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Lifestyle
Redmi Smart Band review: Gets the bare minimum done
Staying healthy isn’t a costly routine!
Xiaomi has dominated the wearable segment in India for a long time thanks to its Mi Band lineup. The affordable fitness tracker sells like hotcakes because its price is significantly lower than Fitbit, Garmin, Samsung, and Apple.
Even though many companies have tried to grab the affordable market, none have come close to Xiaomi’s dominance. Now, the Chinese gadget maker wants every piece of the wearable market and has launched the Redmi Smart Band, an inexpensive fitness tracker that costs just INR 1,599 (US$ 22). It has also launched the Mi Watch Revolve to grab the premium share while the Mi Smart Band 5 sits in the middle.
The price of the Redmi Smart Band makes it a lovely product to have, especially when we consider its display, fitness functionality, and battery life. I’ve used the fitness tracker for almost a month, and there’s a lot to love about it, but that doesn’t make this a perfect gadget. If you’re considering a purchase, this review will help you determine whether this tracker is fit to be your GadgetMatch!
It has a boxy design that feels very light and comfortable
The Redmi Smart Band has a very boxy design that almost looks like you’re wearing a rectangle display module on your wrist. However, it’s very light at just 13 grams, and after a few hours, it’ll just become a part of your body. The natural placement is comfortable for extended an duration and perfect for natural sleep tracking.
The band material is soft, and there’s no irritation or decay. Thanks to 5ATM water resistance, you can wear it while doing the dishes or take a swim whenever you want. The metal buckle is tight enough and didn’t open up accidentally even once. Considering how light it is, having a secure strap is important because you may not realize when it falls off.
Another great feature of the band is its direct USB charging capability. No need to carry along a tiny wire or charging pod along because a USB is located on the tracker’s body and can be directly plugged into an adapter by removing one side of the strap. It takes approximately two hours to charge completely.
I’d advise being a little careful with the USB port because it’s made of plastic. While removing the strap, don’t apply a lot of force. A few adapters were having trouble charging the band due to loose connection, but this wasn’t widespread. Just ensure you have a trustworthy brick when on the go.
A disappointing display
On the front is a 1.08-inch color and touch display with a resolution of 128 x 220 pixels. Unlike the Mi Smart Band, it isn’t an OLED panel, and the maximum brightness is disappointing. Under direct sunlight, you’ll have to keep one hand over it and strain your eyes to see a notification or activity.
The brightness is still manageable though. The display’s touch detection is terrible and doesn’t work half the time. This isn’t a remote incident because other users have reported a similar problem. It’s UI is based on gestures, and there’s a capacitive button on the bottom. The swipes are barely registered, and the accuracy is all over the place. Cutting corners, Xiaomi ended up with an appalling display that’ll test your patience.
This is the only aspect of the band I didn’t like. Even though it has a very pocket-friendly price, the screen is a major turn-off. It doesn’t do justice to all the other features that make this a very potent fitness tracker.
Lastly, the display is sufficiently big, but the notifications are hard to read. Pixels are very easily seen, and I’d have to pause and focus on the display to read the notifications. The process doesn’t feel natural, and while driving, the notifications are seldom easily visible. This kind of defeats the wearable’s purpose because it’s supposed to be an extension of my phone while I’m driving or riding. The text size cannot be changed.
It has some nifty features that come in very handy, like Raise To Wake, Watch Faces, Weather, and Alarms. It isn’t a smartwatch, so there’s no app store. But, you can select a watch face from a wide collection and even customize to your preference. This adds a convenient layer of personalization and doesn’t look old or boring.
What about fitness?
This is where things get interesting. Xiaomi has years of experience making inexpensive trackers, and this is clearly visible here. The Redmi Smart Band can accurately track your steps, distance, calorie burn, and heart rate. The small tracker is very accurate and gets the job done perfectly. It comes with five preloaded modes — outdoor running, walking, treadmill, cycling, and freestyle modes.
Sleep tracking is also very accurate and works flawlessly in the background. A cool feature is, the band can detect when it’s worn, and the heart rate sensor will work only when it’s on your wrist. So, if you remove it, the sensors won’t drain your battery. However, workouts will be tracked only if your phone is connected, so don’t forget to take along your phone everywhere. This isn’t a standalone wearable, and I wouldn’t expect one at this price. Lastly, it doesn’t have a swimming mode despite being water resistant.
The tracker connects to your phone via the Xiaomi Wear app, and it’ll compile all the information from the band simply and elegantly. The depth of displayed information is actually beneficial, and the app is seamless to use. The band supports Bluetooth 5.0 and works with any Android phone.
A more than decent battery life
Lastly, the Redmi Smart Band has a 130mAh battery that the company claims can last up to two weeks. While Xiaomi’s battery claims are usually spot-on, this tracker doesn’t even come close to the stated figure. It lasts me a week with notifications switched on and full-time heart rate tracking.
