Red Alert 2 is one of my favorite RTS game on the PC. It was a phenomenal game and I’m pretty sure that most kids who are born before the mid 90s are familiar with this game. Until now, there are still a lot of people who play this game. For those who aren’t familiar with Red Alert 2, this is a real-time strategy and there are different playable countries that are either Soviets or Allies. Right now, Red Alert 2: Yuri’s Revenge is available for free via Origin’s On the House promo. It’s a promo in where a featured game in Origin is available for free for a limited time. If you want to get Red Alert 2: Yuri’s Revenge right now, register an account at Origin and download Red Alert 2: Yuri’s Revenge for free.
ASUS VivoPC Review
Every year, computers are getting smaller and smaller and mini PCs are introduced to cater people who are looking for a full Windows experience on a smaller and compact device. And today, we’re gonna review one of those mini PCs and it’s the ASUS VivoPC
Design and Hardware
First things first, there are a lot of variants of the ASUS VivoPC but the one that I got packs an i3 processor. This is actually not the best one when it comes to processing power but it can get the job done but we’ll talk about that later.
When I said small, that doesn’t mean that the PC already fits in your pocket. No. But hey, the ASUS VivoPC is small compared to a normal size PC. This is a really good thing but it also comes with a caveat because you cannot replace or upgrade some of the parts such as the GPU and processor however you can upgrade the RAM and its storage. And no, it’s not just that because you can either upgrade your storage with a single 3.5-inch or a dual 2.5-inch hard disk or SSD which is really good especially that you’ll probably store a lot of media files in this PC because of its form factor.
Form factor? This kind of PC is best for home entertainment and when we talk about home entertainment, you’ll probably store a lot of movies and media files on this one. But of course, since this is a Windows device, you could also install some games and apps that you would probably play on your living room. Well, in my case, I was using the ASUS Vivo PC not only for watching movies and media files but also for playing some games. The ASUS Vivo PC is a really good companion not only in your office and school but also in the living room.
One of the things that separates the ASUS VivoPC from other Mini PCs is it comes with a speaker on the unit itself and it has a wireless keyboard and mouse out of the box. That’s why when you buy an ASUS VivoPC, the only thing that you need is a monitor. And if you want a minimalistic space, you can mount the ASUS VivoPC at the back of the monitor with the included VESA mount.
At the back of the ASUS VivoPC you’ll see a lot of ports for your needs. Just like our good ol’ PC, the ASUS Vivo PC packs a lot of damn ports. Yes folks, the ASUS VivoPC has 4 USB 3.0, 2 USB 2.0, mic jack, headphone jack, S/PDIF, Display port, HDMI, LAN, Kensington Lock and a 4-in-1 card reader. Actually, the VivoPC got all the things that you want. This one got Wi-Fi too if you want to connect to your devices. That’s why you won’t have problems with it comes to connectivity in this device. At the top, you can see the concentric circle design which iconic to ASUS in their devices. And at the front, you’ll see its minimalistic design and it lights up whenever you turn it on.
Software and Experience
The ASUS VivoPC runs Windows 8.1 out of the box but don’t worry because an update to Windows is available on this one however I tend to review it on Windows 8.1 because the VivoPC comes out of the box with Windows 8.1. But of course you could upgrade to Windows 10 and download its drivers on ASUS website.
There are different variants of the ASUS VivoPC but the one that I got is the i3 variant. The ASUS VivoPC processor comes in Celeron, Core i3, or Core i7. There’s a 4GB of RAM too which is enough for light to medium tasks, games, and apps. Actually, the performance of the ASUS VivoPC reminds me of the ASUS Transformer Book Flip that I’ve reviewed before.
Runnng applications such as Microsoft Office is a breeze. Opening a lot of excel files, documents and powerpoints won’t be a problem too. It’s swift, fast and it can handle multi-tasking without a problem. However, if you want to play games on this one especially on the Celeron and Core i3 variant, you’ll have to be considerate and patient with it because the processing power and its graphics card isn’t really dedicated for gaming.
