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Fitbit launches Versa 2 with OLED display, Alexa

But, there’s no compromise on battery life

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Fitbit acquired crowdfunded Pebble a few years back and used it to launch its own line of smartwatches. The Versa was the first actual smartwatch from the fitness-centric brand and it has received a lot of positive response from the users. In fact, Fitbit even launched a slightly stripped down version called the Versa Lite to offer a more affordable option.

Now, the brand has launched the Versa 2 and it plays a crucial role in their fight against Apple. Fitbit has struggled to gain a foothold in the smartwatch category as Apple and Samsung have cornered a bigger share of the market with more sophisticated devices.

It comes with a new OLED display that is brighter, more vivid, and the bezels have shrunken. Continuing the legacy, it can last up to five days on a single charge and users now also have the option of an Always-on Display mode.

In line with the Versa Lite, it features just one physical button and swipe gestures can be used for quick navigation. Amazon’s personal assistant Alexa is called by long-pressing the side button. It’s capable of answering a host of questions as well as operating other connected devices like the speaker. Keep in mind, the watch doesn’t have a speaker and you’ll have to depend on the display for Alexa’s response.

Obviously, like all Fitbit’s, Versa 2 has an active heart-rate sensor, automatic sleep tracking, and activity tracking. A special set of work-out modes have been provided and even third-party services can be installed.

Pricing and availability

The Versa 2 is priced at US$ 199. It’ll be available via a wide range of stores in the US starting September 15.

Fitbit’s also launching a new coaching and fitness guidance subscription service called Fitbit Premium. It will cost $10 a month or $80 a year and is not exclusive to the Versa 2. Users get personalized coaching including health reports, workouts plans, diet advice, and sleep features.

In the Philippines, it will retail for PhP 12,890 and will come in black with a carbon case, petal with a copper rose aluminum case, and stone with a mist grey case. Accessories range from PhP 1,790 to PhP 2,890. There’s also a Versa 2 Special Edition available  in navy and pink with a copper rose aluminum case and smoke with a mist grey case. It will retail for for PhP 14,590. Interested buyers may purchase from local retailers like Digital Walker and the Fitbit Official Store on Lazada.

In india the wearable will be on sale for INR 20,999.

The Versa 2 will be available in stores worldwide beginning October 3, 2019. Two exclusive editions — emerald and plum, both with a copper rose case — will also be available this fall, only on Fitbit.com and select retailers.

Apps

Firefox ad reunites all your favorite memes from decades ago

The Numa Numa Guy, Annoying Orange, and Chocolate Rain are back!

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Before Tung Tung Tung Sahur and Skibidi Toilet, the early internet was populated by charismatic personalities looking to make their presences felt in a land that didn’t have a lot of rules yet. As early users, we danced to “Dragostea din tei,” belted out “Chocolate Rain,” and copied “Shoes” word-for-word. Today, Firefox is bringing all those good memories back for a grand reunion.

In a new ad, the web browser featured ten of the biggest stars of the early internet including the aforementioned Numa Numa Guy, Tay Zonday, and Shoes’ Kelly. You can also see Annoying Orange, Chuck Testa, Overly Attached Girlfriend, Bad Luck Brian, Where the Hell is Matt?, the Apparently Kid, and the Success Kid.

Now, this isn’t just a reunion. The ad has a clear message about today’s most concerning issue: AI. Everything has “built-in AI, always asking, asking, asking,” as the Annoying Orange said.

“They make money by following us, and somehow, I’m the creepy one?” the Overly Attached Girlfriend asked.

All these famous personalities are asking what happened to the internet today. Obviously, the big takeaway is that we should all go back to Firefox.

Compared to other browsers, Firefox has a lot of built-in features that offer a lot of control for users. For one, it has its own VPN for privacy. Secondly, reflecting the ad’s message against AI, the browser has a toggle to minimize AI features.

SEE ALSO: Google illegally destroys 250,000 trees for a single AI data center

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Gaming

Nintendo eShop will finally launch in the Philippines

The doors will open on November 10.

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Filipino Nintendo fans, the wait is finally over! Nintendo eShop and Nintendo Switch Online are launching in the Philippines on November 10.

If you’re in the Philippines (or any other country without the service, for that matter), owning a Switch 2 comes with a modicum of difficulty. The country does not have access to Nintendo’s online services, prompting users to buy physical cartridges or switch their region to supported countries, which unfortunately leads to lopsided pricing.

Around the launch of the Switch 2, Nintendo promised that these online services will soon launch in more countries, including the Philippines. Finally, that date is nigh. On November 10, users can access the Nintendo eShop to purchase games digitally, and Nintendo Switch Online to play with friends online.

Besides that, we don’t know much else. There are still a lot of questions unanswered. For example, how will the games’ prices compare to prices in other regions? Since users in the country are forced to switch to another country’s store, they are also subservient to that particular country’s taxes and fees.

Either way, it’s a huge win for Filipino gamers, who no longer have to pretend they’re Singaporean or American just to access online games.

SEE ALSO: Nintendo retires the original Switch in Europe

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Apple unveils its biggest iPad mini update yet

Apple upgrades its compact tablet.

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Apple has unveiled a redesigned iPad mini, introducing an OLED display, a faster processor, and improved durability. The update brings significant changes to Apple’s smallest tablet while retaining its compact form factor.

The new iPad mini features an 8.5-inch OLED display, up from the previous model’s 8.3-inch LCD screen. The upgrade promises deeper blacks, improved contrast, and a better viewing experience for videos, games, and other content.

Apple has also equipped the tablet with its A20 Pro chip, delivering improved performance and enhanced capabilities for artificial intelligence tasks.

Bigger OLED display, improved performance

The new iPad mini features a Super Retina XDR OLED display with a peak brightness of 1,200 nits for HDR content. It can also reduce its brightness to just 1 nit, making it more comfortable to use in darker environments.

Apple has reduced the tablet’s thickness to 5.4mm while retaining its compact design. The redesigned model also features slimmer bezels.

For video calls, the tablet features a 12-megapixel Center Stage front-facing camera positioned along its landscape edge. This makes video calls more convenient when using the tablet horizontally.

The new model also introduces IP67 water and dust resistance, offering additional protection against everyday accidents.

Improved AI capabilities

The A20 Pro chip powers the new iPad mini, bringing improvements to CPU and graphics performance.

Apple says the processor delivers up to 60 percent faster multithreaded CPU performance and up to 4.5 times faster AI performance compared with the previous generation.

These improvements support Apple’s expanding Apple Intelligence ecosystem and its latest Siri capabilities.

The upgraded hardware should also benefit users who edit photos, multitask across applications, and run demanding games on the compact tablet.

Pricing and availability

The new iPad mini starts at US$699 for the Wi-Fi model and US$849 for the Wi-Fi + Cellular variant in the United States.

In Singapore, the tablet starts at S$999 for the Wi-Fi model and S$1,229 for the Wi-Fi + Cellular version. Eligible customers can get the Wi-Fi model starting at S$929 with education pricing.

In the Philippines, the new iPad mini starts at PhP 49,990 for the Wi-Fi model and PhP 59,990 for the Wi-Fi + Cellular variant. Eligible customers can purchase it with education pricing starting at PhP 45,990.

The tablet comes in midnight and starlight finishes, with 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB storage configurations.

In the United States, preorders begin October 28, 2026, with availability starting November 6. Singapore preorders open October 29, with availability also beginning November 6.

Apple has yet to announce a specific preorder or release date for the Philippines. The company says the new iPad mini will be available soon through its Philippine online store and authorized resellers.

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