News

DITO Telecom shares surge as Globe, PLDT earns PH President’s ire

Shares surge by up to 11%

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Photo by GadgetMatch

Last July 27, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte delivered the penultimate State of the Nation address which contains the usual threats and tirades against companies and individuals. Two of those that received the president’s ire are Globe and PLDT — the Philippines’ biggest telco players. One of the unintended effects of the call-out, it seems, is a surge in interest for DITO Telecom — an up-and-coming telco that has a controversial background.

DITO Telecom had its shares surge last July 28. This comes a day after President Duterte threatened to close down its biggest rivals, PLDT and Globe. The company surged to 11% while its rivals fell 3%.

The surge is a clear indication that companies are wary of the chilling effects that a single threat from the government can do. This month, ABS-CBN — one of the biggest broadcasting networks in the country — shut down operations as Congress refused to renew its license to broadcast. Before its shutdown, President Duterte made pronouncements that their license won’t be renewed.

With Globe and PLDT earning the ire of the president, it doesn’t seem too far-fetched to think that the government may force its hand against these telcos. After all, it has demonstrated in the past that it has the resolve to make good of the president’s pronouncements. Congress may repeat its actions and investigate, or pass laws to the detriment of these two telcos.

Globe Telecom CEO Ernest Cu earlier responded to the Philippine President saying they understand the demand for better service and they are doing their part to deliver.

A telco with a controversial background

DITO Telecom getting a boost from the president’s threat is not surprising.  Last 2018, the Philippine government chose the company as the third provisional player. Back then, the company was known as Mislatel Communications. Many critics pointed out that there was a conflict of interest with the selection of the telco. After all, the current owner of the telecom — Dennis Uy — is the biggest contributor to the president’s campaign trail last 2016.

Critics also pointed out the telco’s link to state-run China Telecom. Allegations of a possible security risk popped up since state-run Chinese companies are known for colluding with the Chinese government.

Still, DITO Telecom is setting its sights for a nationwide launch this 2021. With or without the president’s threat, it is up to PLDT and Globe to improve their services. After all, the telecom promises a more affordable price for high-speed Internet.

Source: Reuters

Gaming

AMD teases next-gen Xbox coming in 2027

It might double as a usable PC, too.

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It’s been a while since GPU companies focused on making chips for consoles. With how the industry is going now, chips feel like they’re destined to end up in the suffocating deluge of AI servers. Now, however, AMD is showing signs of healing by teasing the next-generation Xbox.

In the latest earnings call (via Engadget), AMD CEO Lisa Su teased that the next-gen Xbox, built with a custom AMD SoC, is “progressing well to support a launch in 2027.”

The subtle tease is vague enough to obscure any details about the upcoming console but clear enough to confirm that it’s coming. Since the Xbox Series X|S has been out for several years now, it’s not surprising that Microsoft is thinking about what’s coming next.

However, it’s still intriguing that Microsoft is going for another console. Previous reports have speculated that the company might focus on delivering games, especially through the Game Pass. Lately, both the PlayStation and the Switch have thoroughly dominated the console market ahead of the Xbox. Handheld consoles are likewise impressive, too.

Other reports have speculated that the upcoming generation will focus on delivering both a gaming and a PC experience. With the Steam Machine coming soon, it seems natural that the next consoles will be usable PCs as well.

SEE ALSO: Match Pulse: ROG Xbox Ally X

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Gaming

Overwatch reinvents itself with a new story and five new heroes

And it’s not “Overwatch 2” anymore.

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Overwatch 2 was not a disaster for the popular multiplayer shooter franchise. It did, however, make the game more polarizing. For 2026, Blizzard is shaking things up once again, starting by dropping the “2” from Overwatch 2.

During its scheduled showcase, the new-and-improved Overwatch will feature annual storylines that will keep the game fresh for years to come. The system will go live on February 10. By then, the year-long event called Reign of Talon will start with Season 1.

As the name suggests, this year will be all about the villain-coded Talon organization, and it’s going to be more story-driven. Right off the bat, a new cinematic sees Vendetta seemingly kill Doomfist and take over the leadership of Talon.

Blizzard says that the year will see ten new characters introduced to the roster. In fact, five of those will already be playable starting in Season 1.

Without a doubt, the highlight character for this round is the formerly cancelled Jetpack Cat. The character was first rumored all the way back in 2017 but will now be fully playable this season. The flying feline hero is a support character that can hook another hero to a location while healing them. Their ultimate reverses this by having them crash land onto enemies and then hooking one to, ideally, drop them off the map.

Jetpack Cat will join four other heroes. Anran, who is also affiliated with the Overwatch faction, deals fire damage. Domina, who, along with the next three heroes, works with Talon, is a shield-based tank. Emre imagines an evil version of Soldier: 76. Finally, Mizuki is a Talon-affiliated healer.

Besides a new story and heroes, Overwatch will feature new game modes and improvements across the board. The new Season 1 starts on February 10.

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Gaming

The Nintendo Switch is now Nintendo’s best-selling console ever

Meanwhile, the Switch 2 just crossed 17 million units sold.

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The Nintendo Switch 2’s success was bound to happen. After enormous success with the original Switch, Nintendo is practically destined to also put up impressive numbers for the console’s recently released sequel. Today, the company has whipped out some proof. The Nintendo Switch 2 officially sold 17.37 million units, as of December last year.

Nintendo shared the console’s numbers through an investor’s report. Despite coming out only eight months ago, the Switch 2 is already putting up impressive numbers. With those numbers, the console is already Nintendo’s fastest selling platform to date.

For comparison, the original Switch sold less than half of what Switch 2 has sold in the former’s first eight months. Though the second console is still miles away from its predecessor’s total numbers, it’s already well on its way. In fact, Nintendo already expects the Switch 2 to break 19 million units by the end of the quarter.

The second Switch isn’t the only console reaping the rewards of its hard work. The original Switch has also crossed a major milestone. As of last year, the console has sold 155.37 million units, making it Nintendo’s bestselling console ever. It just overtook the Nintendo DS, which sold 154.02 million units.

With that, the Switch 2 has a mountain to climb, just to reach the same heights that its predecessor already attained. For sure, the console’s ongoing success is buoyed by the goodwill established by the original. Now, the question is whether the Switch 2 can sustain its growth on its own.

To help, the console is expecting significant first-party titles including Pokémon Pokopia and Meetup in Bellabel Park, a Super Mario Bros. Wonder DLC.

SEE ALSO: The Nintendo Switch is nearing the end of its lifecycle

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