News
POCO F4, X4 GT now official in the Philippines
Two new midrange smartphone options
POCO is making two more mid-rangers available in the Philippines with the release of the new POCO F4 and POCO X4 GT.
Both smartphones are equipped with powerful processors and do not differ much in terms of specs and features.
Both are poised to deliver a strong and smooth performance in gaming and entertainment. But still being budget-friendly. Here’s a quick overview of the two phone’s details.
POCO F4: Extremely powerful
The POCO F4 is powered by a Snapdragon 870 chipset with a 7nm processor capable of 5G support and up to a 3.2GHz processing speed.
It is the thinnest model to date in the POCO lineup, boasting a 6.67-inch E4 AMOLED 120Hz display with up to a 360Hz touch sampling rate.
When it comes to its rear triple-camera setup, the POCO F4 has a 64MP main camera, along with an 8MP ultra-wide camera and a 2MP macro camera.
For the first time, an optical image stabilization (OIS) feature has been added to the main shooter. It obviously comes with a lot of shooting and filming features and can record videos up to a 4K resolution.
The phone has a 4,500mAh battery with 67W turbo charging, taking only 38 minutes to charge up to 100 percent. On a full charge, the POCO F4 is said to offer up to 10 hours of gaming. You also get 21 hours of video playback, and 119 hours of music playback.
POCO X4 GT: High-performance for gaming, entertainment
On the other hand, the POCO X4 GT is equipped with a Dimensity 8100 chipset with an advanced TSMC 5nm processor for fast performance that barely overheats.
What’s unique about the POCO X4 GT is it is POCO’s first LCD True Display smartphone. It also has a unique 20.5:9 LCD display ratio.
Its triple-camera setup is similar to the POCO F4’s, having a 64MP main camera as well that can double as 4K camera too. In front is a 16MP selfie camera. The phone comes pre-installed with 19 vlog templates for those who are into vlogging.
The phone has a longer battery life than the F4, thanks to its 5,080mAh battery that also supports 67W turbo charging. It can charge in full in just 46 minutes.
Pricing, availability, offers
The POCO F4 is available in three colors: Night Black, Moonlight Silver, and Nebula Green. It has two variants: 6GB + 128GB and 8GB + 256GB.
These will be available via Lazada at PhP 20,990 and PhP 22,990, respectively.
Meanwhile, the POCO X4 GT also comes in three colors: Silver, Black, and Blue. There will be an 8GB + 128GB and an 8GB + 256GB variant.
These will be available via Shopee at PhP 18,990 and PhP 19,990, respectively.
As an introductory offer, POCO is slashing up to PhP 4,000 off for an early bird price. They will also offer a one-time free screen repair service within the first six months after purchase.
Accessories
Apple is reportedly working on its own gaming controllers
It might launch under the Beats brand.
Last week, the iPhone Duo changed how you look at the ubiquitous smartphone. Foldables are in, and Apple is right there with it. But the company isn’t stopping with the foldable segment. Apple is reportedly working on its own branded game controllers.
According to Bloomberg, Apple has been working on a controller since last year. Further, a piece of code linked to macOS 27.4, spotted by MacRumors, includes references to two unknown gaming controllers.
Because Apple just concluded its huge event this month, it will likely be a while before we see confirmation of this controller. And it could be anything. Of course, because the Duo is fresh on our minds, the easiest answer is a mobile controller than can maximize the foldable’s ability to stand by itself. It could also use Apple’s larger screens like the iPad, the MacBook, or the Mac. Some even speculate that this could be Apple’s stronger push into the gaming market.
Outside of the actual hardware, the reports are also claiming that the controller will arrive by way of Beats, rather than from Apple itself. At first, the branding comes off as a surprise, but then again, Beats hasn’t really evolved past an audio brand in a long, long time. Is it time to revitalize Beats as something more than just a peddler of headphones?
SEE ALSO: First Look: Apple iPhone Duo
Gaming
Xbox saves Kojima’s PHYSINT after PlayStation drops support
PlayStation says the separation was mutual, but Kojima hints otherwise.
Things aren’t going well in the PlayStation camp. After two months of frankly questionable decisions, the company adds another to the pile by dropping support for Hideo Kojima’s PHYSINT.
For a while now, Kojima and PlayStation were in a very productive relationship with the Death Stranding duology, a critically acclaimed collection of titles for the platform. When things looked like they were going well, Kojima announced PHYSINT, an espionage-themed game which reminded fans way too much of Metal Gear Solid.
If you were investing in a PlayStation 5 to play Kojima’s latest thriller, you might want to move your chips elsewhere now. PlayStation has just dropped support for the espionage game, meaning PHYSINT will no longer be a first-party title for the platform.
Though PlayStation claims that the decision came after “careful consideration,” Kojima himself has said that the move was “unexpected,” going against PlayStation’s assurance of a mutual separation.
Very quickly, Xbox has announced that their platform will support PHYSINT instead. It’s a big get for the competing brand because Xbox Game Studios is already supporting OD, Kojima’s other upcoming horror project starring Sophia Lillis.
Unfortunately, it’s difficult to say more. As is tradition, Kojima will not explain much more about his upcoming titles. In fact, OD’s trailer barely says anything. One thing’s for sure, though: we’re all in for quite a ride.
Entertainment
PH to celebrate 1st ever National Cinema Day; movies start at less than $2
Watch a movie on September 12 for a fraction of the cost
The Philippines will be celebrating its first ever National Cinema Day on September 12. On this day, movie tickets will go for as low as PhP 100 (US$ 1.60) at regular 2D cinemas.
The campaign aims to make moviegoing more accessible to audiences. This includes families, friends, students, and cinephiles in general.
Such initiative has been a staple in other countries, like the United States, United Kingdom, Spain, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, and more. The same concept applies, with movie tickets going on sale for a lot less.
What’s great about the celebration is that all movies scheduled for exhibition on September 12, whether local or international, shall get the special admission price.
Advanced tickets sales have already begun. Customers can purchase through participating box offices, official websites, mobile apps, and authorized platforms.
Tickets will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis and remain subject to theater capacity. Prices vary for other viewing formats like Director’s Club or IMAX, for instance.
The campaign is organized by the Cinema Exhibitors Association of the Philippines (CEAP), along with industry and government partners.
The initiative is supported by the Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP), Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB), and the Metro Manila Film Festival through the MMDA.
Participating cinemas include Ayala Malls Cinemas, SM Cinemas, Robinsons Movieworld, CityMall Cinema, Megaworld Cinemas, and more.
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