The ASUS VivoPC is really made for office use and light-medium tasks. And if you’re looking for a PC with a gaming prowess in mind, this one shouldn’t be your first option. However, If you’re into using a PC mainly for office use and school works then this one wouldn’t be a problem. Actually, I was using this computer for Microsoft MySQL and Visual studio and it was fun to use.
Aside from using the VivoPC for programming and office use, I mainly use this PC for watching movies and playing music while it is connected to my TV. It is really a great living room companion thanks to its dual bay in where you could add another storage for your movie files or whatever videos do you have on your Vivo PC.
Verdict
The ASUS Vivo PC is certainly not the best in the performance department but it does have some features that you might love including its lightweight and small design and it already comes with a mouse and keyboard out of the box. So yeah, all you need is a monitor for this one.
Despite not having the best hardware, I still love using this mini PC because of its portability, design and features. For a mini PC, the ASUS Vivo PC is a good one. The ASUS VivoPC comes in different variants depending on your processing power needs, you may get it in Celeron, Core i3, i5, or i7.
You may now pre-register for the iPhone 6s at Smart
Are you excited for the new iPhones? Well guys, they’re coming in the country on November and actually, you can now pre-register for the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus on Smart. The iPhone 6s and 6s Plus were unveiled earlier this year and it features a lot of new additional under-the-hood features to the iPhones including better 12-Megapixel Rear Camera, front facing flash, Live photos, and their biggest update, 3D Touch.
If you’re planning on getting the new iPhones, well guys, Smart has opened their pre-registration page for the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus. Here’s another good news, the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus will be arriving this November 6! Yep, it’s arriving next week! If you want to pre-register, head over to http://smart.com.ph/Postpaid/iphone6s. If you want to know more about the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, visit http://www.apple.com/iphone.
Win awesome gadgets with Smart’s Share the Joy Gadget Giveaway!
Christmas is coming and we know that it’s the season of giving. Most of you would probably save up some money for a new gadget or if you have some kids, they might be asking for a new smartphone this Christmas. Well guys, there’s a new promo from Smart in where you can get a chance to win a Samsung Galaxy Note 5 or even an iPhone 6s. Yep, you read that right guys, they’re giving away smartphones to both prepaid and postpaid subscribers!
It’s easy to join if you’re interested (Well, who isn’t interested with free gadgets?). For Smart prepaid subscribers, all you need to do is to subscribe to Smart prepaid promos like UCT50, Mega 250, and BigBytes 50 and then wait for the confirmation text then send SHAREJOY to 238 to get the first letter J. You need to keep on subscribing to get the letters O and Y and once you completed the word JOY, you’ll now be able to join the promo in where you can win a phone or a load. For postpaid subscribers, all you need to do is to play the digital prize generator at participating stores!
This is probably one of the biggest and awesome promo this year from Smart. If you’re interested on getting one, head over to Smart’s Share the Joy Gadget Giveaway page.
ASUS Zenpad S 8.0 Unboxing and Initial Review
A few weeks ago, ASUS has unveiled the the Zenpad series of Android tablets. These tablets are powered by the latest Intel Atom processors just like the ASUS Zenfone 2. The Zenpad that really got my attention was the ASUS Zenpad S 8.0. Why? because unlike the other ASUS Zenpads, this one packs a powerful Z3580 Quad-Core Intel Atom processor which was also use by the ASUS Zenfone 2 and it is the first 8-inch Android tablet to sport 4GB of RAM. The design and build is much more premium too (You know me, I like premium build tablets and smartphones). Thanks to its powerful hardware, this tablet is really made for media consumption and gaming. Wanna know more about it? Check out my unboxing and initial review at the top
Zuk Z1 will be available soon in the Philippines
Another new smartphone will be arriving in the country and it’s from Zuk, a Lenovo-backed startup company. They’ll be bringing the Zuk Z1 to our country which is their first product and yes, this smartphone packs a flagship specification and not only that, it will also have a big battery life and some cool features.
