Since it launched in September, the Smart GigaPlay App has delivered some of the most exclusive sports and entertainment content for subscribers. Last month, it transported subscribers to New York City and Seoul, as I watched the iHeart Jingle Ball and the 2021 Mnet Asian Music Awards (MAMA) that featured Ed Sheeran, Dua Lipa, the Jonas Brothers, Doja Cat, Lil Nas X, as well as K-pop stars ENHYPEN, TXT, aespa, ATEEZ, and many others via the live streaming app.
Also, through Smart Hallyu Hangouts, Pinoy fans were able to enjoy a virtual meet-and-greet with their favorite Korean celebrities such as Hyun Bin, Son Ye Jin, and Park Seo Jun.
Now, GigaPlay brings even more Korean content with the revamped tvN premium channel that will provide more and faster access to Korean dramas, variety programs, and movies.
In partnership with CJ ENM HK and WILBROS Entertainment, the first linear channel service brings the best Korean pop culture and entertainment onto the GigaPlay app. Subscribers will be able to join the global fandom of tvN’s tentpole drama Jirisan with daily marathons while fans of oppa Rain and Kim Bum won’t want to miss the new fantasy/medical drama Ghost Doctor; or the action/romance drama Military Prosecutor Do Bar Man, which stars Ahn Bo-Hyun and Cho Bo-ah.
Fans of the trendiest variety programs are also in for a treat with the latest season of Idol Dictation Contest S2, while the new reality show Love Catcher in Seoul is a dating psychological game played by “love catchers” who participate in the search true love, and “money catchers” who only aim for money.
GigaPlay is powered by Smart, which touts the fastest and most reliable 5G mobile network as reported by Ookla. To date, Smart has already fired up 6,400 5G base stations nationwide making it the country’s first, fastest, and widest 5G network.
REALME PAD: FOR YOUR ENTERTAINMENT
TWENTY TWENTY-ONE has been nothing short of incredible for realme Philippines as it achieved countless milestones that solidify its position in the industry. The country’s No. 1 smartphone brand for the past three consecutive quarters once again showcased real strength with a successful 12.12 performance on both Lazada and Shopee.
The brand’s first-ever tablet, the realme Pad, emerged as the No. 1 best-selling tablet during the one-day sale on Shopee.
The realme Pad is available in three configurations; the one we are using for this review is the 3GB+32GB priced at P10,990. There’s also a 4GB+64GB which sells for P14,990, and the 6GB+128GB priced at P16,990.
I have to say, the realme Pad is one of the most premium-looking tablets in its segment because of its fresh design and solid build. The slate is made up of an aluminum alloy body design with a matte finish back panel. Measuring just 6.9mm it is one of the slimmest tablets in its segment, though it has a bit of heft at 440g.
The front-facing camera is placed on the top bezel of the tablet when you hold the tab in landscape mode, the most convenient position for online classes and video meetings. For now, there are no first-party accessories, so good luck finding a TPU case keyboard cover or compatible stylus online.
As an entertainment device, the realme Pad’s main selling point is its 10.4-inch WUXGA+ LCD screen that has a resolution of up to 2000×1200, a pixel density of 224ppi, and up to 360 nits of peak brightness. The display looks sharp with vibrant colors and acceptable viewing angles. It is obviously not as nice as an AMOLED panel, but compared to other tablets in its price segment, it still has one of the best-looking displays. I lost track of time watching YouTube videos, spent the nights catching up on the latest NetFlix releases, and my new favorite guilty pleasure on Discovery+, Naked and Afraid of Love. I’ve also used it to read some magazines and comic books and the size is just right, so I don’t have to keep zooming in and out to read the text. If you are getting the realme Pad mainly for classes and entertainment purposes in indoor conditions, it won’t disappoint.
The realme Pad complements its display with quad speakers that have Dolby Atmos and Hi-Res high-quality sound certification. That said, the speakers can easily fill up a small room and you don’t need to use those Bluetooth speakers. Dolby Atmos also delivers stunning bass and rich detail, giving you a cinema-like audio experience in the palm of your hands.
The realme pad has an 8MP rear camera that captures decent photos in good lighting, while the 8MP front snapper has a wide 105-degree FOV that works great for video calls and Zoom meetings. Both cameras can record Full HD video should you need it.
The realme Pad comes equipped with a Helio G80 processor. It’s a fairly capable processor for light to moderate use and with only a few apps open, but because it only has 3GB of RAM it struggles when multitasking.
If you are planning to use the realme Pad mostly for online schooling or working from home, it would be better to go with the higher 4GB or 6GB RAM variant. Also, the entry-level realme Pad only has 32GB storage which isn’t much especially if you are going to use it for gaming as games like Genshin Impact would pretty much use up half of the storage. As for the battery life, the realme Pad has a massive 7100mAh battery. In real-life usage, it lasted me for more than a day of moderate use. It supports 18W supercharging but fully charging the large battery takes almost two hours.
Final word: The realme Pad is a solid first offering from the No. 1 smartphone brand in the Philippines. It has a sleek premium build, a nice display that’s paired with an impressive set of speakers that help it fulfill its promise of being an entertainment machine. As a work/school device, however, you might need to pay a bit more for the higher spec’d option as the base model might leave you wanting.