ASUS PHILIPPINES LAUNCHES THE PIXELMASTER GRAND PRIX, ITS FIRST EVER NATIONWIDE MOBILE PHOTO MARATHON

Pasig, Philippines (March 6, 2019) – ASUS ZenFone’s renowned PixelMaster Master Class, an 8-month campaign that aims to develop the photography skills of budding ZenFone mobile photographers with help from esteemed names in the industry, is coming to a close. Because of this, the minds behind the aforementioned campaign is pulling out all the stops for the culmination of its first run, which began all the way back to May of 2018.

In celebration of the campaign’s success, ASUS Philippines, in collaboration with the ZenFone PixelMasters, is inviting all of the PixelMaster Master Class students, ZenFans, and ZenFone mobile photographers to the first-ever PixelMaster Grand Prix.

The PixelMaster Grand Prix is a nationwide photo marathon led by the respected and celebrated ZenFone PixelMasters: Ricky Ladia for Travel Photography, Arlene Donaire for Visual Story Telling, Jasper Tejano for Street Photography, Emir Kahn Bautista for Wedding Photography, Dail Deri for Conceptual Photography, Ken Go for Portraiture, Jay Ermitaño for Documentary Photography, and Nicco Valenzuela for Landscape Photography, all of whom the Grand Prix participants will have a chance to meet, greet, and learn from once more, if not for the first time. The event is set to happen in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao beginning April of this year and is open to all ZenFone users – from first generation to the current series, and some lucky non-users as well.

This makes the PixelMaster Grand Prix the biggest ZenFone mobile photography event yet in Philippines. And as such, it is only fitting that the winning participants of each leg should only take home the big rewards, with over PHP 50,000.00 worth of prizes up for grabs.

Registration is absolutely free, and already includes a marathon kit with special ZenFone merchandise for all chosen participants! Check out the complete mechanics below for the event:

PIXELMASTER GRAND PRIX MECHANICS

1. Interested participants should first sign-up as an official member on the ASUS ZenTalk Forum.Once a ZenTalk account has been successfully made, participants must then sign up at the official microsite at http://www.asuspixelmasterclass.com/. Participants must also indicate which leg they will be joining, as each run will be led by a particular group of ASUS ZenFone PixelMasters:

•        Manila Leg          April 27

•        Cebu Leg             May 4

•        Davao Leg           May 5

Participants are only eligible to win the main prizes if they are ZenFone users. However, limited slots will be opened to non-ZenFone users who will get to successfully register. These non-ZenFone users will be lent a ZenFone, but they will only be eligible to win the minor prizes.

Registration Period: March 6, 2019 - April 20, 2019

2.       ASUS Philippines will be filtering the participants who have successfully signed-up due to the limited slots available for each leg. Shortlisted participants will be messaged via SMS and Email as early as April 5, 2019. Shortlisted participants are then given until April 12, 2019 to re-confirm their availability on the leg day. No confirmation means forfeiture of slot/s.

3.       ASUS Philippines will be releasing the official list of participants for each leg by April 22, 2019 via the ASUS Philippines Facebook and Instagram accounts. Official participants will also be receiving an SMS from an ASUS representative.

4.       A theme will be announced on the day of the scheduled Grand Prix, which participants must follow. Each leg will have their own theme.

•        Participants will be given the freedom to roam anywhere on their own during the photo walk-proper.

5. Participants must submit their chosen photos within the day of the official leg.

•        Entries are eligible if and only if:

• The entry was posted on Facebook, in public, between 12:00NN-5:00PM of the official leg day.
• The entry was passed to the uploading station, between 4:00PM-5:45PM of the official leg day.

v  Upon uploading, the participant must present the raw file and the link to the social media post to the event official before passing the official entry.

6. One (1) grand winner per leg will be chosen according to the following categories.

•        PixelMaster Scores (70%)

•        ASUS Score (30%)

7. Top 3 winners will all be awarded at the culmination of the leg day:

•        Grand Prize: PHP 15,000 Cash Prize, DJI Osmo Mobile 2, and All-expense Paid Local Trip for One (1)

•        Second Place: PHP 5,000 Cash Prize and Mobile Photography Accessories

•        Third Place: PHP 5,000 Cash Prize

To join as well as to see the official mechanics of the PixelMaster Grand Prix, just visit the official ASUS PixelMaster website at www.asuspixelmasterclass.com from March 6 2019 to April 20, 2019.

