Smartphones

OnePlus holds online treasure hunt for a free OnePlus 8T+ 5G

From November 12 to 19

Published

November 12, 2020

Luigi Leonardo

Who doesn’t love a good treasure hunt? Unfortunately, because of the ongoing pandemic, going on an actual treasure hunt is more than difficult. Now, in a weird turn of events, OnePlus is holding an online 5G treasure hunt where you can win the new OnePlus 8T+ 5G.

From November 12 to 19, OnePlus and T-Mobile announced a joint treasure hunt happening across the entire United States. Currently, there are three hidden OnePlus pop-up stores somewhere in the country.

Though the fun is in finding the place themselves, the hunt is all-digital. The places are supposedly hotspots for T-Mobile’s new 5G network. An easy guess is a big city; however, T-Mobile reminds users that their network can cover even rural areas.

So, how do you find them? Throughout the promo’s duration, T-Mobile and OnePlus are posting clues on Twitter. In fact, the first clue is already up: a pop-up cube somewhere in the wilderness. To enter, participants must submit their entries to OnePlusGoFarther.com.

Something's coming. Are you ready @TMobile? #OnePlusGoFarther pic.twitter.com/baAjuXcBxd

— 202(OnePlus) (@OnePlus_USA) November 11, 2020

If correct, participants receive a chance to win an assortment of prizes. Three grand-prize winners will receive US$ 5,000 in cash and a custom OnePlus 8T+ 5G designed by ZHC, a renowned phone customizer. One-hundred second-place winners will receive the new OnePlus 8T+ 5G, albeit undesigned by any famous customizers. Finally, three-hundred third-place winners will receive a pair of OnePlus Buds Z.

News

Huawei P50 Pro could come with a 120Hz display, 200x digital zoom

What about Harmony OS?

Published

January 21, 2021

Shivam Vahia

Huawei may be barred from using Google Mobile Services, but it is far from giving up. The Chinese brand has pivoted to natively developed options and continues to work on its flagship P and Mate series. Going by the usual trend, the Huawei P50 series is expected to launch soon, and we already hear a lot of chatter about it.

According to @RODENT950 on Twitter, Huawei P50 Pro will have a 6.78-inch display with a 120Hz refresh rate. Another user on Weibo claims that the regular version of Huawei P50 will be using a 90Hz refresh rate screen, while the top-end option may come with a 120Hz panel.

Under the P50 Pro and P50 Pro+ hood will be the Kirin 9000 or Kirin 9000E chipset. Designed on a 5nm process, these are Huawei’s best-in-class and offer massive performance improvements. Furthermore, the phone will support 66W wired fast charging and 50W wireless charging.

Most importantly, the cameras are expected to get a major upgrade. The “space zoom” technology could go one step further by incorporating 200x digital zoom. Keep in mind, the recently launched Galaxy S21 Ultra has 100x digital zoom. So, Huawei’s offering makes a lot of difference, at least on paper. The P50 Pro+ will continue the race, as the phone will likely offer a massive 200x zoom from a derived 20x optical zoom setup.

While many reports said Huawei could ship the P50 series with Harmony OS, recent inputs suggest the brand shall continue with Android-based EMUI 11. In other aspects, the Huawei P50 series will come with 4 surround speakers and an upgraded vibration motor for haptics.

The phone is expected to launch in the coming months. The P50 series will consist of multiple options, and the details mentioned above are based on leaks, speculations, and unverifiable information. The end product could differ vastly.

Deals

Smart postpaid plans for the Galaxy S21 series

Exclusive pre-order items worth PhP 20,000 are also up for grabs

Published

January 21, 2021

Kenrick Buduan

The Galaxy S21 series can’t come soon enough to the Philippines. Smart is now offering pre-orders for both the Galaxy S21+ and S21 5G on its Signature plans. Plus, first-time and renewing subscribers may get exclusive items for every pre-order until January 24.

Subscribers may opt for the regular Signature plans or the upgraded Signature 5G plans. As the name suggests, the Signature 5G plans take advantage of Smart’s 5G network which is now available in Metro Manila and select areas of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

For this comparison, we’ll be looking into both regular Signature and Signature 5G plans.

Galaxy S21+

There is only one variant available for the Galaxy S21+ — the 8GB/256GB model. It comes in two colors: silver and violet.

