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ASUS Concept store in Bacolod is now open!

Jam Ancheta
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1
ASUS Concept store in Bacolod is now open!

If you are living in the city of smiles and if you’re looking for an ASUS device, well, today is your lucky day because ASUS has opened their 5th concept store at Bacolod. It is located at 2F of SM Cyberzone and it features different products from ASUS like Desktops, all-in-ones, tablets, & mobile devices. Some cool devices that I like in ASUS are the Zenfones, Multi-Color ASUS Transformer Book, and ASUS Transformer Book Flip and yes, you could also get to hands-on some of ASUS devices. If you’re in Bacolod, be sure to visit the latest ASUS Concept Store at the SM Cyberzone ;).

Nokia Lumia 830 now available for P18,990

Jam Ancheta
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0
Nokia Lumia 830 now available for P18,990

Nokia’s newest smartphone, Lumia 830 has finally arrived in the Philippines. The Nokia Lumia 830 is dubbed as the affordable flagship smartphone and it packs a premium design and a pureview camera which can be seen on the previous flagship smartphones like Lumia 930 and Lumia 1020. But unlike those smartphones, this one has a 10 Megapixel Pureview camera with OIS. Check out the full specifications of the smartphone below.

Nokia Lumia 830 Specifications
  • 5-inch ClearBlack IPS LCD HD Display
  • 1.2 GHz Quad-Core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor
  • 1GB RAM
  • 16GB Storage
  • 10MP Pureview camera with OIS
  • 1MP Front Camera
  • Bluetooth
  • Wi-Fi
  • LTE
  • Wireless charging
  • Windows Phone 8.1 with Lumia Denim
Despite being dubbed as the affordable flagship, the Nokia Lumia 830 is priced at P18,990. The Nokia Lumia 830 is now available today in bright orange, bright green, white and black.

iPad Air 2 and iPad Mini 3 now available at Widget City!

Jam Ancheta
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iPad Air 2 and iPad Mini 3 now available at Widget City!

One of the most awaited tablets this year are the iPads. The iPad Mini 3 is a little disappointing since the hardware was just retained from last year and TouchID was the only one that was upgraded but the iPad Air 2 was the spotlight this year. The all-new iPad Air 2 now features a better A8x processor which is one of the fastest in the world and it now packs a better camera. Both the iPad Air 2 and iPad Mini 3 are available at Widget City and they start at P24,990 and P19,990 respectively. If you want one, head over to their Facebook Page. 

Gionee opens its Concept store at SM Megamall

Jam Ancheta
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0
Gionee opens its Concept store at SM Megamall

If you’re looking for a Gionee smartphone and if you’re living near SM Megamall, well, today’s your lucky day because Gionee has opened their newest concept store at SM Megamall. The store already had its store opening a few weeks ago and this concept store is located at the Cyberzone SM Megamall Bldg. B. This is probably the best time to go there since Gionee is having their early Christmas promo. What are you waiting for? Visit the Gionee concept store at SM Megamall now!

LG G3 Review

Jam Ancheta
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4
LG G3 Review


LG G3 is one of the best smartphones available in the market right now. I’ve been using it for weeks and I was impressed with its camera and display.  The LG G3 has a 5.5” display with a Quad HD resolution. I know, that resolution is freaking insane for a smartphone. Another interesting feature LG introduce in the G3 is the laser auto focus in which you can focus much faster on an object when you’re using the camera.

Design & Construction

When I used the LG G2 before, I loved its curve back and its rear power button. The ergonomics of this smartphone is really great. I loved it and it changed me how I use my smartphone and now, the LG G3 has perfected it. Despite having a 5.5” display, the ergonomics was really great thanks to the curve back and the thin bezels of the phone. Actually, when you hold the phone, you won’t feel that it’s a smartphone with a 5.5 display.

