Shopee Breaks Records with its 12.12 Big Christmas Sale 2020

Shopee wraps up the year-end shopping season with record-breaking sale of their 12.12 Big Christmas Sale! with 12 million Items Sold within the first 24 Minutes and peaking, one million items bought in a minute.

Martin Yu, Director at Shopee Philippines, said, “We are humbled to end the year on a high note with a groundbreaking 12.12 Big Christmas Sale. Given the unprecedented year that 2020 has been, we wanted this to be a special day not just for Shopee, but for the people we serve. E-commerce has become of increasing importance in our lives. It has evolved beyond a platform to access basic needs to one that connects people and businesses. We are glad to celebrate the past five years with our users, sellers, and brand partners and are truly excited about what’s to come."

Consumers joined Shopee every day for four weeks of fun and entertainment, spending time on Shopee’s in-app games and features leading up to Big Christmas Sale on December 12, where they shopped for over 2 billion products! Shopee’s in-app games were played a record of 2.7 billion times with Shopee Bubble and Shopee Candy, were big hits with a total of 28 million hours played. 450 million views were recorded on Shopee Live during the entire 12.12.

Filipinos enjoyed a constant stream of deals on December 12, supported by Shopee’s robust ecosystem. Home & Living, Mobile Accessories, and Fashion emerged as the best-selling product categories. 1.5 million home decor products such as curtains, wallpapers, and 3D wall stickers sold. 1 million smartphone accessories were sold, with phone cases, phone covers, and power banks being the most popular.  For fashion products, 1.6 million tops sold and more focused on fitness with over 57,000 sports bras sold. Sales peaked for local businesses on Shopee with One Top seller recorded more than 75,000 orders within 24 hours on December 12. Increasing adoption of digital payments met the surge of shopping activity. ShopeePay surging 18 times, orders paid via the mobile wallet.

Yu closed, “We are extremely grateful for the unwavering support that our users, sellers, and brand partners have shown us. As we look ahead, we will continue meeting the needs of our local communities; making online shopping accessible, easy, and enjoyable for users; and helping businesses realize the growth opportunities for e-commerce in the region. We look forward to continuing creating new experiences and value for everyone in 2021.”

Shop from the 12.12 Thank You Sale at https://shopee.ph/m/christmas-sale.

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Philippines’ top searches in 2020, a Yahoo Year in Review

2020 has been one of the most momentous years of the past century. With the Covid pandemic, it kept netizens in the Philippines glued to their devices in search of information, ideas and opinions.

Yahoo’s Year in Review 2020 takes a look at the top happenings, people, and trends that captured the interest of the Philippines’ online community in 2020. Yahoo team analyzes users’ anonymized interest patterns based on what was searched for, read, recommended, and shared. Takes into account a number of factors, including absolute volume and growth from previous periods to see which themes and trends bubble to the surface.

Top newsmakers of 2020:

Taal Volcano was the top searched news in the Philippines this year with its activity in January threatened the lives of nearly a million people across Calabarzon, Metro Manila and some parts of Central Luzon and Ilocos region. Late NBA superstar Kobe Bryant ranked second in the search list as basketball-crazed Philippines reeled from news of his untimely passing.

Local and international politics was also in focus with the US Presidential Elections (3rd) and President Donald Trump (6th), President Rodrigo Duterte (4th) and the Bayanihan Act 2020 (5th), also known as the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, ranked high on users’ searches.

Francis Leo Marcos (7th) for his alleged violation of Optometry Law also grab people's attention.

Filipino celebrities dominated the most searched female celebrities list this year, taking eight out of the 10 top spots. Actress Ivana Alawi whose wildly popular YouTube channel drove her meteoric rise to fame in just a year. Sarah Geronimo ranked second on the list as news of her surprise secret wedding.  Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray’s (3rd) controversial breakup with her ex Clint Bondad also circulated online.

South Korean Oppas dominated half of the spots in the most searched male celebrities list. International popularity with Crash Landing on You, 2020 was a shining year for Hyun Bin (2nd) as well as his commercial deal with telco Smart Communications.  Lee Min-Ho (6th), Park Seo Joon (9th), and Ji Chang Wook (10th) also made the list. Suprisingly, Broadcast journalist and host Raffy Tulfo edged out South Korean male celebrities to take the coveted top spot.

Users turned to sporting events to keep them entertained in the comforts of their homes. The NBA and the PBA Philippine Cup were the top two most searched events in 2020; the latter took users on a rollercoaster ride with several changes in its schedule before resuming in October. The Australian Open (3rd), French Open (5th), and US Open (9th) secured three spots on the list. Other major sports events popular with locals such as baseball, football, mixed martial arts, racing, and golf rounded up the list.

#COVID19: Users searched for updates, symptoms, lockdowns and vaccine
‘Coronavirus Update’, ‘Coronavirus Philippines’ and ‘Covid19 symptoms’ became the top three pandemic search terms amongst users. ‘Covid 19 update worldwide’, ‘Covid 19 vaccine’, ‘Covid 19 tracker’, ‘Quarantine’, ‘Pandemic’, and ‘Lockdown’ were hot topics for the top search terms, coming in from fourth to ninth place. Interestingly, Italy was a country of interest to users in the Philippines, ‘‘Coronavirus Italy’ (10th) made an appearance as one of the popular searches related to Coronavirus.

For the biggest moments online and other surprises from the year, take a detailed look at Yahoo’s Year in Review 2020 – https://ph.yahoo.com/topics/ph-yir.  Satiate your wanderlust while looking back into 2020 with the ‘Travel in Style’ series of augmented reality (AR) filters. Three AR filters, created by Yahoo, will be available on Facebook and Instagram.

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Smart Omega to represent Philippines in Mobile Legends World Championships

The official esports team supported by Smart Communications, Inc (Smart) -  Smart Omega will be one of the professional teams to represent the Philippines in the upcoming Mobile Legends: Bang Bang M2 World Championships in Singapore!