For more information on the PixelMaster Grand Prix and the PixelMaster Master Class, head over to ASUS Philippines’ official Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages and the ZenTalk forum.

About ASUS

ASUS is one of Fortune magazine’s World’s Most Admired Companies, and is dedicated to creating products for today and tomorrow’s smart life. Our comprehensive portfolio includes Zenbo, ZenFone, ZenBook and a range of IT devices and components, along with AR, VR and IoT. ASUS employs more than 16,000 people worldwide and over 5,000 world-class R&D talents. Driven by innovation and committed to quality, the company won 4,511 awards and earned approximately US$13 billion of revenue in 2017.

The ZenFone 5 and ZenFone 5Z’s AI Already Thinks for You

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been in the forefront of science fiction, with pop culture constantly creating literature in all forms and with its fans reverently following it. Who would have thought that, one day, it would all to come to life. AI is now everywhere: from neural networks that constantly learn from their environment, to the social media algorithms that decide what you see in your news feeds. In fact, even small items such as your smartphones have also employed this awe-inspiring tech.

The ZenFone 5 and ZenFone 5Z has been widely celebrated for their spectacular AI Camera performance with a high DxOMark score of 90 points. The two devices were also crowned as the Intelligent Siblings,thanks to their wide range of AI capabilities and features. So what exactly makes these smartphones smarter than usual?

Here are five things that the ZenFone 5 and ZenFone 5Z have already thought about way before you:

A CAMERA THAT NOT ONLY THINKS FOR YOU, BUT ALSO LEARNS FROM YOU

Your smartphone is often your go-to camera when capturing everyday moments: the friends you’re with, the food you eat, and the places you go to. That is why ZenFone 5 and ZenFone 5Z both employ a 12MP Sony IMX 363 rear camera, which produces stunning shots every time, making for an amazing photography experience. While it’s important to have a great camera system, the ZenFone 5 and ZenFone 5Z’s PixelMaster camera takes it a whole lot further.

AI and machine learning is built in to the ZenFone 5 and 5Z. You can simply point your ZenFone’s camera into any subject and it will automatically recognize what you’re shooting. Based on 16 types of scene detection, the ZenFone 5 and ZenFone 5Z will automatically apply the necessary adjustments for the perfect shot. The gallery can even sort you photos based on what scene was detected, as well as who the people in the photo are, saving a whole lot of hassle compared to sorting them manually.

Of course, everyone has their own style when it comes to photography, and the ZenFone 5 and ZenFone 5Z can actually learn from your preferences using AI Photo Learning. By taking further advantage of their machine learning capability, your ZenFone can present you with two versions of a photo that you shot, making you choose which version you want best. Depending on your choice, your ZenFone will automatically apply those settings on future photos. Talk about getting that favorite filter perfect every time!

BOOSTED PERFROMANCE, WHENEVER AND WHEREVER

While modern smartphones are usually snappy when it comes to normal day to day tasks, there are times when you wish your device could go the extra mile and get that needed speed boost when playing games or when simply trying to get the job done faster.

At the push of a button, ASUS’ exclusive AI Boost Technology intelligently determines your apps’ and games’ performance requirements, to ensure that the ZenFone 5 and ZenFone 5Z can keep up with the increasing demand for power.

SMART MULTITASKING, FOR YOUR PRODUCTIVITY

The ZenFone 5 and ZenFone 5Z’s AI capabilities can even help with multitasking. ASUS’ AI-improved OptiFlex technology helps to maximize the performance of your device's RAM, automatically keeping frequently-used apps in the memory as long as possible to prevent longer waiting times when an app is loading. This means you can get more things done much faster.

SECURITY POWERED BY ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Security and privacy has always been a major concern about smartphones. Thankfully, the ZenFone 5 and ZenFone 5Z add another layer of security with biometrics such as fingerprint and face scanning technology to keep your smartphone secure. No need for lengthy passwords and PINs!

Face detection technology on the ZenFone 5 and 5Z is also powered by AI, taking advantage of machine learning to help accurately detect your face in less than 0.1 seconds. You can even use face detection to lock confidential documents, apps, or hidden folders, which makes this a secure and reliable way to secure your data.

BATTERY ALL DAY, EVERY DAY!

