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Posts published in “News & Current Events”

Tupperware files for bankruptcy as its colorful containers lose relevance  

Rappler;

Tupperware Brands Corp. and some of its subsidiaries filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Tuesday, September 17, giving in to dwindling demand for its once-iconic food storage containers and mounting financial losses.

The company’s struggles resumed after a short-lived pandemic boost, when increased home cooking briefly drove demand for its colorful, airtight plastic containers. A post-pandemic jump in costs of raw materials such as plastic resin, as well as labor and freight, further dented Tupperware margins.

I can still remember those all those sales agents that goes to our house trying to sell us different sets of Tupperware.

You can read the official statement from Tupperware here.

NagaTech announces NAGATECH LAKAN, the company’s first gaming laptop  

Cristina Joy Valerio, writing for Yugatech;

The NagaTech LAKAN features a 15.3-inch QHD+ IPS display with 240Hz refresh rate and 2560 x 1440 resolution. It comes with either a Ryzen 7 8845HS or a Ryzen 9 8945HS processor with two GPU options: either the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 or the RTX 4070.

For storage, it has either a 16GB or 32GB RAM that is configurable up to 64GB while having a 512GB SSD storage that can be upgradable. Windows 11 Home or Pro comes in the laptop.
The NagaTech LAKAN has a starting price of PHP 69,995.

This is the official announcement as posted on NagaTech’s official Facebook page;

Introducing: The NAGATECH LAKAN.
Our first step towards gaming and high performance laptops.
Quick Specs:
QHD+ 2560x1440p 240hz 15.3″ IPS Display
Ryzen 7 8845HS / Ryzen 9 8945HS
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 8GB / RTX 4070 8GB
512GB SSD / Upgradable
16 / 32GB DDR5 5600mhz RAM / Up to 64GB
1080p IR Camera + Per-Key RGB Backlit Keyboard
Windows 11 Home / Pro
1-Year full coverage local warranty (parts + labor) + 7 day returns
Starting price: PHP 69,995 (4060/Ryzen7/512/16)

NagaTech, is a Philippine-based laptop maker. The company said that units for their laptops “are arriving end of Sept/start of Oct for local techies to give in-depth reviews.” and they plan to sell “online (directly through our Website) and Shopee this December.”

Last August, the company announced NAGA SIPAG, a high-performance productivity laptop with the following specs;

Intel Core Ultra 5
512GB PCIe Gen 4 SSD
16GB DDR5 RAM
14” 2880x1800p 120hz 100% sRGB Display
100w PD Charger + 1080p Webcam

Maya to let Grab users loan up to P30k  

Benise Balaoing, writing for ABS-CBN News;

Maya is partnering with Grab to give users of the ride-hailing and food delivery app access to loans up to P30,000.
….
Aside from this, Grab users can now use Maya Easy Credit to top up their Maya Wallet and easily pay for Grab rides or food deliveries.

It’s interesting that Grab is partnering with Maya to offer loans to its users, even though Grab a offers similar finance service/features called Grab Pay, and it competes with Maya in some markets.

NNIC takes over NAIA, hits the ground running  

San Miguel Corp;

The New NAIA Infra Corp. (NNIC) has officially taken over management and operation of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and with it, the task of modernizing the 76-year-old gateway.

NNIC, the consortium that includes San Miguel Corporation (SMC) and Incheon International Airport Corporation, has committed to spend P170 billion to execute its phased but ambitious plan to elevate NAIA to world-class standards. This includes plans to increase passenger capacity from 43 million to 62 million annually and air traffic movements from 42 to 48 per hour.

The government stands to gain about P1 trillion in revenues from the PPP project over the 25-year concession period. This includes the 82.16-percent revenue share to be remitted to the government yearly.

Travelers can expect business as usual, with flights, check-ins, and other services proceeding as normal. The plans for NAIA’s modernization, including terminal reassignments and infrastructure upgrades, will be implemented gradually and strategically in the coming months and years.

NNIC has assured the public that the transition will be seamless, with no disruptions to airport operations.

The things that SMC listed for the Immediate Improvements are things that are supposedly being done by the previous management.

Filipinos can now ride self-driving bus in Clark for free  

Kris Crismundo, writing for PNA;

The country’s first autonomous bus powered by Japanese technology is now plying around New Clark City, Clark Freeport Zone, and Clark International Airport, and commuters can ride the self-driving vehicle free of charge for now.

In a statement Tuesday, the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) said Zenmov, Inc. and MC Metro Transport Operation, Inc. launched its smart autonomous bus service in New Clark City on Sept. 10.

Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) posted this announcement on their official Facebook Page;

SNEAK PEEK: Former #BCDA Chairman Delfin Lorenzana tests the Philippines’ first publicly accessible, self-driving bus in New Clark City, Tarlac.

Being implemented by Japan-based Zenmov and its local partner MC Metro Transport, the autonomous bus service utilizes a transportation cloud system called Smart Mobility Operation Cloud (SMOC), which helps maximize operational availability while keeping the number of vehicles at a minimum.

Japan’s national research and development agency, New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), had appointed Zenmov to implement the smart mobility demonstration program to be conducted until June 2025.

Clark Development Corporation launches its own Bus Transportation System  

ClarkDevelopmentCorp, posted on its official FB page;

Getting in and around Clark, now more convenient with Clark Loop!

Clark Development Corporation is excited to announce the launching of its very own bus transportation system, featuring a cashless payment system ready to take you around Clark starting September 17.

Taylor Swift endorses Kamala Harris in the coming US President Election  

Taylor Swift, as posted on her IG account:

I will be casting my vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in the 2024 Presidential Election. I’m voting for @kamalaharris because she fights for the rights and causes I believe need a warrior to champion them. I think she is a steady-handed, gifted leader and I believe we can accomplish so much more in this country if we are led by calm and not chaos. I was so heartened and impressed by her selection of running mate @timwalz, who has been standing up for LGBTQ+ rights, IVF, and a woman’s right to her own body for decades.

Considering Taylor Swift massive popularity, this is a very big endorsement for VP Kamala Harris and her party. It also great that Taylor Swift mentioned the reason why she is voting for Kamala, which is a great question to ask those who are voting for Trump.

I’ve done my research, and I’ve made my choice. Your research is all yours to do, and the choice is yours to make. I also want to say, especially to first time voters: Remember that in order to vote, you have to be registered! I also find it’s much easier to vote early. I’ll link where to register and find early voting dates and info in my story.

With love and hope,

Taylor Swift
Childless Cat Lady

She reminded her fans to register in order to place their vote and count. The “do your own research..” appears to be directed to her fans who are partial to Trump but are still 50/50 on who to vote for.

Swift’s endorsement come right after the Presidential Debate, where Kamala Harris appears to have gotten the upper hand.

Anthony Zurcher, writing for BBC;

If debates are won and lost on which candidate best takes advantage of issues where they are strong – and defends or deflects on areas of weakness – Tuesday night tilted in favour of the vice-president.

PhilHealth to abolish single confinement policy by end of September  

Kaycee Valmonte, writing for Rappler;

The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) will soon scrap its single confinement policy.

PhilHealth President Emmanuel Ledesma Jr. told a Senate panel on Tuesday, September 10, that they are committed to making the changes needed “before month-end.”

This is great news to all PhilHealth members.

This means that if a patient was confined due to diarrhea in September and had PhilHealth cover the expenses, the patient has to shoulder the fees if another bout of diarrhea strikes again in October.

Some patients were supposedly told to lie in order to have their hospital bills covered by the state insurer. A mother named Elena Abilar, through a video presented to the Senate panel, recounted her experience with the single confinement rule when her son had pneumonia and had to be hospitalized twice.

PhilHealth did not need to create the “Single confinement policy” in the first place.

Price of AirPods 4 and AirPods Max in Saudi Arabia  

Pricing

  • AirPods Max – SAR 2,399.00
  • AirPods 4 – SAR 599.00
  • AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation – SAR 829.00

AirPods 4 and AirPods Max is now available for pre-order starting today and will be available in stores beginning Friday, September 20th.

Apple iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, and 16 Pro Max price in United Arab Emirates  

All 4 iPhones will be will available for pre-order this Friday, September 13, with availability beginning Friday, September 20.

iPhone 16;

  • 128GB – AED 3,399.00
  • 256GB – AED 3,799.00
  • 512GB – AED 4,649.00

iPhone 16 Plus;

  • 128GB – AED 3,799.00
  • 256GB – AED 4,199.00
  • 512GB – AED 5,049.00

iPhone 16 Pro;

  • 128GB – AED 4,299.00
  • 256GB – AED 4,699.00
  • 512GB – AED 5,549.00
  • 1TB – AED 63,99.00

iPhone 16 Pro Max;

  • 256GB – AED 5,099.00
  • 512GB – AED 5,949.00
  • 1TB – AED 6,799.00

Balay Dako, a supposedly pet-friendly restaurant turns away customer with Aspin  

Balay Dako, a purported “pet-friendly” restaurant, is in hot waters after what appears to be a discrimination on the staff’s part for turning away customers with Aspin, a local breed of dogs in the Philippines. a.k.a. Askal.

