News

The OPPO F1s is an affordable ‘selfie expert’

Published

August 13, 2016

Monch Lopez

OPPO announced the F1 Plus (the R9 in its country of origin) to great fanfare, with the company estimating over 7 million units sold since the phone’s release in March. And OPPO isn’t done with the F1 branding yet, as it recently made the F1s official in some markets, namely China, India, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines. A subsequent rollout is slated for the rest of Southeast Asia and regions where OPPO operates.

Another “selfie expert,” the F1s is essentially a much cheaper F1 Plus that has fewer attractions but offers longer battery life. It has more bells and whistles than the smaller F1, so in way, it’s some sort of a middle choice between the two previous F1 phones — the Goldilocks choice, if you will.

You get a slightly larger 5.5-inch phone featuring a nearly identical metal unibody frame with the same polish and attention to detail as that of the Plus model. It also runs the almost two-year-old Android Lollipop software, which could turn off seasoned Android users.

Beyond the F1 comparison, the F1s is likely capable of better selfies than any phone in its price point.

There are two metallic bands that run across the rear panel; two more wrap around the sides; the bottom edge houses the speaker, headphone jack, microUSB port, and what’s likely a cutout for the mic hole. The physical home button that also functions as a fingerprint reader is sandwiched between the backlit back and recent apps keys. Setup takes seconds, and engaging the reader is fast and, more importantly, accurate.

The F1s makes use of a bright 720p display with curved-edge Gorilla Glass protection. The resolution isn’t ideal for a phone this size, so those who want a sharper screen without spending too much should probably look elsewhere. That’s what’s great about today’s smartphone market: With so many options available, you don’t have to settle.

Inside the F1s, you’ll find an octa-core MediaTek processor, alongside 3GB of RAM and 32GB of expandablage store. We haven’t put the system-on-a-chip through its paces yet, but it runs Pokémon Go just fine. The 3,075mAh battery is the largest of any F1 phone, but it could take a while to charge from zero to full, as the F1s lacks quick charging.

But the best feature of all may be the selfie camera, which has a 16-megapixel sensor and an impressive aperture size of f/2.0. That combination, plus OPPO’s camera algorithm, results in bright and crisp self-portraits that look like they were captured by an upmarket phone’s rear camera. The F1s is also capable of shooting full-resolution video for superior video calls and conferencing.

Compared to the front-facer, the 13-megapixel camera around the back sounds a bit underwhelming, even though that’s not the case. But then again, how often do you come across a device with a more advanced camera on the front than on the rear?

The OPPO F1s runs between $280 and $300, depending on where you live. In the Philippines, it is priced at P12,990; in India, 15,985 rupees; Malaysia sells it for 1,198 ringgit. It costs 5,990,000 dong in Vietnam, around 10,000 baht in Thailand.

[irp posts=”11922″ name=”OPPO F1s finally gets long-delayed update”]

Gaming

You can play SNES games on this Nike shoe

The project celebrates the SNES’s 35th anniversary.

Published

November 27, 2025

Luigi Leonardo

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.

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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 35^th 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.

News

Qualcomm unveils the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5

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

Published

November 27, 2025

Luigi Leonardo

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.

News

POCO F8 Series: Price, availability in PH

POCO’s premium smartphones have arrived

Published

November 26, 2025

GadgetMatch

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.

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.