Everyone hates it when their smartphone’s batteries get drained, and for good reason: you can easily spend a good two hours charging up a regular smartphone’s battery to full. With the ZenFone 5 and ZenFone 5Z, AI boosts your charging speed to ensure that smartphone is always ready for action whenever you need it. Just look for the + icon to see AI Charging at work, and you know that your smartphone will be ready for action again in no time.

When the phone is plugged in at night, AI Charging also helps keep your battery in good shape. By learning your daily wake-up schedule, your ZenFone 5 and ZenFone 5Z ensure that it achieves full charge just before you wake up, avoiding long periods at 100% charge and helping prolong your battery’s lifespan.

MARKET AVAILABILITY

The addition of AI technology on the ZenFone 5 and ZenFone 5Z has kept it on the forefront of the smartphone technological revolution, creating a phone that both thinks for, and learns from you, the user, in order to create a better and more secure smartphone experience.

Get ASUS’ most intelligent phone ever, the AI-powered ZenFone 5 and ZenFone 5Z, with cameras that think and learn from you – for only PHP 19,995 and PHP 29,995, respectively.

Want hassle free purchase? Visit the official ASUS Lazada Store and get the best deals about ZenFone and other ASUS products.

Learn more about this incredibly powerful product by visiting ASUS Philippines’ website, official Facebook,Instagram and Twitter pages and the ZenTalk forum for more updates.

ALL-NEW ZENFONE LIVE L1 TAKES THE SPOTLIGHT AT SM CYBERZONE’S MOBILE FEST

Fresh from its official arrival just last weekend in stores nationwide, the ZenFone Live L1 was  definitely a crowd favorite during the Mobile Fest event. With the ZenFone Live L1 as one of the newest phones out in the market, as well as the mystery that surrounded it since it was first unveiled last May 2018, the latest ZenFone undoubtedly roused curiosity among the people on how it could offer more than its well-loved predecessor, the ZenFone Live.

To further excite the crowd, ASUS Philippines partnered with vlogger and YouTube sensation, Shekainah “Shek” Chen – better known for her lifestyle channel, Shek’s Diary. Popular for her content on her daily activities, Shek gave her own tips and tricks to becoming a vlogger and also shared her thoughts on what morecan the ZenFone Live L1 offer not only as an amazing smartphone but also as an aspiring content creator’s best friend.

IT’S MORE FUN WITH THE ZENFONE LIVE L1

More screen. More energy. More fun. – That is what ZenFone Live lives for and what it promises ZenFans in its return to the Philippines, through the ZenFone Live L1. This time around, the latest variant is packed with everything users loved about the original ZenFone Live but tripled with a whole lot more awesome and exciting features in just a 5-inch body!

The ZenFone Live L1’s 18:9 5.5-inch HD+ display is made to show images on screen as vivid as possible. Combining its display with a 13MP sharp shooting rear camera, photos will undoubtedly be breathtaking. The ZenFone Live L1 also comes with a fast face unlock as well as a triple-tray slot, allowing for added security and memory of up to 2TB. Best of all, the 2018 ZenFone Live L1 has a 3,000 mAh battery capacitythat can keep going for hours and hours.

For more details on the ZenFone Live L1, refer to the specs below:

Product Name	ZenFone Live L1
Operating system	Brand-new ASUS ZenUI 5.0 with Android O
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 425
Display	5.5” HD+ 18:9 2D 5 point capacity touch panel
Dimension	147.26mm*71.77mm*8.15mm
SIM	DSDS, Nano SIM, Nano SIM, Micro SD, 3 choose 3 SIM/SD card tray
Wireless	802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0
Network standards	2G/3G/4G
PixelMaster cameras	Rear: 13MP PDAF Front: 5MP FF
Memory and storage	2GB RAM +16GB ROM
Battery	3000mAh

AVAILABILITY

The ZenFone Live L1 is available nationwide for the very affordable price PHP 5,995.00! For more information on any of the ZenFone series and other incredible ASUS products, tune in to the ASUS Philippines Facebook Page and the ZenTalk Philippines Forum.

### 

About ASUS

ASUS is one of Fortune magazine’s World’s Most Admired Companies, and is dedicated to creating products for today and tomorrow’s smart life. Our comprehensive portfolio includes Zenbo, ZenFone, ZenBook and a range of IT devices and components, along with AR, VR and IoT. ASUS employs more than 16,000 people worldwide and over 5,500 world-class R&D talents. Driven by innovation and committed to quality, the company won 4,511 awards and earned approximately US$13 billion of revenue in 2017.

