News
vivo offers consumers more affordable way of owning smartphones
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vivo is offering its market an affordable way to own its smartphones without necessarily purchasing a brand-new unit: vivo refurbished phones.
Unlike ordinary second-hand phones, the refurbished vivo units are brand-managed devices that undergo inspection, cleaning, and necessary repairs by vivo customer service professionals.
After undergoing such a process, the phones are then made available for resale. This gives consumers a more accessible way to own a vivo smartphone — with added assurance of professional quality checks and warranty support.
@vivo_philippines vivo Refurbished Phones are NOW AVAILABLE! Get high-end flagship smartphones at a lower price and watch to learn what makes it different from second-hand devices. Meet the star of our refurbished lineup, the vivo X300 Ultra! https://bit.ly/vivoX300Ultra_refurbished More units COMING SOON! #vivo #vivoX300Ultra #fyp #foryoupage #viral
♬ original sound – vivo_philippines – vivo_philippines
vivo says the refurbished units include those previously used by KOLs or ambassadors, as well as store display and demo units. They will be divided into two main types: Pre-owned (LDU) and Near New.
Once these devices are returned, they are handled by vivo customer service professionals and undergo the necessary inspection, cleaning, and repair processes before being relisted for sale.
This gives consumers another option when looking for a vivo smartphone that fits their budget. Refurbished units can make selected vivo devices more accessible.
Furthermore, the units will still come with a standard one-year warranty, with the warranty start date determined according to the unit’s classification and available proof of purchase.
To purchase a refurbished vivo phone, consumers can visit the vivo official website. Currently available are the vivo X300 FE and vivo X300 Ultra.
Enterprise
Google illegally destroys 250,000 trees for a single AI data center
This is what we stand to lose with data centers.
Published
on
October 22, 2026
In the Philippines, it’s illegal to cut down a single tree without a permit. It’s a constant reminder that the preservation of nature should be a civil, besides being a moral, obligation. And yet, corporations are seemingly immune from obligations and morals. Google, the company that used to stand for “Don’t be evil,” shows off its true colors by illegally cutting down 250,000 trees in Finland for a datacenter.
As first reported by The Guardian, Finland is now staring at 330 hectares of land suddenly denuded of around 250,000 valuable trees, all thanks to Google. A local ecologist has also said that the company killed a further 150,000 trees at a separate site.
The environmental desecration is part of Google’s multibillion-dollar push to build data centers all over the world for artificial intelligence. Google has since been ordered to stop the development in the country after Finland found that the company acted without securing the needed assessments and permits to clear the area.
Google brushed away the report by saying that they acted “on the best understanding we had of the legislation at the time.” The company also said that they are protecting the water quality at the affected sites and committed to replanting trees across 130 hectares, a pale comparison to the total area affected.
Other AI companies are also trying to weasel their way into other countries to build data centers. An example is the controversial Pax Silica in the Philippines. Finland now stands as a cautionary tale against the unimpeded and unsupervised growth of data centers for a service that no one asked for.
Don’t be evil, my ass.
Accessories
Bose acquires Skullcandy
But both are still separate brands.
Published
on
October 22, 2026
As one of the wisest sages of the 2000s once said, “He was a punk, she did ballet. What more can I say?” Sometimes, opposites attract. Now, two of those opposites in the audio space are coming together: the punk Skullcandy and the ballet-loving Bose.
Today, Bose has announced its acquisition of Skullcandy. The latter will continue to operate as a separate brand but now officially under the Bose umbrella. Although, it’s not a new collaboration as the two brands have previously worked together on devices before. Skullcandy will just have more access to Bose’s technologies moving forward.
Alternatively, Bose will now have access to Skullcandy’s more varied audience. Compared to Bose’s focus on premium products, Skullcandy caters to more alternative lifestyles. Though the brand has since mellowed from its more radical roots, it is still known as one of the alternative brands.
Bose, on the other hand, is still a household name for home audio and noise-cancelling headphones. The new relationship between two polar opposites might be seen as a weird one, but it’s ultimately beneficial to both parties. Besides, both brands were very strong in the 2010s. Keeping both brands going is a boon to audiophiles of the past decade.
SEE ALSO: Sony unveils three premium Walkman music players
Gaming
Next Xbox might cost double the price of an Xbox today
The most expensive Xbox Series X costs $900. The next Xbox’s price might double that.
Published
on
October 22, 2026
Buying a new gaming setup must be one of the most torturous things you can purchase these days. The rising price of chips has hampered the buying ability of many a consumer today. Sadly, that trend isn’t changing anytime soon. According to new reports, the next Xbox might cost double of what an Xbox costs these days.
The next console is currently codenamed Project Helix. Spearheaded by relatively new Xbox CEO Asha Sherma, Project Helix has hopes of being an all-around gaming machine capable of playing PC games besides console exclusives. Sharma obviously wants the platform to come back as a worthy destination for gamers.
That’s a monumental task, though, especially after the rising prices of chips are constantly threatening the prices of new devices. Now, according to a profile of Sharma published by Fortune, the next Xbox might cost as high as US$ 1,800. For reference, the limited 25th anniversary edition of the Xbox Series X currently costs US$ 899.
Should Fortune’s estimate hold true, a new console in the coming years is double the cost of the most expensive Xbox Series X variant available today. The next generation of gaming might be even more of a luxury than it already is.
Unfortunately, things aren’t getting better across the board. Gaming on PC and on PlayStation aren’t going to be much cheaper as the RAM crisis continues.
SEE ALSO: Xbox might get rid of physical discs too