With the holidays just looming around the corner, a lot of us are already looking for nice gifts to get for ourselves or for our loved ones. With technology playing a huge part in our lives these, tech products such as mobile phone and tablet accessories are an easy and convenient choice especially if you’re planning to do your shopping online.

For instance, American consumer electronics manufacturer Belkin has a wide selection of mobile device accessories that are offered on Lazada, making them readily accessible and easy to order in case you don’t have the time to go to malls to hunt for the products you want to purchase.

Here are our top picks from Belkin’s roster in Lazada, which we think you’ll really like as well:

5. Belkin Mixit 4 Feet 90 Degrees Lightning to USB cable

One of the most common complaints about Apple products is that their cables are not that built well. In fact, the cable has a rating of just 1.5 stars on the Apple store and there are a bunch of discussions regarding the product (mostly complaints) on the company’s website.

The usual issue with Apple’s own cable is that it can easily break near the connectors causing the wires to fray. The Belkin Mixit cable avoids this dilemma by using a 90-degree angle for the lightning connector, protecting the tip and lessening the stress on the cable.

The cable is also four times longer than the standard lightning to USB cable and yet it offers the same fast charging and data transfer rates as the one made by Apple and comes in 7 different colors. Belkin is also offering a 2-year limited warranty for this cable ensuring that you’ll be able to use it for a long time.

Price: Php 1,190 (Get it here)

4. Belkin Micro USB Cable with Lightning Connector adapter

Another nifty accessory you might want to consider is the Micro USB cable with lightning connector. The product extends the functionality of the Mixit cable but adds a micro USB cable adaptor so you can charge other devices.

The cable is perfect as a travel companion as it eliminates the need to bring multiple cables to charge different devices. The adapter is connected to the cable via a durable yet flexible rubber strip so you don’t have to worry of losing it when it’s not in use.

Just like the Mixit version, this cable is also 4ft long, comes in a slew of colors and if offered with 2 years limited warranty.

Price: Php 1,490 (Get it here)

3. Belkin Family RockStar 4-port USB Charger

Another handy accessory for people who own multiple devices is the Belkin Family RockStar 4-port USB charger. The device features four USB ports that delivers a total of 5.4 Amp of power allowing users to charge multiple devices at the same time.

The charger also comes with an intelligent smart chip that regulates the flow of electricity to each port depending on how many devices are being charged. The charger is also wall-mountable and sports a 10-foot cable for convenient placement.

Price: Php 3,290 (Get it here)

2. Belkin Stylus for Tablets

For those looking to do some productive work during the holidays or those who delve in the field of arts and design, a great gift idea would be this Belkin Stylus for tablets.

The stylus features a rubber tip that glides smoothly over any tablet screen allowing users to easily jot down notes or sketch illustrations. The stylus looks very much like a standard pen and even comes with a clip so you can attach it easily and securely to a folio.

Price: Php 325 (discounted by 50% - Get it here)

1. Belkin QODE Thin Type Keyboard case for iPad Air

If you’re looking to do more work on your iPad, the Belkin QODE Thin Type keyboard case for the iPad Air is the perfect product for you.

Despite its slim 4mm profile, the keyboard case’s aluminum construction gives a feeling of durability and strength to the user. The case features well-spaced TruType keys that are designed for accurate typing as well as tactile response thanks to the spring mechanism placed underneath each key.

The Thin Type cover uses Bluetooth technology to connect to the iPad and uses Smart Sensing technology that automatically turns the keyboard on or off when the tablet is placed on the slot. The keyboard also boasts function-specific keys that provides shortcuts for different functions.

Price: Php 4,990 (Get it here)

This holidays, give yourself or your loved ones, one of the most awesome gift they can get with these great finds from Belkin. You can get all these stuff by ordering online from Lazada. 

You can also create your own wish list on Lazada and ask your friends and family to give these items (or other products from Belkin) to you as a gift this Christmas.

