Computers

Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P, Chromecasts, Pixel C | Google Event Highlights

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When you see or hear the word Google, hardware isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. But they do release devices. While their Nexus launch event, held last week in San Francisco, was a snoozefest, there is plenty to be excited about.

Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P

The much loved Nexus 5, released in 2013, finally gets a refresh. Like its predecessor the 5.2-inch Nexus 5X makes a great case as being one of the best all around phones.

Starting at $379, it is competitively priced with a decent spec sheet and its polycarbonate shell is light and comfortable to grip. Can it draw the same level of interest and attention that the Nexus 5 did? We’ll have to wait and see.

Google pulled in Huawei to make the this year’s premium Nexus device. It helps Huawei position itself as a premium phone maker and they did a splendid job on the 6P.

The 5.7-inch 6P is made of aluminum. It is the first Nexus phone with a full-unibody construction. It also has, at least on paper, an impressive camera, 12.3 megapixels, but that’s not the number Google wants you to focus on. The company is touting the 6P’s 1.55 micron pixel size – larger than most phones on the market today.

Bigger pixels mean the ability to shoot with little to no light. We’re excited to see more sample photos to see if this is really the case.

The high-end Nexus 6P, which starts at $499, also has a host of other camera features including slow-mo capture, and a new smart burst mode. But I’m not feeling that whole band of black at the back of the device hosting the camera. Sure, it helps differentiate it from most other phones today but aesthetically, I wish Huawei went in another direction.

Both phones come with the new reversible USB Type-C for faster charging and will run the latest version of Android – Marshmallow.

The fingerprint scanners for both the 5X and 6P are located at the back right underneath the main camera. I had the chance to test a phone with a similar fingerprint scanner placement and I found it felt natural if you unlock the device while holding it up. But if you want to unlock the phone while its back is lying on the table, you might have to resort to using a lock code.

Google did well to address two needs with their 2015 Nexus phones – a value-for-money Nexus that most fans craved for after the pricey Nexus 6 and Nexus 9 of 2014, and the best of pure Android on a premium smartphone.

Chromecast and Chromecast Audio

Google tweaked the look of its media streaming device and made two of them – one for your TV, another for your speakers. Both are priced $35.

Instead of a stick, the redesigned Chromecast is now clearly more circular with a bendable HDMI arm that’s supposed to make it easy to hide the device behind your TV. It also has additional WiFi antennas for better range and support for modern wifi standards.

It comes in three colors: black, lemon yellow, and bright red.

Chromecast Audio, as its name suggests, focuses on music. With support for RCA, 3.5 mm, and optical inputs, Chromecast Audio should be able to take any speaker you have lying around and make it ‘smarter’.

Along with it comes the announcement that Chromecast now supports leading music streaming service Spotify. Now more than ever, it’s easier to blast your favorite playlists whether you want to rock out, dance, or, if the mood is right, ask someone to ‘Marvin Gaye And Get It On.’

Pixel C

In yet another crack at mobile productivity, Google announces the Pixel C (C stands for convertible).

It’s a 10.2-inch slate that pairs magnetically with a keyboard and it looks really promising. At the demo, Google showed off how the tablet seamlessly attaches to the keyboard without nasty ports and docks. You also don’t need to charge the keyboard as it is already charging the moment you stick it to the tablet.

It appeared the Pixel C will automatically come with the keyboard. Unfortunately that is not the case. The Pixel C tablet will retail for $499 and if you want the keyboard too, it’ll burn another $149 hole in your pocket.

That aside, the tablet, which runs Android Marshmallow, looks absolutely gorgeous and does appear like a step forward to actual productivity when you’re on the go.

[irp posts=”8575″ name=”Android made downloading from Google Play much easier”]

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Computers

ASUS, ROG announce 2026 desktops, AiO availabilities in PH

For gaming, heavy workloads, modern setups

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February 12, 2026

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ASUS and ROG have announced the availabilities of their latest 2026 desktops and all-in-one (AiO) PCs in the Philippines.

Headlining the lineup is the ASUS V600 All-in-One PC, the latest addition to the AiO series. It has a sleek aesthetic and is powered by up to an AMD Ryzen AI 5 330 processor, capable of handling demanding workloads with ease.

This processor is paired with AMD Radeon 820M graphics, up to 16GB DDR5 memory, and up to 512GB SSD storage.

The V600 has a 23.8-inch FHD IPS 178-degree view display with a wide 93% screen-to-body ratio, anti-glare coating, and is certified for eye comfort.