One week’s battery is honestly, very good. Especially when we compare it to a premium gadget like the Apple Watch, that barely gets you 24 hours. Even though the band doesn’t stand true to its claims, seven days is a perfectly fine time period and I don’t hold anything against the product. It doesn’t have an OLED display, so I’m pretty sure that’s where a majority of the electrons are headed!
Is this your GadgetMatch?
If you’re looking for a fitness tracker that’ll help you maintain your health regimen, the Redmi Smart Band is a very competent tracker that’ll never disappoint. The tracking is accurate, it has sufficient features, and the color display looks enticing.
However, if you’re looking for a general wearable for instant notifications and time, the Redmi Smart Band isn’t for you. The screen is pathetically bad in registering swipes and gets very annoying. Adding to this, notifications aren’t even easily visible under direct sunlight.
If you’re looking for an alternative, the Mi Smart Band 5 has just launched in the country. It comes with a heavier price tag, but definitely has more features and looks way more premium. In the same price bracket, the realme Band is a solid product because it doesn’t try to be as fancy as the Redmi Smart Band and gets all the basics done.
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Entertainment
Blue Beetle is too familiar but still enjoyable
Offers nothing new but is a fun time nonetheless
![Blue Beetle](https://149367133.v2.pressablecdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/blue-beetle-warner-bros-pictures-20230816-04.jpg)
It’s an interesting time for DC fans. That’s especially true with the takeover of James Gunn and Peter Safran for movie and TV projects under the unified DC Studios.
It doesn’t take a lot to look at what’s going on. Some are still reeling from the abrupt end to the unfinished Synderverse. Meanwhile, some are steadily buying into the Gunn and Safran era.
That makes the timing for Blue Beetle quite impeccable. Although this film has been under development since 2018, the movie which stars Cobra Kai protagonist Xolo Maridueña, couldn’t have been released at a better time.
While everyone else sorts things out, here’s an enjoyable buffer with lots to unpack. Besides, what else can be done and enjoyed at this time, right?
Premise and parallels
Here’s the thing: Blue Beetle has quite the generic superhero movie premise. A random person is either given a superpower or discovers it accidentally, turning themselves into the story’s superhero.
We’ve seen this a lot of times before in at least the last decade alone. It’s important to approach this movie by setting that expectation aside. You will surely see a lot of scenes in the movie that will make you think about either Spider-Man, Ant-Man, Shazam, and even Iron Man.
Entertaining at its core
The movie is set in the fictional city of Palmera, which loosely represents El Paso, Texas in the comics. Jaime Reyes, who later on assumes the titular superhero role, is part of a Latino family struggling with finances. He has just graduated from college and is seeking a job to become the family’s breadwinner.
It’s hard not to laugh at the multiple family culture references dispersed throughout the film. Notably, Filipinos should easily relate to them. There’s Jaime’s funny uncle that everyone has; there’s the telenovelas and superstitions, as well as the tight-knit bond expected of families of our heritage.
For an even more local touch, the voice of Philippine Airlines herself, Inka Magnaye, took on the role of Khaji-Da. She had two lines in Filipino, giving us a little something to be proud of.
Back to its premise
The story, of course, takes a turn for the unusual when Reyes crosses paths with Jenny Kord. She is the daughter of the deceased Ted Kord the former Blue Beetle. Since Ted’s passing, Kord Industries has been run by his sister, Victoria, has become obsessed with the Scarab to develop advanced armor suits capable of defending the world.
Sounds familiar? Yup, that’s exactly the Darren Cross, Pym Technologies, the Yellowjacket, and the first Ant-Man film narrative all over again.
Victoria would harness the power of the Scarab, but her niece Jenny is reluctant and conscientious enough towards it, like Hope Van Dyne was towards Cross. Jenny would have other plans. In a once-in-a-lifetime coincidence, Jenny sneaks the Scarab out of the Kord Industries facility using Jaime’s help.
That’s when Jaime gets chosen by the apparently sentient Scarab to be its host. Its powers are activated in the process and turns the protagonist into the superhero he never planned on being. That said…
Wow, that superhero is powerful
As generic as some of the parts of the film is, obviously, Blue Beetle is a superhero origin and introduction story. Casual moviegoers definitely do not know much about this protagonist in-depth. So yes, this was a banger way to introduce him into the DCEU.
Unlike Spider-Man or Iron Man whose suits are powered by advanced tech and a talking AI, the Scarab basically merged with Reyes’ body as they became symbiotic. The Khaji Da has sworn to protect its host ‘til death, but towards the latter parts of the film, Reyes realizes he is one with the Scarab so he can control his powers.
The final battle
This proved to be vital in his last battle against the Cyborg OMAC (One Man Army Corps). This is Victoria’s half man, half machine guinea pig who bore the weight of Victoria’s experiments. The OMAC was supposed to replicate the Scarab and its host merging, and boy was he overwhelming at first.
