Consumer tech trends at CES 2023
A NEW YEAR means new gadgets, and for technology enthusiasts, the first week of the year has become synonymous with the Consumer Electronics Show (CES),
A NEW YEAR means new gadgets, and for technology enthusiasts, the first week of the year has become synonymous with the Consumer Electronics Show (CES),
DO you still remember those “pakibalik po ’yung load” scams or those nasty messages saying that one of your relatives/friends got into an accident modus? Or maybe you’ve been tricked into being “textpals” only to ghosted when it was time to meet up?
OF all the new brands I’ve been able to work with this year, I have to say that finally being able to work with Bose and getting to try some of their speakers has been one of the highlights of my year.
“HAVE you ever heard of the “Five Gift Rule?”
DID you know that the term “metaverse” originated in the 1990s? The term was coined in Neal Stephenson’s 1992 science fiction novel Snow Crash, where humans control programmable avatars to interact with each other and software agents in a three-dimensional virtual space.
IN 1996, Bill Gates wrote an essay that changed the course of digital marketing. Titled “Content is King,” he suggested most of the money generated on the Internet would come from content, much like broadcasting.
JUST like how much we love having milk tea and boba on summer days and can’t resist Starbucks’ special minty brews during the holidays, there’s always a great time for just about everything and that includes job hunting.
Adapt or die.” I vaguely remember the entirety of the movie Moneyball, but this quote by Brad Pitt’s character Billy Beane captures the most crucial lesson businesses need to learn to survive this post-pandemic world.
“WHEN life gives you lemons, make lemonade—make it pink to be unique, or take out the seeds, plant a whole orchard, and start an entire franchise.”
LAST week, SM Supermalls kicked off its 100 Days to Christmas countdown by creating a circle of happiness among its shoppers, marginalized communities of women, persons deprived of liberty, artisans, cause-oriented organizations, and select local government units.
AS if on cue, my high-school classmate sent me a message the morning after Apple’s “Far Out” event to ask if I already had preorder details for the new iPhone 14 series.
AS the iPhone 14 launches this week, we take a look back at one of the innovations Apple introduced when it launched the iPhone X—Face ID. The facial recognition system that retired the beloved home button became the main biometric authentication for unlocking your device, making payments, accessing sensitive data, and providing detailed facial expression tracking for Animojis. Apple claimed the probability of someone else unlocking a phone with Face ID is 1 in 1,000,000 as opposed to Touch ID at 1 in 50,000. There were initial apprehensions but as expected, Android phones eventually followed suit, and now even cheaper devices flaunt Face recognition as a key feature.
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness.”
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia—As I am writing this on a Wednesday night in my hotel room, I realized this was my first international trip after more than two years. Tomorrow, together with 30-plus other publications/web sites and content creators from the Philippines, I’ll be attending the launch of the Xiaomi 12 Lite.
FOR the longest time, our educational system has remained basically the same since the time of our great grandfathers. Despite the use of new technologies and various reforms, students still followed the same routine: wake up in the early morning, head to school, sit in front of the teacher for the rest of the day, then go home to do more homework. Dress codes, school facilities, and technology may have changed but what students and teachers actually do has not.
THERE are but a few technology brands that could compare to the growth and success story of realme. From being a relatively unknown newcomer when it first set up shop in the Philippines in 2018, it is currently the No. 1 smartphone brand in the country—an achievement it accomplished in less than three years.
TWENTY-SIXTEEN will forever be remembered as the year when Leonardo DiCaprio finally won an Oscar and Stranger Things introduced many of us to binge-watching (and gave us Winona Ryder back). That same year, we also found Dory, had an all-female Ghostbusters, and realized both Batman and Superman’s moms were named Martha. Lastly, it was the year that got everyone out and walking about hunting for Pokemons. Oh, and we also got two Ds that were elected President—Donald and Duterte.