Compared to the LG G2, the LG G3 doesn’t feel plasticky at all. There’s the removable back cover with brushed metal design and yes, the battery of the smartphone is now replaceable and there’s a MicroSD card slot now if you feel that the internal storage isn’t enough and if you don’t have a MicroSD card, you could just opt for a USB OTG since it is working on this device. Speaking of internal storage, the LG G3 comes in two variants – 2GB RAM/16GB & 3GB RAM/32GB. If you’re buying one, I strongly suggest that you get the latter to experience a better performance on games and applications.

There are 2 ways to wake the phone – by pressing the power button at the back or by using KnockCode or KnockOn but I always prefer pressing the power button, which is now easier to feel compared to the LG G2 thanks to the larger round button at the back. At the top of the smartphone, there’s IR blaster in where you could use your smartphone as a remote to your other appliances like your TVs.
I didn’t have any problems in the call reception on this phone and the LTE speed of this smartphone is pretty fast. LG is also proud with the speaker of the LG G3. The speaker of the smartphone is placed at the back and I find it annoying whenever I placed the phone on the bed because it blocks the speaker grill however, the LG G3’s speaker is impressively loud and clear.
Display

The LG G3 sports a 5.5” True HD-IPS+ display with a Quad HD resolution. Yep, that resolution is probably larger than your TV in your living room. As expected, the display is superb.  The display is very sharp and the colors were really great.  The outdoor visibility and its viewing angles are pretty awesome too. Another thing that I love in here is the thin bezels of the LG G3. All in all, the display of the LG G3 is currently the best that I’ve seen on a smartphone however, I think Quad HD resolution is already too big  for a smartphone.
Software and Performance


LG G3’s UI is much cleaner and it is much faster compared to the LG G2 but you could still customize a lot of it and there are still themes that are available in the LG Smartworld market. Just like other brands, LG followed the suit in bringing the flat design to their UI instead of the cartoonish design, which was present before. The new UI looks neat and there are a lot of eye candies.  One thing that I hate in this is that I experience stuttering whenever I’m navigating on the device.

LG also introduced some smart features on the LG G3 like the smart notification which suggests you some things that you might want to do like informing you that you should bring an umbrella if it will rain today and suggesting you to save a frequent contact.
The one that I reviewed was the 16GB/2GB RAM variant but despite having a smaller RAM, the LG G3 performed well.  All of the games that I’ve tried ran pretty well. Those games that I’ve tried are GTA:SA, Modern Combat 4, NBA 2k14, & Asphalt 8. At Antutu, I got a score of 33547.
Battery Life

The LG G3 got a 3000mAh of battery and it performed really well. The smartphone was able to last up to a day of average use and at heavy use; I was able to get 12 hours of battery life. That’s pretty great for me
Camera

The camera of the LG G3 is one of its best features. There’s a phase detection laser auto focus on this device, which helps the LG G3 focus on an object faster. I’ve tested it and yes, the LG G3 has the fastest auto focus camera on a smartphone. Not only that, there’s a Dual LED flash on this device and one of them is a maple which makes skin tones looks natural despite using a flash. But I wish the camera was 16 Megapixel.
The camera of the LG G3 is superb. The noise aren’t noticeable that much and most of the photos that I took were really great.  The LG G3 could record awesome videos too and thanks to OIS, the videos aren’t really shaky. Check out the shots that I took using the LG G3.


Verdict

Without a doubt, the LG G3 is one of the best smartphones that we could get in the market.  This smartphone is sexiest smartphone that I’ve tried. The thin bezels and the curvy back really helps the smartphone have a good ergonomics despite having a 5.5” display but the software of the LG G3 needs some little improvement. If you’re looking for the best smartphone in the market, you should include this smartphone in your list.

Cherry Mobile Me & Me Fun: Customize your own back cover!

Jam Ancheta
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1
Cherry Mobile Me & Me Fun: Customize your own back cover!

We love customizing our smartphones, right? How do we customize it? Well, we download launchers for our smartphone and download themes for it if you’re on Android. Android phones are a lot more customizable compared to other mobile operating systems. Cherry Mobile’s newest smartphones — Cherry Mobile Me and Me Fun are made for that. If you’ll buy a Cherry Mobile Me or Me Fun at SM Marikina on October 26, you can bring your own design or choose from one of Cherry Mobile’s design or just pick the JaDine cover to get a chance to meet and greet James Reid on October 27.

