Features

Of disruptors, flagships, and price points

Published

on

What makes a smartphone a flagship phone?

Just the other day, during a weekly chat over drinks, the GadgetMatch team found ourselves in a conundrum.

While a few years back the answer was simple, these days, the imaginary lines that separate phone classes are getting murkier. That’s especially true in 2016, a year where up-and-coming brands are disrupting price points by introducing the same kinds of phones for less.

Companies like ASUS and OnePlus both offer smartphones that can compete with the best of 2016 at almost half the price. No buts, no ifs, no compromises.

The only thing separating the cream of the crop are features that are great to have but otherwise completely unnecessary: a 4K display, like most high-end televisions; water resistance; and modularity. But when it comes to high-end essentials, the disruptors have it all.

Next week, I’ll be off to New York to cover the launch of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7, the latest in a trio of high-end phones by the world’s largest smartphone manufacturer. If its little brother, the Galaxy S7, is any indicator, expect the Galaxy Note 7 to be one of the best smartphones 2016 will see.

The Note 7 has everything that makes the S7 great: a gorgeous design, weatherproofing, expandable storage, a top notch camera, a built-in stylus, and, possibly, an iris scanner for security.

I haven’t settled on my favorite phone this year yet, one that’ll I’ll keep and use everyday for a year. But in my quest for the best smartphone technology has to offer, the Galaxy Note 7 is sounding like the perfect candidate.

My current daily driver, for all of two weeks, is the OnePlus 3. One of those disruptors I’ve been talking about. The OnePlus 3 is a gorgeous $400 smartphone: all metal, with rounded edges and an ultra-slim frame.

It’s just the right size; runs one of the best Android skins I’ve used; and comes with almost all the bells and whistles I look for in a phone: fast charging; fast fingerprint scanning; and a great camera. The only high-end features this phone doesn’t have are water resistance, a 2K display, and a rich ecosystem of compatible apps, accessories, and companion devices.

But I’m okay with that. In fact, the more time I spend with the OnePlus 3, the more I tell myself, this is actually a phone I don’t mind using daily. Scratch that—this is a phone I actually enjoy using. All of a sudden, my world is turned upside down. Maybe I don’t need a $700 phone? My current $400 phone costs significantly less, but it makes me happy.

Late last week, in Vietnam, another disruptor, Taiwanese tech brand ASUS announced two new smartphones, the ZenFone 3 Laser and ZenFone 3 Max. While ASUS has a phone that competes directly with the OnePlus 3, the equally impressive ZenFone 3 Deluxe, the two just-announced phones compete at another, much lower price point. But they too are disruptive.

Also last week, we were given an opportunity to take these yet-to-be released devices for a dry run. Our verdict? Both of them are significantly better than their predecessors. Our only dilemma, how to classify them. Are they midrange phones or budget phones? Between their specs and price tags, it’s hard to tell.

Which brings us back to the question, what makes a smartphone a flagship phone? Or, for that matter, what makes a budget phone? A midrange phone?

When everything was much simpler, the answer had to do with design, choice of materials, and specs. But now, even those at lower price points, some smartphones are designed well, made from premium materials, and come with impressive specs and features. Now that the playing field is somewhat equal, it all boils down to price.

For disruptors OnePlus and ASUS, it’s a question they both currently face, weeks before for their upcoming launches in the Philippines. I expect both their flagship offerings to come in at around P20,000 ($420). With both phones equally matched in terms of specs, whichever is more affordable is likely to win.

But it’s not just about these two phones. What about the flagships whose popularity they intend on disrupting?

At around the same time both the OnePlus 3 and ASUS ZenFone 3 Deluxe are supposed to go on sale, so should the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 for about P40,000 ($850). The Galaxy S7 is slightly cheaper, about P35,000 ($740).

Bleeding-edge tech comes at a premium, but I wonder, if for the casual consumer, it is worth it. Will there come a time where users, spoiled by the promise of a premium smartphone experience for less, reject the idea of any expensive phone?

