PH brand's SKK Mobile V2 is a cross between LG G2, Samsung Galaxy S5

Specs of the SKK Mobile V2 (Price: P4,999)
* Heart-rate monitor
* Dual SIM
* 1.3GHz quad-core MediaTek MT6582 chipset
* Mali-400MP GPU
* 1GB RAM
* 8GB internal storage
* microSD card slot (up to 64GB)
* 5-inch IPS display  (540 x 960 resolution)
* 8-megapixel rear camera with LED flash
* 5-megapixel front camera
* 2,500mAh battery
* Android KitKat 4.4.2

So, what do you get when you build a phone that takes after two widely popular flagships from South Korea? Local tech company SKK Mobile knows.

Meet the firm's SKK Mobile V2, an Android smartphone that sports a near-bezel-less design plus rear-facing buttons, just like the LG G2, and—wait for it—a Samsung Galaxy S5-inspired heart-rate monitor. And before you ask—yes, the V2 is surprisingly affordable and will retail for just P4,999 when it arrives in Philippine stores this month. On paper, this is pretty much the stuff dreams are made of.

The SKK Mobile V2 also supports gesture shortcuts, allowing you to launch several applications, including camera, messaging, and Web browser, when the screen is turned off.

Based on a teaser image posted on Facebook, dual-SIM slots and Android KitKat come standard. So do a quad-core processor from MediaTek, 1GB of RAM, and 8GB of internal storage. The rear and selfie cameras are equipped with 8- and 5-megapixel sensors, and the 2,500mAh battery is just about the most generous in the category.

Sony Xperia Z1 treasures life's greatest moments

You don’t always know when the best times of your life will arrive. You might not even know it but it might be happening right this very moment. Don’t let precious moments slip off your hands. To ensure that every day’s special moments are always captured beautifully, Sony Xperia has launched its flagship product—Xperia Z1. Currently, the best Sony smartphone in the market, it features all of Sony’s best technological expertise.   

Capturing life’s milestones

The camera quality of Xperia Z1 is a demonstration of Sony’s belief that the best moments in life similarly deserve the best smartphone to seize them. The Xperia Z1 features Sony’s award-winning “G Lens” with a 27mm wide angle and bright F2.0 aperture, custom made large 1/2.3-type CMOS image sensor Exmor RS for mobile with 20.7MP and a BIONZ for mobile image processing engine. 

The Xperia Z1 captures beautiful, sharp and bright images even in lowlight conditions, highlighting every detail and taking advantage of every special moment worth remembering and treasuring. High shutter speeds and 3x clear image zoom also prevent shots from being blurred while enabling them to be captured at distance. As powerful and clear as a compact digital camera, the Xperia Z1 eliminates the hassle of bringing multiple gadgets, allowing users to capture precious milestones anytime and anywhere.    

Providing new camera experience

Xperia Z1 takes the conventional camera experience to a whole new level by including an innovative set of Xperia Camera Applications that deliver new experiences. Applications include:

• Social live: Broadcast precious moments live from Xperia Z1 to Facebook and get your friends’ comments right on your screen.
• Info-eye: Innovative visual search function provides related information on landmarks and on items such as books or wine simply by capturing them with the camera.
• Timeshift burst: Capture the perfect shot every time. Xperia Z1 takes 61 images in 2 seconds-- a second before and after pressing the shutter-- so you can scroll back and forth to find the perfect image.
• AR effect: Overlay a selection of fun, customizable animations to create pictures using Sony’s SmartARTM augmented reality technology.

With a combination of world class technologies, Xperia Z1 is the perfect partner to life’s everyday winning moments.  Time spent with special people is always worth capturing. Whether it’s with your family, friends or your special someone, every minute spent should be considered the best. So go ahead, use the best Sony smartphone to capture the best moments—best hello, best goodbye, best play, best shot and the best times of your lives.  

Apple says Mac users mostly safe from 'Bash' bug

Apple said Friday that its Macintosh PCs are unlikely to be affected by the recently discovered "Bash" bug that could hit millions of computers and other devices connected to the Internet.

Even though the flaw was found in Unix-based Mac OS and Linux operating systems, most users of Apple computers should be protected, the US company said.

"The vast majority of (Macintosh) OS X users are not at risk to recently reported 'Bash' vulnerabilities," an Apple spokesman said in an email to AFP.

"With OS X, systems are safe by default and not exposed to remote exploits of Bash unless users configure advanced Unix services. We are working to quickly provide a software update for our advanced Unix users."

It comes a day after the US government and technology experts warned of a vulnerability in some computer operating systems that could allow widespread and serious attacks by hackers.

Security specialists say that if hackers develop malware to exploit the weakness, millions of Internet-connected devices could be at risk -- from web servers to PCs to routers, as well as any "smart" or wearable electronic devices using the software.

Some said the security hole would be more damaging than the "Heartbleed" bug which affected millions of computers worldwide earlier this year.

Patches were being made available for the flaw, which is also called "Shellshock."

 New iPads coming in October: report

Apple is reportedly planning another extravagant media event to launch its next-generation tablets and maybe even a redesigned MacBook Air notebook too.

The very first North American and European consumers may only just be getting their hands on the latest iPhone but Apple isn't resting on its laurels and is instead planning a second major launch event to showcase a new iPad Air and iPad Mini, according to sources quoted in a number of publications including Apple Insider.

