Features

Best Video Games of 2017 (Q3 Edition)

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Deep into 2017, there’s still no end in sight to the flood of excellent video game releases. To help keep you from drowning in the goodness, here are the ten best games of Q3 2017 ordered by release date.

Splatoon 2

Nintendo’s funky fresh team-based competitive shooter is back and better than ever. Splatoon 2 features the same solid foundation of spraying ink to control space and eliminate opponents, but with new weapons, new skills, and new modes. The biggest change is that you can now play it on the go, as it’s on the Nintendo Switch.

Available on Nintendo Switch (July 21)

Pyre

What do you get when you cross basketball with fantasy and visual novel mechanics? You get Supergiant Games’ Pyre. It’s a character-driven drama played at the spaciest of arenas and with the highest of stakes: freedom. Revel in the art and ruminate on heavy decisions that will stick with you for a long time. Read our review for a more in-depth breakdown!

Available on Windows and PlayStation 4 (July 25)

Tacoma

There’s a mystery in the space station Tacoma, and it’s up to you find out what happened to its missing crew. Rifle through drawers, access personal computers, and scrub through conversations of holographic projections in real time. Unfold the untold stories of every staff member in a chill yet eye-opening experience.

Available on Windows and Xbox One (August 2)

Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice

Mental illness has never been quite so sensitively depicted in big, blockbuster games until Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice. You take control of Senua, a Celtic warrior dealing with psychosis that’s made worse after a traumatic event. Cut down enemies, recognize patterns in the environment to solve puzzles, and wrestle with your inner demons in a harrowing visual tour de force.

Available on Windows and PlayStation 4 (August 8)

Sonic Mania

SEGA’s old blue furry mascot has seen better days. It makes perfect sense then that Sonic’s best adventure in years is a trip back to the golden years, but with a twist. Sonic Mania has you replaying old favorite stages remixed for the modern era alongside brand new levels that match the design of a 90s child’s wild imagination.

Available on Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch (August 15)

Uncharted: The Lost Legacy

Nathan Drake’s treasure hunting days may be over after Uncharted 4, but there’s still a lot of fun to be had exploring ancient architecture and shooting mobs of mooks. Uncharted: The Lost Legacy puts you in the boots of sassy thief Chloe Price and partners you with stone cold mercenary Nadine Ross in a tightly paced, action-packed caper through the jungles and caves of India. Check out our review for a full analysis!

Available on PlayStation 4 (August 22)

Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle

Who would have ever imagined that putting guns in the hands of Mario, Luigi, Yoshi, and Princess Peach would turn out to be a good idea? The makers of Assassin’s Creed and Far Cry, apparently, as this cutesy turn-based strategy mash-up with the raving Rabbids is the best video game crossover of the year. Put your thinking cap on, and lead your crack squad of Nintendo icons to tactical triumph in a colorful world.

Available on Nintendo Switch (August 29)

Destiny 2

Fighting aliens was the only consistently good thing in the first Destiny. Destiny 2 makes everything else about this online sci-fi first person shooter bigger and better. Whether you just want to shoot your way through spectacular set pieces by yourself or team up with friends to conquer hardcore coordinated challenges, you’ll be having fun and looking cool while you’re at it. Get all the details by reading our review.

Available on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One (September 6). To be released on Windows (October 24).

Divinity: Original Sin II 

If you’re looking for the closest thing to authentic Dungeons and Dragons-style role playing in a good-looking computer game, your search stops with Divinity: Original Sin II. No other RPG right now respects player choice in character creation, combat, and conversations, and rewards it with satisfying battles and superb narratives. Play it by yourself or with a companion!

Available on Windows (September 14)

Metroid: Samus Returns

Although it’s technically a reimagining of a classic, there are enough changes to the elegant 2D side-scrolling action adventure formula in Metroid: Samus Returns to justify revisiting it. New controls and abilities give you more options to fight and traverse, while the sleek visual upgrade highlights the fun like never before. It’s a good reason to dust off that 3DS!

Available on Nintendo 3DS (September 15)

SEE ALSO: Best Video Games of 2017 (Q2 Edition)

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Tutorials

How to set up Apple Pay on your iPhone

It’s as easy as a single tap.

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Apple Pay is officially in the Philippines!

Pushing the country forward into a cashless and cardless future, Apple has now brought its contactless payment system to the Philippines. As with other countries, Apply Pay will work seamlessly and easily even for those who have problems with technology.

Now, despite how easy it is, sometimes we need to be pointed in the right direction. Here’s how you can set up Apple Pay on your iPhone:

Everything starts with the Wallet app. First, open your Wallet app. Tap the “+” button on the top and select “Debit or Credit Card.”

Normally, this is where you can input your card details (which you can still do, by the way), but the default method now is to just tap your card on the back of your iPhone. Your phone does the rest. You might need to confirm with your bank, but it’s as easy as a single tap.

Pick which cards to use. Once you have your cards online, you might need to change which one is the default card. Again, it’s easy. Just drag your preferred card to the front.

Afterwards, you can tap to pay in supported stores by priming the Wallet app for use. Tapping to pay is also available for Apple Watch. Meanwhile, online transactions can also work on MacBook.

Secure, all the time. If you’re worried about your security especially with online transactions, Apple keeps your information only between you and the seller. They don’t store your data.

