Are you excited for one the best Android smartphones this year? Well, Smart has opened the pre-order to one of the most anticipated smartphones this year and it’s the Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge. IMO, these smartphones are one of the best when it comes to looks and with the added features, I’m pretty sure that most of you guys would love these smartphones.
The Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge both features an IP68 certification which gives a water and dust resistant and with its real pixel camera, you can now enjoy better photos and near DSLR-like quality images. The design of both smartphones look similar to their previous generation but this one looks and feels better too thanks to its curved back.
If you want to get a Galaxy S7 or S7 Edge, the Samsung Galaxy S7 is free at Surf Plus Plan 1999 under a 24-month contract while the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge is also available at Surf Plus Plan 1999 but with a one-time cash out of P4,800.
Not only that, if you happen to pre-order a Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7 Edge on March 4 to 13, 2016 then you’ll be getting a free Samsung Gear VR as long as you pre-order at the Smart Online Store (http://store.smart.com.ph/) or select Smart Stores at SM Megamall, Rockwell, SM North Edsa, SM Rosales, SM Mall of Asia, SM Cebu and SM Davao.
The Surf Plus Plan 1999 gives you an ample 9 GB of mobile data, 150 minutes of calls, and 200 texts to all networks, and free access to the app of your choice every month.
Those who pre-ordered their Samsung Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge at Smart will be able to get their units as early as March 14.
If you want to know more about Smart’s Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge Postpaid plans, head over here: http://smrt.ph/galaxy-s7
If you want to check out Smart Online Store and pre-order one, head over to this link: http://store.smart.com.ph/
Clash of Clans is definitely one of the most popular game on mobile and recently, the Helsinki-based mobile developer of the game, Supercell, has launched their newest game, Clash Royale.
It’s a card and strategy mobile game and it pits you to a duel with other players in a race to knock down each other’s castle. Most of the characters and elements in the game are based on Clash of Clans that’s why you will fell very familiar once you logged into the game.
And of course, Clash Royale is best played with friends and in case they need more mobile data to play Clash Royale then maybe they might want to use PasaData with Big Bytes Barkada 99 and Big Bytes Barkada 299. This comes with 700MB valid for 7 days and 2GB Data valid for 30 days respectively.
And of course, you could also use the mobile data for other apps too such as Facebook, Viber, Instagram, Iflix, Youtube, and Spinnr. To register to Big Bytes Barkada, simply text BBB99 or BBB299 to 9999, respectively, or dial *121# – the all-access portal for all Smart Prepaid promos. Once registered, you can easily make use of PasaData for your friends anytime and anywhere by simply texting SHARE<SPACE>No. of Recipient<SPACE> (Amount)MB to 808.
If you want to buy gems for the game so that you can have more advantage over other players then you might want to activate Smart’s Google Direct Carrier Billing in where you’ll use your load as your payment method for Google Play. On the other hand, if you are an iOS device user, you can activate Smart’s Pay-With-Mobile service by texting to REG to 4949.
I’ve been playing Clash Royale for a few days now and the game is really addicting. I think, this game is even better than Clash of Clans but you need a lot of patience for this game because the time-gap between opening chests is really long. But hey, at least, you can still play even while waiting for those chests to be unlocked.
Cherry Mobile has just announced their newest 6-inch phablet today that has been long seen in their previous price lists. This smartphone sports a 6-inch display, a powerful power, and a fingerprint sensor.
Cherry Mobile Flare Mate
6-inch full HD display
64-bit 1.2GHz MediaTek MT6753 octa-core processor
2GB of RAM
16GB of internal storage, expandable via microSD
16-megapixel BSI rear camera with flash
5-megapixel front camera
Dual SIM
LTE
WiFi
Bluetooth
Fingerprint scanner
4000mAh battery
Android 5.1 Lollipop
Unfortunately, the Cherry Mobile Flare Mate doesn’t have the price and the availability yet.