Zuk Z1 Specs
- 5.5-inch Full HD IPS display
- Quad-core Snapdragon 801 quad-core processor
- 3GB RAM
- 64GB internal storage
- 13MP rear camera with f/2.2 aperture with dual-tone LED flash and OIS
- 8MP front camera
- Dual-SIM (nano)
- 4G LTE
- USB Type-C
- 4100mAh battery
- U-Touch fingerprint reader
- Cyanogen OS 12.1
And you know what’s really interesting with the Zuk Z1? Well, this smartphone will only be priced at P15,299. It’s a really good smartphone for its price.
ASUS launches their latest ROG gaming notebooks
ASUS doesn’t stop with their latest AiO and Zenbooks. They’ve also launched their latest ROG gaming laptops that now runs on the latest 6th generation Intel Core processors with new chassis and upgraded hardware. These ROG laptops comes in different sizes and different hardware to make it sure that every gamers can get the best ASUS ROG laptop that they want.
If you’re familiar with the ASUS ROG line of notebooks before, the ASUS G501 is the gaming laptop for the people who are always on the go. Why? Because it has an ultraportable design, which is great for gaming, wherever you are.
And recently, they’ve refreshed the laptop and included the latest 6th generation Intel Core i7 processor along with Nvidia GeForce GTX 960M GPU inside. Despite having a thin and light design, this is still a great gaming laptop thanks to its ASUS-exclusive hyper cool tech with dual independent fans, delivering smooth and stable performance. Oh and you know what? This laptop now packs a 15.6-inch display with QHD resolution.
If you’re aiming on getting an ASUS ROG laptop but you want the most affordable one then you might want to get the ASUS ROG GL552. Despite having a more affordable price compared to its brothers, the ASUS ROG GL552 still packs a high-performance processor with 6th generation Intel Core i7 processors and GeForce GTX 960M GPU.
Compared to the G501, this one has a thicker design but it sports some awesome features such as ASUS-exclusive GameFirst III network optimization, a highly-responsive, low-profile, red-backlit keyboard with specially-marked WASD keys, and an up to Full HD IPS display with wide viewing angles.
However, if you just won the lottery and you want to buy the most powerful laptop that ASUS ever had, then you should look your eyes into the ASUS ROG G752. Again, this laptop packs the most powerful hardware for mobile device. Hardcore gamers would definitely love this not only because this laptop looks like a tank but also because this laptop packs a hardware that can’t be matched by most gaming laptops because this one has a 6th generation Intel Core i7 Quad-core processors and the very powerful Nvidia GeForce GTX 980M GPU with up to 8GB of GDDR5 video memory.
There are also some features that gamers would love to have such as the Nvidia G-Sync technology and dedicated cooling modules for the CPU and GPU.
| GL552JX | |
| CPU | 4th Gen i7-4750HQ |
| GPU | GTX 950 4G DDR3 |
| Storage | 1TB |
| RAM | 4G+4G |
| Screen | 15″ FHD |
| ODD | [SATA] 8.9″mm 8X Super Multi with Double Layer |
| OS | Windows 10 (64bit) |
| WiFi | 802.11ac+Bluetooth 4.0 (Dual band) -Intel WIDI |
| USB Port | 1x USB 2.0 2x USB 3.0 1x Type C (gen 1) |