Ms. Lara L. Antonio posted a 1000 words post on her Facebook account regarding her encounter with the Balay Dako staff and how she and her companion where turned away because of her dog ‘Yoda’ is not a “shit tzus, labradors…” or a “golden retriever”.

Here’s a snippet of her.. now viral post;

We’ve eaten at Balay Dako before – we know it’s pet-friendly. Yoda has, in fact, been here before as well so we went there assuming everything’s okay. We get to the front of house and she hands me a paper with pet guidelines. It basically says small-medium sized dogs only and big dogs are not alllowed. It also says that dogs must be in a diaper, can’t be smelly, etc. and they will be turned away. I see “diaper” and I instantly think oh no we didn’t bring a diaper. So Mon asks the front of house, and she says it’s okay. There are diapers we can buy inside. She sees Yoda and Ari and nothing is amiss (for now).

Yoda, Ari and I are standing in front of the FOH, waiting to be seated and waiting for Mon to come out with the diapers when someone in black – staff – sees Yoda, goes inside, goes back out and then whispers something to the front of house.

Suddenly, FOH tells me that Yoda isn’t allowed inside. I ask “why”, she says “up to medium sized dogs only”. And I said huh? At this point, we’ve been standing in front of they door for over 10 minutes na, people going in and out greeting Yoda and Ari and she didn’t say anything to me. Tapos biglang she says ah bawal na yung isang dog. So I say, “she’s medium sized. We’ve been here before and no issues naman” and then !!! She said “ano pong breed niya?”

According to her Facebook profile, Ms. Lara L. Antonio is the Marketing Manager of Riot Games in the Philippines, Co-founder of Scene PH and a full-time fur-mom. It looks like those at Balay Dako, messed with the wrong fur-mom.

As of posting, Ms. Antonio’s post has more than 127K reactions and has been shared more than 61K times.

UAE amnesty: 2,000 Filipinos apply in first week, group seeks expanded financial aid  

Michelle Abad, writing for Rappler;

As of Saturday, September 7, the Philippine embassy in Abu Dhabi and the consulate general in Dubai said they have assisted at least 2,053 Filipinos looking to avail of the amnesty. The program, which began on September 1 and will end on October 30, seeks to help visa or residency violators legally stay in the UAE, or return to the Philippines without legal repercussions.

Here the the official announcement of Philippine Embassy in UAE;

Simula nang ilunsad ang Programang Amnestiya ng UAE noong ika-1 ng Setyembre, ang Pasuguan ng Pilipinas sa Abu Dhabi at ang Konsuladong Pangkalahatan ng Pilipinas sa Dubai ay nagbigay tulong sa kabuuang bilang na 2,053 Pilipinong nagnanais makinabang mula sa programa ng UAE na nag-aalis ng mga multa sa overstaying at absconding. Ang programang ito ay nagbibigay-daan sa mga nais magpatuloy sa kanilang pagtatrabaho sa UAE o bumalik sa Pilipinas nang walang legal na kaparusahan.

Isang malaking bilang ng mga aplikante sa Pasuguan at Konsulado ang nagpa-renew o nag-apply ng kapalit ng kanilang nawawalang pasaporte bilang unang hakbang upang ayusin ang kanilang pananatili sa UAE. Ang ilan, na matagal nang nahiwalay sa kanilang pamilya, ay nag-apply ng travel document upang makakuha ng mga exit pass at humingi ng tulong sa repatriation mula sa Migrant Workers Office (MWO) at OWWA. Bukod dito, may ilang pamilya ang humingi ng tulong sa pagkuha ng mga dokumento para sa kanilang mga menor-de-edad na anak upang maayos ang kanilang immigration status. Ang Programang Amnestiya ngayong taon ay nagbibigay ng pag-asa sa mga pamilyang Pilipino, partikular sa mga bata, na makikinabang rin sa pagkakataong ito.

For OFW who wants to apply for the UAE amnesty, you can follow the UAE Amnesty Program Guidelines released by the Philippine embassy in Abu Dhabi.

Breaking – Police capture Apollo Quiboloy  

Herbie Gomez, writing for Rappler;

Police finally captured fugitive doomsday preacher Apollo Quiboloy ending a grueling manhunt inside the vast Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) property in Davao City.

Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos announced in a Facebook post on Sunday, September 8, the arrest of 74-year-old Quiboloy’s who deems himself as the “appointed son of God” and “owner of the universe.”

After a 4-month hunt and 2,000 police later, Apollo Quiboloy is now in the police custody. BBC “In 2021, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) charged Mr Quiboloy with sex trafficking of children, fraud and coercion and bulk cash smuggling.”

Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos Jr. also posted on his facebook account “NAHULI NA PO SI APOLLO QUIBOLOY.”

OCD: 15 dead due to Enteng  

ANNA FELICIA BAJO, writing for GMA Integrated News;

The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) on Wednesday said 15 people were reported dead due to the impact of Severe Tropical Storm Enteng.

This was disclosed by OCD Director of Operations Service Cesar Idio during a situation briefing presided over by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. in Camp Aguinaldo.

Meanwhile, 15 were wounded and 21 are still missing, Idio said.

This is just sad.. specially if you know that there are things that our Government can do to prevent this from happening.

Alice Guo arrested in Jakarta, Indonesia  

Benjamin Pulta, writing for Philippine News Agency;

The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Wednesday confirmed the arrest of former Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo, also known as Guo Hua Ping, in Tangerang City, Jakarta, Indonesia.

In a statement, the DOJ said Guo was apprehended at 11:58 p.m. on Sept. 3, according to Senior Superintendent Audie Latuheru of the Indonesian Police.

The first question that they need to ask her is “Why did she try to run away/escape?” This stunt just makes her look guilty.

You can now preorder HONOR Magic V3 in Saudi Arabia

Ahead of its official launch this Sept 5th, you can now preorder the HONOR Magic V3 from Jarir and at Extra.

HONOR Magic V3 (12GB + 512GB) will retail for SAR 6,899 or around ₱104k.

Here are the specs of the HONOR Magic V3;

  • Display: 7.92 inches (inner)/ 6.43 inches (outer) OLED, 2344×2156 Pixels (inner)/ 2376×1060 Pixels (outer), 1.07 billion colors, DCI-P3 wide color gamut
  • Processor: Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Octa-core
  • GPU: Adreno 750
  • RAM:12GB
  • Storage: 512GB
  • OS: MagicOS 8.0.1 (Based on Android 14)
  • Rear Camera:
  • 40MP Ultra Wide Camera (f/2.2)
  • 50MP Wide Camera (f/1.6, OIS)
  • 50MP Telephoto Lens Camera (f/3.0, OIS)
  • Front Camera:
  • 20MP Wide Camera (f/2.2) (Interior screen)
  • 20MP Wide Camera (f/2.2) (Exterior screen)
  • Battery: 5150mAh Lithium polymer battery with HONOR 66W SuperCharge Charger and support for 50W Wireless HONOR SuperCharge
  • Cellular Network: 5G/4G+/4G/3G/2G
  • Dual SIM Support for nano SIM and eSim each
  • Connectivity and Location: Wifi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax/be (2.4GHz and 5GHz), Bluetooth 5.3, IR Remote Control, GPS(L1+L5) /AGPS/GLONASS/BeiDou(B1I+B1C+B2a)/Galileo(E1 + E5a) /QZSS (L1 + L5)
  • Sensors: Gravity Sensor, Infrared Sensor, Fingerprint Sensor, Gyroscope, Compass, Hall sensor, Barometer sensor, Color temperature sensor, NFC, Ambient Light Sensor, Proximity Sensor
  • Water and Dust Resistance: IPX8
  • Dimensions HxWxD: 156.6 mm x 74.0 mm (fodled)/145.3 mm (unfolded) x 9.2 mm (folded)/4.35mm (unfolded)
  • Weight: 226g (Black) / 230 g (Others)
  • Colors: Reddish Brown, Green and Black

House budget hearing: Sara Duterte’s DepEd accused of ‘rigged bidding’ for laptops  

Dwight de Leon, writing for Rappler;

House lawmakers moved on Monday, September 2, to compel the Department of Education to release all bidding documents in relation to the DepEd Computerization Program in 2022 and 2023, when Vice President Sara Duterte was still head of the agency.

Play VideoHouse budget hearing: Sara Duterte’s DepEd accused of ‘rigged bidding’ for laptops
Batangas 2nd District Representative Gerville “Jinky” Luistro introduced a motion to issue a subpoena duces tecum to DepEd, which the appropriations committee approved without objections.

Sara Duterte-led DepEd built only 192 of 6,300 target classrooms in 2023 – COA  

Bonz Magsambol writing for Rappler;

A Commission on Audit (COA) report showed that the Department of Education (DepEd), under the leadership of Vice President Sara Duterte in 2023, was able to build only 192, or just 3%, of the 6,379 target classrooms.

