Hands-On
Apple iPhone X Hands-on Review
Ten years ago Apple unveiled the original iPhone. I had that phone and can still remember how it felt when I first held it in my hands.
Back then, there was nothing quite like the iPhone, but much has changed over the last decade. While Apple shaped the smartphone world as we know it, many other players have come and made their mark on the space. And for us gadget enthusiasts, there’s no better time to be alive.
While the 10th-anniversary iPhone, the iPhone X, doesn’t start shipping till this Friday, November 3rd, we got our hands on the device early. I unboxed it yesterday, and feelings of the original iPhone came flooding back.
While some will debate the merits of any hype surrounding the iPhone X, the phone’s launch marks an important next step for Apple. This phone embodies everything they’ve learned thus far, and more importantly, the future it envisions.
For Apple, this is the future.
Unlike all the other iPhones released in the last three to four years, this one looks different. Its signature feature is its edge-to-edge display. Its back is now made of glass, and the frame is forged from stainless steel.
The iPhone X has the tallest screen on an iPhone to date, but is significantly smaller than the iPhone 8 Plus. It’s also the first iPhone with an OLED display, and right off the bat you’ll notice that colors are richer.
While I love my big-screen TV, I still consume most content on my phone, mainly Netflix and YouTube. I’m thrilled about the Dolby Vision and HDR10 support, which paired with the iPhone’s stereo speakers, should make the mobile video-watching experience a whole lot better.
To achieve the iPhone X’s new edge-to-edge look, certain concessions had to be made.
There’s a love it or hate it notch up top and the iconic circular home button that also acted as a fingerprint sensor has been removed for good.
Behind the notch up top is Apple’s TrueDepth System — probably one of the most important pieces of technology on this new phone. This combination of infrared cameras, dot projectors, and a high tech neural engine is what allows for a combination of features including the new Face ID face unlock system which replaces the fingerprint-based Touch ID.
When Apple first announced the iPhone X, my biggest concern was about the reliability of Face ID, especially since in the absence of a fingerprint sensor, this is your only biometric option.
While I’ll need more time with the device to say if I’ll ever miss the home button, I can say that the technology is fast. And didn’t take a lot to set up. In fact it was much easier to set up than adding a fingerprint on previous iPhones.
All you have to do is position your face in the circle and move it around in a circle. Because the TrueDepth System can map face and measure depth, it enables the selfie camera to take portrait-style photos and use the iPhone’s new Portrait Style Lighting Effects.
Emoji gets a new twist too with a feature built into the messaging app called Animoji that can recognize and track facial expressions to animate a set of 12 different emoji. You must check out our first impressions video to see it in action.
Here are some sample photos taken with the rear camera:
While Apple has been pretty serious about a consistent experience across all its products, the new iPhone X diverts from what Apple users have come to expect.
First, its power button is now called a side button. To power off the device, you’ll need to press down on both the side button and volume up button. Press once on the side button and it turns off the display; press and hold it to summon Siri.
The absence of the home button also introduces a whole range of gesture-based navigation controls.
From any app swipe up from the bottom of the display to go home; swipe up and pause to bring up the multitasking window; swipe down from the right side of the notch to bring up the control center; swipe down from the left side to bring up the lock screen slash notification panel; and swipe down from anywhere else on the screen to bring up the search menu.
It takes a whole lot of getting used to, mostly because swiping up and down did other things on previous versions of the iPhone.
I think that, in a nutshell, lays the predicate for our review coming soon. While we are excited about everything the iPhone X has to offer, because it’s so different from previous iPhones, we’re curious to see how we’ll feel when we’ve made the iPhone X our daily driver over the next week or so.
There are other things worth looking into. How important is its A11 Bionic Chip? Is battery life good as Apple promises? Is wireless charging a feature that no one will use even if it’s something us tech journalists have sorta demanded?
We’ll be publishing a full review really soon, but in the meantime, let us know what you’d like us to find out about the iPhone X. And while you wait for that review, here’s our unboxing and hands-on video.
SEE ALSO: Apple iPhone X Unboxing and Hands-On
[irp posts=”23181″ name=”Apple iPhone X Unboxing and Hands-On”]
Hands-On
Apple iPhone 18 Pro Series Hands-on
And everything announced during Apple’s September 2026 Event
The latest Apple event isn’t just about the shiny new Apple Duo. There’s a lot to talk about!
In this video, we break down everything Apple has announced during their September 2026 keynote.
First, there’s the updated iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max. That’s alongside their design and color changes, battery and performance improvements. Even that massive camera upgrade.
There’s even the ANC-infused AirPods 5 alongside the newer Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4. Plus, the latest software updates coming to both these wearables.
So, are these worth the upgrade?
Phones flip and fold. Now webcams do too.