| Battery | 48WHrs, 4S1P, 4-cell Li-ion Battery Pack |
| SRP | Php59,995.00 |
| GL552VW | |
| CPU | 6th Gen i7-6700HQ |
| GPU | GTX 960 4G DDR5 |
| Storage | 1TB+128GSSD |
| RAM | 4G+4G |
| Screen | 15″ FHD |
| ODD | [SATA] 8.9″mm 8X Super Multi with Double Layer |
| OS | Windows 10 (64bit) |
| WiFi | 802.11ac+Bluetooth 4.0 (Dual band) -Intel WIDI |
| USB Port | 1x USB 2.0 2x USB 3.0 1x USB3.1 Type C (gen 1) |
| Battery | 48WHrs, 4S1P, 4-cell Li-ion Battery Pack |
| SRP | Php69,995.00 |
| G501JW | |
| CPU | 4th Gen i7-4750HQ |
| GPU | GTX 960M 4G DDR5 |
| Storage | 1TB+128GSSD |
| RAM | 4G+4G |
| Screen | 15″ 4K2K |
| ODD | [SATA] 8.9″mm 8X Super Multi with Double Layer |
| OS | Windows 10 (64bit) |
| WiFi | 802.11bgn+Bluetooth 4.0 (Single band) |
| USB Port | 3x USB 3.0 |
| Battery | 60WHrs, 4S1P, 4-cell Li-ion Polymer Battery Pack |
| SRP | Php79,995.00 |
| G752VL | |
| CPU | 6th Gen i7-6700HQ |
| GPU | GTX 965 2G |
| Storage | 1TB |
| RAM | 8G |
| Screen | 17″FHD |
| ODD | [SATA] 8.9″mm 8X Super Multi with Double Layer |
| OS | Windows 10 (64bit) |
| WiFi | 802.11ac+Bluetooth 4.0 (Dual band) -Intel WIDI |
| USB Port | 4x USB 3.0 1x Type C (gen 1) |
| Battery | 66WHrs, 3S2P, 6-cell Li-ion Battery Pack |
| SRP | Php79,995.00 |
| G752VT | |
| CPU | 6th Gen i7-6700HQ |
| GPU | GTX970 3G |
| Storage | 1TB+128GSSD |
| RAM | 8G*2 |
| Screen | 17″FHD |
| ODD | [SATA] 8.9″mm 8X Super Multi with Double Layer |
| OS | Windows 10 (64bit) |
| WiFi | 802.11ac+Bluetooth 4.0 (Dual band) -Intel WIDI |
| USB Port | 4x USB 3.0 1x Type C (gen 1) |
| Battery | 66WHrs, 3S2P, 6-cell Li-ion Battery Pack |
| SRP | Php99,995.00 |
| G752VY | |
| CPU | 6th Gen i7-6700HQ |
| GPU | GTX 980M 4G DDR5 |
| Storage | 1TB+256GSSD |
| RAM | 24GB |
| Screen | 17″ FHD |
| ODD | [SATA] 8.9″mm 9X Super Multi with Double Layer |
| OS | Windows 10 (64bit) |
| WiFi | 802.11ac+Bluetooth 4.0 (Dual band) -Intel WIDI |
| USB Port | 4x USB 3.0 1x Type C (gen 1) |
| 4x USB 3.0 1x Type C (gen 1) |
|
| 4x USB 3.0 1x Type C (gen 1) |
|
| Battery | 88WHrs, 4S2P, 8 cell Li-ion Battery Pack |
| SRP | Php149,995 |
| CPU | 6th Gen i7-6820HQ | |
| GPU | GTX 980M 8G DDR5 | |
| Storage | 1TB+256GSSD | |
| RAM | 32GB | |
| Screen | 17″ FHD | |
| ODD | [SATA] 9.5″mm 6X Blu-Ray (Read) | |
| OS | Windows 10 (64bit) | |
| WiFi | 802.11ac+Bluetooth 4.0 (Dual band) -Intel WIDI | |
| USB Port | 4x USB 3.0 1x USB3.1 Type C (gen 1) |
|
| Battery | 88WHrs, 4S2P, 8 cell Li-ion Battery Pack | |
| SRP | Php179,995 |
ASUS Philippines launches laptops with 6th Generation Intel Core processors
Aside from the ASUS Zen AiO Pro that was launched in the country, barrages of laptops were introduced at the event. ASUS Philippines has introduced the line-up of notebooks that are powered by the latest 6th generation Intel Core processors that offers portable design and improved performance and you know the best part? These devices are now pre-installed with the latest Microsoft Windows 10.
If there’s a notebook series that can match up Apple’s Macbook line, it’s the Zenbook notebooks of ASUS. These laptops not only have an ultra powerful hardware but they also have a design that is really pleasing to the eyes.
