News

realme 6i and realme Band: pricing, availability in the Philippines

Compelling features at great prices

Published

May 13, 2020

Kenrick Buduan

realme Philippines is launching the successor to the popular realme 5 series in the country. The Realme 6 series will build on the features that made its predecessor popular among many. The first device in the series — realme 6i — is coming soon to the Philippines with pre-orders starting soon.

realme 6i is the successor of the highly-popular Realme 5 smartphone. This time around, the company brought some improvements to the specs that matter to most consumers.

For example, the camera has some massive improvements in tow this year. It still has a quad-camera setup from its predecessor. What’s new is the setup: it now has a 48MP wide-angle + 8MP ultra-wide-angle + 8MP macro + 2MP depth sensor on the back. This should allow for better images with more details and higher resolutions.

The front camera’s got some boost too. realme 6i now has a 16MP up front, which is a 3MP bump from last year.

This time around, Mediatek’s Helio G80 powers the device, providing a 35% performance boost from realme 5’s Snapdragon 665. It comes with either 3GB or 4GB of RAM for a fluid experience. Storage still comes at an option of 64GB or 128GB, which is expandable with a MicroSD card. The device comes with realme UI based on Android 10, so users can expect goodies such as system-wide Dark Mode here.

While the battery from the realme 6i remains unchanged at 5,000 mAh, the company is throwing an 18Wh charger so users can fully charge the device in under an hour. realme is finally putting a USB-C port on this device, which is becoming much more common nowadays.

The display of this device remains at 1600 x 720 resolution. The company could have switched to an OLED panel this year, but they have to cut some corners in order for this device to remain competitive in its target segment. Still, the display should be enough for most users.

These features are all packed in a smartphone with an improved finish and design. The design of Realme 6i is helmed by Naoto Fukusawa, who is also behind the realme X Series Master Edition.

realme Band is coming too

realme is also bringing its first smart band — realme Band — in the country. It packs a decent 0.96 LCD display and 24/7 heart-rate monitoring. There are 9 exercises which the band can track. Sleep times and quality can also be tracked with the band.

realme Band offers customization options with personalized watch faces and smart notifications. Users can link their band with their smartphones through the realme Link app. The charging of the band is done directly on the device.

Pricing and availability

realme 6i comes in two configurations. The 3 + 64 GB starts at PhP 7,990, while the 4 +128 GB starts at PhP 9,990. Both configurations are available in either White Milk or Green Tea color.

Meanwhile, realme Band is available in three colors: yellow, green, and black. It retails at PhP 1,990 with a special introductory price of PhP 990.

Those who wanted to purchase these devices may do so on Lazada. realme is holding a flash sale for both devices on May 23 and May 26, so keep an eye out for realme’s Lazada page.

Related Topics:Realme Realme 6i Realme Band Realme Philippines

News

FIFA World Cup: Lenovo’s Referee View received positively by fans

Unique first-person perspective brings action closer to viewers

Published

July 13, 2026

GadgetMatch

Lenovo has revealed that technological advancements at the FIFA World Cup 2026 has made viewers “feel closer” to the action than ever before.

Surveying fans across Australia, Canada, India, the United Kingdom, and the United States, Lenovo bared that 87% say technology is improving the viewing experience.

Close-to-action camera perspectives have also help 84% of surveyed viewers, making them feel they’re right on the pitch.

Of course, Lenovo AI has introduced Referee View throughout the World Cup. This AI-powered technology gives viewers a first-person POV of the match from a referee’s perspective.

Lenovo Referee View has been featured on an average of three times per match across the tournament in over 220 countries and territories worldwide, according to preliminary FIFA data.

Through a lightweight camera mounted on the match official, the technology gives a first-person POV of the match.

And while raw footage is fast-moving and sometimes unstable, Lenovo’s AI-powered video analytics platform automatically transforms the clips into smooth, broadcast-quality video in real-time.

Other findings from Lenovo’s research include:

76% of viewers have seen or heard about Referee View
91% say the close-to-action Referee View POV is appealing
88% say smooth and stable footage is an important part of viewing sports footage
98% say clear picture quality has been important when watching the FIFA World Cup 2026
91% are interested in seeing more technology that creates immersive or close-to-action sports experiences

Apps

Netflix suddenly resurrects 30-day free trials

It’s available only in some countries.

Published

July 13, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Over the weekend, a report emerged about Disney+ allegedly considering a new tier offered to users for absolutely free. Apparently, Disney isn’t the only one. Netflix is now resurrecting its free trial program in select countries.

Back in the day, it was easy to get into Netflix. With a 30-day free trial, you can watch the shows you’ve always wanted to catch. If you liked what you saw, you can pay the monthly fee to access the entire library without constraints. Eventually, the platform got rid of this system to favor a cheaper ad-supported tier.

Perhaps not seeing the benefits of ad-supported tiers, Netflix has suddenly resurrected its free trial program. Spotted online (via Android Authority), some countries, including Brazil and India, are experimenting with the program again. New users can get 30 days of free Netflix access.

Because only regular users are spotting this (rather than an official announcement), we don’t have a list of where the free trials are available.

Still, it’s an interesting move. Cable isn’t a thing anymore so “cutting the cable” isn’t a popular phrase anymore, but people are definitely cancelling subscriptions over rising prices. Some even rely on short clips from YouTube to catch up with their shows. Having a free trial opens up more possibilities for users, but it remains to be seen whether it’s enough for users to return to Netflix.

Apps

Disney+ might get a free tier

What would you like to see in a free Disney+ tier?

Published

July 13, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

In a world disappointingly obsessed with increasing prices beyond our means, Disney+ has miraculously remembered the phrase, “free sample.” According to a report, the streaming platform is considering making a free subscription tier.

As of late, it’s been difficult to maintain a healthy collection of streaming services. When you have to pay the equivalent of a full-course meal every month for just a single platform, you start to evaluate which ones really matter.

Perhaps feeling the sting of users leaving the platform over pricing, Disney+ is reportedly experimenting with a tier that comes at no cost to users (via Business Insider). According to two sources, adding such a tier might help the platform reach customers more.

Now, it’s still a mystery how this tier might work. Disney+ already offers an ad-supported tier, so it’s unlikely to be another one like that.

One possibility is a heavily curated feed of content either designed specifically for free users or limited exactly to give users a free sample. For the latter, think of the limited content you get on a plane. Sure, you might get the first three episodes of The Mandalorian, but you’ll have to fork over cash if you want to see the rest of the story.

And for the former, you can imagine short-form content available for free. Going back to Star Wars, you might see a short anthology series like Star Wars: Visions.

Either way, it’s an interesting concept. If the tier does offer full content, it’s a great way to get into franchises you were thinking of trying without the need to spend for a taste.