Smart Bro 5G Smart Bro 5G

Features

Smart Bro 5G Rocket WiFi: Faster mobile connection

Without committing to a 5G smartphone

Published

on

Have you been itching to try 5G but you’re not up for a smartphone upgrade yet? Smart Communications, Inc. is offering the next best thing — the Smart Bro 5G Rocket WiFi.

As the name suggests, it’s essentially a mobile WiFi that’s capable of tapping into 5G networks. If you haven’t been keeping up with the times, 5G is the next generation of mobile connectivity. Over the past two years, various telecom companies have been integrating it into their services.

The Philippines is no different. Smart Communications, Inc. has done their part establishing 5G networks in various areas of the country from Metro Manila, North Luzon, South Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

You can find a full list of the covered areas here. Just have to scroll down and towards the Frequently Asked Questions section and look for “What areas are Smart 5G covered right now?” You can also open Waze and track down Smart 5G areas there.

How to set up the Smart Bro 5G Rocket WiFi

I want to say it’s pretty straightforward but I had more trouble with taking the protective cover off than I’m willing to admit. That said, it is pretty easy. You only need to lift the cover to insert the Smart 5G-ready SIM card.

You can charge the device through its USB-C port. What’s surprising is that the device also has an ethernet port. So, if you’re lucky enough to live near a 5G area, this can function as your primary Internet connection directly connected to your home router.

You can load the SIM via scratch card or PayMaya. Either way, you’ll still need to download the GigaLife app. Here, you can load the SIM card and activate Smart’s various data plans. For the purposes of this article, we used GigaPro199 which gives users 27GB of data valid for 7 days.

With the Smart Bro 5G Rocket WiFi loaded and GigaPro199 activated, we took it for a spin.

Out and about

The Pandemic is still in full swing so we only really used this a couple of times while out recording videos for various projects. The results are naturally mixed.

As you may have guessed, 5G connectivity relies heavily on the area of coverage. If you’re not at a spot with 5G coverage, you just simply aren’t gonna get 5G speeds. But is it still serviceable? Yes.

What you’re gonna get are still the steady 4G/LTE speeds you typically get from Smart. For our part, this means an average of 45Mbps download and 15Mbps upload speeds. That’s still pretty darn decent.

But at 5G coverage areas, we were consistently getting at least 80Mbps download and around 20Mbps upload speeds.

Those are the speed tests. But what about actual usage? Happy to report that the speed tests perform as advertised. There were zero frustrating moments when I am unable to send a chat or download files throughout around six (6) hours of a work day.

Work from Home

This writer is lucky enough to live in an area with 5G coverage. Which is surprising since the 4G connection is pretty hard to come by. That aside, we used the Smart Bro 5G Rocket WiFi for the rest of the week and it was steady… for the most part.

In terms of speed tests, we were consistently getting anywhere between 160Mbps to 220Mbps download and 30Mbps-40Mbps upload speeds. This was true all throughout the rest of the week we used it at home.

On actual usage, it performed just as well as our PLDT Home DSL connection. Perhaps, a little too much like it. You see, every week, our DSL connection suffers from random Internet outages. Nothing too drastic though. Sometimes the speed would dip. Other times, it’s completely gone. This happens anywhere between 30 minute to two hour stretches. Frustrating. But we’ve grown used to it.

This is exactly how the Smart Bro 5G Rocket WiFi behaved. It’s not exactly a flawless experience, but It’s not bad either. In fact, we’d go out on a limb to say it’s pretty darn good for mobile WiFi.

You’ll just have to watch your hours of usage. Unplugged, it’ll last typically around five to six hours. Any more and either the juice will run out or it’ll be too hot to function properly.

Should you get the Smart Bro 5G Rocket WiFi? 

If your job requires you to be constantly out and about and in need of fast mobile connection, the Smart Bro 5G Rocket WiFi is a nice contraption to have. This is especially true if you still don’t own a 5G-capable smartphone.

It’s available with Signature Data Plan S for PhP 1,324 per month for 36 months, with a one-time cashout of PhP 5,300. It would have been a more compelling gadget to recommend had we not just seen borderline budget 5G phones released recently. We expect Smart Communications to slash the price a little bit or offer this in some kind of promo to be more competitive against the Redmi Note 10 5G and realme 8 5G smartphones.

If you do decide to get it, it would be prudent to map out the 5G spots in the areas you frequent so you know where to set up shop.

Tutorials

How to set up Apple Pay on your iPhone

It’s as easy as a single tap.

Published

on

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.

Continue Reading

Accessories

DJI Osmo Mobile 8P: From a videographer’s perspective

Better tracking, fewer buttons

Published

on

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.

Continue Reading

Features

GadgetSnaps: Westminster Abbey

A thousand years of history, unfolded with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra

Published

on

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

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.

Continue Reading

Trending