Smart Omega is composed of six (6) professional Filipino Mobile Legends athletes, namely Kenneth Jiane “Kenji” Villa, Jeniel “Haze” Bata-anon, Salic “Hadji” Imam, Earin John “Heath” Esperana, Jankurt Russel “Kurttzy” Matira, and Adrian “Toshi” Bacallo. The team already has several awards under its belt, including multiple championships and top awards for The Nationals, Just ML competition, Juicy Legends Pro Division, and top awards during various MPL-PH Series. Kenji and Haze both won gold for the Philippines under the Smart-powered Team Sibol during the debut of the multi-platform esports category in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games. Haze also has the Challenger Summit Singapore Champion and the 2018 Southeast Asia Cyber Arena (SEACA) titles on his resume, among others.

 M2 World Championships is scheduled on January 18 to 24, 2021 and is the first in-person competition for Mobile Legends since the pandemic began. Smart Omega will go against teams from Japan, Brazil, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore and Russia. Bren Esports will also represent the Philippines. Both teams are members of the Smart-backed Philippine Esports Organization (PESO), the official National Sports Association that govern and develop esports in the country.

The tournament will follow strict public health protocols during the games, and no live audience will be allowed in the venue to ensure the safety of the participants.

Jane J. Basas, SVP and Head of Consumer Wireless Business at Smart shares “Our support for Filipino esports athletes through the years is rooted in our firm belief that our players have the skills, talent, and dedication to be at par with the world’s best players. We hope that Smart Omega can be an inspiration to Filipino casual players and fans to help them realize and pursue their passion for esports,” 

Smart has been active in the promotion of esports in the Philippines. Aside from Smart Omega, the telco company has also organized multiple Mobile Legends competitions nationwide made possible by PLDT and Smart’s integrated network.

For 2020, PLDT and Smart further accelerated the rollout of their fixed and wireless networks to deliver better customer service. PLDT's fiber infrastructure is now at more than 422,000 kilometers as of November and is the most extensive in the country. This fiber infrastructure supports Smart's mobile networks, which now cover 96% of the population and are present in 95% of cities and municipalities. Smart has also increased the number of its base stations to over 58,000 as of November as well as rolling out additional 5G base stations as it accelerates its 5G commercial services nationwide.  In July, they unveiled the nation’s first-ever 5G-powered gaming hub and hosted the first mobile phone vs PC crossplay exhibition match via cloud gaming.

Smart teamed up with PESO and ESNAP to support the Philippine team to the very first Pacific Pro-Am NBA 2K20 Tournament, soon after their successful stint at the FIBA Esports Open. More importantly, the company also poured its support for Filipino esports athletes during the 2019 Southeast Asian Games.

For more information, visit > www.smart.com.ph

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Shopee 12.12 Big Christmas Sale Kicks off Successfully!!

Shopee 12.12 Big Christmas Sale starts out great with a surge of shopping activity from consumers across the region with four times more items sold in the first hour at midnight today, December 12! The sale is also a celebration for Shopee's fifth 12.12 Birthday Sale!

Filipinos are snapping up the best deals with one shopper making almost 100 orders in the morning of December 12. Shopping activity is also highest in Metro Manila, South Luzon, and North Luzon. 

Most popular product categories among Filipino consumers - Home & Living, Men’s Apparel, and Health & Personal. 

People are prepping for fitness-related New Year’s resolutions around 30,000 units of men’s jogger pants were sold in the first 8 hours of December 12.

Well you could still catch up as there is time left for you to do your Christmas Shopping with Shopee 12.12 Big Christmas Sale until midnight > https://shopee.ph/m/christmas-sale.

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Converge Completes Upgrades International Uplinks to Ensure Quality of Experience

Converge ICT Solutions Inc. has completed its massive upgrade of its International Uplink Ports for IP Transit (IPT), Private Network Interconnect (PNI) and Internet Exchange (IX) connectivity. With this, Converge aims to provide high availability for its Internet services to ensure that customer connections can reach their content in the fastest possible way with the lowest latency.

Ronald Brusola, Chief Technology Officer of Converge, said that to achieve this, the first step was to complete the upgrade of its International Border gateways in its foreign POPs to Terabit Class Routers with multiple 100Gbps uplinks. Following this, the Uplink ports for IPT, PNI and IX have also been upgraded to 100Gbps ports. Converge uses the Top Global ISPs, IXs and peers directly with the largest OTT Content providers.

The completion of this initiative means that Converge Internet customers will not only be assured of reaching content with the lowest latency, but also ensures sufficient uplink bandwidth to avoid congestion even when certain uplink providers go down, Chief Operating Officer Jesus Romero adds.

Converge has extensive Domestic peering arrangements with other local Philippine Providers including the government-sponsored PhOpenIX. This is on top of other recently completed initiatives such as the upgrade of the International backbone network to multiple diverse 100G links, as well as the recent upgrade of the Domestic Metro DWDM to 400Gbps waves, a first in the Philippines.

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Shopee Launches 12.12 Big Christmas Sale!

Leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, Shopee wraps up the year and marks its fifth birthday by launching its annual 12.12 Big Christmas Sale! They had set new records and signified the changing landscape and potential of e-commerce in the region during the run of their 9.9, 10.10, and 11.11 shopping events.

Shopee 12.12 Big Christmas Sale

Martin Yu, Director at Shopee Philippines, said, “Shopee was born with the vision of making online shopping accessible, easy, and enjoyable. We built Shopee from the ground up, listening to people’s specific needs in each of our markets and turning our understanding into well-executed localized strategies that make Shopee what it is today. This year’s 12.12 Big Christmas Sale has added significance as we celebrate our fifth birthday and come together with our brand partners, sellers, and shoppers to support one another through a challenging year. As we look back on our journey, we are proud to have adapted quickly to serve the needs of our local communities.” 

Shopee highlights three key trends that will continue to power the growth of e-commerce in 2021 and beyond.

1.) Social: Bringing the human touch to online shopping

Today’s users are more social than ever, and they demand a more engaging online shopping experience with rich and unique content. In 2016, Shopee launched Shopee Live Chat, direct conversations between buyers and sellers. Currently, an average of 30 million messages are exchanged daily on Shopee Live Chat. This shows that advancements in technology coupled with changing shopper habits, have resulted in online shopping evolving from a transactional experience to an interactive one.