Cherry Mobile Me Specifications
  • 4-inch IPS display
  • 1.2GHz quad-core processor
  • 4GB internal storage expandable up to 32GB
  • 8-megapixel main camera with LED flash
  • VGA front camera
  • Wi-Fi
  • Dual SIM
  • HSPA+
  • Bluetooth
  • GPS
  • Android 4.3 Jellybean
  • P2,999
Cherry Mobile Me Fun Specifications
  • 4-inch touchscreen with OGS technology
  • 1.2GHz quad-core processor
  • 4GB internal storage expandable up to 64GB
  • 5-megapixel main camera with LED flash
  • VGA front camera
  • Wi-Fi
  • Dual SIM
  • HSPA+
  • Bluetooth
  • GPS
  • Android 4.4 KitKat

Sony Xperia Z3 family launched!

Jam Ancheta
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0
Sony Xperia Z3 family launched!

The all-new Sony Xperia Z3 has finally landed in the Philippines to directly compete with the flagships like the Samsung Galaxy S5, LG G3 and the iPhone 6. But Sony didn’t only launched one product but they’ve announced the Xperia Z3 line-up. Yep, that includes the Xperia Z3 compact and Xperia Z3 tablet.

Sony Xperia Z3

This is Sony’s newest flagship smartphone. It’s beautiful and it feels very premium thanks to its elegant design and metal sides. This flagship smartphone still boasts the tempered glass panels which was present in the previous Xperia flagships. One of the biggest upgrade that I saw in this device is the display. The 5.2″ Full HD Triluminos LED with X-Reality technology can now really compete with the displays of other flagship smartphones.

The Xperia Z3 is also super-slim at 7.3mm and if you own a PS4, you’ll be happy to know the Xperia Z3 is the only smartphone that can use PS4 remote play. Yep, you could play PS4 games on this device via streaming. This flagship smartphone will still have the highest waterproof and dustproof rating at IP65/68. The smartphone has a 20.7MP camera with 1/2.3 Exmor RS sensor and it is the world’s first smartphone to have an 12800 ISO sensitivity. I know, it’s freaking amazing. The Sony Xperia Z3 has an SRP of P36,990

Sony Xperia Z3 Compact

This is the mini-me version of the Xperia Z3. It has the same design but with smaller body. Unlike other mini version of flagship phones from other brand the Sony Xperia Z3 Compact has a similar specs to its bigger brother. This smartphone will still have the same Snapdragon 801 Processor and there’s a smaller 2GB RAM but unfortunately, this one doesn’t have a Full HD screen, instead, there’s a 720p resolution on its 4.6″ display.

I’m quite surprised that this device is still comfortable using one hand despite having a 4.6″ display. I’m pretty sure this device won’t have problems in gaming. Sony Xperia Z3 Compact has an SRP of P30,990

Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact



This is the slimmest and lightest waterproof tablet right now. The Sony Xperia Z3 tablet Compact have a similar specifications of the Sony Xperia Z3 but this one got a bigger 8″ display with 1920 x 1200 resolution. One thing that I like in here is that you could do remote play on the PS4 just like the Sony Xperia Z3.

Sony Smartwear

These are the devices that caught my eye at the event were Sony’s wearables. The first one is the Smartband Talk. It has a 1.4″ e-paper display and it records your activities with Lifelog and it also updates you with notifications. There’s a built-in microphone and speaker too so you could talk and hear your caller. It’s waterproof too and it is available in black and other colors will be available later in the year. It will be available this November with an SRP of P8,990.

