Features

Your Guide to Surviving ESGS 2023

Take note of each step!

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ESGS 2023 Survival Guide

Gamers and tech enthusiasts, assemble! The Electronic Sports and Gaming Summit (ESGS) is back this November 3-5 at the World Trade Center, Pasay City.Now on its 10th year, ESGS 2023 will feature special programs, tournaments, cosplay competitions, and exciting exhibitions from some of the biggest tech and gaming brands. 

Excited for ESGS’ milestone year? We prepared a survival guide for you:

Plan your voyage

  • Research on travel options. ESGS 2023 will be held at World Trade Center which is home to some of the biggest trade, culture and business events and expos in the Philippines.
    • Find out the transportation options, check out different routes, and allocate extra time for potential traffic delays. ICYMI, Grab and MoveIt offers discounts for con-goers!
  • Check the event schedule in advance. Research the exhibitors, guests, and activities. Note which ones you’d like to visit, plus activities you want to join.
  • Obtain the site map. You may check out the site map here. You’ll be using this to navigate around the venue, with the booth code/number of the exhibitors. Mark/highlight the exhibitors you want to visit.

Schedule your main missions & side quests

  • Plot your schedule and prioritize. Each booth and exhibitor have their own schedule of activities, so manage your time wisely and make sure you don’t miss out on must-see events.
  • Prepare for surprise encounters. While scheduling is important, there are many chances that you might come across your favorite cosplayer or streamer while roaming around. Make sure to have your camera with you!
  • Don’t forget to take breaks! Foot traffic may affect your time estimates, so don’t pressure yourself. Enjoy and don’t forget to save up on your energy.

Set your inventory straight and pack your gear 

  • Pack light but smart. As per the official event page, only A4 and smaller sized bags are allowed inside the venue. Large bags will be asked to put in the baggage counter. In this case, make sure all your essentials are there — from gadgets to personal care. 
  • Charge up on your “weapons”. Make sure that all your devices are fully-charged and high on memory. Don’t forget to stock up on mobile data for WiFi dead zones.

Equip proper clothing and skins

  • Wear comfortable clothes and shoes. The best thing about gaming cons is you can wear anything you want. The place will be full of creative and open-minded people, so don’t be scared to express yourself. Just take note that you’ll be doing loooots of walking, so make sure to wear the most comfortable suit for you.
  • Do cosplay! Whether it’s your first time or not, this is the perfect time to do cosplay. There’s a dedicated Cosplay Village area for cosplayers, so what are you waiting for?  

Watch your health and “mana”

  • Hydrate. Carry a water bottle or your favorite tumbler to stay hydrated throughout the day.
  • Replenish your battery from time to time. Pack energy-boosting snacks to keep your energy up. Don’t forget to incorporate meal and snack breaks into your pre-planned schedule.

Become a Sentinel Master

  • Make safety your top priority. Have an emergency plan in case you get separated from your group. You can designate a meeting point if phone signals become bad!

Begin Your Adventure!

First-time attending ESGS? Here are some suggested activities during the 3-day event: 

  • Participate in gaming activities or even try out new games.
  • Get hands-on experience with the latest tech at exhibitors’ booths. The biggest tech brands will be there such as ASUS Republic of Gamers, Lenovo Legion, among others.
  • Discover the latest news in gaming, gadgets, and collectibles
  • Attend panels and listen to industry experts to get insights and level-up your skills.
  • Participate in gaming competitions.
  • Find exclusive deals and freebies on gadgets, gaming peripherals, unique collectibles
  • Engage with exhibitor NPCs and learn about their products and wares.

Code of Conduct

  • Practice respect. Respect the staff, cosplayers and other guests and ask for consent before taking photos. The community is generally friendly, so don’t be shy to say hi.
  • Abide by event rules and guidelines.

Collect Trophies and Other Unlockables

  • Find hidden ESGS treasures. This event is one of the most awaited gaming event every year, so make sure to look out for freebies, legendary merchandise, epic mementos, and limited-edition items. Some of them will be exclusive only during the event, so don’t miss this chance!

Forge Alliances and Social Bonds

  • Make friends. Forge alliances with fellow adventurers and forge bonds that will last a lifetime.
  • Document your feats. Capture your heroic feats with your magical pocket device and share them in online guilds and use the hashtag, #ESGS2023.

Congratulations! You are now set for the biggest video game, esports, tech and gaming pop culture celebration. Don’t forget to have fun! Iron tickets are still available here.

See you at ESGS 2023!

Tutorials

How to set up Apple Pay on your iPhone

It’s as easy as a single tap.

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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.

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Accessories

DJI Osmo Mobile 8P: From a videographer’s perspective

Better tracking, fewer buttons

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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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Features

GadgetSnaps: Westminster Abbey

A thousand years of history, unfolded with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra

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Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

Westminster Abbey isn’t just another stop on the London tourist trail.

It’s the stage for coronations, royal weddings, and burials that span nearly a thousand years, all still playing out under the same vaulted ceilings that have been standing since before most countries had names.

Once you get past the crowds and the audio guides, a quieter version of the abbey starts to show itself: worn stone steps, poets resting a few feet from kings, light that shifts across the nave like it’s in on the performance too.

While losing track of time in Poets’ Corner (yes, me, playing amateur historian for an afternoon), I unfolded the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra and decided the abbey deserved more than a quick tourist snap.


All photos captured using the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra.

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