Shopee has continuously improved on and introduced new in-app engagement features such as Shopee Games, Shopee Feed, and Shopee Live to make the online shopping experience more social. Shopee anticipates this with e-commerce increasingly becoming a platform through which people can connect and enjoy shared experiences. Shopee will continue to drive unique initiatives like Shopee Mom’s Club, which provides one-stop exclusive access to parenting content and baby product deals. There’s also the Book Club for a new generation of digital readers in Vietnam and “Pawrents” club to meet the demand for pet products in Singapore.

2.) Personalization: Catering to the ‘Me’ Economy 

Personalized experience makes online shopping more efficient, enjoyable, and unique for consumers. It also helping brands and sellers drive traffic and growth as they interact and cater more to the consumer needs and preference. Shopee use a hyper-localized approach, running seven different apps in each of its markets and localizing in-app features. Refining its recommendation engines gets customized and relevant shopping suggestions for their customers. 

With personalized recommendations, it increases overall awareness and conversions. Businesses that use Shopee's in-app advertisements get 65% more sales activity as it is powered by Shopee's own AI capabilities that ensure advertisements are delivered to the right users.

As the industry progresses into the ‘me’ economy, businesses need to innovate in order to improve the online customer journey. Shopee expects to see the rise of smart shoppers in the coming years, a new demographic of young, tech-savvy individuals who expect a highly personalized online shopping experience. 

3.) Integration: Creating a seamless customer journey

With the new normal, retailers need to adapt and must deliver a seamless customer experience. Shopee helps brands and sellers by providing fundamental operational support through integrated payments and logistics, while creating innovative experiences to customers.

• Together with P&G , Shopee introduced its first-ever experiential online Show Me My Home initiative delivering an experiential home shopping experience as well as allowing shoppers to discover and shop for P&G’s popular household items in a simulated household environment. This brought convenience for stay-at-home consumers as it comes closer to offline experience of walking in a store. 

Yu closed, “2020 has been a transformative year. It has shown us the importance of technology and its ability to not only connect people and meet their basic needs, but also to entertain and engage. We are just at the beginning of our digital journey and looking ahead, we believe e-commerce will have an even more profound impact on businesses and consumers, creating new ways of living, working, and engaging. As we wrap up the year with the 12.12 Big Christmas Sale, let's continue to look out for one another, uplift those in need, and welcome the new year on a high note.”

From November 18 to December 12, users can enjoy free shipping with ₱0 minimum spend, cashback, and ₱1 deals with Shopee 12.12 Big Christmas Sale!

Shopee 12.12 Big Christmas Sale

Amazing promotions and big rewards with ShopeePay! From December 3 to December 11, shoppers who use ShopeePay can look forward to free shipping,  discount vouchers, and a chance to win cash prizes!

Join the #MyShopeeWish TikTok Challenge! from December 7 to 30 to win prizes! Winners will be announced on January 15, 2021 on Shopee’s official social media accounts.
For more information > https://shopee.ph/m/my-shopee-wish.

Shopee 12.12 Big Christmas Sale Partners

Enjoy up to 50% off from Diamond Partners on Shopee Mall – L’Oreal Paris, P&G Beauty, Abbott, Unilever Home and Food, Havaianas, Nestle, Huawei, Vivo, Pampers, RB Enfagrow, and Infinix. Other brands like Unilever, MASS Appliances, Soundcore by Anker, Platinum Karaoke, Union Appliances, Amazfit, Kyowa, PULUZ, Pedigree, Bio-Science, Organic Skin, Shigetsu, Mikana, Organic Official, INSPI, GSK, Tigernu, MetroSunnies, New Balance, Colgate-Palmolive, Haylou, Alaska, and Fila also offer amazing deals and discounts.

Shopee 12.12 Big Christmas TV Special on GMA

Tune in to 12.12 Shopee Big Christmas TV Special 10AM December 12, Saturday on GMA for more fun, surprises as well as over 12 Million worth of Prizes!

For more information about Shopee 12.12 Big Christmas Sale, visit > https://shopee.ph/m/christmas-sale. 

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Make your Online Christmas Shopping Safer by Eastwest Bank

This year’s holiday season is not like the ones that came before. Due to COVID-19, many things have changed. Gone are the days of spending time in the malls to check off gifts but we turn to online channels gift-shopping online for convenience and safety.

However, online shopping is not without its own risk as well with  dangers of online bank fraud. Shoppers should stay vigilant as bonuses tempt fraudsters to hit unsuspecting people.

EastWest’s Chief Information Security & Data Protection Officer, Joey A. Regala shares few tips to keep your accounts safe this Christmas.

1.) Look for secure online shops

You have less to worries about fraud from online stores if you’re shopping from the most popular e-commerce sites. Make sure to check for the lock icon in the browser’s URL bar indicating the site is protected by SSL (or to say secure sockets layer). If it doesn’t have that or there is a “Not Secure” label in the URL bar, it means that site is not protected by SSL—do not buy from the site.

Regala also suggests doing research on the shop you’re buying from and its reputation.

Avoid giving away too much information if you are speaking with the vendor. “Do not overshare, especially in chats with the vendors,” says Regala. “Confidential information such as your address and credentials are protected in the website, but not in the private chats.”

2.) Use Official Banking Apps instead of your mobile browser

It’s safer to use the official banking app instead of your phone’s internet browser to access the bank’s online platform for your mobile banking transactions. Mobile phones have more security features such as biometrics and OTP generators.

“Mobile apps are more secure since the hacker needs to have the actual mobile phone on hand to get into your account,” says Regala. “This setup is already a form of two-factor authentication, which is something you have.”

EastWest customers can be assured that the official EastWest app is safe for banking, Regala adds. It’s got state-of-the-art security features that will keep accounts protected. You can use it to constantly monitor your bank and credit card accounts, which you should also be doing religiously.

