Features

Super Blue Blood Moon 2018 and the tech you need to capture it

January 31 brings a lunar trifecta: Everything you need to know!

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A once in lifetime event is happening on January 31st.

It’s a called the Super Blue Blood Moon eclipse — a total lunar eclipse (Blood Moon) happening on the second full moon of the month (Blue Moon), at the time when the moon is closest and looks largest (Super Moon). 

A total phase of darkness during this amazing lunar eclipse will be visible in Asia, Australia, North East Europe, Russia, parts of the US, the Indian Ocean, and the Pacific, and will last up to 1 hour and 16 minutes.

The Philippines and Singapore will get a whopping 5 hours and 17 minutes from start to finish of this once in a lifetime lunar trifecta spectacle. India, on the other hand, will see only parts of the entire show since it begins before the moon peeks over the horizon. But this will not dramatically impact the fun as the phase of total darkness starts just about when the moon rises. This should make for particular outstanding effects.

But why is this event so rare? 

On their own, each of these cosmic events are rare. But for them to happen at the same time, let’s just say we’re super lucky!

Not even taking super moons into consideration, a lunar eclipse during a blue moon hasn’t happened for more than 150 years. After this month’s event, the next time you will get a chance to witness a Blue Blood Moon eclipse will be on Dec 31, 2028 and then on Jan 31, 2037 after that.

Let’s get all the terminology sorted out again.

Super full moon

When a full moon happens during a time the moon is closest the Earth, it is called a super full moon. A super full moon can look up to 14 percent bigger and up to 30 percent brighter.

The best time to look for a super moon is right after sunset when the moon tends to appear even larger to the human eye. This is partly what makes this month’s lunar eclipse so special as it happens in Asia right around that time.

Blood Moon

This isn’t an astronomical term at all, but it’s widely used these days. During an eclipse, the Earth blocks all direct sunlight which normally lights the moon’s surface. Indirect sunlight instead casts on the moon’s surface giving it a reddish yellow or orange glow, hence the nickname.

Blue moon

Ever heard about the term “once in a blue moon”? It means something is rare. Blue moons happen once every two to three years. A blue moon is the second full moon in a month with two full moons. 

How to document the experience

Now that we’ve gotten you all excited, how do you make sure you take great photos and videos of this once in a lifetime event?

First thing’s first: A camera! Your best bet is if you own any good interchangeable lens camera and a super telephoto lens (the higher the number the better). The most widely available super telephoto lenses are usually available in 400mm, 500mm, and 600mm options. To get even further, secure a teleconverter lens. A 2x teleconverter will double your ability to get in closer. 

Normally when you’re shooting a photo of the night sky, you’ll want a long exposure, but not in this case as you’re photographing a ball of light. Shoot as you would during the day. Shoot at ISO 100 or 200, at a wide aperture (around f/11) and with a fast shutter speed (1/250 or 1/125).

Alternatively, if you prefer to shoot with your smartphone — you’re better off with a smartphone that has optical zoom. The iPhone 7 Plus and 8 Plus, iPhone X, and Galaxy Note 8 for example all have 2x optical zoom. But to get even closer, you’ll need a clip-on lens that can mimic what a super telephone lens can do for a DSLR. 

Moment makes plenty of solid lens clips for a variety of smartphone models including a Tele Lens. Aukey has a clip on lens that provides 10x optical zoom. And if you want to get real crazy,  there’s a company called Goliton that makes a clip-on that gets you to 80x.  When using your smartphone, you may want to manually control the exposure by focusing on the moon, then dragging down the exposure controls if it appears too bright.

Regardless of what gear to get, make sure you’re using a tripod for the steadiest shot possible. If you’e using a smartphone, get a JOBY GripTight GorillaPod Stand, or the Manfrotto Stand for Universal Cellphone. To further avoid camera shake, set the camera to time mode.

When can you see it?

In case you won’t get the chance to go out to see it or the sky will be covered by clouds, NASA will live stream the eclipse. NASA coverage will start at 6:30 p.m. on January 31, 2018 (Singapore Time).

If Mother Nature allows for clear skies, here are Super Blue Blood Moon Eclipse time details for January 31.

Singapore and the Philippines:

Duration of Totality: 1 hour and 16 minutes

Eclipse Begins: 7:48 p.m.

Enters Totality: 8:51 p.m.

Reaches Maximum Totality: 9:29 p.m.

Exits Totality: 10:07 p.m.

Eclipse Ends: 11:11 p.m.

