News

Pixel and Pixel XL make you care about photography and Google’s new Assistant

Published

October 5, 2016

Marvin Velasco

Google’s highly anticipated, and heavily leaked, smartphones are now official. They’re high-end, strong on software, and effectively replace the Nexus series as Google’s flagship smartphone lineup. Without further ado, here are the Pixel and Pixel XL.

It seems like all the Google Pixel leaks we’ve seen in the past week were indeed legit. If you’ve been following our coverage, you would’ve already had a clear look at the design and specifications of the internet giant’s latest smartphones.

As expected, the only difference between the two handsets is size: The Pixel has a 5.2-inch AMOLED screen with a Full HD resolution, while the 5.5-inch Pixel XL has a noticeably better Quad HD AMOLED panel. The difference in measurements extends to the batteries, wherein the Pixel and Pixel XL have 2770mAh and 3450mAh capacities, respectively.

The lack of major differences is a big deal, because you aren’t forced to choose a larger phone just for its beefed-up features. This is something Google failed at with the Nexus 6P and 5X; the former was equipped with flagship-level specs, but the latter had the pocketable size nearly everyone wanted at the time.

Whether you go big or small, you’re treated to a metal unibody with a glass coating around the fingerprint scanner mounted at the back. With a thickness of 7.3mm for both handsets, they won’t win any style awards, but the inclusion of a 3.5mm audio jack will delight a lot of traditional audiophiles.

The shared internals include a powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 processor, 4GB of memory, storage options of 32GB and 128GB, and fast charging through a USB Type-C port, but what really stands out is the camera. Having a 12.3-megapixel main shooter and 8-megapixel selfie camera with no optical image stabilization whatsoever may not seem special, but the real-world performance says otherwise.

If you recall our recent article on the iPhone 7’s DxOMark rating, you’d know that the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge’s camera is the benchmark’s king with 88 points. Well, with the release of the new Google phones, the Galaxy has been unseated by the Pixels’ 89 points — the highest ever recorded in DxOMark’s mobile phone database. Impressive!

In case you’re wondering, the phones are manufactured by HTC, but Google is keeping this piece of information under the rug. The company wants Pixel to feel like a fully integrated Google product. To do that, the brand’s new virtual assistant is at the forefront of the Pixel phones.

Along with Android 7.1 Nougat, the Pixel phones are the first to come with Google Assistant, which is the company’s answer to Apple’s Siri and Microsoft’s Cortana. Google spent a ton of time explaining all the core functions at the event, but in a nutshell, the virtual assistant is really efficient at catering to your personal requests. The more you use it, the smarter it gets.

With the improved artificial intelligence, you can search through photos with ease and listen to your favorite music on the fly, all done by voice command. Google Assistant is pretty much the replacement of Google Now, the now obsolete assistant of every other Android device.

The color options are quite humorous; you have Quite Black, Very Silver, and Really Blue. What isn’t funny, however, is the pricing. Prices begin at $649 for the smaller Pixel — as much as you’d spend on a brand-new iPhone 7. The 128GB variant costs $749, while the larger Pixel XL goes for either $769 or $869 for the 32GB and 128GB storage options, respectively.

On the bright side, the phones come with unlimited cloud storage on Google Photos at original quality and full resolution. That’s great value, and might make the 32GB storage option enough if you have a reliable internet connection on hand.

You can pre-order as early as today if you live in the US, Canada, UK, Australia, or Germany. Fans in India will have to wait until October 13 to begin ordering.

[irp posts=”11910″ name=”OnePlus 3 and 3T imitate Pixel in latest update”]

Gaming

FromSoftware’s The Duskbloods delayed to 2027

The game needs more development time.

Published

October 30, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

It’s been a while since the last time we got a FromSoftware game. Elden Ring Nightreign felt like an age ago, even if it was launched just last year. Plus, the title isn’t even a new one, technically, since it’s just building off of Elden Ring. Unfortunately, our wait for a new FromSoftware game has to go on for a little bit longer. FromSoftware has delayed the launch of The Duskbloods to 2027.