“Only 192 (3.01 percent) out 6,379 classrooms were completed/constructed in CY 2023 due to realignments because of modifications in the projects’ design. A total of 4,391 classrooms are still under construction, and 550 are yet to undergo various stages of procurement,” the COA report said.

Welp!

United States, Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom and Japan express their concern and support to the Philippines regarding Chinese Coast Guard “deliberately” ramming the BRP Teresa Magbanua

Australia

New Zealand

United States

Japan

UK Ambassador Laure Beaufils

DepEd’s P5.69-B feeding program: Undelivered milk, expired nutribuns in 2023  

Rappler.com;

MANILA, Philippines – The P5.69 billion School Based Feeding Program (SBFP) of the Department of Education (DepEd) was spoiled by the non-delivery of milk and the serving of stale, even pest-infested, bread in 2023.

State auditors identified at least 21 school divisions in 10 regions where one or all of the following were found:

  • Nutribuns with molds or insects
  • Rotten food
  • Unhygienic packaging
  • Food with doubtful dates of manufacturing and expiry
  • Non-delivery or delayed delivery of food items and pasteurized milk

The findings were for 2023, the first and last full fiscal year that the DepEd was under secretary and Vice President Sara Duterte, although the SBFP has been running for many years.

The SBFP is a program that provides nutritious food to undernourished students in public elementary schools. The food items that children are served include hot meals, bread, fruits, eggs, sweet potato, and pasteurized milk.

That’s ₱5.69 Billions… not millions… down the drain.

Update – Changing KabayanDaily again!

This may be a mistake, since I will be changing the website again!

Actually, I’m just reverting the website back to my original plan for the website, a web aggregator and a place where you can get a snapshot of all the news in the Philippines and around the world. If you’re a longtime visitor of the site, the early version of the site is similar to Techmeme where I just link to articles of that are interesting and informative.

Anyway, I will be going back to my original plan for the website and you may see the changes happening in the coming days. Also, in order to make the site lightweight and fast, will make an effort to publish an article with less to no images at all but will make sure that I link back to my source.

Of course, I’m always open for comments and suggestion, specially if it will greatly improve the site’s glorious purpose.

Photos: Miss Universe Philippines 2024 Chelsea Manalo in Filipiniana dress for a photoshoot inspired by Fernando Amorsolo’s Painting

Miss Universe Philippines 2024 Chelsea Manalo posed for a photoshoot inspired by Fernando Amorsolo’s painting, “Dalagang Bukid”.

Here are the details of the photoshoot;

DALAGANG BUKID
@manalochelsea
Photography & Creative Direction| Seven Barretto @sevenbarretto
Art Direction & Production Design | @erwnbotin of @botinstudios
Crown & Earrings | @jewelmer
Styling | @parisroxas
Fashion | @saintjacobcasem
Makeup | @carissacielomedved
Hair | @jan.edrosolan
Photography team | @claudevillahrmsa @darielmiraflor @studio7manila
Special thanks to: @jonasempire.ph @paolojarevalo @mau_s_deleon @eljohnmendoza @gemorpilla @themissuniverseph

More photos from the source link below.

Source: @Seven Barretto

Xiaomi Redmi Pad SE 8.7 Wifi and 4G now in Saudi Arabia

Xiaomi Saudi Arabia has announced that the Xiaomi Redmi Pad SE 8.7 Wifi and 4G is now available in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The two new tablets was officially announced earlier this week. Both the Xiaomi Redmi Pad SE 8.7 Wifi and 4G have identical specs except for the Wifi and 4G capabilities.

In a nutshell, the Xiaomi Redmi Pad SE 8.7 is a mid-level tablet that’s perfect for first time tablet buyers and looking for the perfect balance of performance and entertainment. Here are the pricing for the two tablets from Jarir;

Redmi Pad SE 8.7 (Wifi)

  • 6GB + 128GB – SAR 549.00

Redmi Pad SE 8.7 4G

  • 6GB + 128GB – SAR 599.00

You can checkout the specs comparison for the Xiaomi Redmi Pad SE 8.7 Wifi and 4G;