Truly limitless: Pro-streamer and mobile gamer Asurai on why the ZenFone Max Pro is a great all-rounder smartphone

A quick flashback of what went down two weeks ago – first, the official launch of the ZenFone Max Pro in partnership with Lazada Philippines, then the introduction of the MAX A-TEAM, and most recently, the ZenFone Max Pro’s first-ever appearance in the country at the FRAGFEST 2018. In this short span of time, the ZenFone Max Pro became the talk of the town and landed on everyone’s must-have list – after all, it is a beast in its own right.

Always present in the local and international gaming scenes, professional shoutcaster and streamer Darwell Llerena, also known as “Asurai”, was one of the few lucky Filipinos who were able to get their hands on the ZenFone Max Pro before its nationwide availability on Monday, June 25.

Asurai’s rise and passion in gaming was no overnight feat. In fact, he started playing games at a young age, starting with a Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis. From that moment on he hasn’t stopped playing. Despite this, his love for games and career in shoutcasting was never a hindrance to his studies. While in college, he was lucky enough to have time in between classes to be able to do shoutcasting, and this led him to land casting gigs that early. Talk about good timing, right? 

ZenFone Philippines got the chance to have a chit-chat with one of the most followed gaming personalities:

HI ASURAI! WE’RE A BIT CURIOUS, CAN YOU SHARE WHY YOU CHOSE “ASURAI” AS YOUR IGN?

Well… Because I got bitten by an Aso and I said Aray. Kidding! <Laughs>

THAT’S WITTY! <LAUGHS> NOW, CAN YOU TELL US HOW YOU STARTED YOUR SHOUTCASTING CAREER? DID YOU EVER SEE YOURSELF ON THIS PATH EVEN IN YOUR YOUNGER YEARS?

I answered an ad way back in November 2014 for a Shoutcasting call at Garena. I sent a sample video and they got me, the rest is history. <Smiles>

Hmm, actually not at all. My family is very traditional. I have uncle and aunts who are lawyers and doctors while I'm supposed to be a pharmacist.

OH, THAT MAKES YOU A GAME CHANGER IN YOUR FAMILY! WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IF YOU’RE NOT A CASTER-STREAMER?

I’d probably be in Tech Reviews since I am also fascinated with everything that revolves around that ecosystem, especially gaming.       

SO YOU ARE A LOVER OF TECH TOO! WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE RISING TREND IN MOBILE GAMING?

Before, I didn't think of mobile gaming much, but in the recent years it has changed because the evolution of great games isn't only in PCs or consoles, it also reached mobile regardless of what other people may say.

COOL! SO YOU ARE ONE OF THE LUCKY ONES WHO WERE ABLE TO USE THE ZENFONE MAX PRO FOR QUITE SOME TIME NOW, HOW’S YOUR EXPERIENCE SO FAR?

It was amazing! I think the fact that it's a great all-rounder phone makes it perfect for me, being able to play games, record media, and watch online content without having to worry about running out of battery. Thanks to its huge battery capacity - it is such a big deal for me! It was a great companion during my COMPUTEX trip!

NICE! GOOD TO HEAR THAT YOU ARE ENJOYING YOUR PHONE! WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE FEATURE OF THE ZENFONE MAX PRO?

The feature that I highly appreciate right now on the Max Pro is the 6-inch display which allows me to absorb more of the game that I am playing. I like it when the navigation bar automatically disappears when in-game! I can now play AOV or Mobile Legends without the worry that I might just accidentally click the home button.

WE LIKE THAT TOO! YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU PLAY GAMES, RECORD MEDIA AND WATCH ONLINE CONTENT ON YOUR PHONE; DO YOU USE IT AS YOUR DAILY DRIVER NOW?

Yes! I use it as my daily driver now. I like the combination of the big battery and big display.

SO HOW LONG DOES THE PHONE’S BATTERY LAST?

Since I use it extensively throughout the day, including some moderate gaming on the side, it lasts probably around 8 to 10 hours. It’s not bad because I won’t need to find a wall outlet or scramble for a powerbank in the middle of the day.

WE’RE HAPPY FOR YOU! HOW DO YOU FEEL NOW THAT YOU ARE PART OF THE MAX A-TEAM?

