Author: Chris Eilers

Everything has not been going well for the Uncharted Movie project. A lot of fans seem skeptical of the movie, the filming has been delayed, and recently, there has been a change of director!

Uncharted Movie to have new director!

With how much the movie industry can make, turning established game franchise into movies holds great potential for Hollywood film makers. There was WarCraft already, Assassin’s Creed is going to hit the theater at the end of this year, and there are plans for a Gears of War movie as well! The game series Uncharted has received critical success over the years, so it is not a surprise that this saga will see its movie adaptation some time in the future. However, it has not been all sugar and rainbows for this project.

Sony’s Uncharted movie has changed director quite a few times already since its announcement in 2009. Recently, Shawn Levy, director and executive producer of some episodes of Stranger Things, has been appointed to the position. Hopefully this may be the last change, because as Deadline reported, the movie is being fast-tracked. Levy’s works portfolio include the upcoming Arrival (starring Amy Adams and Jeremy Renner), Real Steel, Night at the Museum, and he 2006 Pink Panther remake. He will also direct some more episodes of Stranger Things in its second season.

The film’s production has met with many obstacles so far. Nolan North, the voice actor of the game’s protagonist Nathan Drake, as shared that fans are skeptical of the movie, regardless of who will play as Nathan. The cast and director have been changed for a few times already, and filming was supposed to start in 2015, but has been delayed. Hopefully this time, it will be smooth sailing for the crew!

Uncharted Movie: Looking to prove itself

With so much drama behind the scenes, expectation for this movie is not high. However, it may be a good sign, as it leaves a lot of rooms to surprise the audience with an amazing movie. Hopefully we will get just that! Are you looking forward to this movie?

India is a potential market for smartphone makers. Lenovo brand is one of them. From the recent statement, this Chinese manufacturer got the second position in top India smartphone brands. 

Lenovo brand is now the SECOND BIGGEST brand in India

The report comes from Canalys – a Canada analyst firm. Accordingly, Lenovo is getting huge successes in the India market. This Chinese brand has overtaken Micromax (an India smartphone brand) and got the second position in top India smartphone makers. Not only in India, Lenovo is getting successes in the global market. According to the latest financial statement, the company has shipped over 100 million units globally. It seems that the strategy of Lenovo ís working well.

According to Doshi – an analyst from Canalys, Lenovo is focusing on offline channels. With that, the company will be better in taking care of customers. Xiaomi – the other Chinese brand, is also aiming to offline channels in India market and also got some successes. However, Lenovo brand seems to be luckier than Xiaomi in this market. As the same report suggested, Xiaomi is standing in the fourth spot in top India smartphone brands. 

The success from Lenovo is believed to come from its new smartphones in 2016. In case you forgot, Lenovo brand has launched the Lenovo Zuk Z2 recently in India. Moto Z and Moto Z Force are also two successful smartphones which were launched in India this year.

Lenovo brand: new smartphones through 2016

For those who did fall in love with Lenovo brands, let’s consider the price of some Lenovo smartphones in 2016. First, Lenovo Zuk Z2 is available in India to buy with just $299. On the other hand, the Moto Z Force price is quoted at $597. Moto Z price is cheaper, with around $490. In the future, we expected to see more smartphones from this Chinese brand. Now, tell us which is your favourite phone from Huawei brand?

There are a lot of cloud storage service nowadays, namely Apple’s iCloud, Dropbox’s Carousel, etc, but Google Photos is still outstanding in the crowd. So why should you use Google photos? Let’s find out today!

Reasons to use Google Photos

The very first advantage that need to be mentioned is free unlimited storage offer. With photos under 16MP and videos up to 1080 resolution, you can store them in Google storage. Secondly, the search function is really amazing. You can find your photos by typing the keywords. For example, if your picture depicts mountainous scenery, you can type the word “mountain”, all the related photos will show up.

Thirdly it can work in various devices. If you have a laptop, a Macbook, or even an Android tablet, you can access to the app. The fourth reason is very interesting. Google Photos Assistant can create animations, collages, movies and stories from your photos. Besides, it automatically adds effects to photos. Of course, it will ask you whether you want to keep the altered photo or not.

