News

Google Pixel 4, Pixel 4 XL still great for photos, now with 90Hz panel

All leaks mostly confirmed

Published

October 15, 2019

Rodneil Quiteles

The Google Pixel 4 and Pixel 4XL are now official confirming most of the leaks that came out leading up to its launch. So what’s different, what improved, and what stayed the same? We’ll go through all of that right now.

No fancy waterfall displays, just thoughtful design

Google appears to be taking plenty of cues from Apple in the design department in the sense that not much has changed. Looking at the device up front, you might mistake it for the Pixel 2XL. That’s because Google is doing away with the notch but it’s keeping the thick bezel for a reason that we’ll get to later on.

On the back, the most notable difference is the square holding its dual camera setup. Yes, just two. One main shooter and another one that’s “roughly 2x telephoto.” Google says, “While wide angle can be fun, telephoto is more important.”

The back is also moving away from the two-toned design we’ve grown to associate with the Pixel. In its place is a solid glass back with only a single color and a frosted matte coating.

The power button is still a different color from the rest of the phone depending on the variant you choose.

Still the best camera on a smartphone?

Plenty of people are eagerly waiting for the Pixel just to see well they will fair in the camera department. Based on the latest numbers by DxOMark, the Huawei Mate 30 Pro currently holds the crown but that might be quickly taken away soon.

The hardware on the Pixel 4 are as follows: 12.2MP main camera with f/1.7 aperture, plus a 16MP f/2.4 telephoto zoom lens that supports hybrid zoom. But the Pixel has always been more than just hardware.

The true crowning glory of the Pixel cameras is Google’s computational photography. And that applies even on the telephoto lens. It combines both the 2x telephoto lens along with Super-Res Zoom to produce high quality, zoomed in images.

There’s now also what Google is calling Live HDR+. It basically means the HDR application happens real-time. Basically, whatever you see right before you take a shot is the photo that you should expect to come it.

That same feature allows Double Exposure — separate slides for highlights and shadows on Pixel 4 before you take your shot.

Computational photography also lends a huge hand in white balancing along with a wider range for portrait mode, and improved night sight.

That front-camera setup

Again, just like on the iPhone, there’s now a lot going on in that thick forehead bezel.

It’s not home to a bunch of new sensors that work together towards a more secure face recognition suite. There’s the selfie camera, a pair of IR cameras, flood illuminators, and DOT projectors.

Google says it’s the first smartphone equipped with a radar. It enables Motion Sense which Google claims is the fastest and most secure face unlock feature on a smartphone. It also allows you to control the Pixel 4 without touching it — similar to the Air Gestures that Samsung first tried a few years back.

Overall equipped with better hardware

Displays with high refresh rate might be a growing trend and the Pixel doesn’t want to be left behind. The phone is equipped with a 90Hz panel, similar to the one on the most recent OnePlus smartphones.

The rest of the device also gets a spec bump. Powering the Pixel 4 is Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 SoC along with 6GB of RAM and either 64GB or 128GB of storage. Nothing to write home about as the numbers pale in comparison to other flagships in 2019. But, again like the iPhone, the Pixel isn’t exactly about the numbers.

You might also be happy to know that both the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL have an IP68 rating.

Pricing and availability

The Google Pixel 4 starts at US$ 799 and will start shipping on October 24. It will come in three colors: Just Black, Clearly White, and Oh So Orange. It will be available through all major US carriers.

Computex 2026

The new NVIDIA RTX Spark laptops are AI PCs on steroids

Published

June 2, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

“Useful AI has arrived,” NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang proclaimed in his monumental keynote speech to kick off COMPUTEX 2026, essentially admitting to the state of AI prior to today. But don’t let the past mess with how you view the present. AI today, according to the graphics-turned-AI company, will now serve everyday users, rather than procuring abstract and intangible benefits. For us normal people, it all starts with the new RTX Spark.

Rarely does a new product claim to reinvent the entire industry. Confident in its own abilities, that’s just what the RTX Spark wants to do. But what is it exactly?

Think of it like Microsoft’s Copilot+ PCs but on AI-powered steroids. NVIDIA wants to bring the power of a supercomputer into the hands of regular consumers, just like how the personal computer (PC) brought gigantic computers to the comfort of everyone’s homes.

Co-engineered with Microsoft, RTX Spark will run autonomous AI agents the entire day. The agent is tied to you and your intent but will orchestrate all your devices under one roof.

Let’s get down to the nitty-gritty. The new series will leverage a Blackwell RTX GPU and a 20-core Grace CPU from MediaTek. It can also support up to 128GB of unified memory, delivering several of the most powerful (and most expensive) PCs available to consumers today. With the capabilities comparable to an RTX 5070, the series can supposedly play modern games with ease.

Inside, it will come with CUDA, the trove of information that powers AI technology today. Finally, despite how slim NVIDIA promises the series will be, the RTX Spark should come with a battery that lasts the entire day.

The first NVIDIA RTX Spark laptops will launch later this fall with six premium laptops for various brands. This, along with the 30 models launching soon after, will include Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, Lenovo, and MSI. No word yet on how much these will cost, though.