The ToysRUs community, for one, was a lot of help, as I could chat with them to ask if they still had stocks of some figure I was looking and they would point me to the nearest branch. I could then call the branch and arrange for pickup. I didn’t mind if it took a few hours for them to reply; after all, I’d rather wait for the next day’s reply on Viber than spend 10 minutes listening to hold music.
I WAS already in high school when I finally accepted that I badly needed eyeglasses after years of squinting and being in denial (that playing too much Family Computer was to blame). I could still remember the first time I wore them and walked out of the optical shop—as if on cue, the song “True Colors” began to play in my head, because for the first time, the world I saw became clearer and more vibrant.
SAN JUAN, La Union—Located 277 kilometers north of Manila, the province of La Union is considered as the surfing capital of Northern Philippines. It has also been called the “Garden Coast” due to its bountiful botanical gardens.
“I gave my father $100 and said, ‘Buy yourself something that will make your life easier.’ So he went out and brought a present for my mother.”—Rita Rudner
POP culture was once dominated by wizards, vampires and zombies, but in the past decade there is no doubt that we have been fascinated with superheroes. From mainstream movies that bring to life the characters from Marvel and DC comics, to animated series, like Invincible and my current favorite. Amazon’s The Boys (it’s a bloody-gore watch) “supers” seem to be the key ingredient to success.
EARLIER this week, listeners could not access many of their favorite podcasts due to an outage on Megaphone, one of the more popular podcast hosting platforms on Spotify. The outage was due to the company’s failure to renew Megaphone’s security certificate—a simple mistake that cost podcasters thousands of lost downloads and ad revenue.
Everybody wants to be No. 1, but last year, in perhaps one of its more unusual ad campaigns, e-wallet provider PayMaya seemed to have embraced its second place position by adopting the cheeky slogan “Too Good To Be No. 2.”
WHEN the Covid-19 pandemic struck and the government implemented those repeated strict lockdowns, we were all forced to stay home—but not everyone spent those months just sitting on the couch watching Netflix.
TOMORROW I’ll be 46, an age I don’t particularly find exciting because it means I’m closer to 50 instead of the “younger 40s.” I also thought it wasn’t an interesting age, until I did a quick “Bing” of people who are the same age as me.
WHENEVER there was a demonstration of some smart home device or appliance or a demo for the Google Voice Assistant, I would often comment how my yaya was still faster than any of them. But last week, after visiting the especially-designed PLDT Home Fast Hub, I think my yaya (even after by two cups of coffee), has found her match—Google Voice backed by PLDT Home 10,000Mbps Internet speed.
EVERY year, Xiaomi releases an onslaught of smartphones that covers every single price point, so there should be a Xiaomi phone for every Android user, no matter what their budget is. And because of their specs and pricing, their midrange lineup have often been dubbed as “flagship killers.”
WHAT do you miss most about going to the office?
DURING Holy Week last year, I remember Metro Manila and “NCR Plus” were again placed under strict enhanced community quarantine because of the rising cases of Covid-19.
It’s been a year since the announcement of the realme 8 series, so everyone was anticipating the arrival of the successor to realme’s number series. What we didn’t expect was that this time, realme was introducing a Pro+ variant as well.
IF it’s not about the election colors, or the recent “slapgate,” my feed is starting to get filled up with all sorts of information about crypto. I must admit that like a lot of people, I do have crypto FOMO (fear of missing out) especially when you hear about those very early retirement stories, but even the best digital currency evangelists admit that investing in bitcoin and its brethren remains a largely speculative bet on an unknown future.
Huawei has always set the bar when it comes to product launches, and after more than two years of being stuck on Zoom, the company finally held its first live event last week at Shangri-La The Fort for its newest smartphone, the nova 9 SE.
GROWING up in the 1990s, there was one summer activity that I never got to join—no, it is not the Santa Cruzan, but those Inter-Barangay Basketball tournaments. Most of my uncles were good basketball players, and they’d share stories of how they would go around challenging the neighboring barrios to make some money. I knew how to play, sure, but I didn’t have the speed or the stamina to play competitively.
