Specs we hate to see in a Php6K-8K Android smartphone

The Alcatel Flash Plus, ASUS Zenfone 2 ZE500CL, and Lenovo A7000 have set the benchmarks on what an affordable smartphone should be. They all sport competitive specs and features with a price tag ranging between Php6k to Php8K. These gave consumers an idea of what a bang-for-the buck phone is and have frowned upon those that have the following specs especially if they’re more expensive.

1. Outdated dual-Core CPU. There was a time when we considered smartphones with dual-core processors as high-end, but since consumers do more now than just call or text, and Android OS needs better hardware to keep up with features, we’re now looking at newer Intel dual-core and MediaTek quad-core CPUs at the minimum.

2. 1GB RAM. The bigger the number the better. That’s not always the case if we’re talking about CPU cores but when it comes to RAM, that statement is true, especially if you’re on Android and heavy on games. Right now we’re looking at 2GB RAM as the sweet spot set by the three phones mentioned earlier. With how people are using their phones right now, 1GB is not always enough.

3. 2,000mAh battery and below. If smartphone brands want to be hated for releasing a phone in the mentioned price range, putting a below average battery is the surest way to go. What’s the point of releasing a smartphone with all those features if users can only use it for half a day. Pack it with at least 2,500mAh and we’ll call it decent.

4. Sub-HD resolution with poor display. Going back to the standards for the mentioned price range, we hate when a phone that packs a very low resolution and stretch it on a screen of 5-inches. In addition, phones are used for viewing photos and videos so brands should at least give it a display that can produce good colors and viewing angles.

5. Small, non-expandable storage. Considering that the system files take a significant chunk of your internal storage, having a small storage capacity is a huge disadvantage especially if you want to install a lot of apps. That being said, 8GB can now be considered as below average. 16GB is average and acceptable but should have support for microSD.

How about you guys? Tell us what other specs you don’t like to see in a phone if it costs Php7k to Php8K.

The post Specs we hate to see in a Php6K-8K Android smartphone appeared first on YugaTech | Philippines, Tech News & Reviews.

Android One not doing well and we already knew why

Another wave or reports are coming in indicating that Android One is not doing well and we’re not surprised. In a country where sub-$100 Android smartphones have existed long before Android One, the program isn’t making any headway.

In bigger markets such as India, sales of Android One handsets are lower than expected. For a cheap smartphone and an ideal market like India, the lackluster performance will more or less reflect other markets.

That cold also be happening in the Philippines where we observe very little demand for the Android One handsets that were initially launched back in February.

In a short discussion with a local brand (which we will not name) that has partnered with Google for the Android One program, the company is a bit uneasy with the prospects and isn’t that very optimistic about the future either if Google will continue to serve the sub-$100 segment.

Nevertheless, we observed that Google has been very adamant to push for the program to succeed. So committed that they even bought several billboards in major thoroughfares in the metro and even opened pop-up booths in malls (we saw one in Market Market a couple months back) just to introduce Android One to the masses.

For a purely online company, it speaks volumes about their intention.

Perhaps, Google will find the right mix. They could set their eyes around the $150 to $200 price segment and push for best in class in terms of hardware and they might see some significant results.

{via India Times}

The post Android One not doing well and we already knew why appeared first on YugaTech | Philippines, Tech News & Reviews.

Android One not doing well and we already knew why

Another wave or reports are coming in indicating that Android One is not doing well and we’re not surprised. In a country where sub-$100 Android smartphones have existed long before Android One, the program isn’t making any headway.

In bigger markets such as India, sales of Android One handsets are lower than expected. For a cheap smartphone and an ideal market like India, the lackluster performance will more or less reflect other markets.

That cold also be happening in the Philippines where we observe very little demand for the Android One handsets that were initially launched back in February.

In a short discussion with a local brand (which we will not name) that has partnered with Google for the Android One program, the company is a bit uneasy with the prospects and isn’t that very optimistic about the future either if Google will continue to serve the sub-$100 segment.

Nevertheless, we observed that Google has been very adamant to push for the program to succeed. So committed that they even bought several billboards in major thoroughfares in the metro and even opened pop-up booths in malls (we saw one in Market Market a couple months back) just to introduce Android One to the masses.

