News

iOS 17 adds NameDrop, Journal, more

More personal and intuitive

Published

June 6, 2023

GadgetMatch

Just when you thought iOS couldn’t get any better, Apple goes out of their way to add things you perhaps didn’t immediately know you needed. Such is the case with iOS 17.

The new features range from calls and contacts upgrades, all the way to stuff for your mental health. Here are the most notable ones.

Contact Posters

Users can customize how they appear, bringing a completely new look to incoming calls. Emoji, photos, different fonts and colors are all in play. Go wild. And they will also be available for third-party calling apps.

Live Voicemail

See real-time transcription as someone leaves a voicemail. And you can still pick-up the call as they are leaving their message. Spam calls won’t appear as Live Voicemail, and will instead be instantly declined.

FaceTime Audio and Video Messages

FaceTime now supports audio and video messages. When users call someone who is not available, they can share a message that can be enjoyed later.

FaceTime Reactions

Be more expressive during FaceTime calls with hearts, balloons, fireworks, laser beams, rain, and more. The new effects can be activated through simple gestures. Also works with third-party video calling apps.

FaceTime on TV

FaceTime now extends to the biggest screen in the home. Powered by Continuity Camera, users can initiate a video call directly from Apple TV, or start the call on iPhone and then hand it off to Apple TV, to see friends and family on their television.

Live Stickers

Lift subjects from photos and add effects that bring them to life. A new drawer in the keyboard puts all of a user’s stickers in one place for easier access across iOS.

New Messages

An expandable menu that can be accessed with a simple tap to display iMessage apps gives Messages a sleeker look. Search gets more powerful and precise with search filters. A new catch-up arrow indicates where the user last left off in the conversation, and replying inline is as simple as swiping on a text bubble. If a user shares their location, it will update in real time right in the conversation.

Check In

For when a user wants to notify a family member or friend that they have made it to their destination safely. After a user initiates a Check In, their friend or family member will automatically be notified as soon as the user arrives. Device location, battery level, and cell service status will be shared with selected contact if user appears to not be moving.

NameDrop

Bring iPhones together or bring an iPhone and Apple Watch together to easily share contact information.

With the same gesture, users can also share content or start SharePlay to listen to music, watch a movie, or play a game while in close proximity between iPhone devices.

StandBy

Gives users a full-screen experience with glanceable information designed to be viewed from a distance when iPhone is on its side and charging.

Journal

A new app that helps iPhone users reflect and practice gratitude through journaling. It uses on-device machine learning for personalized suggestions for the user’s journal entry. Suggestions are intelligently curated from recent activity, including photos, people, places, workouts, and more. It is built to protect a user’s privacy and ensure no one — including Apple — can access a user’s entries.

News

Olivia Rodrigo, Sony team up for an exclusive pair of LinkBuds S

Built with her design and EQ settings

Published

September 27, 2023

Luigi Leonardo

Everyone gets those periods when we can’t listen to anything else except a single artist or album. If Olivia Rodrigo is your particular craze right now, Sony has a custom set of earbuds for you. Sony and Olivia Rodrigo has just teamed up for a customized edition of the LinkBuds S.

Compared to the WF-1000XM5, the LinkBuds S offers a more midrange pair for earbud users. With the price, it’s a more affordable way to enjoy Sony’s audio technology. Now, the company has another option for those who want to elevate their experience a tiny bit more.

In collaboration with the pop star herself, the Olivia Rodrigo Edition of the LinkBuds S boasts more than just a fresh coat of paint. The pair will have two new equalizer settings. The two modes, tuned by Rodrigo, will maximize the device’s capabilities when playing her two albums, Sour and Guts. Users can change the earbuds’ settings through Sony’s Headphones Connect app.

The custom edition’s design is also unique, though. According to Sony, no pair is the same. Each unit was made with a marbled pattern unique to the pair. The earbuds and the charging case are elegantly purple. Even without the special equalizer setting, the custom design looks amazing.

Preorders for the Olivia Rodrigo Edition of the LinkBuds S are available now through Sony or Rodrigo’s website. The units will start shipping on November 21. Like the regular edition of the device, it will sell for US$ 199.99.

News

Xiaomi 13T series now official

A base and a pro model

Published

September 26, 2023

GadgetMatch

The Xiaomi and Leica partnership is going strong and it persists on the Xiaomi 13T Series. The series consists of two phones: a base Xiaomi 13T model and then the Xiaomi 13T Pro.

As you may have assumed, both phones are equipped with Leica-powered lenses. Like the Xiaomi 13 series launched earlier this year, you get to choose whether you shoot with Leica Authentic or Leica Vibrant. The camera app is also equipped with filters (Leica custom photographic styles) that accentuate the camera’s capabilities.

