News

ASUS Zenfone 8 Series now official

Featuring the Zenfone 8 and Zenfone 8 Flip

Published

May 13, 2021

Rodneil Quiteles

ASUS is diversifying the Zenfone line by giving people two distinct options in the Zenfone 8 series — the base Zenfone 8 and the Zenfone 8 Flip.

Both phones are powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor. Right off the bat, you’re promised flagship performance, 5G connectivity, some reliable gaming performance, and all that jazz.

However, the most impressive thing about these two devices may be in how targeted they are. ASUS is sticking to their thing by insisting on a Flip camera module, but they’re also offering something else for a segment that they feel is underserved with the base Zenfone 8.

Zenfone 8

The goal for the Zenfone 8 is clear — offer a compact flagship smartphone. While there are compact phones out there, it’s really only the iPhone 12 mini that can be considered flagship-level. But that phone suffered from a dismal battery life as many reviewers have pointed out.

To remedy this, ASUS put a 4,000mAh battery on the Zenfone 8. But how compact is it?

The Samsung AMOLED display on the phone measures at 5.9 inches. Only a few decimals larger than the 5.4-inch iPhone 12 mini. Also, a far cry from the at least 6.4 inches we see on most flagships today.

That display also supports HDR10+, has a 120Hz refresh rate, a 240Hz touch sampling rate, and is made of Corning Gorilla Glass 6. Neat. It has a tiny hole that houses the 12MP front-facing camera.

Speaking of cameras, no crazy flip-module here. Likely to maximize the space on the relatively tiny body. But ASUS didn’t skimp on the specs as the main camera uses the 64MP Sony IMX686 sensor here paired with an 8MP telephoto lens.

It is available in multiple configurations: 6GB + 128GB, 8GB +128GB, 8GB + 256GB, and 16GB + 256GB but there’s no way to expand the internal storage.

Watch our Zenfone 8 review

Zenfone 8 Flip

As the name suggests, this is the more party-friendly Zenfone. It features the Flip-up camera module first seen on the ZenFone 6. It has a similar set of cameras as the Zenfone 8, but are positioned alongside each other — that’s 64MP main, 12MP ultra-wide, and 8MP telephoto.

The Flip can sustain up to 300,000 flips which may not sound a lot but ASUS insists that it is. It also doesn’t just go all the way flipped up or down. You can control the angle at which the camera flips.

The display is also Samsung AMOLED but this one lands on the big screen category coming in at 6.67 inches. Instead of 120Hz though, this has a 90Hz refresh rate with a 200Hz touch sampling rate.

By virtue of having a larger body, it also has a larger battery capacity at 5,000mAh. This one comes in only one configuration — 8GB +256GB with support for up to 2TB of storage expansion via MicroSD.

Both Zenfones share the same video shooting capabilties. These are 8K and 4K video recording, Motion Tracking video, Time Lapse, Slow Mo, and more.

Here’s a quick look at the specs side by side.

	Zenfone 8	Zenfone Flip 8
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 888	Qualcomm Snapdragon 888
Display	5.9” Samsung AMOLED, 120Hz	6.67” Samsung AMOLED, 90Hz
OS	Android 11, Zen UI 8	Android 11, Zen UI 8
Configuration	6GB + 128GB 8GB +128GB 8GB + 256GB 16GB + 256GB *No storage expansion	8GB +256GB *Up to 2TB storage expansion via MicroSD
Battery	4,000mAh	5,000mAh
Cameras	64MP Sony IMX686 12MP Ultra-wide 12MP front-facing	64MP Sony IMX686 12MP Ultra-wide 8MP telephoto *Flip camera module

Pricing and availability details to follow.

Automotive

Mercedes-Benz celebrates 140th anniversary at the Presidential Car Museum

A generation’s worth of presidential Benz models under one roof

Published

July 17, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Last month, Mercedes-Benz Philippines kicked off its 140^th -anniversary “Welcome Home” campaign. Designed to celebrate the iconic Chedeng and introduce a new generation to the brand, the campaign attracts old and new customers alike. Now, the brand’s 140^th year is also hitting history buffs with a special showcase at the Presidential Car Museum in Quezon City.

