Budget Gaming Laptop PH (Early 2016)

Are you a gamer but you don't have the money to buy expensive gaming laptops? Guess what?, you're in the right place!

Games these days demand powerful specs and high-end laptops, but that doesn't mean you can't play them on cheaper laptops. After spending days of intensive research and testing, we finally found the right laptop for people who's on a budget.

First on the list is the ASUS K550JX-XX280T, though this laptop is cheap it offers powerful specs. It has a 4th Gen Intel Core i7-4750HQ Quad-Core processor that integrates a very powerful Integrated Graphics called the Iris Pro Graphics 5200, an NVidia GeForce GTX 950M that accesses a 2GB frame buffer of fast GDDR5, it has an 8GB RAM and a 1TB HDD. You can buy this laptop for Php 44,995.

If you wish to know more about this laptop, you can find the full specs on this link: http://www.intel.ph/buy/ph/en/product/laptops/asus-k550jx-xx280t-2ghz-i7-4750hq-156-1980-x-1080pixels-greystainless-steel-notebook-508424

The HTC One M8 Is Getting A 13-megapixel Front-facing Camera, But Only In China

Summary: HTC’s 13-megapixel Eye camera is headed to a version of the aluminum-bodied One M8 in China.

Earlier this week, HTC announced the Desire Eye, a smartphone that comes with a 12-megapixel front-facing camera called the Eye. Apparently, that device isn’t the only HTC phone that’s getting an Eye camera this year, as a variant of the HTC One M8 with a burly front-facing camera has popped up on the company’s official Chinese website.

The HTC One M8 Eye is almost identical to the standard HTC One M8. Aside from the front camera, the main difference between the two phones is that the One M8 Eye drops the 4-megapixel UltraPixel camera on the back for a more conventional 13-megapixel camera, although the device does retain the Duo Camera setup that allows users to adjust focus after photos have been taken. The One M8 Eye also has dual-SIM support for the Asian market.

It’s priced at 4000RMB, which works out to roughly $650.

HTC has made China-specific variations of the One M8 in the past, so I wouldn’t necessarily expect the One M8 Eye to make it to the United States, although the plastic-bodied M8 did eventually become available on Sprint. Stateside selfie fans should consider the Desire Eye, which will likely be less expensive than the One M8 and will have very comparable performance. I even prefer the Desire Eye’s polycarbonate construction to the heavy, droppable rounded aluminum body on the One M8.

HTC Desire Eye and the Re camera

What this device does make clear is that we’ll likely see the Eye camera on other HTC devices in the near future. The HTC camera software also got a big upgrade recently, and was renamed Eye Experience, so the company’s imaging focus is not going anywhere. HTC’s devices now sport several different camera technologies, including UltraPixel cameras, Duo Cameras, and even a standalone Re action camera, so it will be very interesting to see what shooters HTC puts on its phones next year.

Source: http://www.gigaom.com

Lenovo Stuck A Projector Into A 13-inch Tablet

Summary: Lenovo will start selling an entertainment focused tablet with top-end specifications and a built-in pico projector.

Lenovo announced a batch of new tablets in its Yoga line on Thursday. One of them is unique: the Yoga Tablet 2 Pro is an Android tablet with a big 13-inch screen and a built-in projector.

The Yoga Tablet 2 Pro will cost at least $500 and will compete with the iPad Air. It’s an interesting size for a tablet, with a 13-inch screen running at 2560 x 1440 resolution. Like previous Yoga tablets, one side of the tab has a protruding berm — a “battery cylinder” — which can be used as a kickstand. On the Yoga Tablet 2 Pro, Lenovo has stuck an entire pico projector as well as a subwoofer in there. There have been a few phones with built-in pico projectors, but this is one of the first tablets, and it’s a mainstream product that will be widely available.

