Features

#PlayApartTogether: Embracing lockdowns and social distancing

Stuck indoors? Well, time to play video games.

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Video games have always been a great way to pass time on any boring day at home. In any normal circumstance, you just need your healthy amount of online play each day before doing anything else. But obviously, you’d rather be out of the house and embracing the outside world with all your errands and meetups. A perfect balance, as all things should be.

And then, the entire world was hit with a virus that you could contract by touching anything. Your home country restricted travel to your dream destination for fear of contracting the virus. Furthermore, you can’t even leave your own home without putting yourself in danger of contracting it too.

Suddenly: classes are suspended, people are now on work-from-home arrangements, malls are closed. Next thing you know, the entire metro is under quarantine and you are forced to stay indoors unless you absolutely need to be outside.

When the coronavirus stepped in to plague the outside world, all you could do was wait. And in waiting for this virus to be handled, you’re looking for something to do to pass the time. All while getting some interaction with your friends who are also stuck indoors. Luckily, if Zoom meetings are not enough, the World Health Organization suggests something even I thought was unthinkable:

Play Apart, Together

In essence, the World Health Organization wants everyone to find something to pass the time while you’re indoors. Because of the ongoing threat of COVID-19, the WHO backs an initiative from the gaming industry to #PlayApartTogether. The purpose of this initiative was to encourage people to play video games while practicing social distancing to slow the spread of the virus. When I first heard about this, I thought, “wait, really? The WHO wants us to play video games now?”

That’s because a year ago, the WHO had deemed video gaming addiction as a mental disorder. They deemed people who are addicted to video games as people who can’t control how long they play, that it takes over their life completely. A lot of people older than most millennials think that playing video games is just a waste of time — when you can just play basketball outdoors instead of NBA 2K20. It makes sense, but it’s an extreme way of looking at it considering you can count the number of news reports citing video game-related casualties.

But because the world is experiencing a pandemic of epic proportions, they suggest that it’s one good way to pass the time. So how have people dealt with lockdowns and social distancing through video games?

Tom Nook has had a field day since launch

Animal Crossing: New Horizons was released last March 20 for the Nintendo Switch. Even before the world plunged into the COVID-19 madness, the game already received a ton of buzz before its launch date. As soon as the game dropped, people went crazy and started buying it online (at least for people in countries already under lockdown) and started groundwork on their lovely islands.

It didn’t take long before people start to craft amazing houses, beautiful island landscapes, and catching sharks. Yes, you read that right: SHARKS; you can catch sharks in the game.

(c) Nintendo

What made it extra special was how people and used the game to interact with their friends and customers alike. I’m pretty sure you’ve seen people post in-game tributes of their loved ones and idols who have passed away.

Others used the game’s online features to visit their friends’ islands and engaging in many activities like watching the meteor shower. If that wasn’t enough, we even had the Ayala Museum and 100 Thieves drop designs for apparel for everyone to use for free.

TWICE RUN 20X20 Navy Blue – Dahyun

I even got to the point of replicating some TWICE and BTS merchandise as designs for my sweaters and hoodies. This game opened its doors to an audience for all ages, bringing the world closer than ever. That is, of course if you have a Nintendo Switch Online subscription to do all of these.

Sports at a standstill? Not on 2K’s watch

When Utah Jazz center and reigning NBA Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert tested positive for COVID-19, things weren’t the same. At that moment in time, the NBA had already suspended the games scheduled for that day, provided that the game didn’t tip-off yet. It then escalated into talks of suspending the NBA season indefinitely or possibly cancelling it all together.

Several other major sports leagues in the United States, and even across the world decided to suspend tournaments. Sports was at a standstill, and the void must be filled in somehow.

And then, the Phoenix Suns decided to simulate their postponed games on NBA 2K20. Obviously, these were far from how the actual players played for their teams, but everybody was having fun with it.

It came to a point that NBA 2K decided to host a Players-Only Tournament as a way to generate donations for a charity of their choosing. Other than that, they even decided to simulate the remaining games and provide scores at the end of each playing day.

You know what they say, “ball is life.”


As general rules, the CDC or The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention listed these to help with preventing the spread of COVID-19:

  • Stay home when sick
  • Cover coughs and sneezes
  • Frequently wash hands with soap and water
  • Clean frequently touched surfaces

Accessories

Here are two Fancy iPhone 14 cases for the Full-on Fab

Moshi never disappoints!

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Already rocking the new iPhone 14 series but looking for cases that are fab and fancy? Well, Moshi is here to save you!

As of this writing, it’s Pride Month — and GadgetMatch is celebrating all genders in the spectrum.

These cases are perfect regardless of how you identify yourself. And even if you’re a guy, you could rock these too.

Heck it’s 2023! Stop putting stereotypes on case designs and colors. Be confident and BE YOU!

