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Posts published in “Business”

The latest business news in the Philippines.

Apple announces the 2022 App Store Award Winners

November 30, 2022

Apple just announced this year’s App Store Award winners and looks like games dominated this year’s winners. Apple also announced the winners for apps that have the most Cultural Impact, which are apps that “impacted people’s lives in awesome ways.”

The winning apps are selected selected by Apple’s App Store editorial international teams for their technical innovation, user experience and design, and the impact these apps have had on our lives. You can checkout the complete list below;

2022 App Store Award winners

  • iPhone App of the Year: BeReal
  • iPhone Game of the Year: Apex Legends Mobile
  • iPad App of the Year: GoodNotes 5
  • iPad Game of the Year: Moncage
  • Apple Watch App of the Year: Gentler Streak
  • Apple TV Game of the Year: El Hijo
  • Apple TV App of the Year: ViX
  • Mac App of the Year: MacFamilyTree 10
  • Mac Game of the Year: Inscryption
  • Apple Arcade Game of the Year: Wylde Flowers
  • China Game of the Year: League of Legends Esports Manager

Cultural Impact winners

  • Dot’s Home – Game(Free).
  • How We Feel – emotional wellbeing journal (Free).
  • Inua – Free Game.
  • Locket Widget – Social network and photo sharing (Free).
  • Waterllama – Health & Fitness (Free with in-app purchases).

Source: Apple

How to Pre-Order the iPhone 14 in Saudi Arabia

September 12, 2022

If you are still high on the recent announcement of the new iPhone 14 series, and want to immediately order the device, then you’ve come to the right place.

There are a number of ways you can pre-order the iPhone 14; you can preorder the device thru your carrier or thru a retailer.

These are the leading carrier in Saudi Arabia where you can preorder the latest Apple smartphone;

  • Mobily – orders will be released 16/09/2022 except for iPhone 14 Plus which will be available on October 7th, 2022.
  • STC – you can order via mystc app, which means that you should be a current STC subscriber in order to have an active MY STC account.
  • Virgin Mobile – they offer a limited number of of iPhone 14s for pre-order. You can also pre-register your interest and once iPhone 14 are available they will notify you over SMS.
  • Virgin Mobile – you can pre order thru their mobile app.
  • Zain – Stock is limited, 1 order per customer and the iPhone will be released on 16 September 2022, while the iPhone 14 Plus will be available by 7th of October .

If you want to go and place your pre order thru a retailer, then these are the leading retailers in the Kingdom;

All retailers said that the the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max will be release on September 16, 2022, while iPhone 14 Plus will be available by October 7th.

iPhone 14 & iPhone 14 Plus

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehbmC1irQuY

iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max

Facebook renames its corporate brand to Meta

October 29, 2021

In a video posted on his official Facebook account, Mark Zuckerberg officially announced that the Facebook will change its corporate name to Meta. Meta will now be the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Oculus. Zuckerberg’s announcement was made on the first day of the company’s annual Connect conference.

Here’s a video where Mark Zuckerberg introduce the company’s new name.

The new name will not affect any of Meta’s products or services, since this is more of a corporate restructuring similar to what Google made in 2015 when they changed its corporate name from Google to Alphabet, even though we still associate all of its company and subsidiary to “Google.”

Mark further explained what their vision for metaverse in a 1 hour video;

The change in Facebook’s corporate name was first reported by Alex Heath of The Verge. You can already read Meta’s official statement here.

You can now switch mobile carrier and use the same phone number as Mobile Number Portability takes effect

October 1, 2021

The Mobile Number Portability Act or RA 11202 officially takes effect, last Sept. 30th. In a nutshell, the Mobile Number Portability Act allows mobile users to keep the same mobile number when switching carrier or their subscription from postpaid to prepaid and vice versa, free of charge.

Smart, Globe and even DITO telecom are now accepting “switchers” for those who wants to change network providers and keep their mobile numbers.

According to Telecommunications Connectivity Inc. (TCI), a joint venture company formed by DITO, Globe and Smart, and the implementing arm of Mobile Number Portability Act, the basic requirements at conditions ng MNP o Mobile Number Portability below;

  1. Government issued ID
  2. Unique Subscriber Code (USC)
    • This is a 9-digit code issued by your current network provider to start the porting process
    • This serves as a clearance that your account is free from unpaid fees and balances.
    • This is valid for fifteen (15) days upon date of issue.<\li>
  3. Proof of mobile number ownership.

You can visit the respective FAQ page of the different telecoms below;

SABIC partners with Microsoft to create the first consumer electronic product made with recycled ocean plastic

October 1, 2021

Saudi Basic Industries Corp (SABIC), one of the world’s largest petrochemicals manufacturers, and Microsoft just announced that they will be launching the ‘Microsoft Ocean Plastic Mouse’ – the first consumer product made from recycled ocean plastic. The Microsoft Ocean Plastic Mouse is made from 20% recycled ocean plastic.

According to SABIC;

Ocean plastic is defined as plastic that has been certified by a third party as recovered from any ocean or ocean-feeding waterways or where it washed ashore from these locations. Ocean plastic differs from ocean-bound plastic in that ocean-bound plastic is recovered from ocean-feeding waterways, shorelines, and inland areas within a 50-kilometer radius of the ocean. The two recycled products play complementary roles in helping address the issue of ocean plastic waste.

Microsoft design team initially goal was to create a new plastic resin with 10% ocean plastic, after several rounds of reformulation, SABIC was able to exceed Microosft’s 10% goal and then final product contains 20% recycled ocean plastic by weight in its external casing or “shell.”

SABIC added that “this project has also provided a blueprint to demonstrate to the broader industry sector that recycling and reusing valuable plastic resins that have been recovered from the ocean, ocean – feeding waterways or where they have been washed ashore from these locations, is achievable when value chain partners use their knowledge and expertise and work together.”

SABIC added that “the SABIC-Microsoft collaboration envisions SABIC providing a new XENOY™ resin for Microsoft product use that is comprised of 20% ocean plastic, as part of SABIC’S TRUCIRCLE™ portfolio and services. This new XENOY™ resin with recycled ocean plastic can help reduce plastic waste in the ocean. For example, based on a resin grade comprised of 20% recycled content, for every 1kT of product containing recycled ocean-plastic XENOY™ PC/PET compound, an equivalent of 24 million single-use 0.5liter PET water bottles is removed from the ocean, ocean-feeding waterways, or ocean-adjacent shores.”

Microsoft first unveil the “Microsoft Ocean Plastic Mouse” during their September 2021 Event, which will can be pre-order in selected market for $24.99 or around SAR 94.00.

You can read SABIC’s official announcement here – SABIC AND MICROSOFT COLLABORATE TO CREATE MICROSOFT’S FIRST PRODUCT MADE WITH RECYCLED OCEAN PLASTIC

Apple just release the iOS 15 and iPadOS 15

September 22, 2021

Apple just release the iOS 15 and iPadOS 15, which you can download today. Owners of iPhone 10 and later model will benefit the most, when they update to the iOS 15, as it offers new and enhanced features.

If you are using the iPhone 6s or later model, you can download the new iOS 15, while the iPadOS 15 will be available to users of the following ipads;

  • iPad mini 4 and later
  • iPad Air 2 and later
  • iPad 5th generation and later
  • all iPad Pro models

Owners of iPhone 10 and later model will benefit the most when they update to the iOS 15, as it offers new and enhanced features.

