One of the newest smartphones from Redmi is here and it’s the Redmi K30. As expected, the smartphone won’t have flagship specifications as this one will be powered up by the Snapdragon 765G processor that comes with 5G. The smartphone also features a 64MP camera with Sony’s IMX686 sensor and then there’s the 120Hz refresh rate and also a punch-hole display.
Redmi K30 5G Specs
Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G SoC
6.67-inch Full HD+ punch-hole Display with 120Hz refresh rate
6GB/8GB RAM
64GB/128GB/256GB Internal Storage
64MP IMX 686 main + 8MP Super wide-angle lens + 5MP macro lens + 2MP depth sensor rear cameras
20MP + 2MP depth front-facing camera
LTE, 5G
27W Fast Charging Support (4G version)
30W Fast Charging (5G version)
4500mAh battery
MIUI 11 based on Android 10
The Redmi K30 does have an interesting design as we got a punch-hole display on the front similar to the Samsung Galaxy S10+ and then there’s the odd design at the back. The smartphone might not be powered by the Snapdragon 865 processor inside but this smartphone will do just fine. The Redmi K30 comes in these variants and prices.
Looks like we’re looking at the future now. OPPO has just unveiled their newest innovations at Shenzhen, China including the OPPO AR Glass that is aimed to compete against the Microsoft Hololens.
We might not see this product out in the market anytime soon but it’s really nice to see that OPPO has been innovating on this segment too aside from the smartphones.
In the stage demo, it was clearly seen that the OPPO AR Glass work similarly to the Hololens with its diffractive waveguide technology and also a fisheye camera. According to OPPO, they’re working on the content, services, and games for the headset.
Right now, the details are still scarce but it’s nice to see that OPPO is expanding into other devices aside from the smartphones.
Unbox Therapy, the most popular tech channel on youtube, is under fire for a lot of issues from both past and current events. The internet, especially on Youtube and Twitter, have been very vocal with the acts committed by Lew and his team. Some YouTubers are even making videos to expose the “dirty tricks” behind Unbox Therapy.
We happened to stumble upon a suggested video of Memology 101 where he lists Unbox Therapy’s crimes against the internet, especially to his audience. His video contained clips from other YouTubers as well as his own insights and findings regarding the issue. Here’s a summary of what was discussed in the fifteen-minute long exposé.
#1 Fake Truckload of iPhone Giveaway
Longtime fans of Unbox Therapy might have stumbled upon the mega iPhone giveaway by the channel. Allegedly, it turns out that Lew didn’t fulfill his promise and only sent out less than 20 iPhones versus the truckload of iPhone boxes seen on his giveaway video.
To be fair, Lew and Unbox Therapy didn’t specify the exact numbers of the iPhone to be given away. There’s a Reddit thread dated 2016 where people concluded that it’s just false advertising and misrepresentation. Or perhaps the audience just expected too much from UT? What is indeed puzzling about this is the video was taken down and can now be found as re-uploads from other channels. There’s even a parody video of JerryRigEverything regarding this fiasco.
#2 Issuing a DMCA Takedown Against Pitaka
Unbox Therapy Scam DMCA Takedown Pitaka Case 1
Unbox Therapy Scam DMCA Takedown Pitaka Case 2 scaled
Pitaka is a small phone case company compared to Unbox Therapy’s popularity and income. Pitaka’s presence in the market was undoubtedly boosted by Unbox Therapy’s unboxing video of the Pitaka case as the video gained over 4.4 million views. Days before the Later case release, the Pitaka unboxing video was removed. But that’s not all, Pitaka CEO, James Zheng, posted a screenshot of a copyright takedown claim. The screenshot evidently shows the claimant is Unbox Therapy.
#3 Ripping-Off Pitaka’s Case and Selling it as the “Latercase”
The copyright “abuse” and Pitaka video takedowns have led to one thing – the Later Case reveal. Most people could already tell that the Latercase is identical to the original Pitaka case. Videos comparing the two products are already showing up on YouTube, and Zheng keeps on retweeting each one of them. Zhengs’ tweet eventually assembled Unbox Therapy’s white knights who made the issue eventually explode. The internet is calling it as UT’s plagiarism and downfall.
taken from @PitakaGallery
The general consensus regarding this Pitaka rip-off is that Pitaka clearly didn’t design, manufacture, and produced the case all by themselves. There are already “OEMs” appearing on Taobao, Aliexpress, and Alibaba – which Zheng acknowledged in one of his tweets. What made Zheng so angry is the actions done by Lew that led to the release of the alleged “knock-off.”