OF all the smartphones I’ve reviewed last year, I must have used the realme 8 Pro as my daily driver the longest. It was a pretty good all-around phone with a nice display, one of the best cameras (for its price), and that “Dare to Leap” branding emblazoned across the back pretty much described the brand’s bold ambition.
THE influence of YouTubers, vloggers, and even TikTokers is at an all-time high, and there is no denying how YouTube has formed an important part of the appeal to children and young people. It’s also become quite a lucrative career that even famous celebrities have created their channels and have started vlogging.
ON May 9, 2022, 65.7 million Filipinos will go to the polls to vote for the country’s 17th president who will take the reigns from President Rodrigo Duterte.
WHEN we were having our house built, I remember my dad wanting our appliances to come from a single brand—from the TV, speakers, mini component, VCD player, or anything else that the brand offered. His reasoning, besides its popularity back then, was that he only needed to call one service center for everything. Call it brand loyalty as most of our appliances have always been from the same brand, but unknowingly he was also introducing us to what we now refer to as an ecosystem.
With a 108MP pro-grade camera that allows you to create Cinemagic, a 120Hz AMOLED screen for both creation and consumption, and hyperfast charging, the Xiaomi 11T is one of the best bang-for-the-buck smartphones you can buy.
Just when you thought we already have all sorts of influencers—from fashion, food, tech, fitness, travel, etc.—have you ever heard of sleep influencers?
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.
TWENTY-TWENTY One has been a quiet year for Huawei smartphones. Except for a couple of Y and nova series releases, the once-second biggest smartphone company in the world seems to have turned its attention on its ecosystem products, such as the Matebook, Matepad Pro, smart watches, wearables and other AIoT devices.
OF all the Xiaomi releases, it’s always the “T” series that gets me excited.
IN our last column, I started our traditional gift giving guide with a couple of budget smartphones: the realme 8i and infinix HOT 11s. To help you further with your gift choices, I talked with the big boss of Kimstore herself, Kim Lato, to ask for some tips and the best-selling devices during the holiday season. From its humble office in Tondo to its present-day Quezon City office and Valenzuela warehouse, Kimstore, after 15 years, remains as one of the most reliable and trusted online gadget stores in the country.
WITH less than a month to go before Christmas, many of you are probably expecting your 13th month pay and bonuses in the next few days, so you better get that nice list ready and check it twice.
AS we enter the busiest season of the year, expect to see the color yellow joining the orange, green, blue, and red fleet of couriers as they flash through traffic to deliver your latest budol.
IF there was one device that got a renewed lease on life because of the pandemic it’s the almost forgotten Android tablet. Offering a larger screen than a smartphone’s and a relatively cheaper price tag than a PC or laptop, tablets became the perfect device for students studying from home.
IN the first part of our review we talked about the build quality and the excellent display of Huawei’s most premium tablet. After using the Huawei Matepad Pro 12.6 for another week, let me share with you my thoughts on its audio quality, performance, cameras and, most importantly, the HarmonyOS experience.
IF not for the pandemic, those travel restrictions and the fear of getting infected and dying from Covid-19, my partner and I would have traveled back to Taiwan and HongKong, visited Japan or Korea in the winter, or ticked off several more provinces in the country.
LAST June, the Philippines increased the number of nurses and health-care workers allowed to go overseas to 6,500 annually, as demand for our health-care professionals continued to increase.
THE Covid-19 global pandemic is a tragedy—except for the almost forgotten tablet.
LAST week, I attended two (virtual) tech events that showcased new devices that promise to help us breathe better, cleaner air and hopefully survive this still ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
THE founder of When In Manila, Vince Golangco is one of the top 100 players of the popular crypto-based game Axie Infinity. He also has about 20 Axie “scholars” and is looking to add more from the WIMPlays (When In Manila Plays) Facebook group.