Since iPadOS is just an optimized version of iOS, we can assume that most if not all features of iOS 15 will also be on iPadOS 15.

Here’s a rundown on the new and enhanced features on iOS 15 and iPadOS 15;

  • Enhancements on Facetime calls
  • Focus, which Apple says will help reduce distractions
  • New redesigned Notifications
  • On-device AI like Live Text, Advanced Spotlight Search, and Memories
  • Redesigned Safari browser, where the tab bar will be located at the bottom of the screen, to easily access the tabs and the introduction of Tab Groups that organize the browser tabs.
  • New visuals and navigation features for Maps
  • Redesigned Weather app
  • More Privacy controls
  • and more…

To read more on the new iOS 15, you can go here and here for more on iPadOS 15.

If you have ‘Automatic Updates’ turned on, your device should have updated to the latest iOS or iPadOS, without you doing anything, just in case it did not update, you can go to SEETINGS > GENERAL > SOFTWARE UPDATE, from there you should see the notification regarding the latest iOS or iPadOS, then just tap the DOWNLOAD AND INSTALL to proceed with the update.

iOS 14.8 now available for iPhone 6s and later models

September 22, 2021

Apple just release the iOS 14.8, which is ‘probably’ the last update for iOS 14 before the iOS 15 becomes available.

The iOS 14.8 provides the usual “security updates” and is recommended for users using the following devices;

  • iPhone 6s and later
  • iPad Pro (all models)
  • iPad Air 2 and later
  • iPad 5th generation and later
  • iPad mini 4 and later
  • iPod touch (7th generation)

If you have ‘Automatic Updates’ turned on, your device should have updated without you doing anything but incase it did not update, you can go to SEETINGS > GENERAL > SOFTWARE UPDATE, from there you should see the notification regarding the iOS 14.8 update, then just tap the DOWNLOAD AND INSTALL to update to the latest version of iOS 14.8.

You can find more information on the iOS 14.8 update by going to https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT212807.

iPhone 13 Pro and the iPhone 13 Pro Max with Super Retina XDR with ProMotion now official

September 20, 2021

Apple also announced the iPhone 13 Pro and the iPhone 13 Pro Max. Just like with the non-pro iPhone 13, both the iPhone 13 Pro and the iPhone 13 Pro Max are technically the same phone with just the display, size and battery that differentiate them.

Here are the notable features that is shared by both Pro iPhones; the new tri-12MP camera system, the new Super Retina XDR with ProMotion and 1TB storage option.

The new tri-12MP camera system which is compose of a Wide angle lens, a telephoto lens and an ultra wide lens, all three cameras are powered by the new image signal processor (ISP) in the A15 Bionic.

The 12-MP Wide camera has a larger sensor with 1.9 µm pixels for less noise and faster shutter speeds needed in any lighting conditions. The Wide camera will have a larger ƒ/1.5 aperture which for those low light situations. The Ultra Wide camera features a wider ƒ/1.8 aperture and a new autofocus system, that is 92% better from the previous model for low-light environments. The combination of the new lens design, autofocus and advanced computational photography in iOS 15, will allow you to shoot macro photography, which is the first for iPhone but have been available on Android phones for years. The new lens can capture macro images with a minimum focus distance of 2 centimeters. You can also use slo-mo and time-lapse while on macro mode.

Here are sample macro photos taken using the new 12-MP Ultra Wide camera;

Both the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max will feature the new Super Retina XDR with ProMotion, that supports adaptive refresh rate from 10Hz to 120Hz. For those not familiar with the adaptive refresh rate, the screen automatically adjust the refresh rate depending on the app that is being used, if you are using a game that requires fast refresh rate or just reading the news or email that only requires a low refresh rate.

The new Super Retina XDR display with ProMotion takes advantage of the efficient OLED panel, new display engine of A15 Bionic, faster GPU performance, always-on touch coprocessor, and is custom designed to operate with iOS 15, making gestures, animations, and activities like gameplay feel faster and more responsive.

Other feature of the Pro iPhones, you can say, are the features that are also in the non-pro iPhones 13 and iPhone 13 mini. You can read all about the new iPhones 13 and iPhone 13 mini here.

A 1TB storage model will now be available for the iPhones 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max, which is ideal for users who will use their devices for video capture in 4k.

Both the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max, will be available Sept. 24th, with the following pricing;
iPhone 13 Pro
128 GB: $999.00
256 GB: $1,099.00
512 GB: $1,299.00
1 TB: $1,499.00

iPhone 13 Pro Max
128 GB: $1,099.00
256 GB: $1,199.00
512 GB: $1,399.00
1 TB: $1,599.00

Here are the list of features and specs for iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max;

iPhone 13 Pro iPhone 13 Pro Max
Display 6.1″ Super Retina XDR display with Pro Motion 6.7″ Super Retina XDR display with Pro Motion
Resolution 2532-by-1170-pixel resolution at 460 ppi 2778-by-1287-pixel resolution at 458 ppi
Refresh rate ProMotion technology with adaptive refresh rates up to 120Hz
Max brightness 1000 nits (typical) / 1200 nits (HDR)
Color profile True Tone display, Wide color display (P3)
Processor A15 Bionic chip, with new 6-core CPU with 2 performance and 4 efficiency cores.
Cores New 5-core GPU and new 16-core Neural Engine
Rear Camera Dual 12MP camera system (Telephoto, Wide, and Ultra Wide)
Wide: ƒ/1.5 aperture
Ultra Wide: ƒ/1.8 aperture
Telephoto: ƒ/2.8 aperture
Night mode
Apple ProRAW
Sensor-shift optical image stabilization
3x optical zoom in, 2x optical zoom out; 6x optical zoom range
Digital zoom up to 15x
True Tone flash with Slow Sync
Portrait mode with advanced bokeh and Depth Control
Smart HDR 4 for photos
Photographic Styles
Front camera 12 MP TrueDepth camera
ƒ/2.2 aperture
Retina Flash
Smart HDR 4 for photos
Portrait mode with advanced bokeh and Depth Control
Photographic Styles
up to 4K video recording @60 fps
Cinematic mode for recording videos with shallow depth of field (1080p at 30 fps)
Slo-mo video support for 1080p at 120 fps
Cinematic video stabilization (4K, 1080p, and 720p)
1080p HD video recording at 25 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps
Night mode, Deep Fusion, QuickTake video
Animoji and Memoji
Connectivity GSM/EDGE, UMTS/HSPA+, DC-HSDPA, CDMA EV-DO Rev. A (some models), Gigabit LTE
5G (sub-6 GHz and mmWave)
WiFi 6 (802.11ax) with MIMO, Bluetooth 5.0. Ultra Wideband chip for spatial awareness,
Built-in GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, and BeiDou
VoLTE, NFC with reader mode
Express Cards with power reserve
Wi-Fi calling
SIM Dual SIM (nano-SIM and eSIM), Dual eSIM support
Security Face ID via TrueDepth camera for facial recognition
Sensors LiDAR scanner, Three-axis gyro, Accelerometer, Proximity sensor, Ambient light sensor, Barometer
Storage 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB. 1 TB
Dimension 5.78 inches X 2.82 inches X 0.30 inch 6.33 inches X 3.07 inches X 0.30 inch
Weight 7.19 ounces (204 grams) 8.46 ounces (240 grams)
Battery Built-in rechargeable lithium‑ion battery
MagSafe and Qi wireless charging with supprot for fast charging via 20W adapter or higher
Up to 22 hours video playback Up to 28 ours video playback
Up to 20 hours video playback (streamed) Up to 25 ours video playback (streamed)
Up to 75 hours Audio playback Up to 95 hours Audio playback
Splash, Water, and Dust Resistant Rated IP68 (maximum depth of 6 meters up to 30 minutes) under IEC standard 60529
Interface Lightning connector
Colors Silver, Graphite, Gold, Sierra Blue

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKfgdkcIUxw

Apple introduces iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini with new dual-camera system and A15 Bionic SoC

September 16, 2021

Apple just announced the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini with new dual camera system, Super Retina XDR display and powered by Apple’s newest chip, the A15 Bionic SoC.