India (Mumbai):

Duration of Totality: 1 hour and 10 minutes

Moon rises at 6:27 p.m. (begins before moon is above horizon)

Reaches Maximum Totality: 6:59 p.m.

Exits Totality: 7:37 p.m.

Eclipse Ends: 8:41 p.m.

SEE ALSO: Flagship Smartphone Camera Shootout: Best of 2017

Features

HUAWEI MatePad 11.5 S 2026: The better-than-ever 4-in-1 productivity tablet

Designed to do it all

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HUAWEI MatePad 11.5 S 2026


Do you ever get tired of carrying a heavy laptop and all its accessories every single day? Compare that with something as light as this. HUAWEI is back once again with the latest better-than-ever HUAWEI MatePad 11.5 S 2026.

HUAWEI calls this a 4-in-1 better-than-ever productivity tablet because it’s got four components in one convenient package.

You have the tablet itself, the Smart Magnetic Keyboard, the Mouse, and the M-Pencil 3rd Gen.

With the free Smart Magnetic Keyboard, you can use the MatePad in a variety of ways like laptop form, studio form, and split form. The Mouse completes the PC-like experience by letting you work in split-screen views. Finally, the M-Pencil 3rd Gen features 10,000+ levels of pressure sensing and ultra-low latency.

Especially in laptop form, one of the best ways to use the MatePad 11.5 S is WPS Office 3.0. I wish I knew about this sooner, because I still pay every year for Microsoft 365.

On the other hand, WPS Office 3.0 is a completely free suite of productivity apps. Plus, it’s 100% compatible with 42 filetypes, so you don’t have to feel that you’re switching to something new. You can work on documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and PDFs, just as you would a PC.

And you can handle them all at the same time.

In the Philippines, it gets really sunny. Using a screen outdoors or even by a window is impossible. Thankfully, HUAWEI is back with the improved 11.5-inch Ultra-Clear PaperMatte Display.

It’s also much clearer. You can hardly see the pixels even when you zoom in. Glare and reflections have been reduced by 50 percent, so you don’t strain your eyes after a long day.

Using the tablet’s screen is a breeze, since it’s compatible with the M-Pencil 3rd Gen and the M-Pencil Pro. And there’s so much you can do with the M-Pencil. It also feels and sounds like writing on actual paper.

You can also fulfill your need for creativity with the free GoPaint app, which even has pro features. I’m not even an artist, but this app can bring all my doodles to life. It features realistic brushes, an intelligent color card to grab the perfect colors, and an animation frame to liven up static images.

When you’re on break, the MatePad 11.5 S is just as good for entertainment.

The Ultra-Clear PaperMatte Display makes everything so alive whether you’re watching a show or playing games.

The new cooling architecture helps keep things in perfect shape for heavier tasks.

Finally, you don’t have to worry throughout the day because it has an 8800mAh battery and 40W SuperCharge. And it has all that juice even if it’s only 6.1mm thin and weighs only 515 grams.

Its premium metallic unibody design comes in two colors: green and gray.

With the HUAWEI MatePad 11.5 S, you don’t need to keep bringing a heavy laptop with you anymore. This can do everything already.

This 4-in-1 productivity tablet is all you’ll need to work, learn, create, and play.


This feature is a collaboration between GadgetMatch and Huawei Philippines.
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Laptops

TECNO MEGABOOK K16s 13th review: No-frills beneath those grills

All-around laptop without messing around

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Believe it or not, the last time I held a Windows laptop was back in 2022. It wasn’t even a conventional one. Rather, it was a gaming hybrid — or a laptop and tablet rolled into one. That was a short escape though.

After being a religious Mac user since 2016, it’s high time to re-experience Windows four years after that very limiting ROG review.

Here’s my 16-day stint with the TECNO MEGABOOK K16s 13th – Intel Edition.

All-metal clad that’s far from being bad

Gone are the days of Windows laptops that are icky plasticky.

If it is not evident enough, the TECNO MEGABOOK K16s 13th uses real metal. It looks and feels solid. And by that, it has characteristics of being decently hefty and light at the same time.

The only problem with this finish is how much of a smear magnet it is. But hey, at least it’s on par with my 2023 MacBook Pro for this smudge madness (or smudge-ness in my vocabulary).

With a laptop this size, port selection should be the least of its concerns.

It has twice the USB-C and USB-A 3.1 ports, as well as inclusions of HDMI 1.4, Ethernet / RJ45, and 3.5mm audio jack. Kensington lock is still present as well — not that it’s badly-needed.