The first one is the Zenbook Pro UX501. This laptop packs a design that is slim and compact, which is just at 20.6mm. Its surface is also made up of metal and the diamond-cut chamfers are really something that could really amaze you. The Zenbook Pro UX501 packs a 4K resolution on a 15.6-inch VisualMaster Multi-touch display with IPS technology. When it comes to processing power, the ASUS Zenbook Pro UX501 comes with the latest 6th generation Intel Core processor and GeForce GTX 960M which is really great for gaming. Storage? You don’t have to worry about getting bottleneck with that because this one also runs on the world’s fastest 256GB PCIe x4 SSD. Despite that, the Zenbook Pro UX501 offers a 6 hours of battery life.
However, if you want something smaller and more portable that is really great for office and school use then you might want to get your eyes on the ASUS Zenbook UX305LA. Actually, this is my favorite notebook from ASUS. This one is crafted with an all-aluminum design and it just measures 12.3mm thin. This notebook also packs a 13.3-inch display with Full HD resolution.
This is my favorite notebook because not only it packs the latest 6th generation Intel Core i5 processor and Nvidia GPU, but this one is also sports a silky-smooth ceramic alloy and metal finish.
There’s the ASUS X555UB too which has a cheaper price than the Zenbooks but still sports a spectacular hardware. Yep, there’s the latest 6th generation Intel Core i7 processor and Nvidia GPU inside which will make sure that your laptop runs really well on some heavy applications and games.
| UX501 | |
| CPU | i7-4750HQ |
| GPU | GTX 960M 4G DDR5 |
| Storage | 256G SSD |
| RAM | 12G |
| Screen | 15″ 4K2K |
| ODD | [SATA] 8.9″mm 8X Super Multi with Double Layer |
| OS | Windows 10 (64bit) |
| WiFi | 802.11bgn+Bluetooth 4.0 (Single band) |
| USB Port | 3x USB 3.0 |
| Battery | 60WHrs, 4S1P, 4-cell Li-ion Polymer Battery Pack |
| SRP | Php89,995.00 |
| UX305LA | |
| CPU | i5-5200 |
| GPU | GTX 960M 4G DDR5 |
| Storage | 512GB SSD |
| RAM | 8G |
| Screen | 13″FHD |
| ODD | N/A |
| OS | Windows 10 (64bit) |
| WiFi | 802.11ac+Bluetooth 4.0 (Dual band) -Intel WIDI |
| USB Port | 1x USB 2.0 2x USB 3.0 |
| Battery | 56WHrs, 3S2P, 6-cell Li-ion Polymer Battery Pack |
| SRP | Php 59,995.00 |
| X555UB | |
| CPU | i7-6500HQ |
| GPU | NV940 2G |
| Storage | 1TB |
| RAM | 4G |
| Screen | 15″ FHD |
| ODD | [SATA] 8.9″mm 8X Super Multi with Double Layer |
| OS | Windows 10 (64bit) |
| WiFi | 802.11bgn+Bluetooth 4.0 (Single band) |
| USB Port | 1x USB 2.0 2x USB 3.0 |
| Battery | 37WHrs, 2S1P, 2-cell Li-ion Polymer Battery Pack |
| SRP | Php 44,995.00 |
ASUS Zen AiO Pro launched in the Philippines
One of the hottest products of ASUS is the ASUS Zen AIO Pro and finally, it has arrived in the country. This All-in-one desktop is the company’s premium AIO PC that has combined to beauty of their Zen devices and powerful PC hardware. ASUS Zen AiO provides the best performance on an all-in-one device and the perfect beauty of ASUS.
If you’re already familiar with the design of the ASUS Zenfones, then you’ll be stunned with the elegant aluminum design of the Zen AiO Pro. But of course, this PC not only pack an amazing design but it also sports the latest and powerful hardware the industry.
Inside this PC is a 6th-generation Intel Core i7-6700T processor, GeForce GTX 960M GPU with up to 4GB of video memory, USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C Port, PCIe 3.0 x4 M.2 SSD storage, and 16GB of DDR4 RAM.