Also, it’s not easy to make a transaction without your consent. You need Face ID, Touch ID, or your password. If you lose your phone, you can easily shut your phone down with the Find My app to prevent malicious parties from making transactions.

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Accessories

DJI Osmo Mobile 8P: From a videographer’s perspective

Better tracking, fewer buttons

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DJI’s smartphone gimbals have always chased one goal: delivering cinema-smooth footage without forcing you to carry a heavy rig.

The Osmo Mobile 8P (OM 8P) makes its priorities clear right out of the box. This is not a simple refresh. DJI rebuilt how you control the gimbal, and that decision shapes the entire shooting experience.

Freedom behind the lens

The biggest change is the FrameTap remote, and it’s the kind of upgrade that fixes a problem you didn’t realize was slowing you down until it’s gone.

On the standard OM 8, adjusting your framing meant reaching for your phone every time, which broke the flow of shooting and pulled you out of the moment.

FrameTap puts that control back in your hand. You can reframe shots and manage the gimbal without touching your phone at all, and for anyone shooting solo, that alone changes how usable the whole setup feels. Tracking has taken a real step forward too.

ActiveTrack 8.0, paired with Module 2, held onto its subject even after they stepped out of frame for a moment, then picked them back up without much fuss.

It also lets you sit off-center in the shot instead of forcing you into the middle every time, which gives you more room to compose something that doesn’t look like every other gimbal video.

None of that would matter much if the gimbal itself wasn’t solid, and it still is. The OM 8P holds onto the same foldable design, magnetic phone clamp, and built-in tripod that made the OM 8 easy to live with.

And it remains one of the better compact options for stabilization, tracking, and portability in one package.

The tripod legs are a touch wider this time, and that extra width does make a noticeable difference on uneven ground.

The trade-offs in touch

The trade-off for all that new remote functionality is a control scheme that takes more getting used to. More of the gimbal’s functions now live on the FrameTap touchscreen, the joystick is smaller, and switching between shooting modes takes a few extra taps compared to the OM 8. It’s not a dealbreaker, but it’s a learning curve you’ll need to budget time for.

DJI also removed the zoom and focus wheel, so if you leaned on that dial for quick adjustments, you’ll feel its absence here. Module 2 no longer lets you plug a DJI wireless mic in directly either.

You’ll need to connect it to your phone instead, which adds a step to a setup that used to be simpler. Phone compatibility is still a limiting factor as well. DJI lists support for phones up to around 300g and 11mm thick, so bigger phones or ones in chunky cases may not clamp in properly.

Finding your ideal workflow

The OM 8P makes the most sense for solo creators who want dependable tracking and the freedom of remote framing without stepping up to a dedicated camera like the DJI Osmo Pocket.

If you’re already shooting on a phone with a solid camera, this fills the gap nicely. It’s a tougher sell if you prefer physical buttons over touchscreen menus, or if your phone runs on the larger and heavier side, since fitting it onto the clamp might be a problem before you even get to shooting.

Price, availability

DJI is offering the OM 8P in three combos, so how much you pay depends on how much of the ecosystem you actually need.

  • Standard Combo (PhP 7,499): the gimbal itself, with 8th-gen stabilization and the detachable FrameTap remote included.
  • Advanced Tracking Combo (PhP 9,199): adds the Multifunctional Module 2 for the improved subject tracking we tested.
  • Creator Combo (PhP 11,099): the full kit, built for creators who want everything DJI bundles in from the start.

Is the DJI Osmo Mobile 8P your GadgetMatch?

The DJI Osmo Mobile 8P asks you to relearn a few habits in exchange for a gimbal that finally lets go of your phone. If hands-free framing and steadier tracking matter more to you than a dedicated zoom dial, this is worth the adjustment.

If you’d rather keep things exactly as they were on the OM 8, that learning curve might be the deciding factor.

Swipe right if you shoot alone often and have been waiting for a gimbal remote that actually works. The FrameTap remote alone justifies the upgrade if reaching for your phone mid-shot has been slowing you down.

Consider this if reliable tracking matters to you, especially if you’ve had a subject wander out of frame and stay lost on older gimbals.

And of course, get this if you already own a capable phone under the weight and thickness limits, and you’d rather invest in a smartphone rig than jump to a dedicated camera like the Osmo Pocket.

Swipe left if you lean on physical dials for zoom and focus, and moving those functions to a touchscreen sounds like a downgrade rather than an upgrade.

This is not for you if you use a DJI wireless mic and want it plugged directly into the module without routing through your phone first. Or, your phone runs heavier or bulkier than DJI’s limits allow, since no amount of enthusiasm fixes a clamp that won’t close.

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Features

GadgetSnaps: Westminster Abbey

A thousand years of history, unfolded with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra

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Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

Westminster Abbey isn’t just another stop on the London tourist trail.

It’s the stage for coronations, royal weddings, and burials that span nearly a thousand years, all still playing out under the same vaulted ceilings that have been standing since before most countries had names.

Once you get past the crowds and the audio guides, a quieter version of the abbey starts to show itself: worn stone steps, poets resting a few feet from kings, light that shifts across the nave like it’s in on the performance too.

While losing track of time in Poets’ Corner (yes, me, playing amateur historian for an afternoon), I unfolded the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra and decided the abbey deserved more than a quick tourist snap.


All photos captured using the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra.

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