The new iPhone 13 will still be using the same design language of the iPhone 12, which is a flat-edged but with narrower notch, which is 20% smaller than the previous model. The iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini is rated IP68 for water resistance for up to maximum depth of 6 meters up to 30 minutes.

The improved Super Retina XDR OLED displays on both iPhones delivers an incredible contrast ratio for true blacks and a 28% increase in max outdoor brightness at 800 nits, with higher peak brightness for HDR photos and videos at 1200 nits, while being more power efficient.

Speaking of power, Apple said that the new iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini will have a larger battery than the previous model and can offer an all-day battery life. The iPhone 13 offers up to 2.5 more hours in a day than iPhone 12, and iPhone 13 mini up to 1.5 hours more in a day than iPhone 12 mini.

The biggest improvement that Apple made with the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini is in its processor, the A15 Bionic, the same processor that you see in the new iPad Mini.

Apple said that the new A15 Bionic, was designed using 5-nanometer technology that packs 15 billion transistors in the chip. It can peform 15.8 trillion operations per second. The A15 Bionic chip features new 6-core CPU with 2 performance and 4 efficiency cores is 50% faster that the fastest competition. The new 4-core GPU offers up to 30% faster than the competition and enables more lifelike visuals and lighting effects in graphics-intensive games.

Just like with previous generation of iPhone, Apple made a lot of advancement with its dual-camera system both in hardware and computational photography. Its new 12MP Wide angle camera with 1.7 µm pixels, the biggest sensor in any iPhone camera, is capable of capturing 47% more light for less noise and brighter images. The custom-designed 12MP Ultra Wide camera with its new sensor captures images with more detail in the dark areas of photos and videos with less noise.

Apple also introduced the new Cinematic mode on iPhone, where its records videos of people, pets, and objects with a beautiful depth effect with automatic focus changes, which means you can always change focus object even while you are recording.

Here’s a short video that Apple released to demonstrate the Cinematic mode feature.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Tl1RL8MRCA

To offer the best connectivity, the new iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini will support 5G and with the iOS 15, Smart Data mode will help you conserve battery life by automatically shifting iPhone to LTE when 5G speeds aren’t needed.

Apple also increase the entry-level storage from 64 GB to 128 GB, which is understandable, specially with its enchanced dual-camera system that can capture HDR photos and video with a resolution of up to 4K at 60 fps, which requires a lot of diskspace.

If you look at both device more closely, the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini are technically same device. Both are powered by Apple-designed A15 Bionic SoC, the same Dual 12MP camera system, supports 5G connection and supports fast charging. Both the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini will also be using the same screen, the Super Retina XDR display.

The only difference between the two is the size and the screen resolution, which appears to be relative to the size of the device.

You can now order the new iPhones and will be available by September 24th. You can find the pricing for the new iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini below;

iPhone 13

  • 128 GB: $799.00
  • 256 GB: $899.00
  • 512 GB: $1,099.00

iPhone 13 Mini

  • 128 GB: $699.00
  • 256 GB: $799.00
  • 512 GB: $999.00

Here are the list of features and specs for iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini;

iPhone 13 iPhone 13 Mini
Display 6.1″ Super Retina XDR display 5.4″ Super Retina XDR display
Resolution 2532-by-1170-pixel resolution at 460 ppi 2340-by-1080-pixel resolution at 476 ppi
Max brightness 800 nits (typical) / 1200 nits (HDR)
Color profile True Tone display, Wide color display (P3)
Processor A15 Bionic chip, with new 6-core CPU with 2 performance and 4 efficiency cores.
Cores New 4-core GPU and new 16-core Neural Engine
Rear Camera Dual 12MP camera system (Wide and Ultra Wide)
Wide: ƒ/1.6 aperture
Ultra Wide: ƒ/2.4 aperture
Night mode
Sensor-shift optical image stabilization
2x optical zoom out and up to 5x digital zoom
True Tone flash with Slow Sync
Portrait mode with advanced bokeh and Depth Control
Smart HDR 4 for photos
Photographic Styles
Front camera 12 MP TrueDepth camera
ƒ/2.2 aperture
Retina Flash
Smart HDR 4 for photos
Photographic Styles
up to 4K video recording @60 fps
Cinematic video stabilization (up to 4K)
Slo-mo video support for 1080p at 120 fps
Night mode, Deep Fusion, QuickTake video
Animoji and Memoji
Connectivity GSM/EDGE, UMTS/HSPA+, DC-HSDPA, CDMA EV-DO Rev. A (some models), Gigabit LTE, 5G (sub-6 GHz and mmWave)
WiFi 6 (802.11ax) with MIMO, Bluetooth 5.0. Ultra Wideband chip for spatial awareness,
Built-in GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, and BeiDou
VoLTE, NFC with reader mode
Express Cards with power reserve
Wi-Fi calling
SIM Dual SIM (nano-SIM and eSIM), Dual eSIM support
Security Face ID via TrueDepth camera for facial recognition
Sensors Three-axis gyro, Accelerometer, Proximity sensor, Ambient light sensor, Barometer
Storage 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB
Dimension 5.78 inches X 2.82 inches X 0.30 inch 5.18 inches X 2.53 inches X 0.30 inch
Weight 6.14 ounces (174 grams) 4.97 ounces (141 grams)
Battery Built-in rechargeable lithium‑ion battery
MagSafe and Qi wireless charging with supprot for fast charging via 20W adapter or higher
Up to 19 hours video playback Up to 17 hours video playback
Rated IP68 (maximum depth of 6 meters up to 30 minutes) under IEC standard 60529
Interface Lightning connector
Colors Starlight, Midnight, Blue, Pink, Product RED

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m43rh-pI0P0

Apple announces the Apple Watch Series 7 with more screen area and thinner borders

September 15, 2021

Apple just announced the Apple Watch Series 7, which at first look will be no different from the previous generation Apple Watch. There may be new aluminum case colors but the case itself is virtually the same as the one used in Series 6.

The biggest changes that Apple made with the Apple Watch Series 7 is with the screen. Apple Watch Series 7 is available in 41mm and 45mm sizes, it offers Always-On Retina display is up to 70 percent brighter indoors than that of Apple Watch Series 6.

The screen of the new Apple Watch Series 7 provides 20% more screen area and is virtually edge-to-edge with thinner borders at just 1.7 mm. It has a more rounded corners, and the display has a unique refractive edge that makes full-screen watch faces and apps appear to seamlessly connect with the curvature of the case.