3.) Don’t Use Public WiFi

Do not use the free WiFi if you can avoid it. These connections are unsafe, leaving you open to attackers and hackers. If you must use the public WiFi, use a Virtual Private Network (VPN). “If you are not using a VPN, do not access your banking app,” warns Regala.

4.) Protect your Internet Connection at Home

Your home internet connection is also open to risks even if you keep your wireless connection password-protected. Change your router’s administrative panel password from the default; use a strong and unique password that is hard to guess.

Regala also reminds people to have Anti-Virus software on all their devices. Keep the software constantly updated and run regular computer scans.

5.) When you receive your delivery, destroy the evidence

Evidence or to say the shipping labels that couriers stick on your package. “Do not just throw it in the garbage,” says Regala. “It contains your name, address, and contact numbers—this information can be used for fraudulent purposes.”

With these safety and security tips, you should be able to have a worry-free holiday season! But should you become a victim of any fraud at any time, don’t hesitate to report the instance to your bank. They can block your cards to prevent further illegal transactions and help you with any of your concerns. 

For more tips on safety and security, visit the EastWest Website > eastwestbanker.com, or follow their official Facebook page > facebook.com/eastwestbanker.

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Lenovo Legion New Normal Holiday Gaming Gift Guide 2020

Global innovation leader Lenovo, through its gaming sub-brand Legion, came up with the ultimate 2020 gaming gift guide filled with the season’s best devices for the first-rate gaming experience.

“Gaming is a proven effective stress reliever in trying times. Lenovo teamed up with the World Health Organization in the ongoing #PlayApartTogether initiative to encourage the activity during the pandemic, while also helping promote crucial health guidelines such as physical distancing and proper hand hygiene. We encourage everyone to do some gaming to cap off their 2020 as it creates many opportunities and new memories with family and friends,” said Michael Ngan, Lenovo Philippines President and General Manager.

Check out Lenovo's picks:

Legion Slim 7i – Slim yet savage

• Display: 15.6” FHD resolution display with 144Hz refresh rate and 100% sRGB
• Processor: 10th-Generation Intel Core i7-10750H
• Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060
• Memory: 16GB 2933MHz DDR4 RAM
• Storage: 1TB SSD (with extra SSD slot)
• OS: Windows 10 Home
• Price: PHP 99,995

The Legion Slim 7i is made for hardcore gamers and those looking for a powerful yet slim notebook. Weighing only 1.8 kg and is 17.9 mm thin, it’s the lightest gaming laptop in the world. Powered by 10th-Generation Intel Core processor with NVIDIA’s powerful GeForce RTX 2060 graphics card coupled with incredible memory and storage capacity, the Legion Slim 7i can handle everything you throw at it as well as enables more smooth and realism in than ever before through its real-time ray tracing capabilities. Whether for gaming, studying, or working at home, Legion Slim 7i is a clear cut choice as your daily companion.

Legion Y740Si – A visual feast for the eyes

• Display: 15.6” In-Plane Switching (IPS) display with UHD resolution and High Dynamic Range (HDR)
• Processor: 10th-Generation Intel Core i7-10750H
• Graphics: Powered by Legion BoostStation eGPU with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 graphics card
• Memory: 16GB DDR4 RAM
• Storage: 1TB SSD
• OS: Windows 10
• Price: PHP 144,995

Immersive Entertainment experience with an impressive 4K Display and Dual Dolby Atmos speakers, cinephiles and movie junkies are sure to enjoy the Legion Y740Si. Easily switch to playing whatever they want in the highest of settings with BoostStation eGPU that houses an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 graphics card. Equipped with Legion’s impressive Coldfront 2.0 thermal management system technology which makes viewing, working, or gaming longer without any worries about overheating.

Legion 5Pi – Perfect balance of style and adrenaline

• Display: 15.6” In-Plane Switching (IPS) display with FHD (1920 x 1080) resolution, 144Hz refresh rate, less than 3 ms response time, 100% sRGB, Dolby Vision Enabled, 300 nits of brightness
• Processor: 10th-Generation Intel Core i7-10750H
• Graphics: Up to NVIDIA GeForce GTX1660Ti graphics card
• Memory: 8GB 2933MHz DDR4 RAM (with an expansion slot)
• Storage: 512GB M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD (with an SSD expansion slot)
• OS: Windows 10 Home
• Price: Starts at PHP 71,995

Strikes the balance between style and savagery, the Legion 5Pi may be the device for you. Make heads turn with its minimalist design, white backlit “Y” logo, and subtle Iron Grey chassis. Adding to its visual flair is an impressive FHD (1920x1080) IPS Anti-glare Display with 300nits brightness and high 144Hz refresh rates that allow for smoother and lifelike motion during gameplay or while watching videos and films. Has Dual Burn Technology that pushes the processor and graphics card together for improved framerates.

Legion 5 & 5i – Mainstream workhorses

• Display: Up to 15.6" FHD IPS (1920 x 1080, 500 nits brightness, up to 240Hz refresh rate, less than 1ms response time, 100% sRGB, Dolby Vision enabled, VESA DisplayHDR 400 certified
• Processor: Up to AMD Ryzen™ 7 4800H mobile processor (Legion 5) or 10th-Generation Intel Core  i7-10750H processor (Legion 5i)
• Graphics: up to NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 graphics card
• Memory: Up to 16GB 3200MHz (Legion 5) or 2933MHz DDR4 RAM (with an expansion slot)
• Storage: Up to 1TB PCIe SSD (with an SSD expansion slot)
• OS: Windows 10
• Price: Starts at PHP 56,995

Built for mainstream gamers on a budget, the Legion 5 and Legion 5i gaming notebooks offer an abundance of performance options assuring everyone value for their money. Both models come with smart features such as the TrueStrike keyboard, Coldfront 2.0 thermal management system, and improved battery life that can be boosted using Advanced Optimus and Hybrid Mode. The Legion 5 may carry up to AMD Ryzen 7 4800H processor and the Legion 5i coming with up to an Intel Core processor.

