Apple has officially announce the dates for their annual developer conference this 2025.
Apple today announced it will host its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) online from June 9 to 13, 2025. Developers and students will also have the opportunity to celebrate in person during a special event at Apple Park on June 9.
Available for free to all developers, WWDC25 will spotlight the latest advancements in Apple software. As part of Apple’s ongoing commitment to supporting developers, the conference will provide them with unique access to Apple experts, as well as insight into new tools, frameworks, and features.
The company is scheduled to announce the next/new generation of Apple software, including iOS 19, iPadOS 19, macOS 16, watchOS 12, tvOS 19, and visionOS 3.
The company is also expected to provide additional details to the much awaited full version of Apple Intelligence, which have been touted as the killer service/feature of the iPhone 16 and Apple silicon-powered Macs.
The construction for the ₱7.5 billion Daanbantayan Solar Power Plant has begun in Cebu last March 16th. This Cebu-based Solar Power Plant is a 176 Megawatt (MW) renewable energy project and part of the government’s “green lane” initiative.
Acciona Energia Global partnered with Cebu provincial government for the solar power plant, this public-private partnership will provide generate around 280 gigawatt-hours of clean energy to 300,000 people and reduce 259,000 tons of carbon dioxide emission annually.
“This project highlights the tangible impact of the Green Lane program, showcasing its success in attracting investors, particularly in renewable energy. It serves as a meaningful milestone, paving the way for more projects that advance our mission to promote green investments and create job opportunities for Filipinos,” Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary and BOI chairperson Ma. Cristina Roque said.
Acciona Energia Global’s project, the largest solar plant under construction in the Visayas and has a peak capacity of 176 MW, the solar plant is slated to begin operations next year.
Acciona chairperson and chief executive officer José Manuel Entrecanales Domecq said “This plant is Acciona Energia’s first plant in the Philippines, and as you know, as have been repeated, the biggest under construction in the Visayas archipelago. This project supports the government’s goal of increasing the share of renewables in the energy mix, ensuring energy security, and promoting sustainable and inclusive economic growth.”
The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) will be reevaluating the agency’s Free Wi-Fi Program, this was announced on DICT website and social media channels.
The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), they are overhauling its Free Wi-Fi Program to improve efficiency and sustainability, driven by President Marcos’s directives, basically to cut the current program’s ₱6.5 billion annual cost for 7,000 locations with 16,251 Free Wi-Fi Sites.
One of the option that the agency is looking at is a long-term agreement with a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite provider to offer 200Mbps internet to 10,000 schools for ₱1.5 billion annually. In addition, 40,000 additional locations have been identified for multicasting educational content, further improving digital learning accessibility nationwide.
The DICT will allocate ₱5 billion, as directed by President Marcos, for the “SIM Card ng Bayan” project. This project will subsidize cell tower construction by providing students near new towers with free 25GB internet subscriptions. Leveraging the Common Tower Program to expand mobile network coverage and deploy broadband wireless access. The SIM Card ng Bayan Project is seen as a more sustainable alternative to the existing Free Wi-Fi Program.
Here are the price of the new iPad Air with M3 Chip in Saudi Arabia
iPad Air 11‑inch
Wifi Only
128GB – SAR2,699.00
256GB – SAR3,149.00
512GB – SAR4,049.00
Wi-Fi + Cellular
128GB – SAR3,349.00
256GB – SAR3,849.00
512GB – SAR4,749.00
iPad Air 13‑inch
Wifi Only
128GB – SAR3,699.00
256GB – SAR4,149.00
512GB – SAR5,049.00
Wi-Fi + Cellular
128GB – SAR4,349.00
256GB – SAR4,849.00
Apple Magic Tablet Keyboard
For 11-inches iPad Air – SAR 1,349.00
For 13-inches iPad Air – SAR 1,449.00
The new iPad Air with M3 Chip and the new Apple Magic Tablet Keyboard is now available for pre-order and will be available in Apple Authorized Resellers, starting March 12th.
Together with the new Macbook Air with M4 chip, Apple also announced a refreshed iPad Air powered by the “M3 chip and built for Apple Intelligence.”
Available in 11‑inch and 13‑inch Liquid Retina display, the new iPad Air supports Apple Pencil Pro as well as the Apple Pencil (USB‑C). Because it is powered by the M3 chip, the new iPad Air, which Apple claims to be “2x faster compared to iPad Air with M1,1 and up to 3.5x faster than iPad Air with A14 Bionic” and will be able to perform AI capabilities in iPadOS.
