+ support without having to spend a fortune on a luxury car. Other neat features include plug-and-play NTFS file support, Spotify and Waze compatibility, and more.
PHP 29,000
Pioneer 2-DIN AVH-Z5050BT Car Multimedia Receiver
The features of the Pioneer 2-DIN AVH-Z6050BT are nearly identical to the AVH-Z7050BT variant except that it is a Double DIN sized multimedia AV receiver—it sports a 7 x 4-inch size rather than the standard 7 x 2-inch DIN size. In this case, bigger is always better. Also equipped with a crystal clear display, and other top-tier audio-visual components, passengers can freely immerse themselves in entertainment even when inside the car. Like it smaller relative, it works with Apple Carplay, Android Auto, and AppRadio Mode+. It likewise supports USB playback and is very much capable of pleasing audiophile ears with its Spotify connectivity and FLAC playback capability.
PHP 39,999
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OCTOBER 2017
17
Sony XA1 Plus Smartphone
Sony knows that bigger is better, and nowhere is that more evident than in the Xperia ZA1 Plus. This gorgeous mobile phone has a large 5.5-inch IPS LCD screen with a sharp 401 ppi pixel density, behind Corning Gorilla Glass 4. Powered by an octa-core processor and the Mediatek MT6757 chipset, along with 3 GB of RAM, this midrange masterpiece is no slouch. Its 23 MP main camera with incredibly fast hybrid autofocus can capture photos in 0.6 second, and a wide-angle 8 MP front camera makes sure everyone can get into the frame. Its 3430 mAh battery is plenty to make it through a whole day of use, and your choice of gold, pink, or black make sure you have exactly the phone that matches your personal style.
Sony XZ 1
Smartphone Sony proves that it’s still at the top of its game with the Xperia XZ1. The latest flagship from the venerable brand, the XZ1 features a gorgeous 5.2-inch IPS LCD screen that is crisp and beautiful like only Sony can make it. Protected by Gorilla Glass 5, and with a 424 ppi pixel density, it’s easily the most eye-catching thing about the device. Don’t let that fool you, though. There’s more to it that you might think at first glance. With 64 GB of expandable storage, and a generous 4 GB of RAM, along with the Snapdragon 835 chipset, this phone is more than just a pretty face. An Adreno 540 GPU takes care of graphics processing, and a 19 MP, electronically stabilized camera makes sure every shot come out in perfect Sony quality. With a few more tricks up its sleeve, such as an IP68 rating for water and dust ingress, as well as super slow motion video capture, and the ability to work as a pocket 3D scanner, it’s everything you’ll want in a current flagship.
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Xperia Touch
Android-Powered Projector The smartphone has been both a boon and a bane. While it brings everyone closer, it also locks us into our own little 5-something-inch world. The Sony Xperia Touch hopes to change all that, taking the smartphone experience to a whole new world of collaboration. The Android-powered projector is able to cast a screen on a flat surface, such as a table or wall, and turn that surface into a fully-functional touch screen. With the speed and responsiveness of a physical touchscreen, speakers, and internet connectivity, it brings people together through sharing games, movies, and experiences. Whether it’s sharing a movie on an 80-inch screen on your wall, following a recipe on the kitchen counter, or playing a game together in the dining room table, the Xperia Touch is made to bring people together.
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OCTOBER 2017
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Moto x4
Smartphone Moto has returned to the smartphone market not so long ago and they’re here to stay bringing with them iconic devices engineered with consumers in mind. One of these devices is the moto X4. The fourth generation moto X has smarter, dual rear cameras—12 MP and 8 MP ultra-wide angle—that go beyond just capturing photos. The entertainment experience takes on a whole new level with this phone’s Landmark Detection and Augmented Reality (AR) feature, which lets you add a layer of animations to your photos or videos. The newest moto X4 is also the first of Motorola’s smartphones to feature Amazon is Alexa and is powered by an octa-core Snapdragon 630 SoC coupled with 3 GBs of RAM and a 32 GB internal storage expandable via microSD.
Canon Pixma Ink Efficient E31790 Printer
The new Canon PIXMA Ink Efficient E3170 is equipped with lowcost, high yield ink cartridges for efficient delivery of work. This printer meant for home-use or in offices, features high-volume, low cost printing at up to 400 monochrome documents, and 180 pages for color documents. For document output, the printer is capable of printing at 7.7 images per minute (ipm) when printing in black and white, and 4.0 ipm when printing in color. Shipping with built-in Wi-Fi capabilities, this printer can be installed easily within a local wireless network and is able to support direct wireless connection to smartphones and tablets. When paired with the Canon PRINT Inkjet/SELPHY app, users can print and scan using their mobile devices, view remaining ink levels, make changes to printer settings, and register their printers to new cloud services. Additionally, the Pixma E3170 is also cloud-aware, comes equipped with a segment-LCD display, and enhanced operation panel features.
PHP 4,695
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Oppo A57
Smartphone Document you’re your candid face journeys with the A57’s 16 MP front-facing camera. This flagship level front camera features bokeh effect to blur out photobombers and Beautification 4.0 for flawless selfies. View your selfies on the A57’s 5.2-inch HD display and protect your data through its lightning-fast solid-state fingerprint scanner. To process tasks, the A57 comes equipped with a formidable 1.4 GHz Snapdragon 435 octa-core processor and 3 GB RAM, giving you snappy performance and seamless multi-tasking for your productivity and contentconsuming needs. On top of all these, the A57 has LTE support through 700 MHz band 28 compatibility for faster surfing speeds no matter where you are.
PHP 11,990
Zenbook Pro Laptop
The latest in the Zenbook line of devices, the Zenbook Pro UX550 is the perfect combination of beauty and brawn. With the signature Asus design, and at just 18.9 mm thin, the 1.8 kg laptop is more than just a stunner. Running Windows 10 Pro, and up to a 7th gen Intel Core i7 processor, with up to 16 GB of RAM and a 1 TB SSD, this is a laptop that can work as hard as you can. With up to a GTX 1050 Ti graphics card, it’s a laptop that can play hard as well. Its 15.6-inch 4K UHD display, with bezels at just 7.3 mm makes it a pleasure to have, whether it’s hard work, or heavy gaming.
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OCTOBER 2017
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GADGETS LAB
SDigital Bass Cruzer Reviewed by Robby Vaflor
We got our hands on the in-demand portable speaker system SDigital Bass Cruzer, and as I played around with it I couldn’t help but think about how implausible the price tag is for what I was hearing. DESIGN The Bass Cruzer looks like a jerry can or some sort of futuristic energy source from a 90s cartoon. And for the intended use of this device, the rugged polygonal aesthetic is most reassuring.
To further enhance the listening experience, the Bass Cruzer has a built-in digital signal processor and five equalizer presets. The speaker system supports multiple connections from Bluetooth (A2DP and AVRCP), line-in, radio, and USB sources.
The outer shell is made of tough, molded plastic tightly sealed together by a combination of adhesive and large screws. The exoskeleton extends to a large carry handle on the top, while a metal mesh covers the front. It is dust-proof, with the whole thing sealed up including the control knob and buttons; the connection ports have glued-to-the-shell rubber covers as well.
The Bass Cruzer comes with a battery-powered wireless microphone and an AC adaptor. People can opt to use an analogue mic or plug in an instrument using the two quarter inch auxiliary inputs. The speaker system also has two 3.5 mm inputs and a USB port.
The controls have a sixteen-segment display (SISD), a volume knob and buttons that are illuminated by LED lights on either end of the control panel.
SDigital’s Bass Cruzer is a great thing to have for people who can’t commit to an expensive audio system, but still want above average audio. It delivers on its promise of full sound at a fraction of the cost of similar speaker systems. Thanks to SDigital’s attention to detail, the driver is able to reproduce a broad range of sound with a lively tone and no distortion. The highs, mids, and lows all sound great even at high volumes—no broken or tinny sound here.
In terms of portability apart from the main handle, the Bass Cruzer has a pull-out handle and built-in wheels allowing the speaker system to be wheeled around like luggage. The only issue I had with these features is that they do not feel as solid as the rest of the device—the handle doesn’t lock properly and the wheels could be bigger and rubberized—but otherwise the whole thing is built well.
HARDWARE At the heart of the Bass Cruzer is a powerful 8-inch main driver with a paper-polymer composite cone and a secondary 3-inch, high-pitched driver. Together, they have a frequency response of 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz and produce a maximum of 2800 W in peak music power output (PMPO), allowing the speaker system to reproduce audio in high fidelity. How is it, you may ask, that a portable device is able to produce that much power without needing to be constantly plugged in? Well, the thing carries a 12 V, sealed, lead-acid battery (similar to what you would find powering a motorcycle) which does wonders to its power-toweight ratio. Battery life is at a minimum of three hours, considering the amount of sheer power it puts out.
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USER EXPERIENCE
The Bass Cruzer is a great replacement for standard home Bluetooth speakers, as well as a portable PA system for events, or even as a nice little busking companion. Portability for such applications is no issue as well since it is not heavy, it stands quite petite compared to other portable speaker systems, and it can be pulled at times. The only real problem I have with the Bass Cruzer is its lack of equalizer customizability. While the sound is already nice and neat when just using the Flat preset, the ability to tweak the sound a bit more to fit the preference of the listener or the type of music being listened to would have been nice. And the programmed presets don’t quite match what I want to hear 100 percent of the time.
VALUE The Bass Cruzer costs PHP 8,999 in retail. Let that sink in for a moment. This thing can
compete with big brands in terms of output without having to make that big of a dent in your bank account. And that is just the essence of value right there. SPECIfICAtIoNS: Speakers: 8-inch main driver + 3-inch high-pitched driver Power output: 28000 W PMPO Frequency response: 20 Hz to 20 kHz DSP: Yes Battery: 12 V 5.0 Ah lead-acid, lasts up to three hours Power: 100 to 240 V AC adaptor with 15 V-2A external auto-switching power supply Connectivity: Bluetooth (A2DP and AVRCP), FM tuning, aux-in (two 0.25-inch and two 3.5mm inputs), and USB MP3 playback What’s Hot: - High bang-for-buck ratio - Great sound What’s Not: - Limited EQ settings
BottomLINE The Bass Cruzer is a highly functional beast of a device that could hold its own even against speaker systems twice or thrice as expensive.
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Acer Aspire GX-781 Reviewed by Ren Alcantara
For all the fast, convenient gaming laptops out there, there’s still something to be said about the gaming PC. Reliable, easy to upgrade, and with that old-school charm, the desktop will always be a great way to get into gaming. You could of course build your own rig, but for those who don’t want to go through the trouble, or want the increased reliability of a pre-built machine, Acer has an answer in the Aspire GX-781. DESIGN The Aspire GX-781 is a simple-looking box, with a few accents here and there to give it a gaming vibe. Red appears to be the color to designate a device as being “for gamers,” and this Aspire is no exception. Glossy black, with red lighting at the front, it does sort of look like an office device dressed in gamer garb. This of course doesn’t affect performance per se, but is something that matters to many people, and so deserves scrutiny. The front is also home to a few handy ports including USB and audio, along with a card reader, and USB-C port, for easy access, without having to do an awkward reach-around, while the top edge is where the power button is located. It’s decked out in the same red accents as found elsewhere on the CPU, and is easy to find even when located under a desk, or in darkness. Access to the internals can be had through screws on the back of the CPU, and out of the box, you have two bays up front for drives and other add-ons.