Maybe we’ve hit the nail on the head. Maybe a flagship phone is about a premium experience.

I own another phone, a second daily driver, the iPhone 6S—a smartphone so great, that on paper has never competed head-to-head with all the other greats in terms of specs, but nevertheless continues to impress.

Case in point: the budget ASUS ZenFone 3 Laser has 4GB of RAM, twice that of the premium iPhone 6S. What Apple does, however, to justify its higher price points, is that it controls all the moving parts so that the internals can take a step back and users can focus on the usage experience instead.

The challengers to Apple and Samsung seem to have caught on that principle. When you unbox the OnePlus 3, enclosed is a letter from OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei. His message is simple: “Never settle.”

The thinking at ASUS isn’t very different. ASUS CEO Jerry Shen tells me the ZenFone is about “empowering luxury.” It’s about perfecting the smartphone experience and making it possible for everyone to afford this experience.

In a world where the common belief is you get what you pay for, it is intriguing to find that premium doesn’t have to cost so much. And while I appreciate how tech companies innovate with curved displays, super-fast charging, and the like, perhaps the biggest smartphone innovation of 2016 is something less tangible.

Perhaps it’s about premium experiences we can all afford.

[irp posts=”8433″ name=”Best smartphones of 2016″]

Accessories

OBSBOT Meet Flip Hands-on

It’s tinier and folds this time

Published

on

By

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.

OBSBOT Meet Flip

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.

Conference Meeting

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.

OBSBOT Meet Flip

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.

Continue Reading

Features

Getting the latest Samsung Galaxy Z Flip8 at 0% Interest with Maya Mini Payments

What convinced me to upgrade and how Maya Mini Payments made paying for it easier~

Published

on

I don’t upgrade simply because there’s a newer model on the shelf.

Last year, I upgraded to the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7 after spending three years with the iPhone 13 as my daily driver.

Even then, the decision wasn’t about chasing the latest release. It was about finding a device that better matched how I work.

I’m a firm believer that every upgrade has to earn its place in my pocket, especially when there are already perfectly capable phones sitting on my desk.

So when I decided to pre-order the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip8, the decision wasn’t simply about getting the newest device.

It came down to two questions: It came down to two questions: Is this a smart upgrade? And if it is, what’s the smartest way to own it?

The first question was answered by the device itself. The second is where Maya Mini Payments entered the conversation.

For me, the Flip8 addresses the reasons to upgrade. Maya Mini Payments addresses one of the biggest reasons people hesitate: big purchases that could be paid in 3, 6, 9 or 12 monthly payments.

Changing how I shoot and use my phone

I spend most of my day switching between shooting, editing, and posting, sometimes all within the same hour.

One of the biggest reasons the Galaxy Z Flip8 caught my attention is the cover screen. It’s finally useful enough that I can shoot, preview, and interact with content without constantly opening the device.

That may sound like a small change, but it makes a difference when you’re trying to capture candid moments before people notice a camera pointed at them.

It also makes everyday tasks easier. I can check a script, review a shotlist, reply to messages, or glance at notifications without unfolding the phone every few minutes.

For years, foldables often felt like they required some compromise. You gained a unique form factor and flexibility, but sometimes gave up a little on the camera experience. The Flip8 feels like it’s closing that gap.

Samsung’s improvements in low-light performance and stabilization are especially noticeable for the kind of run-and-gun content I create.

I haven’t spent enough time with it to call this a full review yet, but my first impressions have been positive. The experience feels more refined and more dependable than previous generations.

Features alone don’t convince me to upgrade. They have to solve a real problem. The more useful cover screen, the improved camera experience, and the overall refinement were the first signs that the Flip8 was offering something I’d actually use every day rather than another feature to add to a spec sheet.

The battery and multitasking finally match my day

The less exciting reason I’m upgrading is also the one that affects me the most.

Between filming, reviewing footage, answering emails, coordinating campaigns, and managing social media, my phone is constantly working.

My old device usually drops into battery-saving territory before dinner. It gets the job done, but I spend too much time thinking about charging instead of working.

