News
Smart, FIBA renews global partnership
Celebrates PH hosting of FIBA World Cup 2023
Smart Communications Inc. and FIBA have renewed their Global Partnership for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 in Qatar.
The four-year extension comes off the back of the excellent cooperation between both parties. This includes Smart’s stellar promotional work for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023.
While the main focus of the Global Partnership has been on the Philippines as co-hosts of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023, it’s now set to go much wider. In this next phase of the, Smart will reach out to Filipinos all over the world with promotional campaigns. More exciting plans still to be unveiled.
The new partnership agreement secures Smart’s further enhancements, including additional exclusive rights in the areas of digital and live streaming. They will be the presenting partner of ‘Chat Parties’ hosted on respective FIBA competition websites. This is FIBA’s official mobile digital and media application for the competition or another official FIBA digital media channel. All of which are accessible to users located in the Philippines.
Smart will enjoy graphic integration on the live stream of official draws of FIBA competitions as well as youth competitions. All these come alongside being the presenting partner of the FIBA ‘Power Rankings’.
The renewal was revealed at an announcement ceremony during the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 Final in Manila.
Smart is the mobile network of choice of FIBA goers
Ahead of the tournament, Smart teamed up with technology partners Huawei and Ericsson. This is to further expand and permanently optimize its LTE and 5G mobile network coverage across all venues.
Smart emerged as the mobile network of choice of fans with up to 59 percent of live attendees relying on their Smart-powered SIMs and eSIMs. They shared real-time updates and upload online content on the fly. This is according to an internal report covering the Phase 1 games from Aug. 26 to Sept. 3.
Filipinos’ love for basketball spilled over on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, the three top apps used by fans during the games. Smart made it easier for local and foreign basketball fans to latch on to the Smart network by making available Prepaid SIMs and eSIMs at Smart Stores and accredited retailers near the venues and airports.
Larger-than-life basketball tributes
Ten days before the games, Smart transformed the MOA Ball into a giant basketball with a hoop. The giant installation — measuring 1.5 meters in diameter, inside a ring with 111 meters in circumference — officially signaled the country’s all-out efforts to kick off the hosting of the FIBA World Cup 2023. It also showcased the larger-than-life passion and energy that Filipinos have for basketball.
Smart also drummed up the excitement of fans by unveiling an interactive LED billboard with a massive basketball ring and augmented reality integration along EDSA, complete with a QR code allowing fans to view FIBA stars’ signature moves on their smartphones. Smart also took it a step further with an interactive 3D Billboard featuring the FIBA official mascot JIP at Bonifacio Global City (BGC), captivating fans and spectators.
Epic basketball fan experiences
Smart helped mount an epic street festival at BGC for the FIBA Draw. Aside from the live viewing of the much-awaited draw, fans were treated to a concert, games, and other exciting activities.
Moreover, subscribers were given a chance to own a piece of basketball history as Smart unveiled limited-edition Gilas Prepaid Cards, and FREE collectible non-fungible tokens or NFTs exclusive to Smart subscribers.
During the tournament, basketball fans trooping to the venues enjoyed awesome augmented reality activities, such as the Smart Quiz, Smart Shirt Blast, and Smart Power Dribble Cam for a shot at winning premium tickets, exciting prizes, and limited-edition merchandise.
Real-time access to all FIBA games
As a treat, Smart gave all its subscribers FREE access to all FIBA games via the Smart LiveStream App. By downloading the app and connecting to the Smart mobile network, fans could stream the games live anytime, anywhere. They can also replay and relive all the FIBA hardcourt action.
Smart also introduced GILAS POWER 399. It’s a prepaid data pack that comes with 78 GB valid for 30 days. The data pack includes access to FIBA World Cup Games via the Smart LiveStream App.
During the Gilas vs. Italy game last Aug. 29, Smart and US-based Radisys Corporation, a subsidiary of Jio Platforms Limited, showcased the future of mobile streaming with its beta test of Smart LiveStream App’s groundbreaking new features, enabling select Smart users to enjoy 360 viewing, live chat, and viewing party features.
