News

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3: Price, availability in the Philippines

Samsung really wants it to be mainstream

Published

August 11, 2021

Rodneil Quiteles

For years now, Samsung’s flagship Galaxy smartphones have had no particular specialty. They simply throw everything and see what sticks resulting in well-rounded smartphones that seem less flashy. They’ve taken the same approach with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G, saying it can literally do anything AND it folds.

Lighter, more screen

The differences are subtle but still notable. For instance, the Galaxy Z Fold3 is lighter at 271g vs the Galaxy Z Fold2’s 281g.

Then there’s the Under Display Camera. From the eyesore that it was on the first Galaxy Fold, to the more subtle but still noticeable punch hole, Samsung is now finally introducing their first crack at an Under Display Camera on the Galaxy Z Fold3 5G.

It’s a 4MP camera that you shouldn’t expect much from in terms of quality. The priority here was to still deliver some form of front-facing camera while ensuring that you get as much screen real estate as possible on the Galaxy Z Fold3.

The screen now also has a protective film to prevent accidental scratches. We still don’t know exactly how tough it is but Samsung was confident enough to point it out.

Speaking of the screens, both the main display and the cover display can now go up to 120Hz refresh rate. Previously, this was only available on the main display.

Improved UX, app integration

The biggest challenge of the foldable form factor has been software. Naturally, there won’t be that many apps that could maximize, let alone scale properly to the Galaxy Fold. Three years in, and it’s significantly changing.

Samsung has expanded their partnerships with multiple companies that handle apps to ensure that they are maximized on the Fold form factor. Some of them are the most used ones today like video call apps Microsoft Teams and Zoom.

Apps like Spotify and YouTube should also now work better and feel more organic on the Galaxy Z Fold3. But it doesn’t stop there. On the settings menu, you can turn on the Labs feature which lets you customize the size of your app window so you can use it alongside other apps.

Fold Note?

Samsung already said we’re not getting a Galaxy Note this year, breaking the popular device line’s yearly cycle since it first came out in 2011. Fret not though, as Samsung is bringing S Pen support to the Galaxy Z Fold3.

There are two S Pens compatible with the Galaxy Z Fold3: The S Pen Fold Edition and the S Pen Pro.

As its name suggests, the S Pen Fold Edition is one that’s made especially for the Galaxy Z Fold3. It measures 132mm and has pretty much all the useful S Pen features we know and love like Air Command, instant screen captures and jotting down notes . There’s also a special cover case for the Galaxy Z Fold3 to be able to carry the S Pen Fold Edition.

Meanwhile, the S Pen Pro is larger at 173.7mm and can be used with other supported Galaxy devices like the S21 Ultra, Note 20 Series, Note 10 Series, Tab S7 and S7+, and the Galaxy Book Pro 360. It also has an onboard memory feature that lets you copy from one device and paste it to another.

Spec Rundown

Everything else on the Galaxy Z Fold3 is either a rehash or an expected upgrade from its predecessor. Here’s a spec rundown:

Main Display — 7.6” Dynamic AMOLED 2X, Infinity Flex Display
Cover Display — 6.2” Dynamic AMOLED 2X
Rear Cameras:
- 12MP f/1.8 Wide
- 12MP f/2.2 Ultra-wide
- 12MP f/2.4 Telephoto
Cover Camera — 10MP f/2.2
Under Display Camera — 4MP f/1.8
Processor — Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G
SIM — Two (2) NanoSIMs, One (1) eSIM
Battery — 4,400mAh
RAM — 12GB
Storage — 128GB and 256GB (Both UFS 3.1)
Authentication — Pattern, PIN, password, Side fingerprint sensor, Face recognition

Price and availability

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G comes in three colors: Phantom Green, Phantom Black, Phantom Silver. The 256GB version is priced at PhP 87,990 while the 512GB version will set you back PhP 95,990.

Pre-order period is from August 19 to September 21, 2021 in Samsung Experience stores and authorized retailers. Pre-orders also get freebies worth PhP 27,440. These include: PhP 5,000 e-voucher Galaxy Buds Pro worth PhP 9,990, 25W Travel Adapter worth PhP 949, 50 percent off on select cases, and one (1) year free Samsung Care+ coverage worth PhP 9,499.

The device will be available on samsung.com/ph starting September 22, 2021.

Galaxy Z Flip 3 5G — BUY here
Galaxy Fold 3 5G — BUY here
Galaxy Watch 4 and Galaxy Watch 4 Classic — BUY here
Tab S7 FE — BUY here
Galaxy Buds 2– BUY here

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.

Laptops

Apple unveils MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR display and Touch

Apple brings Touch to MacBook Pro

Published

October 29, 2026

Rodneil Quiteles

Apple has unveiled its new MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display, introducing tandem OLED technology and touchscreen capabilities to the Mac for the first time.

Available in 14-inch and 16-inch models, the new MacBook Pro combines a redesigned display with Apple’s M5 Pro and M5 Max chips. It also introduces the Dynamic Island to Mac, alongside improvements to graphics performance, on-device AI, and battery life.

