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vivo launches the V20 Series in the Philippines

The more, the merrier

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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.

SEE ALSO: vivo V20 Pro review: First time’s already a charm

Entertainment

UNDERTALE: The Determination Symphony hits Makati in October

Determination arrives in October.

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For so small of a game, UNDERTALE quickly made it into the gaming world’s hall of fame. Despite being only a decade old, the small title has had a major influence for modern-day gamers because of its unique gameplay, its lo-fi art, and, of course, its catchy soundtrack. If you’re a fan of UNDERTALE’s soundtrack, a unique concert experience is headed your way.

On October 17, Film Concerts PH, in partnership with SOHO Live, is hosting UNDERTALE: The Determination Symphony at the Proscenium Theater in Rockwell, Makati.

The concert will be performed by the Filharmonika Orchestra and conducted by Thanapol Setabrahmana. Personally curated by creator Toby Fox and developed by Lambert Jackson with Materia Music, the concert experience showcases the game’s most recognizable tunes laid over gameplay footage playing simultaneously. Plus, for the world tour, the experience will have expanded scoring.

In the game, you play as a small child stuck in the mysterious Underground filled with interesting characters and monsters. Unlike traditional RPGs, UNDERTALE asks players to choose between building relationships and chasing after wins. It’s a unique experience that’s defined by whether you chose to make friends or fought your way to the top. It teaches players to value different ways to solve problems, all while showering them with its one-of-a-kind humor.

Pre-sales for the concert, exclusively for members of the Film Concerts PH community, start on August 4. Public sales, however, will start on August 11 via Ticketmelon.

SEE ALSO: The hunt begins: The Witcher in Concert hits Manila with surprises in tow

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Qualcomm is raising its prices this year

Will the price of smartphones follow suit?

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The price of technology isn’t fun these days. Because of the ongoing RAM shortage wrought by AI, companies across the industry are raising the prices of their products. Some, however, are still willing to shoulder the burden for their customers. Unfortunately, Qualcomm is soon leaving that list.

As reported by Bloomberg, Qualcomm will raise the prices of its products starting in September. Though the exact figure is unknown, the company did confirm that it’s in the double digits, percentage-wise. According to them, they can no longer shoulder the costs for its customers.

If you’re just a regular user, Qualcomm’s prices might not mean much for you. After all, the chipmaker doesn’t make phones of its own.

That said, Qualcomm is still one of the biggest suppliers for smartphone chipsets, including those that Samsung uses. Pushing the burden from chipsets to phone manufacturers reduces one more buffer against costs being ultimately pushed to consumers.

All things considered, Samsung managed to keep its prices hikes relatively low with the latest batch of foldables. However, with chips getting more price increases, it’s still within the realm of possibility that Samsung will also increase the price of its smartphones. The same can be said for any Qualcomm-powered smartphone available today.

SEE ALSO: Hands-on: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8, Flip8, Ultra

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Apple is reportedly delaying its smart glasses due to privacy concerns

The brand wants to squash malicious recording.

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Smart glasses are in a weird place right now. While early adopters are celebrating the ability to record everything, a growing group of critics are decrying the loss of privacy. Formerly at full throttle, Apple, in response to these controversies, will reportedly delay its version of smart glasses to next year.

According to Bloomberg, Apple is heading back to the drawing board to further emphasize the unreleased wearable’s privacy protections, which includes “hardware and software-related privacy features not available on current products.” The report, however, doesn’t enumerate what these features are.

If anything, these features will likely prevent malicious recording. Most smart glasses today have a light that tells passersby that the device is actively recording video. However, users have discovered ways to tamper and disable this light, so their devices can start recording without alerting others. Apple will likely introduce better measure to prevent such tampering.

Additionally, it’s also possible that Apple introduces a version of the smart glasses without a camera attached.

Because of these new initiatives, the brand will delay the launch of the wearable to sometime next year. Previously, there was heavy speculation that the smart glasses will launch later this year.

On the bright side, there’s still substantial reason to believe that Apple is launching its first ever foldable device later this year.

SEE ALSO: New York becomes first state to ban smart glasses

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