In case you take some photos in succession, it will stitch them together to create a panoramic view.  Last but not least, If you have stored videos, it’s easy to upload them on to YouTube. Using the web version, select the option “Import your videos from Google Photos”. This option is especially useful if you want to upload videos from you phone, or that have been sent to you via message.

Google Photos: highly recommended

The service was launch last year and it is more and more popular to many users. It is available in both iOS and Android device. With Google Photos, storage and sharing photos as well as videos have never been easy and convenient like that. Let’s download and give it a try.

Stay tuned users, there are many flagship smartphones will be launched in the upcoming time. Today, let’s take a look at our list of upcoming smartphones. 

1. Huawei Mate 9 Pro

Upcoming smartphones – the first one we’ll show you today is Huawei Mate 9 Pro – a higher version of Huawei Mate 9 flagship. This phone is reported to make a debut on November 3rd. It seems that Huawei wants to catch up with the curved screen trend. That said, the new Mate 9 Pro is coming with a curved display, with 5.9-inch in size and quad-HD resolution. Besides, other Huawei Mate 9 specs are also huge.

Specifically, this handset is likely to come with 4GB RAM and 64GB internal storage (expandable to 256GB via MicroSD card). It supposedly works on Android 7.0 Nougat Os and an Octa-core Kirin 960 processor under the hood. If you are a photo lover, this new Huawei flagship is one of the ideal choices: the device sports a dual 12MP main camera with Leica lens. Although there is no information about the battery, the phone is expected to house at least 4000 mAH capacity. Huawei Mate 9 Pro price could start from $550. 

2. Xiaomi Mi Mix

Upcoming smartphones – Along with the Xiaomi Mi Note 2 launch, the Chinese company unveiled a new phone – Xiao Mi Mix. This could be the successor of the Xiaomi Mi Max. Besides a huge screen – 6.4-inch, other Xiaomi Mi Mix specs are also appealing. It comes with a 4GB RAM, 128GB ROM, and 2.34Ghz SnapDragon 821 processor. The bigger 6GB RAM version is reported to come along side. For photography, you’ll find a 16MP main camera with PDAF, LED-flash. Like its siblings, this handset is backed up with a huge battery, with 4400 mAH capacity and Quick Charge 3.0 support. Xiaomi Mi Mix price could start from $590 for the 6GB RAM version while the 4GB RAM version will be much cheaper, around $280. 

3. Samsung Galaxy S8

Upcoming smartphones – Samsung Galaxy S8. It seems that Samsung will launch this phone soon, expected to be in early 2017. Although there is no official word on the Galaxy S8 launch date, we will still collect here some unveiled specs of this phone. Accordingly, if the rumour comes for real, the handset will be the first Samsung smartphone with a 4K AMOLED display (5.1-inch). Besides, it might come in two versions: SnapDragon 830 and Exynos 8895. The device reportedly packs 6GB RAM and 128GB ROM. Especially, there will be a dual 12MP camera with FDAF, OIS, and dual-LED flash. Along with it is an 8MP front shooter. To update Samsung Galaxy S8 price, just keep following our page. 

4. Samsung Galaxy C9

Interestingly, after Samsung Galaxy C9 Pro, the next phone in ” Galaxy C line-up” is coming soon: Samsung Galaxy C9. Although the release date hasn’t been unveiled yet, we have heard some Galaxy C9 specs from recent reports. Accordingly, it could run on SnapDragon 652 processor and 6GB RAM. Users will also experience two 16MP cameras on the phone: one is sitting on the back and the other is on the front for selfies. Also, there will be at least 4000 mAh battery. Samsung Galaxy C9 price starts from $600. 

5. Nokia D1C

Last but not least, we have Nokia D1C in this list of the upcoming smartphones. This is one of the most awaited devices from Nokia, expected to be launched in 2017. On Antutu platform, the tablet unveiled with some key specs. Accordingly, it might come with a 1.4GHz Octa-core SnapDragon 430 accompanied by Adreno 505 GPU. It will also run on Android 7.0 OS. The device is also reported to have 3GB RAM and 16GB inbuilt storage. For photography, you’ll experience a combo of 16MP main camera and 8MP selfie shooter. 