IdeaPad Gaming 3 & 3i – Value-for-money gaming device

• Display: 15.6" FHD IPS (1920 x 1080), 250 nits brightness, 120 Hz refresh rate
• Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 4600H  (IdeaPad Gaming 3) or 10th-Generation Intel Core i7-10750H (IdeaPad Gaming 3i)
• Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650Ti graphics card
• Memory: 8GB 3200MHz DDR4 RAM or 2933Mhz DDR4 RAM for the IdeaPad Gaming 3i (with expansion slot)
• Storage: Up to 512GB SSD storage with an SSD expansion slot
• OS: Windows 10 Home
• Price: Starts at PHP 46,995

The IdeaPad Gaming 3 and 3i are perfect for those who don’t want to break the bank when getting into gaming. Although priced below PHP 60,000, both are filled with features found in high-end gaming laptops such as a 15.6” FHD (1920x1080) Anti-glare Display with a 120Hz refresh rate that keeps visuals crisp and tear-free during graphic intensive games. Both devices also come with an intuitive keyboard, each key has a curved dish that allows the fingers to sit comfortably in the center of the key, helping to ensure correct keypresses and improving accuracy. Power Charge technology, the laptop’s battery can already have 50% capacity in just 30 minutes of charging.

Legion Phone Duel – Mobile Gaming Beast

• Display: 6.65” Full HD AMOLED display with 144Hz refresh rate
• Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 Plus
• Memory: 12GB (Blazing Blue), 16GB (Vengeance Red)
• Storage: 256GB (Blazing Blue), 512GB (Vengeance Red)
• Rear camera: 64MP, f/1.9 25mm (wide), 16MP, f/2.2, 120 degree, 16mm (ultrawide)
• Front camera: 20MP, f/2.2, 25nn (wide), Motorized side-mounted pop-up camera
• Battery: 5000mAh with 65W Turbo Power Charging
• Price: PHP 39,995 (Blazing Blue); PHP 49,995 (Vengeance Red)

Premium gaming flagship smartphone for mobile gaming enthusiasts — the Legion Phone Duel. Among the first gaming smartphones in the world to utilize Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 Plus processor that delivers desktop-like gaming. The Legion Phone Duel is landscape-optimized for mobile gaming rig that can live most of its life on landscape mode and makes use the power of 5G for the smooth online gaming experiences and livestreams on the go. 240Hz touch sampling rate which registers commands in an instant, gyro sensors, and dual ultrasonic shoulder keys for quick gaming response and so more opportunities to win.

Legion notebooks above come with Lenovo’s 3-Year Premium Care that provides comprehensive technical hardware and software support, including a 24x7 direct hotline to engineers and On-Site repair. With this, Lenovo is also integrated solutions provider that’s more than capable of addressing the critical needs of its customers. 

Lenovo is gifting customers this holiday season with its The Empire Christmas Sale promo that lasts until December 31, 2020. Those buying any Legion, IdeaPad, or IdeaCentre Gaming device can earn corresponding Empire Points that can be used to redeem exclusive Legion merchandise. Full details of the promo are available at <legion.fan/EmpireSalePH>.

Lenovo Legion can help you find the ultimate Christmas gift this new normal holiday season. All devices assure an incredible and immersive experience. More information about the devices and other promotions can be obtained at the official Legion Philippines Facebook page <fb.com/lenovolegionPH> or the website <www.lenovo.com/ph/en/legion>. For the list of stores, visit <lnv.gy/2WYt0es>.

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Asus Philippines' SHARE 2020 Christmas Promo!

Time to celebrate the holiday season ending the year with a bang! as ASUS Philippines brings Share 2020 Promo!

ASUS, ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG), and ASUS for Business are teaming up to bring forth an unforgettable Christmas season with exclusive holiday bundles and prizes to share with the fans and their loved ones.

ASUS Philippines is generous to package its featured laptops with up to PHP 27,490 worth of bundled items. Starting November 25 until December 31, 2020, buyers of select ASUS laptops from all ASUS Concept Stores, ROG Concept Stores, and ASUS Authorized Resellers nationwide!

Purchase an ASUS Laptops worth PHP 100,000 and up will get you a ASUS ZenBeam S2 Projector worth PHP 27,490. ASUS ZenScreen Portable Monitor worth PHP 13,390 for laptops that are worth PHP 60,000 - PHP 99,000. Receive an ASUS TUF H3 Headset worth PHP 2,100 for purchasing notebooks worth PHP 30,000 - PHP 59,000.

Check out the official ASUS Share 2020 microsite > http://asusphevents.com/Share2020 for more info.

REPUBLIC OF GAMERS

Gamer Geeks, ROG joins in as they celebrates a milestone being crowned as the World’s #1 Gaming Laptop this past September, ROG notebooks and TUF Gaming laptops will come with exclusive bundles from November 25, 2020 to January 26, 2021!

ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 leads the charge powered by up to the latest Intel Core i9 10th generation processor and comes equipped with a one-of-a-kind ScreenPad Plus secondary display! Purchase this revolutionary gaming notebook and enjoy it while sitting comfy with your very own ROG Chariot Core gaming chair (worth more than PHP 18,000!) plus the regular out of the box items, the entire holiday bundle set sums up to PHP 53,000! Other gaming laptops will be coming with holiday exclusive bundles that range from Steam Credits to even a new TUF Gaming monitor.

Know more about the ROG Share 2020 by visiting its microsite > https://bit.ly/ROGShare2020_Mechanics.

ASUS FOR BUSINESS 

ASUS For Business offers an exclusive Share 2020 promo in the ASUS Expert Series official store in Shopee. The ASUS Expert Series official store promises laptops, desktops, Chromebooks, and All-in-One PCs fit for work, school, and business. Featured products are the best-selling ASUS AiO Desktop V222 (V222UAK--BA022T) and ASUS Chromebook Flip C434 (C434TA-AI0079).

Purchases from January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2020 via the ASUS Expert Series official store, get a chance to win Up to PHP 196,000-worth of prizes - a brand-new ASUS All-in-One PC, ASUS ExpertBook laptops, and ASUS ZenWifi routers! The first 30 customers who will purchase from the official store in Shopee from November 25 to December 31, 2020 will also get the chance to receive an ASUS Wi-Fi Router worth PHP 4,250!