If I were to nitpick, two things that ick me are the arrangement of ports. Look at how inconsistent they are, much like seeing your disorganized spoons, forks, and knives in a single tray.

Another would be the inclusion of a microSD card slot instead of a regular SD one. I don’t get how the latter was not chosen especially with its sheer size.

Now Playing: Can This Love Be Translated 🗣️🔥⁉️

Just like waiting to re-experience a Windows device, the same can be said when I waited for the premiere of the K-Drama “Can This Love Be Translated.”

The title was already compelling to begin with. That curiosity sparked twofold upon knowing that my two favorite stars (Kim Seonho and Go Younjung) will steer drive the whole series.

Speaking of star, the biggest star of this laptop has got to be its massive 16-inch display.

Not only I was able to reinvigorate my heart with the rom-com scene of Joo Hojin and Cha Muhee in front of that dreamy Mt. Fuji scenery.

Their Aurora Borealis scene was also breathtaking. Although not as vivid as other displays, its max brightness felt just right to make the visuals pop against that harsh sunlight.

And while we’re already at it, the matte coating of the K16s 13th has been a real savior. It’s more useful for users (like me) who work at cafés with large windows every once in a while. My MacBook Pro definitely loses this fight with its awfully reflective panel.

While it is not, in any way, greater than any other OLED display nor some panel with a 120Hz refresh rate, it still feels justified considering where the K16s 13th is positioned in this vast laptop market.

On Queue: EXO’s REVERXE, ZB1’s Running To Future,

My idol anticipation doesn’t stop there. EXO’s much-awaited comeback as a full group is another one. Then, there’s ZEROBASEONE’s release.

These comeback promotions should sound good, right? Well, not really.

EXO is coming back with three missing members, all because of a justifiable lawsuit against their agency.

On the other hand, ZB1 is coming back — but, for the last time as they will disband real soon after completing their 2.5-year contract as a project group. A real disadvantage of a group being formed during a survival show.

Just look at how cohesive the K-Pop album covers look for January 2026

Much like all that bittersweet aftertaste, I can relate the same feeling with the MEGABOOK K16’s speaker setup.

On paper, TECNO says it’s a master-level 2.5W 4013 quad-speaker setup that delivers 300% louder volume. I am not sure how it was tested nor compared.

Without much comparison, it’s adequately loud. However, it lacks the fullness and all the necessary thump and oomph to make the sound fuller than ever.

This just means a big laptop isn’t directly synonymous to having a greater audio system.

Unparalleled performance for its price

NGL, I have been spoiled by power-packed laptops especially for the creative work that I do.

That said, the MEGABOOK K16s 13th is far from being a slouch with the Intel Core i9 (specifically the 13900HK) at its core. That’s then paired by Intel’s Iris Xe graphics, alongside 32GB of memory, plus 512GB of SSD storage.

Without a hitch, I immediately installed all the essential creativity apps I use.

Lightroom is less demanding so post-processing the photos I took for the MEGABOOK K16s 13th was easy-peasy.

I then managed to make static graphics using Adobe Photoshop for another review article.

As for Premiere Pro and After Effects, you can still scrub through heaps of layers with tolerable amount of hiccup considering how packed my timeline was.

This laptop boasts a cooling fan system that kicked in heavily when the laptop was in dire need of releasing all the heat within — which went out through its four air vents.

Work-life balance achieved

My test doesn’t end just yet. I have installed both the Forza Horizon 5 and Euro Truck Simulator 2 for greater measure.

As expected, having integrated graphics (and the lack of a dedicated graphics) mean lower graphics support.

Surprisingly, both titles were playable enough. I enjoyed playing Forza Horizon 5 even in the lowest playable setting for more than 30 minutes — just with some stutters in between.

ETS2 felt smoother though. Driving the bus with the custom livery I made on Photoshop last 2019 was still working — and my pre-pandemic nostalgia kicked in.

Using the keyboard for playing isn’t the best thing in the world but it does the job — much like how I was able to write this review piece using the laptop itself.

As for the feel, the keys are more on the mushier side that felt like typing on a mashed potato. Not that I’m expecting a mechanical nor MacBook-level type of clickiness.

Good thing is, its trackpad supports gestures I’ve been heavily using since transitioning to a Mac.

Security-wise, the TECNO MEGABOOK K16s 13th can be unlocked with your fingerprint button using the power button as the reader.

That 1MP webcam also has a sliding cover for that extra level of protection against privy hackers.

Enduring that endurance

For the most part, the 70Wh battery of the MEGABOOK K16s 13th delivers a satisfactory endurance.