	Signature 4G plans						Signature 5G plans
	Plan S	Plan M	Plan L		Plan XL		Plan L		Plan XL
One-time cashout	PhP 37,800	PhP 34,200	PhP 30,600	PhP 9,900	PhP 23,300	PhP 7,200	PhP 30,600	PhP 9,900	PhP 23,300	PhP 3,299
Data Allocation	5GB	10GB	15GB		30GB		30GB		60GB
Text Allocation	Unlimited to all networks
Call Allocation	Unlimited to all networks
Additional Perks	50 mins. call to PLDT	100 mins. call to PLDT	150 mins. call to PLDT		300 mins. call to PLDT		150 mins. call to PLDT		300 mins. call to PLDT
Plan Cost	PhP 999	PhP 1,499	PhP 1,999	PhP 2,899	PhP 2,999	PhP 3,699	PhP 3,199	PhP 2,299	PhP 3,299	PhP 3,999
Total One-time Cost	PhP 38,799	PhP 35,699	PhP 32,599	PhP 12,799	PhP 26,299	PhP 10,899	PhP 33,799	PhP 12,199	PhP 26,599	PhP 7,298

Galaxy S21 5G

Unlike the Galaxy S21+, the Galaxy S21 5G will come in an 8GB/256GB and an 8GB/512GB model. Both silver and black are available for the 256GB model while black is the only option for the 512GB.

256GB

	Signature 4G plans						Signature 5G plans
	Plan S	Plan M	Plan L		Plan XL		Plan L		Plan XL
One-time cashout	PhP 49,800	PhP 46,200	PhP 42,600	PhP 15,020	PhP 35,300	PhP 12,300	PhP 42,600	PhP 15,020	PhP 35,300	PhP 12,300
Data Allocation	5GB	10GB	15GB		30GB		30GB		60GB
Text Allocation	Unlimited to all networks
Call Allocation	Unlimited to all networks
Additional Perks	50 mins. call to PLDT	100 mins. call to PLDT	150 mins. call to PLDT		300 mins. call to PLDT		150 mins. call to PLDT		300 mins. call to PLDT
Plan Cost	PhP 999	PhP 1,499	PhP 1,999	PhP 3,199	PhP 2,999	PhP 3,999	PhP 2,299	PhP 3,499	PhP 3,299	PhP 4,299
Total One-time Cost	PhP 50,799	PhP 47,699	PhP 44,599	PhP 18,219	PhP 38,299	PhP 16,299	PhP 44,899	PhP 18,519	PhP 38,599	PhP 16,599

512GB

	Signature 4G plans						Signature 5G plans
	Plan S	Plan M	Plan L		Plan XL		Plan L		Plan XL
One-time cashout	PhP 57,000	PhP 53,400	PhP 49,800	PhP 15,310	PhP 42,500	PhP 14,890	PhP 49,800	PhP 15,310	PhP 42,500	PhP 14,890
Data Allocation	5GB	10GB	15GB		30GB		30GB		60GB
Text Allocation	Unlimited to all networks
Call Allocation	Unlimited to all networks
Additional Perks	50 mins. call to PLDT	100 mins. call to PLDT	150 mins. call to PLDT		300 mins. call to PLDT		150 mins. call to PLDT		300 mins. call to PLDT
Plan Cost	PhP 999	PhP 1,499	PhP 1,999	PhP 3,499	PhP 2,999	PhP 4,199	PhP 2,299	PhP 3,799	PhP 3,299	PhP 4,499
Total One-time Cost	PhP 57,999	PhP 54,899	PhP 51,799	PhP 18,809	PhP 45,499	PhP 19,089	PhP 52,099	PhP 19,109	PhP 45,799	PhP 19,389

Exclusive items worth PhP 20,000

Pre-order exclusive worth PhP 20,000 will include a pair of Galaxy Buds Pro (for the S21 Ultra) or Galaxy Buds Live (for the Galaxy S21+), Galaxy Tab A 8.0, Galaxy SmartTag, and a 25W wall charger. These exclusive items are only available for pre-orders until January 24.

First-time and renewing subscribers may visit Smart’s website for more details on the plans and pricing for the Galaxy S21 series.

Deals

Globe postpaid plans for Galaxy S21 series

Exclusive items worth PhP 20,000 are also up for grabs

Published

January 21, 2021

Kenrick Buduan

Soon, Filipinos will be able to avail themselves of the latest and greatest Samsung flagship, the Galaxy S21. Pre-orders are now open for both the Galaxy S21+ and S21 Ultra on Globe. Globe offers a wide selection of postpaid plans ranging from its standard ThePLAN to the upscale ThePLATINUM Plan with each offering 5G connectivity and an assortment of perks.

Thankfully, subscribers don’t have to sweat themselves on choosing the best postpaid plans for their Galaxy. We’ve compared different plan tiers for both the Galaxy S21+ and S21 Ultra. There’s no S21 on Globe yet, but it will come at a later date for those looking for a more affordable option. For this comparison, we’ve only compared Globe’s offering on ThePLAN.

So, here’s what subscribers are getting for their money:

Galaxy S21+

Galaxy S21+ will come in only one variant, the 8GB/256GB model. Customers can choose from two colors: silver or violet.

