News

Xiaomi Redmi Pro brings dual-cam system to budget phone category

Published

July 27, 2016

Alora Uy Guerrero

We knew it was only a matter of time before the dual-camera set-up in a smartphone becomes mainstream. After all, one camera just doesn’t cut it when you want better focus and depth perception. Xiaomi is the latest company to join the fray with the newly launched Redmi Pro.

The 5.5-inch device uses sensors from different manufacturers: a 13-megapixel Sony IMX258 main lens for the still image and a 5-megapixel Samsung assistive sensor for that DSLR-like bokeh effect you probably want. You may even adjust the focus point after taking a photo.

To show the Redmi Pro’s camera prowess, Xiaomi has released the following sample images.

The Redmi Pro is also Xiaomi’s first smartphone to get an OLED display — a full-HD at that — to make visuals eye-popping.

We’re surprised the company has introduced the dual-camera and OLED screen technologies into the entry-level Redmi lineup, not into the flagship Mi series. It makes us wonder how Xiaomi is going to set its next top-of-the-line phone apart.

Not that we’re complaining, considering the base model, which comes with 3GB of RAM, 32GB of ROM, and MediaTek Helio X20 10-core processor, costs only 1,499 yuan or about $225. Even the variant with 3GB of RAM, 64GB of internal storage, and MediaTek Helio X25 64-bit deca-core chipset is priced at just 1,699 yuan or roughly $255, and the version with 4GB of RAM, 128GB of internal memory, and Helio X25 processor sells for only 1,999 yuan or around $300.

At those prices, you already get a brushed-metal unibody, a 2.5D curved glass up front, a fingerprint sensor at the bottom of the screen, a USB Type-C port, dual-SIM and VoLTE support, an IR blaster, and Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow-based MIUI 8 OS.

To top it off, you may not have to worry about charging the Redmi Pro often because it boasts a huge, 4,050mAh battery. Fast charging should keep you sane as well.

Xiaomi has not announced any international launch for the Redmi Pro yet. The August 6 availability of the gold and silver models is only for the Chinese market, but we’re pretty sure it will soon be sold in India, the second largest smartphone market after China.

The low-cost Redmi series is Xiaomi’s most successful line of devices. The Chinese company sold more than 110 million Redmi units — or 1.2 units per second — in three years.

With the entry of the Redmi Pro, coupled with Xiaomi’s strategy to use celebrity brand ambassadors and traditional advertising for the first time, that number may probably rise significantly, hopefully enough to take on Chinese rivals Huawei, OPPO, and Vivo, which research firm IDC says beat Xiaomi in terms of global shipment volumes in the first quarter of 2016.

[irp posts=”9920″ name=”Xiaomi Redmi 4 Prime Review”]

Finance

HONOR, Fidesmo partner for contactless payments across Europe, Middle East

Enabling contactless payments on the HONOR Watch 6

Published

September 16, 2026

GadgetMatch

HONOR and Fidesmo have partnered to launch contactless payments across Europe and the Middle East on the HONOR Watch 6.

Powered by Fidesmo Pay, the integration enables users to connect an existing Mastercard or Visa card to their watch and complete contactless transactions directly from the wearable device.

This brings Fidesmo’s network of over 900 banks and financial institutions to HONOR’s customers. Users can connect an existing card to the HONOR Watch 6 instantly through the HONOR Health App, which installs a unique token directly onto the watch.

Acting as a secure reference to the payment method, this token allows customers to pay without storing their actual payment details on the device. Once installed, users can tap the watch at any
contactless terminal to pay, just as they would with a card or phone.

HONOR joins a group of device partners that already includes Swatch, Polar, and Mondaine as Fidesmo continues to build momentum across categories.

Entertainment

Max vs 100 will feature Max Verstappen race against 100 go-karters

The live event will stream at midnight on September 17.

Published

September 15, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

As a child, one of my favorite thought experiments is to imagine who would win in a fight between my favorite characters at the time and a number of other random beings. For example, will Superman prevail against 100 Magnetos? Those are the ways I kept my young mind occupied. Now, as a former child, I still do the same thing but with more realistic people, like imagining if Steph Curry can win against 100 high schoolers. This week, ESPN and Disney+ are making one of those imaginary fights real: Formula 1 legend Max Verstappen versus 100 go-karters.

In an upcoming live event streaming exclusively on Disney+, Max vs 100 will pit the four-time world champion against 100 go-karters from everywhere in pop culture. This gaggle of 100 will include popular content creators such as Twitch streamer ExtraEmily, car photographer Larry Chen, and NBA shooting coach Chris Matthews.

All 101 drivers will race around one of the most iconic tracks in Formula 1 history, Silverstone in England. The track will be reconfigured to match the special race.

Of course, this is more than just a parade of go-karts. Max Verstappen will start at the back of the grid, meaning he has to overtake all 100 racers to win. Now, the Dutch driver is no stranger to winning from the back. In 2024, he won the Sao Paulo Grand Prix despite starting from P17 (out of 20 racers). Max vs 100, though familiar for the driver, presents a different challenge. Can he overtake 100 times to win the race?

Max vs 100 will stream live through Disney+ on September 17, 12:00am PHT.

Apps

Apple’s best feature to cure motion sickness is finally on Android

Google copies a good page from Apple’s playbook.

Published

September 15, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

As an Android user, I’ve been jealous of iPhone users for a while now, but it’s not for the reason you might think. See, I’m ridiculously prone to motion sickness when I’m not driving. So, when I discovered that Apple has a software-based cure called Vehicle Motion Cues, I wanted it immediately. Now, Android does have third-party apps that do the same thing, but they’re not as good as a fully native version. Well, those dark, nauseating days are about to come to an end. Android 17 is finally getting a similar tool called Motion assist.

Before that, let’s rewind for a bit. What do these features do? How can they cure motion sickness?

Whenever you open Vehicle Motion Cues or Motion assist, the interface spawns a series of dots on the screen. These dots respond to movement. For example, if the vehicle turns to the left, the dots also go to the left, mimicking the movement. Without cues like this, the stationary nature of the screen clashes with our brain’s perception of movement. The disparity creates that feeling of nausea. Basically, our eyes are desperately trying to focus on the static screen, but our brains are telling us that we should be seeing motion. Having moving dots reorients our brain and places the phone inside our perception of movement.

Now, you can enable the same feature on your Android 17 device through Settings > All services > Motion assist under Personal & device safety. You can also set it so that the feature turns on automatically when the phone detects that you’re in a moving vehicle. Finally, you can also tweak the shape, color, and opacity of these dots.

Android 17’s Motion assist is rolling out now to compatible devices.