Both tablets are tipped to receive the same impressive processor found in the latest iPhone and will come with a fingerprint scanner integrated into the homekey to enable biometric security and simply online purchasing. Recent leaked images of Apple tablet components appear to corroborate these rumors.

What's less certain is whether or not the new tablets will be unveiled alongside other new devices. Apple has been reportedly working on a new 12-inch MacBook Air with a higher resolution display, even thinner form factor and a more powerful, yet more efficient Intel processor. However, due to processor manufacturing problems at Intel it's very likely that the new computer's debut could be pushed back to early 2015.

Other rumors suggest that Apple will also be bringing higher definition Retina displays to its iMac desktop range at the event and, if it can agree content licensing deals, that a new Apple TV set-top box will also be revealed.

It's shaping up to be a very busy time for new tablets. HTC is expected to launch a Google Nexus-branded 8-inch tablet in October and on Wednesday Amazon launched a comprehensive range of new high-quality, yet low cost tablets. The new Fire tablet models include a sub-$100 range of six- and seven-inch models and a new line of kids' tablets complete with reinforced outer shells, unlimited access to age-appropriate content and a free replacement unit if the tablet is accidentally broken within the first two years of ownership.

New BlackBerry & Porsche Design collaboration focuses on style

The latest limited edition BlackBerry handset puts exclusivity above processor performance or internal specifications.

This might seem like a strange decision, especially considering the amount of competition in the smartphone market and the capabilities of the latest flagship Samsung and Apple smartphones, but BlackBerry must have a market in mind for its latest premium handset, the P'9983, which will cost €1650 ($2350) when it goes on limited sale in October.

The third collaboration between the Canadian smartphone firm and Porsche Design, the P'9983 started out life as a lowly Q10 handset but has been given a thorough external aesthetic remodeling, and the result is a glass-encased angular handset with a textured ‘glass-like' full QWERTY keyboard.

It also gets a stainless steel chassis and Porsche Design rear-plate logo, a sapphire glass lens cover for the rear camera and unique screen wallpapers.

However, strip away the elegant façade and underneath it is still more or less the same handset, albeit one with a lot more storage (64GB plus MicroSD card support for a further 128GB) on board.

But this handset isn't about internal hardware specifications, it's about productivity, exclusivity and desirability. "The Porsche Design P'9983 smartphone from BlackBerry makes a statement about its owner's impeccable taste and drive for achievement and success, as well as discernment in making the right choices with products that help them stay on top," says Juergen Gessler, CEO of the Porsche Design Group.

So it offers secure, encrypted messaging, an all-day battery life -- traditionally one of BlackBerry's strongest features -- and a special PIN that will tell any other BlackBerry owner that they're messaging someone who owns a Porsche Design handset.

In terms of accessories, owners can snap up a custom Italian leather cover at extra cost, but the device will ship with an international charging cable for the productivity-focused global business traveler, a set of premium headphones, and a USB cable for faster, secure data transfers.

Woman or machine? New robots look creepily human

TOKYO (AP) — The new robot guides at a Tokyo museum look so eerily human and speak so smoothly they almost outdo people — almost.

Japanese robotics expert Hiroshi Ishiguro, an Osaka University professor, says they will be useful for research on how people interact with robots and on what differentiates the person from the machine.

"Making androids is about exploring what it means to be human," he told reporters Tuesday, "examining the question of what is emotion, what is awareness, what is thinking."

In a demonstration, the remote-controlled machines moved their pink lips in time to a voice-over, twitched their eyebrows, blinked and swayed their heads from side to side. They stay seated but can move their hands.

In a clear triumph, Kodomoroid read the news without stumbling once and recited complex tongue-twisters glibly.

The robot, designed with a girlish appearance, can use a variety of voices, such as a deep male voice one minute and a squeaky girly voice the next. The speech can be input by text, giving them perfect articulation, according to Ishiguro.

There were some glitches — such as the lips not moving at all while the robot spoke, or the Otonaroid announcer robot staying silent twice when asked to introduce itself.

But glitches are common with robots because they are delicate gadgetry sensitive to their environment.

Kodomoroid and the woman robot Otonaroid were joined at the demonstration by the minimally designed Telenoid, a mannequin head with pointed arms that serves as a cuddly companion.

The two life-size robots, which have silicon skin and artificial muscles, will be on display starting Wednesday, at Miraikan museum, or the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation, in Tokyo, allowing the public to interact with them extensively.

Reflecting widespread opinion, Ishiguro said Japan leads the world in playful companion robots. But he acknowledged the nation was behind the U.S. in military robots.

Developing robots for more than 20 years, Ishiguro has made a point of creating robots that approximate the human appearance, including creatures that look like him. He has sent them to give overseas lectures.

His approach differs from some robotics scientists who say human appearance is pointless, perhaps creepy, and robots can look like machines, such as taking the form of a TV screen or a portable device.

Ishiguro noted proudly how Japanese Internet company Softbank Corp. recently showed a robot named Pepper, which looks a little like C-3PO in "Star Wars," and will sell for less than 200,000 yen ($2,000).

Pepper's arrival means robots are increasingly becoming part of everyday life in Japan.

"Robots are now becoming affordable — no different from owning a laptop," said Ishiguro.