The Duskbloods is an interesting addition to the FromSoftware oeuvre. Compared to the usual fare, the Switch-exclusive title is a multiplayer extraction game with a distinctly Bloodborne-like feel. If you’re used to FromSoftware’s usual formula, The Duskbloods represents a huge change.

But it’s a welcome one, nonetheless. If the recently released Elden Ring port of the Switch 2 is any indication, FromSoftware does have a handle of what performance looks like on the console.

Sadly, the new title needs a bit more time in the oven. Citing “final adjustments to game rules and balancing,” FromSoftware is delaying the launch of the game to 2027. According to the studio, this is in response to the successful network test a while back.

The delay shouldn’t come off as a surprise. Though the studio promised a 2026 launch for the title, most of the year has passed without a definite launch date. That was already a telltale sign that a delay was coming.

At the very least, the delay comes with the benefit of launching the game farther away from Grand Theft Auto VI and the Ocarina of Time remake, which will surely dominate holiday gaming this year.

Laptops

Yes, you can turn off the MacBook Pro’s touchscreen display

No need to complain anymore.

Published

October 30, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

The launch of the new MacBook Pro is a polarizing one, to say the least. The notebook introduces a new touchscreen feature that isn’t really an automatic hit for fans. Some have even pointed out how Steve Jobs once said that touchscreen MacBooks were a bad idea. If you’re a part of this group, a new discovery might alleviate your worries a little bit. Apparently, you can turn off the new MacBook Pro’s touchscreen functionalities.

According to MacStories’s Federico Viticci, the new MacBook Pro with Touch includes accessibility features that can turn off the touchscreen entirely. Other early testers have also corroborated this option.

A touchscreen notebook isn’t the most popular type of laptop. Though this particular display has been available for quite a while, it hasn’t really taken off. Case in point, Apple’s announcement hasn’t been met with the warmest of fanfare.

It’s also telling that Apple baked in a way to turn this setting off. At the very least, we didn’t have to wait a while. The hullabaloo is reminiscent of the reception to Liquid Glass, another polarizing feature that Apple eventually made configurable for detractors.

Also, this isn’t the first time that Apple tried experimenting with the MacBook. Do you remember the short-lived Touch Bar?

Strangely, it’s such a strong contrast to the MacBook Neo launched earlier this year. Whereas that particular model debuted to applause, the new MacBook Pro attracted more raised eyebrows.

News

TechLife Pad Neo SE: Price, availability in the Philippines

Now available at PhP 8,999 SRP, with deals on Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok Shop.

Published

October 29, 2026

GadgetMatch

TechLife has officially launched the Pad Neo SE. It’s a 10.1-inch tablet aimed at families, positioned as a study device first, with room for creativity and after-school entertainment. It comes in Space Grey, Bubble Blue, and Aurora Green.

The Eye Comfort Display is the main draw. The larger screen gives kids more space for research and online classes. It’s designed to keep longer study sessions easier on the eyes.

Dual stereo speakers handle lessons and shared family viewing, while split-screen support lets kids and parents run two tasks at once.

The tablet supports Smart Parental Control and Google Kids Space. Parents can pick the apps, books, videos, and learning content their kids can access.

For the hardware, the Pad Neo SE runs Android 16 on an octa-core processor. It offers up to 8GB of RAM, including memory expansion, and 64GB of storage that can be expanded up to 1TB.

Also, its 6000mAh battery last through a full school day of classes and lessons. Rounding out the spec sheet are 5MP front and rear cameras and the Google Gemini AI assistant.

Price, availability in the Philippines

The Pad Neo SE retails at PhP 8,999. With vouchers, it can go for as low as PhP 7,099 on Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok Shop.

As part of TechLife’s Peak Season offers, which run from October 29, 2026 to January 3, 2027, buyers get a free Folio Case or a free Power Bank R211 5,000mAh, depending on availability. An online giveaway for the Pad Neo SE also starts October 29 on TechLife’s official social media pages.

Vouchers apply to participating online platforms only. Stocks and vouchers are limited. Freebies are available while supplies last.