HARDWARE This desktop has a quad-core Intel i5-7400 processor that goes along at 3.0 GHz, boosting up to 3.8 GHz when the situation calls for it. Our review unit came with 8 GB of RAM, and a 256 GB SSD, for quick, lag-free data access and storage. Connectivity options include Gigabit ethernet, 802.11ac connectivity, Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity, and a large helping of USB ports; 2 USB 3.0 ports, and 3 USB 2.0 ports, along with the front USB-C port at the front. You also get 3 HDMI ports, a DVI port, and a display port, so you can use practically anything you might have lying around. For those looking to upgrade later on, it has a 500 W PSU. Graphics duties are handled by the capable NVIDIA GeForce 1050 with 2 GB of VRAM.
USER EXPERIENCE I do wish I had more time to game, but aside from a busy schedule, the lack of a proper gaming machine hinders that goal somewhat. I took full advantage of the Aspire, taking out my gaming backlog catalog, and going through the games in turn. Booting up and installing games is easy thanks to the SSD, and
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cold booting happens faster than I can go grab a glass of water. Overwatch was great, as expected. While I didn’t turn the settings all the way up to Epic, I still got framerates hovering around the 50 fps mark with no problem. While it struggles a bit with Rise of the Tomb Raider turned all the way up, dropping the settings down a step took care of the occasional stuttering and tearing, and rendered smooth, immersive gameplay, even when action on-screen got hairy. The same was the case for Ghost Recon Wildlands, so the bottomline here seems that while it’s not really a rig that lends itself to the highest game settings, manage your expectations, turn the graphics down just a little bit (you won’t miss much, I promise), and enjoy the improved gameplay experience. Neither the i5 processor, nor the 1050 are at the top of the hardware heap, but they’re capable in their own right, and perform about as expected. The SSD does allow for quick load times, which is always a welcome thing, and long-term reliability is going to be less of a concern as well. Another thing I did appreciate about the rig is how quiet it was. Even when it was pushing hard, the fans weren’t making enough noise to overpower the open over-ear cans I was using to play, and this was with the CPU at monitor-level the whole time.
VALUE The Aspire GX-781 is a great value-for-money device. Factoring in the cost for components, effort, a more comprehensive warranty, and service, it’s actually a pretty good deal. Sure, it’s not quite a monster in terms of performance, but it’s more than capable of holding its own against currentgen AAA titles. Should you have more money down the line, you can always upgrade individual parts anyway.
SPECIfICAtIoNS: Processor: Intel Core i5-7400 processor, quad-core, 3.0 GHz / 3.5 GHz (Turbo Boost), 6 MB cache RAM: 8 GB (64 GB maximum installable RAM) Graphics card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 (2 GB GDDR5) Storage: 256 GB SDD Motherboard: H110 Wireless: 802.11 ac Ethernet: Gigabit Ethernet (10/100/1000) Bluetooth: Bluetooth 4.0 LE USB: USB-C x 1, USB 3.0 x 2, USB 2.0 x 4 Video interface: HDMI x 3, DVI x 1, DisplayPort x 1 Audio interface: 3.5 mm jack x 3 Memory card reader: SD memory card reader Expansion card slot: PCIe (x1) x 1 PCIe (x16) x 1 M.2 x 2
What’s Hot: - Great price - Capable system What’s Not: - So-so styling - You may need to upgrade components in in a year or two
BottomLINE It might not have the highest specs, but it makes up for it with amazing value for money. OCTOBER 2017
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Moto Z2 Play Reviewed by Mia Carisse Barrientos
In today’s saturated smartphone market, consumers are looking for a device that offers unique qualities from the get go. Though most are likely to switch to flagship devices of their favorite brands, more and more are thinking of investing in smartphones they can use for a long time. Lenovo hit the nail on the head with its modular Moto Z phones. Just recently the brand has released the second iteration of its Play model and we were fortunate to get our hands on it. DESIGN The Z2 Play takes design cues from the first generation Z Play. Apart from a slimmer body, metal rear, and wider fingerprint scanner, design-wise, everything is pretty much the same. Lenovo’s tied to keeping the size and shape of the Z family of phones the same for these phones to be compatible with the currently available batch of mods, along with future releases. This sleek phone feels solid in the hand. It’s one of those phones you know at first contact to be a good one. The unit I reviewed was in Lunar Gray, effortlessly oozing sophistication. Physical control buttons, slots, and ports are located where you’ll usually find them: volume keys and power/lock button are on the phone’s one side; the pop-up slot for the SIM cards and microSD card is on top; meanwhile the USB-C and audio jack ports are at the bottom. The back of the device features a bump in which the camera along with the LED flash are found. The bump is an intentional part of the design, and is either a hit or miss depending on one’s preference. Also at the back is the phone’s 16-pin connector with a magnet interface meant for easily connecting moto mods.
HARDWARE For a midrange phone, the Z2 Play exceeds expectations. It has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 626 chipset that clocks in at 2.2 GHz, Adreno 506 GPU, and 4 GB RAM. That’s power to process tasks swiftly, improve battery life, better produce images, and get faster internet speeds. In use, the Moto Z2 Play fared quite well. Playing one game after another presented no issue, while indulging the phone in productivity tasks did it no harm. Processes were snappy, though it being a midrange phone showed a bit when playing Lonewolf. Rendering of graphics could be better and it could use a bit more touch sensitivity. The Moto Z2 Play has a slightly lower pixel count than its predecessor, sporting a 12 MP sensor on its rear. This doesn’t mean decreased camera performance, however. The Z2 Play’s rear sensor has better autofocus and sports an f/1.7 aperture which results to brighter photos. When used outdoors, the rear camera captures details extremely well while blurs a bit and with slight color paleness when shooting in low light. Meanwhile, its 5 MP front facing camera’s output
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is bright but suffers the same deficiency when there’s lack of light. One particular feature of the Z2 Play you can’t miss is its fingerprint scanner, which sits just below its display. Its function is shrouded in a bit of mystery. You know how fingerprint scanners usually double as back, home, and sometimes navigation key? This one also does so, but Moto saw it fit to integrate swiping gestures for navigation. It’s quite confusing but should be fine once you get used to it. You can activate this action through the Moto app or settle for the on-screen navigation native to Android. With the latter, the fingerprint scanner will only function as a lock button, a bit frustrating if you ask me.
USER EXPERIENCE The Moto Z2 Play runs Nougat and has virtually stock Android interface out-of-the-box. To make it a Moto phone, its namesake app is pre-installed. In the app, you can activate moto “actions” (gestures) such as twist for quick capture, one-button nav, double karate chop for torch, and more, activate intelligent display functions, and get Moto Voice to do tasks for you. Some of the gestures are surprisingly helpful and improve the smartphone experience. Now on to the best part of the Moto Z2 Play experience. We were also loaned the Insta Share Projector Moto Mod, for the content monster in us. The Insta Share Projector easily snaps on the Z2 Play and gets recognized instantly. I have to admit, it’s quite a spectacle to behold when it clicks on the device. This mod is amazing with its up to 70 inches projection 480p resolution, 50 lumens, 10,000 hours of lamp life, focus button, kickstand, 1100 mAh battery, and more. Operating it was easy, even having no previous experience with projectors wouldn’t be a problem. When its built-in battery drains, it automatically switches to consume the phone’s battery. It does get hot though as expected of a projector which brings about questions of damage to the connected phone in the long run. Though, we bet Lenovo’s already a step ahead.
factor into account, its price tag makes sense. The Insta Share Projector retails for PHP 14,999, add that to the base price of the Z2 Play and you get quite an expensive package. But if you have the resources for it, we’re not going to stop you.
SPECIfICAtIoNS: Dimensions: 156.20 x 76.20 x 5.99 mm Weight: 145 g Display: 5.5-inch, 1080 x 1920 pixel resolution, 401 ppi Processor: 2.2 GHz, octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 626 RAM: 4 GB ROM: 64 GB, expandable via microSD card Operating System: Android 7.1.1 Nougat Cameras: 12 MP rear, 5 MP front Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, GPS, Bluetooth 4.20, NFC SIM: Dual, nano Battery Capacity: 3000 mAh
What’s Hot: - Easy to snap on mods - Modular - Solid chassis
What’s Not: - Could use a bigger battery capacity - Gets pretty warm with continuous use
VALUE The Moto Z2 Play on its own sports a price tag of PHP 24,999. For the features it ships with, the asking price is a bit on the higher end, but taking its compatibility with various Moto Mods and its impeccable form
BottomLINE Whoever said modular phones are dead should take a look at the Z2 Play.
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OnePlus 5 Reviewed by Ren Alcantara
While tech journalism certainly has its perks, I’d be lying if I said I expect it to make me rich. This being the case, it’s quite the balancing act trying to get flagship devices with a journalist’s paycheck. Once in a while though, a manufacturer will come up with an amazing value proposition for their device, making everyone rethink just how much a flagship has to cost. OnePlus is one such brand, and we have the OnePlus 5 to take a look at today. Here’s what we think. DESIGN While the OnePlus 5 doesn’t make any waves in the design department, that doesn’t mean it’s not a looker in its own right. A matte, curved metal unibody, nicely curved edges on the back, and a largely uncluttered front makes for a phone that feels as nice as it looks. The rear is only interrupted by the sharply raised, horizontal camera bump, along with plastic lines for the cellular radios. Branding is wonderfully sparse, with a single understated OnePlus logo on the back, and little else. As far as premium feel goes, this is right up there.
HARDWARE A generous 6 GB of RAM with 64 GB of internal storage, dual SIM slots, a dual camera setup, and a 5.5-inch AMOLED screen give the OnePlus 5 flagship-level features, and the Snapdragon 835 chipset put it at par with the best the market has to offer at the moment. For security, you get a fingerprint sensor on the chin of the phone. This is flanked by capacitive back and multitasking buttons, and unlike some of the top-tier phones at the moment, you even get a headphone jack, though no included headphones in the box. Apart from the power button and the volume rocker on opposing edges of the phone, the OnePlus 5 has a three-position slider that controls alerts, so you can physically set your alerts to vibrate, audible, or disable them altogether. It’s a handy little feature that I actually do appreciate. Speaking of handy, the fingerprint scanner is located just below the screen, and also serves as the home button on the phone. It’s large, easy to hit, and not overly obtrusive, though I have to say that I would have preferred it on the back of the phone. Those who rely on their camera a lot will be pleased to find that OnePlus has jumped on the dual-camera bandwagon, with 12- and 20-MP cameras to ensure the best possible photo quality. Both are color sensors, and the extra camera is used to deliver better quality images when you zoom in.