Apple says the new MacBook Pro delivers up to 2,000 nits of peak HDR and SDR brightness, a 10,000,000:1 contrast ratio, and a 120Hz variable refresh rate. The laptop also offers up to 24 hours of battery life in a thinner and lighter design.

The new models are designed for professionals working in video production, photography, graphic design, software development, 3D rendering, and other demanding workflows.

PROLED XDR brings tandem OLED to MacBook Pro

The new MacBook Pro introduces Apple’s PROLED XDR display, which uses tandem OLED technology to improve brightness, contrast, and color accuracy.

Unlike conventional OLED designs, the display uses two self-illuminating pixel layers. Apple says this approach helps maintain brightness and grayscale uniformity while minimizing internal reflections.

The display delivers up to 2,000 nits of peak HDR and SDR brightness and a 10,000,000:1 contrast ratio. It also supports ProMotion, with adaptive refresh rates ranging from 10Hz to 120Hz.

These features should benefit professionals who need precise control over colors, shadows, and highlights when editing photos, grading HDR video, or designing print materials.

The display supports both the P3 and Adobe RGB color spaces, with more than 80 percent coverage of the Rec. 2020 color space for HDR video editing and color grading.

Apple also offers an optional nano-texture finish, which is etched directly into the cover glass to reduce glare and reflections. This should make the laptop easier to use in bright environments.

For professionals who need consistent color reproduction, Apple includes display calibration and reference modes for cinematic production, photography, print, and design. New DICOM medical imaging reference modes also support medical image review for research and educational purposes, but not diagnostic use.

Touch arrives on MacBook Pro

For the first time, MacBook Pro users can interact directly with the display using Touch.

The touchscreen supports familiar gestures, including swiping through webpages, pinching to zoom in on photos, and dragging and dropping content between windows. Users can also double-tap windows to expand them or flick them into a tiled layout.

Apple has integrated the touch sensor directly into the display panel rather than layering it on top. This design aims to reduce latency and make interactions feel more immediate.

Touch also introduces new possibilities for creative work. Graphic designers can manipulate their designs directly on the screen, while musicians can play software instruments using a Multi-Touch keyboard and onscreen chord and drum pads.

Apple’s own applications are optimized for Touch, while macOS automatically translates touch input into clicks for many existing applications.

Third-party applications will also benefit from the feature. Apple lists productivity and collaboration tools such as Notion, Canva, Zoom, Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook, alongside creative applications such as Adobe Lightroom, DaVinci Resolve, Blender, Cinema 4D, ZBrush, Shapr3D, and Algoriddim djay Pro.

Touch works alongside the keyboard and trackpad rather than replacing them. Apple has also redesigned the hinge to provide greater stability when users interact with the display.

Dynamic Island comes to Mac

The Dynamic Island makes its Mac debut on the new MacBook Pro.

It serves as a central location for Spotlight, Live Activities, and Siri AI, allowing users to search their computers, access real-time updates, and interact with the assistant.

Users can also perform quick actions directly through the Dynamic Island, such as accepting an AirDrop request, controlling music playback, or responding to a phone call.

The feature brings an interface familiar to iPhone users to the Mac, making selected notifications and interactions more accessible without requiring users to navigate away from their current tasks.

The new MacBook Pro runs macOS 27, which integrates Apple’s latest software features and AI capabilities.

M5 Pro and M5 Max power demanding workflows

The new MacBook Pro comes with Apple’s M5 Pro or M5 Max chip, depending on the configuration.

Apple positions M5 Pro for professionals who need high performance for software development, scientific computing, and creative production. M5 Max targets users with more demanding requirements, including 3D artists, AI developers, and film composers.

Both chips feature enhanced CPU performance, faster unified memory, and GPUs with Neural Accelerators in every core. They also include enhanced shader cores and a third-generation ray-tracing engine.

These improvements accelerate graphics-intensive tasks such as 3D rendering, animation, and gaming. They also help with AI workloads, including running large language models locally.

Apple says the M5 Max can run large language models with hundreds of billions of parameters entirely on the device, depending on the model and configuration. This enables demanding AI workflows without relying entirely on cloud processing.

The new MacBook Pro supports up to 128GB of unified memory and up to 16TB of storage, giving professionals more room for large projects, high-resolution media, and complex datasets.

Thinner, lighter design with up to 24 hours of battery life

Despite its upgraded display and performance, the new MacBook Pro is thinner and lighter than its predecessor.

The 14-inch model weighs 3 pounds, or approximately 1.36kg, while the 16-inch model weighs 4 pounds, or approximately 1.81kg.

The 14-inch model is half a pound lighter, while the 16-inch model is 0.7 pounds lighter than the previous generation.

Apple has also redesigned the thermal architecture to maintain sustained performance while directing warm air away from the display.

Battery life reaches up to 24 hours, giving professionals more flexibility when working away from a power outlet.

The new MacBook Pro also features an enhanced six-speaker sound system. Its redesigned woofers deliver 50 percent deeper bass, while updated tweeters improve clarity. The system supports Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos.

For calls and recordings, the laptop includes studio-quality microphones and a 12-megapixel Center Stage camera.

