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Huawei P20 and P20 Pro are all about design and mobile photography

When dual cameras aren’t enough

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After all the rumors and leaks, Huawei finally unveiled its latest flagships — the P20 and P20 Pro. The successors of the P10 series bring everything Huawei is known for while adding extra touches to make them stand out in the sea of borderless Android smartphones.

To start with, the Huawei P20 has a 5.8-inch LCD while the P20 Pro has a slightly bigger 6.1-inch OLED display. The use of an OLED panel gives the P20 Pro an advantage in image quality with deeper blacks and more vibrant colors, but both support HDR10.

Both are practically borderless but Huawei has to place a notch on top for the earpiece, proximity sensor, and front camera; and a chin to house the fingerprint sensor instead of moving it to the back.

The new Huawei phones are powered by the Kirin 970 processor, which is the same silicon that powers the Mate 10 series from last year, and has a large 128GB of storage capacity. Unfortunately, there’s no microSD card slot on either device but the internal storage is already more than enough for average users.

Another common trait of the two is their selfie camera. A 24-megapixel front camera takes care of the selfies and that’s three times the usual resolution of Huawei’s front shooter.

While the Huawei P20 and P20 Pro look similar up front, the back tells a different story. The P20 series now features an all-new Leica camera system with bigger sensors and the highest ISO ever on a smartphone.

The P20 carries over the camera setup of the Mate 10 Pro with a 12-megapixel color sensor and a 20-megapixel monochrome sensor. The brighter aperture of the P20 goes to the secondary monochrome sensor at f/1.6 while the color sensor has an f/1.8 opening. As for the P20 Pro, it has three rear cameras: an 8-megapixel 3x telephoto with OIS, a 40-megapixel main color sensor, and a 20-megapixel monochrome sensor with an f/1.6 opening.

To further differentiate the two, Huawei gave the P20 Pro more memory and a larger battery capacity. The P20 has 4GB of memory and a 3400mAh battery while the P20 Pro has 6GB of memory and 4000mAh battery. Also, the P20 is just splash-resistant (IP53) while the P20 Pro is fully protected against liquids with its IP67 rating.

The latest Android 8.1 Oreo is available out of the box and skinned with EMUI 8.1. This brings all the additional features Huawei throws into their flagship devices including the productive PC Mode that instantly turns your phone into a desktop interface via an HDMI connection to a monitor or television.

In terms of design, the new P20 series looks miles ahead of its predecessors (or even other manufacturers) with a glass back treated with a special coating and gradient color finishes. There are two gradient colors at launch: Twilight Purple and Pink Gold. Other basic color options are Midnight Blue, Black, and Pearl White.

The Huawei P20 and P20 Pro will be available starting in Europe for EUR 649 and EUR 899, respectively.

Gaming

You can play SNES games on this Nike shoe

The project celebrates the SNES’s 35th anniversary.

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Image source: Gustavo Bonzanini / Instagram

Have sneakerheads gone too far? While we’ve seen gaming-related collaborations before, no one has gone so far as to stick an actual console inside a sneaker before. But, then again, there’s a first time for everything. To celebrate the console’s 35th anniversary, a designer has packed a playable Super Nintendo Entertainment System (or SNES) inside a pair of Nike Air Max 90 sneakers.

Most collaborations of the same type usually incorporate inspired visuals onto the shoe. Some, for example, just add a console’s colors into the shoe’s design. The SNES-inspired show goes beyond by adding the console (or a version of it) into the shoe.

Designer Gustavo Bonzanini, who designed the SNES-packed shoe, added a small Raspberry Pi Zero W into the shoe’s tongue. The microcomputer was then programmed to emulate 16-bit games like Super Mario World. It even has the classic RCA cables so you can plug into an old TV for that additional nostalgia.

The one thing it can’t do, however, is have a wired connection to the classic SNES controllers. Instead, Bonzanini customized the controller to have wireless connectivity. It’s a touch of modernity but ultimately adds to how impressive the effort is.

To top it all off, the console-slash-shoe can power gameplay for up to 30 minutes. It’s tiny, but it’s an art project after all.

That said, it’s not for sale. As cool as it is, the SNES Nike is only to celebrate the console’s 35th birthday.

If you really wanted to, it’s not too difficult to play SNES in today’s age. Nintendo even offers the console in its Nintendo Switch Online subscriptions.

SEE ALSO: The rare PlayStation x Nike Air Force 1 Low might come back in 2025

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Qualcomm unveils the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5

The first phone to have the chip will be the OnePlus 15R.

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Back in September, Qualcomm launched the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. As the “Elite” in its name says, the new processor is meant for a crop of premium smartphones. However, Elite is only part of the entire scenery of the smartphone business. What about the non-Elite version? Today, Qualcomm is finally unveiling the slightly smaller sibling: the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5.

Though it lacks the Elite branding, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 is still a powerful chipset. Built with a similarly customized Oryon CPU as the Elite, the new processor tops out at 3.8GHz of performance. It’s a step below its predecessor, but it’s just as good for performance.

In comparative terms, Qualcomm says that the new chipset has 36 percent faster CPU performance and 11 percent better GPU performance, when compared to the Gen 3 chipsets. It’s a slightly dated comparison, but it’s good to know that it’s some way away from the older chips. Overall, though, it’s a bit less than the Elite.