USER EXPERIENCE Of the many amazing features of the phone, my favorite by far is the fingerprint scanner. It’s the fastest one I’ve had the pleasure of trying. This might not seem much, but it’s a feature that you will use practically every single time you pick your
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phone up, so a fingerprint scanner that responds as fast as pressing a physical button is greatly appreciated. The overlay that OnePlus has on this phone is pleasantly minimalist. There aren’t many bells and whistles, but the essentials, such as split-screen multitasking, a solid camera app, and smooth operation overall make for an experience that is worlds apart from some of the phones out there at the moment. Other extras, such as a very serious power-saver mode, and the auto-scrolling screenshot option to get looooooong threads of text are also pleasantly useful. Next, there’s the battery. Despite carrying a smaller battery than the previous OnePlus 3T, the 5 does have some impressive endurance. When I once had to charge mid-day to make sure I had enough power to get home in the evening, I can now unplug in the morning, confident that I’ll make it home, with enough power to last me until 10 in the evening, more or less. More efficient components, along with a few bits of clever software to monitor battery-draining apps make this possible. Should you have a pressing need to charge, the included adapter is capable of charging the phone up at a phenomenal rate. Half an hour plugged in at the middle of the day is more than enough to make sure you have power until well past midnight. It’s a great feature, and one my poweranxious self gets behind happily. No matter the phone, there are always a few things that could be improved upon. Design-wise, the camera bump is raised in such a way that it catches on surfaces. I find myself worrying that I’ll scratch the glass on the lens just by putting the phone down wrong, or catch it on a rivet pulling it out of my pocket. My second gripe is with the camera. Outdoors the camera is actually pretty remarkable, particularly in manual mode. Colors come out nicely saturated, edges sharp, and details fine. Indoors though, even with good overhead lighting, photos suffer a bit. Things look a little muddy, with splotchy details, and a marked loss in detail.
fail to even consider it as an option. I feel this phone sets the standard for value at the moment, so good job OnePlus.
BottomLINE This is probably the best value-formoney smartphone out there now.
SPECIfICAtIoNS: Dimensions: 154.2 x 74.1 x 7.3 mm (6.07 x 2.92 x 0.29 in) Weight: 153 g Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by) Display: Optic AMOLED capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors Size: 5.5 inches Resolution: 1080 x 1920 pixels (~401 ppi pixel density) Protection: Corning Gorilla Glass 5 Chipset: Qualcomm MSM8998 Snapdragon 835 CPU: Octa-core (4x2.45 GHz Kryo & 4x1.9 GHz Kryo) GPU: Adreno 540 Internal: 64 GB, 6 GB RAM or 128 GB, 8 GB RAM Camera: Dual 16 MP, f/1.7, 24mm, EIS (gyro) + 20 MP, f/2.6, 36mm, phase detection autofocus, 1.6x optical zoom, dual-LED flash, 1/2.8” sensor size, 1.12 µm @ 16 MP & 1/2.8” sensor size, 1.0 µm @ 20MP, geotagging, touch focus, face detection, HDR, panorama Secondary 16 MP, f/2.0, 20mm, EIS (gyro), 1.0 µm pixel size, 1080p, Auto HDR 3.5mm jack, Active noise cancellation with dedicated mic, Dirac HD sound Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, hotspot, USB 2.0, Type-C 1.0 Battery: 3300 mAh battery What’s Hot: - Scorching-fast fingerprint scanner - Impressive fast charging and battery life - Amazing value What’s Not: - Not waterproof - Camera should be better
VALUE This is where the OnePlus 5 really shines. It has more than enough hardware to run with handsets more than twice its price, and while the experience might not be exactly at the same level, due to some of the gripes I mentioned above, and the lack of waterproofing or a bezel-less display, it’s by no means half the experience of a top-tier phone from other brands. The fact that this device is around makes me wonder why anyone would
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HP Sprocket Reviewed by Anne Patricia Cardeño
Sure, the digital age allows us to send and receive photos online without having to print and scan them. Still, nothing beats the feeling of reminiscing moments through printed out photos. DESIGN
USER EXPERIENCE
The HP Sprocket printer comes in very classy white, red, and black colors. I got to test the white version that comes with rose gold accents on the logo and edges—just how I like it. The box contains the HP Sprocket printer, a set-up card, USB cable, and a packet of sticky-backed photo sheets. The printer is about the size and weight of a phone which makes it pretty portable. It sits perfectly in your palm, allowing your finger to press the on button without much effort. On top of the Sprocket are two LED indicator lights and the charger port. The left LED light blinks in white to tell you that the printer is on, while the right LED light turns red when charging and green when fully charged.
The printer and app were easy to use that even a non-techie person like me can operate it. In fact, I loved it—all the stickers, border designs, and the changeable font styles brought out my inner child. Also, it gives you access to photos from your social media accounts or directly from your gallery.
HARDWARE
To cap the whole experience, I enjoyed editing. The print quality and color was a bit disappointing, but if you prefer warmer tones to your photos, the HP Sprocket is for you.
This gadget boasts convenience for its Zero Ink Technology supported by ZINK photo papers—no actual ink needed! With this, you can print instantly anytime, anywhere. It supports 2 x 3 inches (5.0 x 7.6 cm) images and prints them colored in 313 x 400 dpi. With Bluetooth 3.0, you can connect your tablet or smartphone and print photos through the HP Sprocket App. You can even personalize the photos with a variety of filter options, stickers, and texts. Whether you’re an Apple or an Android kind of person, you can download the app via the iOS App Store or Google Play.
However, what was really disappointing was the colors and quality. The printer makes the photos look darker, warmer, and kind of dull. Plus it’s grainy with faded lines. The colors from the stickers, borders, and fonts print well but the filters? Not so much.
VALUE With a price of PHP 8,400 from HP’s website, I think it’s a bit pricey given the photo color and quality. However, it can be found for as low as PHP 7,400 via Lazada which I find more in line with the gadget.
BottomLINE Print photos as instant as posting them!
SPECIfICAtIoNS: Resolution (color): 313 x 400 dpi Connectivity: Bluetooth 3.0 Compatible OS: Android: 4.4 above / iOS: 8.0 above Memory: 512 MB Media size supported: 2 x 3 in (5.0 x 7.6 cm) Power consumption: Standby: 0.9 W, power consumption per paper (25ºC): Max 34.49 W; Avg 15.91 W (based on first print) Dimensions (W x D x H): 2.95 x 4.57 x 0.91 Software included: iOS and Android Sprocket App (iOs App Store, Google Play) What’s Hot: - It’s portable - It’s easy to use - It uses no ink - It’s photo paper is also a sticker What’s Not: - It’s a bit pricey - Photo’s color appear darker, warmer, and dull - Photo’s quality is grainy and liney.
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OCTOBER 2017
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COVER STORY
Words by Gadgets Team Art by Jael Mendoza
The last quarter of the year is upon us, and as October rolls in, so does every kind of beastly device. As the monster month goes into full swing, let’s take a look at everything big, bad, mean, and powerful in the world of consumer technology. Lock the doors, shut the windows, and hide your wallets. These devices are coming to get you.
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MEAN machines 30
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Words by Ren Alcantara
Monsters are everywhere. Under the bed, in your closet, the basement, and in your head. While a tech magazine such as ourselves might not be of much help against claws and fangs, we’re more than happy to help you identify the most monstrous specs and features in devices you might be looking for at the moment.
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GB of RAM, 128 GB of storage, and a dual camera setup on the rear. Made with a titanium frame, and a modular future ahead of it, it’s a device that is premium both in spec and design.
OnePlus 5
Asus ROG Zephyrus GX501
This beast packs a lot of hardware into a tight package, and has enough specs to make short work of your favorite current-generation AAA title. The Zephyrus GX501 packs an intel i7 processor that boosts to 3.8 GHz, 16 GB of RAM, 512 GB of SSD storage, the Nvidia GTX 1080 graphics card with 8 GB of GDDR5X VRAM, and a 15.6-inch FHD screen in a device that might be mistaken for an ultrabook, given its size. This is achieved with Nvidia’s Max Q design—a combination of innovations with cooling, chassis, and electrical layouting that lets a massively powerful card such as the GTX 1080, fit in a device that’s under 20 mm thick. Bringing together a gorgeously thin design, and unbelievable power for its class, this is a laptop that consistently performs at a level devices this thin have no right performing at.
The Essential Phone
Say what you want about the Essential Phone, it’s a beast in its own right. When Andy Rubin, one of the minds behind the Android OS, came up with the Essential Phone, he wanted a pure Android experience, with top-tier specs, and that’s just what this device is. A massive edge-toedge screen is just the beginning. You’ve also got the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset, with a processor running at a maximum of 2.45 GHz, 4
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8 GB of RAM? Check. Blazing-fast fingerprint scanner? Check. Snapdragon 835? Check. There are so many things the OnePlus 5 gets right, and so much powerful hardware in the device, that the phone deserves mention in this list as well. OnePlus knows how to give great value, and the OnePlus 5 is the epitome of this at the moment. All the costs went into giving the phone the best spec available, and it shows. The phone tops benchmarks, and gives a fluid, blissfully unremarkable experience.
PlayStation 4 Pro
It’s lonely at the top, but the view is great. Currently the king of console gaming, The Playstation 4 Pro takes the best console, and makes it even better. With 4K graphics, a snappier processor, better GPU, increased storage, well you get the idea. It takes everything important on the PS4, and makes it better. You get better graphics, smoother gameplay, and an overall better experience with the Pro version of the PS4. If you haven’t gotten around to getting yourself a PS4, this is a great time to get on the bandwagon and do so.
of the sun. The Marauder X7R is the latter. With internal rechargeable batteries that power three banks of LEDs at the business end, this light is able to blast out a maximum of 12,000 lumens of blinding white light. Batteries are of little concern, as you can just plug this into the wall charger, and top it up when necessary. Should you need less light, you can always cycle through modes to go from as low as 10 lumens, and 30 days of burn time, all the way to two hours on the maximum setting in three minute intervals. The Marauder is resistant against the ingress of water or dust, all in a package that’s not much larger than a soda can. If you need to banish the darkness, the Olight Marauder X7R is the way to do it.
Anker PowerCore power pack
Anker is one of the brands we rely on for mobile power, and for good reason. They give us great devices that function well, and keep our devices safe and charged. The PowerCore is the monster of their lineup. With 20,100 mAh worth of power on tap, this is a powerbank that has you covered for a few days at a time. With support for PowerIQ and VoltageBoost fast charging, along with a maximum of 4.8 A of charging from the two USB ports, this is a power pack that isn’t going to leave you high and dry.
LG Signature OLED 4K TV
The TV is still the king of the living room, and this TV is at the top of that heap. The 77-inch OLED 4K TV is a truly massive display. OLED technology, the best display you can get on a TV now, is exactly what makes this TV tick. Each pixel is self-lighting, so the blacks are totally black, with no bleedthrough thanks to the absence of a backlight. Perfect color, and perfect viewing angles make each film, TV show, or game shine. HDR is supported, along with 4K upscaling, and smart functions, for when you want a little more from your TV. Coupled with powerful speakers, this means you get everything you could ever want.
