News

Vivo Nex 3 5G: A phone from the future?

Vivo’s latest tech in a single package

Published

September 16, 2019

Rodneil Quiteles

Photos by David Cogen | The Unlockr

Vivo has been showcasing bits and pieces of its latest in mobile technology over the past few months. All of these come together in its latest flagship — the Vivo NEX 3 5G.

Truly by innovation only

Vivo should have straight up stepped on Apple’s toes. The latter had the gall to put “By Innovation Only” on the invite of their iPhone event but had nothing mind-blowingly new to offer when the iPhone 11 family was revealed. This is not the case for the Vivo NEX 3.

Headlining the new flagship is its 5G capability. This is made possible by Vivo’s new 5G-6 antenna design as well as Qualcomm’s 5G-enabled chip — the Snapdragon 855 Plus. That combo ensures you get top computing performance and download speeds of up to one gigabyte per second. Let that sink in for a while.

The high level of energy consumption by 5G requires immense support. As an answer, Vivo put a 4500mAh battery on the Vivo NEX 3 but it doesn’t end there. The phone is also equipped with Vivo’s Super FlashCharge 44W. It’s not quite the Super FlashCharge 120W that juiced up a 4,000mAh battery phone in just 13 minutes, but it should still be pretty darn fast.

The phone is also equipped with the Vapor Chamber Cooling System to ensure the phone doesn’t get too hot while you’re using 5G.

The WaterFall FullView Display is a sight to behold

We’ve seen it on leaks and the promotional video that surfaced on the internet a few weeks ago. But even when it’s finally confirmed, it’s still almost hard to believe.

The WaterFall FullView Display flows seamlessly from edge-to-edge of the smartphone. Dropping down over to the side, indeed, like a waterfall. With no notch in sight, you get a phone that has an insane 99.6 percent screen-to-body ratio.

What’s even more insane is how the phone doesn’t have any physical buttons. So there are no bulging power or volume keys to ruin the phone’s aesthetic. This was made truly with the best design in mind. What it instead has is the X-axis Haptic Vibration motor. It’s Touch Sense that responds with haptic feedback the same way that physical buttons would.

There’s also an In-Display fingerprint scanner to complete the unibody look. The Vivo NEX 3 is too sexy that we fail to describe just how good it looks with the words in our arsenal.

Adding a little bit of flair to the already gorgeous display is the Side Ambient Light. Which sounds a lot like the feature that was introduced but ultimately axed on the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge called Edge Lighting.

Triple cameras headlined by a 64MP shooter

It was Realme and Xiaomi that were racing to release a phone with a 64MP lens. Quietly working through all this was Vivo. The company even partnered the 64MP camera with 13MP wide angle lens, and another 13MP telephoto lens for a camera setup that will serve you in nearly any scenario.

The three cameras are enclosed in a circle that recreates what Vivo calls the Lunar Ring System. It’s a design inspired by a traditional wristwatch as seen in a sketch Li Xiang shared on Weibo.

We were impressed with the HDR and capabilities of Vivo smartphones from the past and the Vivo NEX 3 should be no different. It has a feature called Portrait Master’s Hyper HDR of up to 7.65eV which is designed for portraits, it increases dynamic range accuracy between a user’s face and the background’s lightest spot.

Completing the cameras equipped on the phone is the 16MP pop-camera — a signature feature of the NEX line.

Vivo staples still present

Vivo’s AI Jovi is very much baked into the entire system. This means artificial intelligence is all over the Vivo NEX 3 which should help boost the phone’s performance the more you use it.

You still get Android 9 Pie with Funtouch OS 9.1 on top. In terms of RAM, there’s one with 8GB and another with 12GB. As far as onboard storage goes, the Vivo NEX 3 will have a whopping 256GB.

In the initial information, there’s no mention if the Vivo NEX 3 kept the 3.5mm headphone jack, but it’s worth noting that the phone is equipped with an independent audio chip which promises a better overall audio experience.

Alongside the phone, Vivo also launched the True Wireless Stereo (TWS) Earphone — the company’s first Bluetooth earphones which might suggest that jack didn’t make it to this phone.