Last January, one of the firsts Zenfones for 2016 has been launched and it is the ASUS Zenfone Max. It’s a smartphone with a midrange specifications but packs a big-ass 5000mAh battery which is aimed at those people who wants to have a longer battery life on their smartphones. But of course, this smartphone doesn’t just have a good battery life but the smartphone also have a pretty good hardware. Check out my review to know more about it.
Hardware and Design
The first thing that might come into your mind when you know that the smartphone has a big 5000mAh battery is its body. You might expect that the smartphone has a very big and thick body but no, the ASUS Zenfone Max balances the weight, design, and the battery capacity of the smartphone. Yes, it is thicker and heavier than most smartphones but it isn’t really thick to the point that the smartphone is uncomfortable to hold.
Nexus 6P (L) & Zenfone Max (R)
The smartphone comes in two colors – Black and White but I got the white one. The white Zenfone Max features a ceramic white back cover while that doesn’t feel good as the one on the black Zenfone Max that has a faux leather back, I still think that the smartphone’s build is still pretty solid and good.
Inside the smartphone is a 16GB storage with a MicroSD card slot if you feel that the storage of your smartphone isn’t enough. The smartphone also supports dual Micro Sim and there’s LTE inside if you want to to use the smartphone as a hotspot. Actually, I really enjoy using the smartphone as a hotspot because of its long battery life and a pretty solid LTE connectivity with my Smart postpaid line.
One thing that this smartphone have that the others do not is that you can maximize its battery and use the ASUS Zenfone Max as a power bank for your devices. All you need is a USB OTG which comes with the box and connects it your device that needs to be charged to the Zenfone Max. It’s great for emergency purposes but the Zenfone Max doesn’t have fast charging and it will take some time before you can fully charge your device on the Zenfone Max.
Speaking of charging, the biggest strength of this device is its battery. With its 5000mAh battery, I was able to use the smartphone for 3 days of average use. That’s a combination of light gaming, few SMS, and light browsing on some apps. However, If you’re planning on using the smartphone for heavy usage, expect that the smartphone would last up to 2 day of use. Yes, AT LEAST 2 DAY OF USE. Yes, this smartphone is that good.
The audio quality of the smartphone is probably its worst feature. I really didn’t like it because the speakers aren’t really loud and sometimes I wouldn’t hear the notification sound of the smartphone. It’s really annoying to me.
Display
The ASUS Zenfone Max has a 5.5-inch HD display, the same size on those on its flagship brothers, the Zenfone 2, but this is a different one when it comes to the resolution, this one only has an HD resolution. It’s not as sharp as the one on Full HD displays but the colors and the display are still good. I was not actually surprised that they used HD on this one because this smartphone only uses Snapdragon 410 processor, a CPU that would take a toll on Full HD resolution.
When using outside, the display of the smartphone is still readable although you may still notice some reflections. The display of the device is great for gaming, watching movies and a lot more.
Software and Performance
It’s 2016 but this smartphone still uses the same UI of the Zenfone 2 but it is still continually updated. One thing that you might not like about it is that the phone is filled with bloatware and worse, some of them suddenly notify you which is annoying for some, including me. Nonetheless, the smartphone can run smoothly and without a hitch despite having only a Snapdragon 410 processor.
When it comes to gaming, the smartphone can run most games, however, don’t expect that the smartphone can run the latest heavy games smoothly including NBA 2k16, one of the most popular games on Android right now but hey, the game is still playable although you might experience some lags. Modern Combat 5 works too and it’s good.
Camera
One of the surprises that this smartphone has is its camera, there’s a 13-Megapixel camera with a laser auto-focus and it’s surprising that the smartphone has a pretty good performance when it comes to shooting images. I’ve used the smartphone many times and I didn’t expect that the images were good and isn’t washed out. Check out the photos that I took using the smartphone:
Verdict
ASUS Zenfone Max is one of my favorite Zenfones that I’ve tried. Yes, it might only have a Snapdragon 410 processor which isn’t as powerful as the Zenfone Selfie and the Zenfone 2 but it can still do its job and the camera of the smartphone is pretty great. The battery of the smartphone is something to really love too especially when you’re a gamer or you use your smartphone for hotspot.
