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Microsoft announces its smallest and most affordable Surface yet

Portable and affordable

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Image credit: Microsoft

Microsoft has just announced new hardware under its Surface line of devices. As you know, Surface tablets, laptops, and desktops are on the premium side, but the new Surface Go is shifting gears by being the most affordable of the bunch — and also the smallest.

The Surface Go from Microsoft is a full-blown Windows 10 tablet aimed at schools, kids, and even the enterprise market. It’s been three years since the last non-Pro Surface tablet, so the introduction of the Surface Go comes at a bit of a surprise for us.

Image credit: Microsoft

The smallest Surface tablet has a 10-inch PixelSense touch display with a resolution of 1800 x 1200, 3:2 aspect ratio, and pen support. It’s powered by a seventh-generation Intel Pentium Gold processor (haven’t heard about Pentium in a long time) with up to 8GB of memory and up to 256GB of storage.

The tablet itself has a single USB-C port for 4K video out and data, microSD card reader, a proprietary Surface Connect port, and a headphone jack. It also has an 8-megapixel rear shooter and a 5-megapixel front-facing camera with support for Windows Hello.

The body of the tablet is still made of magnesium and is designed like other Surface tablets, including the adjustable kickstand. It also has front-facing stereo speakers and Dolby Audio. The tablet’s battery is rated to last for nine hours on a single charge.

The new Surface Go will be available in early August 2018 starting at just US$ 399 for the tablet and US$ 99 for the detachable keyboard. It’s now available for pre-order in North America, Europe, and Australia, while Asia will follow suit in the coming weeks. An LTE model will arrive later this year.

Microsoft’s new tablet practically battles Apple’s newest and cheapest iPad, and it’s definitely more affordable than any of the iPad Pro tablets. Compared to the iPads though, the Surface Go runs a full version of Windows 10 (in S-mode) and not just a mobile operating system.

SEE ALSO: Microsoft Windows April 2018 patch adds Timeline, Focus Assist

Laptops

Apple MacBook Air M3 has finally reached the Philippines

With exclusive pre-order perks

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After a month (or two) of waiting for the local launch of Apple’s newest MacBook Air, Power Mac Center has finally unveiled and brought the MacBook Air M3 to the Philippine shores this May 3, 2024 at their Premium Partner Store in Greenbelt 3.

This goes live hand-in-hand with select Power Mac Center branches as well as The Loop stores nationwide.

Lean and Mean

Just like its predecessor, the new generation of Silicon-powered MacBook Air is either available in 13 or 15-inch Liquid Retina displays.

Both sizes are lean at just around 0.45-inches in thickness — or thinness, rather. The laptops are lightweight too weighing at just 1.24 kilograms and 1.51 kilograms respectively.

But being light in heft doesn’t mean it’s light in features. In fact, the MacBook Air M3 is power-packed to consider it as “the world’s best consumer laptop for AI“.

There are several configurations like choosing between 8GB or 16GB of unified memory and 256GB or 512GB of internal storage.

But the highlight of the show is none other than its new M3 chipset. This has an 8-core CPU that’s powerful than ever and promises 13x faster than its last Intel-based countepart. Aside from that, GPU can be configured between 8 or 10 cores.

Moreover, the new MacBook Air M3 boasts a Wi-Fi 6E connectivity support as well as a promising all-day battery life of up to 18 hours! Also, there’s an extra support for another external display — that’s when you use it closed.

Mac and Me

Hosted by Aiyana Perlas

To further hype up the launch of the much-awaited MacBook Air powered by M3, Power Mac Center has invited some renowned Mac users and using it to further hone their craftsmanship.

First is none other than Hey! Hey! Hey! Janina Vela here — a sought after content creator in the Philippines who’s also a “proud Power Mac Consumer since Forever” ✨

This was then followed by Merphi Panaguiton, the Creative Director and Co-Founder of ATOMM Studios — one of the country’s leading self-shoot studios.

Last but definitely not the least is Sid Maderazo, a prominent film director especially in terms of brand filmmaking.

Pricing and Availability

The M3 MacBook Air, just like its predecessor, is still available in four color choices: Midnight, Starlight, Space Gray, and Silver.