Connectivity includes Thunderbolt 5 and a range of ports for external displays, storage, and other peripherals. The laptop also supports Apple’s broader ecosystem of accessories and services.

MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR pricing and availability

In the United States, the 14-inch MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display starts at US$2,899 with M5 Pro, while the 16-inch model starts at US$3,399. Education pricing starts at US$2,749 and US$3,199, respectively.

For customers who need more computing power, the 14-inch model with M5 Max starts at US$4,499, while the 16-inch model starts at US$4,799. Education pricing starts at US$4,199 for the 14-inch model and US$4,499 for the 16-inch model.

In the Philippines, the 14-inch MacBook Pro with M5 Pro starts at PHP 214,990, with education pricing at PHP 203,990. The 16-inch model starts at PHP 249,990, with education pricing at PHP 234,990.

The M5 Max configurations start at PHP 329,990 for the 14-inch model and PHP 344,990 for the 16-inch model. Education pricing is PHP 307,990 and PHP 322,990, respectively.

In Singapore, the 14-inch MacBook Pro with M5 Pro starts at SGD 3,999, with education pricing at SGD 3,789. The 16-inch model starts at SGD 4,499, with education pricing at SGD 4,229.

For M5 Max configurations, the 14-inch model starts at SGD 6,299, with education pricing at SGD 5,869. The 16-inch model starts at SGD 6,499, with education pricing at SGD 6,089.

Pre-orders in the United States began on October 28, 2026, while pre-orders in Singapore began on October 29. The new MacBook Pro will begin arriving at customers’ doors and Apple Store locations on November 6.

In the Philippines, the new MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display will be available soon through the Apple Store online and Apple Authorized Resellers.

News

Amazon updates its Echo lineup for 2026

Say hi to the new Echo Dot, Echo Studio with Home Camera, Echo Show 16, and Echo Time.

Published

October 28, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Amazon is refreshing its Echo catalog once again. This time, besides updating the Echo Dot and the Echo Show, the lineup now includes the new Echo Studio with Home Camera and the Echo Time.

Amazon Photo Frame

Featuring a 10-inch anti-glare touchscreen display, the Amazon Photo Frame is the smartest way to display your photos.

The frame integrates with Amazon Photos, with its unlimited photo storage, so you can display all your photos in one hub. Plus, Alexa+ automatically selects the best shots, preventing bloopers and duplicates from showing up.

Echo Dot

Still one of the most iconic speakers in the entire lineup, the Echo Dot gets a modest upgrade with the new AZ3 chipset. On-device processing and more natural conversations are now possible on the Echo Dot.

Plus, with a fourth microphone, the new Dot can now hear better and can even detect who’s speaking. Once it detects who’s speaking, the device can tailor its functions depending on the speaker. For example, if the Dot detects that you’re speaking, it can play your playlists, rather than your partner’s.

It also has Omnisense which can detect your immediate surroundings. For example, it can detect if the temperature is changing so it can adjust the thermostat. It can also detect if someone enters the room so it can open the lights.

Echo Studio with Home Camera

Technically not a new device, the Echo Studio with Home Camera upgrades the old speaker with new tricks and a home camera.

The Echo Studio is the lineup’s most powerful speaker, built with a high-excursion woofer, three full-range drivers, and Dolby Atmos. The new version upgrades this system with an improved Advanced Room Adaptation and Adaptive Volume. The speaker can automatically tune its sound according to the room’s acoustics. It can also change its volume depending on where you are, so the volume stays the same for you.

Finally, the home camera adds a layer of intelligence to the speaker. You can check up on the room while you’re out. Plus, the camera, armed with Alexa, can answer queries for you.

Echo Show 16

As the name hints, the Echo Show 16 features a 16-inch screen that’s set in a 40 percent thinner frame. The new model reengineers the audio system with eight custom micro woofers and two tweeters. It also has the Advanced Room Adaptation of the Studio and the Omnisense of the Dot.

The new version has a 13-megapixel camera for better video quality when dropping in on someone else in the house. With this camera, Visual ID is better and can detect users from 17 feet away.

Finally, the 16-inch frame comes with Fire TV built-in, so you can enjoy your favorite content right on the screen. It also has a Nanomatte display option that reduces glare for uninterrupted viewing.

Echo Time

Rounding out this latest lineup, the Echo Time packs in the power of Echo inside an alarm clock.

The alarm clock as the lineup’s iconic circular form factor with a 3.2-inch touchscreen. Users can customize this further with a variety of faces from your favorite franchises like Batman or The Powerpuff Girls.

Touting the National Sleep Foundation’s SleepMark, the Echo Time uses smart alarms that can wake you up at the perfect time within 10 to 60 minutes of your set alarm. If it detects that you’re in a lighter sleep phase, the clock can start waking you up, so you don’t feel groggy in the morning.

Around the time you wake up, the display will also begin mimicking the lights of a sunrise. Then, before you sleep, it changes to a gentler light to help you sleep.

With Alexa+, users can better tell the clock what they want in the morning. For example, telling the clock to remind you to pick up your lunch before heading out sets a reminder for the morning.