News

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5, Z Fold5 launch with expected changes

FlexWindow, Zero Gap, more

Published

July 26, 2023

Rodneil Quiteles

The Samsung Galaxy foldables are now in their fifth generation. Sticking to what’s worked so far, the Galaxy Z Flip5 and Galaxy Z Fold5 improve on their predecessors in ways that most tech enthusiasts expected. And for the first time, the foldables were launched in a Galaxy Unpacked event held on Samsung’s home turf.

Samsung choosing to launch the Galaxy Z Flip5 and Galaxy Z Fold5 Seoul, South Korea on Wednesday, July 26, made this edition of the Galaxy Unpacked event feel grand. The headliners, however, aren’t that much different from what came before.

Galaxy Z Flip5

With the tagline “Welcome to the Flipside,” it would seem that Samsung has turned the spotlight on the Galaxy Z Flip line over its Fold counterpart. Over the years since it first came out, the Galaxy Z Flip has garnered more mainstream interest. It also helped that this particular foldable line has prominently featured in K-Dramas which has only boosted its appeal.

But what’s new on the Flip5? The biggest, most obvious addition is the Flex Window. That’s Samsung’s fancy name for the cover screen on the Flip5. It is now a 3.4-inch Super AMOLED display. A significant jump from the 1.9-inch display on the Flip4.

Naturally, you can do more with it. There are more widgets and you can get a quick view of all the active ones by pinching the screen. They’re also more functional now. For instance, you can quickly reply on a message directly on the Flex Window. With it, you can now also have a better view of the weather, control music playback, and even check on stock market updates.

The staple features that its form factor allows are still there. Flex Cam lets you prop up the Flip5 in a way that makes it easier for you to take photos and videos of yourself hands-free. The cover screen or Flex Window acts as your viewfinder so you’re able to frame yourself properly.

The Flex Hinge has also been improved making the device look flatter when folded. The rest of the phone, however, are nearly identical to the Galaxy Z Flip4.

Here are the Flip5’s specs:

Main screen — 6.7-inch FHD+, Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz Adaptive refresh rate (*Same as Flip4)
Cover screen — 3.4-inch Super AMOLED 60Hz Display
Rear dual camera: (*Same as Flip4)

12MP Ultra Wide Camera f/2.2, Pixel size: 1.12μm, FOV: 123˚
12MP Wide-angle Camera Dual Pixel AF, OIS, f/1.8, Pixel size: 1.8μm, FOV: 83˚

Front camera — 10MP Selfie Camera f/2.2, Pixel size: 1.22μm, FOV: 85˚ (*Same as Flip4)
Processor — Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy
RAM and Storage — 8GB+256GB, 8GB+512GB
Battery — 3,700mAh, Wired Charging: Up to 50% charge in around 30mins (*Same as Flip4)
Water resistance — IPX8
OS — Android 13, One UI 5.1.1
Network and connectivity — 5G, LTE, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth v5.3
SIM card — One Nano SIM and One eSIM.

Pricing:

USA — Starts at US$ 999.99
Philippines — Starts at PhP 64,990

Galaxy Z Fold5

Similar to the Galaxy Z Flip5, the improvements on the Galaxy Z Fold5 from its immediate predecessor aren’t major but, perhaps, were much needed. It also has an improved Flex Hinge reducing the book-style foldable’s size thinner when folded.

Like every year since its inception, there’s a big focus on the Galaxy Z Fold being a productivity tool. It’s now even more pronounced as they highlight a “slimmer and more compact” S Pen Fold Edition. This year’s Slim S Pen case is nearly the same thickness as other regular Galaxy Z Fold5 cases. What’s fun is that they paired the Galaxy Z Fold5 with complimenting S Pen colors — similar to the Galaxy Note 9 execution.

The Fold5 is now also powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy processor. Performance and efficiency improvements are expected. But like the Flip5, the Fold5 is nearly identical to its predecessor on paper.

Here are the Galaxy Z Fold5’s specs:

Main screen — 7.6-inch QXGA+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X , Infinity Flex Display (2176 x 1812, 21.6:18), 374ppi , 120Hz adaptive refresh rate (1~120Hz) (*Same as Fold4)
Cover screen — 6.2-inch HD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X Display (2316 x 904, 23.1:9), 402ppi, 120Hz adaptive refresh rate (48~120Hz) (*Same as Fold4)
Cover camera — 10MP Selfie Camera, f/2.2, Pixel size: 1.22μm, FOV: 85˚
Under display camera — 4MP Under Display Camera, f/1.8, Pixel size: 2.0μm, FOV: 80˚
Rear Triple Camera: (*Same as Fold4)

50MP Wide-angle Camera Dual Pixel AF, OIS, f/1.8
10MP Telephoto Camera PDAF, f/2.4
12MP Ultra Wide Camera f/2.2

Processor — Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy
RAM and Storage — 12GB+256GB, 12GB+512GB, 12GB+1TB [Samsung.com Exclusive]
Battery — 4,400mAh, Wired Charging: Up to 50% charge in around 30 mins (*Same as Fold4)
Water resistance — IPX8
OS — Android 13, One UI 5.1.1
Network and connectivity — 5G, LTE, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth v5.3
SIM card — Up to two Nano SIMs and One eSIM.

Pricing:

US — Starts at US$ 1799.99
Philippines — Starts at PhP 98,990

Buy here:

Galaxy Z Fold5: https://howl.me/ckeOzVqdyUn
Galaxy Z Flip5: https://howl.me/ckeOySKS8Gp
Tab S9: https://howl.me/ckeOAoras3b
Watch6: https://howl.me/ckeOBaaFajd

Related Topics:Galaxy Z Flip 5 Galaxy Z Fold 5 Galaxy Z Fold5 Galazy Z Flip5 Samsung Samsung Galaxy

News

Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro 12.4 price, availability in the Philippines

An all-rounder tablet

Published

May 2, 2024

GadgetMatch

Xiaomi maintains its great value proposition with its tablet offerings. In 2023, it was the Xiaomi Pad 6. This time, in 2024, it’s the Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro 12.4.

