News
Xiaomi’s new Redmi Note 4 sets another budget benchmark
Within less than a year of releasing the Redmi Note 3 and considering it a resounding success, Xiaomi decided to go ahead and launch the successor, the Redmi Note 4, in China. As you’d expect, the short time gap didn’t allow a lot of revolutionary features to be developed in time for the new model, but the minor changes seem to be worth the effort.
Not to be confused with the Redmi Note 4G from 2014, the new Redmi Note 4 continues Xiaomi’s philosophy of cramming as many features as possible in a cost-effective assembly. And like the Redmi Note 3, the smartphone we have now pushes what’s possible in an entry-level product by offering a metal unibody and fingerprint scanner, two features exclusive to midrange and high-end flagships just over a year ago. Similarities between the Redmi Note 3 and Note 4 extend to the 5.5-inch LCD screen with a Full HD 1080p resolution.
Of course, what really matter in a successor are the upgrades. The Redmi Note 4 is naturally expected to be a lot faster thanks to a MediaTek Helio X20 processor on the inside and Xiaomi’s latest Android interface, MIUI 8, handling the software. It’s unlikely we’ll see Android 7.0 Nougat on this handset for now, but the beauty of MIUI is in its update frequency that’s independent of Android’s slow rollouts.
The rest of the specs are incremental upgrades: We now have a slightly larger 4,100mAh battery, a 64GB storage option (the previous high was 32GB), the choice of expanding the internal storage using a microSD card in place of a second SIM card, and a marginally better 13-megapixel main camera.
The quick release might sound a little desperate after news broke out about Xiaomi dropping in market share ranks both globally and in its homeland of China last quarter, but the manufacturer insists that they’re still in the game, having also released a one-of-a-kind budget phone with a dual-camera setup, the company’s largest smartphone to date, and its first highly affordable MacBook clone.
Xiaomi is now in a good position to undercut the competition like it has before, especially now that the likes of ASUS and Samsung are focusing on the midrange segment. But this is assuming the Redmi Note 4 has a global launch. As of writing, the handset will only be available in China, and it’ll begin tomorrow, August 26. The 16GB storage variant will retail for CNY 899 (approximately $135), while the more generous 64GB version will cost CNY 1,199 (around $180). You’ll have the colors gold, gray, and silver to choose from.
[irp posts=”9920″ name=”Xiaomi Redmi 4 Prime Review”]
Apps
Firefox ad reunites all your favorite memes from decades ago
The Numa Numa Guy, Annoying Orange, and Chocolate Rain are back!
Before Tung Tung Tung Sahur and Skibidi Toilet, the early internet was populated by charismatic personalities looking to make their presences felt in a land that didn’t have a lot of rules yet. As early users, we danced to “Dragostea din tei,” belted out “Chocolate Rain,” and copied “Shoes” word-for-word. Today, Firefox is bringing all those good memories back for a grand reunion.
In a new ad, the web browser featured ten of the biggest stars of the early internet including the aforementioned Numa Numa Guy, Tay Zonday, and Shoes’ Kelly. You can also see Annoying Orange, Chuck Testa, Overly Attached Girlfriend, Bad Luck Brian, Where the Hell is Matt?, the Apparently Kid, and the Success Kid.
Now, this isn’t just a reunion. The ad has a clear message about today’s most concerning issue: AI. Everything has “built-in AI, always asking, asking, asking,” as the Annoying Orange said.
“They make money by following us, and somehow, I’m the creepy one?” the Overly Attached Girlfriend asked.
All these famous personalities are asking what happened to the internet today. Obviously, the big takeaway is that we should all go back to Firefox.
Compared to other browsers, Firefox has a lot of built-in features that offer a lot of control for users. For one, it has its own VPN for privacy. Secondly, reflecting the ad’s message against AI, the browser has a toggle to minimize AI features.
SEE ALSO: Google illegally destroys 250,000 trees for a single AI data center
Filipino Nintendo fans, the wait is finally over! Nintendo eShop and Nintendo Switch Online are launching in the Philippines on November 10.
If you’re in the Philippines (or any other country without the service, for that matter), owning a Switch 2 comes with a modicum of difficulty. The country does not have access to Nintendo’s online services, prompting users to buy physical cartridges or switch their region to supported countries, which unfortunately leads to lopsided pricing.
Around the launch of the Switch 2, Nintendo promised that these online services will soon launch in more countries, including the Philippines. Finally, that date is nigh. On November 10, users can access the Nintendo eShop to purchase games digitally, and Nintendo Switch Online to play with friends online.
Besides that, we don’t know much else. There are still a lot of questions unanswered. For example, how will the games’ prices compare to prices in other regions? Since users in the country are forced to switch to another country’s store, they are also subservient to that particular country’s taxes and fees.
Either way, it’s a huge win for Filipino gamers, who no longer have to pretend they’re Singaporean or American just to access online games.
Apple has unveiled a redesigned iPad mini, introducing an OLED display, a faster processor, and improved durability. The update brings significant changes to Apple’s smallest tablet while retaining its compact form factor.
The new iPad mini features an 8.5-inch OLED display, up from the previous model’s 8.3-inch LCD screen. The upgrade promises deeper blacks, improved contrast, and a better viewing experience for videos, games, and other content.
Apple has also equipped the tablet with its A20 Pro chip, delivering improved performance and enhanced capabilities for artificial intelligence tasks.
Bigger OLED display, improved performance
The new iPad mini features a Super Retina XDR OLED display with a peak brightness of 1,200 nits for HDR content. It can also reduce its brightness to just 1 nit, making it more comfortable to use in darker environments.
Apple has reduced the tablet’s thickness to 5.4mm while retaining its compact design. The redesigned model also features slimmer bezels.
For video calls, the tablet features a 12-megapixel Center Stage front-facing camera positioned along its landscape edge. This makes video calls more convenient when using the tablet horizontally.
The new model also introduces IP67 water and dust resistance, offering additional protection against everyday accidents.
Improved AI capabilities
The A20 Pro chip powers the new iPad mini, bringing improvements to CPU and graphics performance.
Apple says the processor delivers up to 60 percent faster multithreaded CPU performance and up to 4.5 times faster AI performance compared with the previous generation.
These improvements support Apple’s expanding Apple Intelligence ecosystem and its latest Siri capabilities.
The upgraded hardware should also benefit users who edit photos, multitask across applications, and run demanding games on the compact tablet.
Pricing and availability
The new iPad mini starts at US$699 for the Wi-Fi model and US$849 for the Wi-Fi + Cellular variant in the United States.
In Singapore, the tablet starts at S$999 for the Wi-Fi model and S$1,229 for the Wi-Fi + Cellular version. Eligible customers can get the Wi-Fi model starting at S$929 with education pricing.
In the Philippines, the new iPad mini starts at PhP 49,990 for the Wi-Fi model and PhP 59,990 for the Wi-Fi + Cellular variant. Eligible customers can purchase it with education pricing starting at PhP 45,990.
The tablet comes in midnight and starlight finishes, with 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB storage configurations.
In the United States, preorders begin October 28, 2026, with availability starting November 6. Singapore preorders open October 29, with availability also beginning November 6.
Apple has yet to announce a specific preorder or release date for the Philippines. The company says the new iPad mini will be available soon through its Philippine online store and authorized resellers.
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