Upcoming smartphones

Hopefully, our list today will show you the overview of upcoming flagship smartphones. These phones are from famous brands such as Samsung, Xiaomi, Huawei, and especially from Nokia. Now, tell us which is your favourite one?

2016 doesn’t seem a good year of smartphone market because there are many flagships with problems. First is Galaxy Note 7, after that is iPhone 7. Now, it’s LG V20 turn. This LG V20 camera glass is reported to be broken. 

LG V20 camera: crack camera glass

LG V20 – the latest product of LG – is one of the best flagships in the market. This phone comes with many great specs. One of the most impressive specs of this phone is its dual primary camera. This dual LG V20 camera will satisfy all photography lover with high-quality photos and various mode. However, this handset has a problem. Of course, this issue is not serious like the exploding battery like Note 7.

This issue involves to the LG camera, the camera glass to be more specific. According to some reports, the camera glass of this phone is crack. There is not one, but two incidents of the shattering camera glass. These owners report that when LG V20 were shipped to them, they found the broken camera glass already. These owners claimed that they had never used or dropped the devices before.

The LG company hasn’t given any reasons for this incident. Despite the broken camera glass, LG V20 is still one of the most desirable smartphones. LG V20 specs  are very strong. It has SND 820 chipset, 4GB RAM, Android Nougat, awesome cameras including a 5MP selfie shooter and a 16MP+8MP camera, etc.

2016: many flagships with problems

It seems like that each flagship this year has its own problem. The first one we have to mention is Note 7 with exploding camera. This made the company have to recall all Note 7 for two times. iPhone 7 also has the similar situation when there are some iPhone 7 exploded. Now, LG V20 gets the broken camera glass. However, this issue is not as acute as these flagships above. Hopefully, LG will fix this problem soon.

Two days ago, iOS 10.1 was officially launched along with the emergence of Portrait Mode on iPhone 7 plus. So, how to take advantage of this feature on your device? Let’s read our article today.

Portrait Mode: make dual lens camera effective

After updating to iOS 10.1, you click on the camera app. Swipe out the menu wheel below until you see “Portrait” and then choose that mode. Because Portrait mode is under experience, so you should tap try the beta. In order to have a sharper photo, you should lock in on your subject. To capture a portrait, line up the shot you wish to take within 8 feet (roughly 2.5m) of your subject. Pay attention to the Camera app’s prompt. Once you’ve met the camera’s needs, you’ll see a yellow banner at the bottom that reads “Depth Effect”. You can take photo at any time.

Despite portrait, you also can capture your pets, plans and inanimate objects. And the way to do it is totally similar to that of portrait. If you’re shooting in a dark room, you won’t be able to officially use Portrait mode. There’s just not enough light for the effect to work properly. But you can still use Portrait mode to take a low-light snap with the telephoto lens.

If you want a more dramatic blur you’ll need to increase the depth of field. This means you’ll have to leave more space between the subject and the background. The closer you can get to the subject, the greater the blur. After capturing, you can come to Camera roll to take a look at your photo.

Portrait mode: waiting for the official launch

Because Apple is still experiencing with the new feature, they will get their feedback from users to improve it. The great thing of Portrait mode is that you can send a photo from iPhone 7 plus to other devices without changing its effects.

After being leaked for so many times, BlackBerry DTEK60 launch is now official. With 4GB RAM and 21MP main cam, this phone will be the tough rival in the market. 

BlackBerry DTEK60 launch: 4GB RAM, 21MP main cam

BlackBerry DTEK60 is not a new name to us. This familiar name has shown up on the Internet for so many times. Basically, we know almost everything about this new BlackBerry phone, from the specs to the price. Now, this phone is official. This Canadian company has just held a BlackBerry DTEK60 launch event to introduce this phone. As we expected, it’s not different from the leaks before.

DTEK60 design is quite similar to Alcatel Idol 4s look. It has an all-in-one metallic body with the glass cover in the front and back of the phone. BlackBerry DTEK60 specs are too familiar to us. The phone is powered by a quad-core SND 820 paired with 4GB RAM. It runs on Android 6.0 Marshmallow OS, not Android Nougat like the leaks. This new BalckBerry phone features a 5.5-inch 2K display and a 3000mAh cell with Quick charge 3.0.