Olight Marauder X7R There are flashlights, and there are portals to the surface
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sickest-SOUNDING AUDIO GEAR Words by Gerry Gaviola
Our mind and bodies respond differently to the tunes we hear. Some beats get us to the studying mood, while others get us dancing to the groove. Beats are something we can’t live without, and not possible without it are audio products that tickle our eardrums right into pure audiophile enjoyment. Here, we take a look at products that feature sickest sounding audio capabilities.
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Since the speakers itself are connected directly to the system power, its amplification capabilities break average sound limits.
Motorola Z2 + JBL Soundboost 2
JBL Charge 3
Although far from being the most attractive speaker you can buy, the JBL charge still sits as the top contender when it comes to music and portability. Having been in the audio market for ages, JBL is a brand that’s nearly synonymous to premium sound. It’s a brand you can trust your tunes with and a brand backed up by years of big-sound legacy.
Yes, yes. We’re iffy about mods on phones too. They’re pricey and are built to be obsolete within a year of its release. But we’re talking about sound capability here, and so it is without question that the Z2, along with its attached JBL Soundboost 2 mod, creates one of the best sounding tunes out there. The JBL Soundboost 2 mod gets the party started in no time. Without the hassle of pairing your
approaches to sound engineering to give way to a truly innovative one. Beginning with analyzing every inch of the Bentley’s interior for acoustic analysis, the team’s work culminated upon the development of a brand new amplifier that packs a ton power. The end result was a world class in-car audio system that packs 20 custom made speakers, and a 2200 W multi channel amplifier. Capable of mimicking almost any kind of musical environment, such as a concert hall, Naim’s technology for Bentley brings a whole new surround sound experience to its passengers. If only time and payroll permitted, we’d be blasting tunes and cruising in this car all day long.
If you’re looking for a device to take advantage of the ubiquitous nature of music, then the JBL Charge 3 is the way to go. Whether it be open spaces or confined rooms, the speakers are able to intelligently fill the space with deep and heavy bass while still preserving audio clarity. Thankfully, its small size isn’t proportional to its sound—it packs more power than what it seems to. The JBL Charge 3 supports multiple JBL speaker connections, and weighs just 1.8 pounds. With its 20 hours of battery life, it clearly outruns the rest of the competition. Although tacky in design, its sound and features make it a clear winner in the portable speaker category.
Macbook Pro
After a long day of staring at your laptop’s screen, you’re going to want to take a breather and watch a video or two. And if you get a chance to play music in your workplace, then you’d better be ready with speakers on laptop that’s ready to blast the game changing beat. There are only a few laptops that support high-fidelity sound as others simply throw in dull generic speakers that still do the job. However, if you’re the type of person that values sound, then it’s safe to go with a laptop brand that values such. The Macbook Pro is equipped with speakers that produce balanced high-fidelity sound. With its wide dynamic range, it flaunts its versatility—it’s able to provide more than either depth and clarity or boombastic bass.
device to an external speaker, the mod comes as a smart and convenient way to instantly play high fidelity music, anywhere and at any time. Together with Motorola Z2 as the main music controller, the mod is able to produce bass boosted stereo sound that doesn’t disappoint. Whether it be making video calls that require loud and clear audio, or casually enjoying the beats through your phone, the JBL Soundboost 2 is bound to make an appeal to even the most choosy of audiophiles. Other neat features include 10 hours of power and splash resistance.
Naim for the Bentley Mulsanne
It isn’t at all surprising that the best sounding in-car audio system would be available in a luxury car—this time around, it’s the Bentley Mulsanne that comes as the lucky winner of Naim’s next generation in-car audio technology. To reach the most desired result, Naim and Bentley engineers worked hand-inhand and relentlessly rejected traditional
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Harman Kardon HKTS 30BQ Home Theater System Hands down one of the best home theater systems money can buy, the HKTS 30 is a clear winner when it comes to producing a cinematic experience right at home. There are two things you need to know about the HKTS 30, here they are: First, it’s a complete 5.1-channel home theater surround-sound system. Thing is, no matter how big or how clear your existing television is, your experience will be lacking if your setup fails to prioritize sound. The HKTS 30BQ is an all in one system. Alongside its 120 W, 5.1 channel home theater speakers and 200 W subwoofer are satellite bases, wall-mounting hardware, and all the necessary cables you need. For optimal setup, the system offers versatility in terms of placement so you can designate those speakers in all the right spots without having to worry about magnetic interference. Second, it sports four two-way voice-matched satellite speakers that pack 120 W of power. For an immersive sound experience that brings rich and realistic sonic performances, the system includes 3-inch midrange drivers and ¾-inch high frequency dome tweeters. The HKTS 30BQ is engineered as a complete package that brings the best-in-class cinematic sound experience. You’ll forget that you’re still in your living room once you start listening to its sounds.
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Hear that?
The sound of your Wallet Dying The most expensive devices 34
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Words by Robby Vaflor
At what point along the Lazada price scroll does status overtake functionality? Like cars, clothes, food, wine and furniture, there comes a point where quality does not necessarily justify value (no matter how hard or loud Tim Cook chants it). The gadgetry that we will be looking at here are products that have technical or functional justifications for the price (as their representative brands would argue) rather than filling the list with absurd devices plated in 18-karat gold, or adorned with diamonds bathed in the tears of the Vienna Boys’ Choir. Peruse this list to discern for yourself whether the price tags are justified. Channel your inner Patrician and alienate the proletariat with trinkets from Smaug’s hoard. After all, there is no greater horror than hearing your savings’ death throes. www.gadgetsmagazine.com.ph
Sony A1E OLED and LG OLED W7
Fresh from its launch, the Sony A1E OLED TV is the company’s newest flagship, boasting of typical Sony attention to detail. Its main selling point is its 4K-resolution, Dolby Vision-supported HDR display that uses Sony’s latest X1 Extreme HDR processor, promising a heap of visual benefits from improved clarity and contrast to a broader, more faithful range of colors. Another fancy bit of innovation is its Acoustic Surface technology that turns the whole vibrating television into the speaker, which Sony says will improve its from-the-box sound quality compared to other televisions. Directly competing it in terms of price and wealth of tech wizardry is LG’s OLED W7 that has been the subject of many conversations in the consumer tech world. Without mincing words, its main selling point is its girth—it’s almost nonexistent. The display is just 0.23 inches, and you can actually roll it up into a cone should you be so bold. The linoleum-thick W7 is connected to an external hub that doubles as its sound bar. It also features billion-rich, cinematic colors, “perfect black” contrast depth, LG’s Active HDR with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos support.
Sony’s 77-inch variant of the A1E lords over the W7’s 77-incher, priced at USD 17,999.99 compared to LG’s USD 14,999.99. LG on the other hand has the more expensive, 65-inch middle variant at USD 7,999.99 as opposed to Sony’s USD 3,999.99. If it’s any consolation, you still get a penny back for your thoughts regardless of what you buy.
MSI Aegis Ti3 and Acer Predator 21 X
Leading the pack of pre-built gaming desktops is MSI’s Aegis Ti3. And if you’re at all a PC gamer, you’d pretty much drool over its specs— everything is maxed out like a 90s kid with a GameShark. The most expensive configuration gets an Intel i7-7700k processor clocking in at 4.20 GHz with 64 GB of RAM (plus support for Intel Optane memory), an 8 GB MSI GTX 1080 graphics processor and 4 TB of storage (SSD and SATA). It also gets 7.1-channel HD audio support with Nahimic audio enhancement, killer ethernet and wireless connections, and a plethora of connections (about two dozen assorted ports) on both the front and back. The Ti3 will set you back about USD 3,999.99, but you have to consider that you still have to buy a gaming monitor plus peripherals for it. And if you’re going to spend about four grand on a tower, might as well go big on everything else. You think that price is steep? Enter the Acer Predator X 21, the Taiwanese company’s answer to American excess. With only a limited number produced, each laptop cost roughly USD 11,000 at launch. Only one was shipped to the Philippines for sale and cost PHP 559,999 which comes with its own customized Pelican carrying case. According to the website, the price has been significantly reduced to USD 8,999. You may ask, “Well, Robby, what in the world could you possible put into a laptop for it to cost that much?” The answer: two overclocked NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 video
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cards (in SLI) with 16 GB of dedicated memory, an Intel i7-7820HK processor, 64 GB of RAM, 1 TB HDD and 1 TB SSD storage, and a curved 21-inch screen with Tobii eye-tracking. It also sports Acer’s revolutionary Aeroblade cooling fan, Dolby Audio Premium with TrueHarmony and a built-in 4.2 speaker system.
iPhone X and RED Hydrogen
This article won’t end without mentioning the increasing wads of cash that people shell out for flagship smartphones even though the market is getting saturated to oblivion.
Case in point: the aforementioned Tim Cook and his iPhone X—it’s all screen. And that 5.8-inch screen is the first one to make use of OLED, has Apple’s signature 3D touch and features a “Super Retina” display. It promises more accurate colors, true blacks and a high, million-to-one contrast ratio. Its main camera has two 12 MP cameras, one wide-angle and one telephoto, with apertures of f/1.8 and f/2.4 respectively. The front camera, on the other hand, is a 7 MP TrueDepth camera that makes Face ID possible (albeit, the Android phones have beat them to it). To make the phone even more premium, it is made with “the most durable glass ever in a smartphone” and surgical-grade stainless steel. It is also water- and dust-resistant. And did I mention that it’s all screen? The iPhone X’s base 64 GB model costs USD 999, while the 256 GB model will run you USD 1,149. The iPhone X is already out, but the Hydrogen has yet to become a tangible, public reality. Designed by RED, the maker of high-end filmmaking equipment, the Hydrogen promises to be a revolutionary phone, changing the definition of mixed reality smartphones forever—how it does that exactly is still a mystery. What we do know is that the Hydrogen will have a 5.7-inch Hydrogen Holographic Display which allows users to seamlessly switch between 2D, stereo 3D, VR, AR, MR and RED Hydrogen 4-View content without the use of any peripheral. The Androidbased phone will also feature H3O audio algorithm that converts stereo sound into multi-dimensional audio. The Hydrogen is also a modular product with RED developing attachments that could later allow owners of the Hydrogen will be able to capture higher quality video and format holographic images. The aluminum-constructed base model is available for pre-order at USD 1195 while the titanium variant costs USD 1595. The prices may or may not increase or decrease once the device comes out in Q1 of 2018. OCtOBER 2017
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Words by Mia Carisse Barrientos
The word big can have different indications depending on what it’s used to describe. In tech, big devices can either get the short end of the stick or get a resounding applause from a rather demanding tech community. But, more often than not, it’s a welcome characteristic. Taking the byword “bigger is better” to heart, tech companies are keen on upsizing their goods as of late. We have seen devices sporting the XL tag take the stage and it seems the end is still far away for this impressively “huge” spectacle.
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Predator 21X
The gaming market has grown exponentially throughout the years. Its continuous string of game and gear launches has made every 21st century gaming geek happy. When a good title comes out, manufacturers make an effort to roll out nuts and bolts that will match, if not, exceed the game’s requirements. It’s a beautiful give and take and we’re here for it. Gamers constantly seek for an unmatched experience and they would find it in the monstrous Acer Predator 21 X.
