Features
Samsung Galaxy S9 Preview
Everything we know about Samsung’s 2018 flagship
With official invites in hand, our focus now shifts to the first, big, flagship of 2018, the Samsung Galaxy S9. Early this year, GadgetMatch spoke with multiple sources familiar with the phone, and based on these accounts, here’s everything we know about the Samsung Galaxy S9.
LAUNCH: Launch date is February 25th in Barcelona, a day before the start of Mobile World Congress 2018. US availability is slated for early March.
DESIGN: Give or take a few millimeters, the Galaxy S9 will look just like the S8. Design-wise, this year’s update will be mainly iterative, improving on the S8’s quirks. Most importantly, Samsung fixes the awful positioning of the fingerprint sensor; on the S9, it will be underneath the camera and not beside it. The new placement makes it easier to reach and avoids accidental smudges. Its front panel will have the same curved Infinity Display that tapers off on both sides.
TWO MODELS: Just like on the S8, Samsung’s new flagship will be available in two sizes — 5.8 and 6.2 inches — dubbed the S9 and S9 Plus, respectively. The larger model will have more RAM and a bigger battery. Also, only the S9 Plus will rock a dual camera setup, so you’ll have to go big if you want two cameras just like on Apple’s iPhone 8 Plus.
SPECS: The S9 will run on either Samsung’s Exynos 9810 chip or Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 845. The S9 will come with 4GB of RAM while the S9 Plus will come with 6GB. We know that at least the S9 will come with a 64GB base storage. Battery capacities will be 3000mAh and 3500mAh, respectively. Both processor variants are also expected to deliver power efficiency for longer battery life.
CAMERA: If it isn’t obvious from Samsung’s S9 launch teaser, camera improvements are going to be the new phone’s headline feature. The S9 will sport a faster 12-megapixel f/1.5 lens with optical image stabilization, but will come with a feature called Dual Aperture which will adjust the aperture of a photo to f/2.8 when plenty of light is available, giving your daytime photos more details. The S9 will also now be able to shoot super slow-mo videos at an impressive 960 frames per second, something first seen on the Sony Xperia XZ Premium.
SAM-EMOJI: A combination of software and hardware will enable AR style / Animoji-like features. Sources tell GadgetMatch that Samsung’s take also involves face tracking, but will be multi-platform, meaning it will work across a variety of chat apps, and will come with branded partnerships that will provide a steady stream of characters (versus Apple’s pre-defined set of 12, 16 if you consider the four new ones coming in iOS 11.3).
PREMIUM PRICING: Like the Galaxy Note 8 that came before, the S9 and S9 Plus will be priced higher than last year’s models. Expect pricing to hover around US$ 900 for the S9, and about US$ 1,100 for the S9 Plus.
Shoutout to Concept Creator for these renders. Follow this awesomely talented dude on YouTube.
Apple Pay is officially in the Philippines!
Pushing the country forward into a cashless and cardless future, Apple has now brought its contactless payment system to the Philippines. As with other countries, Apply Pay will work seamlessly and easily even for those who have problems with technology.
Now, despite how easy it is, sometimes we need to be pointed in the right direction. Here’s how you can set up Apple Pay on your iPhone:
Everything starts with the Wallet app. First, open your Wallet app. Tap the “+” button on the top and select “Debit or Credit Card.”
Normally, this is where you can input your card details (which you can still do, by the way), but the default method now is to just tap your card on the back of your iPhone. Your phone does the rest. You might need to confirm with your bank, but it’s as easy as a single tap.
Pick which cards to use. Once you have your cards online, you might need to change which one is the default card. Again, it’s easy. Just drag your preferred card to the front.
Afterwards, you can tap to pay in supported stores by priming the Wallet app for use. Tapping to pay is also available for Apple Watch. Meanwhile, online transactions can also work on MacBook.
Secure, all the time. If you’re worried about your security especially with online transactions, Apple keeps your information only between you and the seller. They don’t store your data.
Also, it’s not easy to make a transaction without your consent. You need Face ID, Touch ID, or your password. If you lose your phone, you can easily shut your phone down with the Find My app to prevent malicious parties from making transactions.
DJI’s smartphone gimbals have always chased one goal: delivering cinema-smooth footage without forcing you to carry a heavy rig.
The Osmo Mobile 8P (OM 8P) makes its priorities clear right out of the box. This is not a simple refresh. DJI rebuilt how you control the gimbal, and that decision shapes the entire shooting experience.
Freedom behind the lens
The biggest change is the FrameTap remote, and it’s the kind of upgrade that fixes a problem you didn’t realize was slowing you down until it’s gone.
