News

vivo launches the V20 Series in the Philippines

The more, the merrier

Published

October 24, 2020

Vincenz

It’s only been four months since vivo launched two V19 models, but they already have a new V-series in the line.

Say hello to the newest V20 series! Instead of two, they’re making it three this time.

Design

There’s a fine line between V20 SE’s design compared to its more powerful siblings. The V20 SE, being the cheapest, has a back made out of plastic.

Meanwhile, the V20 and V20 Pro are pretty much alike with a smooth glass back. A nifty difference is that, the V20 Pro is a little bit smaller and slimmer at 7.39mm than the V20 due to slimmer display bezels.

Display

Speaking of display, all phones are packed with a 6.44-inch AMOLED Full HD+ display but instead of punch-hole cameras found on the V19 series, vivo has decided to bring back display notches.

The obvious distinction can be seen in V20 Pro’s wider display notch due to the presence of dual front cameras. Meanwhile, the V20 and V20 SE both feature a single, dewdrop notch. As an added ‘Pro’ feature, the V20 Pro supports HDR10 while the latter don’t.

All variants are equipped with vivo’s in-display fingerprint scanner technology.

Performance

What sets these three apart from each other are the processors they use. The basic V20 SE is equipped with Snapdragon 665 while the V20 has the Snapdragon 720G processor. Meanwhile, the V20 Pro uses a Snapdragon 765G processor. All models come with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of base storage with slots for microSD card for the lower variants. The V20 Pro doesn’t support microSD expandability.

The V20 SE has the biggest battery at 4,100mAh while the V20 and V20 Pro both feature 4,000mAh. All models are bundled with vivo’s 33W FlashCharge adapter that promises up to 65 percent of battery level in just a thirty minute-charge.

All V20 units run on Funtouch OS 11 based on Android 10.

Connectivity

All units come with USB-C ports and a set of mono speakers. Other than the exclusion of microSD card slot, the V20 Pro also doesn’t have a 3.5mm audio jack while the V20 and V20 SE clearly has it in place. Don’t worry, the V20 Pro has a bundled USB-C to 3.5mm audio jack adapter for those who still desire the audio plugging.

As an addition to its ‘Pro’ naming, the V20 Pro is the only phone that supports 5G out of the box.

Cameras

Both the V20 and V20 Pro sport the same 64-megapixel f/1.89 wide lens plus a 2-megapixel mono lens. On the other hand, the V20 SE only has a 48-megapixel f/1.8 lens paired with a 2-megapixel depth sensor. To lessen the confusion, all models come with an 8-megapixel f/2.2 ultra-wide camera.

With the notches in mind, all models also feature a 44-megapixel f/2.0 wide selfie camera but the V20 Pro has an additional 8-megapixel f/2.2 ultra-wide lens for an added focal length when shooting selfies.

Pricing and Availability

The vivo V20 SE is the cheapest in the bunch which sells for just PhP 15,999. It’s available in Gravity Black and Oxygen Blue options.

Next in line is the V20 priced around PhP 19,999 while its 5G sibling, the V20 Pro, retails at PhP 24,999. Both phones come in two common colorways: this psychedelic Sunset Melody variant and the Midnight Jazz that leans more into black. The V20 Pro only has the Moonlight Sonata option that’s clearly based on white.

These phones are available for pre-order through their official Lazada and Shopee channels. Pre-orders run from October 23 (Friday) until October 29 (Thursday).

Early buyers of the vivo V20 Pro will receive a PhP 7,999-worth gift set including a JBL Go2 Bluetooth Speaker, a noise-cancelling wireless earbuds, additional six months screen warranty and also an extended warranty of up to two years. Those who will pre-order the V20 will receive a similar gift set as the V20 Pro minus the JBL G02 Bluetooth Speaker.

Meanwhile, buyers who will pre-order the V20 SE will receive a 10,000mAh mega powerbank, additional six-month screen warranty, and also a warranty coverage of up to two years worth PhP 3,899.