The 50 TOPs NPU PC is also part of the Copilot+ family, making it efficient for AI computing tasks. Other features include ASUS AI Noise-Cancelling and Adaptive Lock.

Price: PhP 56,995

ASUS V500 Mini Tower

Meanwhile, the ASUS V500 Mini Tower is crafted to blend modern workspaces while delivering dependable performance.

It touts up to an Intel Core 7 240H processor and comes in a Dark Wood color. It operates at as low as 24dB in whisper mode.

An addition, it features up to 80 PLUS Platinum-certified PSU, reducing heat generation and eliminating power-consumption concerns. The PC has support for up to 64GB DDR5 RAM and up to 512GB of SSD storage.

Price: Starts at PhP 41,995

ASUS TUF Gaming TM500

Moreover, the ASUS TUF Gaming TM500 is a compact gaming desktop that delivers power and efficiency in a streamlined form factor.

It is fueled by an AMD Ryzen 7 260 processor, reaching a maximum boost speed of 5.1GHz. Along with up to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 GPU, users can experience seamless gameplay.

The PC comes with 16GB DDR5 memory, and two more SO-DIMM slots to support up to 64GB of memory. This allows the machine to breeze through memory-heavy workloads, outside of the most demanding AAA titles.

Complementing these hardware is a custom heatsink with 1,218cm2 of total dissipation area, copper heat piping, and 90 mm cooling fan.

Price: Starts at PhP 76,995

ROG GM700

Lastly, the ROG GM700 features the undisputed power and beastly performance of the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D processor and AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT GPU.

With up to 32GB of memory, the PC can process jaw-dropping visuals at ultra-fast speeds. With up to 2TB of storage, it guarantees swift load times, high frame rates, and freedom from stutters in high-stakes gaming.

The ROG GM700 is also amenable for customization, maintenance, and future-proofing. Users can enjoy an upgrade potential of up to four DDR5 U-DIMM slots and multiple M.2 slots.

Price: starts at PhP 139,995

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Computers

3D printing made accessible: Bambu Lab moves closer to everyday consumers

Empowering consumers to create tangible objects

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January 29, 2026

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Photos from Rodneil Quiteles

China-based brand Bambu Lab makes an effort to move closer to everyday consumers in the Philippines with a new retail partner by holding a media and creators roundtable in the Philippines. This was a bid to reshape how consumers perceive and use 3D printing technology.

Established in Shenzhen, China in 2020, Bambu Lab aims to make 3D printing more accessible, practical, and relevant to daily life through printers and other supplies.

The goal is to support practical home use, creative hobbies, product design, and even specialized tools, while putting emphasis on ease of use.

With such optics, Bambu Lab is trying to make consumers feel that there is less deep technical knowledge required and that they can actually create physical objects with 3D printing.

One of their products is the entry-level Bambu Lab A1 mini, which is compact enough to fit on a small desk.

The brand also has more advanced models which are capable of printing multiple colors and materials on a single run.

To complement the hardware ecosystem, Bambu Lab’s open platform MakerWorld lets users browse, select, and print from an extensive library of shared 3D designs directly from their own desktops.

The platform features a wide variety of objects across multiple categories. There’s household items, DIY tools, children’s toys, props, and educational materials.

In the Philippines, Bambu Lab will open its first concept store at One Ayala, Makati City. The concept corner will give mallgoers the opportunity to see the range of 3D printers and consumables firsthand.

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Computers

Next-gen AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D desktop processor out soon

Built for the most demanding titles

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January 28, 2026

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The next-generation AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D desktop processor will be available for sale starting January 29. It has a standard pricing of US$ 499.

Built for enthusiasts, the latest AMD Ryzen 9000 series processor features a +400MHz improvement to the boost clock, building on the legacy of the 9800X3D.

This makes the “world’s fastest gaming processor” even faster. AMD says their offering boasts of an average 27% gaming performance improvement over the Intel Core Ultra 9 285k.

On paper, the Ryzen 7 9850X3D has a maximum boost clock speed of up to 5.6GHz, and a base clock speed of 4.7GHz.

The new 8-core, 16-thread processor is aided by 2nd Gen 3D V-Cache technology, so a high-frequency memory is not required.

Across an average of more than 30 games played, the FPS difference between a DDR5-4800 and a  DDR5-6000 was below 1%.

The AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D is ideal for running demanding titles, i.e. AAA games, at maximum FPS. Initial checks also suggest the processor stays efficient in spite of higher speeds.

For connectivity, the processor has two memory channels for a maximum 192GB of DDR5 memory. It can also support four USB 3.2 Gen 2s and a USB 2.0.

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