Redmi Pad SE 8.7 Redmi Pad SE 8.7 4G
Display 8.7″ LCD, 1340×800 resolution, 5:3 aspect ratio, up to 90Hz refresh rate, up to 600 nits (Outdoor) brightness, 84.41% screen-to-body ratio. 8.7″ LCD, 1340×800 resolution, 5:3 aspect ratio, up to 90Hz refresh rate, up to 600 nits (Outdoor) brightness, 84.41% screen-to-body ratio.
Processor MediaTek Helio G8512nm process, octa-core Arm Cortex-A75 @ 2.0GHz/ Arm Cortex-A55 @ 1.8GHz MediaTek Helio G8512nm process, octa-core Arm Cortex-A75 @ 2.0GHz/ Arm Cortex-A55 @ 1.8GHz
GPU Arm Mali-G52 MC2 Arm Mali-G52 MC2
Storage 64GB, 128 GB EMMC 5.1, expandable up to 2TB via microSD 64GB, 128 GB EMMC 5.1, expandable up to 2TB via microSD
RAM 4GB, 6GB 4GB, 6GB
OS Xiaomi HyperOS, Android U Xiaomi HyperOS, Android U
Rear camera 8MP (wide), f/2.0 aperture , 1.12μm pixel size, up to 1080P 1920×1080 30fps video recording 8MP (wide), f/2.0 aperture , 1.12μm pixel size, up to 1080P 1920×1080 30fps video recording
Front camera 5MP (wide), f/2.2 aperture , 1.12μm pixel size, up to 1080P 1920×1080 30fps video recording 5MP (wide), f/2.2 aperture , 1.12μm pixel size, up to 1080P 1920×1080 30fps video recording
Audio 1 mic, dual speakers, Dolby Atmos® supported, 3.5mm headphone jack 1 mic, dual speakers, Dolby Atmos® supported, 3.5mm headphone jack
Network & Connectivity Wi-Fi5 dual-band (802.11a/b/g/n/ac), Bluetooth 5.3, FM band Dual SIM + microSD, 2G (GSM)/3G (WCDMA)/4G LTE (FDD/TDD), Wi-Fi5 dual-band (802.11a/b/g/n/ac), Bluetooth 5.3, FM band
Sensors Accelerometer, Electronic compass, Hall sensor, IR blaster, Virtual proximity sensor, Virtual light sensor Accelerometer, Electronic compass, Hall sensor, IR blaster, Virtual proximity sensor, Virtual light sensor
Dimensions (HxWxT) 211.58mm x 125.48mm x 8.8 mm 211.58mm x 125.48mm x 8.8 mm
Weight 373 gm 375 gm
Battery 6650mAh battery supports 18W fast charging (USB Type-C) 6650mAh battery supports 18W fast charging (USB Type-C)
Colors Graphite Gray, Aurora Green, Sky Blue Graphite Gray, Aurora Green, Sky Blue

Google officially announce the Pixel 9 Smartphone Series

At their annual “Made by Google” event, the search giant officially unveiled the Pixel 9 Series – the latest iteration of their Pixel smartphones. The Google Pixel 9 Series consists of the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, and Pixel 9 Pro XL. Spec-wise, all three phones are the same except for differences in size, battery size, RAM, and camera configurations.

Design-wsie, all three phones looks a lot like the iPhone 15, while on its back, the first think that you will notice is the huge camera bump. The front of all three Google Pixel 9 will covered by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 and Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 polished back with satin metal frame for the Pixel 9, while the Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL will have a Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 silky matte back with polished metal frame.

All three phones feature OLED displays with the same refresh rate of up to 120Hz, HDR support, and full 24-bit depth for 16 million colors. That said, the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro have the same 6.3-inch Actua display, the Pixel 9 Pro has the Super Actua display, while the Pixel 9 Pro XL boasts a larger 6.8-inch Super Actua display. The Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro share a 4700 mAh battery, whereas the Pixel 9 Pro XL utilizes a larger 5060 mAh Li-Ion battery. Google claims that all three phones can achieve up to 100 hours of battery life with Extreme Battery Saver mode enabled.

Both the Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL come with 16 GB of RAM, while the Pixel 9 has a slightly smaller 12 GB RAM. Similar to the RAM, the Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL share the same triple rear camera configuration: a 50 MP Octa PD wide camera, a 48 MP Quad PD ultrawide camera with autofocus, and a 48 MP Quad PD telephoto camera. In contrast, the Pixel 9 features a dual rear camera setup with a 50 MP Octa PD wide camera and a 48 MP Quad PD ultrawide camera with autofocus.

The Pixel 9 Pro series also supports 8K video recording at 30 FPS, while the Pixel 9 is limited to 4K video recording at up to 60 FPS. The same trend continues with the front camera, as the Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL offer a 42 MP Dual PD selfie camera with autofocus (ƒ/2.2 aperture), while the Pixel 9 has a 10.5 MP Dual PD selfie camera with autofocus (ƒ/2.2 aperture).