Pico projectors are an interesting technology that has been looking for a consumer application. Companies have stuck pocket projectors into hotspots, phones and evenbluetooth docks, but the tablet may be the best place to stick one. Tablets are already consumption-focused devices and are frequently shared by family members. Wouldn’t it be handy to be able to beam a YouTube video on to a wall so the whole family can watch?

The Yoga Tablet 2 Pro’s projector is rated for 40-50 lumens and will have a 854 x 480 resolution. It will start shipping towards the end of October.

The other tablet that Lenovo announced Thursday is more conventional, but it still sports the Yoga wedge kickstand on one side. It’s called the Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2, and consumers will have the option between two different sizes as well as two different operating systems. Both the 8- and 10-inch Android versions will have a 1920 x 1200 screen powered by an Intel Atom processor. The 8-inch should cost around $250, and the 10-inch model will cost around $300 when they eventually go on sale.

But consumers will also have the option whether they’d rather have their Lenovo Yoga Tab 2 come with Windows 8.1. However, the Windows-oriented Yoga Tablets will cost more, with the 10-inch model priced at $400 and the 8-inch starting at $300. Lenovo making Windows tablets is a little bit of a surprise given that a spokesman said there was no demand for small Windows tablets earlier this year. Lenovo later backtracked in a statement, but the market viability of Windows on small tablets remains in question.

The most exciting thing about Lenovo’s new tablets is that they’re not generic rectangles — although Lenovo certainly makes those as well. The general form and function of the tablet hasn’t changed a good deal over the past few years, but Lenovo’s battery cylinder and projector-equipped Yoga tablets are funky and different. Early reactions have been cautiously optimistic. Is a 13-inch entertainment-focused tablet what the stalled tablet market was clamoring for? I don’t know, but I’m glad Lenovo is going to find out.

Source: http://www.gigaom.com

Sony’s Stylish Z3 Smartphone Gets A Verizon Version In The US, But Where’s The Compact?

Summary: Sony’s high-end waterproof Z3 smartphone is headed to the United States. It’ll be available on Verizon for $200 with a 2-year contract.

We knew Sony’s waterproof Z3 smartphones were coming to T-Mobile in the United States, but it turns out Verizon will also carry a Z3 device as well. The carrier announced on Thursday that it would sell the Sony Z3v, a modified version of the Z3 with a slightly bigger battery which will cost $200 on contract. There’s also a deal available when someone buys both a Sony tablet and the Z3v from Verizon.

Like the Z3 in other countries, it’s a 5.2-inch smartphone with a 1080p screen running a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. It will have a long battery life as well as Sony’s high quality onboard cameras. Like most of Sony’s recent phones, it’s also going to be waterproof. Sony’s heavily pushing its PS4 integration, which is a very compelling Sony-specific feature for gamers.

The body of the Z3v is slightly altered from the international Z3. It’s more rounded off, and is reminiscent of the Sony Z2. The battery gets a slight bump, but the biggest improvement is the addition of wireless charging on the Qi standard.

Fans of hand-sized phones will be disappointed to hear the Z3 Compact, which packs the same specs as the Z3 but with a smaller screen, was not part of the announcement. Aside from theSamsung Galaxy Alpha, there really aren’t many high-end phones under 5-inches coming out this fall, which would have made a U.S.-bound Z3 Compact stand out among the competition.

Source: http://www.gigaom.com

Google Hangouts Is Now A Standalone Chrome App for Windows And Chromebooks

Previously available as an extension or as part of Google Plus on the web, Google Hangouts is now a Chrome app for Windows and Chrome OS computers. It can be installed on Mac OS X computers that also have Chrome but isn’t yet fully supported. Google released the app on Thursday, saying it will keep all of your active chats on the desktop for easy access. More important though is the support for voice calls through the app, right on your computer. And Google Voice users will benefit from the Voice integration with Hangouts, meaning access to voicemail and the ability to send and receive SMS.

Source: http://www.gigaom.com

A Day After Google Pushes Chromebooks For Work, Microsoft Fights Back With Surface Pro

Summary: Microsoft continues to back Surface Pro 3 for the workplace, offering a new bundle discount on the hardware and commitments that the current device accessories will work with the next Surface Pro model.