AI is, for the umpteenth time, a buzzword for the chipset with the Hexagon NPU. Qualcomm says that it features Sensing Hub technology, which uses AI to detect the user’s intention to speak.

Right now, most brands have not announced specific smartphone models coming with the new chip. However, OnePlus has already confirmed that the new OnePlus 15R, which launches next month, will rock the chipset. Motorola and vivo have also confirmed unannounced smartphones in the coming weeks.

SEE ALSO: Qualcomm launches the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5

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POCO F8 Series: Price, availability in PH

POCO’s premium smartphones have arrived

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The POCO F8 Series is now official, with the brand unveiling the dual flagship devices via a global launch event in Bali, Indonesia.

The new smartphones are available in the POCO F8 Ultra and POCO F8 Pro variants; POCO has already made both variants available in the Philippines, for the following prices:

POCO F8 Ultra — Denim Blue, Black (Lazada exclusive)

  • 12GB+256GB: PhP 39,999 (early bird: PhP 34,999)
  • 16GB+512GB: PhP 42,999 (early bird: PhP 37,999)

POCO F8 Pro — Titanium Silver, Blue, Black

  • 12GB+256GB: PhP 29,999 (early bird: PhP 26,299)
  • 16GB+512GB: PhP 31,999 (early bird: PhP 28,299)

The early bird prices above are available for purchases made from November 26 to December 9. Customers can also score limited PhP 500 vouchers for the F8 Pro.

The launch marks POCO’s entry into the premium flagship segment — the brand’s boldest step yet while maintaining its mantra of value through high-performance technology.

During the event, POCO also formally announced its partnership with audio company Bose, bringing Sound by Bose technology to both F8 smartphones.

Ultimate flagship statement

The series headliner, the POCO F8 Ultra defines what a next-generation flagship should be. It is powered by a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor and an upgraded VisionBoost D8 chipset.

This dual-chipset architecture unlocks the device’s full performance potential. Users can expect Smart Frame Rate up to 120fps, Super Resolution up to 1.5K, and Game HDR.

Meanwhile, the POCO F8 Pro runs on the Snapdragon 8 Elite mobile platform.

Both phones introduce AI Super Resolution through a new GEX module, specifically optimized for five titles, including Call of Duty: Mobile and Honkai: Star Rail.

Speaking of gaming, WildBoost Optimization also fine-tunes CPU and GPU load distribution for lower power consumption and less heat.

All of these are complemented by LiquidCool Technology which features a 3D dual-channel, dual-layer IceLoop system.

Both F8 series devices run on Xiaomi HyperOS 3 for intelligence and connectivity. Features include Xiaomi HyperIsland, Xiaomi HyperConnect for cross-device interconnectivity, and Xiaomi HyperAI for advanced tools for productivity.

POCO F8 Ultra

Shampoo by Greg Shilling, Jesse Barrera, and Albert Posis

Mobile audio experience redefined

Meanwhile, Bose helped develop a premium triple-speaker acoustic system for the F8 Ultra to enable rich bass, detailed sound, clear vocals, and an immersive soundstage.

On the visuals side, the F8 Ultra debuts the POCO HyperRGB display. Unlike traditional 2K OLED displays, the 6.9-inch panel adopts a full RGB subpixel structure where red-green-blue subpixels are fully used.

This system allows for 19.5% lower power consumption compared to the POCO F7 Ultra. On the other hand, the F8 Pro has a 6.59-inch display with the same features for up to 22.3% lower power consumption.

Ultra-grade photography

Bringing pro-level photography to the segment as well, the POCO F8 Ultra features a 50MP Light Fusion 950 sensor with OIS.

With a large 1/1.31-inch sensor, the main camera has 43% better light sensitivity. The system also reduces lens flare and glare, with its 1G+6P lens setup and precise multi-coating process.

Software enhancements include 1440p ultra-clear dynamic shots with EIS and HDR enhancement.

The F8 Ultra likewise comes with a 50MP 5x periscope telephoto lens for up to 5x optical zoom, 10x in-sensor zoom, and up to 20x Ultra Zoom.

Rounding out the triple 50MP camera setup is a 50MP ultra-wide shooter. In front, meanwhile, is a 32MP selfie camera.

Not to be left behind, the POCO F8 Pro has a 50MP 2.5x telephoto camera and a 50MP Light Fusion 800 main camera with OIS.

New POCO Pads also released

In addition to the new POCO F8 Series, POCO has also launched two new tablets: the POCO Pad X1 and POCO Pad M1.

The Pad X1 is powered by a Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 and delivers stable 120fps in the most demanding scenarios.

It has an 11.2-inch 3.2K display with up to 144Hz refresh rate and a 8850mAh battery with 45W turbo charging. The quad speakers are fine-tuned with Dolby Atmos and supports 200% volume boost.

For a larger screen, the POCO Pad M1 has a 12.1-inch 2.5K display with up to 120Hz refresh rate. It likewise has a quad-speaker system with Dolby Atmos, and a massive 12000mAh battery.

This slate is powered by a Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 and runs on Xiaomi HyperOS as well.

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