SpeedyCourse Philippines in collaboration with Hurom Slow Juicer is giving a free health and wellness seminar this week entitled Juicing for Health, Beauty and Wellness.

The event will feature Maria Socorro Cocoi M. Andal, a naturopathy and Health & Wellness advocate. She will be delivering a talk about how the human body needs true nutrition and how fruits and vegetables transformed into juices can provide these nutrients.

She will also be giving a demo using a Hurom Slow juicer on different juicing recipes for multi-dimensional needs. The free juicing seminar will be held on March 28, 2015 at the roofdeck of Prestige Tower in Ortigas at around 9PM to 12 midnight.

Shutterbugs interested in taking on some competition will be delighted to know that Canon is hosting the national leg of its PhotoMarathon competition both for amateurs and professionals this coming Saturday, November 8 at the High Street of Bonifacio Global City in Taguig.

The Canon PhotoMarathon is an on-the-spot photography competition designed to push the participants’ creativity by letting them capture photos following a theme under time pressure. The competition is already on its ninth year. Participants will be divided into two groups based on their equipment – Point & Shoot and ILC categories. All entries will be judged by the Canon Crusaders of Light.

Winning entry for 2014 Photomarathon University for the Point & Shoot Category by Agatha Albano. Taken with a Canon Powershot SX80. 

Winning entry for 2014 Photomarathon University for the Digital Camera with Interchangeable Lenses Category by Raymond Paredes. Taken with a Canon EOS 60D.

Over three thousand amateur and professional photographers are expected to join the event. Canon will be awarding major prizes to the winning participants. For the Point & Shoot category, Canon will be giving away a Canon EOS 700D, a dual-arm Foto Crane from Steady Tracker, a BlackRapid camera strap, a 32GB Wi-Fi SD card from Transcend and 1 international round trip ticket from Cebu Pacific.

On the other hand, those who will be joining the Interchangeable Lens category will have the chance to win a Canon EOS 7D Mark II, a dual-arm Foto Crane from Steady Tracker, a BlackRapid camera strap, a 1TB Wi-Fi SD card from Transcend and again 1 international round trip ticket from Cebu Pacific.

Winning entry for the 2013 Canon Photomarathon Philippines for the Point & Shoot Category by Luis Alexander. Taken with a Canon Powershot S110.

Winning entry for the 2013 Canon Photomarathon Philippines for the Cameras with Interchangeable lens category by Maricris Carlos. Taken with a Canon EOS 1000D.

The event will start as early as 8AM, so those interested in joining the event should adjust their alarm clocks accordingly. Moreover, Canon will also be holding a special sale in High Street from November 7 to November 9 to cater to photography enthusiasts looking to get some new gear.

For more information and updates about the Canon PhotoMarathon, you can visit the event’s website of Canon’s Facebook page using this link.

Canon is pushing for the improvement of the local printing industry in the Philippines by releasing tow new large format printers to empower print service providers and their customers.

On one hand there’s the imagePress color production cut-sheet presses, which include the imagePress C700 and the imagePress C800 which churns out 70ppm and 80ppm respectively. The C800 is capable of handling a wide variety of media including heavyweight coated stock and envelopes thanks to its Elastic Intermediate Transfer Belt that allows it to produce extensive applications on uneven materials such as textured or recycled media.

The printer utilizes a 32-beam Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser (VCSEL) unit with multi-exposure technology to deliver incredible detail and resolution up to 2400 x 2400 dpi. It also has a new AutoCorrect Color Tone (ACCT) feature that allows for multi-dimensional mixed color calibration.

Other notable features of the C800 include Consistently Vivid (CV) technology that allows for improved transfer efficiency for enhanced color consistency and accuracy across various mediums, and a Compact Registration Technology (CRT) that ensures every single image is placed at the same spot on every sheet thereby granting the user with precision alignment for large volume print jobs.