It could be coincidental timing, but less than 24 hours after Google strengthened its Chromebook for work commitment, Microsoft has done the same with its Surface Pro line of computers. On Wednesday, the company provided incentives for Surface Pro bundle purchases and said accessories for the hybrid laptop would work with the next generation of Surface Pro.

In a blog post to answer questions about how Surface Pro can help businesses,Microsoft reiterated its commitment to the enterprise, highlighting several recent and new announcements.First and foremost is how Microsoft is making it easier to set up and deploy Surface Pro in the enterprise, with quick software updates and firmware images made available to I.T. organizations. The company is also providing more detailed release notes with each available update and says it will continue to improve those; that’s where Google could learn a lesson, as it typically points people to arcane change logs for Chrome OS. And Microsoft has a support option that extends the hardware warranty by three years, including accidental damage and fast hardware exchanges.

To help extend enterprise investments, Microsoft also says the following Surface Pro 3 accessories will be compatible with the next model: Type Covers, power adapters, Ethernet adapters and the Surface Pro 3 Docking Station. Clearly, then, any new Surface Pro model will have the same shape, size and ports; changes would likely be internal hardware components.

Microsoft is also offering a new, full “laptop replacement” bundle package through its authorized resellers. Companies can purchase a Surface Pro 3, Type Cover and Docking Station and receive a $150 savings over the purchase of these devices individually.

It’s interesting that both Google and Microsoft continue pushing for the same dominance in the workplace, but from very different ends of the spectrum. You can buy a Chromebook for $200, for example, while the base model Surface Pro 3 costs $799 and the accessories will raise the cost even higher. Ultimately, it’s really not about hardware: Businesses will evaluate which software products and support programs can meet their needs.

Source: http://www.gigaom.com

Apple Reportedly Delays 12.9-inch iPad Until Next Year To Help Meet iPhone 6 Demand

Summary: Apple was planning to start production of an iPad with a 12.9-inch screen in December, but has pushed its plans back to help suppliers cope with large iPhone 6 Plus orders, according to the Wall Street Journal.

The iPhone wasn’t the only iOS device Apple planned to supersize this year. According to a report published Thursday in the Wall Street Journal, Apple wanted to start mass production of an iPad with a 12.9-inch display this December, but those plans have been pushed back to cope with demand for the iPhone 6 Plus.

This isn’t the first time the possibility of a larger iPad has come up. The iPad Pro, as some have dubbed it, has been discussed by suppliers since last year, and there are a lot of tidbits included in iOS 8 that imply an iPad with a larger screen is in the works.

There are references to a split-screen multitasking mode, which would be a great feature to include on a tablet with a bigger screen. Yesterday, developer Hamza Sood discovered images in the latest iOS 8.1 beta which include iPad icons at three times the normal display resolution. Apple uses larger icons to maintain image fidelity on its retina displays, and the iPhone 6 Plus uses icons with similar 3x pixel sizing. The larger assets are a strong indication that Apple is at least working on an iPad with a upsized screen.

There are a couple of reasons that Apple would think the time is right for a 13-inch tablet. It makes sense as iPad apps are becoming sophisticated enough to challenge the productivity of some desktop software. Although the iPad is still wildly profitable, sales growth has stalled over the past two years. A recent enterprise deal with IBM could find business customers who want a bigger, professionally oriented iPad.

The Wall Street Journal report backs up a Bloomberg article from last week, which said the bigger iPad will be delayed until 2015, but that Apple is planning to soon launch a gold-colored iPad to match the iPhone line.

Earlier this week, Apple sent out invites to a launch event on its campus on October 16. The tagline was “it’s been too long.” It’s hard to say exactly what Apple’splanning to announce next Thursday, but it’s looking very unlikely that an iPad Plus is in the cards. We’ll be at the event and will report directly from Cupertino.

Source: http://www.gigaom.com