The Galaxy Z Flip8 feels better equipped for that reality. The battery efficiency is improved, and multitasking feels more natural when juggling multiple apps throughout the day.

Those aren’t flashy features, but they’re the kinds of upgrades that quietly improve everyday productivity. They’re also the features that convinced me this wasn’t simply a want. It was an upgrade I could actually justify.

Once I was convinced the Flip8 was worth upgrading to, I realized the decision wasn’t really over. A smart upgrade also deserves a smart way to pay for it.

Making a big upgrade more manageable

Of course, deciding a device is worth upgrading to is only half the equation. The other half is figuring out how to pay for it.

The Galaxy Z Flip8 is a premium device, and for most people, the upfront cost is what gives them pause. That’s often where upgrade decisions get delayed, even when the device itself makes sense.

That’s why Maya Mini Payments stood out to me. Any Samsung purchase paid with a Maya Credit Card can be converted into Mini Payments directly through the Maya app, making it easier to spread the cost into monthly installments instead of paying for everything upfront in one go.

You can choose installment plans of up to 12 months at a fixed monthly add-on interest rate of 1%.

For Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 and Galaxy Z Flip8 purchases, cardholders can enjoy a 3-month Mini Payment plan at 0% interest, making the upgrade more manageable without additional interest costs on the installment plan.

What I like about the concept is that it mirrors the reason I like the Flip8 itself.

The Flip8 makes it easy for me to shoot, edit, communicate, and multitask throughout the day. Maya Mini Payments makes it easy to purchase by turning one large expense into a payment plan that fits more naturally into a monthly budget.

Both are practical solutions to real-world problems. Also, the entire process can be managed directly within the Maya app, making it easy to track and manage installment conversions without additional paperwork.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Maya (@makeyourmoneymaya)

Still on the fence?

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip8 feels like one of the strongest cases yet for upgrading to a foldable.

For me, the cover screen is more useful, the camera experience feels more capable, and the battery and multitasking improvements better match how I actually work every day.

If you prefer a larger screen for productivity, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 follows the same philosophy while giving users even more room to multitask and create.

If you’ve already decided Samsung’s latest foldables are your next devices, there’s also a smarter way to make that upgrade happen.

All your Samsung purchases made using a Maya Credit Card can be converted into a 3-month Mini Payment plan at 0% interest, with zero processing fees until September 30, making it easier to enjoy Samsung’s latest innovations without one big upfront payment.

Pre-orders run until August 13, with devices available in-store beginning August 14.

Continue Reading

Tutorials

How to set up Apple Pay on your iPhone

It’s as easy as a single tap.

Published

on

Apple Pay is officially in the Philippines!

Pushing the country forward into a cashless and cardless future, Apple has now brought its contactless payment system to the Philippines. As with other countries, Apply Pay will work seamlessly and easily even for those who have problems with technology.

Now, despite how easy it is, sometimes we need to be pointed in the right direction. Here’s how you can set up Apple Pay on your iPhone:

Everything starts with the Wallet app. First, open your Wallet app. Tap the “+” button on the top and select “Debit or Credit Card.”

Normally, this is where you can input your card details (which you can still do, by the way), but the default method now is to just tap your card on the back of your iPhone. Your phone does the rest. You might need to confirm with your bank, but it’s as easy as a single tap.

Pick which cards to use. Once you have your cards online, you might need to change which one is the default card. Again, it’s easy. Just drag your preferred card to the front.

Afterwards, you can tap to pay in supported stores by priming the Wallet app for use. Tapping to pay is also available for Apple Watch. Meanwhile, online transactions can also work on MacBook.

Secure, all the time. If you’re worried about your security especially with online transactions, Apple keeps your information only between you and the seller. They don’t store your data.

Also, it’s not easy to make a transaction without your consent. You need Face ID, Touch ID, or your password. If you lose your phone, you can easily shut your phone down with the Find My app to prevent malicious parties from making transactions.

Continue Reading

Trending