Apple iPad Air M3 Chip 11-inches and 13-inches
Here are notable specs of the new iPad Air;
– Display: 11 inches/ 13 inches Liquid Retina display, 264 ppi, 2360-by-1640-pixel resolution, True Tone and wide color display
– Storage: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB storage
– Processor: Apple M3 chip 8-core CPU, 9-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
– Rear Camera: 12MP Wide camera, ƒ/1.8 aperture, Five-element lens, 5x digital zoom, 4K video recording at 24 fps, 25 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps, 1080p HD video recording at 25 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps, 720p HD video recording at 30 fps
– Front Camera: Landscape 12MP Center Stage camera, ƒ/2.0 aperture, Smart HDR 4, 1080p HD video recording at 25 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps
– Colors: Blue, Purple, Star light, Space Gray
Connectivity:
All Models
– Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax) with 2×2 MIMO
– Simultaneous dual band
– Bluetooth 5.3
Wi-Fi + Cellular models
– 5G (sub‑6 GHz) with 4×4 MIMO
– Gigabit LTE with 4×4 MIMO
– eSIM
Sensors
– Touch ID
– Three‐axis gyro
– Accelerometer
– Barometer
– Ambient light sensor
– USB-C port for Charging, DisplayPort and data USB 3 (up to 10Gb/s)
The new iPad Air with M3 Chip is now available for pre-order and will be available in Apple Store locations and Apple Authorized Resellers, starting March 12th.
Below are the pricing of the new iPad Air with M3 chip;
iPad Air 11‑inch
Wifi Only
128GB – $599.00
256GB – $699.00
512GB – $899.00
1TB – $1,099.00
Wi-Fi + Cellular
128GB – $749.00
256GB – $849.00
512GB – $1049.00
1TB – $1,249.00
iPad Air 13‑inch
Wifi Only
128GB – $799.00
256GB – $899.00
512GB – $1,099.00
1TB – $1,299.00
Wi-Fi + Cellular
128GB – $949.00
256GB – $1,049.00
512GB – $1,249.00
1TB – $1,449.00
With the new iPad Air with M3 Chip, Apple has released a new Magic Keyboard for iPad Air, featuring an expanded trackpad and a 14-key function row for enhanced control. The keyboard utilizes a magnetic attachment and the Smart Connector for instant power and data connectivity, eliminating Bluetooth pairing. A machined aluminum hinge integrates a USB-C charging port. The new white Magic Keyboard, featuring the popular floating design, is available starting at $269 for the 11-inch version and $319 for the 13-inch version.
Apple iPad Air and Magic Keyboard top viewApple iPad Air and Magic Keyboard
After Apple CEO Tim Cook tweets about the new Macbook Air, Apple has officially announced the new Macbook Air with M4 chip.
The upgrades that Apple made with the new Macbook Air is mainly with its processor, changing it from the M3 to the new M4 processor and the new 12MP Center Stage camera. The rest of its components remains the same. Apple did change the starting RAM from 8GB to 16GB, without changing the starting price of $999.00.
Here’s a nutshell of the specs of the new Macbook Air with M4 chip
Processor – Apple M4 chip with 10‑core CPU and up to 10‑core GPU with 16-core Neural Engine
Webcam – 12MP Center Stage camera
RAM – 16GB, configurable up to 32GB RAM
Storage – 256GB SSD configurable up to 2TB SSD
Battery – Built-in 53.8‑watt‑hour lithium‑polymer battery with up to 18 hours video streaming
Ports – MagSafe 3 charging port, 3.5 mm headphone jack, Two x Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports with support for Charging, up to 2 external monitor, Thunderbolt 4 (up to 40Gb/s) and USB 4 (up to 40Gb/s)
Wireless – Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax), Bluetooth 5.3
Audio – Four-speaker sound system
Dimension (HxWxD) – 1.13 cm x 30.41 cm x 21.5 cm
Weight – 2.7 pounds (1.24 kg)
Colors – Sky Blue, Silver, Star light and Midnight
Apple MacBook Air Touch ID and Magic Keyboard
Apple MacBook Air side view
Apple MacBook Air top view
Apple MacBook Air sky blue
The new Macbook Air with M4 chip is now available for pre-order and will be available in the appl.com and local retail store this Wednesday, March 12th. As for the pricing, a 13-inches Macbook Air with 16GB RAM and 256 GB SSD Storage will retail at $999.00, while a 15-inches Macbook Air with the same configuration will be at $1,199.00.
