News

Philippines to become one of first to roll out 5G in 2019

Along with Japan and Australia

Published

on

The race to 5G connectivity is officially on, and to the joy of a striving nation, the Philippines is leading the pack.

News just broke during Mobile World Congress Shanghai 2018 that the Philippines will be among the first to roll out its 5G networks in 2019, along with Japan and Australia.

This marks a major milestone for the archipelago, which has been known for having less-than-stellar 4G results in recent tests. Breaking into 5G territory will give the Philippines a leg up with the next-generation technology.

“Next year, Australia, Japan, and the Philippines are going to be the first to launch 5G networks,” said Jan Stryjak, Lead Analyst at GSMA Intelligence, during a presentation at MWC Shanghai 2018.

What can we expect out of this level of wireless tech? Beyond the obvious speed boost, 5G is expected to have better security and connection reliability compared to older standards.

Globe Telecom already announced earlier in June that they’ll have 5G commercially available for homes by the second quarter of 2019 with the help of Huawei.

“We can bring internet to more homes by deploying 5G compared to a typical fiber optic rollout,” said Ernest Cu, Globe President and CEO, when talking about 5G’s advantages over wired fiber connections.

Smart Communications, on the other hand, have already begun testing 5G speeds in the country. Their latest results have shown speeds of up to a jaw-dropping 14.97Gbps on their 5G network. That’s nearly 2GB of data downloaded every second!

Smart plans to have its 5G network ready by 2020, but news of Globe accelerating its rollout could push this rival to speed up the process, as well.

This desire from both telcos to make 5G happen as soon as possible for the Philippines is music to consumers’ ears. Not only will this save the country from its dreadful internet woes, but it’ll also enable more homes to enter the Internet of Things sooner than expected.

News

realme 12 5G Philippine price, availability

realme’s 3rd offering under the 12 series

Published

on

realme 12 5G

The realme 12 5G is now official in the Philippines. Months after launching the the 12+ and 12 Pro+ models under its latest number series line, realme is back with the release of the series’ base model. The realme 12 5G is priced at PhP 14,999 and is available through realme’s ecommerce platforms and offline stores.

As part of its launch, realme is offering customers exclusive deals starting April 25th:

Lazada Flagship (May 5 to 10)

  • Free realme Buds T100
  • Free TechLife Hair Dryer

Shopee Official Store (May 5 to 10)

  • Free TechLife Power Bank 2 20,000mAh
  • Free TechLife 4.5L See-Through Air Fryer

TikTok Shop (April 25, 7:30 PM to 30)

  • Free realme Pocket Bluetooth Speaker
  • Free TechLife Cooling Fan

James Afante TikTok Shop (April 25, 7:30 PM)

  • Freebie package 1: TechLife Cooling Fan and Free TechLife 4.5L See-Through Air Fryer
  • Freebie package 2: realme Buds T100 and Free TechLife 4.5L See-Through Air Fryer
  • Freebie package 3: TechLife Portable Steam Iron, TechLife Electric Kettle, and TechLife Portable Electric Pot

ALSO READ: realme 12+ 5G review: One month later

For offline purchases, customers also stand a chance to win freebies worth up to PhP 24,999 with the Mystery Box promo. Furthermore, they may join the Lucky 12 Challenge for additional freebies when they purchase the realme 12 5G from any of the 100 selected concept stores, kiosks, and exclusive stores.

realme 12 5G

The realme 12 5G is just as capable as its 12+ and Pro+ counterparts. The model boasts of a 108MP 3X zoom portrait camera, taking off from the series’ Portrait Master positioning.

The phone is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 6100+ 5G chipset, has 8GB of base RAM with 8GB RAM expansion, and a 5,000mAh battery with 45W SUPERVOOC Charge. In front is a 6.72-inch FHD+ 120Hz Sunlight Display that has a maximum brightness of 950nits. There is also an 8MP AI selfie camera.

Lastly, the handset also has a similar watch face design at the back. It is available in Twilight Purple and Woodland Green.

ALSO READ: realme 12 Pro+ 5G review: A midrange marvel

Continue Reading

News

ZTE nubia Neo 2 5G now in the Philippines: Pricing, details

ZTE’s budget gaming phone gets an upgrade

Published

on

Nubia Neo 2

ZTE has announced the availability of the nubia Neo 2 5G in the Philippines. The successor to the nubia Neo budget gaming smartphone, the second iteration is armed with an upgraded gaming control experience for Filipino gamers to enjoy.

The nubia Neo 2 5G retains the distinct Bionic Mecha with “Hero Eye” design from its predecessor. It is available in Storm Gray, Sunfire Yellow, and Frost Silver for PhP 9,999.

The phone is powered by a Unisoc T820 processor (6nm). It supports even more Dynamic RAM at 12GB to complement its 8GB base RAM, and also offers 5G dual-card intelligent switching. Additionally, the nubia Neo 2 5G carries an even larger 6,000mAh battery, which supports 33W fast charging.

ALSO READ: ZTE nubia Neo 5G: Decent for gaming

In front, the device sports a 6.72-inch FHD+ display with a 2,400 x 1,800 resolution and 120Hz refresh rate for seamless viewing and scrolling. At the back is a 50MP main camera.

Upgraded Game Space

The nubia Neo 2 5G features Game Space 2.0, an assistance tool that is reminiscent of a professional gaming layout. Here, users may tinker with game optimization functions, including Game Performance Enhancement. This adjusts the device’s CPU and GPU resources to help it manage power and battery usage.

The phone also supports ByPass Charging for uninterrupted gaming. Users may activate this charging feature while the charging cable is connected to the device. When under ByPass Charging, the phone gets powered up but without the battery charging so it can reduce heat.

Upgraded experience

Furthermore, one of the highlights of the nubia Neo 2 5G is its gaming shoulder triggers. This gives users more freedom and control while navigating and playing. Users may also customize the shoulder buttons based on their personal preferences.

Meanwhile, the phone’s Dual Stereo Speakers with DTS:X Ultra provide impressive sound quality. This is further enhanced with four built-in sound effects.

Continue Reading

News

Apple announces new special event for iPads

Scheduled for May 7

Published

on

The next Apple event is coming! Two weeks ahead of the big launch, the iPad maker has announced an upcoming event dedicated to the tablet.

As always, Apple has added a tagline to tease what’s coming for the brand. This time, it’s “Let loose.”

Now, you won’t get a lot of clues from something so vague. Thankfully, the graphic is much more telling. It features a hand clearly grasping an Apple Pencil. For sure, the event will focus on new iPads.

The special event will start on May 7, 10AM ET. Interested viewers can watch the event live.

There’s no confirmation what models are getting new faces for the event. However, rumors are swirling that we’re getting a new iPad Pro. We can likely expect a new Apple Pencil too, especially since the stylus is a main focus for the invite.

New iPhones are likely out, though. Apple usually holds the event for those later in the year. That leaves the Macs and the Vision Pro in the less-likely-but-still-possible realm.

That said, if you’re looking for new tablets, it’s time to wait a bit.

SEE ALSO: Apple might update its iPad lineup this week

Continue Reading

Trending