LG V30
Some would argue that tablets are just huge smartphones. There’s a stark difference between the two, though, for one, the former is more productivity-focused. Then there’s the phablet. However the line between smartphones and phablets has become thinner. Phones crossing the 5.5-inch mark are barely touted as phablets. This could make categorizing confusing for tech people, but make choosing easier for the public. Big is still the top trend in the world of handheld phones. Who wouldn’t want literally big content in their hand, anyway? In this category, many would qualify so we just picked the freshest out of the bunch. The LG V30 is huge without question. Coming in strong with its 6-inch display and precision design, competition would dwarf in comparison. Its huge display is a bezel-less affair with 2889 x 1440 pixel resolution. The V30 is also big on the inside as it ships with a Snapdragon 835 chipset, 4 GB RAM, and its signature quad-DAC built-in.
Apple iPad Pro 12.9-inch (2017)
Tablets are designed to take the place of laptops in some occasions; those being business trips, in BYOD office setups, among others. This is so because tablets are more compact and lightweight, yet can capably do tasks that’s asking of a desktop. These tablets aren’t supersized for no reason. Notable devices gave a tough fight but the latest iPad Pro 12.9 came on top. Though not exactly the be all and end all of tablets, this Apple device has generous screen real estate along with ease of use the brand’s known for. It sports the same glass and metal form factor everyone’s familiar with yet improved to accomplish more taxing work. This year’s model of this 12.9-incher has TrueTone display to make viewing excellent in any lighting condition, the feature-packed iOS 11, faster A10x Fusion chip, improved cameras, and more accessories available.
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“Overpowered overkill,” “biggest and heaviest,” “ginormous,” if these words used by top international tech blogs fail to convince you of the Predator 21 X’s bearing, we don’t know what will. For the 21 X, big is an understatement. Allow us to go over its specifications. First, it has a 2000R curved, 21-inch FHD+ IPS LED display with a 21:9 aspect ratio, 2560 x 1080 pixel resolution, and 120 Hz refresh rate. That’s almost the size of two notebooks side by side. It also features Nvidia G-Sync, Tobii Eye Tracking, two Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 GPUs, 7th gen Intel Core i7-7820HK CPU, ability to accommodate five storage drives at a time, five system fans, and more. If Acer surveyed gamers asking for what they want in a gaming laptop, the 21 X is the end result.
that makes others pale in comparison. If you’re a more holistic consumer, the Sony OLED A1 is our biggest bet. Though the biggest variation of the Sony OLED A1 is only at 65 inches, which is huge if you ask us, it overwhelmingly makes up for it in other areas. For one, the panel is virtually bezel-less, giving way for more picture. Its design is seamless, no distraction upfront that would take away from the viewing experience. The OLED A1 ships with 4K HDR resolution and 4K HDR processor X1 Extreme, which gives its viewers an unarguably impeccable picture quality. But let us talk about its speakers. This huge panel has actuators on its rear. These vibrate the screen so the sound moves along with pictures on the panel. This technology is what Sony touts as Acoustic Surface. Basically you have the TV screen as the speaker and you won’t even notice. That’s supersized sound.
Sony Bravia OLED A1 For content viewing, bigger is always better. Movie theaters are always packed for the reason that content is better appreciated when viewed on a huge screen. We want to bring this experience home and tech brands are making it possible. If massive in size is what you are after, there’s a 4K TV panel that goes off at 262 inches (C Seed 262). There are also television sets that could hardly fit your living room at 100 inches on the diagonal. You also have projectors as an alternative, but there’s still something about the television
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Words by Mia Carisse Barrientos
Lenovo has become an unshakeable force in the electronics industry. In recent years, the company has produced tech goods nothing short of remarkable. From gaming laptops, smartphones, to computing devices, Lenovo is democratizing quality technology and they’re not stopping. At this year’s IFA, Lenovo has launched its newest consumer electronics goods which make use of intelligent technology and go beyond conventional boundaries.
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Lenovo Explorer Lenovo is no stranger to AR and VR. The company has recently been building efforts to make these technologies accessible to more people. These efforts include releasing VR-compatible phones bundled with their own VR headsets, and phones with Google’s Tango built-in. Lenovo is pushing it further with the Explorer. Touted as a mixed reality headset and made in partnership with Windows, the Explorer enables users access to a whole new world of VR content straight from their PCs. Designed to be an extension of one’s PC, users of compatible devices can watch shows and movies, play games, travel the world, surf the web, and even get productivity going with the Microsoft Office Suite. The device promises free and agile natural motion with its inside-out positional tracking built-in. Meanwhile, setup is done through simple plug and update, without the need for external sensors.
digital habits, a biometric-level security that intelligently recognizes its owner, and mixed reality virtualization and augmentation meant to amplify the way users consume content. The Yoga 920 is powered by up to an 8th generation Intel Core i7 processor along with Windows 10 OS and twin Thunderbolt 2 technology ports. It flaunts a virtually bezel-less 4K IPS touchscreen and is partnered with Dolby Atmos sound. This iteration of the Yoga still sports its signature watchband hinge which allows users remarkable flexibility. Additionally, it will come in limited edition Gorilla Glass cover designs: Yoga 920 Vibes with its “visual vibration” design, Star Wars special edition Yoga 920 Rebel Alliance, and Star Wars special edition Yoga 920 Galactic Empire. Miix 520 2-in-1 With the ever-changing user behaviour, devices no longer exist for a single purpose. Devices of today are crafted to serve different user needs and are continually evolving. Known for its multifaceted computing devices, Lenovo wants its users to stay ahead of the curve with the all-new Miix 520. This trendy 2-in-1 detachable is home to a myriad of technologies including
LTE connectivity, camera for 3D image scans, edits, 2D layering, and 3D printing, Windows 10 OS, FHD IPS touchscreen, optional integrated fingerprint reader, Windows Ink, optional Lenovo Active Pen 2, full-sized keyboard, and more. Running this device is an up to 8th generation Intel Core i7 processor paired with up to 16 GB of DDR4 memory and up to 1 TB PCIe SSD. All these and more are housed in a slim 15.9 mm body that tips the scales at just 1.26 kg. Lenovo Home Assistant Pack for Tab 4 Series Lenovo is taking its family-focused Tab 4 series on a whole new level of smart with its Home Assistant Pack powered by Amazon Alexa. This integration makes any Lenovo Tab 4 a voiceactivated smart assistant; ask the device to fetch the freshest news, give weather updates, along with other mundane tasks and see it all on the display. Through Alexa, users can use their voice to command the device to shop for goods, play a song, or even brew coffee from a connected coffee maker, it recognizes voice from up to a three–meter distance via its two built-in mics. Aside from intelligently taking on tasks, the Home Assistant pack also amplifies the audio of the Tab 4 with its three-watt speakers.
Yoga 920 2-in-1 Convertible Laptop The new Yoga 920 2-in-1 improves on the human-machine interaction with a capable digital smart pen able to realistically capture every stroke, a voice-controlled digital assistant making use of AI to adapt the user’s
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Words by Gerry Gaviola
Year after year, Acer fortifies its place as one of the leading brands in the market with groundbreaking innovations and stunning aesthetics. Here, we take a look at all the goods Acer announced at the IFA 2017 press event in Berlin.
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utility, the Chromebook also flaunts upwardfacing speakers that surround the keyboard, and a fanless design for a quiet yet cool experience.
Pawbo For pet lovers, Acer announced Pawbo’s expanded pet care portfolio that consists of brand new trackers and smart treat dispensers. As a wholly owned subsidiary of Acer, the Pawbo products announced are no exception to Acer’s technological legacy. The three products announced were: Pawbo iPuppyGo, a lightweight tracker that’s able to monitor and track pet activity levels and wellness; Pawbo Wagtag, a cloud-connected collar for dogs that tracks their location and monitor the environment around them; and Pawbo Munch, a smart treatdispenser. Paired with the Pawbo+, it enables owners to interact with their pets face-to-face or remotely. 360-Degree cameras Providing an all-in-one solution, Acer announced two new connected 360-degree cameras packed with features that enable flawless video capture. The Holo360 is capable of capturing, viewing, editing, and sharing video, all from the device alone, while the Vision360 in-car camera connects to the cloud and shoots 360-degree video for a driving experience with a peace of mind.
Detachable devices Three new detachable devices that sport ultraslim and convertible designs also join Acer’s newest product offerings. For next level functionality and mobility, Acer introduced: the Swift 5, an ultraslim, less than 1 kg device that is built for on-the-go users; the Spin 5, a convertible go-to-device with a dynamic interface, stunning metal casing, and powerful specifications that’s perfect for professional content creation; and the Switch 7 Black edition, the superbly stylish and detachable 2-in-1 notebook that holds the position as the world’s first fanless 2-in-1 notebook with discrete graphics. The Acer Nitro 5 Spin Merging next generation computing alongside an aggressive design aesthetic, Acer announced the Nitro 5 Spin as its portable notebook that packs a ton of power. The Nitro 5 Spin is equipped with Intel’s latest 8th Generation processor, NVIDIA GeForce GTX graphics, blazingfast GDDR5 VRAM, a bright 15.6-inch FHD IPS display, two strategically placed front-facing speakers, and a subwoofer. The powerhouse is built for anything, be it for gaming, entertainment, or everyday tasks.
The Acer Aspire S24 The Acer Aspire S24 is unlike any other desktop in the market. It’s packed with dynamic specs for next generation desktop computing and is designed with uniqueness in mind. Aesthetically, the Aspire S24 sits as Acer’s thinnest desktop to date with a thickness of only 5.97mm for its borderless display. All around it are champagnegold accents that exude a luxurious look. Not falling short of being a desktop powerhouse, the Aspire S24 also flaunts Intel’s latest 8th generation processor, and an optional Intel Optane memory. Additional features include base wireless charging for Qi-enabled devices via the base of the desktop. The Predator line-up Last but certainly not the least is the Predator line-up that ups the ante in so many ways. With the Acer Predator Orion 9000 series, Acer is able to fortify its position as a global innovator in gaming hardware. Powering the gaming desktop is the Intel Core i9 Extreme Edition processor with 18 cores, 36 threads, and up to threeway AMD Radeon RX Vega graphics or two NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080Ti graphics in SLI. For vibrant and smooth images, the Acer Predator X35 curved monitor features NVIDIA G-SYNC, Acer HDR Ultra, and a fast 200Hz refresh rate. For sound is the Predator Galea gaming headset that lets users enjoy Acer’s TrueHarmony 3D Soundscape technology.
The Acer Chromebook 15 For an average user, the brand Acer is synonymous for excellently built Chromebooks. Continuing that legacy is the Chromebook 15. Screen, battery, design, and specs are the four things that make Chromebooks a favorite choice. For the screen, we have a 15.6 full HD IPS display that features wide viewing angles. The battery enables 12 hours of usage while the Chromebook’s aluminum top cover and a palm rest bring a premium feel. Merging beauty with
Projectors Also announced at the IFA 2017 were Acer’s two new projectors that offer stunning 4K resolution. For homes, there’s the Acer VL7860, the world’s smallest 4K UHD laser projector. For larger venues, there’s the Acer VL7860 that provides an UltraHD P8800 experience with 5,000 lumens of brightness and an impressive 1,200,000:1 contrast ratio.
