News
Realme C2: Price and availability in the Philippines
A new entry in the budget segment
Realme‘s newest budget-friendly phone is here. Shortly after releasing the Realme 3 Pro, we now have the Realme C2. As the successor to the Realme C1, the Realme C2 still has entry-level specifications, although it’s been upgraded to make it a decent budget phone for 2019.
The Realme C2 sports a 6.1-inch IPS LCD with a dewdrop notch that is significantly smaller than its predecessor’s. The resolution remains pretty low at HD+, but it’s definitely going to be easy on battery consumption. Speaking of, the Realme C2 has a large 4000mAh battery.
Despite having a big battery, the phone manages to own a slim profile. It even has a unique back panel which Realme calls “Diamond Cut Design.” It’s got a textured rear cover that’s certainly different from other phones.

Inside, the phone is powered by a MediaTek Helio P22 chip paired with up to 3GB of memory and up to 32GB of expandable storage. Those who are fond of using a microSD card will be glad to know that the Realme C2 has a dedicated slot for it.
Camera-wise, it has a pair of 13- and 2-megapixel cameras on its back, and a 5-megapixel selfie shooter inside its small notch. The phone already has Android Pie out of the box that’s skinned with ColorOS 6.
The Realme C2 will be available at Realme kiosks and official online channels starting June 8 in Diamond Black and Diamond Blue colors. It’ll come in two configurations: 2GB+16GB for PhP 5,490 and 3GB+32GB for PhP 6,490.
SEE ALSO: Realme 3 Pro: Price and availability in the Philippines
Gaming
PlayStation declares AI as “foundational piece” in future
The brand, however, sees it more as a tool than a cost-cutting measure.
Being the gaming company that they are, Sony has embarked on a speedrun of its own: to deliver as much eyebrow-raising decisions as it can in a short span of time. Last week, PlayStation announced that the company will stop producing physical copies of its games in 2028. Now, the brand has confirmed that it will rely on AI for future game development.
In an interview with CEO Hideaki Nishino, via TweakTown, PlayStation has stated that AI will be a “foundational piece” in the company’s future game development. It is, however, some consolation that Nishino is adamant that it’s only a tool, rather than a cost-cutting measure.
Nishino says that AI usage can cut out repetitive tasks which frees developers up for more critical tasks. Interestingly, he also confirms that it will be used for asset placeholders and synthetic voices.
AI in game development isn’t completely new. In fact, some developers already use the technology just as how PlayStation describes it. However, it’s relatively uncommon for companies to essentially push AI to the forefront of development. Also, to be fair to Nishino, AI isn’t as maligned in Japan as it is in the Western world.
That said, it’s still an interesting decision to make, especially coming after Sony’s decision to cut off physical copies in 2028. PlayStation’s upcoming AI usage will surely raise some eyebrows.
SEE ALSO: PlayStation clarifies discs will still exist (somewhat) after 2028
News
Not even Nokia phones are safe from AI features
Users have to pay for the AI after 180 days, too.
Did you mistakenly assume that the only way to escape the deluge of AI is to go for a more budget-friendly smartphone? With major brands infusing their phones with AI, it’s a reasonable assumption. However, a batch of new Nokia phones proves that even the budget market isn’t safe from artificial intelligence.
Recently, Nokia, thanks to HMD, is launching four new phones: Nokia 200 4G, 210 4G, 215 4G 2nd Edition, and 235 4G 2nd Edition. It’s easy to get bogged down on the detailed specs of all four phones, but it’s even easier to focus on the ginormous AI button present on all of them.
All four phones are powered by Sikey AI. Pressing that big button lets users ask basic queries, so it’s more a voice assistant in essence than anything. However, when it’s literally a giant button, it’s also a very hard sell.
Even worse, the AI is free for only 180 days. Users will need to subscriber afterwards and on a separate smartphone (because the Nokia doesn’t have apps) to continue using the features. Otherwise, the AI logo turns into something completely useless.
In other news, all four phones are pleasantly dumb. The Nokia 215 and the 235 have a 2.8-inch IPS display, while the 210 4G and the 215 4G have 2.4-inch QVGA displays. All four models have everything you need from a simple communication device.
Gaming
PlayStation clarifies discs will still exist (somewhat) after 2028
Only games released before 2028 can still re-order physical discs.
The top headline last week was Sony’s universally panned decision to end physical discs in 2028. Today, PlayStation is clarifying its stance by confirming that physical discs will still exist past 2028 but only for games released before that year.
Last week, PlayStation announced that, starting in 2028, newly released games will no longer receive a physical copy, placing the concept of ownership into jeopardy. Naturally, everyone hated the decision, from those mourning the nostalgia of owning discs to those concerned over digital ownership.
Now, via Game File, the company reportedly messaged developers to clarify that they can still re-order physical discs past 2028 for existing games. Taken plainly, this means that PlayStation won’t just let the current stock run out. However, at the same time, the continuation of discs will depend on developers ordering more copies in the future.
Sadly, this is only a small consolation for the wider decision to kill of the physical disc. Though gamers can save some of the nostalgia, the future of physical media is still bleak. Without a release on physical media, it becomes a question of whether or not gamers actually own the game they paid for, especially since publishers can easily pull a game for whatever reason.
SEE ALSO: Everyone’s angry at PlayStation’s new no-disc policy, and this is why
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