And speaking of large volume print jobs, the C800 offers a new multi-drawer paper deck with three new technologies, which prevents misfeeds even with coated stocks. There’s also a built-in induction heating and cooling technology to allow the device to moderate its internal temperature intelligently to optimize productivity with mixed jobs.

Finally there are the new Canon imagePROGRAF printers (iPF8410SE and iPF6410SE) that offer high quality large-format printing. The printers in this range features six-color pigment ink system for lowered ink usage.

Just like the C800, the imagePROGRAF printers are compatible with a wide array of print media and enables users to produce vibrant posters through enhanced basic performance for the creation of posters and other point of purchase materials. Moreover, both models come with two ink tanks which allow them to continue printing even if the tank runs out of ink due to the sub-ink tanks installed.

The iPF6410SE comes with a free copy of Canon’s PosterArtist Lite software for easy poster editing. Both models also come with a Print Plug-in for Office that should make it easy for users to design, preview and print posters from Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint and Word.

For more information about these products, you may visit Canon’s website using this link.

Whenever we hear the name Lamborghini, certain qualities often come to our minds. These include luxury, speed and power; but definitely not economy. But future Lambo cars may soon be branded differently as the Italian supercar maker might be considering going green.

The Lamborghini Asterion LPI 910-4, which was unveiled at this year’s Paris Auto Show is the company’s first hybrid super car. The vehicle features four engines: a V10 aspirated engine and 3 electric motors that can work in three modes delivering either economy or blistering speed.

Drivers can use either the V10 engine only for that typical Lamborghini feel, use the 3 electric front-drive engines for a more gas-efficient drive or better yet, combine the power of both the gas electric engine to generate over 900 horsepower giving the car a top speed of around 320kph.

The car’s body is made up of a mixture of carbon fiber and aluminum. Other notable features of the Asterion include carbo-ceramic brakes and a plug-in mode to easily charge the car’s lithium battery.

If you’re a proud new owner of a Canon digital camera that’s equipped with Wi-Fi or NFC, here are two cool apps that you might want to check out to make the most out of your recent gadget purchase. 

CANON CAMERAWINDOW APP

This app allows your Wi-Fi- or NFC- enabled Canon camera to conveniently transfer photos you have taken into a compatible smartphone or tablet, so you can easily share these images to your friends via your favorite social networks. 

The CameraWindow app also allows users to remotely control their cameras using their smart device. The app instantly transforms a tablet or smartphone into a remote shutter giving users the capability to control their camera and its settings including shutter release, optical zoom and flash straight from their gadgets.

Moreover, the app can put GPS information into users photos by using the data from the smartphone or tablet and embedding it into the images.

CANON IMAGE GATEWAY

Now for an even more convenient way of uploading photos to the internet, there’s the Canon Image Gateway feature. Unlike the CameraWindow app, CiG gives users the ability to post images or videos straight to their social networks.

Canon camera owners are given two options: first, they can upload their photos and videos to their social networks including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr or Google Drive and second they can create an online album after registering a device.

For more information on these two apps, you can visit www.canon.com.ph or contact Canon thru 884-9000 or like Canon Philippines on Facebook.

Sick and tired of being employed but unable to leave your current job because of financial obligations? Or are you interested in building an extra stream of income to improve your lifestyle? Then putting up a business might be something you can explore.

Most Filipinos usually dream of having their own business, often times as a source of income once they decide to retire. But the problem is, most people don’t know where to start. Luckily there are organizations such as the Philippine Business and Entrepreneur’s Expo (PBEX) that are willing to help ordinary people choose and start a business.

In fact, PBEX is holding a trade show today until the 27^th of July at the SM Megatrade Hall 2 in SM Megamall. The trade show will feature various participants from different industries including those from the Automotive, franchising, food manufacturing, direct selling, import and distribution, and technology sectors.