For a purely online company, it speaks volumes about their intention.

Perhaps, Google will find the right mix. They could set their eyes around the $150 to $200 price segment and push for best in class in terms of hardware and they might see some significant results.

{via India Times}

The post Android One not doing well and we already knew why appeared first on YugaTech | Philippines, Tech News & Reviews.

How Final Fantasy Type-0 HD is like FF8

We were recently playing Final Fantasy Type-0 HD and noticed that there were a lot of similarities between this game and the 1999 franchise Final Fantasy 8. As a sort of a late Throwback Thursday post, sit back and read on if you were once a big fan of this hit 90’s game.

final-fantasy-type-0-hd-11

Final Fantasy Type-0 was initially released for PlayStation Portable back in 2011 and was only exclusive to Japan. A few years later and after a number of franchise under the Final Fantasy series have come out, they launched the HD version last March 2015. The game has slightly better graphics while still maintaining its gameplay.Those aren’t the only ones that changed, though, since it’s now available outside Japan (in PS4 and Xbox One) for everyone to play.

You might say that, “It’s a franchise so of course there are similiarities!” Although that may be true, there haven’t been much elements referenced in the previous titles as there are on FF Type-0 and FF8. We’ve listed five noteable things that would take you back in the day when you thought the first-gen PlayStation was everything you’ve ever needed.

1. FF8 academy style with students as protagonists

FINAL FANTASY TYPE-0 HD_20150423160159

Remember Squall and the rest of the SeeD cadets? For FF Type-0 the story also revolves around a bunch of specially-trained students (14 of them to be exact). Each one possesses different sets of skills. Some have guns, swords, and playing cards as weapons and it’s up to you how to use them — three at a time, of course!

They are currently stationed at Akademeia which is a school for training cadets. Sounds familiar? It’s because this is exactly the setup in FF8 where students train the art of combat and magic at Balamb Garden.

2. Open world exploration with unporportionally tall character

FINAL FANTASY TYPE-0 HD_20150423160411

Unlike in Final Fantasy 7 that showed ‘chibi’ (mini) versions of the characters during gameplay, FF8 went with showing a character that was unproportioned in size to towns and other landmarks. This style was also carried over to FF Type-0 so it all looked too familiar everytime we were roaming around. We know, it looks weird, but it makes us FF nerds feel at home.

3. Zell-inspired character

FINAL FANTASY TYPE-0 HD_20150423160539

Zell Dincht is a character from Final Fantasy 8 that fights melee style — he only uses fists and kicks to deal damage to enemies. Eight is basically the Zell of Type-0, only minus the face tattoo. If you missed how fun it was using Zell’s combo punches during combat, you would surely relive that moment with Eight.

4. Random encounters/battles 

FINAL FANTASY TYPE-0 HD_20150405031633

They also brought back random battles in this new game when you tread the open world which is not something that a lot of games have incorporated in their combat system. Truth be told, we don’t think most of young gamers today would still appreciate this kind of style. For us, it’s something that only long-time fans of the series will most likely appreciate.

5. Recurring characters

FINAL FANTASY TYPE-0 HD_20150405230506

Throughout the series, many characters have returned and made their appearances in different Final Fantasy games and Type-0 is no exception. Here you will see Guardian Forces (aka Eidolons) to help you in battle. Bahamut, Ifrit, and Shiva are some of the first GFs you’ll encounter in the game. A Tonberry and Moogle are also here (kupo!). Finally, a character named Cid is present just like in almost all Final Fantasy games.

final-fantasy-type-0-hd-10

Of course there are also a lot of differences in the game compared to FF8. Its hack-and-slash kind of combat style is very far from the turn-based approach that was implemented before. Summoning Eidolons now require to sacrifice a player. In turn, it becomes your main character and you can use its unique power to annihilate enemies — pretty different from just watching and enjoying a badass cut scene.

FINAL FANTASY TYPE-0 HD_20150423161037

But in the end, these little remembrances of previous franchise altogether makes the gameplay seem a lot more familiar even though you’re just playing it for the first time. If you want a blast-from-the-past RPG game and have been a fan with the Final Fantasy series, this is worth checking out just before you play the upcoming Final Fantasy XV!