Price and availability

The tablet will be available in two variants and are priced as follows:

12+512GB — PhP 39,999
8+256GB — PhP 33,999

It comes in classic Black and White colors.

Meanwhile, the accessories are priced as follows:

Focus Pen — PhP 3,499
Touchpad Keyboard — PhP 6,499

Discounted from May 3 to 9

Naturally, these will be available at special slashed prices from May 3 to 9 on the Shopee exclusive online sale.

12+512GB — PhP 37,199
8+256GB — PhP 31,199

Buyers will get free Redmi Buds 4 Active (valued at Php 999) for every checkout of the Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro.

Unboxing the tablet and its accessories

Like the tablet that preceded it, the 6S Pro came with a generous accompaniment of accessories. Other than the tablet itself, there’s the Cover, Touchpad Keyboard, and the Focus Pen.

Watch the unboxing below.

@gadgetmatch

This is our favorite Android tablet right now! #XiaomiPad6SPro #Xiaomi

♬ original sound – GadgetMatch – GadgetMatch

Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro 12.4 specs

Display — 12.4” 144Hz 3K display, supports Dolby Vision
Processor — Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
Battery — 10,000mAh, 120W HyperCharge
RAM and Storage — 8GB+256GB / 12GB+512GB
OS — Xiaomi HyperOS
Cameras — 50MP main (4K, 60 FPS video), 2MP depth, 32MP front (1080p, 30 FPS video)
Connectivity — USB 3.2 Gen 1, Bluetooth 5.3, WiFi 7
Audio — Six (6) speakers, support for Dolby Atmos, Hi-Res, Hi-Res wireless

Here’s a quick excerpt from our review:

“The Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro 12.4 has a mouthful of a name with a feature set that’s just as packed. It’s a device made for many purposes. It’s both a workmate, a creative companion, and a relaxation buddy.”

News

HUAWEI Pura 70 Series: Price, availability in the Philippines

Starts at PhP 47,999

Published

May 2, 2024

GadgetMatch

Huawei’s P Series is now Pura. The company says the rebrand represents a new chapter. But the Pura essentially is the same lineage as the P Series — expert mobile photography and fashion forward. Now, the Huawei Pura 70 Series has been confirmed to come to the Philippines.

The Huawei Pura 70 series has three phones: the Huawei Pura 70, Huawei Pura 70 Pro, and Huawei Pura 70 Ultra. Pricing are as follows

The Huawei Pura 70 (12GB+256GB) is priced at PhP 47,999. It comes in Black, White, and Pink. Meanwhile, the Huawei Pura 70 Pro (12GB+512GB) retails for PhP 59,999 which comes in Black and White. Last and surely not the least is the Huawei Pura 70 Ultra (16GB+512GB) that comes in Black and Green. This one retails for PhP 79,999.

Pre-orders are live as of May 2, 2024. Every pre-order comes with the following:

Mystery Gifts Worth PhP 17998
1-year Accidental Damage Protection Worth PhP 3999
Deposit PhP 1000 Get PhP 3000 Token

The Pura 70 Ultra will come with an Inbox Magnetic case while the other two models have a Magnetic Case Worth PhP 1999.

Huawei Pura 70 Series

The Huawei Pura 70 Series is a reinvention of Huawei’s camera-toting lineup. The new smartphones again promise huge improvements to the world of smarthpone photography.

The series is equipped with a new generation of Ultra Lighting camera system. Combined with the industry’s first HUAWEI XD Motion Engine, it can activate the Ultra Speed Snapshot feature and easily capture fast moments.

The Huawei Pura 70 Ultra also equipped with the industry’s first Ultra Lighting Pop-out Camera. It’s an original retractable camera structure; achieving a thin one-inch image sensor and a large aperture in a compact body, bringing a revolutionary imaging system.

Both HUAWEI Pura 70 Pro and HUAWEI Pura 70 Ultra feature the new Ultra Lighting Macro Telephoto Camera. It promises to produce clear images from distant buildings to close details. Thanks to its periscope telephoto aperture of F2.1, it offers superb light-gathering ability and better telephoto image quality, achieving full focal HD photography across the entire focal length.

News

US sues Razer over fake Zephyr facemask claims

Advertised N95 filters but didn’t have them

Published

April 30, 2024

Luigi Leonardo

The pandemic turned facemasks into a fashion trend. While most brands fought over who could present the most stylish way to protect yourself from the virus, tech companies rushed to pack the most features into a light wearable. Because the pandemic introduced health risks that the world barely understood, most of these products aren’t the safest around. Now, years after introducing its RGB-infused mask, Razer finds itself in trouble over disproven claims.

In 2021, Razer introduced the Zephyr. It was cyberpunk-looking facemask that supposedly carried N95 filters. Over the years, the company failed to have its claims certified. What’s worse, critics analyzed the product and found that the filters did not, in fact, keep 95 percent of particles away. (That’s why an N95 mask is named as such.)

Today, the Federal Trade Commission is asking over US$ 1.1 million in refunds to customers who purchased a Zephyr in the past. According to the proposal, Razer misled consumers by claiming the mask had N95 filters. The company also never submitted the product for testing. Though Razer eventually removed the claims, it wasn’t enough.

Additionally, the proposal is seeking US$ 100,000 in damages and a ban on Razer from selling and marketing any further health-inspired products in the future.