News
Pocophone F1 by Xiaomi leaks before official launch on August 22
A cheap plastic phone with flagship specs
Xiaomi is set to announce a new smartphone brand in India this month. If Huawei has Honor and OPPO has Realme, then Xiaomi has Poco. The Chinese tech company already has amazingly affordable yet great smartphones available, so what does Poco offer to the table?
According to leaks, we’re going to have an affordable flagship phone named the Pocophone F1. We don’t have on-hand info yet, but GSMDome already has their unboxing video online for a couple of days now. Mind you, the video shows a proper unboxing and not a quick, messy engineering sample that’s not meant for consumers to see. Here’s the unboxing of the phone’s retail packaging:
The Pocophone F1 appears to be the phone that we previously reported on. It’s a plastic-built phone with a 5.99-inch notched IPS LCD and has Xiaomi’s own Face ID-like tech. It also has dual cameras that’ll shoot portrait photos and a fingerprint reader at the back. As for the processor, it’s powered by a Snapdragon 845 with 6GB of memory. Specs-wise, the phone is comparable to expensive flagship phones — even Xiaomi’s very own Mi 8.
As for the pricing, the Pocophone F1 is rumored to be the cheapest smartphone with a Snapdragon 845 chipset. Maybe, it can even beat the Honor Play that also has flagship specs but with Huawei’s own high-end Kirin 970 processor.
More than peak performance, more than speed – the best of smartphone innovation is almost here. Brace yourself for the #MasterOfSpeed. See you on August 22, 2018. #POCOF1 pic.twitter.com/Uwt0ZcB26N
— POCO India (@IndiaPOCO) August 13, 2018
We’ll have to wait for the official announcement on August 22. The launch date is already confirmed by Poco’s Twitter page for India. Interestingly, the upcoming device is mentioned as Poco F1, not Pocophone F1.
Automotive
Mercedes-Benz celebrates 140th anniversary at the Presidential Car Museum
A generation’s worth of presidential Benz models under one roof
Last month, Mercedes-Benz Philippines kicked off its 140th -anniversary “Welcome Home” campaign. Designed to celebrate the iconic Chedeng and introduce a new generation to the brand, the campaign attracts old and new customers alike. Now, the brand’s 140th year is also hitting history buffs with a special showcase at the Presidential Car Museum in Quezon City.
Since President Cory Aquino’s term, the official presidential car has been a Benz, offering comfort and protection for the current head of state. It is here where Mercedes-Benz wants to celebrate the legacy of the brand, especially in the annals of Philippine history.
Amid the cars of Presidents Aquino, Ramos, Estrada, and Macapagal-Arroyo, Mercedes-Benz is displaying a replica of the Benz Patent-Motorwagen Replica, which is the world’s first automobile introduced by Karl Benz in 1886. The replica will be on display until December 2026.
Outside the Presidential Car Museum, Mercedes-Benz is running discounts through the end of July. There are also special aftersales services for those who already own a Benz. Finally, the brand will continue to run activations throughout the anniversary, so expect to hear a lot more about the Chedeng throughout the year.
SEE ALSO: Mercedes-Benz holds a Welcome Home campaign to celebrate 140 years
News
Samsung releases teaser with Spider-Man: Brand New Day Easter eggs
Spot also teases upcoming Galaxy foldable devices
Samsung has just premiered a new spot that showcases clips directly from Spider-Man: Brand New Day, just a few weeks before the movie hits cinemas later this month.
The clip showcases Spider-Man as he fights crime and puts his phone through the wear and tear of superhero life.
In the spot, the Fabricator creates a number of devices for Spider-Man built to stand up to the pace and unpredictability of life behind the mask. This includes what clearly looks like a Galaxy Z Flip phone.
This provides a behind the scenes look into how Peter Parker ultimately landed on a Samsung phone — as fans speculated from the first trailer.
Meanwhile, Ned can also be seen using the Spidey Tracker to try and catch Spider-Man throughout the city on his Samsung phone.
The campaign pretty much formalizes Jacob Batalon — who plays Ned Leeds — as Samsung’s Team Galaxy’s newest ambassador.
The clip ends with the text “A brand new shape for a Brand New Day”, which is also a callback to what the brand has been teasing regarding the future of its Galaxy foldable devices.
Samsung to release latest devices at Galaxy Unpacked
Next week, Samsung is set to launch its latest devices at Galaxy Unpacked 2026.
Ahead of the launch, customers who wish to reserve as early as now can get a US$ 30 credit during pre-order, for a total of up to US$ 1,230 in savings.
Customers can also enter a sweepstakes for a chance to win one of 10 US$ 500 Samsung.com gift cards towards their purchase.
Normally, public betas come and go with nary a peep from anyone but dedicated fans and testers. After all, why care about a beta when the final release is likely just around the corner? This one, however, is special. Today, Apple launched the iOS 27 public beta, and it’s our first taste of the redesigned Siri AI.
Recently, WWDC 2026 unveiled Apple’s latest attempts at entering the AI segment. Whereas previous iterations to incorporate AI failed to make an impact, Siri AI promises to provide users with helpful feedback that’s actually helpful.
Now, in the public beta for iOS 27, users all over can finally access the new assistant. To get to the beta, you need to be a part of the beta program, which you can easily sign up for on beta.apple.com. Once signed up, you can get the update from Software Update in Settings. You’ll see options for a developer beta and a public beta. Choose iOS 27 Public Beta.
At face value, Siri AI offers much of what you’d get from a traditional AI-powered assistant. However, it does slightly differ because it integrates the entire phone. The assistant contextualizes your information (including emails, messages, and photos) to give you the most accurate feedback that you might need.
If that’s not enough, Siri AI also has its own chatbot app. If you’re more used to ChatGPT, the assistant should give you that bit of familiarity.
Now, if you don’t want to go for a beta, Apple is expected to launch iOS 27 in its final form sometime in September.
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