For photography, you can use either a f/2.2 8MP selfie shooter and a 21MP main cam with f/2.0 and dual LED flash. There is 32GB of ROM which can be expanded up to 256GB. In addition, the phone also supports fingerprint sensor and a USB Type-C. Like its predecessor, DTEK60 is also very secure with a secure bootloader and  Hardware Root of Trust.

BlackBerry DTEK60: price and release date

Coming with 4GB and an awesome 21MP camera, this phone will be one of the best smartphones in the market. It will be the fierce to the other 4GB RAM phones with great cameras like HTC Desire 10 Pro or ZTE Nubia Z11 miniS. You can buy this phone by ordering it on their website. BlackBerry DTEK60 price comes at about $500.

According to a post on Weibo, a leaked Elephone handset photo seems to disclose their next flagship with decent specs and stunningly beautiful appearance…

Leaked Elephone handset: noticeable features

Elephone S7 has just gone on presale globally several days ago, a new leaked photo considered as their next flagship has been spotted on Weibo. The company seems to work restlessly in order to prepare for its next flagship. The post and the photo have impressed everyone due to the disclosure of the fierce handset. According to that post, the device should feature a dual-curved AMOLED display and 3D glass body. Maybe Elephone is on the way to catch up with this trendy feature like Xiaomi Mi Note 2 and Huawei Mate 9 Pro.

It is reported that AMOLED display will come with 3D perspective. In terms of other revealed specs, the smartphone is expected to boast 8GB RAM and an incredible inbuilt storage up to 256GB. Besides, the device is expected to be powered by the Helio X30 mobile SoC. Compared with the previous product from Elephone, the S7 only featured Helip X20. For that reason, the new handset might be a significant competitor.

Because there is no specific detail about this new handset, we are temporarily informed some specs about it. However, the photo showed the sleekness and beauty of this new smartphone. Some said that it has the same design as Note 7. Millions of Note 7 ex users might be turn to this new Elephone flagship as an alternative.

Leaked Elephone handset: future predict

Sony has recently stopped all supports for the PlayStation 2. It has been more than 10 years since the PS2 was introduced. With such a memorable era, let’s have a look back at some of the best PS2 games we can play!

1. Final Fantasy X

Final Fantasy is a special series. It is one of the best JRPGs. The gameplay mechanics, the deep story, good character development, and graphics are signature elements of the series, that has helped it stuck with players. X is the installment that greeted the new era of PS2, and it did not disappoint. From one of the opening games for the PS2 era, it has become one of the best selling games for the franchise, or even for the console.

Journey to Spira, travel along heroes of the story like Tidus and Yuna in the quest to defeat the monster known only as “Sin”. This game continued the tradition of innovation for Final Fantasy franchise. The usual Active Time Battle system was replaced with Conditional Time Battle system, where you don’t have to urgently give your orders, but still have a lot of strategy. It is also the first in the franchise to allow players to switch arty members in a fight, allowing more strategic choices. The visual, story and music is great as usual. It is the first in the series to have a direct sequels, X-2. Now the game is available on all platforms with the remaster version!

2. God of War 2

We cannot leave this game out of this list of best PS2 games. Follow Kratos to ancient Greek, to battle against the Gods from the myths, such as Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, etc. With gameplay so action-packed, and very typical of hack-n-slash games, you will feel your adrenaline race when you play as Kratos. Take down enemies using different combos, and enjoy the cinematic finishing moves and cutscenes. If you love some intense action, this game is for you!

3. Kingdom Hearts

Mashing Final Fantasy and Disney together never seemed to be a good idea, but it worked spectacularly with Kingdom Hearts. The game blended very well the best of both worlds, having deep story with enlightening and touching moments. The gameplay is the same: it is a simple version of just hacking away enemies, with many elements of strategy. Follow Sora and the iconic Donald and Goofy as they travel between Disney worlds we are too familiar with to fight against the Heartless. The graphics and the music is amazing as any Square Enix games. It is truly one of the best JRPGs, and also among the best PS2 games!

4. Silent Hills 2

Considered by many to be the best of the Silent Hills series, Silent Hills 2 deserves a place in this list of best PS2 games. The game portrayed very well the inner struggle of James Sunderland, the protagonist, as he forced his way through Silent Hills to find clues about his wife. The visual, the story telling, the monsters, horror gameplay mechanics will make you love this game (unless you hate horrors). Not many games can tel such a deep story like this one.