For upgrades and accessories, you can checkout the pricing below;
13-inches and 15-inches Upgrades
Memory
24GB RAM: +$200.00
32GB RAM: +$400.00
Storage
512 GB SSD: +$200.00
1TB SSD: +$400.00
2TB SSD: +$800.00
Accessories for 13-inches Macbook Air Only
35W Dual USB-C Port Compact Power Adapter: +$20.00
70W USB-C Power Adapter: +$20.00
Software
Final Cut Pro License: +$299.99
Logic Pro License: +$199.99
Say hello to the new MacBook Air! The world’s most popular laptop now features M4, Apple Intelligence capabilities, and a beautiful new color—sky blue. pic.twitter.com/CZzHpVvIhO
After photos of their latest EV leaked, Volvo has officially announce their new fully electric sedan Volvo ES90.
The new Volvo ES90 is will be available in 3 powertrain variants; Single Motor Extended Range, Twin Motor and Twin Motor Performance.
The Twin Motor Performance variant of the new Volvo ES90 has a combined range of up to 700km , and up to 910km if it is just for city driving. It offers 500kW/680 hp and 870Nm of torque. It has a top speed of 180km/h with an acceleration rate of “0 to 100km/h” in just 4.0 secs.
It has a battery capacity of 106kWh and with its battery pre-conditioning to optimize charging, it can charge from 10% to 80% in just 20 minutes, and can add 300km range in 10 minutes of charging.
The exteriors features a Electrochromic panoramic roof, Flush door handles with ground lighting, Body-colored covered grille and High-gloss black side window trim. The new Volvo ES90 offers a lot of space, with its dimension of 5000mm x 1942mm x 1549mm (LxWxH).
For its interior, the new Volvo ES90 can carry 5 passengers and offers ergonomic front and rear seats. also offers Bose Premium Sound system, USB-C ports, 5G capability, Steering wheel remote control and Lounge armrest.
There’s also the 3 displays that you will see inside the EV; the 14.5-inch centre display to access maps, media and apps; the 9-inch driver display that shows speed and basic navigation prompts, detailed map, show the cars, trucks and motorcyclists around you; and the 13.2-inch head-up display for the essential information like speed, speed limits and navigation prompts directly onto the windscreen so they appear to hover over the bonnet.
Interior
Exterior
You can checkout the full specs of the new Volvo ES90 here or you can watch this 9 and a half video, embedded below, of “Everything you need to know” about the new Volvo ES90.
As for the availability and price, Volvo did not provide any information regarding the pricing but you can configure your very own Volvo ES90 and go to Volvo dealer.
VinFast has signed a partners agreement with Motech Automotive to be part of the company’s service network expansion plan in the Philippines. This partnership will make Motech Automotive workshops as authorized VinFast service centers providing repairs, warranties, and maintenance for VinFast electric vehicles in the Philippines. There are currently 63 Motech service workshops around the country.
Johann Rommel Naguiat, President and CEO of Motech Automotive Philippines shared: “Motech is thrilled to partner with VinFast as an authorized service provider for their electric vehicles in the Philippines. Confident in VinFast’s potential within Southeast Asian market, Motech looks forward to this collaboration to support the growing EV market and to continue to deliver exceptional customer experience. Further, this partnership between VinFast and Motech, a first of its kind in the Philippines, helps the Philippine market embrace the change to greener mobility, by answering the issue of not only range anxiety, but that of the issue of service anxiety as well. With Motech’s network of stores and the reputation it has built in its communities, VinFast customers can drive with confidence, that their VinFast vehicle will be well cared for, anywhere at anytime.”
Mr. Pham Sanh Chau, CEO of VinFast Asia, said: “Leveraging Motech’s strong reputation, experience, and extensive service network, we aim to provide Filipino customers with peace of mind and satisfaction, aligning with VinFast’s core principles of high quality vehicles, inclusive pricing, and outstanding after-sales policy. We are confident this partnership will simplify EV ownership and usage, empowering customers to join the global movement towards green transportation.”