You will not feel its gradual decrease for the most basic of tasks — writing notes, being in a call meeting, even juggling through tens and hundreds of webpages for your write-ups.

Even between consuming several hours of entertainment, the MEGABOOK K16s 13th can still manage just like any other modern-day laptop would.

With the excellency and efficiency of hardware components in this digital age, it’s hard to kill a laptop with these day-to-day habits.

That said, the MEGABOOK K16s 13th isn’t totally meant for anything graphics-heavy.

As one would (and should) expect, the battery level instantly descends the moment you enter the start screen of a game or export a 10-second motion graphic in After Effects.

For instance, after running Forza Horizon 5 for 20 minutes, it depleted significantly from 51% all the way down to 27%.

Fortunately, the MEGABOOK K16s 13th packs a 65W GaN charger out of the box.

Charging speeds isn’t all that great, though, as it will take a long time filling the battery from zero to the brim.

I have honestly given up my GadgetMatch Charge Test upon realizing that in the 45-minute mark, it was only able to fill it at 27%.

This just means that in order to enjoy your me time, you have to sit very near a plug outlet. Moreover, expect severe battery health degradation in the long run if you intend to use it for casual gaming.

“Win”dows is far from winning

Before being a Mac user last 2016, I have been a long-time Windows user. My youthful years made me experience Windows 98, XP, Vista, 7, and even as far as Windows 8.1. My university years in 2015? Relying on Windows 10.

Now that we’re in the era of Windows 11, it’s still far from being flawless.

Even before Fruitiger Aero aesthetics of Windows Vista, Apple was already way ahead of its time with the first iteration of the OS X dubbed “Cheetah” and its translucent UI elements along a cleaner overall look.

2.5 decades after, Windows is as cluttered as it was in its prime days. Settings are for one, file system for another.

Task Manager, Explorer, and even Recycle Bin still crash like crazy — even if the MEGABOOK K16s 13th is already equipped with a pro-grade processor in its core.

The lack of fluidity is also for another. It will really make any Mac user justify the “once you go Mac, you can never go back” saying. Reality speaking, Windows is far from winning over.

This isn’t a TECNO problem per se. It’s always been about Microsoft not fully immersing and polishing their software for the longest of time.

If you happen to own other TECNO devices, TECNO’s PC Manager saves the day.

That so-called “OneLeap Collaboration” not only enables seamless data sharing and file transfers between all your TECNO devices, it also has support for Multi-Screen or Remote PC.

PC cloning, laptop optimizations, even troubleshooting, can also be done in this one-stop app.

Is the TECNO MEGABOOK K16s 13th your GadgetMatch?

The TECNO MEGABOOK K16s 13th in the Philippines retails for PhP 46,999 — and I am not even surprised by this.

I have known TECNO as a brand for quite a while now. The MEGABOOK K16s 13th is another testament to the brand’s vision of bringing devices within the reach of consumers at the middle to the lower-end of the working class.

For those who need better performance, especially those who need intensive graphics power (emphasis on intensive), this is obviously a Swipe Left.

However, it’s a no-brainer Swipe Right for buyers who want a shiny new all-rounder laptop without spending a fortune.

Even with the similar price as the ASUS Vivobook S16, the TECNO MEGABOOK K16s 13th has the upper-hand with its more powerful 13th-Gen Intel Core i9 chipset plus Iris Xe graphics (versus the Core 5 + UHD Graphics pairing).

Being “basic” is neither a bad thing

The TECNO MEGABOOK K16s 13th is as “basic” as a Windows laptop can get — at least compared to a swarm of 2-in-1s, ultrabooks, creative powerhouses, and gaming machineries.

I am not saying this is a letdown. In fact, I have to commend the K16s 13th for being a simple yet straightforward laptop that delivers all the necessities without frills.

Although it’s the core definition of a “basic” Windows laptop, it’s still a powerful one — way beyond its price point. It should serve as an example of how “basic” Windows laptops should be in the first place.

The TECNO MEGABOOK K16s 13th is simply an all-around laptop that delivers without messing around.

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Features

Can the REDMI Note 15 Pro+ 5G Survive?

REDMI Titan Durability Challenge!

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As someone who travels and is outdoors a lot, THE Michael Josh will be the first to admit that he is NOT gentle with his phones.

They live in his pockets, bags, hands. They get dropped, they get wet, and they get dusty.

So when REDMI asked him to test something they call “REDMI Titan Durability,” he figured the only fair way to do it was to put the REDMI Note 15 Pro+ 5G to the ultimate durability test.

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