Below is the Pitaka’s official statement regarding the knock-off.
Unbox Therapy has been replying to some users regarding the issue, but they are not answering point-black questions as to why they “copied/plagiarized” Pitaka’s product. They also released a 45-min explainer video under the LaterClips channel. As to why they released it on the smaller channel rather than the main Unbox Therapy channel? One could only assume.
The issue of knock-offs is pervasive in the industry. To be clear, Lew and Unbox Therapy didn’t break any patents as Pitaka doesn’t have any rights to the case materials and design. Some fans are utterly disappointed with the way Lew and his team launched the products. The design similarity is the tip of the iceberg to which some people can ignore. What most people can agree on is the “alleged” mischevious acts by Lew and how they severy damaged Pitaka with the takedown and deletion of videos.
XTREME is one of the newest brands in the industry that aims to provide premium quality at an affordable price and recently, the brand has signed a deal with the box-office actress Bea Alonzo to endorse the brand.
“I am really excited to be XTREME’s new ambassador. Home has always been my sanctuary, and now that I have XTREME appliances to come home to, I will always have something to look forward to at the end of the day,” Alonzo shared.
XTREME has been working hard to produce premium quality products. They are offering appliances ranging from refrigerators, washing machines, oven, air conditioners, and Smart TVs. One of my favorites is actually their Android TVs including their 65-inch Android TV with 4K resolution and it comes with Play Store in where you can download applications and it will also come with Netflix and YouTube.
XTREME is under Suntouch Technology Corporation and it aims to be the one-stop-shop for all your appliance needs. There are also over 150 accredited service centers nationwide. You can check out Xtreme at https://www.facebook.com/XTREMEPhilippines/ and at https://www.xtreme.com.ph/
The OPPO Reno2 is just around the corner but it looks like we’ll be seeing the OPPO Reno 3 series very soon as Brian Shen, Vice President and President of Global Marketing of OPPO, has teased the upcoming OPPO Reno3 Pro 5G which will be out in the market soon.
OPPO has also officially unveiled some of the key specifications of the OPPO Reno3 Pro 5G including the processor. The smartphone will run on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G processor and the smartphone will be very thin and light at 3.3mm at 171g. The OPPO Reno3 Pro 5G is expected to be the thinnest 5G smartphones around.
The smartphone is also expected to have a beautiful gradient color that changes depending on the reflections and the light and there’s a punch-hole selfie camera on the smartphone too. The smartphone is also expected to rock a quad-camera lens however, the smartphone’s cameras weren’t detailed yet but it will pack an ultra steady camera that will feature an amazing stabilization.
OnePlus 7 is one of the best affordable flagship smartphones around in the market today thanks to its affordable price and also powerful hardware inside. Actually, OnePlus 7 series comes in two variants – OnePlus 7 and the OnePlus 7 Pro but today, we’re gonna focus on the more affordable brother – the OnePlus 7.
OnePlus 7 Review: Design and hardware
Don’t get fooled by its name. Despite the lack of the “Pro” branding on the OnePlus 7, this smartphone still got the looks and also the power inside but first, let’s focus on the design of the smartphone. Well, this one is a flagship and this one still comes with a solid glass build that I’m sure a lot of people will love.
The curved back and its contours fit perfectly in my hand and I love holding the smartphone despite not using the case on this one and actually, the smartphone doesn’t really feel slippery despite having a glass build. The design of the smartphone is simple but it does feel and look like a beautiful premium flagship smartphone.
At the back is where you can find the rear camera and yes, it’s protruding however, it’s not really annoying. Don’t worry because you would probably use the included case on OnePlus 7.
The smartphone does have some features that most Android smartphones don’t have and it’s the slider that can be found at the top of the power button. Basically, this one works similarly to the slider of the iPhone in where you can easily switch from ring to vibrate then to silent. A small feature but a really helpful one when it comes to Android.
Oh and if you’re wondering about the in-display fingerprint scanner of the phone, well, it does look cleaner now since we got an in-display fingerprint scanner on the smartphone which is really fast and the face unlock? Man oh man, it was really fast and it will directly take you to the home screen once you open it.
On the other side is where you can find the volume rocker and also the card tray is where the smartphone houses the sim card tray but unfortunately, there’s no microSD card slot in here. Below the smartphone is where you can find the USB-C port and unfortunately, even the OnePlus 7 loses the 3.5mm jack and you have to rely on the dongle for the 3.5mm headphones that you still probably use on your smartphone.