Apple also made the front crystal of the Watch more durable and more crack-resistant, it’s first Apple Watch to have an IP6X certification for resistance to dust, and still maintains a WR50 water resistance rating.

With its bigger screen, the Apple Watch Series 7 offers two additional larger font sizes, and a new QWERTY keyboard that you can tapped or swiped with QuickPath — allowing users to slide a finger to type — and utilizes on-device machine learning to anticipate the next word based on the context.

As for the battery, the new Apple Watch Series 7 will have an all-day 18-hour battery life on a full charge and it will be 33% faster charging compared with Apple Watch Series 6.

Just like with the Series 6, the new Apple Watch Series 7 is geared towards health and wellness, so it offers features like electrical heart sensor and ECG app, and a Blood Oxygen sensor and app.

Apple Watch Series 7 will be powered by the new watchOS 8, which will have additional watch faces designed specially for the larger display on Series 7. The new Contour face takes the dial right to the edge of the display and fluidly animates throughout the day, emphasizing the current hour. The new Modular Duo face leverages the extra screen area with two large, data-rich center complications.

The Apple Watch Series 7 will available in five new case colors; midnight, starlight, green, and a new blue and (PRODUCT)RED, it will also be backward compatible with previously released Apple Watch bands.

The new Apple Watch Series 7 will be available this fall and price starts at $399.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMdQ-gWBNZE

Apple announces the new iPad and new iPad mini

September 15, 2021

Apple just announced the new iPad (9th generation) and the new iPad mini (6th generation). The announcement was made at the Apple “California Streaming” event which livestream a recorded video presentation.

The 9th Generation Ipad


The new iPad looks similar to the previous model, that still have the Touch ID home button and powered by Apple’s A13 Bionic chip. It has a 10.2″ Retina display with 2160 X 1620 resolution at 264 ppi and 500 nits.

The new iPad will be powered by A13 Bionic chip, a 64-bit ARM-based system on a chip (SoC) that was used in the iPhone 11, 11 Pro/Pro Max and the 2nd generation iPhone SE.

The rear camera will feature a 8MP Wide angle camera with ƒ/2.4 aperture and a 5x digital zoom with HDR for Photos. The front camera on the other hand will be a 12MP Ultra Wide camera with ƒ/2.4 aperture and 2x zoom out. It will also feature Retina Flash, HDR for Photos and Center Stage, a camera feature that keeps focus on the subject and first introduced to the iPad Pro.

The new iPad will be compatible to the first generation Apple Pencil and Smart keyboard for more productivity. The price for the new iPad starts at $329 and will be available on September 24th.

Here is the complete price list for the new iPad (9th generation);
Wifi model
64 GG – $329.00
256 GB- $479.00

Wi-Fi + Cellular
64 GB – $459.00
256 GB – $609.00

The 6th Generation Ipad mini


Together with the new iPad, Apple also announced a new and redesigned iPad mini, which uses the new A15 Bionic chip, that has 6-core CPU that provides an additional 40% in performance, and the 5-core GPU that boost the graphics performance to 80%.

Unlike the new iPad, the new iPad mini will support 5G connectivity that reach the speeds of up to 3.5Gbps in ideal conditions. Both the front and rear cameras of the new iPad mini will be a 12MP Wide angle camera, a ƒ/1.8 aperture for the rear camera and ƒ/2.4 aperture front camera. Both cameras supports Smart HDR 3 for photos.

iPad mini now features a USB-C port for up to 5Gbps data transfer and will support existing ecosystem of USB-C accessories, including cameras and external storage and displays up to 4K.

The biggest changes that Apple made with the new iPad Mini is the design, it now has a flat and cornered edges similar to the iPad Pro and iPad air. Its 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display with narrow borders and the Touch ID was mode to the top button of iPad mini.

The new iPad mini is compatible with the 2nd-Gen Apple Pencil and will be in four colors; Space Gray, Pink, Purple and Starlight. The price starts at $499.00 and will be available on Sept. 24th.

Here is the complete price list for the new iPad mini (6th generation);
Wifi
64 GB – $499.00
256 GB – $649.00

Wi-Fi + Cellular
64 GB – $649.00
256 GB – $799.00

Specs of the new iPad and new iPad mini;

iPad iPad mini
Display 10.2″ Retina display 8.3″ Liquid Retina display
Resolution 2160-by-1620 resolution @264 ppi 2266‑by‑1488 resolution @326 ppi
Max brightness 500 nits 500 nits
Color profile sRGB Wide color display (P3)
Processor A13 Bionic chip A15 Bionic chip
Interface Lightning USB-C
Connectivity Wi‑Fi (802.11a/b/g/n/ac); 2.4GHz and 5GHz; speeds up to 866 Mbps Wi‑Fi 6 (802.11a/b/g/n/​​ac/ax); 2.4GHz and 5GHz; simultaneous dual band; speeds up to 1.2 Gbps
MIMO, Bluetooth 4.2 MIMO, Bluetooth 5.0
Wifi + Cellular 4G LTE 5G (sub-6 GHz)
UMTS/HSPA/​HSPA+/​DC‑HSDPA UMTS/HSPA/​HSPA+/​DC‑HSDPA
Built-in GPS/GNSS Gigabit LTE (up to 32 bands)
Data Only Built-in GPS/GNSS
Wifi calling Data Only
Wifi calling
SIM Nano SIM, eSIM Nano SIM, eSIM
Accessories 1st Gen Apple Pencil 2nd-Gen Apple Pencil
Smart keyboard Bluetooth keyboard
Storage 64 GB, 256 GB 64 GB, 256 GB
Rear Camera 8MP Wide camera, ƒ/2.4 aperture, Digital zoom up to 5x, HDR for Photos 12MP Wide camera, ƒ/1.8 aperture, Digital zoom up to 5x, Quad-LED True Tone flash, Smart HDR 3 for photos
Front camera 12MP Ultra Wide camera, ƒ/2.4 aperture, 2x zoom out, Center stage, Retina Flash, HDR for Photos. 12MP Ultra Wide camera, ƒ/2.4 aperture, 2x zoom out, Center stage, Retina Flash,
Smart HDR 3 for photos
Dimension 9.8 inch x 6.8 inch x 0.29 inch 7.69 inch x 5.3 inch x 0.25 inch
Weight 1.07 pounds (487 grams) 0.65 punds (293 grams)
Battery Up to 10 hours of surfing web on Wifi or watching video Up to 10 hours of surfing web on Wifi or watching video
Up to 9 hours of surfing web on cellular data Up to 9 hours of surfing web on cellular data
Audio Two speaker audio Two speaker audio landscape mode
Security Touch ID built into the Home button Touch ID built into the top or power  button
Sensors Three-axis gyro, Accelerometer, Ambient light sensor, Barometer Three-axis gyro, Accelerometer, Ambient light sensor, Barometer

Apple to hold an event on Sept 14th and calling it “California streaming”

September 8, 2021

Apple’s next event will take place on September 14th, at 10 a.m. PDT, and they are calling it “California streaming.” The event, just like the past “shows” and because of the threat of COVID-19, will be a pre-recorded broadcast from Apple Park.

Apple usually announce the next iPhone for their fall event, for 2021, it is expected to be called the iPhone 13. The upcoming iPhone 13 is reported to follow the same design language of iPhone but with a much higher refresh-rate with smaller notch and plenty of camera enhancements. Displays with higher refresh-rate have been available on a number of Android phones, most notably those gaming phones.