As FIBA Global partner, Smart also provided Prepaid eSIMs to all the the players, coaching staff, and delegates who flew to Manila for the tournament so they may stay connected with their loved ones back home.
For Apple, the next holy grail is a foldable iPhone. However, for Samsung who’s already had an iron grip on the foldable market for years now, the next evolution might be a rollable phone.
According to several Korean sources, Samsung’s next project is a rollable phone. Samsung Display is currently discussing the technology with the company’s smartphone arm for a potential consumer-ready product.
As is normal with new technologies, it might take a while for a rollable phone to enter the market. Samsung is reportedly planning a 2028 release for the device.
As for the name, the brand might settle for the Galaxy Z Slide. With how Samsung names its devices, “Slide” makes sense.
Now, a rollable phone has been a dream for a few other brands. For example, LG, before they gave up on the smartphone market, dished out a concept for a rollable display in the TV and the smartphone space. Sony, Motorola, OPPO, and TECNO have also experimented with the technology.
With its resources, Samsung stands to be at the forefront of the rollable market, just as it did with the foldable phone. But, as always, take the rumors with a grain of salt. There’s still quite a bit of time before 2028 arrives. The brand can easily change its mind.
SEE ALSO: Samsung brings the Galaxy Z series into Spider-Man: Brand New Day
Cameras
DJI Osmo Pocket 4P launches with dual lenses and a 1-inch sensor
The biggest upgrade yet to DJI’s compact gimbal camera
The original Osmo Pocket launched in 2018 as a pocket-sized gimbal camera for people who wanted smooth footage without carrying a full rig. DJI has been building on that idea ever since, and today, with the Osmo Pocket 4P, they made the biggest jump yet.
A significant change
The most significant change in the Osmo Pocket 4P is the introduction of a dual-lens system. While previous Osmo Pocket models limited creators to a single, fixed field of view, the 4P provides two distinct options.
The camera features a wide-angle lens backed by a new 1-inch CMOS sensor alongside a 60mm medium-telephoto portrait lens boasting an f/1.8 aperture and 3x optical zoom. This second lens fundamentally changes how creators shoot on the ground.
At the 60mm focal length, backgrounds compress naturally to separate the subject from the environment without relying on artificial software rendering, offering an invaluable tool for capturing people at events, during travel, or throughout daily life.
The wide lens captures 17 stops of dynamic range through what DJI calls LOFIC technology, which handles high-contrast scenes like backlit windows or golden hour without blowing out the sky or burying the shadows.
Advanced sensor tech, color latitude
For high-contrast environments, the wide-angle lens captures an impressive 17 stops of dynamic range utilizing DJI’s new LOFIC technology.
This hardware addition allows the camera to effortlessly manage difficult lighting scenarios, like backlit windows or golden hour horizons, keeping the sky intact while preventing shadows from turning muddy.
On the color processing side, DJI has introduced a 10-bit D-Log 2 profile capable of recording over a billion colors. This shift provides editors with significantly more latitude to grade footage in post-production, avoiding the limitations of a baked-in, in-camera look.
High-speed motion, smart framing
In terms of capturing motion, the 4P supports 4K slow motion at 240fps, making it ideal for fast-moving subjects that benefit from a stylized, slowed-down perspective.
A slow shutter video mode is also included, allowing users to organically capture light trails in low-light environments. Physical stabilization continues to rely on a mechanical 3-axis gimbal, drawing directly from the heritage of DJI’s professional Ronin systems.
Weighing just 230 grams, the compact unit incorporates ActiveTrack 8.0 to handle automated subject tracking, maintaining precise focus through the entire 12x digital zoom range — a feature that proves essential for solo creators who need the hardware to handle framing duties.
Practical updates for daily use
DJI has also focused heavily on the realities of on-the-go shooting. The 4P introduces gesture controls, letting users trigger subject tracking or start recording without physically touching the device.
A new 4K Live Photo mode automatically captures a 1.5-second clip alongside every still image, while the main sensor allows for high-resolution 37-megapixel photos that offer plenty of room for cropping in post-production.
The battery charges from zero to 80 percent in just 18 minutes and delivers up to 210 minutes of runtime on a full charge.