Sony SmartWatch 3 is their latest generation “smartwatch”. This time, it will be powered by Android Wear. Sony Smartwatch 3 has a 1.6″ 320×320 display and it has an accelerometer, compass, Gyro and GPS to provide you with a more accurate lifelogging. Just like the other Xperia devices, this will be waterproof too. Sony Smartwatch will be available in Classic black and white with extra color straps avaialble in red & blue, and pink & white. Sony Smartwatch 3 will be available this November for P11,990

Globe DUO International now available for only $1

Jam Ancheta
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0
Globe DUO International now available for only $1

Do you have any relatives outside the country? Well, here’s a good news for you guys because Globe is now offering us a new affordable calling service DUO international, which is now at $1 per month from $25. Yep, it is now cheaper to get connected with your loved ones abroad.

For the whole month of October, those subscribers who are using Duo International can save more if they call their loved ones here in the Philippines. This service will let you have a landline number in the chosen Duo International country which means that calling you with your international number would be much cheaper if they’re calling you from outside the country.

Subscriptions can be done at duointernational.globe.com.ph. For those people who are in the US, Canada, Japan, Spain and UK, they can also purchase a DUO prepaid card at participating Filipino stores in those countries. For other Globe and TM subscribers, they could register via SMS by texting DUO (country code) 45 to 8888. Yep, it’s easy as that.

Samsung Galaxy Alpha: This is the sexiest Galaxy smartphone

Jam Ancheta
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0
Samsung Galaxy Alpha: This is the sexiest Galaxy smartphone

Samsung has released their sexiest smartphone ever, Samsung Galaxy Alpha. This smartphone may not pack the best hardware but it is definitely one of the sexiest and it can directly compete with the iPhone when it comes to design. It features a metal and compact design and I tested it at SM Aura and I was amazed with its design. Just like the Samsung Galaxy S5, Samsung Galaxy Alpha has a fingerprint sensor but this one uses an Octa-Core processor instead of a Snapdragon processor.

Samsung Galaxy Alpha Specifications

  • Octa-Core Processor (Quad 1.8GHz + Quad 1.3GHz)
  • 4.7″ HD Super AMOLED Display (1280×720)
  • 2GB RAM
  • 32GB Internal storage
  • 12 Megapixel Rear Camera w/ LED Flash
  • 2 Megapixel Front Camera
  • Wi-Fi
  • Bluetooth
  • NFC
  • 1860mAh battery
  • Android 4.4 Kitkat
This smartphone isn’t the best but it is most beautiful Android smartphone that I’ve seen. The battery might be small but don’t worry, the display isn’t Full HD and I’m pretty sure that the battery won’t suck that much. The Samsung Galaxy Alpha is now available in Charcoal Black, Dazzling White, Frosted Gold and Sleek Silver for P29,990.

Cherry Mobile Alpha Luxe Review

Jam Ancheta
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19
Cherry Mobile Alpha Luxe Review

Cherry Mobile had unveiled their first smartphones powered by Windows Phone 8.1 and I was one of the lucky people who were able to get the Cherry Mobile Luxe. The Alpha Luxe is a mid-range Windows Phone and is currently one of the most affordable Windows Phone in the market at P5,000. It’s powered by a 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 Quad-Core Processor and 1GB of RAM which is already enough for smooth transitions and fast navigations on the phone.

Design and Construction



The Cherry Mobile Alpha Luxe is purely made up of plastic but it looks elegant to me. This smartphone reminds me of the Cherry Mobile Omega Icon when it comes to specifications and design minus the faux-leather back. The front of the device has a clean look along with the 3 capacitive buttons of Windows but I notice the Windows logo on this one is smaller but it isn’t really a biggie issue for me. The ergonomics of Cherry Mobile Alpha Luxe is pretty good and again, it looks nice to me. The back is made of glossy plastic with a some kind of circular tile pattern and I notice it can easily attract fingerprint smudges. Since I was very careless with my phone, I already got a lot of scratches at the back (hehe!).  


Inside the device is a dual mini sim card slot and a MicroSD card slot and of course, there’s the 2000mAh of battery. So if you’re using a micro sim, you’ll have a little bit of problem there but don’t worry you can still slide in your micro sim card on the mini sim card slot of this smartphone. Regarding MicroSD card installs, yes, you could do that on Windows phone but unfortunately, this doesn’t support USB OTG.