Swift unboxing

While Moshi’s set of accessories aren’t limited to the new iPhone 14 series, what we have here are cases that are specially-meant for the new iPhones.

With its clear packaging, you can clearly see the case details including the leather texture as well as the golden touch of its logo.

Right out of the box, it already entices you with its 10-year warranty.

Unlike the previous Moshi iPhone 13 case collection I’ve held last year, the new Moshi cases for the iPhone 14 series now have MagSafe built-in instead of their in-house SnapTo technology which is limited to Moshi cases and accessories only.

For product authenticity, no need to worry as these have ready-to-scratch seals for serial code activation. All you have to do is to grab your iPhone, open the camera app, scan the QR code, and fill-in your necessary details to activate the product.

And if the photos above did not satisfy you at all, here’s the unboxing of the two fab cases caught on video.

 

@gadgetmatch Shut up and take my money 😭 #iphone14 #iphonecase #moshi ♬ original sound – GadgetMatch

Moshi Napa Slim in Lavender Purple

Most of you were probably looking at that golden camera cutout. Well, it’s not just painted in gold as this camera cover is an aircraft-grade aluminum for better durability when laid out flat on tables or put in rugged pockets.

And as already shown earlier, the back of the Moshi Napa Slim is crafted with a vegan premium leather for that added grip and better texture when held. Speaking of better texture, the inside of the case has a microfiber inner lining to avoid unwanted scratches when putting the phone in.

The Moshi Napa Slim case is lightweight at just 94 grams (or 0.2 pounds). Durability-wise, it features a hybrid shock-absorbing frame that resists shocks when dropped all throughout.

The power button and volume rockers are also made out of aluminum-grade aluminum for that tactile response.

Setting up a pretty lockscreen wallpaper and an #OOTD that adds complement to the case and completes that fab and fancy look.

The Moshi Napa Slim is also available in three more colors including Serene Gray, Midnight Black, and Juniper Green. The regular iPhone 14 and 14 Pro cases retail at US$ 45.95 while the bigger cases meant for the iPhone 14 Plus and Pro Max siblings sells for US$ 49.95.

Moshi Overture with Detachable Wallet in Serene Gray

On the outside, the Moshi Overture isn’t any different from its Napa Slim case sibling.

It features that strong anodized aluminum camera cover that is also raised — also for unwanted camera scratches.

The same can be said with its power and volume buttons — irresistibly tactile to the touch.

Et voilà! With MagSafe built-in onto the case itself, the wallet stand attachment perfectly snaps into place.

Like previously mentioned, this case also has a built-in wallet with up to three (3) slots for your debit, credit, and even transit cards.

And as already teased earlier, the Moshi Overture features this golden circular element when you completely cover your iPhone that blends well to its premium vegan leather skin as well as its microfiber lining and the same shock-absorbing frame.

And just like that, it looks classy and fabulous too — even if you’re a heterosexual male without an ounce of fragile masculinity 🤩

Moshi’s Overture case with Detachable Wallet is also available in a Midnight Black colorway. It retails for US$ 65.95 for the smaller-sized iPhone 14 and 14 Pro while a dollar more (US$ 66.95) for the larger iPhone 14 Plus and Pro Max variants.

SEE ALSO: There’s a Moshi bag for your every need 

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Automotive

Home away from home: Next-Gen Ford Everest makes long trips cozier

I don’t know how it gets better than this~

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Next-Gen Ford Everest Titanium+

There’s an inexplicable poignance when you’re driving late at night, alone inside an elephantine 7-seater SUV while humming to the 10-minute version of “All Too Well”.

I took a long way home after dropping off my friends, sighing at every stoplight at 32nd Street. I was crestfallen that I was alone inside a big car, yearning for companionship and laughter. When I used to drive small cars, I didn’t have this longing but I guess it was the price to pay for being engulfed with joy after driving the Next-Gen Ford Everest Titanium+

After all, this automobile gave me an opportunity to bridge people together. I finally had ample space for my buddies and our luggage. Everything and everyone was able to fit in comfortably — stories, laughter, happy moments, and emotional baggage included.

It gave me a weekend full of core memories to cherish and remember.

Home is where the heart is, but that’s not where mine lives

When my mates Aureil and Miguel arrived at 30th East A parking at The Fort, they were amused at how comfortable I was. I transferred between seats with bare feet; scarves and blankets thrown everywhere; bags scattered across the trunk.

What can I say? The Everest has a cozy vibe, it’s impossible not to feel comfortable as if it’s your own home.

That afternoon, there was a downpour and we were watching the raindrops splatter on the panoramic moonroof. We were sitting in the backseat, waiting for the rain to stop, killing time while we listen to folklore.