Pricing and availability

There’s no word on pricing yet but the Vivo NEX 3 series will be available in the coming months in Asia Pacific, Southeast Asia and other markets.

Apps

Disney+ launches a TikTok-coded vertical feed called Verts

Published

March 13, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

TikTok has changed how we consume media. Everything is now vertical. Even the most established streaming services, often a bastion for traditionally horizontal content, is adopting the different format. Now, Disney+ is getting a vertical feed called Verts.

Like its contemporaries, Verts presents a continuous feed of content but tailored to show the plethora of titles from the Disney+ library. This might include the first scenes of shows or notable highlights. The hope, of course, is to direct users to the longform content.

Directly from the Verts feed, users can easily add the respective title to their watchlist or go straight to the title’s page. In turn, the feed is accessible from the homepage since it has its own tab.

According to Disney, early experiments with the feature have driven engagement to available content. Right now, the feed is mostly for clipping enticing content from shows. However, the platform will experiment further with the format for new ways to tell stories.

Though Verts surely stands for “verticals” in this case, “adverts” might fit better as its full government name. Still, it might be a useful tool if you’re figuring out what to watch for the night.

Currently, Verts is available for Disney+ subscribers in the United States. Disney also has plans to expand the feature to ESPN for sports-related content.

Apps

Google Maps is finally getting a 3D mode

The app will also have a Gemini chatbot baked inside.

Published

March 13, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Some of today’s navigation apps are living in the future. Instead of a two-dimensional map, these apps render the user’s surroundings in 3D. It’s a nifty upgrade that helps drivers more accurately visualize directions on the fly. Finally, Google Maps is getting a much-needed upgrade and will take navigation to the third dimension.

In a new update rolling out today, the new Immersive Navigation feature will bring your surroundings to life. The 3D view creates a render of the surrounding buildings, overpasses, and terrain around the car. It takes the guesswork out of navigation by showing precisely where to turn and what landmarks to look out for.

In the same vein, you can now use Street View to preview your destination before you arrive. Google Maps will also highlight your destination’s entrance, side of the street, and nearby parking.

Outside of how the map is visualized, Google Maps is also infusing its service with Gemini. The new Ask Maps feature will let you engage with the app in a conversational manner. For example, if you’re in the middle of a long drive, you can now ask Maps where the best place is to stop over and have a coffee break. Ask Maps will provide directions, a potential itinerary, and even helpful links to book a reservation ahead of time.

Now, availability for both of these features is still a bit limited. Immersive View is rolling out today to compatible devices and vehicles in the United States. Further, availability will expand over the coming months.

Meanwhile, Ask Maps is available now in the United States and India for Android and iOS. A desktop version is coming soon.

Entertainment

KPop Demon Hunters is officially getting a sequel

Maggie Kang and Chris Applehans will return to write and direct.

Published

March 13, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

This feels like a formality at this point. Netflix and Sony have officially confirmed that KPop Demon Hunters is getting a sequel.

If you feel like you’ve read this exact title before, then you’re not alone. Since its massive success last year, the hit animated film constantly spawned talks of a potential franchise. It probably helped that the title quickly became Netflix’s most-watched film of all time. From the last we’ve heard of the rumors, Netflix was reportedly eyeing a 2029 premiere for the sequel.

Now, it’s official. As posted by Netflix itself, KPop Demon Hunters will get a sequel soon. Even better, the follow-up will be written and directed by the same duo, Maggie Kang and Chris Applehans.

Kang, who celebrated the first movie’s ability to tell a Korean story, says that there’s a lot more to explore in the film’s universe. “There’s so much more to this world we have built and I’m excited to show you. This is only the beginning,” she said.

Right now, the plot’s sequel is still unknown, especially since the Saja Boys were defeated in the first film.

Given how big the original movie got, the sequel is no surprise. Besides bagging the top spot on Netflix’s charts, the film also got an eventual release in theaters. KPop Demon Hunters is up for a potential Oscars win after it was nominated for Best Animated Feature. Its hit song, “Golden,” is also nominated for Best Original Song.