Furthermore, files transfer via USB 3.1 at speeds up to 800 MB/s, ensuring that offloading a full day of content is a near-instant process.
Price, availability
The camera launches in both classic black and pearl white, accompanied by a modular accessory ecosystem and DJI Care Refresh protection plans.
It retails for PhP 37,790 for the DJI Osmo Pocket 4P Standard. Meanwhile, the DJI Osmo Pocket 4P Vlog Combo retails for PhP 42,290.
Automotive
Vespa celebrates 80 years with the Edizione Ottantesimo
A limited-edition release that honors eighty years of iconic Italian design.
The Foro Italico looks different when it’s ringed by Vespas, as seen when the iconic landmark hosted the four-day festivities of Vespa Roma 2026 — 80 Years of an Icon.
Mayor Roberto Gualtieri led the ribbon-cutting ceremony, and for four days, the Vespa Village makes the loudest argument anyone has ever made for scooters as cultural objects.
Opening day did not ease into things gently. First, the Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato unveiled an official commemorative coin.
Soon after, Poste Italiane marked the occasion with a first-day cancellation ceremony for a special anniversary stamp.
Meanwhile, at the Stadio dei Marmi, curator Giacomo Bretzel opened 80 Years of an Icon – The Exhibition. This photographic account traces the remarkable journey of the vehicle.
Specifically, it shows how a basic scooter graduated from the factory floor to global cultural shorthand. It evolved from simple personal transport into a cinematic protagonist that people now ride across entire continents.
Only 1,946 of them
The number is deliberate. The Vespa Edizione Ottantesimo is limited to exactly 1,946 individually numbered units, one for each year the original rolled out of the Pontedera factory.
Vespa built it on the GTS 310 platform, which puts 25 horsepower through a single-cylinder 310 hpe engine, making it the most powerful Vespa in current production.
That mechanical upgrade sits inside a design that is genuinely doing something. The finish mimics raw, unprocessed steel. It’s textured and rough in a way that references the original load-bearing body before decades of refinement and lacquer softened everything.
A specific shade of green — pulled from the earliest single-color production models — accents the saddle and wheel rims. The rear seat comes with a removable hard cover that matches the bodywork. A direct callback to vintage racing fairings.
The wheels reinterpret the pressed sheet metal of the 1946 Vespa 98 with a diamond-cut channel finish.
On the side panels, a three-dimensional green numeral 80 sits inside a hexagonal bolt contour. The bolt shape itself highlights how artisans originally built these machines by hand.
A numbered plaque rests inside the under-seat compartment, and a matte grey helmet ships with every unit. None of these design choices are purely decorative. Instead, they each trace a straight line directly back to 1946.
Modern enough to use every day
The Edizione Ottantesimo features electronic traction control and ABS to handle unpredictable city roads. These safety systems adjust your grip before you even have time to react.
Meanwhile, full LED lighting keeps the road perfectly sharp after sunset. Up front, a 5-inch color TFT display runs the intuitive VESPA MIA connectivity system. Consequently, your route and incoming calls surface on the dash without you reaching for your pocket.
Beyond the display, a keyless ignition system allows you to simply unlock the scooter and go. Vespa even considered the smaller details to maximize daily utility. For example, courtesy lights illuminate both the rear shield and the under-seat compartment. This layout ensures you stop fumbling in the dark for your helmet and gear.
Crucially, none of these additions change what a Vespa fundamentally is. The chassis remains narrow enough to split lanes and light enough to park anywhere. Ultimately, these premium updates close the gap between a 1946 icon and a machine you want to ride every morning.
Beyond the Handlebars
To complement the vehicle, each Edizione Ottantesimo ships with an exclusive coffee table book from Assouline. The volume draws from the Piaggio archive to document eight decades of design, film, and travel.
Furthermore, owners can extend the package with premium accessories. Available add-ons include a color-matched 36-liter top box, luggage racks, side bars, and an anti-theft system.
Currently, allocations are open online at edizioneottantesimo.vespa.com. Vespa strictly capped the total count at 1,946 units, and that number will not go up.
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