EVEN before the Covid-19 pandemic and the resulting global economic crisis, offline retailers have already been engaged in an intense battle against e-commerce players. Those challenges have now accelerated at staggering speed and retailers need to stop expecting businesses to return to “normal.”
IN the HBO series Game of Thrones, the Hand of the King (or Queen), is the most powerful appointed position in the Six Kingdoms, second only to the King in authority and responsibility. The Hand is the King’s closest advisor, appointed and authorized to make decisions in the King’s name. If you’ve watched the series, you know how crucial that character is.
IT has been a stressful week of thunderstorms, floods, earthquakes, the threat of another Taal eruption, the Delta variant and perhaps another impeding lockdown, but in the midst of it all there was one piece of news that made us forget all the dreadful stuff happening.
Besides being smartphone brands, what does Cherry Mobile, Samsung, Motorola, Lenovo, Vivo and Oppo all have in common?
WHEN realme contacted me about reviewing another phone, I thought it was going to be the realme 8i. Afterall, their number series always comes in threes and since the 8 and 8 Pro are out, all that’s left was the 8i. So, I was quite surprised when I opened the package and saw the realme 8 5g instead.
IN the beginning, there was darkness—and then you’d start flicking the light switch again and again—as you head-bang, do air guitar riffs, or do the boogie as if you were on the disco floor. Too Boomer? Okay, raves and bars then.
IF you ask me if the Huawei MateBook X Pro is a great Windows alternative to the MacBook Pro, the answer would be an easy yes.
The Philippines has been ranked as one of the best outsourcing countries in the world with a talent pool that could easily adapt to time difference, has a high level of language proficiency, excellent work ethic, and quality work that’s cost effective.
In our last column, we talked about how the release of the Xiaomi POCO M3 5G will usher in the era of affordable 5G smartphones. A couple of days later, the brand quickly followed it up with the Redmi Note 10 5G.
LAST April, as part of its big 5G push, Smart Communications introduced Unli 5G, its most aggressive offer for its fastest technology yet. The promo is initially available at strategic urban centers including Metro Manila, Angeles City, Baguio City, Cavite City, Cebu City, Clark City and Davao City.
According to statistics, it is estimated that worldwide a child is born with cleft every 3 minutes—or about one in every 500 to 750 births. Depending on the type and severity, a cleft can create serious health and social issues if not corrected early. Some could have difficulty with feeding that could lead to malnutrition, while others might experience recurring ear infections that could lead to hearing loss. Speech and language development can also be impaired making children more susceptible to bullying and social isolation.
IF we are to believe the rumors, June is going to be an exciting month for Huawei as the tech giant is expected to launch its very intriguing HarmonyOS (outside China) alongside two new tablets and smartwatches. The Android OS alternative will then appear on all Huawei products going forward including the long-awaited Huawei P50—and maybe even for other smartphone brands.
IN 1996, Renato and Babie Sio established Sanitary Care Products Asia Inc. (SCPA) with the noble goal of creating 10 jobs for 10 people. Fast-forward 25 years later, the Sio couple together with son Ven and daughter Lea now run an enterprise that has grown to over a thousand employees with 23 sales offices and seven plants nationwide.
On the back, you’ll find a rectangular camera module that houses its quad-camera stack that’s tucked neatly on the upper left side. The power and volume buttons are on the right side, with the former pulling double duty as the fingerprint scanner. The redesigned Arc fingerprint sensor sits flush against the side of the device, making it both seamlessly integrated and comfortable to use. It’s good that Xiaomi opted for the side-mounted fingerprint scanner as is faster and more reliable than those sluggish in-display ones which are gimmicky at best.
TEN weeks—that’s the lifespan of the average iPhone before it gets damaged, according to a poll conducted by a United Kingdom-based research company. I’m not sure if Android phones enjoy a longer pristine lifespan before it gets maculated, but the most common phone mishaps surveyed are accidental drops (from your hand, pockets, or bags) water damage catastrophes (spills/submerged) and toddlers.
