realme

One Plus

*photo from revu.com.ph

I am excited about the release of One Plus 8, as the brand has gained Monique's trust.  Her One Plus 7T is a workhorse that has been her constant companion for some time now.  Because my Samsung S7 is starting to give up on me, I'm looking forward to my next phone.  I hear that top line model of the One Plus 8 will function using Android Q or maybe Android 11 on 5G networks, and features several goodies: a Snapdragon chip with 12GB RAM coupled with 512GB memory, 3 cameras of up to 60 megapixel resolution, plus warp-speed charging.  Only question is the price, and from what I have read, local pre-launch prices have already skyrocketed and now are way too high to be reasonable.  Will this upcoming model work out right for me?

SpaceX

*photo from spacex.com

TP Link SIM Router

Pop,Up

It's no longer science fiction.  It's beginning to be a reality.  Italdesign and Airbus have cooperated on the Pop.Up, which combines land travel with air travel.  Seamlessly.  I think I'll get to ride on one during my lifetime.

Internet vs. internet

* photo from brandwatch.com

In this day and age, new words are coined almost daily.  Every kid seems to master the art of short-cutting words, to my utter chagrin.  When I read news feeds, it almost seems like I get unfamiliar terms every week.  Recently, some newspapers started de-capitalizing the word "Internet" and it just doesn't seem right.  The "Internet" should be capitalized since we refer to the global interconnection of computers, as differentiated from an "internet" which denotes a mere interconnection of two or more computers.  However, it seems that linguistic change always follows human nature--why spend more effort when you get the same results in less?  Ah yes, times change, and change happens very fast.

Windows 9

* graphics from softpedia.com

Whatever happened to Windows 9?  My computer keeps prompting me to make a reservation for Windows 10 (launch is supposed to take place at the end of the month).  I use Windows 8.  I think I'm not the only one wondering about this.  I searched the internet for answers, and I understand that Microsoft has decided to skip Windows 9 altogether, to emphasize that Windows 10 is a totally different animal, a step up, so to speak.  Will be it friendly?  Will it be functional?  Will it gain wide acceptance?  Let's wait for what is in store...

Experia Z3

We went to St. Francis Square a couple of weeks ago, and cousin Eddie got himself a gorgeous Experia Z3!  Wonderful phone. Great specs. 5.2" full HD screen. Snapdragon 2.5 GHz Quad-core chip.  Watertight. Kit-Kat 4.4.  20MP camera. 3,100 mAh battery. P32,000 on retail basis.  Whew!

Xiaomi Mi3

Xiaomi recently launched the Mi3, which has the specs of the top-end brands, and is surprisingly merely one-third the price.  Did I read it right--during launch, 100,000 handsets were sold online in just 86 seconds?  Really now, that is just a little over a minute.  Should I get one?

Spotify

After some prodding from Monique, I finally agreed to download Spotify.  On demand music.  Free.  Hahaha, now I'm an addict!

Energizer Lithium

Before the advent of rechargeable lithium batteries, we all had to make do with alkaline AA batteries that would die out fast when used with digital devices.  I remember these would power my first digital camera for only 24 to 30 shots!  The rechargeable nickel-cadmium batteries were a bit better (40-70 shots) but still wouldn't live up to the task.  When Energizer finally came up with the Ultimate Lithium Double A batteries a few years ago, I was very happy--600 shots!  What a feat that was then.  It now seems however, that cameras have been replaced by smart phones, and the age of the Double A batteries are over.  Now that my Canon Powershot camera finally broke down (after taking thousands of photos), I must finally say goodbye to the Lithium Double A batteries that have served me well; I'll probably use them to power the wall clocks for the next decade!

Ai Ai Ai

Vicky and Monique have been engaged in a tug-of-war over Monique's AKG headphones since Vicky's old headphones finally gave out.  We were lucky to find lightweight and comfy Ai Ai Ai headphones, a Danish brand that I heard of only last month.  I was amazed that good sound would come from such a lightweight headphone.  Sound separation was evident, bass came in fine, just enough to thrill without overpowering your ear canal, while high notes would be distinct, but definitely not shrill.  The best thing was that ear fit was tissue soft, and I can imagine Vicky wearing these for the full lengths of her Koreanovelas.  Price goes from P3,500 entry to P15,000 for the higher end models, and you can find them at audio stores in most malls (we got hers at the Glorietta).