News
Apple upgrades iPad Air with new M1 chip
Still the king of tablets
Apple flexes its dominance in the tablets space by introducing the new and improved iPad Air. It’s now powered by the M1 chip for a massive leap in performance.
Also coming to this upgraded iPad Air are the new Ultra Wide front camera with Center Stage, a USB-C port with up to 2x faster transfer speeds, and blazing-fast 5G on cellular models. Makes you wonder why Apple still refuses to go from lightning to USB-C on iPhones. Moving on though…
M(1)assive performance leap
Apple is bringing their tried and tested M1 chip to the iPad air. What does this mean for those eyeing this tablet? Up to 60 percent faster performance and up to 2x faster graphics performance compared to the previous iPad Air.
We’re sure that still feels a little too abstract. So, some of the things it’ll now let you do are edit multiple streams of 4K video, play graphics-intensive games (we can hear PC gamers LOL-ing), redesign a room in 3D, and deliver more realistic augmented reality (AR). Nice, right? It doesn’t stop there.
Centerstage
Video calling has been extra essential over the past two years of the pandemic. To address this, Apple introduced Centerstage. It automatically pans to keep users in view as they move around. When others join in, the camera detects them too, and smoothly zooms out to include them in the conversation. This feature is present on the iPad Air and its 12MP front-facing camera.
The 12MP Wide camera on the back of iPad Air lets users capture sharp photos and 4K video, scan documents, and enjoy amazing AR experiences. It’s an end-to-end solution for photo and video capture, editing, and sharing.
5G and advanced connectivity
The iPad Air will come in 5G models. With 5G, iPad Air can reach peak speeds of up to 3.5Gbps in ideal conditions. With eSIM and Wi-Fi 6 support, you get flexible ways of getting connected.
The USB-C port is now up to 2x faster than the previous generation, with data transfers up to 10Gbps, so importing large photos and videos is even quicker. The port connects iPad Air to a vast ecosystem of USB-C accessories, including cameras, external storage, and displays with up to 6K resolution.
Retina display and accessories
Any tablet won’t be enjoyable without a good display. That’s why Apple put a 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display on the iPad Air. Expect an immersive visual experience, with 3.8 million pixels and advanced technologies, including 500 nits of brightness, full lamination, a P3 wide color gamut, True Tone, and an anti-reflective screen coating.
The tablet is mightier with a pen. Or in this case, an Apple Pencil (2nd generation). It turns iPad Air into a digital journal and sketchbook users can take anywhere. It’s also compatible with the Magic Keyboard.
Price and availability
The new iPad Air is available to order beginning Friday, March 11, from apple.com/store, apple.com/sg/store and in the Apple Store app in 29 countries and regions, including the US, with availability beginning Friday, March 18.
In Singapore, the Wi-Fi models of iPad Air are available with a starting price of SG$ 879 and Wi-Fi + Cellular models start at SG$ 1,099. In the Philippines, a non-cellular model with a 64GB storage starts at ₱35,990 and ₱44,990 for the 256GB variant. The maxed out 5G + Wi-Fi model sells for ₱53,990.
Meanwhile in the US, the Wi-Fi models start at US$ 599 and the Cellular models start at US$ 749.
The new iPad Air, in 64GB and 256GB configurations, comes in space grey, starlight, pink, purple, and blue finishes.
News
OnePlus officially leaves the United States and Canada
The brand’s smartphones are now sold out in the United States.
Once upon a time, OnePlus used to be the darling child of smartphone users on a budget. For a more meager price than a flagship, users can enjoy flagship specs on a uniquely designed phone. Who can forget the iconic OnePlus One?
Unfortunately, prices have a way of catching up. Though the brand’s phones are still perfectly good, more options have already emerged as alternatives for a so-called flagship killer, including OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei’s Nothing.
Now, marking the brand’s next step, whatever that is, OnePlus has officially left the North American market. As of today, the company has sold its last smartphone in the United States and Canada. Going on the official OnePlus website will warrant a Sold Out sign for both the OnePlus 15 and 15R. If anything, users can still get a handful of earbuds and cases.
As with everything that sells out, if you really want to cop one of the last remaining models in America, you can grab one off a third-party retailer, but who knows until when that will last?