It’s hard to know what are the hidden messages that Apple puts into their invites but this AR Apple logo Easter egg that they included in the event site is a good indication that Apple may be announcing a new AR or mixed reality device, or may be an AR/mixed reality feature on the new iPhones.

If you want to see the AR Apple logo, using any iOS device, go to the Apple event site, then tap on the event Apple logo, after that the glowing AR Apple event logo will render within your surroundings.

Aside from the AR features, high refresh rate and better cameras, other enhancement that Apple is reported to be including in the new iPhone are; SharePlay, astrophotography mode, satellite link and an always on lock screen.

Apple may also be announcing other products like the next Apple Watch, a new entry-level AirPods and may be by a longshot, a Macbook Pros that’s powered by Apple-designed chips and an SD card slot. I guess we just have to wait and see.

DICT to launch the sixth Philippine Startup Challenge 2021 this September

September 5, 2021

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) is set to launch the sixth (6th) Philippine Startup Challenge 2021 (PSC 2021) this September.

The event is an annual startup competition started in 2016 which aims to encourage and support Filipinos to create innovative and relevant ICT products and services that may develop into viable business ventures and potentially solve social problems.

“Through this initiative, we hope to promote the entrepreneurial spirit among Filipinos that will surely help our country advance in the global digital economy,” DICT Secretary Gregorio “Gringo” B. Honasan II said.
As part of the Republic Act No. 11337 or the “Innovative Startup Act” which was enacted last 26 April 2019, the Philippine Startup Challenge seeks to aid in strengthening, promoting, and developing the Philippine Startup Ecosystem.

The event also aims to bring together experts in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) from across the country to help establish a network of innovators, foster a culture of entrepreneurship in ICT, and discover the endless opportunities catering to vigorously advance science, technology, and innovation.

This year, the competition will be open for submission of entries that cover software and internet-based innovations and will cater to all startups in the ideation to minimum viable product stage.

Ms. Emmy Lou V. Delfin, Director IV of the ICT Industry Development Bureau (IIDB), encourages Filipino professionals and students to participate in the startup competition.

“We are taking the Philippine Startup Challenge 2021 to the next level as we include another category for Filipino professionals in the competition. Hopefully, with our Bureau’s initiatives, we can support Filipino professionals and students further so they can continue to improve their startup ideas,” Director Delfin said.

The Philippine Startup Challenge will be divided into two (2) categories for professionals and students, with a maximum of four (4) members per team. For the entire duration of the competition, the DICT together with its partner organizations and ICT councils, will be guiding and mentoring the winners in preparation for the next rounds.

This nationwide competition will start from regional pitching competitions where three (3) regional winners will be assessed and chosen by the Regional Selection Committee. Regional winners will then advance to the Semifinal Round, where the top ten (10) teams shall move on to the national competition. The Finals for the professional category is set on the third week of November, with the five (5) winners to receive funding proposals.
The PSC 2021 is to be held in partnership with Philippine Software Industry Association (PSIA), Ignite, QBO, StartUp Village, Spring Valley, Huawei, and Microsoft, among others.

For more information on the sixth (6th) Philippine Startup Challenge 2021, please visit https://dict.gov.ph/philippine-startup-challenge-2021.

Source: @DICTgovph

Rewatch the WWDC21 Apple Keynote

June 8, 2021

If you missed the live stream of the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference 2021 (WWDC21), Apple Keynote, I embedded the whole video above.

True to the name of the event, Apple showcase the changes that they made and what’s coming to the iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, tvOS, macOS, AirPods, Siri and Privacy, and how developers and users can benefit from these changes.

Sadly, no new hardware was discuss even though there were rumors that Apple is working on a new M1-powered Macbook Pro and a new augmented reality (AR) headset.

If the video above is too long for you, you can watch this compressed version by MacRumors.com.

LG to close its Smartphone Business Unit, promises OS updates for 3 years

April 8, 2021

LG just announced the South Korean tech giant will close its mobile business unit, which was approved by its boar of directors (BoD).

In their official announcement, LG made the decision to exit the smartphone business because it’s been an “incredibly competitive mobile phone sector” and that it “will enable the company to focus resources in growth areas such as electric vehicle components, connected devices, smart homes, robotics, artificial intelligence and business-to-business solutions, as well as platforms and services.”

LG is expected to complete its “exit” the smartphone business by July 31st.

In a follow-up announcement, LG will support “all premium LG smartphones currently in use will receive up to three iterations of Android operating system updates from the year of purchase.” which means that all LG premium phones released in 2019 and later (G series, V series, VELVET, Wing) while certain 2020 models such as LG Stylo and K series will receive two OS updates.

The company will still manufacture smartphone phones through the second quarter to meet contractual obligations to carriers and partners.

Salesforce to acquire Slack for $27.7 billion

December 2, 2020
Salesforce to acquire Slack for $27.7 billion

Salesforce, provider of cloud-based CRM, is acquiring Slack for $27.7 billion. The combined company of Salesforce and Slack will be able to better compete with Microsoft, Oracle and other companies in the cloud enterprise space.

In a press release, “Under the terms of the agreement, Slack shareholders will receive $26.79 in cash and 0.0776 shares of Salesforce common stock for each Slack share, representing an enterprise value of approximately $27.7 billion based on the closing price of Salesforce’s common stock on November 30, 2020.”

“Stewart and his team have built one of the most beloved platforms in enterprise software history, with an incredible ecosystem around it,” said Marc Benioff, Chair and CEO, Salesforce. “This is a match made in heaven. Together, Salesforce and Slack will shape the future of enterprise software and transform the way everyone works in the all-digital, work-from-anywhere world. I’m thrilled to welcome Slack to the Salesforce Ohana once the transaction closes.”

“Salesforce started the cloud revolution, and two decades later, we are still tapping into all the possibilities it offers to transform the way we work. The opportunity we see together is massive,” said Stewart Butterfield, Slack CEO and Co-Founder. “As software plays a more and more critical role in the performance of every organization, we share a vision of reduced complexity, increased power and flexibility, and ultimately a greater degree of alignment and organizational agility. Personally, I believe this is the most strategic combination in the history of software, and I can’t wait to get going.”

You can read the full text of Salesforce press release here.

You can now pre-order the new Macbook Air, 13-inch Macbook Pro and Mac mini with M1 chip in Saudi Arabia

November 18, 2020

If you’re in Saudi Arabia, you can now preorder the new Macbook Air, 13-inch Macbook Pro and Mac mini with M1 chip. To be more specific, you can preorder the new Macs powered with the M1 chips at Extra. The announcement was made via the social media account of the retail store.

Here are the pricing below;

Macbook Air;
8GB RAM + 256GB SSD storage: SAR 4,899.00
8GB RAM + 512GB SSD storage: SAR 6,199.00


13-inch Macbook Pro;
8GB RAM + 256GB SSD storage: SAR 6,299.00


Mac Mini;
8GB RAM + 256GB SSD storage: SAR 3,499.00
8GB RAM + 512GB SSD storage: SAR 4,499.00

The new Macbook Air, 13-inch Macbook Pro and Mac mini with M1 chip was first announced last week and from the reviews that are already out, it looks these new Macs with are great for first time Mac buyer and may be be so good if you are a professional and already have an established work flow.