Join the ASUS For Business Share 2020 by visiting > bit.ly/ASUSForBusinessShare2020. Registration will be open from November 25 to February 28, 2021.

ASUS PHILIPPINES & ASUS FOUNDATION GIVES BACK

In this season of giving and sharing, ASUS PHILIPPINES & ASUS Foundation give back to the community in hopes of supporting educators who are affected by Covid-19 as well as the recent typhoons. The organizations are slated to donate 20 pieces of ASUSPRO Business Laptops P1440FA-FA1001R to PLDT-SMART FOUNDATION, INC. as well as 44 pieces of ASUS All-in-One PCs V222FAK-BA019TS to FIL-CHI LOVE & CARE FOUNDATION.

With specialized promos for each product segment as well as a cause to move to support the educational sector during these trying times, nothing is going to stop ASUS Philippines from bringing the holiday cheer for its fans, their loved ones, and the community to enjoy.

For complete information on ASUS Share 2020, visit the official events page at http://asusphevents.com/Share2020.

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Samsung Galaxy A42 5G Appears! Specs Price Philippines

Look what we here! Samsung latest 5G smartphone, Samsung Galaxy A42 5G!

Comes in a ergonomic design with rounded corners as well as premium gloss holographic pattern finish in Prism Dot Black and Grey colors. Houses a 6.6 inch HD+ Super AMOLED Infinity-U Display for rich and clear viewing experience fit for media and games. Embedded with the display is the On-Screen Fingerprint Sensor securing your smartphone with your biometrics.

Samsung Galaxy A42 5G Design

Under the hood, it is powered by Snapdragon 750G Octa-Core 8nm Processor with Adreno 619 coupled with 6GB RAM and 128GB Internal UFS 2.1 Storage can be expanded via Micro SD. Runs on Android 10 with One UI 2.5.

Samsung Galaxy A42 5G Front

Equipped with Quad Rear Camera setup - 48MP Main, 8MP Ultra-Wide, 5MP Macro and 5MP Depth supported with LED Flash. For its selfie camera, it gets a high resolution 20MP. This should be enough for your photography and video recording needs.

Samsung Galaxy A42 5G Camera

Complete connectivity features for Samsung A42 5G with Dual Band WiFi AC, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS, NFC and 5G! Makes use of USB Type-C Port for charging and Data Transfer. You may choose to have a second sim to support two networks via its hybrid slot or makes use it for MicroSD Card.

Carries 5000mAh Battery and supports 15W Fast Charging.

Samsung Galaxy A42 5G is now available with Globe via their online store Free for ThePlan 1799. You can opt for a lower postpaid plan but you will need to cash out to avail the handset. Priced for 19,990. Look here:

Samsung Galaxy A42 5G Globe

Samsung Galaxy A42 5G Specs

Android 10  with One UI 2.5
6.6-inch HD+ Super AMOLED Infinity-U Display
Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G 8nm Octa-Core Processor
Adreno 619 GPU
6GB RAM
128GB Internal Storage UFS 2.1
Expandable via MicroSD Hybrid Slot

Rear Cameras:
48MP f/1.8 main
8MP f/2.2 ultrawide
5MP f/2.4 macro
5MP f/2.4 depth
Front Camera: 20MP f/2.2

Video:
up to UHD 4K (3840 x 2160)@30fps
Slow Motion up to 480fps @HD, 240fps @HD.

Connectivity:
Hybrid Sim Slot / Dual Standby
5G/ 4G/ 3G/ 2G
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac 2.4G+5GHz
Bluetooth v5.0
GPS, Glonass, Beidou, Galileo
NFC
USB Type-C USB 2.0
3.5mm jack

Sensors:
Accelerometer, Fingerprint Sensor, Gyro Sensor, Geomagnetic Sensor, Light Sensor, Proximity Sensor

5000mAh Battery
15W Fast Charging

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Smart Completes VoLTE Philippines Nationwide Rollout

Smart Communications, Inc. becomes the first telco to successfully rollout Voice over LTE or VoLTE. More Filipinos can now experience superior quality calls with uninterrupted data! 

VoLTE, the first fully IPS-based carrier-grade voice service wherein high-definition quality phone calls with almost no background noise are made using LTE Networks instead over voice network. This adds benefits of able two make and receive calls even while using mobile applications simultaneously, reducing waiting time as there won’t be a need to shift between networks.

Smart Prepaid and Smart Signature customer can now enjoy the service with nationwide coverage. You just need a VoLTE capable smartphone with a Smart LTE SIM to enjoy the service with another VoLTE user on the other line.VoLTE-capable smartphones include flagship, midrange and some entry-level phones from various brands. You can check via your smartphone settings if VoLTE is supported or might as well update it to the latest Android firmware if available. Just enable the service via your settings and once activated, customer can make VoLTE calls via their native dialer.

Calls made from VoLTE and VoWiFI will be charge similar to that of regular calls against the customer’s subscription. Those without active subscription, local and international voice and text rates applies.

Smart’s VoLTE is powered by Smart LTE, the country’s fastest mobile data network certified by Opensignal and OOkla.

Opensignal noted that Smart remained ahead against its competition in its November 2020 Mobile Network Experience Report* bagging Five (5) Mobile Experience Awards - Best in 4G Availability, Best in 4G Coverage, Best in Video Experience, Best in Upload Speed Experience  and Best in Download Speed Experience.

While for OOkla, global leader in internet testing and analysis, it named Smart as the Philippines’ fastest mobile network for the first half of 2020 with a Speed Score of 18.33, averaging 15.94 Mbps for downloads and 7.57 Mbps for uploads based on 2,810,963 user-initiated test taken with Speedtest®.

Learn more about Smart VoLTE via > https://smart.com.ph/Pages/VoLTE-VoWiFi.

