News

vivo Watch with 18-day battery life now official

It’ll be available in two sizes

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vivo Watch

vivo has launched its first smartwatch and it’s simply called the vivo Watch. At first glance, it might look like a generic circular smartwatch but has a ton of firepower under the hood. It looks premium while also being perfect for rough usage.

The body consists of stainless steel and brushed ceramic bezel. It’s available in two sizes — 42mm and 46mm. The 42mm one gets two rounded buttons on the side while the 46mm has flat ones. This is the only visual difference between the two.

The 42mm gets a 1.2-inch AMOLED display while the 46mm comes in at 1.4-inches. Powering the watch is an ST miniature main control processor along with the Apollo ultra-low power co-processor for heavy-duty tasks and background activities.

Coming to features, it’ll automatically track all your movement in the background and automatically recognize exercises like outdoor running, indoor running, outdoor walking, swimming, cycling, indoor cycling, mountain climbing, trail running, elliptical machine, and more.

Obviously, in-line with the competition, it gets a heart rate scanner, sleep tracking, and blood oxygen monitoring. Other functions include notifications, music controls, alarms, and vivo’s voice assistant Jovi. It also has NFC support for enabling contactless payments.

The complicated sensor array includes a 5-core optical heart rate monitor, blood oxygen sensor, accelerometer, gyroscope, barometer, altimeter, ambient light sensor, and a geomagnetic sensor.

Lastly, the 42mm vivo Watch can chug along for nine days on a single charge. On the other hand, the 46mm watch can last a whopping 18 days in one go.

Sales are currently limited to China and both watches cost CNY 1,299 (US$ 190).

Automotive

The Changan Eado Plus officially lands in the Philippines

Its aggressive launch pricing challenges the compact sedan status quo.

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Inchcape Philippines is officially shaking up the compact sedan segment.

The Changan Eado Plus has arrived on local shores, and it’s gunning for the top spot in your driveway.

Available in two trims — Luxe and Lite — the Eado Plus offers the Filipino driver a car that looks like a million bucks without the massive price tag.

Modern aesthetic inside and out

On the outside, the Eado Plus makes a bold statement with its prominent three-dimensional grille and streamlined body lines.

This polished, premium look relies on LED lighting to command a strong presence on the road. Inside, a meticulously curated cabin handles the daily grind with ease.

The Luxe variant carries a massive 10-inch touchscreen equipped with Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Meanwhile, the Lite variant keeps you connected with a 7-inch display.

To beat the local climate, Changan included a PM2.5 air filter to keep the cabin air clean, alongside a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster that puts all your vital driving data front and center.

Performance and safety without compromise

Under the hood, a 1.5L Bluecore gasoline engine powers both variants. This engine works with a 7-speed wet-type dual-clutch transmission (WDCT) to deliver a stable, responsive ride.

For those who want more control, the Luxe variant offers selectable Eco and Normal driving modes to match your mood or the traffic conditions.

Safety remains a top priority, as the Eado Plus houses a comprehensive suite of protection. Beyond the standard Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) and Electronic Stability Program (ESP), the car packs in practical features like rear parking sensors, tire pressure monitoring, and ISOFIX tethers for families.

Pricing, availability

To celebrate the launch, Changan offers the Eado Plus with aggressive introductory pricing through April 30, 2026.

During this period, the 1.5 Luxe DCT costs only PhP 749,999, while the 1.5 Lite DCT goes for just PhP 699,000. These rates offer a significant discount from the standard prices of PhP 799,999 and PhP 750,000, respectively.

Drivers can choose from four colors: White, Black, Andean Gray, and Titanium Silver Gray (via special order).

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Gaming

Nintendo will make it cheaper to buy digital games than physical

Physical releases will have the same price.

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The days of lining up for a newly released game are well and truly over. Though some games still experience shortages in brick-and-mortar stores, such as the widely successful Pokémon Pokopia, gamers can get their titles digitally. Now, Nintendo is making digital releases more enticing by offering a tempting discount on the eShop.