Since President Cory Aquino’s term, the official presidential car has been a Benz, offering comfort and protection for the current head of state. It is here where Mercedes-Benz wants to celebrate the legacy of the brand, especially in the annals of Philippine history.

Amid the cars of Presidents Aquino, Ramos, Estrada, and Macapagal-Arroyo, Mercedes-Benz is displaying a replica of the Benz Patent-Motorwagen Replica, which is the world’s first automobile introduced by Karl Benz in 1886. The replica will be on display until December 2026.

Outside the Presidential Car Museum, Mercedes-Benz is running discounts through the end of July. There are also special aftersales services for those who already own a Benz. Finally, the brand will continue to run activations throughout the anniversary, so expect to hear a lot more about the Chedeng throughout the year.

News

Samsung releases teaser with Spider-Man: Brand New Day Easter eggs

Spot also teases upcoming Galaxy foldable devices

Published

July 16, 2026

GadgetMatch

Samsung has just premiered a new spot that showcases clips directly from Spider-Man: Brand New Day, just a few weeks before the movie hits cinemas later this month.

The clip showcases Spider-Man as he fights crime and puts his phone through the wear and tear of superhero life.

In the spot, the Fabricator creates a number of devices for Spider-Man built to stand up to the pace and unpredictability of life behind the mask. This includes what clearly looks like a Galaxy Z Flip phone.

This provides a behind the scenes look into how Peter Parker ultimately landed on a Samsung phone — as fans speculated from the first trailer.

Meanwhile, Ned can also be seen using the Spidey Tracker to try and catch Spider-Man throughout the city on his Samsung phone.

The campaign pretty much formalizes Jacob Batalon — who plays Ned Leeds — as Samsung’s Team Galaxy’s newest ambassador.

The clip ends with the text “A brand new shape for a Brand New Day”, which is also a callback to what the brand has been teasing regarding the future of its Galaxy foldable devices.

Samsung to release latest devices at Galaxy Unpacked

Next week, Samsung is set to launch its latest devices at Galaxy Unpacked 2026.

Ahead of the launch, customers who wish to reserve as early as now can get a US$ 30 credit during pre-order, for a total of up to US$ 1,230 in savings.

Customers can also enter a sweepstakes for a chance to win one of 10 US$ 500 Samsung.com gift cards towards their purchase.

Apps

iOS 27 public beta gives us our first taste of Siri AI

You can access the beta for free.

Published

July 16, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Normally, public betas come and go with nary a peep from anyone but dedicated fans and testers. After all, why care about a beta when the final release is likely just around the corner? This one, however, is special. Today, Apple launched the iOS 27 public beta, and it’s our first taste of the redesigned Siri AI.

Recently, WWDC 2026 unveiled Apple’s latest attempts at entering the AI segment. Whereas previous iterations to incorporate AI failed to make an impact, Siri AI promises to provide users with helpful feedback that’s actually helpful.

Now, in the public beta for iOS 27, users all over can finally access the new assistant. To get to the beta, you need to be a part of the beta program, which you can easily sign up for on beta.apple.com. Once signed up, you can get the update from Software Update in Settings. You’ll see options for a developer beta and a public beta. Choose iOS 27 Public Beta.

At face value, Siri AI offers much of what you’d get from a traditional AI-powered assistant. However, it does slightly differ because it integrates the entire phone. The assistant contextualizes your information (including emails, messages, and photos) to give you the most accurate feedback that you might need.

If that’s not enough, Siri AI also has its own chatbot app. If you’re more used to ChatGPT, the assistant should give you that bit of familiarity.

Now, if you don’t want to go for a beta, Apple is expected to launch iOS 27 in its final form sometime in September.