DESPITE the economic devastation brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, the Philippine smartphone market ended the year strong shipping 6.5 million units in the last quarter of 2020, recording a 19-percent growth quarter-on-quarter and a 6 percent year-on-year. This was according to a recent report from International Data Corp.’s (IDC) Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker. The report also noted a 5-percent growth compared to last year with an accumulated a total of 18.9 million units for 2020.
Cloud computing and data science have been buzzwords in the IT and business fields in the Philippines for the last few years, but sadly it has remained just that—buzzwords—until the buzzkill that is Covid-19 changed everything.
DESPITE the economic devastation brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, the Philippine smartphone market ended the year strong shipping 6.5 million units in the last quarter of 2020, recording a 19-percent growth quarter-on-quarter and a 6 percent year-on-year. This was according to a recent report from International Data Corp.’s (IDC) Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker. The report also noted a 5-percent growth compared to last year with an accumulated a total of 18.9 million units for 2020.
Cloud computing and data science have been buzzwords in the IT and business fields in the Philippines for the last few years, but sadly it has remained just that—buzzwords—until the buzzkill that is Covid-19 changed everything.
AND just like that, we are back on lockdown.
THE other day, I somehow got redirected to the Facebook Gaming page. No, I wasn’t searching for “sando gamers” (a totally different topic I want to write about). And there on the screen was the description: “Pennywise vs Tito Ed Caluag”—15ft virtual versions of them on an NBA 2K court, teaming up with “Bossing” Vic Sotto, Vice Ganda, Jollibee, Ronald McDonald—and some other characters. It was weird until the next feed showed Gerald Anderson taking on Joshua Garcia in a wrestling ring.
Over 110,000 eating and drinking establishments closed in the US due to the Covid-19 pandemic, according to an article by Fortune.
LAST week, the GSMA hosted the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Shanghai, one of the first in-person technology trade shows since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
FROM Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Slash, Alice Cooper, Oasis and Gorillaz, to Justin Timberlake, Kendrick Lamar, Lana Del Rey and many others, the world’s greatest bands and performers are able to share their excellent live music thanks to Jim Marshall OBE and his son Terry and their creation—the Marshall amplifiers.
LAST year, about 4.5 million Filipinos became unemployed as the country suffered one of the worst job crisis because of the Covid-19 pandemic and extended lockdowns. According to the Philippine Statistics Authority’s Labor Force Survey (LFS), the unemployment rate jumped to 10.4 percent—the highest in 15 years, even reaching a high of 17.6 percent in April as business operations were forced to shutdown as various parts of the country were placed under quarantine.
IN 2021, pictures, video, and audio will speak more than words—this was one of the predictions shared by Amazon.com Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, Dr. Werner Vogels in his article “8 Predictions on How Technology Will Impact Our Lives in the Coming Year.”
DURING the last 12.12 sale, Shopee sold a record-breaking 12 million items in the first 24 minutes and at its peak, 1 million items were bought in a single minute. Shopping activity surged at midnight on December 12, with four times more items sold in the first hour compared to 2019 with a recorded 450 million views on Shopee Live across the 12.12 sale.
ONE of the first things I had to learn when I started out as an encoder for the editorial department of a newspaper was how to operate our gigantic printer—more specifically, how to fix a paper jam.
IF you are in the market for a 5G phone, getting one on a postpaid plan is still the best way to enjoy 5G speeds, ensure compatibility with the local network and so that you’ll never unexpectedly run out of data.
LIKE many 1980s kids, I grew up enjoying the benefits of having a “voice-activated assistant”—even though smart homes, at that time, were just the stuff of science fiction movies.
I ASKED my Facebook friends how they’d describe 2020 in one word, and the answers I got were: challenging, exhausting, surreal, stifling and hellacious. But my two favorites have to be “dumbsterfire” (the PH version of dumpsterfire) and “omnishambles,” which you only have to Google its short history to appreciate why.