“The objective of this Expo is to cultivate and nurture the small and medium enterprise industry and tap the entrepreneurial spirit of every Filipino” – Mitch Ballesteros, CEO of Ex-Link Events

The Expo will also include SME technologies on E-Commerce Aurum Pay Technologies, Ansi Information Systems, PLDT and Transpo Negosyo Exhibit featuring cars from Kia, Chevrolet and Nissan.

There will also be seminar activities designed to educate, enhance and guide visitors on how to make their dream business a reality. Topics to be discussed on the seminar include “Marketing Your Advocacy”, “Greentrepreneurship” and “Dealing with Government Regulations” to name a few.

“There will also be a Social Enterprise Forum to harness the ideal characteristics of a Social Entrepreneur, a raffle and entertainment in between seminars and talks for the Expo visitors. Freebies will also be given away to our first 500 Expo visitors”

If you’re free tomorrow until this coming weekend, just go to the Megatrade Hall 2 in SM Megamall and attend PBEX. Admission is free so we suggest to maximize the opportunity to make your dreams come true.

If you have any questions or inquiries about PBEX, you may contact Ex-Link events at 6433887, 6437760 or 09209242532 or log on to www.philippinebusinessentrepreneursexpo.com

Asus today announced the mid-range smartphone that completes its PadFone range – the new Asus PadFone E.

The smartphone hybrid features a 4.7-inch 720p display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 chip with a 1.4GHz Cortex A7 CPU, 1GB of RAM, a 13MP LED-enabled camera at the back and a 1820mAh battery.

The device will run on Android 4.3 Jelly Bean and just like the PadFone Infinity and PadFone Mini will come with a dock that transforms the smartphone into a tablet. The PadFone E’s dock boasts a 10.1-inch 720p display, a 1MP front-facing camera and a 5000mAh battery.

The Asus PadFone E will come in either Black or Pearl White for $560 starting in Taiwan. 

Time pieces have always been an important piece of history and human culture. It not only tells us time, but more importantly, it also reminds us of what needs to be done in order to move forward. That’s why it’s important for everyone to have their own watch to help keep track time.

For most people, the watch they own is a representation of their personality, basically embodying the term “you are what you wear”. For me, I’d like to believe that I’m a person who pushes for innovation but still draws inspiration from the successes and experiences of past generations – like the kind of person that combines the ground-breaking and timeless designs. But so far in terms of time pieces, I don’t see many brands that follow the same perspective.

In the past century, the watch has gone through various makeovers and has incorporated various new technologies to become more than just an object that tells time. But it’s very seldom that you see a watch design that apart from being innovative retains the classic and timeless designs of the past. The ones that do have remained untouchable and remain exclusive to the ultra-rich.

Timex is one watch maker that has managed to create a product with innovative features with a timeless design and something that wouldn’t necessarily break your bank. Timex’s Adventure Series Linear Indicator Chronograph with Intelligent Quartz technology is one such example of the many pieces in the company’s line-up that possesses such qualities.

The watch delivers ingenious solutions to consumers with redesigned dials in neon colours, water resistance up to 100M as well as chronograph and calendar functionality and yet it exudes a classic style with a stainless steel case with black finish that features engraved numbers and labels.

And unlike those watches from Switzerland, the Timex Adventure Series Linear Indicator Chronograph doesn’t cost millions. It has a suggested retail price of Php13,790, which is actually an acceptable price for something that offers the best of both worlds in terms of design and functionality.

The internet has certainly changed the way people live their lives. Using the internet, people have now access to massive amounts of information that has allowed different industries to flourish at a rate never before seen in history. One such industry is the retail business sector thanks to the rise of online shopping. 

When stores started offering their products online, the internet has become a great place to find great deals on products and services that are often limited by time and quantity.

However, rampant incidences of identity theft and fraudulent online transactions have pushed consumers to be wary of doing business on the internet, especially those that require the use of credit cards or the submission of sensitive financial information.

Fortunately, one bank is aiming to overcome this vulnerability. With Maybank Secure Online Shopping (MSOS), Maybank card holders are encouraged not to miss out any opportunities of having adventures, creating memories or discovering new things by providing a safe and secure solution for shopping online.

