News

Qualcomm officially launches Snapdragon 8 Gen 1

Coming first late 2021

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A few days ago, Qualcomm officially confirmed a coming name change for its ubiquitous Snapdragon chipset series. Of course, though Qualcomm already announced the change, the company did not reveal the new naming scheme. Now, the mystery is gone. Welcome, the new Snapdragon 8 Gen 1.

Sporting a new coat of paint, the chipset touts an improved 5G modem, the X65 5G. According to the company, the modem can reportedly reach 10Gbps in download speeds. It can also connect to the emerging Wi-Fi 6 standard, allowing up to 3.6Gbps in download speeds. The upper limit won’t mean much in today’s still-young 5G global network. However, it does mean much for the chipset’s longevity.

In the camera department, the chipset sports an 18-bit processor which can supposedly process 4,000 times more data than its predecessor. It can support up to three 36-megapixel cameras simultaneously. It can shoot up to 8K HDR footage at 30 frames per second, UHD footage at 120 frames per second, or slow-mo 720p videos at 960 frames per second.

Qualcomm didn’t specifically indicate how much the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 differs from the Snapdragon 888 in the performance department. However, it will once again focus on the future of AI. Features that use AI will reportedly get a boost going forward.

According to the company, the first smartphones with the chipset will launch sometime by the end of the year. As expected, more smartphones will come out next year in 2022.

SEE ALSO: Upcoming Snapdragon chipset scores 1000000 on AnTuTu

Laptops

MacBook Neo pre-orders now open through Beyond the Box

Exclusive freebies, more perks available

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Customers in the Philippines can now pre-order the MacBook Neo through Beyond the Box.

Those who avail of the device during the pre-order period can get up to PhP 10,000 worth in freebies. This is a curated bundle of essential accessories.

The MacBook Neo will also appear at these two cafes, inviting those who plan on upgrading to experience Apple’s new offering first-hand:

  • April 16: Scout’s Honor, Uptown Mall
  • April 17: The Matcha Tokyo, Opus Mall

Attendees who pre-order on the spot will also enjoy complimentary beverage, live DJ performances, and the opportunity to engage with social media personalities.

And to ensure the MacBook Neo is more accessible, Beyond the Box is offering 0% interest installment plans. This is both through major credit cards, Home Credit, and GCash’s GGives.

Reservations can be made through all Beyond the Box, Digital Walker, and open_sources branches nationwide.

Alternatively, the MacBook Neo is available through beyondthebox.ph, Lazada, and Shopee. It is priced at PhP 33,990 (education) and PhP 39,990 (retail).

Apple MacBook Neo

The Apple MacBook Neo is the company’s latest laptop, which is also its most affordable. It retails at just about US$ 499 to US$ 599 in the United States and SG$ 729 to SG$ 849 in Singapore.

It runs on an A18 Pro chip for 50% faster everyday performance compared to Intel Core Ultra 5-level PCs. This chip also has a 16-core Neural Engine for Apple Intelligence and 5-core GPU for graphics workloads.

The portable and lightweight laptop has a 13-inch 2408 x 1506 display, two USB-C ports, a headphone jack, and Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 6 connectivity.

The MacBook Neo ships with MacOS Tahoe, complete with apps like Safari, Photos, Messages, and FaceTime. Users are promised up to 16 hours of usage on a single charge.

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News

Samsung brings back the Galaxy Z Trifold

The brand’s first trifold phone comes back after being pulled from stores.

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Rumors of the Galaxy Z Trifold’s death have been greatly exaggerated. Recently, Samsung pulled its first trifold phone from its stores, heavily hinting that their three-screen experiment has ended. However, if you didn’t manage to grab one of these beasts during its first release, the Galaxy Z Trifold is back in stores.

At the start of this year, Samsung officially launched the Galaxy Z Trifold, ushering in its entry into the relatively infantile market. Naturally, the unique smartphone was a looker; however, with its eye-watering price tag, the demand is still low. Reflecting that, the brand reportedly pulled the device from the market last month.

Now, the phone is back once again. Interested users can grab the phone from Samsung’s website for the same US$ 2,899 price tag.

As with the other trifold phones (scant as they are), Samsung’s entry features three screens packed into one phone. Users can then fold the main screen in a variety of ways, introducing a lot of configurations to enjoy content. With how popular foldable phones are today, there’s certainly a market for flexible screens.

If you’re still in the market for Samsung’s first trifold phone, Samsung has not announced how long this latest batch will last, so get one while you still can.

SEE ALSO: Samsung has reportedly stopped selling the Galaxy Z TriFold

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Entertainment

Metal Gear Solid is getting a film adaptation

It will be directed by Zach Lipovsky and Adam B. Stein.

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Metal Gear Solid

Videogame adaptations are so hot right now. After the mainstream success of The Super Mario Bros. duology, several other franchises have committed to seeing their favorite characters on the big screen. Now, Metal Gear Solid is the latest to make the jump. Sony has confirmed that a film adaptation about the stealth franchise is in the works.

Though the game’s movie announcement is a big deal on its own right, it’s attached to an even bigger announcement: Sony has signed the up-and-coming directing duo Zach Lipovsky and Adam B. Stein to direct a number of its upcoming projects.

The deal’s first confirmed project, via Hollywood Reporter, is an adaptation of Metal Gear Solid, produced by Avi and Ari Arad.

Spanning multiple decades, the Metal Gear series is a stealth-based franchise that often goes off the rails with its supernatural elements. Naturally, it’s all thanks to series creator Hideo Kojima, notoriously known for his unconventional storytelling. When Kojima left Konami, the franchise has since been shelved but still enjoys a lot of hype, thanks to the occasional remake.

Right now, it’s unknown how much of the film will lean into the craziness of the franchise. It should still be a crazy ride to see, though.

SEE ALSO: Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol.2 launches August 27 on PS5

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