Apps

Bard is now available to try for Google One users

Join the waitlist now

Published

March 22, 2023

Luigi Leonardo

The race for artificial intelligence is a hot trail. Amid the unbridled popularity of ChatGPT, several companies have started pushing their own language models out the gate. Google, eager to compete in the emerging industry, has now opened Bard to users.

Today, Google has started issuing invitations to Google One subscribers for a chance to try the new chatbot. Subscribers can enter a waitlist to test the technology for themselves.

In essence, Bard acts the same as ChatGPT. Users can talk to the bot conversationally, and it will respond perfectly, as if you were talking to another human being. It’s a language learning model. By talking to so many users, the model can learn the best way to reply to certain prompts.

Although Google has access to its search engine, Bard is currently meant to complement it. The company warns users that the chatbot is still prone to occasional mistakes. As an example, it gave the wrong scientific name for a plant. While this example is innocuous, there can be more nefarious errors that the developers are still trying to fix. With a wider test now open to the public, Google hopes to fix more egregious mistakes ahead of a wider launch.

For now, if you subscribe to Google’s premium subscription service, you can wait in line to try out the new technology.

Gaming

EA is delisting classic Battlefield games

And Mirror’s Edge

Published

March 22, 2023

Luigi Leonardo

EA is a mixed bag nowadays. Formerly one of the biggest names in gaming, the company’s public reception is more varied these days. However, no one can argue against the studio’s earlier eras with more notable titles. Unfortunately, that era is coming to a more definitive close. EA is officially delisting a few notable Battlefield titles and the original Mirror’s Edge from digital stores.

In an official statement from the company, EA has announced the retirement of four online titles this year. Starting April 28, users will no longer be able to buy Battlefield 1943, Battlefield: Bad Company, Battlefield: Bad Company 2, and Mirror’s Edge online. Additionally, the online services for these games will cease on December 8.

Still going strong today, the Battlefield franchise is EA’s answer to the Call of Duty franchise. While the latter focuses on more arcade-like shooting, Battlefield tries to infuse more strategic gameplay into historical and modern-day shooting.

On the other hand, Mirror’s Edge is a classic first-person parkour adventure. At the time, the title was notable for its fluid movement and easy-to-read visuals. It even spawned a sequel, Mirror’s Edge Catalyst.

Anyone who owns these titles can still play through them after April. However, come December, players can only go through the offline single-player campaigns of these games.

SEE ALSO: Blumhouse is getting into gaming

Apps

TikTok enlists users’ help to fight against ban

Ahead of a hearing this week

Published

March 22, 2023

Luigi Leonardo

TikTok is in for another fight. Recently, the American government upped its efforts to ban the video-sharing platform from the country. The company is preparing to fight back. Ahead of a potential ban, it is enlisting the help of its most precious resource: TikTok users.

Today, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew shared a video to update the entire community about his impending congressional hearing later this week. In the video, the CEO thanks the American userbase in helping the platform grow, enumerating important numbers ahead of the hearing. For example, TikTok now has 150 million users — which, Chew notes, is half of the population of the United States — and 7,000 employees in the country.

The video then goes on to share the government’s plans to ban TikTok, potentially taking the app away from the big numbers that Chew mentioned. Further, the CEO is asking all these users to share what they love about the app in the comments of the video.

@tiktok

Our CEO, Shou Chew, shares a special message on behalf of the entire TikTok team to thank our community of 150 million Americans ahead of his congressional hearing later this week.

♬ original sound – TikTok

For years, the American government has hounded the app over its Chinese ownership. The company — especially parent company ByteDance — has the potential to act as a conduit for Chinese surveillance, the government argues. The company has tried to counter these claims by increasing its employees in the country.

Now, the fight is coming to a head with several government bodies and other countries banning the app outright. It’s unknown how Chew is planning to attack the incoming congressional hearing. However, it’s likely that the company will leverage user feedback to buoy the app as an essential part of the current American landscape.

SEE ALSO: UK starts banning TikTok