Microsoft will be shutting down Skype this May 2025. The company said that the service will remain available until May 5, 2025.
Starting in May 2025, Skype will no longer be available. Over the coming days you can sign in to Microsoft Teams Free with your Skype account to stay connected with all your chats and contacts. Thank you for being part of Skype pic.twitter.com/EZ2wJLOQ1a
Microsoft explained that during this transition period, Skype users will have the ability to sign-on to Microsoft Teams (Free) on any supported device, this will transfer any skype chats and contacts to Microsoft Teams. At the same time, Skype users will be able to call MS Teams users and vice versa.
If skype users does not want move MS Teams, they will have the ability to export their skype data including chats, contacts, and call history. Then import the information their preferred video chat and messaging service.
With the impending shutdown, Microsoft added that the company will “no longer offer paid Skype features to new customers, including Skype Credit and subscriptions that allow users to make and receive international and domestic calls. Current Skype subscription users can continue to use their Skype Credits and subscriptions until the end of their next renewal period. Skype Credit users can also continue to use their remaining Skype Credit. After May 5, 2025, the Skype Dial Pad will be available to remaining paid users from the Skype web portal and within Teams.”
Launched in 2003, Skype is a P2P IP-based videotelephony, videoconferencing and voice calls. The company was acquired by Microsoft in 2011 for $8.5 billion and used it to replace their Windows Live Messenger.
Microsoft just announced that the company will stop supporting Windows 10 this coming October 2025.
The software giant said that “after October 14th 2025, Microsoft will no longer provide free software updates, technical assistance amd security fixes for Windows 10.”
The company added that PC running Windows 10 “will still work” but they recommend upgrading to Windows 11 is possible.
Modern PC supports Windows 11 and uprading to the latest Windows OS is free. But if you are like me using a 10 year old laptop, then the onlu course of action is to buy a new computer running Windows 11 right out of the box.
Even though it’s not yet available for order or pre-order, Apple already provided the pricing for the new iPhone 16e.
Available in Black and White colors in 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB storage capacities, the new iPhone 16e will have a starting price of ₱39,900.00 for the 128GB model, ₱46,990.00 for the 256GB and ₱58,990.00 for the 512GB.
Officially announced last Feb 19th, the iPhone 16e features a 6.1-inches Super Retina XDR OLED display, similar to the iPhone 14, the A18 chip that use the iPhone 16 with support for Apple Intelligence, no Touch ID, one 48 MP rear camera and a 12MP front facing camera. It will also have the Action button and the new Apple C1, the first cellular modem designed by Apple. The iPhone 16e will also be using a USB-C port for data and charging.
Apple did not specifically mentioned the capacity but instead said that it will have Up to 26 hours video playback, up to 21 hours if video streaming and it supports fast charging with up to 50% charge in 30 minutes using a 20W adapter. Just like with the previous iPhones it will also support Qi charger for its wireless charging features. You can checkout the full specs here.
The just announced iPhone 16e is now available for pre-order in Saudi Arabia. You can place your pre-order on the leading telecom and retailer in the Kingdom.
The iPhone 16e will be only be available in Black and White colors in 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB storage capacities, with starting price of SAR2,799.00 for the 128GB model, SAR3,299.00 for the 256GB and SAR4,299.00 for the 512GB. Pre-order period will be until February 28th 2025 and will start shipping or can be collected until March 7th 2025.
The latest iPhone at the greatest price — iPhone 16e is here. It’s built for Apple Intelligence and powered by A18, the latest-generation chip. It also comes with supersized battery life, a 48MP Fusion camera, and a durable design.
Pricing, claims, and feature availability apply to the U.S. and may vary by region. For product details specific to your area, please refer to Apple.com.
The iPhone 16e is basically the body and screen of the iPhone 14, the A18 chip from the iPhone 16 with support for Apple Intelligence, no Touch ID, one 48 MP rear camera and a 12MP front facing camera. It will also have the Action button and the new Apple C1, the first cellular modem designed by Apple. The iPhone 16e will also be using a USB-C port for data and charging.