 *Opensignal Awards – Philippines: Mobile Network Experience Report November 2020, based on independent analysis of mobile measurements recorded during the period July 1 – September 28, 2020 © 2020 Opensignal Limited.

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Shopee's 11.11 Big Christmas Sale, a Success!

Shopee came out strong with the success of their 11.11 Big Christmas Sale with 200 million items were sold in 24 hours across the region in span of in 24 hours last November 11.

Martin Yu, Associate Director at Shopee Philippines shares "The success of the 11.11 Big Sale reflects the continued growth of e-commerce in the region and the many opportunities it presents for businesses and shoppers. When the business landscape is transforming, we are committed to helping sellers and brands capture new growth opportunities while making online shopping more engaging and rewarding for consumers. We are humbled by the strong support this 11.11, and we will continue building on our vision of making e-commerce for everyone.”

Shopee set new records with robust sales momentum throughout the whole of the day, uplifting businesses in the region. Sellers that participated during the 11.11 Big Christmas Sale for the first time saw ten times more orders than an average day unlocking new opportunities for entrepreneurs and SMEs. This is attributed to the tremendous support from consumers and businesses in each of its seven markets.

Consumers was on their toes logged on to Shopee while waiting for the sale to start was entertained with various online games, streams and activities. Shopee Live posted more than 20 million hours of live streams while in-app games were played more than 2.5 billion times. 

In the Philippines, the 11.11 Big Christmas Sale created a spike in online shopping activity from consumers enjoying greater convenience through Shopee’s ecosystem for the best deals from their favorite brands and sellers. 1.6 million items were sold in an hour in Metro Manila at the peak of November 11. Over 800,000 skincare products such as Korean face masks, jade rollers, moisturizers, and serums were sold. Over 1.4 million home decoration items sold as Filipino shoppers went to Shopee to decorate their homes. Tangible growth for brands the likes of Xiaomi, realme, Pampers, Abbott, and Samsung with orders increased by 20 times.

Martin Yu closed on a high note, “We are thankful for the continuous support shown by our users, sellers, and brand partners. We look forward to wrapping up the year on a high note at the finale of 11.11 - 12.12 Big Christmas Sale in the month ahead.”

Download Shopee for free on the App Store or Google Play Store.

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Sony Electronics Launches Cinema Line FX6 Full-frame Professional Camera

Sony officially announced the FX6 (ILME-FX6V) camera, the latest model to their Sony’s Cinema Line. As part of the Cinema Line. The FX6 incorporates Sony's core technologies of image sensor, processing engine, and AF (autofocus) performance. FX6 is also compatible with the wide range of Sony E-mount lenses for creative flexibility.

Sony Cinema Line FX6

Ryo Ochi, General Manager, Digital Imaging Division, Sony Electronics Asia Pacific shares “The new FX6 is the latest example of Sony’s drive to continuously push the boundaries of imaging technology based on the needs of our customers. With the advancement of our Cinema Line, we are dedicated to enabling the extraordinary skills and talent of today’s content creators and cinematographers. The FX6 leverages from Sony’s industry-leading VENICE cinema camera and marries it with the best of Sony’s innovative Alpha mirrorless camera technology.”

Sony Cinema Line FX6 Modular Design

Measuring just 4.6 inches x 6 inches x 4.5 inches (116 millimeters x 153 millimeters x 114 millimeters) and weighing just 1.96 pounds (0.89 kilograms) built with magnesium alloy chassis, the FX6  is compact and lightweight for ready to go and shoot camera. Features a modular design to easily attach accessories, such as grips and viewfinders as well as gimbals and drones. Keep the camera cool and prevent overheating with its heat dissipating structure so you have more shooting and recording times.

Sony Cinema Line FX6 Operation

The FX6 is equipped with 10.2 MP full-frame back-illuminated Exmor R™ CMOS sensor delivering 15+ stop wide dynamic range with high sensitivity and low noise with base sensitivity ISO 800 with an enhanced sensitivity setting of ISO 12,800 - expandable to 409,600 - for shooting in low and very low light conditions. Gets the BIONZ XR™ image processing engine used in the new Sony Alpha 7S III camera, providing up to four times faster processing performance compared to the FS5 II. Capable of recording in XAVC All Intra 4:2:2 10-bit depth with stunning image quality in DCI 4K (4096 x 2160 – up to 60p), QFHD 4K (3840 x 2160 – up to 120p) and FHD (1920x1080 – up to 240p) for incredibly detailed slow motion as well as in XAVC Long GOP 4:2:0 8-bit QFHD 4K (3840 x 2160 – up to 120p) and 4:2:2 10-bit FHD (1920x1080 – up to 240p). 

Sony Cinema Line FX6 Exmor R CMOS Sensor BIONZ XR

Fast Hybrid AF for FX6 by combining 627-point focal plane phase-detection AF with advanced Face Detection and Real-time Eye AF in high frame rates with continuous AF, allowing the user to effortlessly and precisely track fast-moving subjects in slow motion without losing focus. The camera can also capture up to five times slow-motion with 4K (QFHD) 120fps. Supports over 50 native E-mount lenses and at even 4K 120p.

Sony Cinema Line FX6 E-Mount

Advanced cinematic color science including S-CinetoneTM for richer tonal reproduction as well as S-Log3,S-Gamut3 and S-Gamut3.Cine for post-production flexibility. FX6’s cinematic color science is optimized for premium applications by capturing the maximum dynamic range and providing creative freedom. Leveraging the color science of Sony’s world-leading VENICE cinema camera, FX6 also allows productions to easily match footage with other cameras in the cinema line up.

The new FX6 has few tricks on its sleeves with internal electronic variable ND filters for easy and seamless control of the camera’s filter density, letting you set variable ND to auto or adjust the filter density manually in smooth increments from 1/4 to 1/128 for perfectly exposed images without affecting the depth of field, even during changing lighting conditions.

Sony Cinema Line FX6 Viewfinder

3.5-inch LCD Viewfinder of the FX6 can be attached on multiple locations of the camera body for added freedom and easy menu control with touch operation. The quick access control menu easily gives you control and change key settings with a single touch - including Codec, Imager Scan Mode, Picture Size and Frequency, Base ISO and Sensitivity, Shooting Mode and Audio Levels.