On the standard OM 8, adjusting your framing meant reaching for your phone every time, which broke the flow of shooting and pulled you out of the moment.
FrameTap puts that control back in your hand. You can reframe shots and manage the gimbal without touching your phone at all, and for anyone shooting solo, that alone changes how usable the whole setup feels. Tracking has taken a real step forward too.
ActiveTrack 8.0, paired with Module 2, held onto its subject even after they stepped out of frame for a moment, then picked them back up without much fuss.
It also lets you sit off-center in the shot instead of forcing you into the middle every time, which gives you more room to compose something that doesn’t look like every other gimbal video.
None of that would matter much if the gimbal itself wasn’t solid, and it still is. The OM 8P holds onto the same foldable design, magnetic phone clamp, and built-in tripod that made the OM 8 easy to live with.
And it remains one of the better compact options for stabilization, tracking, and portability in one package.
The tripod legs are a touch wider this time, and that extra width does make a noticeable difference on uneven ground.
The trade-offs in touch
The trade-off for all that new remote functionality is a control scheme that takes more getting used to. More of the gimbal’s functions now live on the FrameTap touchscreen, the joystick is smaller, and switching between shooting modes takes a few extra taps compared to the OM 8. It’s not a dealbreaker, but it’s a learning curve you’ll need to budget time for.
DJI also removed the zoom and focus wheel, so if you leaned on that dial for quick adjustments, you’ll feel its absence here. Module 2 no longer lets you plug a DJI wireless mic in directly either.
You’ll need to connect it to your phone instead, which adds a step to a setup that used to be simpler. Phone compatibility is still a limiting factor as well. DJI lists support for phones up to around 300g and 11mm thick, so bigger phones or ones in chunky cases may not clamp in properly.
Finding your ideal workflow
The OM 8P makes the most sense for solo creators who want dependable tracking and the freedom of remote framing without stepping up to a dedicated camera like the DJI Osmo Pocket.
If you’re already shooting on a phone with a solid camera, this fills the gap nicely. It’s a tougher sell if you prefer physical buttons over touchscreen menus, or if your phone runs on the larger and heavier side, since fitting it onto the clamp might be a problem before you even get to shooting.
Price, availability
DJI is offering the OM 8P in three combos, so how much you pay depends on how much of the ecosystem you actually need.
- Standard Combo (PhP 7,499): the gimbal itself, with 8th-gen stabilization and the detachable FrameTap remote included.
- Advanced Tracking Combo (PhP 9,199): adds the Multifunctional Module 2 for the improved subject tracking we tested.
- Creator Combo (PhP 11,099): the full kit, built for creators who want everything DJI bundles in from the start.
Is the DJI Osmo Mobile 8P your GadgetMatch?
The DJI Osmo Mobile 8P asks you to relearn a few habits in exchange for a gimbal that finally lets go of your phone. If hands-free framing and steadier tracking matter more to you than a dedicated zoom dial, this is worth the adjustment.
If you’d rather keep things exactly as they were on the OM 8, that learning curve might be the deciding factor.
Swipe right if you shoot alone often and have been waiting for a gimbal remote that actually works. The FrameTap remote alone justifies the upgrade if reaching for your phone mid-shot has been slowing you down.
Consider this if reliable tracking matters to you, especially if you’ve had a subject wander out of frame and stay lost on older gimbals.
And of course, get this if you already own a capable phone under the weight and thickness limits, and you’d rather invest in a smartphone rig than jump to a dedicated camera like the Osmo Pocket.
Swipe left if you lean on physical dials for zoom and focus, and moving those functions to a touchscreen sounds like a downgrade rather than an upgrade.
This is not for you if you use a DJI wireless mic and want it plugged directly into the module without routing through your phone first. Or, your phone runs heavier or bulkier than DJI’s limits allow, since no amount of enthusiasm fixes a clamp that won’t close.
Features
GadgetSnaps: Westminster Abbey
A thousand years of history, unfolded with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra
Westminster Abbey isn’t just another stop on the London tourist trail.
It’s the stage for coronations, royal weddings, and burials that span nearly a thousand years, all still playing out under the same vaulted ceilings that have been standing since before most countries had names.
Once you get past the crowds and the audio guides, a quieter version of the abbey starts to show itself: worn stone steps, poets resting a few feet from kings, light that shifts across the nave like it’s in on the performance too.
While losing track of time in Poets’ Corner (yes, me, playing amateur historian for an afternoon), I unfolded the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra and decided the abbey deserved more than a quick tourist snap.
All photos captured using the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra.
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