As for the battery, Apple did not specifically mentioned the capacity but instead said that it will have Up to 26 hours video playback, up to 21 hours if video streaming and it supports fast charging with up to 50% charge in 30 minutes using a 20W adapter. Just like with the previous iPhones it will also support Qi charger for its wireless charging features.
iPhone 16e with USB-C cable and port.
iPhone 16e in matte white and black finishes
iPhone 16e running iOS 18
Image: Apple 16e
iPhone 16e custom Home Screen
6.1‑inch Super Retina XDR OLED display
Apple 16e
iPhone 16e Action Button
The iPhone 16e will be only be available in Black and White colors in 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB storage capacities, with starting price of $599.00 for the 128GB model, $699.00 for the 256GB and $899.00 for the 512GB. Pre-order will start this Friday, 21st of February and will be available on the 28th of February. You can checkout the full specs here.
Aside from Saudi Arabia, the Huawei Mate XT Ultimate Design will also be available internationally. Dominic Preston of The Verge writes, “Despite releasing pricing in Euros, so far the phone is only confirmed to release in Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Mexico, though more markets are “expected.” Huawei UK public relations specialist Elliot Mulley-Goodbarne did confirm to The Verge that it’s “not coming to the UK or US for the time being.” It’s launching in a single configuration, with 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage.”
In Europe the Huawei Mate XT Ultimate Design will retail for EUR 3,499.00, which when converted to Philippine Pesos will be around ₱211K, and checking the Huawei Philippine website, the company is now accepting pre-orders with a ₱5,000.00 deposit, though the exact price of the tri-fold smartphone is not listed.
Here are pricing of the Huawei Mate XT Ultimate Design;
Malaysia – RM 14,999.00
UAE – AED 12,999.00
Saudi Arabia – SAR 12,999.00
Mexico – M$69,999.00
It’s unclear if Huawei will eventually release the Huawei Mate XT Ultimate Design globally, the company may be gauging market interest with this initial release.
Just like what the title, the just announced Huawei Mate XT Ultimate Design is now available for pre-order in Jarir and Extra, you can also pre-order the tri-fold smartphone directly from Huawei KSA.
متاح الآن للطلب المسبق! أول هاتف ثلاثي قابل للطيّ في العالم📱 هاتف Huawei Mate XT الجديد بتصميم مبتكر واستثاني 🤩 اطلبه مسبقًا الآن من جرير واستمتع بهدايا مجانية 🎁 يسري العرض حتى 4 مارس 2025
It’s official, the tri-fold Huawei Mate XT Ultimate Design is now in Saudi Arabia, the company announced Tuesday, Feb 18, 2025.
The Huawei Mate XT Ultimate Design will be available in 16 GB RAM and 1TB storage model, it will feature a Super Slim Triple-Fold Design, 10.2-inch Hi-Res HUAWEI X-True™ Display, a Octa-core Kirin 9010 (1.55 GHz Cortex-A510) CPU, a triple camera system with a 50 MP Ultra Aperture Camera (F1.4-4.0 aperture,OIS) as the main camera and an 8 MP Selfie Camera (F2.2).
At the same time, the Mate XT Ultimate Design will be powered by a Si/C Li-Ion 5600 mAh battery and is available in Red and Black colors. You can checkout the full specs of the Huawei Mate XT Ultimate Design here.
Huawei Mate XT Ultimate Design Specs
Price
from SAR12,999.00
Main display
10.2 inches (3184 x 2232 pixels)
Dual displays
7.9 inches (2232 x 2048 pixels)
Front display
6.4 inches (2232 x 1008 pixels)
CPU
Kirin 9010 5G*
RAM
16GB
Storage
256GB, 512GB, 1TB
OS
HarmonyOS 4.2
Rear cameras
50MP main camera (f/1.4), 12MP ultra-wide (f/2.2), 12MP telephoto (5.5x optical/50x digital zoom)
Front camera
8MP
Battery
5,600 mAh
Charging
66W wired, 50W wireless
Colors
Red or Black vegan leather
Size
Unfolded: 156.7 x 219 x 3.6-4.8 mm; Folded: 156.7 x 73.5 x 12.8 mm
It appears that a new Apple product announcement may be coming as early as February, as Apple CEO Tim Cook teased that the company welcomes “the newest member of the family” and included a date and a “hashflag” (a type of advertising on X, formerly known as Twitter). Aside from Tim Cook’s tweet, this announcement cannot be found anywhere else, not from any other Apple executive or any Apple social media accounts. It’s also worth noting that the time of the launch is not mentioned, so we can assume that the announcement will be a recorded video or, if they choose, they’ll simply release a press release.
