News

Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 puts more focus on wellness

A timely approach

Published

August 5, 2020

Rodneil Quiteles

Health is probably top of mind for most people right now and the key additions to the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 takes that into consideration.

No longer just an extension of your phone, smartwatches have evolved into your health and fitness companion. The same is true for the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3.

Need to stay fit but not sure what kind of workout to do? The Samsung Health app has 120 video workouts to choose from — your progress from which can be tracked using the Galaxy Watch 3.

Other than fitness tracking, you also have access to running coaching tools as well as a way to maximize your recovery with the sleep scoring function.

Took a hard fall? One of the newest and perhaps most helpful additions to the Galaxy Watch 3 is the Trip Detection feature. In case you trip and hit the ground, it’ll send a custom SOS message to emergency contacts. The technology, however, still can’t detect if you’re falling for someone romantically. You’re kind of on your own there.

It also has VO2 max and SPo2 readings which some health experts have noted to have been helpful in identifying Coronavirus symptoms. In South Korea, the watch will also have ECG and blood pressure monitoring. The feature should arrive in other countries as well.

As a standalone timepiece, the Galaxy Watch 3 will still stand out no matter what scenario you wear it in thanks to its design. It is built with premium materials and has a slimmed down version of its rotating bezel.

Other than that, it can do the usual things like send messages, emoticons, and complete contactless transactions using Samsung Pay.

Pricing and availability

In the US, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 Bluetooth and LTE versions will be available starting August 6, 2020,

The Bluetooth variant are priced as follows:

41mm — US$ 399.99
45mm — US$ 429.99

The LTE variants are priced as follows:

41mm — US$ 449.99
45mm — US$ 479.99

The 41mm variant will be available in Mystic Bronze and Mystic Silver, while the 45mm variant will be available in Mystic Silver and Mystic Black.

In the Philippines, The Galaxy Watch3 is available starting August 21 in 41mm and 45mm Bluetooth variants for a retail price of PhP 18,990 and PhP 20,990, respectively. The 41mm variant comes in Mystic Bronze and Mystic Silver, while the 45mm variant comes in Mystic Silver and Mystic Black.

Apps

Twitter is working on a way to hide the blue checkmark

May or may not launch

Published

March 25, 2023

Luigi Leonardo

A year ago, Twitter’s blue checkmark was a coveted piece of online identity making. Now, the once-prestigious marker has grown into somewhat of a meme. The blue checkmark doesn’t mean the same as it did a year ago. Now, Twitter is reportedly developing a way to hide the checkmark from your profile.

Last year, Twitter announced a much easier way to get a blue checkmark for themselves. Soon after Elon Musk purchased the platform, Twitter Blue offered the badge with the monthly subscription price. Users who earned the old checkmark without paying for the subscription had their badges converted into yellow legacy checkmarks.

With the change, the value of a blue checkmark changed drastically. It become associated with a joke mocking users who paid for Twitter, an otherwise free-to-use platform.

#Twitter keeps working on the ability to control everything related to account verification and identity by adding the option to show or hide your blue checkmark on your profile 👀 pic.twitter.com/6uTjBON21N

— Alessandro Paluzzi (@alex193a) March 21, 2023

Now, as spotted by notable app engineer Alessandro Paluzzi, Twitter is developing a way to hide the blue checkmark altogether. Currently, the development is still just a leak. It remains possible that the app will not launch the feature after all.

That said, after several months reinventing verification, the platform is still struggling for the perfect way to blend the old with the new. Right around the same time the leak popped up, they also officially announced that it will retire legacy checkmarks starting April 1.

Apps

PayPal slowly rolls out passkey support for Android

Coming to the app soon

Published

March 25, 2023

Luigi Leonardo

Big Tech has been pushing for an end to the password. However, the password-less future is taking a while to get off the ground. Only a few platforms can support passkeys. A big name is lending its hand to the technology, though. PayPal has announced that it is working on implementing passkeys for Android users.

Starting today, the digital payment platform is slowly rolling out support for the new security measure. With a passkey, users will no longer need a password or two-factor authentication. Instead, PayPal will install a passkey onto your device. That passkey will be exclusive to your devices. If PayPal recognizes the device you’re trying to log in from, then the platform will allow you in.

It’s not a grand rollout yet, though. PayPal will introduce the feature for mobile browsers first, rather than the app outright. Android users will need Chrome to access the feature. App integration will come in the future. In the meantime, Android users will start getting the feature from now throughout the year.

Passkeys are moving slowly across the tech space. Some time ago, Apple, Google, and Microsoft mutually pledged to help usher in the future of passkeys as a more secure alternative to passwords. Today, only a few platforms can support the technology. In a time when cybersecurity is quickly becoming a priority for everyone, the arrival of passkeys can’t come sooner.

Gaming

LEGO 2K Drive to arrive on May 19

Build, explore, race

Published

March 24, 2023

GadgetMatch

2K and the LEGO Group has announced May 19 as the official worldwide release date of LEGO 2K Drive for multiple consoles.

The driving adventure game is developed by Visual Concept. It is the first title to be released as part of a multi-title partnership between 2K and the LEGO Group. They seek to evolve the LEGO experience in exciting new ways.

The game will feature a combination of open-world driving and competitive racing. Players can explore the vast world of Bricklandia, build any vehicle LEGO-style, drive anywhere, and become a racing legend.

The Sky Cup Trophy is the game’s coveted prize. Players will have to compete against a series of rivals across a broad range of tracks while taking advantage of unique power-ups that can guide them throughout a race.

LEGO 2K Drive also offers unique customization, with over 1,000 LEGO pieces available when building a vehicle. Color designs, stickers, flairs, and more are likewise customizable.

Players may also collaborate with others in a two-person split-screen mode or multiplayer mode.

There will be three editions for the upcoming game:

Standard Edition – US$ 59.99 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, and Nintendo Switch; US$ 69.99 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S (both physical and digital)

Awesome Edition – US$ 99.99; includes new vehicle, flair, in-game LEGO minifigure, Year 1 Drive Pass (covers four individual post-launch seasons of Drive pass content)