The post How Final Fantasy Type-0 HD is like FF8 appeared first on YugaTech | Philippines, Tech News & Reviews.

How Final Fantasy Type-0 HD is like FF8

We were recently playing Final Fantasy Type-0 HD and noticed that there were a lot of similarities between this game and the 1999 franchise Final Fantasy 8. As a sort of a late Throwback Thursday post, sit back and read on if you were once a big fan of this hit 90’s game.

final-fantasy-type-0-hd-11

Final Fantasy Type-0 was initially released for PlayStation Portable back in 2011 and was only exclusive to Japan. A few years later and after a number of franchise under the Final Fantasy series have come out, they launched the HD version last March 2015. The game has slightly better graphics while still maintaining its gameplay.Those aren’t the only ones that changed, though, since it’s now available outside Japan (in PS4 and Xbox One) for everyone to play.

You might say that, “It’s a franchise so of course there are similiarities!” Although that may be true, there haven’t been much elements referenced in the previous titles as there are on FF Type-0 and FF8. We’ve listed five noteable things that would take you back in the day when you thought the first-gen PlayStation was everything you’ve ever needed.

1. FF8 academy style with students as protagonists

FINAL FANTASY TYPE-0 HD_20150423160159

Remember Squall and the rest of the SeeD cadets? For FF Type-0 the story also revolves around a bunch of specially-trained students (14 of them to be exact). Each one possesses different sets of skills. Some have guns, swords, and playing cards as weapons and it’s up to you how to use them — three at a time, of course!

They are currently stationed at Akademeia which is a school for training cadets. Sounds familiar? It’s because this is exactly the setup in FF8 where students train the art of combat and magic at Balamb Garden.

2. Open world exploration with unporportionally tall character

FINAL FANTASY TYPE-0 HD_20150423160411

Unlike in Final Fantasy 7 that showed ‘chibi’ (mini) versions of the characters during gameplay, FF8 went with showing a character that was unproportioned in size to towns and other landmarks. This style was also carried over to FF Type-0 so it all looked too familiar everytime we were roaming around. We know, it looks weird, but it makes us FF nerds feel at home.

3. Zell-inspired character

FINAL FANTASY TYPE-0 HD_20150423160539

Zell Dincht is a character from Final Fantasy 8 that fights melee style — he only uses fists and kicks to deal damage to enemies. Eight is basically the Zell of Type-0, only minus the face tattoo. If you missed how fun it was using Zell’s combo punches during combat, you would surely relive that moment with Eight.

4. Random encounters/battles 

FINAL FANTASY TYPE-0 HD_20150405031633

They also brought back random battles in this new game when you tread the open world which is not something that a lot of games have incorporated in their combat system. Truth be told, we don’t think most of young gamers today would still appreciate this kind of style. For us, it’s something that only long-time fans of the series will most likely appreciate.

5. Recurring characters

FINAL FANTASY TYPE-0 HD_20150405230506

Throughout the series, many characters have returned and made their appearances in different Final Fantasy games and Type-0 is no exception. Here you will see Guardian Forces (aka Eidolons) to help you in battle. Bahamut, Ifrit, and Shiva are some of the first GFs you’ll encounter in the game. A Tonberry and Moogle are also here (kupo!). Finally, a character named Cid is present just like in almost all Final Fantasy games.

final-fantasy-type-0-hd-10

Of course there are also a lot of differences in the game compared to FF8. Its hack-and-slash kind of combat style is very far from the turn-based approach that was implemented before. Summoning Eidolons now require to sacrifice a player. In turn, it becomes your main character and you can use its unique power to annihilate enemies — pretty different from just watching and enjoying a badass cut scene.

FINAL FANTASY TYPE-0 HD_20150423161037

But in the end, these little remembrances of previous franchise altogether makes the gameplay seem a lot more familiar even though you’re just playing it for the first time. If you want a blast-from-the-past RPG game and have been a fan with the Final Fantasy series, this is worth checking out just before you play the upcoming Final Fantasy XV!

The post How Final Fantasy Type-0 HD is like FF8 appeared first on YugaTech | Philippines, Tech News & Reviews.