Her GadgetMatch

OPPO F3 review and selfie comparisons

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OPPO has yet another self-proclaimed selfie expert, and we’re going to review it!

The newest OPPO release, the OPPO F3, is a capable selfie machine, and it comes at a size that’s a fraction of the earlier released OPPO F3 Plus which features a 6-inch display.

This is great news for people with small hands like me as selfie taking was quite cumbersome with the OPPO F3 Plus’ size — that humongous phone dwarfed my hand and, well, you can’t really selfie if you can’t hold the phone (with one hand). The 5.5-inch F3 is still bigger than the smartphones I’d buy or I’m used to, but the fact that I can grasp it with one hand is improvement enough.

Think of this as the OPPO F3 Plus’ smaller counterpart — all the amazing functions in a smaller package.

And since we’re talking about selfies, I decided to take some with the OPPO that I can finally, sort of, hold.

Still selfie-ing with two hands

Of course, in true OPPO fashion, the smartphone has a built-in Beauty Mode (that’s quite useful, to be honest; I may have used it one too many times).

The best function of this phone is the wide-angle mode. Perfect for showing off scenery or for group selfies!

It seems you could do no wrong with this phone designed precisely for optimum self portraits. Even in extreme lighting conditions, the photo still results in a good selfie. (This was taken against the light!)

That is until you try out the phone’s Bokeh Mode. Most dual-camera phones use their cameras to achieve the bokeh effect; OPPO does it via software (the dual-front cameras for the normal and wide-angle mode) and this results in a harsh unnatural look. One too many times, the Bokeh Mode blurred out details that shouldn’t be blurred out (like my hair, and at some point, my face).

Since I’m not particularly a fan of the Bokeh Mode, it seems like a fair trade off as I would much rather have the wide-angle camera option. Until software improves or OPPO decides to slap on another front-facing camera on their phones, we’ll have to make do with uneven background blur.

You can actually see where the bokeh starts happening

The rear camera is pretty decent; basic at 13 megapixels.

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Having reviewed the OPPO F3 Plus, I fell in love with the wide-angle photo feature but wished that the phone came in a smaller size — this was the phone I was waiting for. If you’re a selfie taker like me, I’d highly recommend this phone (just keep the Bokeh Mode off).

Big things come in big packages? Not quite true, as the OPPO F3 has proved. And lest we forget, it’s cheaper than its Plus equivalent: PhP 16,990 in the Philippines (now discounted to PhP 15,990) and INR 19,990 in India.

[irp posts=”13704″ name=”OPPO F3 Plus review and selfie comparisons”]

[irp posts=”13779″ name=”OPPO F3 launches across Asia”]

Accessories

Dyson Airstrait: Hair straightening with air, not heat

Less heat, less damage

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People may now straighten hair without worrying about heat damage. Dyson has launched the new Dyson Airstrait hair straightener, ushering a new era in hair straightening. As the product name suggests, this innovative tool introduces a new way to straighten hair using just air.

The Airstrait has a simple wet-to-dry straightening process. Airflow is accelerated through the two arms’ 1.5mm openings, creating a high-velocity downward blade of air at a specific angle. This creates a controlled downward force to straighten hair simultaneously as it dries.

With the tool, stylers can achieve a naturally straight and shiny finish that maintains the hair’s strength and healthy look. The Airstrait also speeds the process up by about 25%. What’s best is there is no heat damage, unlike traditional straighteners.

Designed for multiple hair types

The Airstrait runs on a specifically-engineered Hyperdymium motor, a 13-blade impeller that spins up to 106,000rpm and generates 3.5kPa of pressure. Like Dyson’s hair care range, the Airstrait features intelligent heat control that measures the airflow’s temperature to ensure there is no damage.

Users may switch between two styling modes: Wet and Dry. The Wet and Dry modes are pre-set with specific heat and airflow combinations for the best results. A Cool mode is also available to set the style. Moreover, the airflow control has two speed settings, low and high. Drying, meanwhile, can be set to cold shot or root drying.

The science

Dyson has constantly invested a lot financially in research and technology development to craft innovative products in its specific industry. In creating the Airstrait, Dyson engineers studied every detail, from airflow dynamics to hair structure. They also considered thermal, mechanical, and chemical damage and their effects to hair health.

In the end, the Airstrait works based on one key principle. In styling hair to a new shape, hydrogen bonds from each hair strand are broken down. Traditionally, this is done through heat or moisture. But Dyson came up with a tool that just lets water weaken the hydrogen bonds, and then style hair with the optimum level of heat and controlled airflow.

Price, availability

The Dyson Airstrait is available starting April 16 in two colorways: Bright Nickel/Rich Copper and Prussian Blue/Rich Copper. It is priced at PhP 33,900.

Those interested in preordering may already do using this link: Dyson Airstrait

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Filipina who created Window Garden joins Google Play program

More indie games to come?

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Filipina-owned CLOVER-FI Games is taking the next step to build more accessible mobile games through Google Play. One-woman developer and publisher Camilla Santiago is representing the country at Google Play’s Indie Games Accelerator (IGA) program this year.

Her CLOVER-FI Games studio is behind hit local game Window Garden. The idle game lets players plant and decorate their own virtual indoor garden while relaxing in chill vibes, lo-fi music, and a cottagecore aesthetic. It was released in October 2021, back when Santiago learned app development amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

Windows Garden has since amassed a million downloads. In almost three years, it has been received well by gamers with a 4.7 rating based on more than 8,200 reviews.

Google Play IGA

The Google Play IGA is a 10-week course designed for high-potential indie game studios. The program allows these startups to access the best of Google’s programs, products, people, and technology to be able to build and improve a successful organization.

The last Philippine representative in the program was Ranida Games, which had created one-on-one fighting game Vita Fighters. Through IGA, the title received benefits, allowing the developers to improve it.

Like Ranida Games, Santiago’s CLOVER-FI Games is just getting started. Her studio’s goal is to ultimately create more cozy-themed games that are accessible to everyone through mobile platforms.

With the help of the IGA, Santiago will be equipped with the necessary skills and experience needed to create another potentially successful title just like Window Garden. We can only wait as she empowers Filipinas through her craft.

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Dyson unveils ‘most intelligent hair dryer’ yet

The Supersonic Nural

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During its global launch event in Seoul, South Korea, Dyson has unveiled its “most intelligent hair dryer” yet: The Dyson Supersonic Nural.

The styling tool harnesses Dyson’s new automatic Nural sensor technology to protect scalp health and enhance hair’s natural shine.

One of the Dyson Supersonic Nural’s key features is a Scalp protect mode which is activated by the Nural sensors.

This automatically reduces the dryer’s heat as it nears a person’s head, protecting the scalp from damage. The process is done by having the sensors recognize when the dryer is already nearing the person’s head.

In addition, the Supersonic Nural’s LED light automatically changes under Scalp mode, depending on the distance from the head. Users will see yellow for low heat, orange for medium heat, and red for high heat, for convenient usage.

Moreover, the tool intelligently remembers your last used heat and airflow settings and will apply them the next time it is in use.

Price, availability

The Dyson Supersonic Nural comes in two color palettes: Ceramic Patina and Topaz or Vinca Blue and Topaz.

The entire package will come with five attachments, including two new ones:

  • Gentle Air Attachment
  • Styling Concentrator
  • Smoothing Nozzle
  • Diffuser
  • Flyaway Smoother

However, the technology has not been made available in the Philippines yet as of writing time. To be the first to know when it arrives, sign up here.

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