Essentially, the system works relatively in the same way as the two-step verification system that is employed by a lot of companies nowadays. When a Maybank credit cardholder checks out after making a purchase online, the user will be asked to fill in some necessary details and be directed to an authentication page.

A One-Time password will be generated for the transaction and will be sent to the user’s registered mobile phone number within 30-45 seconds. The user can then use this password (one-time-password will only be valid for 5 minutes) to finalize the purchase.

The service is totally free and the Maybank credit cardholder just needs to be sure if his/her current mobile phone number is registered. In case consumers need to update their number for any particular reason or enrol their supplementary cardholders’ numbers, the user simply need to call the bank’s 24/7 customer service hotline at +63 2 588 3888 or PLDT Domestic Toll Free numbers at 1-800-10-588-3888.

A very important factor in developing racing games specifically meant for high-performance gaming consoles is that its ability to imitate real-life objects such as the cars and racing track used in the game.

The Gran Turismo series of racing games specifically created for Microsoft’s Xbox and Sony’s PlayStation consoles have slowly but surely achieved this feat with impressive graphics that seemingly copy reality.

But what if the tides were suddenly turned and it’s now life imitating art? Well, believe it or not, designers from Mercedes-Benz just did that when they developed the visionary sports car – the Mercedes-Benz AMG Vision Gran Turismo based on the PS3 racing game Gran Turismo 6.

The car was made as a 1:1 scale model and was unveiled at the LA auto show and now resides at the company’s new Research and Development Centre in Sunnyvale, California. It features a flowing tear drop design, uses angled headlamps and sports a prominent grille lined with LEDs that can show different patterns.

The internet has certainly changed the world in more ways that we can count. However, its most useful application would probably be its ability to make information readily available not only to consumers but also to businesses. On the side of consumers, information about products and services are now easily accessible, while on the business side of things, analytics and consumer behaviour data are now easier to come by and more in depth.

Out of all the industries that rely on internet information, it’s probably the field of advertising that derives the most benefits and generates the most income. So it’s not surprising that a lot of businesses are focusing their efforts on online advertising. And consequently, a rise in the number of digital advertising agencies and ad-serving platforms were seen to meet the needs of many businesses.

One good example of an advertising medium that’s raising the stakes is Tag Bond. Unlike existing ad-serving platforms, Tag Bond goes beyond serving banner ads and links and introduces a social aspect in the field of online advertising.

It is essentially a membership and rewards platform where users can create contacts, acquire leads, and generate partnerships through communities and earn cash at the same time by offering deals, discounts and promos through the creation of mini-ads called “tagverts”.

The company was first conceived in 2012 and was launched early this year by English expat Alex Vernon. The platform aims to reinvent how people spend and how they can enjoy deals and discounts using today’s common technology. These include the use of QR codes, Smart Tags and NFC (Near Field Communication) to name a few.

The platform has two components. On one hand are communities, where business owners can keep track of their current customers, acquire contact information, and record their transactions. This is basically the social networking aspect of the platform. Users can sign up on Tag Bond and create their profiles and join or purchase deals.

On the other hand, Tagverts are basically the ads served by the platform. It can be a number of things, including coupons that give freebies or discounts to consumers, stamps that act as reward points similar to other loyalty programs, tickets, polls/surveys or competitions.

According to Tag Bond’s founder – Mark Vernon, the platform aims to replicate how consumers use SM’s well adopted Advantage Card. And just like SMAC, he plans to get Tag Bond to retail stores and establishments, and thereby taking the platform beyond online. At present the company already has a mobile app and their recently launched website is now accepting sign-ups for new members.

Now whether or not the platform would be a hit, we guess only time will tell. For the meantime, those interested in joining Tagbond, you can use this link to create your profile.

