News

Nokia 8 is company’s first true Android flagship

Published

August 17, 2017

Michael Josh Villanueva

Launched in London today, the new Nokia 8 is the first phone from HMD Global following its partnership with optics expert Zeiss, and the first to come with top-of-the-line specs.

Just as it was during Nokia’s golden age in the early 2000s, the 5.3-inch Nokia 8 is headlined by a Zeiss-branded camera. This time around, there are three on one phone.

The Zeiss partnership couldn’t have come at a better time. Nokia says it hopes to target what it calls a new generation of users that are first and foremost content creators.

Speaking to GadgetMatch via teleconference, HMD CEO Florian Seiche said, “We believe that all of us are storytellers. With the first Nokia flagship, we want to deliver the ultimate device for telling stories.”

Unlike other dual-camera phones such as the iPhone 7 Plus or LG G6, the Nokia 8 has neither a zoom nor wide-angle lens. Instead, it has a pair of identical 13-megapixel cameras on its rear.

One is equipped with a color sensor, while the other is black and white. Using a process called “Image Fusion,” both the black-and-white and color images are combined to theoretically produce better photos.

The selfie camera is also equipped with the same 13-megapixel sensor, and Nokia hopes users will get into the habit of using both at the same time using a split screen mode called Dual Side. They’ve even come up with a hashtag for it, #Bothie.

Other camera features include the ability to livestream to YouTube or Facebook from the camera app, and HiFi surround sound capture while shooting videos.

Unlike previous Nokia models — the 3, 5, and 6 — the Nokia 8 comes with the most high end of specs including a Snapdragon 835 processor, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of storage. A 3090mAh battery provides energy for the Quad HD LCD.

The phone closely resembles its mid-range brother the Nokia 5, but is significantly thinner and with a slightly rounded back. The chassis is caved from a single slab of aluminum, with antenna bands marking its top and bottom edges not darting across its back side.

Nokia 8 on the left; Nokia 5 to the right

According to Juho Sarvikas, HMD Chief Product Officer, this antenna design is not only artistically pleasing but also ensures that, “You will not drop a call where others might.”

The Nokia 8 runs on a pure version of Android 7.1.1 out of the box, but Nokia promises that it will to be one of the first to roll out an update once Google releases Android O.

The phone is available in copper, blue, black, and steel — and will retail for EUR 599. Nokia is planning a global launch beginning early next month and promises to “light up all markets this September.”

[irp posts=”17741″ name=”New Nokia 105 is the cheapest Nokia you can buy now”]

Automotive

Mercedes-Benz holds a Welcome Home campaign to celebrate 140 years

Get freebies and discounts from now until the end of July.

Published

June 22, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Mercedes-Benz has been an important part of Filipino car culture. Stylized as the “Chedeng,” the brand’s cars are still worthy choices today. Now, to celebrate their 140^th anniversary, Mercedes-Benz is launching the Welcome Home Campaign, offering treats and discounts for Filipino drivers.

From now until the end of June, new Mercedes-Benz owners can get an exclusive 1886 Benz Patent Motorwagen Replica. The limited-edition replica represents the history of brand’s innovations in the motoring space.

Similarly, until the end of the month, interested customers can start their Benz journey for downpayments as low as PhP 140,000. Discounted prices, however, will go on until the end of July:

MODEL	*Original Price*	*Discounted Price*
CLA 200 Progressive	PhP 3,990,000	PhP 3,490,000
C 180 Avantgarde	PhP 3,990,000	PhP 2,990,000
GLB 200 AMG Line	PhP 4,590,000	PhP 4,090,000
GLC 200 4MATIC	PhP 5,190,000	PhP 4,690,000
EQB 250+ Electric Art	PhP 4,290,000	PhP 4,090,000
EQE 300 Electric Art Sedan	PhP 5,590,000	PhP 3,990,000
EQE 350+ AMG Line Sedan	PhP 6,290,000	PhP 4,690,000
EQS 450 4MATIC AMG Line Sedan	PhP 9,990,000	PhP 7,490,000
Mercedes-AMG CLA 35 4MATIC	PhP 5,719,000	PhP 5,519,000
Mercedes-AMG GLB 35 4MATIC	PhP 5,719,000	PhP 5,219,000

If you already own a Chedeng, Mercedes-Benz will show some love by offering special aftersales initiatives throughout the campaign period. Additionally, there will be more roadshow activations happening the entire year to showcase the latest in the Benz lineup.

Finally, if you have a Chedeng story of your own, Mercedes-Benz is inviting long-time fans to share their stories on social media by tagging the official Mercedes-Benz Philippines account and using the hashtags #Chedeng and #140YearsofInnovation. Featured users can win exclusive Benz merchandise.

Gaming

Ubisoft co-founder dies in plane crash

Claude Guillemot was one of five brothers that founded Ubisoft.

Published

June 22, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Claude Guillemot, one of the four co-founders of Ubisoft, has died last week in a plane crash. He was 69 years old.

As reported via Bloomberg, Guillemot died alongside the plane’s other passenger. They both died in La Baule in France.

Regardless of how you feel about the company today, Ubisoft is still an undeniable reason why RPGs are so popular. In 1984, Guillemot started the company with his four brothers. Since then, it’s become a household name for gaming. Its portfolio includes Assassin’s Creed, Prince of Persia, Splinter Cell, Anno, and Far Cry. Despite the prolific resume, the company is currently struggling to recreate the magic that made it so popular over a decade ago. Its current efforts include remaking Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag, which launches next month.

Though Claude might not be your first thought when thinking of Ubisoft, the company is still owned by the family, headed by his brother Yves. Claude, however, was the chairman of Guillemot Corp.

“Ubisoft was deeply saddened to learn of the death of Claude Guillemot, co-founder of the group and chairman of Guillemot Corp., in an accident. Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones during this difficult time. No further statements will be made at this time,” Ubisoft said about his passing.

News

No new CMF phones this year, Nothing confirms

But Nothing still has a phone scheduled later this year.

Published

June 22, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

For the past few years, Nothing kept launching smartphone after smartphone. Further, every new iteration felt like a reinvention, rather than just a modest upgrade. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end, including Nothing’s streak. This year, after announcing that we won’t get a Phone (4), Nothing has announced that CMF is also skipping 2026 for a hopefully better 2027.

Now, whenever there’s bad news about delayed phone launches, there’s only one culprit. The ongoing RAM crisis is wreaking havoc across the entire industry. Because of the AI industry’s desperate need to stockpile chips, consumer-friendly devices find themselves with a scarcity of components, leading to delays or price increases.

Recently, in a moment of transparency, Nothing’s Akis Evangelidis confirms that CMF will not launch a new phone this year. Citing more of the same, he says that “with memory prices where they are right now, we can’t build a phone that feels like a genuine step forward at a price that makes sense for CMF.”

As a tease, Evangelidis did say that the brand is currently working on a sequel to the CMF Phone 2 Pro. Unfortunately, it’s going to take longer for the phone to come out.

All that said, there is a silver lining. Evangelidis concludes the announcement by also confirming that Nothing still has something up its sleeve. “The smartphone launch season at Nothing isn’t over yet,” he said.

This is a huge deal. Previously, Nothing’s Carl Pei said that the Phone (4) isn’t coming out this year. Even with the Phone (4a)’s launch already done and dusted, the brand still has something left in the tank.