I highly recommend this smartphone and it is now available for P8,495.
Huawei has recently launched their newest flagship smartphone, the Huawei Mate 8. It’s the latest smartphone from Huawei and it packs a very powerful hardware that is set to compete against the top smartphones from other brands.
One of the features that I like about the Huawei Mate 8 is its display. This smartphone got a 6-inch display with a very thin bezel. Actually, I really didn’t felt that the smartphone got a 6-inch display because again, the smartphone has thin bezels.
In the performance department, this smartphone is one of the best when it comes to performance thanks to its Kirin 950 processor and multitasking won’t be a problem because of its 4GB of RAM.
Huawei Mate 8 Specifications
6-inch IPS-NEO LCD FHD Display
2.3GHz HiSilicon Kirin 950 Quad-Core CPU with Mali-T880 MP4 GPU
64GB Internal storage
4GB RAM
16-Megapixel Rear Camera with Dual-LED Flash, PDAF and OIS
8-Megapixel Front Camera
Bluetooth
Wi-Fi
NFC
LTE
Dual-Sim
4000mAh Battery
Android 6.0 Marshmallow with Emotion UI 4
Huawei Mate 8 got a pretty good camera too. I’ve tried the Huawei Mate 8’s camera and I really say that the camera was really good. It has a 16-Megapixel Rear Camera and most of the shots that I took were good.
The Huawei Mate 8 is one of the best flagships around and it will be available on March 5 for P32,990.
Summer is near and you’re probably preparing for your next adventures in the mountains or on the beaches. I’m pretty sure that you guys are excited but of course, to have a more exciting and enjoyable outing experience, it is better to bring some gadgets like the Braven BRV-PRO, the world’s most rugged and versatile Bluetooth speaker and some accessories.
If you want to do more for your newly bought Braven BRV-PRO. Here are some accessories that you can mount on the speaker
Action Mount (PHP 750) – This accessory lets you mount GoPro and action cams for your adventures
Solar Panel (PHP 2450) – Maximize your Braven Speaker with the Solar Panel to charge your battery and keep connecting to your smartphone and play music
Stacking Plate (PHP 950) – if you have an extra Braven BRV-Pro speaker or your friend has one, then better maximize it with the Stacking Plate. This accessory lets you connect two BRV-PRO speakers to amplify sound.
Glow Deck (PHP 1450) – If you’re on camping or on an adventure then you better have an LED to light your path, tent, or campsite. To maximize Braven BRV-Pro, then you better get this one.
Battery Pack (P 2450) – IF you want to do more from the speaker then you better mount a battery pack on your Braven BRV-Pro speaker. Yes, there’s a battery pack for the speaker that adds 3800mAh of juice
Digits Trading has also announced that they’ll be offering products that protect you from radiation with the vest products. There’s the Anti-Radiation Wired Radiation Earphones in pink, blue, white, or black (Php 1,850.00) and the Anti-Radiation Bluetooth Earphones in black or white (Php 3,950).
They’re also offering Laptop Radiation Shield in Gray for PHP 3,450 that emits radiation from the antennas and the battery of your laptops. It reduces the radiation exposure by up to 92%. There are Anti-Radiation cases for the iPhone 6s and the iPhone 6s+ too which are priced at PHP 1850 and PHP 1950.
The most interesting products that were shown to us are the products from Fuse Chicken. They offer the most durable and flexible products for your iOS devices.
Bobine (PHP 1950) – it is the world’s most flexible iPhone dock and it also doubles as a dock for your iOS device. This is great for those people who always plug in their iPads or iPhones to their laptop and still want to use the smartphone.