This isn’t just a stocking issue, either. In July, the company already confirmed that it is pulling out of the region starting this month. It’s a sign of internal restructuring happening inside OPPO and all the brands under its umbrella. There’s also a rumor that OnePlus was relegated to being a sub-brand of OPPO once again.
News
Mastercard brings Apple Pay to customers in the Philippines
Easy and secure way to pay across Apple ecosystem
Mastercard has officially brought Apple Pay to its cardholders in the Philippines. This gives iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad, and Mac users an easy, secure, and private way to pay in-store, in-app, and online.
To pay in-store, customers simply double-click the side button, authenticate, and hold their iPhone or Apple Watch near a payment terminal to make a contactless payment.
Apple Pay is easy to set up. On iPhone, simply open the Wallet app and tap the ‘+’ and follow the steps to add a Mastercard credit or debit card.
Once a customer adds a card to iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad, and Mac, they can start using Apple Pay on that device right away.
Every Apple Pay purchase is secure because it is authenticated with Face ID, Touch ID, or device passcode, as well as a one-time unique dynamic security code.
Apple Pay is accepted in grocery stores, pharmacies, restaurants, coffee shops, retail stores, and many more places that accept contactless payments.
Customers can also use Apple Pay on iPhone, iPad, and Mac to make faster and more convenient purchases in apps or on the web without having to create accounts or repeatedly type in contact information, card details, or shipping and billing information.
Of course, customers will continue to receive all of the rewards and benefits offered by Mastercard.
Security and privacy are at the core of Apple Pay. When customers use a credit or debit card with Apple Pay, the actual card numbers are not stored on the device, nor on Apple servers.
Instead, a unique Device Account Number is assigned, encrypted, and securely stored in the Secure Element, an industry-standard, certified chip designed to store the payment information safely on the device.
News
Visa brings Apple Pay to its customers in the Philippines
An easier and more secure way to pay with iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad, and Mac
Visa (NYSE: V), a global leader in digital payments, announced today that Visa debit and credit cardholders in the Philippines can now add their eligible cards to Apple Pay on their iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad, and Mac. Apple Pay is an easy, secure and private way to pay in-store, in-app and online.
This announcement accelerates the digitalization of payments all while expanding payment options for Filipinos traveling abroad and visitors traveling to the Philippines. Across the Asia Pacific region, 97% of travelers1 say that they will bring credit, debit, or prepaid cards on their trips, while only 17% intend to bring foreign currency. Among travelers, 38% said they prefer cards because of robust security and fraud protection features, while 20% cite wide acceptance. Apple Pay seamlessly delivers on these exact needs by making everyday transactions easy, secure, and private.
Visa Confidential
To pay in-store, customers simply double-click the side button, authenticate, and hold their iPhone or Apple Watch near a payment terminal to make a contactless payment. Every Apple Pay purchase is secure because it is authenticated with Face ID, Touch ID, or device passcode, as well as a one-time unique dynamic security code. Apple Pay is accepted in grocery stores, pharmacies, restaurants, coffee shops, retail stores, and many more places that accept contactless payments.
Customers can also use Apple Pay on iPhone, iPad, and Mac to make faster and more convenient purchases in apps or on the web without having to create accounts or repeatedly type in contact information, card details, or shipping and billing information.
“Apple Pay represents the next evolution of payments in the Philippines, combining ease of use, simplicity, and security in every transaction, helping amplify the payment experience for Visa cardholders in the Philippines. With Apple Pay, Filipinos and tourists alike now have seamless and secure ways to pay across shops, restaurants, travel destinations, and public transport, supporting the nation’s vision to become a cash-lite economy,” said Jeffrey Navarro, Country Manager for Visa Philippines.
Security and privacy are at the core of Apple Pay. When customers use a credit or debit card with Apple Pay, the actual card numbers are not stored on the device, nor on Apple servers. Instead, a unique Device Account Number is assigned, encrypted and securely stored in the Secure Element, an industry-standard, certified chip designed to store the payment information safely on the device.
Apple Pay is easy to set up. On iPhone, simply open the Wallet app, tap the ‘+’, and follow the steps to add a Visa card. Once a customer adds a card to iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad, and Mac, they can start using Apple Pay on that device right away. Customers will continue to receive all of the rewards and benefits offered by their Visa cards.
For more information on Apple Pay, visit: https://www.apple.com/ph/apple-pay/
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