Starting in May, Nintendo will start charging different prices for the physical and digital releases of first-party games. While physical releases will still have the same prices going forward, digital releases via the eShop will enjoy a discount.

The discount, of course, will likely depend on the title itself. Nintendo has already given the upcoming Yoshi and the Mysterious Book as the first example. The new platformer will cost US$ 70 from retailers. However, it will cost only US$ 60 on the digital eShop.

The company says that the new pricing scheme “simply reflects the different costs associated with producing and distributing each format.” With the prices of chips skyrocketing, it’s no surprise that the physical release is more expensive than the digital one.

To be more technical about it, Nintendo has started skipping a physical game card for a while now. The physical release of Pokémon Pokopia, for example, has only a game-key card or a code to download the game. In this format, physical releases are just pretty cases you can display on your shelf.

Also, digital releases do carry the added risk of getting delisted on the whims of the developers, the publishers, or Nintendo itself. It is, however, still a cheaper option, especially in a world where getting any discount is a welcome thought.

SEE ALSO: Nintendo sues the United States

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Luxury Smart Home

Sony brings cinema home with new BRAVIA 3 II TV, BRAVIA Theatre lineup

Full cinema-style experience

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Bravia 3 II | Bravia Theater

Sony is expanding its home entertainment push with a new range of BRAVIA Theatre audio products and the BRAVIA 3 II TV. The lineup aims to make a full cinema-style experience more accessible. That’s true whether you’re starting with a soundbar or building a complete surround setup.

Soundbars designed to fill the room

Leading the audio lineup is the BRAVIA Theatre Bar 7, a compact yet powerful soundbar built with nine speaker units. It includes up-firing and side speakers. These work alongside Sony’s 360 Spatial Sound Mapping to create a wider, more immersive sound field from a single unit. Room calibration further optimizes audio based on your space. There are also optional subwoofers and rear speakers unlock deeper bass and fuller surround.

For a more accessible option, the BRAVIA Theatre Bar 5 offers a 3.1-channel setup with a wireless subwoofer. It focuses on delivering clear dialogue and strong bass, using S-Force PRO Front Surround and Vertical Surround Engine to simulate a three-dimensional listening experience.

Both soundbars support Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, integrate with compatible BRAVIA TVs for unified control, and can be managed via the BRAVIA Connect app.

Expanding the surround experience

Sony is also introducing a set of optional speakers designed to complete the home cinema setup. The BRAVIA Theatre Sub 9 and Sub 8 deliver deep, room-filling bass, with the Sub 9 featuring dual opposing drivers to reduce distortion. Notably, the lineup now supports dual subwoofer configurations for the first time.

Meanwhile, the BRAVIA Theatre Rear 9 adds height and depth to rear channels through its up-firing speaker. This helps create a more convincing surround environment when paired with compatible soundbars.

A bigger screen to match

Alongside the audio products, Sony is rolling out the BRAVIA 3 II, a mid-tier TV available in sizes up to 100 inches. Powered by the XR Processor and XR Triluminos Pro, it aims to deliver natural colors, strong contrast, and refined detail.

The TV supports Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, and DTS:X, and is also positioned as a capable gaming display. It comes with 4K at 120Hz and four HDMI 2.1 ports. Sony is also introducing a new Inclusive Remote with improved button layout and a Remote Finder feature for easier accessibility.

Price and availability

In Singapore, the BRAVIA Theatre Bar 7 will be available starting May 2026. Suggested retail price is SGD 1,299. Meanwhile, the BRAVIA Theatre Bar 5 follows in June 2026 at SGD 599.

The BRAVIA Theatre Sub 9, Sub 8, and Rear 9 will arrive in July 2026, priced at SGD 1,099, SGD 799, and SGD 899, respectively.

The BRAVIA 3 II TV will be available from June 2026 in sizes ranging from 43 inches to 100 inches, with pricing starting at SGD 1,499.

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