OnePlus 7 Review: Display
One of the highlights of the OnePlus 7 Pro is the usage of the 90Hz display but unfortunately, the OnePlus 7 won’t be getting that however, the AMOLED display of the OnePlus 7 is still pretty awesome. We got here a 6.28-inch display with a notch at the top and then there’s the Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection.
The display quality is pretty good and it’s pretty responsive and the bezels? They’re not so thick and there’s just a tiny chin below the smartphone. Thanks to the AMOLED panel, the colors are really vivid and nice and the blacks are really good on this one.
OnePlus 7 Review: Battery life
The OnePlus 7 packs a 3700mAh battery and you might think that it’s a little bit lacking for some people, well, in our review of the smartphone, we got a score of 9 hours and 58 minutes on PC Mark which isn’t the lowest but not also the highest one that we got.
The real-life usage of the smartphone will be just fine. I’m using the smartphone from 10 AM and it will last me until 8 PM most of the time at average to heavy usage.
OnePlus 7 Review: Software
The Oxygen OS of the smartphone is one of the best features of the smartphone. Why? It’s simple. The Oxygen OS is fast and it’s very responsive. Actually, this is the best UI on Android as it combines the speed that we can get on the Vanilla android and this one is also user-friendly.
There are only a few software that comes with the smartphone and I’m pretty good with all of them. But again, the speed of the UI of the smartphone is hard to match especially if you’re pitting it against heavily customized-UI of other smartphone brands.
OnePlus 7 Review: Performance
OnePlus 7 might not have the pro branding but this one got a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 processor inside along with the 8GB RAM and also the 256GB internal storage which is more than enough for most mobile gamers.
The numbers? It doesn’t disappoint. The benchmark scores that we got on the smartphone is really smashing and I love playing games on the smartphone as this one is still cool even at heavy load. Check out the benchmark scores that I got using the smartphone.
Screenshot 20190907 151835
Screenshot 20190907 160933
Screenshot 20190907 164354
If you’re playing casual games on the smartphone, I’m pretty sure that you won’t have a problem with the OnePlus 7. We also tried playing games on the smartphone like PUBG Mobile at HDR settings and EXTREME framerates along with NBA 2k20 at the highest settings and my oh my, the smartphone ran those games pretty well and without problems. Oh, and there’s the Fnatic mode which disables the notifications and also the second sim card so that you can focus on your gaming. The smartphone was also able to run Talion without problems and I have pretty good results on this one. Check em’ out below:
There are two cameras at the back o the smartphone and it’s a 48MP Sony IMX 586 f/1.7 main camera along with a 5-megapixel depth sensor. If you’re the type of person who loves taking photos then I suggest that you get the OnePlus 7 Pro instead.
OnePlus 7 Sample Photos 6
OnePlus 7 Sample Photos 1
OnePlus 7 Sample Photos 2
OnePlus 7 Sample Photos 3
OnePlus 7 Sample Photos 4
OnePlus 7 Sample Photos 5
Despite the lack of the wide-angle or telephoto lens on the OnePlus 7, this smartphone can still take pretty good shots and I’m pretty happy about it. The shots are detailed and the dynamic range was pretty good however, I do miss the wide-angle lens on this one.
OnePlus 7 Review: Verdict
OnePlus 7 is a really good flagship smartphone. Yes, it may have some features that you might miss like the full-screen display, the 90Hz refresh rate, and the triple-lens camera but don’t worry because you’ll still get a powerful Snapdragon 855 processor on this one which is pretty powerful. The camera? It might not have a telephoto or an ultra wide-angle lens but this one still performs well.
The OnePlus 7 is now available for only Php26,990 and it’s available at Digital Walker in the Philippines. I’m telling you, that the price is really great for the features and specs that you can get on this smartphone.
Everyone is excited for the launch of the Lazada 12.12 as we can get a lot of promos and sales in where we can get amazing discounts and promos but Realme has surprised us with their announcement of the launch of the Realme Buds 2 and the Realme Buds wireless.
Both devices will compliment the Realme smartphones and of course, the it will let you experience the best audio experience at an affordable price.
The realme Buds 2 offers 11.2mm bass audio drivers that has an upgraded 160 percent bass power and then there’s the synthetic fiber with magnetic earbuds and anti-tangle cables to provide a tougher and better build quality.