	ThePLAN 599	ThePLAN 799	ThePLAN 999	ThePLAN 1299	ThePLAN 1499	ThePLAN 1799	ThePLAN 1999	ThePLAN 2499	ThePLAN 2999
One-time cashout	PhP 40,800	PhP 39,600	PhP 37,200	PhP 34,800	PhP 31,200	PhP 30,000	PhP 27,600	PhP 22,800	PhP 22,800
Monthly fee	PhP 599	PhP 799	PhP 999	PhP 1,299	PhP 1,499	PhP 1,799	PhP 1,999	PhP 2,499	PhP 2,999
Text allocation	Unli to all networks
Call allocation	Unli to Globe/TM	Unli to all networks
Data allocation	2GB	3GB	5GB	8GB	10GB	15GB	16GB	21GB	31GB
Additional perks	Free 1GB of Facebook per month Free Konsulta MD subscription	Free 1GB of Facebook per month Free Konsulta MD subscription	Free Konsulta MD subscription Free 1GB of Facebook per month Free 6-month Amazon Prime Video Free 3-month iflix VIP subscription
Total one-time cost	PhP 41,399	PhP 40,399	PhP 38,199	PhP 36,099	PhP 32,699	PhP 31,799	PhP 29,599	PhP 25,299	PhP 25,799

Galaxy S21 Ultra

Both the 8GB/256GB and 8GB/512GB models will come in two colors: silver and black.

256GB model

	ThePLAN 599	ThePLAN 799	ThePLAN 999	ThePLAN 1299	ThePLAN 1499	ThePLAN 1799	ThePLAN 1999	ThePLAN 2499	ThePLAN 2999
One-time cashout	PhP 52,800	PhP 51,600	PhP 49,200	PhP 46,800	PhP 43,200	PhP 42,000	PhP 39,600	PhP 34,800	PhP 34,800
Monthly fee	PhP 599	PhP 799	PhP 999	PhP 1,299	PhP 1,499	PhP 1,799	PhP 1,999	PhP 2,499	PhP 2,999
Text allocation	Unli to all networks
Call allocation	Unli to Globe/TM	Unli to all networks
Data allocation	2GB	3GB	5GB	8GB	10GB	15GB	16GB	21GB	31GB
Additional perks	Free 1GB of Facebook per month Free Konsulta MD subscription	Free 1GB of Facebook per month Free Konsulta MD subscription	Free Konsulta MD subscription Free 1GB of Facebook per month Free 6-month Amazon Prime Video Free 3-month iflix VIP subscription
Total one-time cost	PhP 53,399	PhP 52,399	PhP 50,199	PhP 48,099	PhP 44,699	PhP 43,799	PhP 41,599	PhP 37,299	PhP 37,799

512GB model

	ThePLAN 599	ThePLAN 799	ThePLAN 999	ThePLAN 1299	ThePLAN 1499	ThePLAN 1799	ThePLAN 1999	ThePLAN 2499	ThePLAN 2999
One-time cashout	PhP 60,000	PhP 58,800	PhP 56,400	PhP 54,000	PhP 50,400	PhP 49,200	PhP 46,800	PhP 42,000	PhP 42,000
Monthly fee	PhP 599	PhP 799	PhP 999	PhP 1,299	PhP 1,499	PhP 1,799	PhP 1,999	PhP 2,499	PhP 2,999
Text allocation	Unli to all networks
Call allocation	Unli to Globe/TM	Unli to all networks
Data allocation	2GB	3GB	5GB	8GB	10GB	15GB	16GB	21GB	31GB
Additional perks	Free 1GB of Facebook per month Free Konsulta MD subscription	Free 1GB of Facebook per month Free Konsulta MD subscription	Free Konsulta MD subscription Free 1GB of Facebook per month Free 6-month Amazon Prime Video Free 3-month iflix VIP subscription
Total one-time cost	PhP 60,599	PhP 59,599	PhP 57,399	PhP 55,299	PhP 51,899	PhP 50,999	PhP 48,799	PhP 44,499	PhP 44,999

Exclusive items worth PhP 20,000

Customers can also snag exclusive items worth PhP 20,000 when they pre-order the Galaxy S21+ and S21 Ultra until January 24. Exclusive items include the Galaxy Tab A 8.0, Galaxy Buds, and the recently-launched Galaxy SmartTags.

Subscribers can pre-order via Globe’s online store or select concept stores nationwide. Meanwhile, platinum subscribers may avail the S21 of their choice through relationship managers, Facebook Messenger, and this link.

All plan tiers are 5G-ready. Right now, Globe’s 5G network is active in 17 cities across Manila and select areas in Visayas and Mindanao.