On the software front, all three phones run Android 14 and incorporate Google AI features like Pixel Studio (image generator), Gemini Live, and Pixel Screenshots, an exclusive app for Pixel 9 that aids in saving, organizing, and recalling important information. Additionally, the phones feature an improved Weather app and Satellite SOS.

Google Pixel 9

  • Display: 6.3-inch Actua display, 1080 x 2424 OLED at 422 PPI, 20: 9 aspect ratio, Smooth Display (60-120Hz), HDR support, Full 24-bit depth for 16 million colors
  • Finish and protection: “Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 cover glass, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 polished back with satin metal frame, Fingerprint-resistant coating, IP68 dust and water resistance
  • CPU: Google Tensor G4 with Titan M2 security coprocessor
  • GPU: Mali-G715 MC7
  • RAM: 12 GB
  • Storage: 125GB/ 256GB
  • OS : Android 14
  • Rear Camera: 50 MP Octa PD wide camera, ƒ/1.68 aperture, 82° field of view13
  • : 48 MP Quad PD ultrawide camera with autofocus, ƒ/1.7 aperture, 123° field of view13
  • Front Camera: 10.5 MP Dual PD selfie camera with autofocus, ƒ/2.2 aperture, 95° ultrawide field of view
  • Audio : Stereo speakers, 3 microphones, Noise suppression, Spatial audio
  • Battery: 4700 mAh Li-Ion battery with up to 100-hour battery life with Extreme Battery Saver, Fast charging and wireless charging
  • Dimension (H x W x D): 6 inch x 2.8 inches x 0.3 inch
  • Colors: Peony, Wintergreen, Porcelain, Obsidian

Google Pixel 9 Pro

  • Display: 6.3-inch Super Actua display (LTPO), 1280 x 2856 LTPO OLED at 495 PPI, 20: 9 aspect ratio, Smooth Display (1-120Hz), HDR support, Full 24-bit depth for 16 million colors
  • Finish and protection: Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 cover glass, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 silky matte back with polished metal frame, Fingerprint-resistant coating, IP68 dust and water resistance
  • CPU: Google Tensor G4 with Titan M2 security coprocessor
  • GPU: Mali-G715 MC7
  • RAM: 16 GB
  • Storage: 128 GB/ 256GB/ 512GB/ 1TB
  • OS : Android 14
  • Rear Camera: 50 MP Octa PD wide camera, ƒ/1.68 aperture, 82° field of view13
  • : 48 MP Quad PD ultrawide camera with autofocus, ƒ/1.7 aperture, 123° field of view13
  • : 48 MP Quad PD telephoto camera, ƒ/2.8 aperture, 22° field of view, 5x optical zoom
  • Front Camera: 42 MP Dual PD selfie camera with autofocus, ƒ/2.2 aperture, 103° ultrawide field of view
  • Audio : Stereo speakers, 3 microphones, Noise suppression, Spatial audio
  • Battery: 4700 mAh Li-Ion battery with up to 100-hour battery life with Extreme Battery Saver, Fast charging and wireless charging
  • Dimension (H x W x D): 6 inch x 2.8 inches x 0.3 inch
  • Colors: Porcelain, Rose Quartz, Hazel, Obsidian

Google Pixel 9 Pro XL

  • Display: 6.8-inch Super Actua display (LTPO), 1344 x 2992 LTPO OLED at 486 PPI, 20: 9 aspect ratio, Smooth Display (1-120Hz), HDR support, Full 24-bit depth for 16 million colors
  • Finish and protection: Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 cover glass, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 silky matte back with polished metal frame, Fingerprint-resistant coating, IP68 dust and water resistance
  • CPU: Google Tensor G4 with Titan M2 security coprocessor
  • GPU: Mali-G715 MC7
  • RAM: 16 GB
  • Storage: 128 GB/ 256GB/ 512GB/ 1TB
  • OS : Android 14
  • Rear Camera: 50 MP Octa PD wide camera, ƒ/1.68 aperture, 82° field of view13
  • : 48 MP Quad PD ultrawide camera with autofocus, ƒ/1.7 aperture, 123° field of view13
  • : 48 MP Quad PD telephoto camera, ƒ/2.8 aperture, 22° field of view, 5x optical zoom
  • Front Camera: 42 MP Dual PD selfie camera with autofocus, ƒ/2.2 aperture, 103° ultrawide field of view
  • Audio : Stereo speakers, 3 microphones, Noise suppression, Spatial audio
  • Battery: 5060 mAh Li-Ion battery with up to 100-hour battery life with Extreme Battery Saver, Fast charging and wireless charging
  • Dimension (H x W x D): 6.4 inch x 3 inches x 0.3 inch
  • Colors: Porcelain, Rose Quartz, Hazel, Obsidian

The Google Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, and Pixel 9 Pro XL are available for pre-order today starting at $799, $999, and $1099, respectively. The Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro XL will be available on shelves at the Google Store and retail partners on August 22. Availability for the Pixel 9 Pro will be announced later.

