News

Xiaomi, Meitu launch Mi CC9 series: Selfie cam takes centerstage!

The much awaited collaboration is finally here!

Published

July 3, 2019

Rodneil Quiteles

Photo by Ayano Tominaga | IG: @ayanotdo

After initially just announcing the name of the collaboration, Xiaomi and Meitu finally unveil the Mi CC9 series: Mi CC9, Mi CC9e, and the Mi CC9 Meitu Edition.

Early rumors had us thinking that the Mi CC 9 will sport a flipping camera mechanism similar to the one on the Zenfone 6. However, that’s not the case as all three phones have a waterdrop notch with a 32MP selfie camera. The phones also share the same battery capacity — 4030mAh — as well as a triple rear camera module. A 48MP main camera, 8MP ultra-wide snapper, and 2MP depth sensor.

The Mi CC9, Mi CC9 Meitu Edition, and Mi CC9e | Photo by Ayano Tominaga

The phones’ differences begin with the chipsets. the Mi CC 9 has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 chip along with 6GB of RAM, and 64GB or 128GB of storage. The same is true for the Mi CC 9 Meitu edition but it is instead paired with 8GB RAM and 256GB of internal storage. Meanwhile, the Mi CC 9e is powered by a Snapdragon 665 chip, and comes in three different configurations: 4GB/64GB, 6GB/64GB and 6GB/128GB.

All three devices will run Android Pie with MIUI 10 on top. The CC9 and CC9 Meitu edition share other similar features. Both have the same form factor and have a 6.39-inch display as well as a 3.5mm headphone jack, NFC and an IR port. These are not present on the CC9e. The CC9e’s display measures 6.088 inches.

Selfies, vlogging, and Mimoji

The front-facing camera on the CC9 Meitu edition has some features unique to it. Meitu — known for its expertise on selfies — added the following: AI low light portrait mode, movie portrait, and full body beauty filters. Those who want to get into vlogging might also want to consider the phone as it has a special vlog mode with video stabilization.

Mi CC9 Meitu Edition selfie sample by Ayano Tominaga

Japanese journalist and selfie expert Ayano Tominaga who attended the event in Beijing, China noted some key differences between the regular Meitu phones versus this collaboration with Xiaomi. She said that while the Mi CC9 Meitu edition doesn’t have the signature hexagon design and more robust hardware for selfies that is usually expected from Meitu, this new phone still carries the Meitu spirit.

Meitu CEO Wu Xinhong spoke at the event and emphasized that with this new phone the “journey to make girls happy will never end,” quoting Meitu’s mission when it first set out to make smartphones. By bringing the Meitu camera technology to Xiaomi, it will also bring it closer to consumers with Xiaomi’s better distribution capability.

The camera app on the Meitu edition is exactly the same one found on Meitu phones instead of the usual MIUI camera app. Also included are the Meitu Beauty app and Meipai which is sort of like TikTok especially made for Meitu phones.

Another feature heavily showcased is the Mimoji. It’s essentially the Memoji on iOS, except this one’s made by Xiaomi.

Pricing and availability

The Mi CC9 will come in three colors: White Lover, Blue Planet, and Black Prince and will be available for pre-order in China with sales starting on July 5. Pricing starts at CNY 1799 (US$ 260). The Mi CC9e will start at CNY 1299 (US$189), while the Mi CC9 Meitu edition CNY 2599 (US$ 378). It will come in a special white pearl color.

News

Smart showcases cloud gaming platform in partnership with Blacknut

Play over 1,000 titles straight on your smartphones

Published

August 14, 2026

GadgetMatch

Philippines mobile service provider Smart showcased the country’s first cloud gaming platform in partnership with Blacknut at the recent Philippine GameDev Expo (PGDX) 2026.

As the event’s main presenter, Smart highlighted its collaboration with the cloud gaming subscription service. Together with its value-packed Power All offers, the network provider is highlighting what the future of gaming can look like.

Smart and TNT subscribers can conveniently access Blacknut Cloud Gaming through a dedicated site. Here, they can play more than 1,000 premium console and PC-quality games on their smartphones.

That’s without the need for expensive gaming hardware or lengthy downloads. Weekly subscriptions start at just PhP 145 and can be conveniently charged to prepaid load following a simple OTP verification process.

To make the experience better, Smart also has Power All offers, which provide generous open-access data for today’s digital lifestyles. There’s a package for cloud and mobile gaming, streaming, content sharing, and productivity.

Gaming

Ghost of Yotei gets a story expansion in October

The Complete Edition comes with the expansion and a roguelike mode.

Published

August 13, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Ghost of Yotei is a classic RPG experience set in the same universe as its predecessor, Ghost of Tsushima. In my opinion, Atsu’s journey of revenge feels a lot more fun than Jin’s battle to save his homeland. If you’re in the same boat, Ghost of Yotei is coming back on October 1 with brand-new content.

Without delving too much into spoiler territory, Ghost of Yotei has a conclusive ending. Rather than shoehorning a forced epilogue, Echoes of Sekigahara, the title of the upcoming story expansion, explores Atsu’s past.

As with Tsushima’s expansion, Echoes of Sekigahara features a new map with new enemies, weapons, and collectibles. It will be set in two different time periods.

Besides the story expansion, the upcoming update also has a new mode called Most Wanted, which Sucker Punch Production describes as their “spin on a roguelike.” The mode explores Atsu’s experience as a headhunter, feeding her with bounties and earnable perks.

The two new content expansions will come with in the upcoming Ghost of Yotei Complete Edition. The new edition, coming on October 1, will also come with the co-op Legends mode. It also has a few perks and customization options. The edition will sell for US$ 70.

If you already have the base edition, you can grab an upgrade for only US$ 15. If you don’t want to pay for the upgrade, the game is still getting a few minor tweaks.

News

HONOR isn’t taking the Robot Phone global — yet

The hardware is ready. The AI isn’t.

Published

August 13, 2026

Rodneil Quiteles

The HONOR Robot Phone may have officially launched, but don’t expect this version to immediately make its way to global markets.

HONOR told media in Shenzhen that it currently has no plans to bring the current Robot Phone outside China. The main hurdle isn’t the hardware. It’s the phone’s AI experience, which is currently optimized for the Chinese market.

HONOR believes a future generation of the Robot Phone would be better positioned for a true global rollout once its AI experience is ready for markets outside China.

That doesn’t mean HONOR is abandoning the idea. Quite the opposite.

More than a phone with a moving camera

The Robot Phone is HONOR’s attempt to introduce a new idea to the smartphone market. It combines a smartphone with a 4DoF mechanical gimbal, allowing its camera to physically move.

Its AI features take that concept further. YOYO Robot Mode can use voice commands, gestures, and AI tracking to control the camera. It can also automatically pan and tilt to keep a person in frame during vlogs, livestreams, and video calls.

The phone also brings selected elements of ARRI Image Science and professional cinema workflows to its camera system. Its 200MP gimbal main camera supports 10-bit ARRI LogC3 recording, while ARRI Wide Gamut 3 and ARRI Looks give creators more control over their footage.

But HONOR isn’t treating the Robot Phone primarily as a volume-driving product.

The company says its bigger goal is to introduce a new concept to the smartphone market and see what kind of effect it can have.

That makes the Robot Phone an interesting experiment for HONOR. The hardware is already here. The company now wants to learn what happens when a smartphone can physically move, respond to its surroundings, and use AI to help operate itself.

For now, though, China is where that experiment begins.