Sony Cinema Line FX6 Storage

Gets two media slots compatible with CFexpress Type A cards for higher capacity and faster read and write speeds in addition to UHS-II/UHS-I SDXC cards. In line with professional workflows, FX6 includes 12G-SDI output that also supports 16-bit RAW, HDMI, timecode in/out, built-in Wi-Fi and four channel audio recording (via XLR Interface, Multi-Interface Shoe and built-in Stereo Mic).

Fast and easy editing via Sony’s Catalyst Browse/Prepare software. The Clip Flag button to easily filter and locate preferred takes. The software also shows metadata indicating when FX6 is rotated or in its normal position. Transform handheld footage into incredibly smooth and stable visuals by import FX6’s image stabilization metadata into Catalyst Browse/Prepare.

The FX6 full-frame Cinema Line camera will be available in the Philippines soon so stay tuned.

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Porsche Design and AOC unveil the Porsche Design AOC AGON PD27 Curved Gaming Monitor!

AOC collaborates with Porsche Design to introduce the first ever Porsche Design AOC AGON PD27 Curved Gaming Monitor!

Porsche Design AOC AGON PD27 Curved Gaming Monitor

Porsche Design AOC AGON PD27 sports racing-influenced design with Metal Casting Post and Frameless Bezel-less Display. Its silver-coloured stand is similar to those used in actual sports cars not just for design but also for stability, durability and endurance, staying true to Porsche Design’s design philosophy.

“With its linear and purist design that blends form and function, the Porsche Design AOC AGON PD27 is a perfect embodiment of the brand’s DNA and overarching design philosophy. Combined with AOC AGON’s innovative and cutting-edge technologies, the new monitor is developed for gamers seeking optimal performance that doesn’t compromise on style,” says Roland Heiler, Chief Design Officer at Porsche Design.

Porsche Design AOC AGON PD27 Design

“We’re proud and elated to announce the first result of our new partnership with Porsche Design: the Porsche Design AOC AGON PD27 monitor. AOC’s proven expertise in display technologies is a great match with Porsche Design’s exceptional approach to design. Gamers around the world will be thrilled to experience this great product both in design and outstanding gaming performance,” says Stefan Sommer, Director Marketing and Business Management at AOC Europe.

Porsche Design AOC AGON PD27 Curved Gaming Monitor

Complimenting its killer looks, it packs performance and wide range of functionalities. Houses a Curved 27-inch with QHD resolution (2560x1440) for superior picture quality and sharp visuals certified with VESA’s DisplayHDR 400, gives off rich lifelike colours and a wide dynamic range for immersive viewing surrounding the user with its tight curvature of 1000R (1m radius) for center of the action viewing.  To create that gaming vibe, the PD27  highlights the front–changing its colour depending on the game situation by projecting Porsche Design or AGON logo dynamically on the table surface.

Porsche Design AOC AGON PD27 Gaming

Gamers would surely need to consider the PD27.  Gets 240 Hz refresh rate and 1 ms GtG and 0.5 ms MPRT pixel response times for smooth, fluid, ghosting-free and free of tearing gaming experience enhanced with AMD’s FreeSync Premium Pro. Has 550 nits high brightness of its VA panel that is fit for gameplay at any lighting conditions.

Ambient Light FX Projected Logo

Other notable features of PD27, has a wireless (IR) keypad shaped like a centre console to access monitor settings and gaming presets. Features 5W stereo speakers with DTS sound to stimulate your sense of hearing to match your gaming visuals. For connectivity is has a 4-port USB 3.2 hub, 2x HDMI 2.0 and 2x DisplayPort 1.4 inputs.

The Porsche Design AOC AGON PD27 is said to be available in mid of November 2020 in select Porsche Design stores, specialist retailers and online at www.porsche-design.com and selected retail online shops with an RRP of EUR 799 (more or less 46000 Pesos). No word yet on when hit will be release for the Philippine Market. Will try to get information from AOC Philippines on this so stay tuned.

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ASUS Philippines and Republic of Gamers joins Shopee 11.11 Big Christmas Sale!

Geeks! Get your wallets ready, ASUS Expert Series and the Republic of Gamers (ROG) joins SHOPEE 11.11 BIG CHRISTMAS SALE!

ASUS Expert Series and the Republic of Gamers
SHOPEE 11.11 BIG CHRISTMAS SALE

Exclusive deals and freebies for that dream ASUS desktops, laptops as well as Gaming machines from ROG including king of gaming smartphones, ROG Phone 3! Up to PHP 9,500 price cut on selected Items as well as FREE SHIPPING NATIONWIDE capped at PHP 250 and PHP 100 off on all items by using the code: ASUS100OF plus awesome bundled items. Check out below the products that will be part of sale. You might also want to claim all vouchers via their shop official pages and via Shopee website to maximize the discounts you will going to have.

ASUS EXPERT SERIES

ASUS Commercial Desktops

ASUS All-in-One PCs

ASUS ChromeBooks

ASUS Commercial Notebooks

REPUBLIC OF GAMERS

ASUS VivoBook Gaming Laptops

ASUS TUF Gaming Laptops

ROG Gaming Laptops

Leading this sale is the ROG Zephyrus G14, equipped with an AMD Ryzen 4th Generation Processor and up to an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti, packed in a 14” slim-and-light form factor, this gaming laptop is one favorite amongst ROG fans. Also available are the ROG Zephyrus S, M, and Strix SCAR series, known for their unbeatable performance with the latest Intel 10th Generation Processor matched with up to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070, these are perfect combo for hardcore gamers on-the-go. Check out the list here:

Finally, the ROG Phone 3, King of Gaming Smartphones. All variants of the ultimate gaming phone will get a free Lighting Armor Case 3.

ROG Phone 3

You can check out the products via their official Shopee Shop > ASUS Expert Series  and ASUS Republic of Gamers so as you can add it to your cart during Nov 11 Shopee Big Christmas Sale!

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