News

OPPO R9s, R9s Plus with 16MP rear and front cameras break cover in China

Published

October 20, 2016

Monch Lopez

Two new OPPO smartphones broke cover recently at a press event in China. The OPPO R9s and R9s Plus look particularly iPhone-ish, except the antenna lines on the metal-clad back of these devices are barely visible and their home button evokes Samsung’s aesthetics.

Oh, and they each have 16-megapixel rear- and front-facing cameras, which not only makes it infinitely easier for us to remember their camera specs, but also makes the phones an alluring pick for the selfie-loving generation. We were impressed with the 16-megapixel selfie cam on the F1 Plus, the R9s’ predecessor, and it would make sense to think OPPO has something similar, if not better, on offer here.

[irp posts=”2006″ name=”OPPO F1 Plus Hands-On Review”]

The rear-facing camera system, objectively speaking, is an even more impressive specimen, featuring a Sony sensor that no other device has yet and an f/1.7 aperture for superior performance in low light and to achieve a better depth of field, which some photographers refer to as “bokeh.” It can also shoot super-crisp 4K video at the standard 30 frames per second, though only the R9s Plus has an optically stabilized camera to compensate for shaky hands and movement.

The R9s will come in shades of gold, rose gold, and black

The R9s comes with a 5.5-inch, 1080p screen with curved-but-not-too-curved Gorilla Glass 5; a Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 system-on-a-chip, alongside 4GB of RAM and 64GB of expandable storage; a fingerprint scanner on the home button; and a 3,010mAh battery that charges to 75 percent in 30 minutes.

The R9s Plus has a larger footprint, opting for a 6-inch display at full resolution and minimal bezels on the sides to keep the size of the phablet in check. Rounding off the specs, the Plus model makes use of a Snapdragon 653 chip, an incremental upgrade over the Snapdragon 652 inside many of today’s top midrange phones; 6GB of RAM; 64GB of storage; and a 4,000mAh battery.

[irp posts=”3906″ name=”The OPPO F1s is an affordable ‘selfie expert'”]

Both devices ship with Android 6.0 Marshmallow, making them the company’s first Marshmallow devices, although that isn’t meant to be a compliment. OPPO has been notoriously slow to adopt the latest Android software, with their existing phones still running Android Lollipop and below.

The OPPO R9s and R9s Plus will retail for 2,799 yuan ($415) and 3,499 yuan ($520) in their native China. They will go on sale starting October 28. The three available color options include gold, rose gold, and black. No word yet on pricing or an intended release outside China, but dollars to donuts, international markets will see the R9s under a different name before the year ends.

At least we hope so. These phones sound promising, and we’d hate to see them get a limited release.

Source: GSMArena

Gaming

PlayStation CEO Jim Ryan is retiring next year

Aims to spend more time with his family

Published

September 29, 2023

Luigi Leonardo

Since the start of the pandemic, the PlayStation has had a steady face. Jim Ryan essentially ushered in the PlayStation 5 generation by powering through the pandemic. Sadly, Ryan’s tenure is about to come to an end. The Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO and President has announced his retirement from the position.

Yesterday, Jim Ryan officially announced that he will step down from his position after March 2024. Starting April 1, Hiroki Totoki — the current COO, CFO, and president of the Sony Group — will assume the position as interim CEO. Totoki will continue Ryan’s work while finding a more permanent replacement for the latter.

Ryan has been with the company for almost 30 years. However, he only recently assumed the top spot in 2019, just in time for the new PlayStation 5. Ryan’s job was made more difficult with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Because everything turned to online communication, he was forced to be the more visible face of the PS5 through a series of digital launches.

However, according to his announcement, the position was taking a huge toll on his work-life balance. The constant commute between his home in the United Kingdom and his work in the United States led him to consider and decide on retirement.

Gaming

PUBG: Battlegrounds, Mobile team up with KFC

KFC-themed rewards, meals

Published

September 28, 2023

GadgetMatch

KFC has launched a collaboration with PUBG: Battlegrounds and PUBG: Mobile, allowing players to visit virtual KFC restaurants in-game featuring exclusive KFC items.

In-game visuals like the statue of Colonel Sanders, plane banner, electric billboards, and map decal are also available.

Starting October 2, PUBG: Mobile players may visit KFC Royale Restaurants across Erangel, Miramar, Nusa, and Livik maps.

These in-game restaurants offer players mouth-watering delicacies for health and energy boosts. KFC-themed items include the following:

KFC Royale Colonel Set
Chicken Cover and Set
Royale Delight Top and Parachute
Seasoned Squad Graffiti
Crispy Crunch Avatar Frame

The collaboration will last until November 6 for mobile users.

Meanwhile, PUBG: Battlegrounds players may acquire these similar items from KFC restaurants on the Erangel map:

KFC Chicken Box
KFC French Fries
KFC Energy Drink
Colonel’s Bucket Hat
Colonel’s Jacket
Colonel’s Shorts
Colonel’s Clogs
Colonel’s Parachute
“It’s Finger Lickin’ Good” Spray

This collaboration will last until November 7 on PC and November 15 on consoles.

As for the real world, customers can “Load up, Dive in” with PUBG-themed meals at participating KFC restaurants online or via its app in select regions to score a good loot straight from the Colonel’s kitchen.

Rewards include up to six battle cosmetics in KFC’s signature red and white colors.

KFC no stranger to gaming, tech

This isn’t KFC’s first brush with gaming or tech. The fried chicken specialists have collaborated with gaming and tech related brands over the years. This includes a similar execution with Animal Crossing: New Horizons, a KFC Phone in China, and even a KFConsole.

News

Cignal named official broadcaster of NBA, NBA 2K League

Strengthened partnership

Published

September 28, 2023

GadgetMatch

Following a multi-year extension with the NBA, Cignal TV has become the official broadcast partner of both the NBA and NBA 2K League games in the Philippines.

The company will air both programs through its channels across free-to-air and satellite television, as well as streaming app Pilipinas Live.

Starting October 25, the 2023-24 NBA season may be watched live and on-demand on One Sports (free) and NBA TV Philippines (premium).

Marquee events such as the NBA All-Star weekend, Playoffs, and Finals shall also be broadcasted.

For PhP 149 a month, Pilipinas Live subscribers may also access locally produced programming, like “NBA HYPE” and “1 on 1,” a new show that shall discuss NBA’s premier players and teams from the 2000s to the present.

In addition, Cignal shall manage NBA.com/Philippines, the league’s official website in the archipelago.

NBA 2K League telecast

As part of Cignal’s partnership, the 2024 NBA 2K League season that tips off early next year shall be broadcasted for the first time on NBA TV Philippines and Pilipinas Live, including the Tha Banner Chain Series and NBA 2KL 3v3 Blacktop Series.

Cignal has also become the first-ever presenting partner of the NBA 2K League APAC Invitational, the NBA 2K League’s qualifying event for the Asia-Pacific region.

Coincidentally, e-Gilas Pilipinas competes in the eFIBA for the same region, so its top players have the opportunity to become eligible for the 2024 NBA 2K League Draft.