Get ready to meet the newest member of the family.
As for the product, Apple is expected to announce a redesigned iPhone SE, since the last iPhone SE was announced two years ago. It is rumored that the new iPhone SE will feature an A18 chip, a larger 6.1-inch OLED display, Face ID, a USB-C port, Apple Intelligence support, and more. Of course, we should take these rumors with a grain of salt, since the “newest member of the family” may not even be an iPhone but a product in a totally different category. I guess we just have to wait until the 19th.
More than four months after announcing Apple’s acquisition of Pixelmator, the deal appears to have been completed without any announcement, since users of the Pixelmator apps are displaying new splash screen announcing the deal.
The messages on the splash screen is a simple “We are excited to announce that Pixelmator Pro is now part of Apple,” and Pixelmator users confirmed that they are getting the similar message using app.
Apple now owns Pixelmator fully. I hope this is a good thing, but I did love that for many years I have been using it, the company has always provided regular updates and features. Something to be said for a hungry independent company. Still could be integrated in some great… pic.twitter.com/cfvw5xQEnz
While Apple has acquired Pixelmator, they haven’t revealed plans for the app’s future. It remains a standalone product for now, and hopefully won’t suffer the same fate as Apple’s Aperture app, which was discontinued in 2015.
First announced last September 2024, it looks like demand for its tri-fold Mate XT Ultimate is big enough for the company to ignore, that is why the company will be launching the Huawei Mate XT Ultimate in Saudi Arabia.
After US President Trump delayed the ban of TikTok for 75 days, the Chinese Social Media company now announced that the TikTok Android Package Kits (APK) is now available for download for Android users. Just head over to https://www.tiktok.com/download, to download the installer file.
We're enhancing ways for our community to continue using TikTok by making Android Package Kits available at https://t.co/JoNVqKpnrS so that our U.S. Android users can download our app and create, discover, and connect on TikTok.
The move is the prompted by the removal of the Tiktok app from the Android Play Store and Apple App Store, which is one of the things that US company needs to do when the TikTok ban law went into effect on Jan. 20, even though “President Trump has signed an executive order granting TikTok a 75-day extension to comply with a law that requires a sale or ban of the platform.”
To guide you on how to install an APK that is downloaded outside the Google Play Store, you can visit read Download apps to your Android device.
Grab Philippines has released an official statement regarding one of its driver-partner of being accused of lascivious acts by his passenger. In their statement, Grab Philippines said “After a comprehensive review of the Audio Protect recording from the trip, the driver-partner’s profile, and performance history, we found no conclusive evidence to support the allegations or indicate any malicious intent.”
After the surprise shutdown of Tiktok last weekend, the Chinese-owned social media received a much needed break when President Trump signed an executive order delaying the ban of TikTok for 75 days.
BBC news reports, “President Trump has signed an executive order granting TikTok a 75-day extension to comply with a law that requires a sale or ban of the platform.”
US President Donald Trump explained that in this 75-days extension, “the US will not enforce the law passed by Congress last year and signed by former President Joe Biden.” This will also allow its owner ByteDance until April 5, 2025 to find a solution to avoid an abrupt shutdown of their platform, TikTok. This deadline comes after the US Supreme Court upheld a law requiring ByteDance to divest its interest in TikTok by that date or face a nationwide ban.
ByteDance is currently exploring various options to comply with the law, including selling TikTok or spinning it off into a separate company. However, the company has also expressed concerns about the potential impact of a forced sale on TikTok’s users and employees.
If you can recall, it was during his first term in 2020, the US President Donald Trump issued an executive order to ban TikTok. He is currently attempting to evade a bipartisan law that went in effect this 19th of January.
Nintendo has officially announced the Switch 2, the company’s next generation handheld gaming system. Because of the all the leaks, an official announced is all but official.
Nintendo did not provide any details on the specs and the pricing but they did release a “first look” trailer (below) that give more or less an idea on what the Switch 2 will look like.
Here’s what Nintendo said about the new Switch 2;
Nintendo Switch 2 plays both physical and digital Nintendo Switch games. Certain Nintendo Switch games may not be supported on or fully compatible with Nintendo Switch 2. Details will be shared on the Nintendo website at a later date.
