News

The Sony Xperia 1 III is your ultimate all-in-one smartphone

World’s first 4K 120Hz smartphone display, Alpha-grade cameras, world-class audio and gaming experience

Published

April 14, 2021

Vincenz

Image by GadgetMatch

Sony is a leader both in entertainment and hardware technologies — whether it’s the Sony Alpha, PlayStation, and even their audio products. But with LG’s sudden exit from the mobile division, people were speculating that Sony suffer the same fate. But today, Sony has debunked all those rumors and announced the Xperia 1 III.

A typical 2021 flagship

Just like other flagships released this year, the Xperia 1 III isn’t a stranger to power-packed hardware. It rocks the latest Snapdragon 888 processor with 5G support and Adreno 660 graphics. It also boasts 12GB of RAM and comes in either 256GB or 512GB storage options.

Image by GadgetMatch

While the 4,500mAh battery may sound small nowadays, Sony’s Adaptive Charging technology gives you the best of power and performance. They’re also promising a 3-year longer lifespan battery compared to conventional smartphone batteries.

It also supports Qi wireless charging and has IP65-68 water/dust resistance just like its predecessor.

First 4K 120Hz smartphone display

Image by GadgetMatch

Sony’s Xperia line are the only smartphones that have 4K displays. This year, they made it even better as the Xperia 1 III boasts 120Hz refresh rate with 4K resolution — a first in any smartphone today.

Other than that, it supports 120fps games and has 240Hz touch scanning rate for better game input and less lag.

With its 6.5-inch 21:9 OLED HDR display, expect stunning colors and contrast — especially with the help of their X1 Mobile HDR Remaster technology that’s only found among high-end Sony BRAVIA TVs.

Serious photography on a smartphone

Image by GadgetMatch

Just like its predecessor, the Xperia 1 III has triple 12-megapixel cameras for its wide (f/1.7), ultra-wide (f/2.2), and telephoto (f/2.3-2.8) lenses, plus an extra 3D iToF Sensor. But another first in this list is Sony’s variable telephoto lens that supports 70-105mm focal length (equivalent to 2.9x and 4.4x zoom) that can zoom up to 300mm (12.5x) digitally. Samsung’s Galaxy S21 Ultra has two different lenses for different focal lengths.

Other than that, it’s also the world’s first smartphone that’s capable of shooting 20fps burst mode and has the new Real-time Tracking technology that can focus on moving subjects while shooting. It’s different from the existing Real-time Eye AF that only focuses on human’s eyes. You won’t run out of autofocus coverage areas as it covers 247 AF points (70% of the frame).

Image by GadgetMatch

Sony hasn’t omitted the dedicated shutter button to make the experience similar to its existing alpha lineup. Speaking of, ZEISS T* coating (found on most Sony alpha lenses) is still here despite ZEISS having to share that same lens coating on the new vivo X60 Pro+. This is helpful for reducing glare and reflections when shooting.

Professional cinematography on the go

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For amateur and professional filmmakers, this smartphone is also capable of shooting Hollywood-style films. There’s a new Intelligent wind filter that reduces wind and outdoor noise when shooting in forests or fields.

It supports 4K HDR between the regular 24fps (frames per second) or up to 120fps slow motion that can even go slower of up to 5 times. For a more professional look and feel, there’s the Cinematography Pro app where you can manually adjust controls based on your shooting scenario. It also has built-in 8-look color filters for on-the-spot color grading.

The ultimate device for audiophiles

Long-live audiophiles! Sony still has the 3.5mm audio jack, making it the flagship smartphone that’s capable of doing so.

There’s an AI-based DSEE Ultimate sound optimization technology that’s capable of producing hi-res audio even when playing compressed audio files. This goes hand-in-hand with Sony’s Hi-Res audio support (whether wired or wireless) as well as support for LDAC.

For a more immersive audiovisual experience, there’s Dolby Atmos, 360 Spatial Sound, and 360 Reality Audio also found on high-end Sony headphones such as the WH-1000XM4.

Pricing and Availability

The Xperia 1 III comes in three shades: Frosted Black, Frosted Gray, and Frosted Purple. Singapore will only have the black and purple options.

Pricing wasn’t revealed by Sony during its live announcement but it will be available in early summer (or third quarter) of 2021 in countries where the Xperia line is readily available.

Stay tuned for more pricing updates.

News

NBA China, Alibaba Cloud partner to reimagine fan engagement

Alibaba Cloud becomes Official Cloud Computing and AI Partner of NBA in China

Published

October 10, 2025

GadgetMatch

NBA China and Alibaba Cloud have announced a multi-year partnership to elevate the fan experience locally through AI and cloud technologies.

