News

HTC Bolt is all-metal, water-resistant, and outdated

Published

November 11, 2016

Marvin Velasco

HTC is slowly crawling out of its hole. After posting a significant revenue jump thanks to the positive reception to the HTC-manufactured Google Pixel phones, the Taiwanese company now partnered with US network carrier Sprint to launch the Android Nougat-powered Bolt.

There are some interesting points when reading through the Bolt’s feature sheet, but what stands out is the 3×20 carrier aggregation under Sprint’s LTE network using the built-in Snapdragon X10 modem. If this sounds foreign to you, just know that it delivers faster 4G mobile data speeds. We have an animated explainer expounding on the topic.

[irp posts=”2500″ name=”LTE-A Explained”]

Going back to the phone, its other claim to fame is being the first all-metal HTC phone to have water resistance, with an IP57 certification. This is a feature missing on the Pixel, so we wonder why HTC didn’t implement it on Google’s phones.

But as dandy as that is, the Bolt employs only 3GB of memory and a year-old Snapdragon 810 processor for some reason. It’s the same chipset known for overheating to the point of shutting handsets down. Although updated units resolved the issue somewhat, the chip still can’t hold a candle to this year’s Snapdragon 821, or even the 820.

And even though the Bolt isn’t exactly razor-thin, there’s no 3.5mm jack to speak of — instead relying on the USB Type-C port for audio. Fortunately, the package includes compatible USB headphones that can handle high-resolution music.

The HTC Bolt in gunmental

Everything else is less newsworthy. The display is of the 5.5-inch Quad HD LCD kind; there’s a fast fingerprint scanner below it; a 16-megapixel camera with optical image stabilization heads the rear, while an 8-megapixel selfie cam is on the front; and we have a slot for microSD cards on top of the 32GB of internal storage, plus Quick Charge 2.0 to power up the 3200mAh battery.

Overall, with the exception of the water resistance and advanced LTE capabilities, the HTC Bolt sits below this year’s flagship, the HTC 10. And as mentioned earlier, only Sprint customers in the US can get their hands on it officially.

Its value rests at $600, and there are installment plans amounting to $25 a month for two years. You may choose between gunmetal and silver if you choose to commit to a plan.

[irp posts=”4666″ name=”HTC Desire 10 Pro, Desire 10 Lifestyle announced: style over substance”]
Source: Sprint, via The Verge

News

Dua Lipa is suing Samsung for $15 million

Samsung allegedly used her image without her consent.

Published

May 11, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Samsung has an unlikely rival. Dua Lipa is suing the South Korean company for using her image without her permission.

In the marketing world, brand endorsers are part and parcel of how products are pushed to the market. Famous celebrities are often asked to advertise a product for their potential star power. That said, a company needs the endorser’s consent first.

According to a new suit (via Variety), pop star Dua Lipa is suing Samsung for using her image to endorse TVs without her consent. The South Korean brand is reportedly using Lipa’s photo on the packaging of its TVs. Lipa alleges that the photo’s usage implies that she endorses the TV, which she does not.

The complaint also alleges that Lipa asked Samsung to take down the image last year. However, Samsung’s reply was, to her, “dismissive and callous.” The brand has then continued to use the image in its packaging.

To prove her point, the suit includes anecdotes of Samsung customers who bought the TV specifically because the packaging has Lipa’s image on it. To pay for damages, Lipa is asking for US$ 15 million from the global brand for copyright infringement.

Gaming

The Switch 2 is getting more expensive this year

The price increases will start this month.

Published

May 11, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Gone are the days when consoles get cheaper as time goes by. These days, especially because of the RAM crisis, gaming consoles are getting more expensive. Joining this worrying trend, the Nintendo Switch 2 is getting a price hike.

Even upon launch, the Switch 2 was already pricier than its original counterpart. Currently, without the incoming price hikes, the console retails for US$ 449.99. It’s a lot but not completely out of reach.

Last week, Nintendo announced a price hike that might push the console to less than attainable levels. Starting May 25, the Switch 2 will cost JPY 59,980 (up from JPY 49,980) in Japan. The original generation is also getting a hike: JPY 47,980 for the Switch OLED, JPY 43,980 for the base Switch, and JPY 29,980 for the Switch Lite.

Abroad, you can expect price hikes on September 1. The Switch 2 will jump to US$ 499.99, CAN 679.99, or EUR 499.99, depending on where you live. These are the only official hikes announced right now, but Nintendo has confirmed that price revisions will be implemented in other regions, too.

As you might expect, the price increases are due to the ongoing RAM crisis. Though the console is an undeniable hit, the Switch 2 can’t hide behind its popularity against the price shortage dealt by unnecessary data centers. At the very least, users worldwide have time to grab the console in its original pricing before the hikes.

Gaming

Call of Duty drops the PlayStation 4 starting with its next game

Is this the beginning of the end for the PlayStation 4?

Published

May 8, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

When can we declare that a console is officially dead? Is it as soon as the launch of the next generation? Is it when games no longer come out on the console? Recently, Call of Duty has confirmed that the next game will not be available anymore on the PlayStation 4, which presents an important question: Is the PlayStation 4 officially dead?

Call of Duty is one of the most persistent gaming franchises today. The last entry, Black Ops 7, is still available for the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One. Both consoles were launched over twelve years ago. (If that doesn’t make you old, the current generation was launched almost six years ago.)

As such, the franchise is one of the last stalwarts keeping the past generation alive. This week, Call of Duty, via a post on X, confirmed that the next game will not arrive on the PlayStation 4. Presumably, this also means the Xbox One.

Not sure where this one started, but it’s not true. The next Call of Duty is not being developed for PS4.

— Call of Duty (@CallofDuty) May 4, 2026

Currently, we don’t have details about the upcoming game yet. But a new entry is confirmed to arrive later this year.

With the departure of the Call of Duty franchise, it’s fair to ask what will become of the old generation moving forward. Over the years, developers have started shying away from the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One. Since the franchise still maintains a steady fan base today, a lot of PlayStation 4 users might be forced to make an upgrade to play the latest entry.