This device support HSPA+ and the signal was quite good and I didn’t experience any problems with it. The speaker of the device is placed below the logo of Cherry Mobile at the back and the audio quality of the phone isn’t really that loud but the audio is crisp and clear.
Display

There’s a 5” IPS display on this device and I was quite surprised with it. The display was great especially for its price. The colors were good along with the viewing angles. The bezels is just right for me and despite having a very affordable price tag of P5,000, this smartphone has a Dragontrail glass which protects you from scratches.  The outdoor visibility of this device is quite good too.
Software and Performance

If you’re not familiar with mobile operating systems, this one is powered by Windows Phone 8.1 and no, you can’t run Android apps on this device however, some apps on Android are also present in Windows Phone however, some apps doesn’t have a Windows Phone counterpart that’s why you’ll be force to find an alternative. When it comes to games, there are a lot of popular games on Android that aren’t available on Windows Phone store but if you want some quality games, most new Gameloft games are available in Windows Phone store and there are a lot of rip-offs of some popular games on Android and iOS.

Notifications on Windows Phone 8.1
It’s powered by Windows Phone 8.1 and unlike Android, this one is much faster to navigate and has a smoother experience thanks to Microsoft who has control on every Windows Phone device. If you’ve used a Windows Phone 8 Lumia before, you might notice that the tiles are larger but on Windows Phone 8.1, you could fit in 3 large tiles in one row. That’s good actually since I can see more live tiles without scrolling.

One of the biggest update that came in Windows Phone 8.1 is Cortana. It’s like Siri for iPhone and Google Now for Android. It’s a personal assistant and I love using it.  Unfortunately, it is only available in the US so you’ll have to set your location to US. Many are asking me whether Cortana is greater than Google Now and Siri. Honestly, I think I would still go for Google now but for a beta, I think Cortana is doing great. Cortana can even recognize the words that I’m saying correctly and it can give me accurate answers. Cortana is a pretty great assistant and I hope that they can offer more.

Cherry Mobile Alpha Luxe is powered by Qualcomm Quad-Core Snapdragon 200 Processor with an Adreno 305 GPU and there’s a 1GB of RAM. The performance isn’t really spectacular when it comes to games. Dungeon Hunter 4 & GT Racing 2 can be played on this device but it isn’t really that smooth but hey, it’s still playable. Asphalt 8 can also be played on this device however, I notice that it ran slower compared to GT Racing 2 and Dungeon Hunter 4. Oh and to those people who are asking, there’s no Windows Phone version of NBA 2k14

Gaming Test
 


Battery Life

The Cherry Mobile Alpha Luxe has a 2000mAh of battery inside. It isn’t really big and the performance isn’t really the best but I’m already contented with its performance. At least the smartphone can last up to a day at school at my average use ;).
Camera

Cherry Mobile Alpha Luxe has an 8-megapixel camera with LED flash. While the front camera is a 2-Megapixel one. Windows Phones are known for having cameras that tend to have a great quality because of Nokia’s Windows Phone devices which dominates the Windows Phone market. Just like any other Windows Phone, the Cherry Mobile Alpha Luxe could shoot pretty fast.

At lowlight conditions, the Cherry Mobile Alpha Luxe doesn’t perform well however, the smartphone can shoot pretty good images at decent light conditions . Pretty good for a P5,000 smartphone.  Unfortunately, the Cherry Mobile Alpha Luxe can only record 854×480 videos. Check out the shots that I took below.

Verdict



Windows Phone is not for everybody. There are still some missing apps  and games on the Windows Store that are present on the App Store and Play store but don’t worry if you are just into basic social networking apps like Twitter, Facebook and Instagram because they’re already available in the Windows Phone store. If you just want a device that works great as a phone then maybe you might want to give the Cherry Mobile Alpha Luxe a try especially if you haven’t tried a smartphone yet.

Cherry Mobile Alpha Luxe is also one of the most affordable Windows Phone in the market and if you want to test a Windows Phone, then maybe you might want to give the Cherry Mobile Alpha Luxe a try and yes folks, this smartphone is now available for P5,000.

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