5. Resident Evil 4

This is also a horror game like Silent Hills 2, but this is also the turning point for the Resident Evil series. The fourth installment made it more action-packed, combined with horror elements, producing one of the most fun experience you will ever have. Follow Leon, the protagonist of the game, in his quest to rescue the US President’s daughter from an infected village. The gameplay is the most fun the series has to offer, and it is still extremely fun to replay. Now it has the HD remaster on all platforms too. With how it is so well-received, it deserves to be on this list of best PS2 games.

Best PS2 games: In memory of a golden era!

The PS2 era offered us some of the best games to remember. It is also among the most successful devices of Sony so far. The games above are our list of best PS2 games. What is your favorite game of this era?

Half month ago, Xiaomi announced the launch event of their next flagship – Xiaomi Mi Note 2. On occasion of this product launch today, let’s take a look at some of Xiaomi Mi Note 2 rivals with SND821, 23MP, 6GB and more!

1. LeEco Le Pro 3

LeEco Le Pro 3 is one of the Xiaomi Mi Note 2’s rivals in memory capacity. The phone mounts a 5.5-inch display with 1080 x 1920 pixels of resolution. In terms of performance, the handset is powered with Qualcomm MSM8996 Snapdragon 821 Quad-core processor and 4GB RAM. In addition, the device comes with 64/128GB ROM that can be expanded up to 256GB via microSD card.

Under the hood, Le Pro 3 main camera is 16MP whereas that of Xiaomi Mi Note 2 is 23MP. Moreover, both phones have 8MP selfie camera. It derives power from a 4070mAh battery and runs Android OS, v6.0 (Marshmallow). LeEco Le Pro 3 is now available for $449 (Rs. 29,999)

2. Xiaomi Mi5s Plus

The Xiaomi Mi 5s Plus display is 5.7 inches with the resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels. The phone is packed with a Qualcomm MSM8996 Snapdragon 821 Quad-core processor. Xiaomi Mi 5s Plus provides two pairs of memory and internal storage: 3GB RAM, 64GB ROM or 4GB RAM, 128GB ROM. In addition, the phone also mounts dual 13MP rear cameras, 4MP front shooter and 3800mAh battery. And it runs Android OS, v6.0 (Marshmallow). The device is available at about $391 (Rs. 26,000).

3. Asus Zenfone 3 Deluxe

One of Xiaomi Mi Note 2’s rival in rear camera department is Asus Zenfone 3 Deluxe ZS570KL. This handset features a 5.7-inch Full HD display. Likewise Xiaomi Mi Note 2 cameras, The Asus Zenfone 3 Delux offers a combo of 23MP main camera with 8MP front shooter. Both phones also run on Qualcomm MSM8996 Snapdragon 821 chipsets . The Asus Zenfone 3 Deluxe  boasts 6GB RAM and 64/128/256GB ROM that is expandable up to 256GB. The device uses 3000mAh juice pack and Android OS, v6.0 (Marshmallow). You can get a Asus Zenfone 3 Deluxe for $499 (roughly Rs. 33,600)

4. Oppo R9s Plus

Oppo R9s Plus mounts a 6.0- inch Full HD display. The Oppo R9s Plus has Qualcomm MSM8996 Snapdragon 821 Octa-core CPU processor that pairs with 6GB RAM and 64GB ROM (expandable up to 256GB). Oppo R9s Plus primary and secondary camera are both 16MP, because this phone is for selfie-liker. Along with a 4000mAh battery, the smartphone uses Android OS, v6.0 (Marshmallow). The Oppo R9s Plus price tag is around $519 (Rs. 34,700)

5. Smartisan M1L

The last phone in the list is from a new Chinese name in mobile industry, Smartisan. Smartisan M1L is one of the Xiaomi Mi Note 2’s rivals in display term. The M1L sports 5.7-inch display with 1440 x 2560 pixels resolution. Meanwhile, Xiaomi Mi Note 2 display is 5.7-inch size and 1080×1920 pixels resolution. At the heart of Smartisan M1L, there is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 Quad-core processor together with 2 options of internal memory: 4GB/6GB RAM and 32GB/64GB ROM. For photography, the handset comes with 23MP Sony IMX318 rear + 4MP OmniVision 4688 front camera package. Other Smartisan M1L specs are 4080mAh battery, Android based Smartisan OS 3.0. The Smartisan M1L price is $444 (Rs. 29,600) for 6GB RAM+ 64GB ROM version.