Here’s the price of the new Macbook Air, Mac Mini and 13-inch Macbook Pro with the M1 chip in the Philippines

November 14, 2020

Apple just release the Philippine pricing of the new Macbook Air, Mac Mini and 13-inch Macbook Pro with the M1 chip.

MacBook Air;
8GB RAM with 256GB SSD – ₱54,990.00
8GB RAM with 512GB SSD – ₱68,990.00

13-inch Macbook Pro;
8GB RAM with 256GB SSD – ₱71,990.00
8GB RAM with 512GB SSD – ₱83,990.00

Mac mini;
8GB RAM with 256GB SSD – ₱37,990.00
8GB RAM with 512GB SSD – ₱49,990.00

*Display, keyboard and mouse are not included.

Since you can configure to have a bigger RAM and storage for all 3 Macs, the price will also increase. No word as to when the new Macbook Air, Mac Mini and 13-inch Macbook Pro with the M1 chip will be available in the Philippines.

You can rewatch Apple’s “One More Thing” event here

November 13, 2020

Apple has officially announced the custom ARM-based chip the Apple Silicon M1 chip and the three (3) computing devices; new MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Pro, and Mac mini, that will be powered by the M1 chip.

If you missed the event but have 50 mins to spare, you can rewatch the whole event from the embedded video below;

Watch the special Apple Event and learn about the next generation of Mac. Now with the Apple M1 chip, the new MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Pro, and Mac mini each take a huge leap forward.

00:00 Introduction
04:39 Apple Silicon
14:00 macOS Big Sur
22:45 MacBook Air
29:50 Mac Mini
35:06 MacBook Pro

‘Fly Away’ by Tones and I http://apple.co/FlyAway
‘Take Back The Power’ by Raury http://apple.co/TakeBackThePower
‘Music To Clean The House To’ by Nick Leng http://apple.co/MusicToCleanTheHouseTo
‘Playing Your Game, Baby’ by Barry White http://apple.co/PlayingYourGameBaby
‘Ya Ya Power’ by KingupingU http://apple.co/YaYaPower
‘Bring The Drums Back’ by Noisy http://apple.co/BringTheDrumsBack
‘Wave’ by Whethan http://apple.co/Wave
‘Back It Up’ by Alison Wonderland X AWE http://apple.co/BackItUp
‘Show Me How’ by Beacon
‘Alright With Me’ by Memba & Ricky James http://apple.co/AlrightWithMe

Apple introduces the new MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Pro, and Mac mini powered by the M1 chip

November 13, 2020

Apple has officially unveil the new MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Pro, and Mac mini powered by the M1 chip.

Design-wise the new MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Pro, and Mac mini looks very similar to the previous models and most of the upgrade made by Apple is under the hood, specifically by switching from Intel to their very own M1 Chip.

With the new M1 Chip with the new Mac OS Big Sur, the MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Pro, and Mac mini all perform significantly better than the previous generations.

  • up 3.5x faster CPU
  • up to 6x faster GPU
  • up to 15x faster machine learning (ML) capabilities
  • up to 2x longer battery life
Mac mini

Mac mini;
The base model of the Mac mini will retail for $699, that includes 8GB unified RAM and 256GB SSD storage, with different assortment of ports, including HDMI 2, two Thunderbold/USB 4, 2x USB-A, an Ethernet and a 3.5 mm headphone jack, that can support two displays including Apple’s Pro Display XDR in full 6K resolution. It supports Wifi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0, it also has a built-in speaker. You can checkout the full specs here.

Macbook Air with M1 Chip

Macbook Air;
The Macbook Air still sports that wedge-shape design and similar dimension as the previous model. One brave change that Apple made with the Macbook Air is that they remove the fan, which means it’ll be very very quiet no matter how hard your Macbook Air is working.

The Macbook Air will retail starting at $999.00, and the starting model will have 256GB SSD of storage and 8GB RAM, both are configurable if you require more RAM and more storage. It also supports Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, and Touch ID. It also have two (2) Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports for charging, and DisplayPort, and a 3mm headphone jack. If you want to know more about the specs of the new Macbook Air with M1 chip, you can go here.

13-inch Macbook Pro with M1 Chip

13-inch Macbook Pro;
This was a surprise from Apple, since I did not expect Apple to switch any of their Macbook Pro to the new Apple Silicon M1 chip. I was expecting the iMac instead of the Pro, the iMac is the desktop equivalent of the Macbook Air.

Just like with the Macbook Air, the 13-inch Macbook Pro will have the same design as the previous generation. It will still have the Touch-bar and Touch ID. Compare to the Macbook Air with M1 chip, the 13-inch Macbook Pro will feature an active cooling system for that intensive computing needs.

Even though both the 13-inch Macbook Pro and the Macbook Air looks similar, Apple said that the new 13-inch Macbook Pro will be;

  • up to 2.8x faster in Xcode
  • up to 5.9x faster in rendering complex 3D title in Final Cut Pro.
  • up to 3.5x faster when designing game in Unity Editor.
  • up to 11x faster in machine learning (ML) tasks in Create ML.
  • Separate out beats, instrumentals, and vocal tracks from a recording in real time in djay Pro AI, thanks to the amazing performance of the Neural Engine.
  • Play back full-quality, 8K ProRes video in DaVinci Resolve without dropping a single frame.
  • Compile four times as much code on a single charge

Speaking of charging and battery, the 13-inch Macbook Pro with M1 chip have a 58.2-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery that provides up to 17 hours of wireless web browsing and up to a staggering 20 hours of video playback.

It has studio-quality mics for recordings and calls and even though it uses the same 720p web cam with M1’s image signal processor (ISP) it offer better images, with noise reduction, greater dynamic range and improved white balance video calls. It also offer better security with the Secure Enclave in M1 and Touch ID.

The new 13-inch Macbook Pro have two (2) Thunderbolt ports with USB 4 support for connecting more peripherals and native support for Apple’s Pro Display XDR in full 6K resolution. You can checkout the full specs of the 13-inch Macbook Pro with M1 chip here.

The base model for the new 13-inch Macbook Pro with M1 chip will retail for $1,299 and it will have 8GB RAM and 256GB storage, which of course can be configure up to 16GB of RAM and 2TB of (SSD) storage.

Apple officially announce the M1, their first ARM-based Processor

November 12, 2020

In an event held last Tuesday, November 10th, Apple has officially announce the M1 chip, an ARM-based SoC that will power their laptops, desktops and other future products.

The M1 chip is a 5nm processor, similar to the A14 Bionic CPU that Apple uses in the latest iPhones and the A14 chips for Ipad Air. Apple also use an earlier version of the M1 chip, that A12Z Bionic SoC that’s inside the Developer Transition Kit (DTK) that was offered to developers during this year’s WWDC.

Here’s what Apple said about the M1 Chip;

It features the world’s fastest CPU core in low-power silicon, the world’s best CPU performance per watt, the world’s fastest integrated graphics in a personal computer, and breakthrough machine learning performance with the Apple Neural Engine. As a result, M1 delivers up to 3.5x faster CPU performance, up to 6x faster GPU performance, and up to 15x faster machine learning, all while enabling battery life up to 2x longer than previous-generation Macs. With its profound increase in performance and efficiency, M1 delivers the biggest leap ever for the Mac.

