News

POCO F2 Pro is now official with Snapdragon 865

Guess the price?

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The true successor to the first Pocophone is now official — the POCO F2 Pro.

POCO made big news back in 2018 but was absent for the whole of 2019. The now-independent company launched a midrange offering called the POCO X2 in the first quarter of this year and now is back with another device. This time, it’s the POCO F2 Pro, a “pro” variant of the legendary POCO F1.

The company is backed by Xiaomi but now operated independently. However, we can’t ignore the fact that the POCO F2 Pro looks eerily similar to the Redmi K30 Pro. In line with POCO’s reputation, the phone is designed to be a performance beast

On the front is a 6.7-inch Full HD+ display with HDR10+ support, a maximum brightness of 1200 nits, and Gorilla Glass 5 protection. Powering the phone is a flagship Snapdragon 865 processor with 5G support. For extended cooling, a larger vapor-chamber is included with an improved vibration motor and Game Turbo 3.0 mode.

It has a quad-camera setup on the rear that consists of a 64-megapixel primary sensor, 5-megapixel macro lens, a 13-megapixel wide-angle lens, and a 2-megapixel depth sensor. The phone is capable of shooting 8K videos and has a 20-megapixel pop-up front camera for selfies.

Backing these internals is a 4700mAh battery with 30W fast charging. For authentication, an in-display fingerprint sensor has been provided along with face unlock support. Lastly, it ships with POCO Launcher out-of-the-box.

Pricing and availability

The POCO F2 Pro will be available in Neon Blue, Phantom Blue, Electric Purple, and Cyber Gray color options. The base option with 6GB+128GB configuration costs €499 (US$ 540) while the 8GB+256GB variant costs €599 (US$ 650). It’ll be on sale via JD.com, GearBest, AliExpress, Amazon, and POCO.net.

Automotive

Mercedes-Benz celebrates 140th anniversary at the Presidential Car Museum

A generation’s worth of presidential Benz models under one roof

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Last month, Mercedes-Benz Philippines kicked off its 140th -anniversary “Welcome Home” campaign. Designed to celebrate the iconic Chedeng and introduce a new generation to the brand, the campaign attracts old and new customers alike. Now, the brand’s 140th year is also hitting history buffs with a special showcase at the Presidential Car Museum in Quezon City.

Since President Cory Aquino’s term, the official presidential car has been a Benz, offering comfort and protection for the current head of state. It is here where Mercedes-Benz wants to celebrate the legacy of the brand, especially in the annals of Philippine history.

Amid the cars of Presidents Aquino, Ramos, Estrada, and Macapagal-Arroyo, Mercedes-Benz is displaying a replica of the Benz Patent-Motorwagen Replica, which is the world’s first automobile introduced by Karl Benz in 1886. The replica will be on display until December 2026.

Outside the Presidential Car Museum, Mercedes-Benz is running discounts through the end of July. There are also special aftersales services for those who already own a Benz. Finally, the brand will continue to run activations throughout the anniversary, so expect to hear a lot more about the Chedeng throughout the year.

SEE ALSO: Mercedes-Benz holds a Welcome Home campaign to celebrate 140 years

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News

Samsung releases teaser with Spider-Man: Brand New Day Easter eggs

Spot also teases upcoming Galaxy foldable devices

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Samsung has just premiered a new spot that showcases clips directly from Spider-Man: Brand New Dayjust a few weeks before the movie hits cinemas later this month.

The clip showcases Spider-Man as he fights crime and puts his phone through the wear and tear of superhero life.

In the spot, the Fabricator creates a number of devices for Spider-Man built to stand up to the pace and unpredictability of life behind the mask. This includes what clearly looks like a Galaxy Z Flip phone.

This provides a behind the scenes look into how Peter Parker ultimately landed on a Samsung phone — as fans speculated from the first trailer.

Meanwhile, Ned can also be seen using the Spidey Tracker to try and catch Spider-Man throughout the city on his Samsung phone.

The campaign pretty much formalizes Jacob Batalon — who plays Ned Leeds — as Samsung’s Team Galaxy’s newest ambassador.

The clip ends with the text “A brand new shape for a Brand New Day”, which is also a callback to what the brand has been teasing regarding the future of its Galaxy foldable devices.

Samsung to release latest devices at Galaxy Unpacked

Next week, Samsung is set to launch its latest devices at Galaxy Unpacked 2026.

Ahead of the launch, customers who wish to reserve as early as now can get a US$ 30 credit during pre-order, for a total of up to US$ 1,230 in savings.

Customers can also enter a sweepstakes for a chance to win one of 10 US$ 500 Samsung.com gift cards towards their purchase.

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Apps

iOS 27 public beta gives us our first taste of Siri AI

You can access the beta for free.

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Normally, public betas come and go with nary a peep from anyone but dedicated fans and testers. After all, why care about a beta when the final release is likely just around the corner? This one, however, is special. Today, Apple launched the iOS 27 public beta, and it’s our first taste of the redesigned Siri AI.

Recently, WWDC 2026 unveiled Apple’s latest attempts at entering the AI segment. Whereas previous iterations to incorporate AI failed to make an impact, Siri AI promises to provide users with helpful feedback that’s actually helpful.

Now, in the public beta for iOS 27, users all over can finally access the new assistant. To get to the beta, you need to be a part of the beta program, which you can easily sign up for on beta.apple.com. Once signed up, you can get the update from Software Update in Settings. You’ll see options for a developer beta and a public beta. Choose iOS 27 Public Beta.

At face value, Siri AI offers much of what you’d get from a traditional AI-powered assistant. However, it does slightly differ because it integrates the entire phone. The assistant contextualizes your information (including emails, messages, and photos) to give you the most accurate feedback that you might need.

If that’s not enough, Siri AI also has its own chatbot app. If you’re more used to ChatGPT, the assistant should give you that bit of familiarity.

Now, if you don’t want to go for a beta, Apple is expected to launch iOS 27 in its final form sometime in September.

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