News
HomePod 2nd Gen, HomePod mini now in Singapore
Arriving on April 6

Apple is making the HomePod (2nd generation) and HomePod mini available in Singapore starting April 6. Every purchase comes with a free six-month subscription to Apple Music.
Customers can order as early as March 30 via Apple Singapore store and Apple Store app. The HomePod will retail for SG$ 429 while the HomePod mini which comes in five colors will be priced at SG$ 139.
The HomePod has a custom-engineered high-excursion woofer with a 20mm driver and a built-in bass-EQ mic. It also has a beamforming array of five tweeters around the base. These work together for a powerful 360-degree audio experience.
The speaker has an adaptive feature called room sensing technology. With it, the device recognizes sound reflections from nearby surfaces to determine if it is placed near a wall. It then adapts the sound in real-time.
For those wanting an even better setup, using two or more HomePod or HomePod mini speakers simultaneously may be done using AirPlay. Stereo pair may also be done to separate the left and right channels on two devices. This makes for a cinematic experience when connected to an Apple TV 4K.
The speakers are compatible to use with the latest iPhone, iPad, and iPod devices, and all usual commands for seamless connectivity and integration are doable to let users personalize the experience hands-free.
SEE ALSO: Why is Apple Music Classical a big deal?


In recent years, Motorola and Samsung have proved that the clamshell phone is more than just a resurrected fad. Both companies have developed solid lineups capable of becoming daily drivers. Now, others want to get into the market. Following the footsteps of its contemporaries, Xiaomi is reportedly developing a clamshell phone of its own.
Even before the unannounced clamshell phone, Xiaomi has some experience in the foldable market. The Xiaomi Mix Fold 2 was quite the impressive powerhouse when it launched last year. The foldable smartphone even bagged the title as the thinnest foldable at the time (before Huawei grabbed the title soon after).
Now, the Chinese company is seemingly tapping into the same lineup for a rumored clamshell phone. According to Weibo leaker Digital Chat Station, the brand is indeed looking at an extremely light version of the vertically folding form factor.
Unfortunately, not much else is known about the upcoming device yet. However, Xiaomi’s supposed entry into the market shouldn’t be a surprise. After all, the brand’s competitors — Huawei and vivo — are already deep inside the clamshell segment. The latter, for example, just released the vivo X Flip, its first device in the vertically folding market. Expect things to heat up in the Chinese foldable market soon.
SEE ALSO: The vivo X Flip is the company’s first vertical-folding smartphone

The renaissance of chess is an interesting sight to behold. While there are a few reasons why the sport rose in popularity — such as the emergence of chess content creators on Twitch — there is one show that quickly catapulted chess into the limelight: The Queen’s Gambit. If you’re still a fan of the show, Netflix is launching a chess game based on the popular show.
The Queen’s Gambit Chess is the next step in the platform’s push towards mobile gaming. Back in 2021, Netflix announced its first forays into offering mobile games for its subscribers. Now, every Netflix subscriber has access to a library of games right on their app.
With The Queen’s Gambit Chess, Netflix is going back to its pool of notable franchises to tie into the gaming world. The platform previously did the same with other franchises like Stranger Things.
In the upcoming title, players will immerse themselves in the world of Beth Harmon. They can “take lessons, play puzzles and matches, or compete against friends.”
Netflix has not shown a lot of footage of the game yet. The announcement comes through a short video enumerating the titles it has on slate for this summer. This slate also includes Cut the Rope, Oxenfree, and the upcoming Oxenfree II: Lost Signals.
Queen’s Gambit Chess will launch on July 25.
SEE ALSO: Netflix Tudum 2023: Talent lineup, how to watch live

Technically speaking, Diablo IV only just launched yesterday. However, you won’t hear much about its official launch today because a lot of players already started their early journey to hell days ago. Now, amid the palpable success of the title’s early access period, Diablo IV has already claimed the title of Blizzard’s fastest selling game of all time — only a day after launch.
Since the start of the earlier beta periods, the role-playing game easily ramped up the hype for its official launch. According to the betas then, Diablo IV took the tried-and-tested formula of the previous titles and added a modern patina to the franchise. It looked like something that both seasoned veterans and new fans can get behind.
Now, Diablo IV is officially available for anyone to play. Officially, the title launched on June 6. However, those who purchased a Digital Deluxe or Ultimate Edition received early access to play the title starting June 1.
The fires of Hell burn bright 🔥#DiabloIV is the fastest selling Blizzard game of all-time. pic.twitter.com/L4pdjVnWFE
— Diablo (@Diablo) June 6, 2023
The early access period has seemingly paid off. On Twitter, Blizzard has confirmed that the title is officially the studio’s fastest selling title of all time. Given the hype around the title, it’s no surprise, but it’s still quite an achievement.
Diablo IV is out now for the PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One. It will start at US$ 69.99. The Digital Deluxe Edition, which retails for US$ 89.99, will give players additional cosmetics, mounts, and access to the Seasonal Battle Pass. Meanwhile, the Ultimate Edition, selling for US$ 99.99, gives players an extra emote and an accelerated Battle Pass.
SEE ALSO: ROG Phone 6 gets limited-edition Diablo Immortal design
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