We comfortably sat in the second row which accommodates three individuals, thanks to the spacious leg- and headroom. Even if I was sitting in the middle, there was enough room despite the high-center tunnel. This wasn’t anything like the Ford Everest two years ago.

The soft-touch materials and leather-padded seats kept us warm like a brittle fire, even with the air conditioner turned on at 16 degrees Celsius.

That’s one of the first things I liked about the Next-Gen Everest Titanium+, everyone felt cozy in the homey atmosphere. We felt safe being in each other’s presence.

Even if we were traveling from East to South and up North, the long trip gave us a safe space to be comfortable in and with ourselves. Don’t you just like yourself more when you feel at home (with the right people)?

L-R: MJ, Miguel, Aureil, Jomi.

Drive out of the city, away from the crowds

I’ve always had a love-hate relationship with driving, what with the never-ending bumper-to-bumper traffic across Metro Manila — be it on inner roads, national highways, and even expressways.

When there’s an opportunity, I switch with a trusted confidante of mine like Jomi who also got a chance to drive the Next-Gen Ford Ranger early in February, so I can sit in the front passenger seat, shake my iced coffee, and look at the side mirror while taking selfies and ~helping~ with the navigation… sometimes. Long live the passenger princess and the walls we crashed through!

But there are also moments when I want to drive and make an effort for people close to my heart. Primarily when I have a refined, tech-savvy vehicle that makes everything comfortable.

Everything inside the Next-Gen Everest parades sophistication. It has the right blend of modern interiors, accented by high technology accordingly.

Next-Gen Ford Everest Titanium+

The steering wheel is incorporated with quick access buttons so you won’t have to look away just to adjust your vehicle and audio controls.

There are also several storages upfront: Bottle holders, an upper glove box, and a center glove box. As a driver with lots of unnecessary “important” stuff, having plenty of storage options give me peace of mind that whatever I need can be stored easily should I need them.

Nine out of ten, I barely needed the stuff I put in glove boxes, but it’s still a nice touch for those who really need extra space.

Just the right amount of space

Speaking of space, there’s plenty for my short legs. With an 8-way power adjustment, the front seats are easy to calibrate to get our desired seating position. This has been extremely helpful for my friend, Jomi, and I who fall below 5’4” in height and struggle with reaching the pedals.

Next-Gen Ford Everest Titanium+

The electronic gear shifter is easily accessible, too, even if we have short hands, which was also designed ergonomically for better grip. It felt like a bulky gaming mouse, reminiscent of the ones I use when playing with the ROG Strix G16.

The fully digital instrument cluster shows everything I need to know, in signs that are easy to understand and comprehend. Simply put, the Next-Gen Everest Titanium+ made me want to be the driver more than the passenger princess.

Next-Gen Ford Everest Titanium+

I’m now at a point where I’m willing to drive and bear the traffic, even if I have to travel roads as far as 70 kilometers down South and be on the road for four hours or more. (Only if I have this car.)

Wonderstruck, blushing all the way home

When we picked up my friend Kalvin in Parañaque, he was astounded by the vehicle’s convenient and innovative features.

He was mesmerized, gasping at the sight of the hands-free Power Liftgate and the power-folding function for the third-row seats, which I pressed so we can have an adequate cargo space for all our luggage and essentials.

Miguel arranged the placement of our luggage upon opening the hands-free Power Liftgate.

When we let him ride the shotgun, he was astonished by how much technology you can tinker with inside the vehicle.

It all started with the massive, 12-inch portrait touchscreen infotainment system. He was ecstatic using the voice-activated controls using Wireless Apple Carplay with our iPhones, and the Android Auto Compatibility for his Samsung Galaxy S21+.

Jomi’s iPhone 13 wirelessly charging at the pad.

Then, he saw how we used wireless charging for our iPhones, and how Miguel didn’t have any power bank and used the 230V inverter in the rear center console instead.

Of course, there are 12V sockets found in the front center console, third row, and in the cargo area — which we only got to use when we had to pick up more passengers during a heavy downpour around SM Clark and my power bank couldn’t accommodate everyone’s smartphones.

We were singing in the car, getting lost upstate

We opened the panoramic moonroof to let the light and wind in.

During our drives along C5, SLEX, Skyway, NLEX, SCTEX, and other major highways, we were blasting music using the Next-Gen Everest’s 8 speakers.

When the weather conspired in our favor, we opened the moonroof to let the light and fresh air in and sang our hearts out with Katy Perry’s “Teenage Dream”. Let’s run away and don’t ever look back~

Next-Gen Ford Everest Titanium+

Using Apple CarPlay, we were able to navigate the Clark Freeport Zone using Google Maps while playing on Spotify simultaneously. We felt young with no regrets, just love. (Almost 30 is still young, right?)

Remember when you hit the brakes too soon?