Foldable screens have found their way into phones, tablets, and laptops in recent years. Now, OBSBOT is taking that idea in a considerably smaller direction: the webcam.
The OBSBOT Meet Flip is the company’s first foldable 4K webcam packing:
- 1/2-inch stacked CMOS sensor
- intelligent audio
- a collection of AI-powered meeting tools
All of these inside a body weighing just 37.7 grams.
A fold that does something, not just a gimmick
The OBSBOT Meet Flip isn’t foldable just to make it easier to throw into a bag.
Closing the webcam physically blocks the lens and puts the device into sleep mode. Open it when you want to be seen, flip it shut when you don’t.
A physical privacy cover isn’t novel in itself. What’s clever here is how it’s part of the folding design.
As someone with a love-hate relationship with data privacy, I almost always keep some physical barrier over my laptop webcam. And if I can avoid having a webcam there entirely, even better.
Serious camera hardware in a pocket-sized webcam
Despite its size, OBSBOT hasn’t treated the Meet Flip like a basic laptop-camera replacement.
Inside is a 1/2-inch Exmor RS stacked CMOS sensor with Quad Bayer technology, capable of recording 4K UHD at 30 fps or 1080p at 60 fps. It also packs an f/1.8 aperture, HDR, PDAF autofocus, ISO 100–6400, and up to 4x digital zoom.
At its core is a 1/2-inch Exmor RS stacked CMOS sensor with Quad Bayer technology.
It can record:
- 4K UHD at 30fps
- 1080p at 60fps
You also get:
- f/1.8 aperture
- HDR
- PDAF autofocus
- ISO 100–6400
- up to 4x digital zoom
On paper, that gives the Meet Flip a better shot at handling the situations built-in laptop webcams often struggle with: dim rooms, harsh backlighting, changing lighting conditions, or simply moving around in front of the camera.
HDR helps keep faces visible against bright backgrounds, while PDAF autofocus continuously adjusts focus as you move closer to or farther from the lens.
The wider f/1.8 aperture should also help in less-than-ideal lighting.
The point is that once the Meet Flip is set up, you shouldn’t have to spend much time thinking about the camera itself.
It listens differently depending on the room setup
The Meet Flip also uses an intelligent dual-microphone system combining omnidirectional and directional microphones.
Instead of relying on one pickup pattern for every situation, it offers four audio modes for different setups:
Directional Mode focuses on sound coming from the front, making it the obvious choice for solo calls.
Dual-Directional Mode listens to both the front and rear of the webcam, which could be useful for interviews or conversations between two people sitting across from each other.
Smart Omni Mode is designed for group meetings, picking up voices from around the room.
And Pure Audio Mode provides unprocessed left and right stereo channels for users who would rather handle the audio themselves in post-production.
Auto Gain and AI Noise Reduction also work across the first three modes, helping clean up audio without requiring much manual adjustment.
It gives the Meet Flip more flexibility than a typical webcam microphone, especially if you regularly switch between solo calls, interviews, and group meetings.
AI that doesn’t intrude
AI has become an almost obligatory addition to new hardware in 2026, but several of the Meet Flip’s features put it to work on real-world meeting annoyances.
AI Auto Framing keeps you in frame, with options for:
- Group
- Single Close-up
- Upper Body
- Full Body
Gesture controls can also toggle Auto Framing or adjust the zoom without reaching for a keyboard or mouse.
More interesting is AI Magic Notes.
Through OBSBOT Center, it provides real-time transcription and can automatically generate meeting summaries with key points, decisions, and action items. It works across Google Meet, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams.
Although AI Magic Notes is offered as a subscription service, every Meet Flip includes 120 complimentary minutes to get started.
MORE with OBSBOT Center & OBSBOT Live
There are plenty of other software features as well. OBSBOT Center includes:
- Background Blur and Background Replacement
- Real-Time Beauty Mode
- Picture-in-Picture overlays
- Smart Eye Tracking
- Teleprompter support
- Detailed image adjustments
The Meet Flip isn’t limited to laptops or desktops either. Through OBSBOT Live, it can connect directly to smartphones and tablets over USB-C for mobile streaming and content creation.
Flip it open. Fold it away.
None of those features reinvent the webcam on their own.
Taken together, though, they make the Meet Flip a more thoughtful take on a piece of hardware whose basic design and features have barely changed.
The flip may grab your attention first, but it’s how OBSBOT uses that design alongside its camera, audio, and software features that makes the Meet Flip interesting.
The OBSBOT Meet Flip is now available at US$ 119 and is currently available through OBSBOT’s official store, Amazon US, and select retailers.
&
@gadgetmatchPhones flip. Now webcams do too. 👀 Meet the OBSBOT Meet Flip, a tiny foldable 4K webcam with a lot packed inside. ✨
If you buy one, here’s what you’ll get out of the box!
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.
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