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Words by Robby Vaflor
LG’s stage at Internationale Funkausstellung was a feast for the senses, with visitors entering through the show-stopping OLED tunnel that showcases the company’s advanced display technologies.
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frame. It also sports a 10-bit HDR image sensor for better contrast and colour reproduction (1.07 billion colour gamut), improved depth and reduced dithering.
of appliances from the InstaView Door-in-Door fridge with knock-illumination, and the TwinWash washing machine. LG demonstrated its SmartThinQ range of appliances spanning the areas of Kitchen, Living and Safety. SmartThinQ appliances can be controlled through a smartphone, tablet or even with voice command.
The tunnel leads fittingly to the entertainment section which exhibits LG’s industry-leading innovations such as the Nano Cell Display line of televisions, accurately producing a wide range of colour and improved contrast for the deepest blacks. The Nano Cell Display also reproduces accurate image at a super wide viewing angle so that more people could enjoy watching a film the way it was intended to look.
But the pièce de résistance of LG’s 2017 stint at IFA is the much awaited and much talked about V30 premium smartphone. It features a large, 6.0-inch display with OLED FullVision that has an 18:9 viewing area. The QHD+ display with selfilluminating pixels has a 7500K color temperature and HDR support for improved viewing.
To match the hardware, LG also gave its photo and video capture software a boost. The software now has 16 distinct colour-grading presets and a smooth and stable point-zoom function. Like its flagship contemporaries, the V30 runs on the Snapdragon 835 processor with 4 GB of RAM. But LG raised the phone a notch higher with its quad-DAC for hi-fi audio coupled with B&O Play support (it even comes with a pair of Bang & Olufsen B&O earbuds). The V30 is also IP68 water-resistant and MIL-STD 810G-certified, having gone through 14 militarygrade durability tests.
The main camera gets an upgrade with a 16-megapixel sensor paired with an f/1.6 lens which allows in 4-percent more light and a wider
The centrepiece of the section is LG’s W7 OLED TV—the paper-thin television with incredible image quality. Its picture-on-wall design is so thin it looks like it is built into the wall when mounted. The W7 features LG’s OLED self-illuminating pixel technology, Dolby Vision with LG’s Active HDR and Dolby Atmos 360-degree audio support. It has an SRP of USD 14,999.99 or roughly PHP 750,000. The Home section treats guests to a modern concept of the domicile, featuring LG’s wide array
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Words by Ren Alcantara
Asus has a lot to celebrate in 2017. Apart from their successful Zenfone mobiles, and their extremely popular ROG gaming hardware, Asus has announced a few more devices that push the boundaries of consumer electronics. This year, at IFA, we were treated to more than a few products we can’t wait to get our hands on. Here are a few of our favorites.
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an experience that has never before been seen in the laptop space. With a factory-overclocked Intel Core i7-7820HK processor that hits a staggering 4.3 GHz out of the box, along with NVIDIA GTX 1080 graphics, this may just be the best mobile gaming rig you can get your hands on. Combining the best of the console and PC gaming worlds with a dedicated XBOX live hotkey, and built-in XBOX Wireless, you’ve got yourself the most powerful hybrid gaming experience you can get your hands on.
commitment to the art of design. Not only is it impossibly thin, the special hinge design allows the laptop’s screen to flip over completely, turning the laptop into an incredibly powerful tablet for consuming content. The 360-degree ErgoLift hinge features precision metal engineering, and combines durability, sleek design, and a solid grip, for a secure display regardless of the angle. Asus claims over 20,000 cycles on the hinge without failure.
Asus Mixed Reality Headset It seems that manufacturers are banking on mixed reality as the future of computing, and Asus is not one to back away from the challenge. Visually striking and with some very interesting features, the headset brings the thrills of virtual reality, and combines it with actual reality, for an experience that’s both fantastic and incredibly immersive. With a design that lets users switch easily and smoothly from the mixed reality world to the real world, it’s convenient and easy in a way that similar devices in the past have been unable to manage. Just flip the visor up or down, without having to remove the whole headset and recalibrate the fit. Multiple sensors give the device six degrees of freedom, and allow it to quickly understand its location and orientation in space, so you get a smooth, realistic experience. With no need for external sensors, cameras, or other ancillary equipment, getting started is easy and hassle-free—just pair it with a capable computer, and you’re good to go wherever your imagination takes you. It’s cool, comfortable, and feather-light at a mere 400 grams, you’re all set for all-day use.
A laptop this gorgeous would be pointless without good hardware. The Flip S gives you a stunning 4K display, with a pixel density of 331 PPI, 178-degree viewing angles, and a huge 80 percent screen-to-body ratio. Under the hood, you have an Intel Core i7 CPU that boosts up to 3.5 GHz, up to a 1 TB PCIe SSD, which is three times faster than the SATA 3 standard, up to 16 GB of RAM, and a beautiful backlit keyboard. USB-C makes sure it gets all the juice you need, with up to 45 W of power delivery, and 5 Gbps data transfer speeds. With 11.5 hours of battery life, and able to charge to 60 percent in 49 minutes, it’s going to be the only mobile companion you’ll ever want. With the Asus Pen and Windows ink, it gives creators unrestricted freedom in expressing themselves through their art.
Asus ROG GX800 With stunning 4K visuals and the monster NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 graphics card, the GX800 brings uncompromising performance to the serious gamer. Bringing together a the MechTAG mechanical tactile gaming keyboard, and a liquid cooling dock, the GX800 is a rig that just begs to be overclocked, for impossible framerates, and limitless possibilities. If you need to take your gaming desktop with you, this is the only way to do it. ROG Strix GL702ZC AMD is once again a force to be reckoned with. Asus brings the amazing power and value of the AMD Ryzen family to the gaming laptop segment with the Strix GL702ZC. The world’s first Ryzen-powered gaming laptop, it brings together AMD’s Ryzen architecture, with Asus’ unmistakable ROG style. Created to cater to both games and heavy multimedia-processes, this 17-inch, wide-view display laptop brings superb graphics, and eight cores or pure processing goodness, in a way only AMD can deliver. Care about VR? The Strix has you covered. With AMD’s CPU boost, you get smooth, low-latency, no stutter VR performance. Even when the action gets heavy, 30-key rollover means the Stryx won’t miss a beat, even when you’re fighting a battle at all fronts. Asus’ Hyper Cool Duo-Copper cooling system keeps system temperatures low by independently cooling the GPU and CPU, so you get great performance, without sacrificing heat mitigation, or having a loud cooling solution. With configurations of up to 32 GB of DDR4 RAM, you’ve got all the muscle you’ll ever need in a mobile gaming solution.
Asus ROG Chimera The ROG line of gaming devices is an important segment for the brand, and there was no shortage of devices from that lineup at IFA this year. Leading the charge is the Chimera, the world’s first 144 Hz, wide-view display laptop. Boasting 7 ms grayto-gray response time, it allows for
Zenbook Flip S An ultra-light, ultra thin laptop at 10.9 mm and 1.1 kg, but 50 percent stronger thanks to aerospace-grade metals? Yeah, we want one too. The Zenbook Flip S is the epitome of Asus’ www.gadgetsmagazine.com.ph
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Yamaha Grand Prix 8 Holds Championship Races at Rizal Park It was a damp day for the Yamaha Grand Prix 8 Championship set in the light-strewn Rizal Park last September 9, 2017, but the race went on without a hitch. The racing line-up featured the best riders from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao including Masato "The Chairman" Fernando, rising star Kyle Paz, Vingie Coloma, Mcdon Sande, Ephraim Onahon and Gian Carlo Mauricio. The finals saw the inauguration of the Yamaha Sight category, showcasing the manufacturer's latest motorcycle which uses Yamaha's F.I. technology for efficiency and improved performance. Mauricio had the honor of being named the category's first ever champion. It was a close match for the Fun Race AT category. All using the Yamaha Mio, the riders were tightly stacked throughout the track. The nail-biter ended when Kenneth Coronel managed to break away from the pack.
The 160 Open AT on the other hand capitalized on the larger track, allowing the racers to let loose on the throttle. It was neck and neck between Miko Montano and Aljon Valencia, with Montano managing to keep his lead and finish first while Valencia takes second. Allan Dela Cruz followed soon after in third.
The Vega Force 115 i category saw Masato Fernando as the favorite to win the race from the start, but was quickly challenged by Mcdon Sande and Vingie Coloma. The tight race ended with Sande taking the top spot, Coloma finishing second and Fernando ending up with a respectable third.
Gary Taplador, Mark Kian Santos and Joey Villaester took the first, second and third spots respectively for the Underbone Fun Race category.
The Sniper 150 became a battle royale of skill and sheer will to win with Ephraim Onahon winning the contest. Garry Caneda went in second and Durraine Dan Carlos took third.
Yamaha Launches Sight Motorcycle Yamaha Motor Philippines Inc. announced the arrival of the Yamaha Sight in the Philippines. An expression of simplicity and efficiency, the Sight vividly mirrors the brand's vision for the industry. The motorcycle runs on a 114 cc, air-cooled, four-stroke, two-valve, SOHC engine with Yamaha's fuel-injection technology that improves acceleration and overall performance. This translates to 6.4 kW of power at 7000 rpm and 9.5 Nm of torque at 5,500 rpm. The engine is mated to a four-speed, constant mesh transmission and a 4-liter fuel tank. The Sight sports telescopic suspension for the front wheel and swingarm suspension for the rear. The brake set-up is a combination of a hydraulic single-disc front brake and a mechanical leading trailing drum rear brake. Apart from this, the Yamaha Sight features a sharp headlight that is equipped with a bright incandescent bulb for a clear view of the road while a sporty tail light glows bright from behind. It also has a 9-liter compartment for tools and other travel essentials. The motorcycle has anti-theft technology built into the key shutter which ensures that the motorcycle can only be started by the key-holder. The Yamaha Sight is available in spoke wheel and cast wheel versions at all Yamaha 3S Shops and multi-brand stores nationwide. The spoke wheel variant costs PHP 59,000 and is available in Black Raven and Red Metallic colors, while the cast wheel version costs PHP 62,900 and is available in Yellow Hornet and Black Raven colors. 58
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Dainese Shangri-la Opens Its Doors Dainese opened a new store located at Level 6 East Wing, Shangri-La Plaza, EDSA corner Shaw Blvd., Mandaluyong City. We provide protective clothing and gear for motorcycle riders and dynamic sports in general. Dainese, an Italian Company specializing in motorcycle riding gear such as racing suits, jackets, armor, gloves, and boots, is known for handmade leather and leading edge textiles which employ state of the industry technology and exotic materials for the best mix of fit, finish and functionality. Dainese is responsible for many innovations in motorcycle safety such as the modern back protector, the leather suit knee slider, titanium protectors, and many more. In the Philippines, we have partnered with MWorld Trading as the official distributor to provide you with the largest selection of Dainese products in the country.