Globe now offers Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 and Z Fold6 on Postpaid Plans

Globe telecom just announced that Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 and Z Fold6 is now available thru their postpaid plans.

The new Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 will be available thru their GPlan 1799; a device cash-out of ₱40,600 for the 256GB model of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 and ₱47,600 for the 512GB variants. If the cash-out is too big for you, you can available of the 0% installment for the device, which will be spread throughout the 24 months lock-in period of the plan in addition to the ₱1,799 price of the plan;

  • ₱1,692 per month for 256GB model
  • ₱1,983 per month for 512GB model

For the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6, this will be under the GPlan 2499 and Platinum GPlan 4999.

Under the GPlan 2499 there will be a device cash-out of ₱63,700 for the 256GB model, ₱70,700 for the 512GB and ₱83,700 for the 1TB model. Just like with the Z Flip6, you can also available of the 0% installment (in 24 months) for the device in addition to the ₱2,499 price of the plan.

  • ₱2,654 per month for the 256GB model
  • ₱2,946 per month for the 512GB model
  • ₱3,488 per month for the 1TB model

As for the Platinum GPlan 4999, the device cash-out will be much smaller; ₱49,200 for the 256GB model, ₱56,200 for the 512GB and ₱69,200 for the 1TB model. If you will go to the 0% installment (in 24 months) route for the device in addition to the ₱4,909 price of the plan.

  • ₱2,050 per month for the 256GB model
  • ₱2,342 per month for the 512GB model
  • ₱2,883 per month for the 1TB model

Globe will be giving freebies worth up to ₱33,765 to those who will order the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 and up to up to ₱15,889 for Galaxy Z Flip6. To know more about Globe’s offering of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 and Z Fold6, you can go here.

Carlos Yulo Wins Second Gold Medal in the Artistic Gymnastics Men’s Vault

After bagging the gold medal for the Men’s Floor Exercise, Carlos Yulo took home the gold medal for the Artistic Gymnastics Men’s Vault.

Carlo Yulo scored a convincing 15.116 points, over Armenian Artur Davtan’s 14.966 (silver) and the 14.949 (bronze) of Harry Hepworth from UK.

“Last night I couldn’t sleep. This morning I was so sleepy.. I slept in the bus, I slept after the podium training.” Carlos Yulo said. “I slept before going to the competition area… But I did it today.”

Carlos Yulo’s first vault was a standout, earning a 15.433 points. With a top-tier difficulty score of 6.000, he flawlessly executed a handspring double front half out in pike position, setting a high bar for the competition.

His second attempt, a Kasamatsu double twist, was slightly less perfect, but he managed to control his landing and scored a respectable 14.800 points. Yulo’s final score of 15.116 points is more than enough for him to take home the gold medal.

Expatriate Dependents Can Now Seek Employment in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development has announced a new program allowing expatriate dependents holding dependent visas to find employment in the country, particularly in the healthcare and education sectors. This initiative aims to regulate the employment of dependents within the country without requiring a sponsorship transfer.

To apply for this free service, individuals can log in to the Ajeer platform, complete the required contract, and obtain a dependent’s permit. Eligibility criteria include the employer being registered and compliant with Ministry regulations, and the dependent being at least 18 years old with necessary qualifications.

The Ministry has also released a comprehensive guide outlining services provided to expatriates by various government agencies, including information on residency, healthcare, education, and more. This guide details all the services provided to expatriates by other governmental entities. The report includes services from the Ministries of Human Resources and Social Development, Interior, Health, Commerce, Education, Foreign Affairs, Municipalities and Housing, Justice, Media, Hajj and Umrah, Communications and Information Technology, Environment, Water and Agriculture, Tourism, and Islamic Affairs, as well as from the authorities of Zakat, Tax and Customs, Human Rights, Communications and Space Technology, and the Capital Market Authority, along with the Board of Grievances and the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA).

Source: Saudi Gazette, Okaz