Other camera features are as follows: Master-lens system: 35mm Documentary lens, 50mm Swirly
bokeh lens, 90mm Soft focus lens, Xiaomi ProFocus, and Night mode.

Other than the camera lenses, the Xiaomi 13T series share the same colorways: Meadow Green, Black, and Alpine Blue. The Alpine Blue colorway is slightly smaller and lighter because it’s made with softly textured Xiaomi BioComfort vegan leather. The other two colors, meanwhile, have a glossy finish. But all colors are IP68 rated making it resistant to some splashes and dust.

To get a better idea of how these two stack up. Here’s a quick look at the specs.

Xiaomi 13T

Display — 6.67″ FHD CrystalRes AMOLED display. Up to 144Hz refresh rate, Pro HDR, Dolby Vision, HDR10+
Processor — MediaTek Dimensity 8200-Ultra
RAM+ Storage — 8GB+256GB, 12GB+256GB
Battery and Charging — 5,000mAh, 67W turbo charging
OS — MIUI 14 based on Android 13
Connectivity — Dual SIM, Wi-Fi6, NFC8, Bluetooth 5.4, 5G
Cameras:

LEICA VARIO-SUMMICRON 1:1.9-2.2/15-50mm ASPH.

24mm Leica main camera

50MP wide angle camera
1/1.28” sensor size
1.22μm pixel size, 2.44μm 4-in-1 Super Pixel
f/1.9, 7P aspherical lens, OIS
Supports HDR10+ video recording for up to 4K at 30fps
Supports 8K video recording at 24fps
10-bit LOG video recording, supports LUT import

50mm Leica telephoto camera

50MP
f/1.9, 5P aspherical lens

15mm Leica ultra-wide camera

12MP
f/2.2, 5P aspherical lens

20MP front camera

f/2.2, 5P aspherical lens
Night mode
Portrait mode
HDR

Xiaomi 13T Pro

Display — 6.67″ FHD CrystalRes AMOLED display. Up to 144Hz refresh rate, Pro HDR, Dolby Vision, HDR10+
Processor — MediaTek Dimensity 9200+
RAM+ Storage — 12GB+256GB, 12GB+512GB, 16GB+1TB
Battery and Charging — 5,000mAh, Xiaomi 120W HyperCharge
OS — MIUI 14 based on Android 13
Connectivity — Dual SIM, Wi-Fi7, NFC9, Bluetooth 5.4, 5G
Cameras:

LEICA VARIO-SUMMICRON 1:1.9-2.2/15-50mm ASPH.

24mm Leica main camera

50MP wide angle camera
1/1.28” sensor size
1.22μm pixel size, 2.44μm 4-in-1 Super Pixel
f/1.9, 7P aspherical lens, OIS
Supports HDR10+ video recording for up to 4K at 30fps
Supports 8K video recording at 24fps
10-bit LOG video recording, supports LUT import

50mm Leica telephoto camera

50MP
f/1.9, 5P aspherical lens

15mm Leica ultra-wide camera

12MP
f/2.2, 5P aspherical lens

20MP front camera

f/2.2, 5P aspherical lens
Night mode
Portrait mode
HDR

Price and availability

The Xiaomi 13T retails for PhP 26,999. Meanwhile, the Xiaomi 13T Pro retails for PhP 37,999 for the 12GB+512GB variant and PhP 39,999 for the 16GB+1TB variant.

Gaming

Honkai Impact 3rd Part 2: What you need to know

New chapter, new adventure

Published

September 26, 2023

GadgetMatch

Honkai Impact 3rd Part 2 has officially unfolded. The refined new chapter sees the franchise going from earth and moon to the solar system, where players embark on an electrifying new adventure.

Taking off from the main story in Part 1 where the Valkyries leads humanity against the mysterious energy called Honkai, Part 2 will feature new main characters and NPCs with distinct looks and personalities.

Unlike in the real world, Mars, where Part 2 debuts, is inhabitable in the Honkai-verse. There, unique civilizations exist and nature develops, with people hanging out in bustling and lively commercial streets. Mysteries are likewise hidden behind the daily lives of residents to be discovered by players.

Here, players team up with new partners while assuming the role of a team supporter called the “Dreamseeker.”

Aside from the main story, the combat system has also been fully upgraded to enhance the battlefield experience. Three-dimensional combat shall be enhanced and all characters will be able to jump freely.

Astral Ring, a new combat mechanic, will also provide an unprecedented experience during fights. When unleashed, it enables simultaneous burst skills of multiple characters. It makes for an easier and more direct option to achieve burst damage. The combat mechanism of monsters will also be improved so they can react more intelligently.

Honkai Impact 3rd is available for both mobile and PC devices (via Epic Games) and supports cross-save, making the game even more accessible.

Watch the trailer.