News

Meizu Pro 6 Plus and M3X take after Samsung’s best

Published

December 1, 2016

Marvin Velasco

Obviously threatened by the likes of OPPO and Vivo dominating both the Chinese and global markets, fellow rival Meizu felt the need to launch a pair of smartphones that’ll shape its long-term future.

Let’s begin with the 5.7-inch Pro 6 Plus, the company’s newly crowned flagship. It has something in common with Samsung’s own top-shelf smartphone, and this has nothing to do with looks.

The metal-clad Pro 6 Plus utilizes an Exynos 8890 processor, which is the same one used in the Samsung Galaxy S7 series. There’s also a Quad HD resolution on top of its Super AMOLED screen and 4GB of memory inside — again, just like Sammy’s current best.

That’s where most of the similarities end, but you’d be surprised at how Meizu surpasses Samsung in some aspects.

For starters, you can find a heart rate sensor baked into the fingerprint scanner, and the display is pressure-sensitive using what Meizu calls 3D Press technology. The 12-megapixel rear camera, which is optically image stabilized and has laser autofocus, makes use of ten tiny LED lights to illuminate subjects.

With a capacity of 3400mAh, the battery isn’t that hefty, but it keeps the profile slim at only 7.3mm. Fast charging is available through its USB Type-C port, so you won’t have to wait that long for a full load.

The real highlight, however, is the price. Retailing for only CNY 3,000 or $435 for the 64GB storage version, the Pro 6 Plus now lives among other bang-for-buck beasts, such as those from OnePlus and Xiaomi. Alternatively, you can fork over an additional CNY 300 ($43) to bump the storage to 128GB.

Meizu’s midrange M3X is a lot less interesting, but it favors the more budget-conscious consumers, costing only CNY 1,700 ($246) for the configuration containing 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage, or CNY 2,000 ($290) for the model with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage.

To keep the costs down, the M3X uses a much weaker MediaTek Helio P20 chipset and just a Full HD resolution on top of its 5.5-inch display. Not bad by any means, actually, if you compare it to the competition.

What’s cool is that the midranger carries over some of the Pro 6 Plus’ best features, including the 12-megapixel rear shooter with 5-megapixel selfie cam, front-mounted fingerprint reader on the home button, and USB Type-C port with fast charging for the 3200mAh battery.

Both handsets apply Meizu’s own Flyme 6.0 operating system, which is based on Android. Shipping will soon begin in the brand’s home market of China, with launches happening in foreign markets in the coming months.

[irp posts=”4365″ name=”Meizu’s new M3 Max has 6-inch screen and huge battery”]

Source: Meizu, (2)

Gaming

Xbox saves Kojima’s PHYSINT after PlayStation drops support

PlayStation says the separation was mutual, but Kojima hints otherwise.

Published

September 11, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Things aren’t going well in the PlayStation camp. After two months of frankly questionable decisions, the company adds another to the pile by dropping support for Hideo Kojima’s PHYSINT.

For a while now, Kojima and PlayStation were in a very productive relationship with the Death Stranding duology, a critically acclaimed collection of titles for the platform. When things looked like they were going well, Kojima announced PHYSINT, an espionage-themed game which reminded fans way too much of Metal Gear Solid.

If you were investing in a PlayStation 5 to play Kojima’s latest thriller, you might want to move your chips elsewhere now. PlayStation has just dropped support for the espionage game, meaning PHYSINT will no longer be a first-party title for the platform.

Though PlayStation claims that the decision came after “careful consideration,” Kojima himself has said that the move was “unexpected,” going against PlayStation’s assurance of a mutual separation.

Very quickly, Xbox has announced that their platform will support PHYSINT instead. It’s a big get for the competing brand because Xbox Game Studios is already supporting OD, Kojima’s other upcoming horror project starring Sophia Lillis.

Unfortunately, it’s difficult to say more. As is tradition, Kojima will not explain much more about his upcoming titles. In fact, OD’s trailer barely says anything. One thing’s for sure, though: we’re all in for quite a ride.

Entertainment

PH to celebrate 1st ever National Cinema Day; movies start at less than $2

Watch a movie on September 12 for a fraction of the cost

Published

September 10, 2026

GadgetMatch

The Philippines will be celebrating its first ever National Cinema Day on September 12. On this day, movie tickets will go for as low as PhP 100 (US$ 1.60) at regular 2D cinemas.

The campaign aims to make moviegoing more accessible to audiences. This includes families, friends, students, and cinephiles in general.

Such initiative has been a staple in other countries, like the United States, United Kingdom, Spain, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, and more. The same concept applies, with movie tickets going on sale for a lot less.

What’s great about the celebration is that all movies scheduled for exhibition on September 12, whether local or international, shall get the special admission price.

Advanced tickets sales have already begun. Customers can purchase through participating box offices, official websites, mobile apps, and authorized platforms.

Tickets will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis and remain subject to theater capacity. Prices vary for other viewing formats like Director’s Club or IMAX, for instance.

The campaign is organized by the Cinema Exhibitors Association of the Philippines (CEAP), along with industry and government partners.

The initiative is supported by the Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP), Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB), and the Metro Manila Film Festival through the MMDA.

Participating cinemas include Ayala Malls Cinemas, SM Cinemas, Robinsons Movieworld, CityMall Cinema, Megaworld Cinemas, and more.

News

iPhone Duo: Price, availability in the Philippines

As listed on the Apple website

Published

September 10, 2026

GadgetMatch

Apple has officially entered the foldable smartphone market with the iPhone Duo, its first foldable iPhone. It uses a passport-style design that opens into a larger display while retaining a more conventional smartphone experience when folded.

Price and availability

The iPhone Duo starts at PhP 159,990 in the Philippines for the 256GB model as listed on the Apple website.

Here’s the full local pricing:

256GB — PhP 159,990
512GB — PhP 175,990
1TB — PhP 207,990
2TB — PhP 254,990

The iPhone Duo comes in Star White and Night Sky.

Actual availability in the Philippines has yet to be officially announced.

A foldable design with two displays

The iPhone Duo has a 5.4-inch outer display when folded and expands to a 7.6-inch main display when opened. Both orientations use the same aspect ratio, allowing iOS to transition between them seamlessly.

The rear chassis uses Ceramic Shield, while the front display gets Ceramic Shield 2. The device is also IP68-rated for dust and water resistance.

Its hinge uses carbon fiber supports and magnets that produce an audible click when the phone is folded.

A20 Pro brings flagship performance

The iPhone Duo is powered by the A20 Pro, the same chip found in the iPhone 18 Pro series. Apple says the chip delivers 35 percent better sustained performance than the iPhone 17 Pro.

It also comes with the new C2 cellular modem, which provides up to 50 percent faster uploads. Like other foldables, the Duo can be used in different configurations, including tent mode and a partially folded book-like position.

48-megapixel camera system

The iPhone Duo gets a 48-megapixel Fusion Main camera alongside a 12-megapixel 2x telephoto camera.

For selfies and video calls, it has a 12-megapixel Center Stage camera. The inner display also uses an under-screen camera for a cleaner look.

Battery life goes beyond a day

The iPhone Duo offers up to 31 hours of video playback using the inner display and up to 44 hours using the outer display.

Charging is also quick. Apple says a 20-minute charge can replenish half the battery, while a five-minute charge can provide up to five hours of video playback.

For the complete specifications and first-look details, check out our main iPhone Duo launch coverage.