Perhaps, the thing that got me really excited about the Next-Gen Ford Everest is how I felt the security features and driver-assist technology. Even more-so compared to my previous rides with other Ford vehicles.

I came to the conclusion that it was the enormous veneer of the Everest Titanium+. That, coupled with my lack of expertise in maneuvering 7-seater SUVs that triggered the features made me appreciate them.

With a recent mishap using my own car during a heavy downpour and I ended up rolling down a 70-degree slope, the Next-Gen Everest’s Hill Launch Assist, Roll Over Mitigation, and Hill Descent Control gave me reassurance that the accident won’t happen again while I was behind the steering wheel.

Next-Gen Ford Everest Titanium+

The front and rear parking sensors were also working hand-in-hand to alert me when vehicles, pedestrians, and other inanimate objects are too near or getting in the way while I was on the road.

While driving in bumper-to-bumper traffic in the incorrigible Ortigas Avenue Extension where motorcyclists and street vendors pop in a flash, prompting other vehicles for a sudden brake, the Pre-Collision Assist activates when I didn’t get to step on the brakes as quickly as I could.

The vehicle would vibrate, emitting an alarm loud enough to shake you off the driver’s seat. I got saved by the Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB), which works when you aren’t able to respond to a potential collision.

Remember when I pulled up and said “Get in the car”~

The evasive steer assist and lane-related features helped me navigate the hellish C5 traffic at night. But I found the parking assist even more commendable.

Parking small cars is a piece of cake for me — be it parallel, diagonal, or perpendicular. The Next-Gen Everest, however, is a different case. It’s enormous, and I found it difficult to squeeze in between other colossal automobiles.

Next-Gen Ford Everest Titanium+

What astounded my friends was the activation of the Active Park Assist 2.0. The vehicle used its 360-degree camera and parks on its own with the Park Aid assist.

But of course, we have the utmost confidence in our abilities to park the Next-Gen Everest properly. We simply used the infotainment system to give an overview of whether we were alighting in perfect symmetry.

The Terrain Management System also came into play when we were driving and parking across the lahar-filled concrete and gravel parking in Alviera and around Clark Freeport Zone.

It just has everything you can ask for, and maybe more.

I just wanna stay in that lavender haze

Photo-op before we hop on a ride to participate in our Spartan BEAST (21KM+30 Obstacles) race in Alviera.

Riding the comforts of the Next-Gen Everest felt like finally finding someone whom you’ll want to clean up bottles with on New Year’s Day. It’s delicate and gorgeous at the same time — both the relationship and the experience of a shiny, new vehicle.

It lasted long enough with only less than half of the tank with over 500km ride in four days. Refueling the tank fully only happened on the fifth day as I drove back to the East.

Next-Gen Ford Everest Titanium+

Long trips used to be grueling, no matter how big a car is. But when it’s designed to look and feel like home, 500 kilometers on the road from East to South and to the North and back is just a breeze through time.

Not to mention, the exterior of the Next-Gen Ford Everest Titanium+ comes with a tough, aggressive facade. It doesn’t give a cozy vibe, but we have to look beyond its appearance. Sometimes, we end up liking a person when we spend some time to know them more.

I guess that’s the lesson the Next-Gen Ford Everest Titanium+ wants to impart: Look beyond what you see, and get the best experience you can ever feel. 7-seater SUVs aren’t that intimidating to me anymore.


Price and availability

Next-Gen Ford Everest Titanium+

The Next-Gen Ford Everest comes in many finishes and colors. These are: Absolute Black, Aluminum Metallic, Arctic White, Equinox Bronze, Meteor Gray, Sedona Orange, Snowflake White Pearl, and Blue Lightning. It starts at PhP 1,799,000 for the Everest 2.0L Turbo Trend 4×2 AT. It goes up to PhP 2,495,000 for the Everest 2.0L Bi-Turbo Titanium+ 4×4 AT variant.

For more information, visit the Ford Everest page. To reserve the Next-Gen Ford Everest through www.ford.com.ph or check your nearest Ford dealer.

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Hands-On

moto razr+ Hands-on: Flip Phone Done Right!

Or moto razr 40 ultra globally

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moto razr

Meet the newest moto razr+ — or moto razr 40 ultra globally. It has all the flagship-grade hardware in a thin and compact form.

But its biggest upgrade has got to be its new full-on cover screen — and it might just be the best one yet!

Can’t wait to see how the new razr looks and feels?

Here’s our hands-on with the new moto razr+.

If you haven’t kept track of the record, motorola released two razr flip phones globally. Those are the motorola razr back in 2019, and the motorola razr 5G in 2020.

motorola (or Lenovo) then skipped the year 2021 and brought us the motorola razr 2022 — only to be sold exclusively to China.

Fast track to 2023, motorola is coming back with a whole new flip phone for the international markets! Say hello to the 2023 motorola razr family

 

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