Accessories

UGREEN launches FineTrack Series with Apple Find My support

Track valuables with ease

Published

May 30, 2026

Dorothy Baylon

UGREEN is expanding its smart travel lineup with the launch of the new FineTrack Series, a collection of compact trackers designed to help users keep tabs on everyday essentials.

Leading the announcement are the FineTrack 2 and FineTrack Mini 2, both of which support Apple’s Find My network for easy location tracking through compatible Apple devices. The trackers are built for travelers and commuters who want an extra layer of security for items such as keys, bags, wallets, and passports.

The FineTrack 2 comes in a soccer-inspired design created to celebrate the upcoming 2026 World Cup, while the FineTrack Mini 2 adopts a slimmer tag-style form factor that fits more easily inside wallets and passport holders. Both devices feature glow-in-the-dark accents for improved visibility in low-light conditions.

UGREEN says the trackers offer global tracking capabilities through Apple’s Find My ecosystem, along with smart left-behind alerts that notify users before they accidentally leave important belongings behind. When an item is nearby, users can trigger an alarm reaching up to 110dB to help locate it faster.

The company also highlights long-term reliability, with battery life rated for up to seven years. The FineTrack 2 additionally carries an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance.

UGREEN has also announced Southeast Asia pricing for the new FineTrack Series.

Price and availability

In Singapore, the FineTrack 2 is priced at SGD 29.99, while the FineTrack Mini 2 costs SGD 25.99. Malaysian pricing comes in at RM 69 and RM 59, respectively.

For the Philippines, the FineTrack 2 retails for PHP 850, while the FineTrack Mini 2 is priced at PHP 799. In Vietnam, the trackers cost VND 369,000 and VND 339,000, respectively. Thailand pricing starts at THB 590 for both models.

Alongside the FineTrack Series, UGREEN also introduced its new Air Editions lineup. This includes the Nexode Air 65W Charger, Nexode Air 45W Charger Slim, and the MagFlow Air Magnetic Power Bank 10000mAh 15W, all designed around portability with compact and lightweight builds. The company has separately announced Southeast Asia pricing for these accessories.

The FineTrack Series is now rolling out across select Southeast Asian markets.

News

Xiaomi introduces more wearables, smart home devices

Launched alongside the Xiaomi 17T Series

Published

May 29, 2026

GadgetMatch

Along with the launch of the Xiaomi 17T Series, the company has likewise introduced a new lineup of AIoT offerings from wearables to smart home devices.

The new Xiaomi ecosystem lineup includes the Xiaomi Watch S5 46mm, Xiaomi Smart Band 10 Pro, and Xiaomi Buds 6 on the wearables end.

Furthermore, there’s the Xiaomi TV S Mini LED Series 2026 and Mijia Front Load Washer Dryer 9kg on the smart home front.

All these products are available with early bird offers also in store for consumers until June 7.

Xiaomi Watch S5 46mm

The Xiaomi Watch S5 46mm combines a refined 46mm stainless steel design with a 1.48-inch AMOLED display.

It has up to 21 days of battery life, supports over 150 sports modes, and has upgraded heart rate monitoring and system GNSS.

It also offers deeper sleep insights, Xiaomi HyperOS 3, and Xiaomi Home integration.

This wearable retails for PhP 10,229 (SRP: PhP 10,999) with a free strap. The Special Edition retails for PhP 11,159 (SRP PhP 11,999).

Xiaomi Smart Band 10 Pro

Additionally, there’s the everyday wellness tracking device in the Xiaomi Smart Band 10 Pro. It has a 1.74-inch AMOLED display, up to 2,000 nits brightness, and up to 21 days of battery life.

It supports upgraded heart rate tracking and more than 150 sports modes, as well as more improvements.

It is priced at PhP 4,199 (SRP: PhP 4,499) with a Special Edition retailing for PhP 5,019 (PhP 5,399) — both with free straps during the promo period.

Xiaomi Buds 6

Furthermore, there’s the Xiaomi Buds 6, bringing a semi in-ear audio experience for comfortable and immersive listening.

It features an 11mm triple-magnet dynamic driver, Harman-tuned audio, Qualcomm aptX Lossless technology (on compatible devices), dimensional audio with head-tracking, ANC, 3-mic AI noise reduction, and HyperOS support.

It is available for PhP 5,679 (SRP: PhP 6,099).

Xiaomi TV S Mini LED Series 2026

For home entertainment, the new Xiaomi TV S Mini LED Series 2026 brings cinematic entertainment in five different sizes: 55-inch, 65-inch, 75-inch, 85-inch, and 98-inch.

The TV is powered by QD-Mini LED technology, and supports up to 1,200 nits of peak brightness. Other features include HDR10+, HLG, Filmmaker Mode, and Dolby Vision on select models.

The series also supports Google TV with Apple AirPlay, Google Assistant, and Google Cast support.

Mijia Front Load Washer Dryer 9kg

Lastly, the Mijia Front Load Washer Dryer 9kg combines two laundry tasks into one smart solution.

It has a large drum, power wash technology, high-temperature steam hygiene mode, and over 30 wash programs. Included is a 15-minute quick wash, as well as one-tap wash-and-dry function.

Through the Xiaomi Home app, users can also monitor cycles, customize settings, save preferences, and receive software updates over time.