Philippine-based mobile phone manufacturer Torque recently launched a duo of affordable Android smartphones that were designed to provide Filipino smartphone users a balance between performance and price.

Torque’s Droidz Force and Sport are both Android-based phones that utilize the company’s Flex technology which is basically a technology that optimizes the software of the phone to maximize the hardware capability of the device. This means that these phones are able to provide faster performance compared to similarly spec’d handsets.

Between the two, the Droidz Sports is the one meant for the truly budget conscious consumer. The phone sports a 3.5-inch HVGA display with a resolution of 320 x 480 pixels. It also has a 1GHz single-core Spreadtrum SC6820 processor which is complemented by 256MB of RAM, Mali 400 GPU and 512 of internal memory.

The phone also has a microSD card slot that can accommodate up to a 32GB card. In terms of multimedia, the Droidz Sports offers consumers with a 2MP fixed-focus camera at the back, a 1500mAh battery, FM radio, multimedia player, micro-USB port and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Connectivity wise, the Droidz Sports features Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and support for EDGE/GPRS/SMS/MMS.

The Droidz Force on the other hand are for those who prefer a bit more power on their device. The packs a 4.0-inch HVGA screen with a resolution of 800 x 480 pixels with a pixel density of 233 pixels per inch. The Droidz Force is powered by the same 1GHz Spreadtrum processor and 512MB on-board storage as in the Droidz Sport but has a beefed up 512MB of RAM.

The handset is also fitted with a Mali-400 GPU, a FM radio, multimedia player, 2MP front-facing fixed-focus camera at the back, a VGA front camera, Micro-SD card slot that supports up to 32GB cards, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and a 1500mAh Li-Ion battery.

Both devices run on Android 2.3.6 Gingerbread and are priced at P2599 (for the Droidz Sport) and P2999 (for the Droidz Force).

It was just a few days ago that the HTC Desire 200 was leaked on the internet through a video posted by a Vietnamese website and now the Taiwanese smartphone manufacturer is making the phone official.

Just like in the video the smartphone will sport a 3.5-inch LCD screen with a resolution of 320 x 480 pixels. The phone will have a pixel density of 165 pixels per inch and will sport Beats Audio sound enhancement.

The HTC Desire 200 will pack a Qualcomm Snapdragon S1 chipset with a single-core 1GHz CPU and 512MB of RAM. The internal memory is set at 4GB which also supports expansion via a microSD card slot. At the back of the device is a 5MP camera with a f/2.8 fixed focus camera with a 34mm lens that supports video recording.

See Also: RUMOUR MEALS - HTC Desire 200

The device will be powered by a removable 1230mAh battery, and will have 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth v4.0, microUSB and GPS. There’s also an accelerometer, proximity sensor and an ambient light sensor. Pricing and availability is yet to be disclosed.

Talks about a Facebook phone has been in the rumor mills for quite some time now. Today, Facebook has finally ended all the speculations by announcing the long awaited Facebook phone (well, sort of) at an event on its headquarters in California.

However, the Facebook phone that was unveiled in the event wasn’t exactly the phone that everyone was expecting. Why? Because unlike what the rumors suggested, the phone that was presented to the world today wasn’t built by Facebook. The phone is made by HTC and runs a heavily customized version of Android – the “Facebook Home”.

Moreover, contrary to previous reports, Facebook Home is not just a home replacement app but rather a collection of apps that modify a huge part of the Android UI that will supposedly enable users to focus on their friends rather than on apps. Through the app, Facebook plans to bring in more content to users and put social networking at the front and at the center of the mobile phone experience. And this ideology is most evident in the two core apps that comprise Facebook Home – Coverfeed and Chat Heads.

Coverfeed is basically a glorified version of your Facebook newsfeed presented in edge-to-edge photos in the phone’s home screen. It displays images and status updates from a user’s friends. A user can swipe left and right to view other updates from his/her friends, double-tap on the home screen to like the update or view comments and likes by tapping the area located at the bottom of the home screen.

