Features

5 things to do while stuck indoors

Aside from sleeping

Published

September 16, 2018

MJ Jucutan

My weekends for the entire year are taken up by 40 percent traveling, 30 percent sleeping, and 30 percent staying indoors. Most of the activities I enjoy involve nature, dirt, sun, and open skies. Yeah, mostly the outdoors.

As much as I want to be outside all the time, some unforeseen circumstances can force us to postpone our plans and stay home. If you’re bored to death being indoors, here are things that you can do that are actually fun if you give it a try.

Photo by Victoria Bilsborough

Get creative

Creativity is like our sense of adventure. We feel an adrenaline rush when we start creating, and when we find ourselves being immersed in the experience, we don’t stop. If you own an iPad and an Apple Pencil, make sure to download Procreate from the App store and start drawing.

If you don’t have one, a blank canvas — most likely paper — will do. Even with technology coexisting with art, it’s still euphoric seeing your hands actually create something out of nothing. Go and splash some colors!

Photo by Florencia Viadana

Read, read, read

Like love, you have to find the book that speaks to you, understands your taste and your interests, and above all, will open your mind to something new.

If you can’t find a physical book near you, look for an eBook which is available for purchase online like on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or Google Play Books. Don’t forget to download an eBook reader, and yes, there’s an app with the same name. If you’d like to listen to someone who’s always right, then I’d recommend UB Reader, which is actually my favorite app for reading novels and other eBooks I buy online.

Photo by MJ Jucutan

Pump it up with music

Okay, I know we all have our own taste in the kind of music we play and listen to. But everyone likes music (to an extent), and it means that jamming to your favorite tunes can be a fun thing to do over the weekend.

Get a wireless speaker and open Spotify or iTunes, whichever your app of choice is. Sometimes, we don’t always need to do something; we can just lie down and look outside while listening to good music. Or if you’re in the mood, sip some hot chocolate and emote. (I do this all the time.)

Photo by MJ Jucutan

Play games like a kid

If you own a gaming console, maybe it’s time to bring out a classic RPG or bash some baddies with an FPS game. If you don’t, mobile gaming is the next best thing. Tons of games are available for download on the App Store and Google Play, and most of them are free.

If you happen to choose a graphics-heavy game such as PUBG or Mobile Legends, make sure your phone is capable. If gaming is your language, then maybe it’s time to get a gaming-oriented phone for a better experience.

Photo by Thibault Penin

Binge-watch shows and other media content

Like I said earlier, 30 percent of my weekends are spent indoors. Most of the time, I sit or lie in bed, wrapped in a blanket, while binge-watching something new on Netflix over the weekend.

To improve your binge-watching experience on Netflix, find a bigger screen like a Smart TV, a laptop, or a phone that supports HDR — and possibly one that has a headphone jack so you can plug in your earphones or speaker for more immersive audio.

Weekends can be fun even if you don’t go outside. The GadgetMatch team also finds time to relax, and staying indoors is the most convenient break for us. So if you want some recommendations or just want to know what we’re up to, watch out for Now Playing every month on GadgetMatch.

Features

GadgetSnaps: Malaysia shot on the Infinix Note 40 Pro+ 5G

Beyond charging tech

Published

April 24, 2024

GadgetMatch

The Infinix Note 40 Pro+ 5G prides itself in its charging technologies. But what about its camera capabilities? Well, here’s a quick round-up of the many photos we took around the time the Note 40 series was launched in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia.

The NOTE 40 Series features a 108MP main shooter with 3x Lossless Superzoom. It also has OIS for steadier shots when taking videos.

The edits applied to the photos here only some resizing and cropping to make the page easier to load. Take a look at all these sample shots

Infinix Note 40 Pro series launch day

Kwai Chai Hong/ ‘Little Ghost Lane’

Petaling Street (Chinatown)

In and around Central Market

Bank Negara Malaysia Museum and Art Gallery

Istana Negara entrance

Merdeka Square

Malaysian Bak Kut Teh and more

Petronas Twin Towers at night

Steady shooter

The Infinix Note 40 Pro+ 5G isn’t a stellar shooter. But at its price point, it’s pretty darn decent for capturing different scenarios. Take these photos into some editing software and you can certainly elevate their look.

The NOTE 40 Pro+ 5G is priced at PhP 13,999. It may be purchased through Infinix’s Lazada, Shopee, and TikTok Shop platforms, where customers can get up to PhP 2,000 off. Additionally, the first 100 buyers can get an S1 smartwatch or XE23 earphones. Alternatively, customers may opt for the Shopee-exclusive NOTE 40 Pro (4G variant) for PhP 10,999.

Features

LOQ and LOAD: The Lenovo LOQ 2024 is for gaming and more

Your entry to PC Gaming

Published

April 23, 2024

GadgetMatch

Get your game on with the Lenovo LOQ 2024. This capable laptop is your entry point to PC Gaming and a lot more.

It comes an absolutely affordable price point: PhP 48,995.

You get capable hardware and the hood to support gaming and more. The Lenovo LOQ 15IAX9I runs on the 12th Gen Intel Core i5 processor and Intel Arc Graphics.

Those are key to bringing unreal graphics to this segment. Supporting latest tech like DirectX 12 Ultimate, players are able to enjoy high frame rates on the Lenovo LOQ.

Creating content? It comes with AI Advantage to help boost performance. Engines and accelerators boost the media processing workloads especially for creatives. It also works with Intel’s X Super Machine Learning, Leading to images that are as close to reality.

The laptop supports a configuration of up to 32GB of RAM and 1TB of SSD Storage.

As for its display, the device has a large 15.6-inch, Full HD panel that is more than enough for gaming, video editing, content consumption, and whatever else you do on a laptop. This display has 144Hz refresh rate, 300 nits brightness, and anti-glare.

Videos come out clear, crisp, and realistic. Audio is punchy and as loud as it gets. Windows Sonic elevates it more when you use headphones. And it just takes a few minutes to render HD videos on editing software.

As it runs on Windows 11, if you are going to use it for work, you can take advantage of various features. The Lenovo Vantage Widget is there for constant reminders, Copilot will help you organize your tasks, and Microsoft Edge is there for casual browsing.

There is an assortment of ports at the back for easy connectivity. And as this is meant for gaming, we put it to the test. Racing that looks better with high frame rate? Check. Shooting titles that require heavy work? Not a problem. You can play all your favorites and not worry about performance.

Best of all, it takes less than an our to juice up this laptop all the way to 100%.

So, whether you’re looking to get started with PC Gaming, or an upgrade for work and entertainment needs, the Lenovo LOQ has you covered.

This feature is a collaboration between GadgetMatch and Lenovo Philippines.