So, now you have other 5  smartphones to consider along with Xiaomi Mi Note 2. We believe these 5 Xiaomi Mi Note 2’s rivals would worth your money.

Gaming has become more fun with mods. Modding can make you do extraordinary feats that is not normally possible, even with the boundaries of the game. Today, we will see one very special mod: GTA 5 Superman mod!

GTA 5 Superman Mod: Fight crimes as American’s symbol of justice!

We have seen times and again that mods can do wonders for the games. It either makes the game more enjoyable to play, such as the case of Skyrim (modding is finally allowed on PS4), or makes the game into a pool of jokes. In this day and age, mod is the new form of internet jokes. These jokes usually catches on with what is trending. Recently, there is a mod that makes Galaxy Note 7 into bombs, in response to Galaxy Note 7 explosions. It is one example that mods can do virtually anything!

For the mod in question today, we have GTA 5 Superman mod. Have you ever wished you were Superman, fighting crimes with cool abilities like heat beams and ice breath, and be able to fly? Most kids wanted to be like that at least once. Now, you can take the role of the superhero in GTA 5. JulioNIB, a veteran modder, who has a lot of works done in GTA before, has returned to grant gamers their childhood dream. In the video below, you will be able to use Superman’s ability, such as flight, heat beams and invulnerability to fight off gangs.

This is still a work in progress for now. However, JulioNIB has stated recently that the mod will be available in 2-3 weeks. Patreons can get access to it one week early. In addition to the powers shown in the video, he also said that we can expect wind-blown attacks, throwing cars around (super strength) and a special vision mode (X-Ray vision, perhaps?). Such an interesting mod to wait for!

GTA 5 Superman Mod: The power of modding

This mod again shows that we can do virtually anything in a game via modding. With this coming out soon, we will be able to live our childhood dream. Stay tuned with us for further updates of this mod!

Recently, Google has released Google Pixel which is said to be a new beast. However, people notice that the Google Pixel IP rating is quite low? Let’s find out the reason why!

Google Pixel IP rating: water resistant capability

Recently, Google Pixel is one of the most popular smartphones available in the market. And it is said that Google Pixel is a tough rival to the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus of Apple nowadays. The phone is well received because of its stunning appearance as well as strong specs. However, there is a drawback in this handset that make users not completely persuaded as a high-end phone. That is the Google Pixel IP rating which is only IP-53.

IP definition is a short form of Ingress Protection that is used to indicate the ability of water resistant and dust proof of smartphones or tablets. Usually, when we mention the IP rating of smartphones there are two digits coming after. In case of Google Pixel, the phone has the IP53. The first digit denotes the dust proof capability in the scale of 0-6. The second digit signifies the water resistant capability ranging from 0 to 8. The higher the number, the higher will be the protection level. Therefore, according to this scale, the Google Pixel is only protected against direct spray of water up to 60 degree from the vertical which is low comparing to other Pixel’s rivals. For example, the IP rating of iPhone 7 is IP-67, Samsung Galaxy S7 is IP-68.

So, Google Pixel users will question that why Google did not equip the Pixel with high quality of water proof feature. In Gadget Lab Podcast, a reporter named David Pierce from WIRED has an interview with Google’s representative about the Pixel. And he got an interesting explanation about the drawback. That is the company “ran out of time”. The representative of Google also stated that they had planned to include water proof feature at the beginning. However, there was about 9 months left to the launch date for the Pixel’s makers to re-evaluate, fully develop while. Moreover, the company had to cooperate with HTC at the same time. So, they did not have enough time and decided to exclude the water proof feature.

Google Pixel: is it still a beast?

Although Google Pixel IP rating is not good, the phone is still a beast in general. So, do you think the IP rating of Google Pixel affect its quality? Let’s share with us at our page!