Both display sizes are available in three different configurations:

Configuration 13-inch 15-inch
8GB unified memory + 256GB storage** PhP 76,990 PhP 89,990
8GB unified memory + 512GB storage PhP 89,990 PhP 102,990
16GB unified memory + 512GB storage PhP 102,990 PhP 115,990
**Base configurations are only limited to an 8-core GPU

If straight payment isn’t your cup of tea, Power Mac Center offers flexible payment options via select banks and credit issuers. There’s even a 24-month installment if you’re really that decided to own one without much savings in mind.

Click here to know more about Power Mac Center’s installment pricing plans for the new MacBook Air M3.

Exclusive Perks Await

From May 3rd until the 5th, prospective MacBook Air M3 buyers can enjoy up to 40% discount on select premium accessories plus a free Microsoft 365 Personal Electronic Software Delivery.

If you’re planning to join this weekend’s launch at Greenbelt 3, you will also get a free backpack and laptop stand courtesy of Tuscano.

And that’s not all! Between May 6th to 12th, buyers of the M3 MacBook Air regardless of the size and the Power Mac Center or The Loop branch you purchase it automatically gets an entry to win the raffle. Those include:

  • 1 winner of Power Mac Center Gift Certificates worth PhP 30,000
  • 1 winner of LaCie Rugged Mini USB 3.0 1TB worth PhP 6,800
  • 4 winners of Seagate One Touch Slim USB 3.0 1TB worth PhP 4,190
  • 10 winners of SanDisk iXpand Flip OTG Flash Drive Lightning + Type A 128GB worth PhP 4,999
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Accessories

F1’s Daniel Ricciardo spotted with an unreleased Beats Pill

LeBron James was also spotted with the same thing

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Image source: Formula 1 | Instagram

In a world inundated with leaks, spotting an unreleased device out in the wild is less of a spectacle these days. However, there are still some sneak peeks that manage to catch our eyes. One such example is the sudden appearance of an unreleased Beats Pill in the hands of F1 driver Daniel Ricciardo.

A Beats Pill is not an easy speaker to find these days. After all, the company discontinued the last one back in 2022. Unless they particularly love old devices, it’s likely not a coincidence if a popular personality is somehow toting one out in public.

In preparation for the upcoming Miami Grand Prix this weekend, Daniel Ricciardo, who currently races for the Visa Cash App RB team, strolled into the paddock carrying a golden Beats Pill. It’s also interesting that the Pill is positioned perfectly to display the Beats logo.

As if that’s not a sure sign already, LeBron James was also spotted with the same speaker before a game back in April. Serendipitously, the pictured speaker swung perfectly to display the Beats logo in the NBA star’s photo.

Because Beats has not announced a revival yet, it’s difficult to see what the audio company has in store for its next portable speaker. However, one thing’s for sure: A new lanyard will make it easier to carry around. It’s also safe to assume that the device will come with USB-C this time around.

SEE ALSO: Beats Studio Buds+ accidentally leaked on Amazon

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Gaming

There’s a new Batman Arkham game coming

Exclusive to VR

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The world of Batman Arkham is not done. Despite concluding the trilogy with the successful Arkham Knight, the series occasionally makes a comeback. Now, it’s time to make another trip to the immersive grimdark world. Batman: Arkham Shadow is the next entry to the series, exclusive to the Meta Quest 3.

The franchise’s trips outside of the main trilogy are a mixed bag. No disrespect to those who actually liked the game, but Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League just was not it. Though the game promised a return to Rocksteady’s iconic Arkham formula, the resulting game was a live-service mess. Arkham Origins was, at least, a decent play. Finally, the franchise’s first foray into VR, Arkham VR, was lauded for its gameplay but criticized for its length.

Arkham Shadow brings the franchise back to virtual reality. While the previous VR-exclusive was already a marvel of its technology, the upcoming title represents an evolution for hardware. Based on the official teaser, it will have updated graphics, giving Arkham City just that extra bite of darkness.

Currently, the trailer does not reveal anything about the game’s mechanics. More details are scheduled for release during the Summer Game Fest in June.

Though Arkham Shadow is certainly set in the eponymous universe, Rocksteady is not helming the development. Instead, Oculus Studios and Camouflaj are behind the title.

As for confirmed lore, the title looks like it will feature Ratcatcher, the villain who — surprise, surprise — controls rats. You might recognize the villain from 2021’s The Suicide Squad, directed by James Gunn.

SEE ALSO: Joker: Folie à Deux 1st trailer finally released

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