The M1 chip also include these technology that are previously available to iOS users;

  • Apple’s latest image signal processor (ISP) for higher quality video with better noise reduction, greater dynamic range, and improved auto white balance.
  • The latest Secure Enclave for best-in-class security.
  • A high-performance storage controller with AES encryption hardware for faster and more secure SSD performance.
  • Low-power, highly efficient media encode and decode engines for great performance and extended battery life.
  • An Apple-designed Thunderbolt controller with support for USB 4, transfer speeds up to 40Gbps, and compatibility with more peripherals than ever.

The new M1 chip will power the new Macbook Air, Macbook Pro and Mac Mini, and this is the first step to their two years transition to shift most if not all of their products to the new Apple Silicon Soc.

These are the official pricing of iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max in the Philippines

November 7, 2020

Apple has officially publish the Philippine pricing of their latest iPhone 12; iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max in the Philippines.

iPhone 12 mini:

  • 64GB – PHP 43,990
  • 128GB – PHP 46,990
  • 256GB – PHP 52,990

iPhone 12:

  • 64GB – PHP 49,990
  • 128GB – PHP 52,990
  • 256GB – PHP 58,990

iPhone 12 Pro:

  • 128GB – PHP 62,990
  • 256GB – PHP 68,990
  • 512GB – PHP 80,990

iPhone 12 Pro Max:

  • 128GB – PHP 68,990
  • 256GB – PHP 74,990
  • 512GB – PHP 86,990

Even though the pricing is available when you visit the Apple Philippines Store website, you still cannot place and order and local availability is yet to be announce.

Apple announces “One more thing” event on November 10

November 3, 2020
Apple announces “One more thing” event on November 10

Apple announce their event this November 10, which they’re calling “One More Thing”, a phrase that was popularize by former CEO Steve Jobs — in keynotes for major product announcements.

Apple is expected to officially announce the first Macs powered by Apple Silicon and the launching of macOS 11 Big Sur, which the company announced last June 22, 2020 at this years WWDC. As well as other products like new iPod Air and Air tags, as well as new programs that will come to the Apple TV+.

The event will be stream online via Apple.com and its social media channels, it will be held at the Apple Park on November 10th, at 10:00 AM, PST.

Sony finalizing deal to acquire Crunchyroll for $957 million

November 2, 2020

Sony is in the final stage of negotiation to acquire anime-streaming service Crunchyroll for more than 100 billion yen ($957 million). The deal once approve will combine Funimation and Crunchyroll properties to offer animes around the world.

Here’s the full report from Nikkei Asia;

TOKYO — Sony has entered into final negotiations to acquire U.S. anime-streaming service Crunchyroll, Nikkei learned on Friday, a deal that could catapult the Japanese icon into a global battle with the likes of Netflix.

Sony could end up spending more than 100 billion yen ($957 million) on the U.S. streamer, gaining its 70 million members around the world.

Sony has its own popular anime like “Kimetsu no Yaiba” (“Demon Slayer”), but has been licensing it to streaming services. Sony’s Aniplex, the studio behind “Kimetsu no Yaiba,” has a variety of content, including movies and music, that is mainly distributed by overseas companies.

If the acquisition is realized, global competition for content among companies like Netflix and Hulu will intensify.

Crunchyroll was founded in 2006 and has its headquarters in San Francisco. In 2018, AT&T, the U.S. telecommunications giant, became its parent company.

Sony recently obtained the exclusive right to negotiate for Crunchyroll.

After acquiring Funimation, an anime distributor, in 2017, Sony gained 1 million paying subscribers, mainly in the U.S., but came up against obstacles expanding this customer base.

Crunchyroll has 70 million free members and 3 million paying subscribers in more than 200 countries and regions, including the U.S. and Europe.

Crunchyroll would also give Sony more than 1,000 titles that it can use to vary its offerings.

Sony’s total operating income from games, music and movies is forecast to reach $4.79 billion for the fiscal year ending March, accounting for 60% of the group total.

The company once known for Trinitron TVs and Walkman personal stereos has grown into an entertainment colossus that plans to strengthen this side of its business by building on Crunchyroll’s membership base.

With the coronavirus convincing people around the world to entertain themselves at home, demand for video distribution services is swelling and competition for popular content is intensifying. Netflix, the largest streamer, is forming alliances with animation studios, while Disney last year took its popular library and began its own streaming service.

According to The Association of Japanese Animations, the global anime market in 2018 was worth about $21 billion, 1.5 times that of five years earlier. The overseas market accounts for nearly half of total demand.

Grab partners with Marriott International to offer “Premium” Hospitality service in Southeast Asia

October 29, 2020

Grab announces its partnership with Marriott International that will allow both parties to offer what they’re calling “Premium” hospitality service in six Southeast Asian countries; Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Thailand.

The hospitality services will include multiple verticals including food delivery, advertising, loyalty and rewards, payment and transport services.

Here’s a full text of the announcement;

SINGAPORE, 29 October 2020 – Grab, Southeast Asia’s leading super app and Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR), today announced a wide-ranging strategic partnership that will see both companies integrating their offerings to bring the premium hospitality experience into the hands of millions of consumers in Southeast Asia. This is Marriott International’s first extensive integration with a super app platform in Southeast Asia, and Grab’s most comprehensive agreement with a hospitality group to date.

Under the terms of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), Marriott International will integrate into Grab’s platform in phases across food delivery, payment, transport, loyalty and rewards, as well as advertising. Marriott International will have access to Grab’s sizable customer base via GrabFood, GrabPay, and GrabAds, enabling them to serve a growing pool of customers who are increasingly transacting online.

GrabFood will feature approximately 600 restaurants and bars from Marriott International’s portfolio in six different Southeast Asian markets. In addition, customers will be able to conveniently pay for their dining experiences through GrabPay at selected Marriott International hotels. Customers will earn GrabRewards points for all transactions on the Grab platform, which can be converted to Marriott Bonvoy points (and vice versa). Marriott Bonvoy is the award-winning travel program of Marriott International that encompasses the company’s global portfolio of 30 hotel brands and premium home rental offering, Homes and Villas by Marriott International. Once in place, Grab customers will be able to redeem their converted points for exclusive member benefits at over 7,400 hotels and resorts in 135 countries and territories.

Through this partnership, Marriott International and Grab seek to digitally enhance the premium hospitality experience by making it more accessible, relevant and rewarding for their customers in the new normal.

“Marriott International is constantly looking for ways to innovate and bring value to travelers and Marriott Bonvoy members as part of our partnership strategy,” said Rajeev Menon, President, Asia Pacific (excluding China), Marriott International. “Our collaboration with Grab is one way we are designing a more seamless travel experience by leveraging the expertise of a super app in the region.”

Russell Cohen, Group Managing Director – Operations, Grab said: “We are excited to partner with a world-renowned hospitality group like Marriott International that is at the forefront of delivering customer-first hospitality experiences. The breadth of our collaboration reflects our value as a platform of choice in supporting global brands on their digitalisation journey in the new normal, and in particular represents a milestone for our fast-growing GrabAds business.”