Through the collaboration, Alibaba Cloud becomes the Official Cloud Computing and AI Partner of NBA in the country.

NBA China will utilize Alibaba Cloud’s AI and cloud computing services to support a wide range of digital fan engagement initiatives.

This includes the development of a proprietary AI model for NBA China based on Alibaba’s Qwen series of foundational models.

The scope of the partnership encompasses even the NBA All-Star, NBA Playoffs, and NBA Finals.

Even Quark and the Tongyi App, which are Alibaba’s consumer-facing AI applications, will also become Official Marketing Partners of NBA China.

Moreover, NBA China will leverage Alibaba Cloud’s infrastructure to host its digital destinations. These include the NBA App, the league’s official website in China, and NBA China mini-programs.

In addition, Alibaba Cloud will debut a Real-Time 360 Replay Solution at The NBA China Games 2025. This shall provide fans with AI-powered visual enhancements to replay highlights.

This year’s NBA China Games will likewise showcase innovative and interactive experiences powered by Alibaba Cloud’s AI capabilities.

At NBA House, fans can create personalized NBA-themed avatars and generate iconic commentary clips in a voice replicated from a sample of their own.

Lastly, as part of the multi-year deal, NBA China will also utilize Alibaba Cloud’s intelligent analytical tools to generate data-driven insights. This shall help enhance the league’s fan engagement efforts locally.

Entertainment

A Minecraft Movie is getting a sequel

It’s scheduled to premiere in July 2027.

Published

October 10, 2025

Luigi Leonardo

A Minecraft Movie was decidedly not for me. However, there’s no denying how much the movie was so effective for younger fans and gamers who grew up with Minecraft. It’s one of the highest-grossing movies this year. Even if I didn’t personally like it, I still consider it a success for videogame adaptations. Now, recognizing the film’s success, Warner Bros. has signed off on a sequel to Jack Black’s blocky caper, as confirmed by Variety.

It’s a mystery where the sequel will take players. Not to spoil anything, but the original movie did end with virtually loose ends neatly tied into a bow. Then again, Minecraft is an endless well of content. Where one story ends, another can just as easily open up in its place. As a game, it’s a completely open sandbox where nothing is limited.

However, to establish continuity, the sequel is reportedly tapping the talents of director Jared Hess once again. Chris Galleta might also come back to write the screenplay.

Interestingly, Jack Black is not confirmed yet. But given how much of a star he was as Steve, it’s hard to imagine a sequel without his energy, so it’s likely that he’s coming back. On a more positive note, Jason Momoa, who co-starred as Garrett Garrison, is expected to co-produce the sequel.

Warner Bros. has currently scheduled the sequel’s premiere on July 23, 2027.

SEE ALSO: Now Playing: A Minecraft Movie

Apps

ChatGPT Go now available in the Philippines, more Asian countries

Access to more popular ChatGPT features for an affordable subscription plan

Published

October 9, 2025

GadgetMatch

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

OpenAI has officially launched ChatGPT Go in 16 Asian countries, including the Philippines. This is the most cost-friendly subscription option yet at just PhP 300 (~ US$ 5.15).

This development gives users in the serviced regions greater access to ChatGPT’s advanced capabilities at a more affordable price.

To get started, simply visit chat.openai.com or download the ChatGPT mobile app, then create an account and select ChatGPT Go as your plan. The payment process is simple.

On the other hand, those who already have accounts may simply upgrade to Go.

The launch comes amid strong growth adoption of OpenAI’s tools in the Philippines. In fact, the country ranks among the top five countries for weekly ChatGPT users in Asia.

In addition, the top five use cases locally are tutoring, editing, personal writing, “how to” advice, and creative ideation.

At PhP 300 a month, ChatGPT Go subscribers will gain access to ChatGPT’s most popular features, including higher message limits, image generation, file uploads, and memory.

These are all powered by GPT-5, OpenAI’s most-advanced model.

Specifically, here’s the perks for the Go plan compared to free:

10x higher message limits
10x more image generations per day
10x more file or image uploads per day
2x longer memory for personalized responses

ChatGPT Go will join existing subscription options Plus (PhP 1,100) and Pro (PhP 9,900).

Plus is for subscribers who need more advanced thinking models and features like deep research, agent mode, and Sora video creation.

Meanwhile, Pro is for professionals, researchers, or organizations who need enterprise-grade scale, pro-level reasoning, and the most advanced features.