Michelin Launches LTX Force Tires for SUVs and Light Trucks Michelin Philippines officially launched the LTX Force, its new line of tires for SUVs and light trucks last September 19 in Mandaluyong. Illustrated by its tagline "Whatever the Terrain, One Tire Handles It," the LTX Force line combines on-road and off-road capabilities in a multipurpose tire perfect for the Philippines. “On a global scale, the SUV tire segment is growing larger in strategic importance. Over the past two years, it has outgrown the passenger car tire segment, and will continue to do so for the next five years. Our target drivers are people whose lifestyle, location or profession demand driving on and off-road, and need the best experience on both type of terrain. So the launch of Michelin LTX Force reinforces our commitment not only to fulfill the needs and expectations of our customers with multiple exceptional performances, but also to respond to everchanging market conditions in order to remain at the forefront of the industry,� said Michelin Philippines chief representative Michael Nunag. The LTX Force line of tires adopts technologies developed for the World Rally Championship (WRC), one of the world's most grueling races, and combines it with Michelin's renowned on-road tire lines.
area at all times especially for on-road instances. For a quieter ride, the BevelTread technology rounds out the edges of the tire, which cuts out noise frequencies sensitive to the ears. The CushionGuard technology on the other hand, absorbs road imperfections for an even smoother ride.
Its CompacTread technology reinforces the gaps between tread blocks which lessens deformation when in motion, effectively increasing the contact
Its off-road technologies enable SUVs and pickup trucks equipped with the LTX Force to handle different types of terrain for casual off-roaders.
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The extended sidewall biting edge improves the sidewall's cut-chip resistance, while the deep and open shoulder design strengthens its off-road traction. Most tire fitments are already available from authorized Michelin dealers nationwide, while the rest will be available by the end of the year. Check www.michelin.com.ph for more information on the LTX Force and dealer locations.
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Ford Announces Ranger 'Raptor' Variant Ford Motor Company revealed last September 7 in Shanghai, China that its popular pickup, the Ford Ranger, will be getting an off-road performance variant: the Ford Ranger Raptor. Bearing the same badge as the built-for-anything version of the legendary F-150 pickup truck, the Ford Ranger Raptor is designed to endure with a tough exterior and unmatched off-road performance in the mid-size pickup truck segment. “We are very excited to bring Asia-Pacific’s toughest and smartest pickup truck to a whole new level,” said Ford Asia Pacific vice president for Product Development Trevor Worthington, “Ford Ranger Raptor will offer Ranger fans a fantastic opportunity to own an authentic off-road performance version of their favorite truck for the first time.” Building on the success of the best-selling pickup truck in a number of markets in the Asia-Pacific region, Ford brings the power and performance of the F-150 Raptor to the Ranger for the first time ever, advancing the globallyrenowned Ford Performance DNA. The Ford Ranger Raptor will be available in the Asia-Pacific region in 2018.
Limited Edition Petron Supercars 2017 Now available at over 700 participating service stations all-around the country is the 2017 version of the Petron Supercars Collection. This year, three top-tier models will be offered—the yearly Porsche 918 Spyder, now in red, will be joined by the Bentley GT3 Continental Concept in black, and the Lamborghini Aventador LP7004 in orange. The large, 1:24 scale Petron Supercars 2017 collectibles are licensed originals and are made from high-quality die-cast metal and detailed parts. Each features door opening alarm sounds with lights, hood press-activated start-up with rev and acceleration sounds, and more. To complement the neat aesthetic, the collectibles will come in a five-side see-through display box. 62
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Fueling up with Petron Blaze 100 Euro 6, Petron XCS, Petron Xtra Advance, Petron Turbo Diesel, and Petron Diesel Max, or protecting your engine with Petron Ultron, Petron RevX, or Petron Sprint 4T will allow you to avail of your very own Petron Supercars 2017 collectible. The Petron Supercar model can be had for only PHP 700 for every PHP 500 worth of single or accumulated receipts. The promo only runs from September 20 to October 6, 2017 so be sure not to miss out!
For more information on the on promo, kindly visit www.petron.com or the official Petron Facebook page for full details. www.gadgetsmagazine.com.ph
Motor Image Pilipinas Launches the New Subaru XV
The Subaru XV has finally reached Philippine soil. Motor Image Pilipinas, the official distributor of Subaru vehicles in the country, recently launched the newest iteration of the Subaru XV last September 7, 2017 at BGC, Taguig City. Locally, the Subaru XV will come in two new variants—the base model XV 2.0i, and the high-end XV 2.0i-S. Both are powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder Boxer petrol engine that’s capable of 152hp at 6,000rpm and 196Nm of torque at 4,000 rpm. In the absence of a local introduction of the MT variant, shifting on these models will be handled by a Lineartronic Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT). At first glance, the compact SUV comes of as both playful and sporty—its look definitely gives off a vibe of a vehicle ready for adventure and city cruising. Not too rugged, and not extremely poised, the vehicle's looks sits just in
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the middle of the spectrum, making it a beauty to look at. Much of the vehicle’s exterior design, as well as its interior are borrowed from the Subaru Impreza, and despite minimal new design introductions, the XV still gives off a more than decent impression. As with the Impreza, the Subaru XV features the car manufacturer's new DYNAMIC x SOLID design philosophy that focuses on upgrades on detailed finishes. At the front of the car, we see Subaru’s iconic hexagonal grille that sits between the C-shaped headlights. Around the car are bumpers that give contrast to the XV’s playful and sporty colors. Sculpted accents bring boldness to the car, while its new aluminum wheel design flaunts the vehicle’s sporty aesthetic. Sporting a wide but low low stance, the XV sits pretty, but is one that’s built with utility in mind. Aerodynamic styling assures the driver of a smooth cruise.
Inside the XV is a comfortable cabin that features ample space, and an elegant design. If you’re one who’s mindful about space, then you’d be happy to know that there’s more shoulder room between the front seats, and for the passengers, more legroom. Stepping inside the vehicle, you’ll be greeted with stylish yet elegant materials, and bright orange stitchings. These are joined by spacious cargo space and an infotainment system for all your smartphone connectivity and entertainment needs. Additional features of the Subaru include steering responsive headlights, high-beam assist, a stronger frame for safety, and rear vehicle detection, among others. With Subaru’s X-Mode, driving on rough roads, terrain, and hills, can be done with ease. The base model XV 2.0i can be had for PHP 1,348,000 while the high-end XV 2.0i-S, for PHP 1,538,000.
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THE ZOMBIE FILMS OF GEORGE A. ROMERO
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MUSIC CORNER
Max Javelino’s latest EP, Backyard.
Coffee with
M AJ XA V E L I N O
Taken by Robby Vaflor
Taken by Sophia Rae Labayen
Words by Robby Vaflor
It was Monday in one of the less busy cafes along Katipunan—college town. There was the usual clamor of slow weekday service— the waiting staff calling out orders, silverware clinking into china as diners slice into their all-day breakfasts, the casual click-clacking of the omnipresent MacBooks. In the tepid rhythm of grinding coffee beans and steaming milk, sits Max Javelino. Taken by Robby Vaflor
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“Can I get the French toast brulee? The one with banana? That’s it. Thank you,” she says as she hands over the clipboard menu to the waiter. She seats herself in the corner, waiting patiently for her first meal of the day which was taking a while. For a second, she stares out the window and back to the habitual pantomime of the café. “Do you know SGD Bodega? So I went there last Friday, and I was just thinking, hey, curiously, maybe I could do a barista job,” she says, “That’s the dream—be a barista in the day and then at night do gigs.” She graduated late last year and is fresh from the release of her EP, Backyard, last May 24 at Route 196, just a mile away from where we were sitting. She has since garnered a sizeable following in the local scene, playing in popular spots around the metro and even guesting on a well-regarded radio station. Music is pretty much what occupies her time at the moment; that and finding a day job. “I haven’t been doing anything. I feel like I haven’t been doing anything, like, productive even. My parents are pressuring me to get a job; my mom wants me to find someone to date,” she laughs.
Low rising
It wasn’t a smooth road for Max’s career. Through several moniker changes and bouts of selfassessment, she came out with the firm belief that music will always be a part of her. “I think it’s always been a thing in my life. Like it was one of the most natural things that I can do. I took up [Fine Arts], but sometimes I have to force myself to draw something, even if it’s not for class, and I’m never satisfied. But with music, it felt so natural, it felt so right—just playing the guitar and just to sing, especially,” she mused. Her decision to pursue her interest in music was inspired by a combination of different stimuli.
And that was the time that I was so obsessed with Damien Rice and I was just in that zone of wanting that same future for me—not even [the same] future, but I wanted to be a musician. I wanted to be a songwriter.”
It starts with a line “When I write songs, I like imagining scenes from a movie and how they would fit that as background or even like a theme song. I have to see it in my head; I can’t just feel it.” Max’s music puts great importance in lyrics and narrative. Her songs are marked by vivid imagery—vignettes that unravel over sincere melodies, urging listeners to hold on to every word as the song plays on.
Backyard showed her more mellow-leaning styles that befit her lyrical sincerity really well. Most of the songs were written in different stages of her musical journey—unfinished songs that were gathering dust somewhere in the recesses of her mind, and songs that she’s been meaning to release. Hinting at the future of her music, she says that the stuff she’s working on will be able to more faithfully represent her various inspirations, to be released hopefully sometime next year. She smiles and says: “Expect heavier stuff.”
She describes her songwriting process: “Usually it starts with a line. Like an idea, or maybe a situation and you imagine yourself talking to someone. There’s this feeling that I want to say, but I can’t say it. Or it’s just me trying to work out the situation so I can understand it better. It depends on what the song is about, I think. Lately I really sit down and say, ‘I want to write a song about love. I want to write a song about friendship.’” Her eclectic style borrows from different genres: not restricting herself to one sound, writing music that spans conventional pop, alternative rock, soul, folk, blues and R&B, all based on the emotions that a song idea is calling for. Backyard, however, did not fully showcase this eclecticism due to a compromise between creativity and utility. “For the EP that I just released, it wasn’t just for me. I had to take into account that it was gonna be used in short films by a student in CSB. So even the arrangement, I had to think of [that],” Max says.
Taken by Aya Dancel
“I think a part of me wanted that life of being an artist. Like I wanted to be famous.” She lets out a chuckle and adds: “I was watching American Idol—that season with David Archuleta and David Cook. That season. Watching with that whole idea of just singing—that’s when I started recording myself sing on a small mp3 player.” Having an innate fondness for writing, it was through watching the reality show, exposing herself to a larger library of music and watching a lot of films that she got the courage to turn some of her poetry into music. After a stint in the realm of adolescent melodrama (“I wrote this really cheesy song about the exosphere or like that feeling of going into space and relating it to love or something.”), Max began taking a more serious approach to writing music. Max recalls: “When I was 17, I was in chemistry class looking out the window—I was zoning out. It was sunny outside. I started imagining myself in the park. Not a lot of trees, but there are people having fun. And that was when I wrote Sunny. The chorus. I wanted it to be the verse, but then I worked on it at home, and it became the chorus.