Grab and Marriott International’s initiatives to bring customer experiences to a new level include:

  • GrabFood: Starting from November, customers will progressively be able to enjoy food delivery from approximately 600 different Food and Beverage (F&B) outlets across Marriott International hotels in six of Grab’s operating markets, which will be made available on the GrabFood platform in phases. This offers Grab customers access to a wide variety of premium dining options that they can enjoy from the comfort of their homes.
  • GrabPay: Piloting in Q1 2021 first in Singapore, travellers will be able to make cashless payments through GrabPay at participating Marriott International hotels. F&B outlets that accept GrabPay can soon also access Grab’s Merchant Discovery feature to notify guests in the vicinity of participating hotels about ongoing promotions and events. This will help businesses increase sales, grow customer loyalty and drive more foot traffic to physical outlets.
  • GrabAds: Grab and Marriott International will jointly create impactful marketing campaigns that are relevant and personalised to customers. With GrabAds’ solutions, Marriott International can connect with customers in a targeted way through audience data, integrate marketing communications across touchpoints, and track campaign performance in real-time.
  • GrabRewards: Grab and Marriott will link their respective loyalty programmes to offer expanded benefits to Marriott Bonvoy and GrabRewards members. Starting in Q1 2021, Grab customers and Marriott Bonvoy members will be able to enjoy two-way points transfer. This will allow consumers to convert GrabRewards points to Marriott Bonvoy points and vice versa, enjoying flexibility and benefits on GrabRewards, Southeast Asia’s largest rewards platform by users, with nearly 800 merchants.

Both companies will also launch more loyalty initiatives in the coming months, including dining rewards at Marriott’s F&B outlets. 

The strategic partnership will begin in Singapore in November 2020, with Marriott International and Grab to roll out more products and services across Southeast Asia in multiple phases.

Apple announced iPhone 12 smartphone line

October 16, 2020
Apple announced iPhone 12 smartphone line

Last Tuesday, Apple officially their next flagship smartphone line, the iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max. The iPhone 12 line features a new squared-edges design, similar to the iPhone 5 and iPhone 4. All the iPhone 12 models supports 5G (sub-6 GHz and mmWave) and basically have the same screen, sans their size.

Apple also brought back the MagSafe as a charging solution for the new iPhones. Here’s what Apple said about the new MagSafe Charging Solution;

Charging solutions include the MagSafe Charger and MagSafe Duo Charger for use with iPhone and Apple Watch, as well as new silicone, leather, and clear cases that easily snap onto the back of iPhone, and a leather wallet. Customers can also expect innovative MagSafe accessories from third-party manufacturers.


iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12

Both the iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 are basically the same phone except for their size. The iPhone 12 Mini is a 5.4-inch smartphone while the iPhone 12 measures at 6.1-inch.

The display of the iPhone 12 mini is 5.4‑inch (diagonal) all‑screen OLED display
2340‑by‑1080-pixel resolution at 476 ppi, while the iPhone 12 is a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display with 2532 x 1170 resolution at 460ppi.

Both display features;

  • HDR display
  • True Tone
  • Wide color (P3)
  • Haptic Touch
  • 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio
  • 625 nits max brightness (typical); 1200 nits max brightness (HDR)

Here are the specs that both phone shares;

  • Ceramic Shield by Corning (4x better drop performance)
  • Apple A14 Bionic (5nm)
  • 64GB, 128GB, 256GB internal storage
  • Dual-rear cameras:
    • 12MP Ultra Wide: ƒ/2.4 aperture and 120° field of view
    • 12MP Wide: ƒ/1.6 aperture
  • 2x optical zoom out, 5x Digital zoom, Smart HDR 3, HDR Video, Night Mode, Night Mode Time-lapse, HDR video recording, HEIF raw file support
  • 12MP front camera with ƒ/2.2 aperture
  • 5G (sub-6 GHz and mmWave), 4G LTE, 3G, GSM/EDGE
  • Smart Data Mode (auto switches between 5G and LTE)
  • WiFi 6 (802.11ax) with 2×2 MIMO
  • Bluetooth 5.0
  • GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, and BeiDou
  • NFC, FaceID
  • MagSafe
  • Lightning port
  • IP68 Water and dust resistance
  • Wireless charging (MagSafe 15W, Qi 7.5W)
  • iOS 14
  • Black, White, Product Red, Green, Blue

Preorder for both the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini will start this October 16th and will ship on October 23rd, with the following pricing;

iPhone 12;

  • 64 GB – $829.00 (SAR 3,109.67)
  • 128 GB – $879.00 (SAR 3,297.22)
  • 256 GB – $979.00 (SAR 3672.33)

iPhone 12 mini;

  • 64 GB – $729.00 (SAR 2734.56)
  • 128 GB – $779.00 (SAR 2922.11)
  • 256 GB – $879.00 (SAR 3297.22)

iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max

The iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max have all the specs of the iPhone 12 and to differentiate these two “Pro” phones are it’s camera module, LiDAR Scanner, starting storage capacity and colors.

iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max will also differ in size, the iPhone 12 Pro is a 6.1‑inch smartphone, same as the iPhone 12, while the iPhone 12 Pro Max will measure at 6.7‑inch, which is already bordering phablet size.

Both the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max will feature a triple-camera configuration, the two cameras will be the one used in iPhone 12 with the addition of another 12-MP Telephoto camera with ƒ/2.0 aperture for iPhone 12 Pro and a ƒ/2.2 aperture for iPhone 12 Pro Max. Apple also included a LiDAR Scanner for augmented reality (AR) and better focusing.

The starting storage for the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max have been increased from the standard 64GB to 128GB. As for the colors, instead of 5 colors, both the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max will be available in 4 colors; Silver, Graphite, Gold and Pacific Blue.

Preorder for both the iPhone 12 Pro will start this October 16th and will be in stores on October 23rd, while the iPhone 12 Pro Max will available for pre-order on November 6th and will be available on a week later, November 13th.

Here are the pricing for both the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max;

iPhone 12 Pro;

  • 128 GB – $999.00 (SAR 3,747.21)
  • 256 GB – $1,099.00 (SAR 4,122.30)
  • 512 GB – $1,299.00 (SAR 4,872.49)

iPhone 12 Pro Max;

  • 128 GB – $1,099.00 (SAR 4,122.30)
  • 256 GB – $1,199.00 (SAR 4,497.40)
  • 512 GB – $1,399.00 (SAR 5,247.59)

MagSafe charging solution

October 16, 2020

Another new feature that Apple included in the new iPhone 12 lineup is that they brought back MagSafe, which is a new wireless charging solution that will support current Qi chargers. It offers high-powered wireless charging and an all-new ecosystem of accessories that easily attach to iPhone.

Charging solutions include the MagSafe Charger and MagSafe Duo Charger for use with iPhone and Apple Watch, as well as new silicone, leather, and clear cases that easily snap onto the back of iPhone, and a leather wallet. Customers can also expect innovative MagSafe accessories from third-party manufacturers.

Microsoft’s Project Natick

September 15, 2020

An interesting experiment by Microsoft, wherein they drop an entire data center (864 servers) to the bottom (117 feet deep) of the Scottish sea, aways from human’s physical interaction and away from the daily elements.

Earlier this summer, marine specialists reeled up a shipping container-size datacenter coated in algae, barnacles, and sea anemones from the seafloor off Scotland’s Orkney Islands. The retrieval of the Northern Isles datacenter launched the final phase of Project Natick, a years-long research effort that proved the concept of underwater datacenters is feasible as well as logistically, environmentally, and economically practical.

Souq is now Amazon.Sa

June 20, 2020

If you’re a user of Souq, you probably received an email from Amazon that “Souq is now Amazon.sa,” which of course have been a long time coming, since Amazon completed its acquisition of Souq in March 2017 for $580 million in cash.