Victoria’s greed leads to her destroying the Reyes family home and the subsequent death of Jaime’s father. Jaime gets caught in the process so Victoria could harness the Scarab’s power inside him. In spite of the devastating loss, Jaime’s entire family, with the help of Jenny, rally around him.
Jenny reveals his deceased father’s secret base underneath their abandoned home, and they team up to raid the Victoria-ran Kord Industries’ location to free Jaime, quash Victoria’s evil plans, and wipe away all of their prototypes.
That puts Jaime in the final battle against OMAC whom he is able to defeat, thanks to his synergy with Khaji Da. In the end, his human side shows, deciding not to kill OMAC whose backstory was also revealed with the help of Khaji Da being sentient. Instead, OMAC decides to take Victoria with him as his suit was already too powerful to stop exploding.
Again, given the generic premise, I thought it was a pretty decent story development for both the good-versus-evil angle and everything else outside of it.
Execution matters in a movie like this, and they were all able to balance the human aspect, the action-packed scenes, and the superhero premise in the end.
Exciting times for DCEU?
In the mid-credits scene, it was revealed that Ted Kord was still alive. He is trying to make a distress call to his secret headquarters in their supposedly abandoned home. This teases the possibility of another Blue Beetle film. In the comics, Kord is the second Blue Beetle, while Reyes is the third.
As the planned comics series for Blue Beetle also features him and Superman together, it’s safe to say that he will likely be incorporated in the DCEU and perhaps even play a major role in the next Justice League or appear in future movies for continuity.
It wouldn’t be surprising given the superhero’s capabilities. Like what Khaji Da said: “Whatever you can imagine, I can create.” Blue Beetle is a superhero most of us didn’t even know about growing up and yet here we are, given one that’s full of power and potential. It’s all a matter of execution once more for the next chapters of the DCEU.
Hopefully, that’s something we can look forward to enjoying.
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The FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 tips off on August 25. It offers hoops fans the ultimate experience to see the sport’s best global stars.
No less than Gilas Pilipinas will do its best to represent the Philippines proudly at home. Hundreds of thousands are expected to watch the prestigious event in-person from August 25 to September 10.
For those who do not have the luxury of attending live, there are still various ways to watch the World Cup. You can use whatever device from wherever location you’re from.
Here’s a quick rundown:
TV
For Cignal TV prepaid and postpaid subscribers, a one-time Pay-Per-View fee of PhP 650 entitles viewers to all 92 games of the FIBA World Cup in both SD (Ch. 198 and 199) and HD (Ch. 298 and 299).
They will come commercial-free and with access to exclusive FIBA content such as documentaries and highlights of previous tournaments.
For people mainly interested in Gilas Pilipinas games, TV5 is the surefire way to catch the action. The channel is accessible for free via CignalPlay and via any way you access free TV, like digiboxes.
Smartphones, tablets
For smartphone and tablet users, there are a handful of streaming apps that will show the World Cup games live and on demand.
Cignal’s novel streaming platform, Pilipinas Live will show all 92 games for a PhP 99 a month subscription.
Unlike cable subscriptions, this rate does not have a lock-in period. A month would be enough since the World Cup runs from August 25 to September 10. You can cancel afterwards.
Games will also be shown on the Smart Livestream app for FREE. To watch all 92 games, Smart subscribers simply have to connect to a Smart mobile data, TNT or PLDT WiFi while using the Smart LiveStream App. The app is downloadable on the App Store and Google Play Store.
Speaking of Gilas, Smart has a prepaid Gilas Power subscription promo which is inclusive of 78GB of total data, including a fixed allocation for the Livestream app and open access data good for a month.
PC and laptops
For PC and laptop users, the best workaround is availing of CignalPlay Premium, which starts at just PhP 75 monthly, inclusive of most channels you’re used to seeing on cable TV from movies to sports to news channels and more.
![Gentle Monster Overwatch 2](https://149367133.v2.pressablecdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/gentle-monster-overwatch-2-gentle-tokki-d-va-gadgetmatch-collage-20230817.jpg)
Gentle Monster is releasing the Gentle Tokki exclusive eyewear package to offer gamers a unique way of enjoying the recent release of Overwatch 2: Invasion.
The special package box from the sunglasses company consists of the following:
- Gentle Tokki tinted glasses
- Detachable D.Va figure
- Overwatch 2 Season 5 free redemption code
- In-game D.Va limited-edition gaming skin
The exclusive eyewear reinvents D.Va’s signature headgear with Gentle Monster’s distinct style. The product will be available in two colors, as well as a soft case with elements from Tokki’s mechanical structure.
The redemption code may be used to purchase extra in-game items and D.Va skins. The Gentle Tokki skin will be available for a limited period on Overwatch 2, beginning on August 17.
The Gentle Tokki package will be exclusively gifted to lucky winners selected through an online draw.
To join, users may choose between participating in the Instagram “D.Va Challenge” or upload a photo or video taken with a D.Va filter to their accounts plus the event hashtags.
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