There’s the realme Buds Wireless too that offers amazing wireless audio experience with the realme smartphone. This one offers a Bluetooth 5.0 connection for better and long-range signal, a long battery life with 12-hour playback time on a single charge and of course, there’s the affordable price tag on this one.
The Realme Buds 2 and Realme Buds wireless will initially be available at Lazada on the 12.12 sale for Php690 and Php1,990 respectively.
Huawei has finally revealed their newest smartphones and these are the Huawei Nova 6, Nova 6 5G, and the Nova 6 SE. These new smartphones from Huawei all pack a punch-hole display with the Huawei Nova 6 and Nova 6 5G rocking a 32MP+8MP ultra-wide selfie camera.
Huawei Nova 6
The Huawei Nova 6 and Nova 6 5G are basically the same except for the Balong 5000 5GB modem on the Huawei Nova 6 5G. Both smartphones run on Kirin 990 chipset with an 8GB RAM on the 128GB and 256GB variants.
Both smartphones will also pack a large 6.57-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display and also a 40MP main camera, 8MP telephoto, and 8MP ultrawide rear cameras. The smartphone will also run on Android 10 with EMUI 10 on top of it. The Huawei Nova 6 comes with a 4100mAh battery while the Nova 6 5G comes with a larger 4200mAh battery. Both smartphones support 40W Huawei SuperCharge.
Huawei Nova 6 SE
This is the more affordable offering as this one packs a different design from the Huawei Nova 6 and Nova 6 5G. This smartphone still features a punch-hole camera on the front with its 16MP selfie camera and then there’s the side-mounted fingerprint scanner too. The smartphone also packs a quad-camera setup with 48MP main camera + 8MP ultrawide camera + 2MP depth sensor and 2MP macro camera.
The smartphone comes with 4200mAh battery and it also supports 40W Huawei SuperCharge. The Nova 6 SE will also come with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage along with Kirin 810 processor.
Here are the prices for the different variants of the Huawei Nova 6 series:
Huawei Nova 6 SE 8GB/128GB – CNY 2199 (Php15,844~)
Huawei Nova 6 8GB/128GB – CNY 3199 (Php23,049~)
Huawei Nova 6 5G 8GB/128GB – CNY 3799 (Php27,372~)
Vivo has just announced a price drop for one of their mid-range smartphones and it’s the Vivo Y17. The smartphone features a triple-lens rear camera and the smartphone also comes with a large 5000mAh battery that everybody will love as the smartphone can last a whole day and of course, there’s the fast charging technology inside too.
Vivo Y17 Specs
Helio P35 Octa-Core Processor
6.35-inch HD+ Halo FullView LCD, 19:3:9
4GB RAM
128GB Internal Storage
13MP Main Camera + 8MP Super Ultra-wide + 2MP Depth Sensor
Dual Sim, LTE
WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, A-GPS
Fingerprint Scanner
FunTouch OS 9 based on Android 9 Pie
18W Dual-engine Fast Charging
5000mAh Battery
Mineral Blue & Mystic Purple
The price of the smartphone is originally at Php10,999 but you can now get the smartphone at an affordable price of Php9,999 which is perfect for Christmas.
Here is a piece of not so surprising news for everyone — the Samsung Galaxy Fold is sold out after pre-order in the Philippines at telecom partners including Smart. Why is the news not surprising? Well, it’s a folding smartphone and despite the expensive price tag of the smartphone, some Filipinos can still afford the smartphone.
“We’re overwhelmed by the support of our loyal customers for wanting to unfold the future with the Galaxy Fold. They will be among the exclusive few who can get their hands on the biggest breakthrough device that began a new era in mobile technology,” says Jerry Mañus, BusinessUnit Head of IT and Mobile, Samsung Philippines.
The pre-order of the Samsung Galaxy Fold started last December 1 and it’s already sold out in just a day. Aside from the cool folding display of the smartphone, the Samsung Galaxy Fold comes with a Galaxy Buds and also an aramid fibre cover. The smartphone will also come with access to Galaxy Fold Premier service that includes Samsung Concierge and Samsung Care+.
Samsung Galaxy Fold Specs
7nm 64-bit Octa-Core Processor
12GB RAM LPDDR4x
Main display: 7.3-inch QXGA+ Dynamic AMOLED (4.2:3)
Cover Display: 4.6-inch HD+ Super AMOLED (21:9)
Cover camera: 10MP selfie camera, f2.2
Rear Triple Camera:
16MP Ultra Wide Angle Camera, f2.2
12MP Wide-angle camera , Dual Pixel AF, OIS, f1.5/f2.4