It's always nice to be part of a group that revolves around gaming! And that’s what makes me happy!

WHAT MADE ASURAI EXCITED FOR THE ZENFONE MAX PRO?

The newest ZenFone Max Pro now comes in two variants! You can now choose between 3GB RAM + 32GB of storagethat sports a 13MP + 5MP rear camera or 4GB RAM + 64GB of storage with 16MP + 5MP rear camera. Both come with a powerful combination of a big battery capacity of 5000 mAh, a powerful yet efficient Snapdragon 636 - the key essentials for one of the best gameplay experiences without hitting 0% battery life, and an 8MP front camera for photos and selfies at any time and place.

MARKET AVAILABILITY

Are you ready to go limitless? Click here to order 3GB and Click here to pre-order 4GB! For more information about the newest ZenFone Max Pro, tune in to ASUS Philippines Facebook Page and ZenTalk Philippines Forum.

FOUR DAYS TO GO ‘TIL ZENFONE MAX PRO PRE-ORDERS END

The ZenFone Max Pro 4GB/64GB pre-order campaign is coming to a close in four (4) days. With it closing officially on July 22, 2018, ZenFans are officially days nearer to getting their hands on the newest Battery King for Limitless Gaming, the ZenFone Max Pro, as well as the bundle of following items that come with it: a JBL T450BT Bluetooth Headset worth PHP 2,999.00 and in-game exclusives worth PHP 5,995.00.

THE CROWD FAVORITE RETURNS: ASUS PHILIPPINES ROLLS OUT THE NEW ZENFONE LIVE L1 THIS JULY!

In the recent months, ASUS has further strengthened its stance in the mobile industry with an impeccable line-up of ZenFones, with media and fans lauding the #Backto5 campaign featuring the all-new ZenFone 5. This month, the Taiwanese company is reintroducing yet another contender in the Philippines – the ZenFone Live – and this time it’s bigger and better!

Building on the features that were well-received with the original ZenFone Live launched back in 2017, the new ZenFone Live L1 now comes with even more features to love: an 18:9 HD+ display that guarantees immersive entertainment, face unlock technology for an added layer of security, a triple-slot tray that gives you more connectivity options, and a wide array of functions that will cater to youthful individuals for the affordable price of only PHP 5,995.00.

ENJOY MORE WITH THE ZENFONE LIVE L1

The all-new ZenFone Live L1 gives users more of everything they love, in an amazingly compact and easy-to-use phone that's designed with consumers in mind.  It sports an immersive full view 18:9 HD+ display, providing users with a bigger, wider, and brighter cinematic viewing. Inside is a 3,000 mAh high capacity battery that lets users binge watch all of their favorite films and TV shows as well as listen to their playlists for hours. To top it off, the ZenFone Live L1 can last for 28 days on standby!

The ZenFone Live L1 also features a 13MP sharp shooting rear camera. With its super-sharp camera and 0.3 seconds focusing system, ZenFone Live L1 is always on hand to capture life's magic moments.

For added convenience, the newest ZenFone is designed with a triple-slot tray, which can support up to two nano sim cards in conjunction with a microSD up to 2TB. In addition, the ZenFone Live L1 now has a special face unlock that is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon Neural Processor, allowing a faster and accurate unlocking.

With the ZenFone Live L1, users can enjoy a device with more screen, more battery, and more fun all in a compact 5-inch body.

For more information on the ZenFone Live L1, refer to the spec sheet below:

Product Name	ZenFone Live L1
Operating system	Brand-new ASUS ZenUI 5.0 with Android O
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 425
Display	5.5” HD+ 18:9 2D 5 point capacity touch panel
Dimension	147.26mm*71.77mm*8.15mm
SIM	DSDS, Nano SIM, Nano SIM, Micro SD, 3 choose 3 SIM/SD card tray
Wireless	802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0
Network standards	2G/3G/4G
PixelMaster cameras	Rear: 13MP PDAF Front: 5MP FF
Memory and storage	2GB RAM +16GB ROM
Battery	3000mAh

MARKET AVAILABILITY

The ZenFone Live L1 will be available nationwide on July 21, 2018 at the price of only PHP 5,995.00. For more information on the newest ZenFone Live L1, the ZenFone series, and other incredible products from ASUS, tune in to the ASUS Philippines Facebook Page and theZenTalk Philippines Forum.