Chat Heads on the other hand is an improved version of the Facebook Messenger app that sits above the entire UI of the phone, allowing users to gain access to the phone’s messaging app anywhere in the phone. Users have the option to move 1 or a group of chat heads across the different edges of the screen and will remain visible as long as the users wants to interact with it.

Navigation on the Facebook Home has also drastically changed. The common back and navigation buttons are gone and are replaced by gesture-based commands carried out by a “bobble” which is the circular icon that contains the phone owner’s photo (or profile picture) located at the bottom of the screen. Users can swipe up from the bobble which will launch the app drawer.

The app drawer is divided into two segments. Once a user swipe’s up from the bobble, the favorites app drawer is first shown. Obviously this is where the user’s most used and favorite apps are located. The favorites app drawer also has three tabs at the top that lets users instantly upload photos to Facebook, post a status update or location. Swiping to the left of the favorites app drawer will direct the user to the main app drawer that holds all the apps currently installed on the phone.

Swiping the bobble to the left will launch the Facebook messaging app while swiping the bobble to the right will allow users to go back to the last app that they’ve opened.

Facebook Home will initially be released on April 12 on several handsets including the HTC One, HTC One X+, Samsung Galaxy SIII, Samsung Galaxy S4, Samsung Galaxy Note II and of course the HTC First (exclusive to AT&T). Facebook has also promised to bring monthly updates and improvement to the app as well as add support for additional phone models and manufacturers including Lenovo, ZTE, Huawei and Sony.

Now it would be interesting how Google would react in the future with Facebook Home especially if Mark Zuckerberg’s dream of putting the app in every smartphone would come true. This is because unlike other home replacement apps or custom ROMs, Facebook Home can have the ability to literally take over and change a phone and make Android OS lose its identity in the process.

What about you guys? What do you think? Is Facebook invading Android? And how do you think Google would react to this strategy? Share with us your thoughts by leaving a comment below. For other Filipino Lifestyle stories, do subscribe to our blog or add us up on Facebook, Twitter                , Pinterest or Google Plus.

Google is reportedly planning to release the second generation of its 7-inch tablet – the Google Nexus 7 by July of this year according to reports from Reuters.

The Nexus 7 which was Google’s first entry to the now highly competitive tablet market has received mostly positive feedback from consumers thanks to its very capable Nvidia Tegra 3 chipset that packs a 1.2GHz quad-core Cortex A9 processor and ULP GeForce GPU. However, its most striking feature is its price.

The Nexus 7 was the result of the collaboration between Google and Asus. And unlike other Android tablets from Asus, Google’s influence on the Nexus 7 was not isolated on the software used by the tablet but rather the competitive pricing of the device.

Google was one of the few manufacturers who dared to challenge Apple’s iPad not only in terms of hardware specifications and software but also in the pricing category. With its $199 initial price it’s almost half the cost of an iPad mini of the same capacity and specs. So it’s very interesting how Google will follow this act.

For starters, reports suggest that the new Nexus 7 will ditch the Nvidia chipset in favor of a Qualcomm Snapdragon. Furthermore, the new tablet may also have a higher resolution display and a smaller bezel compared to its predecessor. And of course, in true Google fashion, the release of this new tablet may also coincide with a new Android version - Key Lime Pie.

In terms of pricing Reuters say the Google might choose to sell the new Nexus 7 for $199 at the same time giving a discount to the old model; or they might sell the tablet for around $149 which will effectively kick the old model out of the market. The next generation Nexus 7 is rumored for launch on July 2013.

Any thoughts about this rumor? Share them with us by leaving a comment below. For other Filipino lifestyle stories, subscribe to our blog or follow us on Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook or Google Plus.

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Lenovo might not be as popular a brand compared to industry heavy weights such as Samsung, LG or Sony but the company is slowly making a name for itself thanks to its affordable yet capable handsets that offer dual-SIM capability with Android’s open source operating system.

