Features
Fast Forward: OPPO goes global, Samsung will have a foldable phone
OPPO is on a roll in November
Curious about what to expect in the tech world? Here’s a quick roundup of upcoming events and launches happening in November!
OPPO goes global with the RX17 Pro in Europe
After the glamorous launch of the Find X, OPPO plans to go global once again with the RX17 Pro. It’s basically the R17 Pro, but with a slightly different name.
The official announcement is in the first week of November and it’s happening in Milan, Italy. Given the venue of the launch, it’s going to be major event for OPPO.
There’s no confirmation if the lower-end R17 variant is also coming to the European market, but it’ll be called the RX17 for sure. The Chinese company seems to have big plans for Europe, so we’ll be sure to cover this.
Samsung’s foldable phone might soon come to life
We have great memories with our clamshell phones. But when the iPhone came out in 2007, all modern smartphones adopted its full touchscreen approach. We even have bezel-less smartphones. What if we combine the best of both worlds?
A Samsung conference dedicated for developers is happening in early November. It’s not exactly a phone launch, but the South Korean company will be showcasing the future of mobile phones. They even have a tagline that goes: “Where Now Meets Next.”
The crossroads between the present and the future – Samsung Developer Conference is where you’ll meet the knowledge needed to stay on tech’s cutting edge. #SDC18
Learn more: https://t.co/t66edOWIUi pic.twitter.com/bDZHuZVWee— Samsung Mobile (@SamsungMobile) October 18, 2018
The event’s website advertises developments in Bixby, gaming, and augmented reality technologies, but we are also expecting Samsung to give us an update about its smartphone with a foldable display.
READ MORE: Samsung teases its foldable smartphone’s launch date
The Philippines will know its third major telco
The long wait will soon be over! If all goes well, the Philippine government might name the country’s third major telco. According to the acting secretary of the country’s telecommunications department, they have set the date for the announcement on November 7.
Keep in mind that this is just the unveiling, so the services might take a few months to be available. By mid-2019, the winning telco is expected to have its initial subscribers.
READ MORE: Philippine’s new major telco player may be named in November
OPPO R-series will finally be available in the Philippines
OPPO will be on a roll in November. Apart from rolling out in Europe, the Chinese company will also expand its line of devices in one of its key Southeast Asian market: the Philippines.
Currently, the country is only home to the F- and A-series smartphones, which are positioned in the midrange and budget segments, respectively. The uber-expensive Find X is also available in the country, but the price gap is just too much. This is where the R-series comes in.
Announced in late August, the OPPO R17 Pro will finally become available in the Philippines. The price is yet to be announced, but we expect it to be around PhP 33,000.
The local launch is happening on November 7 in Manila.
Fast Forward is our roundup of upcoming news, launches, and events. It’s a monthly feature to give our readers a heads-up on what is happening in the tech realm. It’s sometimes difficult to keep track of the calendar, so we do it for you.
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.
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.
Features
GadgetSnaps: Westminster Abbey
A thousand years of history, unfolded with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra
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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