News

ASUS ZenFone 5, 5Z, and 5Q officially launch in the Philippines

Pricing and availability here!

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ASUS first announced their newest line of AI-powered smartphones at MWC in Barcelona, and now, they’re coming to Philippine shores. All three variants, the ZenFone 5, ZenFone 5Z, and ZenFone 5Q (or depending on what region you’re in, the ZenFone 5 Lite or ZenFone 5 Selfie) will be on sale.

The ZenFone 5 sports a 6.2-inch notched display with a 90 percent screen-to-body ratio. It’s powered by a Snapdragon 636 processor with AI built in and runs on Android 8.0 Oreo with ZenUI 5.0 out of the box. It has a dual-cam setup on the rear with a 12-megapixel primary shooter and a secondary wide-angle shooter. These cameras are, of course, powered by AI. There’s also an 8-megapixel selfie shooter up front. 

The more premium ZenFone 5Z, on the other hand, is powered by the latest Snapdragon 845 processor which makes it a more capable device. All other specifications, including design, remain the same. They come in two colors: Midnight Blue and Meteor Silver.

Finally, the ZenFone 5Q is a quad-camera handset powered by a Snapdragon 630 processor with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. This device, though, isn’t notched. ASUS claims that this device is “the world’s first globally announced true quad-camera system” as it makes use of all four cameras independently, unlike other smartphones which only utilize secondary shooters for the bokeh effect.

Up front, it’s equipped with a 20-megapixel selfie shooter and a secondary wide-angle camera. On the back, it sports a 16-megapixel camera, also with a secondary wide-angle lens. The 5Q also runs on ZenUI 5.0 and Android Oreo out of the box. Color options include: Moonlight White, Midnight Black, and Rouge Red.

The ZenFone 5 is priced at PhP 19,995 while the more premium ZenFone 5Z will retail for PhP 29,995. The ZenFone 5Q will cost PhP 16,995. The ZenFone 5 and 5Q are in stores starting today and the ZenFone 5Z will be available come July.

The ZenFone Max M1, which is powered by an amazing 4000mAh battery, also launched in the country alongside the ZenFone 5 line. It will retail for PhP 8,995.

Gaming

Call of Duty drops the PlayStation 4 starting with its next game

Is this the beginning of the end for the PlayStation 4?

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When can we declare that a console is officially dead? Is it as soon as the launch of the next generation? Is it when games no longer come out on the console? Recently, Call of Duty has confirmed that the next game will not be available anymore on the PlayStation 4, which presents an important question: Is the PlayStation 4 officially dead?

Call of Duty is one of the most persistent gaming franchises today. The last entry, Black Ops 7, is still available for the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One. Both consoles were launched over twelve years ago. (If that doesn’t make you old, the current generation was launched almost six years ago.)

As such, the franchise is one of the last stalwarts keeping the past generation alive. This week, Call of Duty, via a post on X, confirmed that the next game will not arrive on the PlayStation 4. Presumably, this also means the Xbox One.

Currently, we don’t have details about the upcoming game yet. But a new entry is confirmed to arrive later this year.

With the departure of the Call of Duty franchise, it’s fair to ask what will become of the old generation moving forward. Over the years, developers have started shying away from the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One. Since the franchise still maintains a steady fan base today, a lot of PlayStation 4 users might be forced to make an upgrade to play the latest entry.

SEE ALSO: PC Game Pass gets cheaper, but Call of Duty delays are coming

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TCL CSOT Unveils ‘APEX Pixel’ innovations at SID Display Week 2026

Breakthroughs in display technologies

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TCL CSOT SID 2026
Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

Pushing the boundaries of display physics, TCL CSOT has officially launched its APEX Pixel framework at SID Display Week 2026.

This unified innovation path targets the microscopic architecture of pixels across FMM OLED, Inkjet-printed (IJP) OLED, and LCD panels to redefine clarity, power efficiency, and color volume.

The Super Pixel revolution

The highlight of the showcase is the Super Pixel technology for mobile FMM OLEDs.

TCL CSOT Super Pixel Mobile Display

By increasing sub-pixel density by roughly 1.8%, TCL CSOT has achieved sharpness comparable to WQHD standards while slashing power consumption by 25%.

Key mobile prototypes on display include:

  • 6.9-inch Ultra-Clarity Display: Features a 2608×1200 resolution with a 0.5mm top bezel
  • 165Hz High-Refresh Panel: Utilizes a Real RGB layout to boost motion smoothness by 40% over standard 120Hz screens
  • Ultra-Low Power 8T LTPO: A 420PPI powerhouse that reduces SoC power draw by a quarter.

IJP OLED and the Tri-Fold Future

TCL CSOT continues to lead the transition toward Inkjet-printed (IJP) OLED.

By utilizing the world’s first 8.6-generation IJP line, the company has debuted a 28-inch Foldable and Portable IJP OLED Monitor.

TCL CSOT IJP OLED Monitor Display

This “Real Stripe” RGB display features a tri-fold design that expands from a 16-inch footprint to a 28-inch workspace.

IJP OLED allows for larger light-emitting areas, occupying 50% to 60% of the pixel. This leads to a significantly enhanced luminous efficiency compared to traditional evaporation methods.

RGBC: The New Standard for LCD

For large-scale cinema experiences, TCL CSOT introduced RGBC Four-Color Technology.

TCL CSOT

By adding a Cyan sub-pixel to the traditional RGB matrix, the 85-inch WHVA Ultra LCD TV achieves a staggering 131% of the BT.2020 color gamut.

This hardware-level shift allows for more saturated hues and finer resolution rendering that traditional three-color pixels cannot replicate.

Through APEX Pixel, TCL CSOT is no longer just chasing size, but perfecting the very atoms of the digital image.

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News

iPhone 17 is the best-selling phone of 2026 so far

Meanwhile, the Galaxy S26 series didn’t make the top ten list.

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With more than a quarter of the year done and dusted, it’s time to figure out which smartphone has taken the early lead in the charts. According to the numbers, it can’t get any clearer. The iPhone 17 is currently dominating the charts.

According to Counterpoint Research, the bestselling smartphone in the world as of the first quarter is the base iPhone 17. The model took 6 percent of the global share in unit sales. Meanwhile, the iPhone 17 Pro Max and Pro took the second and third spots, respectively. Only a bit surprisingly, Apple rounded out its quarter with the iPhone 16 taking the number 6 slot.

The stranger thing is Samsung’s presence on this list. The South Korean brand took five spots on the top 10 list. However, none of them are of the Galaxy S26 series. All of them are from the Galaxy A series: in order, Galaxy A07 4G, A17 5G, A56, A36, and A17 4G. (The Galaxy S26 series narrowly missed the top 10.)

That makes nine. The final spot was taken by the Xiaomi Redmi A5.

Going only by the last two paragraphs, you’ll likely assume that the midrange market is rightfully dominating the charts in the months following the Christmas season. However, the iPhone 17’s dominance confirms that Apple has not lost its stride.

Plus, with the iPhone 17e only just having launched, Apple might continue its run well into 2026.

SEE ALSO: Foldable iPhone might be called the iPhone Ultra

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