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Taken by Nukie Timtiman
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EVERYTHING
APPLE
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The Steve Jobs theater Beyond products, the day still stood as monumental as it paid tribute to the legendary Steve Jobs. Opening its newest doors to the media for the very first time, Apple chose to hold its event in the Steve Jobs theater located at the Apple Campus, the company’s newest headquarters in Cupertino, California. Although we’ve seen a plethora of visual renders and drone-captured footages, the event gave the opportunity for reporters and guests to see, for the very first time, the campus that Steve Jobs himself originally envisioned. As Jobs dreamt the space as a centre of creativity, collaboration, and innovation, the campus’ architecture was intricately designed to inspire. Shaped like a spaceship, the campus occupies 175-acres of land and features the world’s longest and largest panels of curved glass. From rotating glass elevators to mirrors above ceilings, the Campus exudes an organic vibe. Already stunning in itself, the Campus also sits as an environmentally friendly place—with solar power installations, it’s 100-percent powered by renewable energy. The Lovely Apple Watch Series 3 Slightly thicker but now enhanced with several new features, the Watch Series 3 was announced as Apple’s latest watch offering. Among the newest features is LTE connectivity via an electronic SIM. Inserting a carrier distributed SIM will give users the same mobile number they have with their iPhone.
Apple’s logic behind its watches is that it lets you stay “in the moment” while still being connected. Providing minimal distraction, and only prompting you to use your phone when truly needed, the watch is aimed at enhancing productivity. Now with cellular connectivity, it lets you answer phone calls and reply to texts without having to pick up your phone. Along with this is the ability to stream Apple Music right to the watch without having to carry a phone around; with 40 million songs available, it’s a feature sport enthusiasts will love. 4K comes to the Apple TV After a long due upgrade, the Apple TV finally returns, now with 4K support. With 4K content now flooding different platforms, it was a better time than any for the Apple TV to add such support. As previously announced, 4K content in iTunes will have the same pricing as those in standard HD quality. Both the Netflix and Amazon apps are also said to support 4K in the near future. The Apple TV will come equipped with the A10X chip and 3GB of RAM to handle the demanding 4K playback. With four times better graphics than its previous edition, the Apple TV also gets some improvements in its gaming capabilities. The iPhone 8 and 8 Plus Put a case on an iPhone 8 or 8 Plus and it would look like all other previous generations released before it. Choose not to, then you’d be met with Apple’s all-new, stunning glass design. Even though a glass finish on a phone sounds like an accident waiting to happen, it’s actually built to
last—the iPhone 8 and 8 plus both sport Apple’s most durable glass yet. Along with color-matched, aerospace-grade aluminum bands, the phones also come in three new colors: gray, silver, and gold. At the back we see 12MP shooters backed up by a larger and faster sensor for deeper pixels. As with the previous version, only the plus model features a dual-lens camera setup, although both phones still benefit from OIS. At the front is the the Retina HD display with dual-domain pixels for improved viewing angles. Additional features include wireless charging, the A11 Bionic’s four cores (that are 70 percent faster than the 10 Fusion’s), IP67 waterproofing, and impressive AR capability. Complemented by the best version of iOS yet, both the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus still come as one of the best phones out in the market. Together with Apple’s software, portrait mode on the iPhone 8 Plus is revamped with better bokeh effect capabilities that’s coupled with Apple’s new Portrait Lighting, a feature that brings dramatic lighting effects to the already awesome portrait mode. The iPhone X The iPhone X is Apple’s best iPhone yet. Although numerous software and hardware leaks turned out to be true, it didn’t at all tarnish the grandeur—the prestigious iPhone X still sits as Apple’s extremely attractive and powerful flagship. Following the 2017 design trend, the iPhone X features Apple’s own take on an all screen design with its all-new 5.8-inch Super Retina display. Elegantly sporting a high screento-body ratio and a curved aesthetic, the iPhone X flaunts a screen with rounded corners alongside its long due adoption of an OLED screen. Dazzling to look at, the brighter screen sits pretty with a 1,000,000 to 1 contrast ratio, sharp yet accurate colors, and truer blacks. At the back are dual 12MP shooters, dual-lens OIS, and a new color filter. Machine learning and impressive A11 Bionic chip capabilities are what drive the iPhone X. Backed up by the duo, the iPhone X’s TrueDepth camera executes the task of projecting and analyzing more than 30,000 invisible dots on a face to create a precise depth map of a user’s face. Beyond using the technology for animated emojis that mimic expressions, and also beyond utilizing the studiopatterned Portrait lighting, Apple’s TrueDepth technology also enables safe and secure phone unlocking and payments. Throughout the 10 years of Apple’s innovation, they envisioned a device that seamlessly disappear into the experience. The iPhone X is that device. It intelligently responds to taps, voices, and glances for a more natural and intuitive experience. Its fusion of hardware and software do all the heavy lifting without any hiccups.
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APPS The Rain The sound of rain is therapeutic, but getting stuck in a downpour isn’t. Here’s a way to benefit from this wonder of nature with just your phone. Just Rain is an audiovisual rain simulator that as its name suggests, gives you just rain. Opening the app presents you with a virtual display of either a gentle trickle of rain or heavy downpour accompanied by sounds that complement the intensity of the rainfall. To control this, users simply have to drag their fingers across the screen to get their preferred rain variation. Making the virtual rain more realistic is its integrated stereo audio panning which spreads the sound. Make rain your bedtime or reading companion with this surprisingly neat app.
APPS FOR
Meditation Game Sometimes, all it takes is a game to take your mind off things. Combine that with meditation and you get a mishmash that is sure to help you relax. But wouldn’t playing a game take you away from the meditation experience? Say no more. The Meditation Game offers visually appealing graphics accompanied by a selection of soothing audio tracks to help boost your mood. In the game, you are an orb moving along a vast ocean or an enchanted forest, and attract energy throughout. There are no set rules to follow, you are to just freely move around the screen, follow the texts that appear on the screen (breathing instructions and such), and let your mind wander in the simplicity of this game.
RELAXATION Miss Wind There’s something comforting about the sight of leaves falling and prancing about. Miss Wind captures this scenery and turns it into a game for your Android phone. With hand drawn-like graphics and simple controls, Miss Wind makes for an addicting yet relaxing game. In the game, you are a leaf in a peaceful grassland flying with the wind. As other leaves pass through, you are to bump into them to create a calming melody. Do note that only yellow ones will give you points. Bumping into other colored leaves is no defeat, though.
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Relaxation, more often than not, entails trips to the beach or somewhere secluded to get away from the hustle and bustle of life in the city. Some of us, on the other hand, prefer sleeping in, playing games, or reading books to shed fatigue from a week of work or school. No matter how you go about it, achieving peace of mind is all up to you. If you’re having trouble figuring out what to do, we’ve listed a few apps to help you get into your stride. Words by Mia Carisse Barrientos
Nifty DIY Crafts Now that you’re focused and filled with vigor, redirect this newly gained energy into making something to remember this enriching experience by. Nifty DIY Crafts has you covered. This app has thousands of content to mobilize even the most (un) artsy person into making beautiful and functional goods fashioned from even the most ordinary material. It features a simple interface that’s meant for easy browsing through various content. The app also regularly adds DIY videos so you never run out of things to make. www.gadgetsmagazine.com.ph
GAMING
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BULLET POINTS While I didn’t have a chance to go on a hike in the time I had the light, our area provides a lot of opportunities to give the Marauder a thorough test.
Words by Ren Alcantara
I love me a good flashlight. Being daytime creatures, our low-light vision leaves a lot to be desired, and as nighttime falls on a regular basis, having a light on you statistically makes a lot of sense. Most of the time, a small, pocket light can do the job, and that’s exactly what I have on me. Sometimes though, you need to punch the darkness back in a way a single-cell light just can’t, and this is where the Marauder really shines. With a maximum output of a staggering 12,000 lumens, delivered in a concentrated beam with generous spill, this is truly a very serious light. Construction is solid. The light is done entirely in metal, save for the conveniently illuminated power button on the side, so there’s quite a bit of gravity to it. Fortunately, the large circumference of the body, along with deep, rounded grooves on the body, greatly decrease the chances of accidentally dropping the light when in use. Should you have smaller hands, or are in a situation that warrants additional security, a handy lanyard loop along the length of the light’s barrel can be deployed, allowing you to securely tether the light to your hand. Along with the light, the package comes with the lanyard, a belt pouch, a charging cable, and wall charger—everything you need to punch the darkness in the face. To put out this much light, the Marauder uses rechargeable, non-user-removable li-ion batteries. Once the light runs low on power, a quick twist of the endcap reveals a USB-C port, which connects to the included cable and wall charger. Plug it in, wait about an hour for the power button to stop glowing red, and you’re all set. Just be sure to close the port up again afterwards, to keep the light water resistant. The business end of the light has three banks of four LEDs, with a smooth reflector cone on each one. This gives you loads of light, plenty of throw, and an extremely bright hotspot, with copious amounts of spill. While it’s not a floodlight, the sheer power available lights the spill area enough to do detailed work with, easily several meters away. 78
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The areas surrounding our building in BGC get quite dark in the evenings when we take our dog for a walk, so having a massive light such as this was the perfect excuse to head to the areas we would normally steer away from. Once we were away from the street lights, a quick double-tap on the power button brought the light to life straight into turbo mode. Once live, another double tap fires up super turbo mode, and the full 12,000 lumens available on tap. In this mode, there was more than enough light to cut across two blocks, bringing everything in the beam into blinding levels of illumination. The flashlight is rated to throw a beam up to 380 meters, and by our estimate, if it doesn’t actually hit that distance, it certainly comes close. At maximum output, with one block between myself and a target building, the Marauder gave enough light for me to cleanly identify shirts hanging on a line about ten floors up. While max power is a something the Marauder has in spades, that’s not all there is to like about it. The interface is dead simple to learn and use. A single button is all it has, and all it needs. Press to switch on, hold to cycle through modes going from 10, to 500, 1,000, 3,000, 7,000, and 12,000 lumens, and combinations of taps bring it from off to full power in no time at all. It even has a sensor in the emitter head to drop the output should something be dangerously close to the front of the light. As can be expected from something with such high output, heat is an issue. There is a threeminute limit at maximum output, at which point it will step down to a safe level while it cools down. Once temperatures have dropped, you can once again bring it up to maximum brightness for another three minutes. Efforts have been made to dissipate heat quickly, and the large cooling fins on the marauder do a decent job at keeping temps low. You could probably burn yourself with this light, but only if you actually tried. The question now is, who could use such a light? It’s easily the brightest light I have ever used, with a size and weight to match. Unless you routinely carry a bag with you, it isn’t the easiest light to carry around, and there’s way too much light for use in a daily use scenario. Aside from just wanting 12,000 lumens in the palm of your hand, this light would be extremely useful at a farm, or perhaps with some form of emergency service when a lot of light is needed for a large area. It’s still very handy for the amount of light it can give, and has an impossible 30-day runtime on 10 lumens. If you can bear the 665-gram weight and the roughly soda-can sized body, the Marauder X7R is like having the sun in your pocket.
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Andrea taking a groufie with her Vivo fans during the Vivo Perfect Selfie Tour at SM Fairview
2K, PlayStation Asia Announce NBA 2K18 Tournament
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Xiaomi Announces the Mi Mix 2
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