**Nintendo Switch Online members can continue using the service on Nintendo Switch 2.
Nintendo Switch Online is not supported in your region.
The company is schedule to officially launch the Switch 2 on April 2, 2025, which I expect the company to provide more details about the new gaming device.
Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) and Google have partnered to bring Google Pay to Saudi Arabia in 2025 through the mada payment system. This move supports SAMA’s Vision 2030 goals by boosting digital payments and reducing cash reliance. Google Pay will offer secure and convenient transactions in stores, apps, and online.
The agreement will allow Android users to pay using their Android phones instead of using their MADA card, just like how iOS users uses Apple pay (on their iphone).
Here’s another leaked from China’s MIIT, since the agency has in advertently published the specs for the next iteration of the BYD Dolphin. The MIIT posting, revealed that the BYD Dolphin for 2025 got a modern facelift and will be available in three models; Model TZ180XSF (70 kW -94 hp), Model TZ200XSW (130 kW – 174 hp) and the Model TZ200XSQ (150 kW – 201 hp).
Compared with the current BYD Dolphin model, the lower front face on has been adjusted and the sides with the semi-hidden door handles and the body lines remain the same. At the rear, “BYD” logo is integrated on the taillight and at the same time, the taillight design and lower section of the rear have been adjusted.
The new Dolphin will runs on either 195/60R16 or 205/50R17 tires and it will have a wheelbase of 2700mm. It will feature similar dimension (LxWxH) of 4280mm for the length, 1770mm for its width and the height will be 1570mm. Three curb weights were declared; 1435 kg, 1480 kg, and 1600 kg, which we can assume for the three models.
There is also the optional configurations like the panoramic sunroof, front radar, front camera, rear radar, front side radar, rear side radar, side mirror camera, rear camera, black roof, rear privacy glass, high gloss film, and rim designs.
The new BYD Dolphin will still be using the company’s Blade LFP battery packs. The declared top speeds are 150 km/h, we can assume that depending on the model, it will have a different top speed. No price and exact availability but from the name itself, it is safe to assume that the new BYD Dolphin 2025 will be available next year.
After officially launching in the Philippines, Tesla now opened its first Supercharging station in BGC to be more specific it is located at the B2 Car Park of Uptown Mall.
From Top Gear Philippines, The newly opened station has four Superchargers, each operating at peak efficiency of 250kW.
Tesla said that the each Superchargers can add a range of 120 kilometers after just a 5-minute charging time. These will be a paid charging station with a rate of ₱19 per kilowatt-hour, so Model Y with 81 kWh, with a 514 km range (WLTP), will cost around ₱1,539.
Not a bad, considering the cost of fuel on a petrol car on a similar range and much lower than the Paid Charging that ACMobility announced earlier this month.
More than the charging station, the hub features a stunning mural created by renowned artist Professor Toym Imao, created in collaboration with talented students from the University of the Philippines’ College of Fine Arts and De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde.
Here’s the story behind the U.P. Town Center murals.
ACMobility, the mobility solutions arm of the Ayala Group, will soon introduce paid charging to their charging station by December 12th 2024. ACMobility will implement a fee of ₱28.50 per kWh for AC charging and ₱35 per kWh for DC charging across its EV stations in the NCR.
In their official statement, ACMobility plans to open more than 250 charging points in over 100 locations nationwide by the year end. They added that the plan to introduce paid charging was approved by the Department of Energy (DOE), aims to create a more sustainable and dependable charging network for EV owners.
“Introducing charging fees enables ACMobility to reinvest in our network, allowing us to maintain and expand our infrastructure while delivering a consistently high-quality service,” said Jaime Alfonso Zobel de Ayala, Chief Executive Officer of ACMobility. “True to our commitment of providing the best value to our customers, we aim to make every charging experience as accessible, reliable, and convenient —- enabling worry-free journeys across NCR and beyond.”
“We express our gratitude to Filipinos for choosing to charge with us, and through our initiatives, we remain committed to supporting their charging needs,” said Carla Buencamino, Head of Mobility Infrastructure. “Every new charging station brings us closer to fulfilling our mission of advancing sustainable transportation across the country. Together, we look forward to building a cleaner and greener future for generations to come.”
The company added that payment options will be available through the Evro app. Aside from mobility solutions, ACMobility is also the official distributor of Kia, Volkswagen, and BYD in the Philippines.