There’s a beautiful 23-inch display too with Full HD resolution. Not just that, the display is no normal display because this one has a Full HD 10-point multi-touch IPS display.
ASUS Zen AiO Pro Z240ICGT Specs
- 23.8-inch Full HD LED-Backlit 10 point multi-touch display
- Intel Core i7-6700T Processor
- Nvidia GeForce GTX 960M 4G DDR5 GPU
- 2.5” SATA HDD 1TB 5400RPM and M.2 SATA SSD 128GB
- 802.11bgn+Bluetooth 4.0 (Single band)
- 1 x USB3.1 (Type-C)
- 4 x USB3.0
- 1 x USB2.0
- 2 x HDMI-out
- 1 x Microphone
- 1 x Headphone
- 1 x 2-in-1 card reader
- 1x Power Input
- 1x LAN
- 1x Kensington lock slot
- 585(W) x 434(H) x 52~190(D) mm
- Windows 10 64-bit
This AiO is definitely one of the best in the market and since we’re getting a powerful hardware and a beautiful design, the ASUS Zen AiO is priced at Php 97,995.
Altec Lansing Launches the tough and extreme “Everything proof” Bluetooth speakers
I’m pretty sure that a lot of you know the Altec-Lansing brand when it comes to Audio products. They’re very popular back then and it was the audio product used by most famous bands and artists. And now, they’re back in the country and they’re back with a bang as they introduced their newest line of speakers that are made for outdoors and they’re ready for extreme environments.
These new products from Altec-Lansing brings unparalleled audio performance but also brings a tough and durable speaker with IP67 Waterproof/Dustproof/Shockproof rated. And yes, these speakers even float on water which is really great for extreme environments and Altec-Lansing called these speakers as everything proof because not only that they are waterproof but also because they are tough and doesn’t break easily.
Life Jacket
This is their badass speakers that is really really tough and can really withstand strong forces applied on this one. For example, if you accidentally dropped a hollow block on the speaker (which is an unlikely example), the speaker won’t break easily. It’s that tough. But of course, the speaker features a great audio and also an onboard microphone if you want to do a hands-free communication with your friends and loved ones.
Not only that, the speaker also features speaker phone with called ID, voice confirmation and commands, and even NFC compatibility if your phone supports it. The Altec-Lansing Life Jacket supports power bank capability too and it has a battery life of 16 hours. The Life Jacket has an SRP of P7,250
Mini H20
The Mini H20 is a cute and very portable wireless speakers that features an ultra compact design. But of course, despite having a small design, the speaker still manage to be rugged and have a 6 hour battery life. Just like the Life Jacket, the Mini H20 would have an onboard microphone for calls, and aux in. It means that the Mini H20 is a great portable speaker in where you can enjoy music wherever you want to go. The mini H20 comes in black, white, red, orange, and blue with an affordable price of P1,995
Mini Life Jacket
This is the smaller brother of the Life Jacket and it features a rugged compact design just like the other Altec-Lansing speakers introduced today, voice confirmation, onboard microphone and a 10 hours of battery life. It is priced at P4,850
Jacket H20
The Jacket H20 also features a compact design with a polygonal design that is really attractive. Again, this speaker is rugged and it can withstand water, dust, and sand which is really great for outdoor activities. It also features voice confirmation, onboard microphone, aux in port, and an 8 hours of battery life. The Jacket H2o is priced at P3,995.
The Orbit
Unlike other Altec-Lansing speakers, this one features a portable round design and it looks really great whether you’re travelling outdoors or you’re in a casual listening to music. It delivers an impressive performance at an affordable price. It has an onboard microphone, voice confirmation, aux in, and a 6 hours of battery life. It’s a really great speaker in every angle of your lifestyle. The Orbit is priced at an affordable price of P1,425.
All in all, the new Altec-Lansing speakers in the country are really affordable compared to its competitors. Not only that, these speakers are also “Everything Proof” which are great whenever and wherever you are.
All new Altec Lansing models will be available in selected branches of SM Appliance Centers, Astro Vision, Astro Plus, Anson’s, and other gadget retailers nationwide