Bobine Auto (PHP 2200) – This is just like the Bobine but this one works on your car which is probably best used for GPS navigation and hands-free calling.
Bobine Watch (PHP 1350) – If you don’t like your Apple Watch is placed just somewhere while charging then you better get this one. This accessory lets you charge your Apple watch and view on your nightstand, desk, or while driving with the included Dash Stabilizers.
Titan (PHP 1950) – This is one of my favorite accessories that I’ve seen there. One of the biggest problems that most iOS users experience is the tearing of charging cables. The included cables out of the box are terrible and with Titan, you won’t have to worry about that anymore because this one is tough. It’s an industrial-grade cable wrapped in two layers of flexible and high-strength steel. So yeah, you won’t have to worry about your cables for your iPhones and iPads anymore.
Titan Loop (PHP 1650) – This is the toughest key chain cable on earth. It’s like the Titan but this one is shorter and it also acts as a keychain.
Aside from the affordable tablet that we’ve unboxed before which is the Torque, there’s another one and it packs a 3G antenna for browsing and gaming needs and it’s the Torque Ego Phab 3G. So what’s the difference? Not much, but this one is running already on Android 5.0 and this one is faster than the non-3G version. Want to know more about it? Check out our unboxing and hands-on below
Torque has really some affordable tablets and in case you’re looking for one then you might want to look at the recent tablet that I unboxed, the Torque Ego Phab. This tablet doesn’t have that much when it comes to specifications but this tablet is really affordable and it is best for those people who are looking into a budget-conscious tablet that they can use for light tasks. Know more about the phone at the unboxing and hands-on of the smartphone below.
A brand new Zenfone has just been unveiled recently and it is really made for people who are into selfies and from the name itself, doing live videos or streaming. So why is this device made for live streaming? Well, because this smartphone comes with beautification features that can be also used in livestreaming on third party social networking sites via the BeautyLive app
ASUS Zenfone Live Specs
Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 Quad-Core Processor
5.0-inch HD IPS LCD Display
2GB RAM
16/32GB Storage expandable up to 256GB
13-megapixel rear camera
5-megapixel front camera
Dual Sim
LTE
WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, A-GPS
Android 6.0
2650mAh Battery
The ASUS Zenfone Live’s BeautyLive app will be able to stream on Facebook, Youtube, and many other streaming apps and of course, control your beautification level.
This is a nice move from ASUS since the live streaming apps such as Bigo & Chums are getting popular here in Asia. No word yet if the ASUS Zenfone Live will be available in the Philippines.
Windows Phone doesn’t get really the attention of the many due to its small market share and the limited availability of applications despite having some cool features including Continuum. I myself isn’t enticed of Windows Phone too but that changed when the HP Elite X3 was unveiled.
Yes, this smartphone still packs an ARM processor from Qualcomm which means that the smartphone cannot run the desktop applications that you mostly use on your smartphones but the HP Elite X3 comes with HP workspace lets you run apps from the cloud. So yeah, the smartphone is designed for business users.
But the most impressive feature of the HP Elite X3 is its availability of accessories. HP will be selling a desk dock which lets you connect your smartphone to an external display. This dock has 2 USB ports, 1 USB-C, Displayport, and an Ethernet port. The other one is the Mobile Extender that looks like a laptop but it is really just an accessory that has a keyboard, battery, display, and touchpad. The Mobile Extender lets you have a desktop experience using the power of your smartphone and yes, the mobile extender is connected to your smartphone wirelessly.
HP Elite X3 Specs
Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor
5.96-inch WQHD AMOLED display
4GB of RAM
64GB of internal storage, expandable via microSD
16-megapixel rear camera with LED flash
8-megapixel front camera
Dual SIM
LTE
WiFi
Bluetooth
GPS
Fingerprint scanner
USB Type-C
Windows 10
4,150mAh battery
Unfortunately, there are no announcements regarding the availability of the HP Elite X3 in the region.