And this year, Lenovo Mobile Philippines has added four more handsets to its line of Android-powered smartphones. Two of which comes equipped with Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean. And all four devices sport 4+ inch screens and target the mid-range to upper tier consumer groups.

LENOVO P770 – The P770 is the successor of Lenovo’s P700 and P700i smartphones that offered performance at an affordable price. And as such, the phone shares the same design aesthetics as its predecessors albeit the slightly bigger screen. The 4.5-inch screen of the device has a resolution of 540x960 pixels with a pixel density of 245 ppi.

Software-wise, the P770 improves in terms of the processor, the memory and of course the operating system. For starters, the P770 now comes with a 1.2GHz dual-core processor in contrast to the 1GHz found on its predecessor. It also has 1GB of RAM and runs on Android Jelly Bean.

Lenovo has also added a few apps they made themselves including Lenovo Power Saving and Lenovo Note. The phone’s UI is also integrated with Facebook, Skype, AccuWeather and TouchPal keyboard. And last but definitely not the least; 5GB cloud storage is also included with the device courtesy of SugarSync.

There’s 4GB worth of on-board storage, a 5MP rear camera, a VGA camera upfront and a 3500mAh battery. As with other droids these days, the P770 comes with the usual set of connectivity features and sensors including Bluetooth, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, an accelerometer, GPS and a compass.

LENOVO S890 – another new Jelly Bean-powered handset from Lenovo is the S890. It’s part of the company’s S-series smartphone and comes equipped with a 1.2GHz dual-core processor complemented by 1GB of RAM and a PowerVR SGX531 GPU. There’s 4GB of on-board storage with support for microSD card expansion of up to 32GB.

An 8MP snapper is placed at the back of the device while a VGA camera sits in front of the device for self-portraits and video calls. The rear camera features a LED flash, autofocus, geo-tagging, touch focus and even face detection. The rear camera is also capable of recording 720p videos.

The 5-inch display of the S890 has a resolution of 540x960 pixels with a pixel density of 220 ppi. And again, just like other smartphones today, the phone packs Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, accelerometer, proximity sensor, GPS and a FM radio. Lastly, there’s a 2250mAh battery to power the device.

LENOVO S720 – another handset for the Lenovo’s S-series is the S720. Geared towards stylish consumers, the company is branding this particular phone as Big Chic. The Big part is attributed to the phone’s 4.5-inch qHD display with a resolution of 540x960 pixels with a pixel density of 245 ppi.

The S720 comes has a MTK 6577 chipset with a 1GHz dual-core Cortex A9 processor which is complemented by a PowerVR SGX531 GPU, 512MB of RAM and 4G of storage space. It also features an 8MP camera at the back which sports a LED flash, autofocus, geo-tagging, touch focus and face detection. There’s also a 1MP front-facing camera for video conferencing and self-portraits.

The phone will be powered by a 2000mAh battery and will run Android 4.0.4 (Ice cream sandwich). The S720 will come in two Chic colours – either in white or in hot pink.

LENOVO A800 – Last but definitely not the least is the Lenovo A800. The A800 is Lenovo’s newest device that targets the entry level market. It comes equipped with a 4.5-inch screen with a resolution of 480x854 pixels with a pixel density of around 218 ppi.

The phone runs on Android 4.0.4 (Ice cream sandwich). It has 512MB of RAM and on-board storage worth 4GB with support for microSD expansion. The A800 has a MTK 6577T chipset with a 1.2GHz Cortex-A9 processor and the same type of GPU found in the S720.

A 5MP snapper is placed on the back of the phone which features auto-focus, geo-tagging and touch focus. There’s an accelerometer, proximity sensor, FM radio and GPS. Of course there’s also Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and a microUSB port.

So there you have it. Which Lenovo smartphone do you find most interesting? Share with us your thoughts by leaving a comment below. You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Google Plus or subscribe to our blog for other tech stories from around the globe.