Author: Jayvee Fernandez

It’s almost a sort of tradition that at the start of the year, HONOR Philippines sends us their latest X9 series smartphone to be subjected to a physical endurance test. You’ve probably seen the ads: with the X9b, X9c, and the now, the X9d being subjected to all sorts of ridiculous stress tests: being thrown off a helicopter, a plane, being on the receiving end of a boxing glove, mimicking a sledgehammer to smash concrete, and now, being smashed into the bulletproof chassis of a Tesla Cybertruck. Friends, this is marketing. And if it is one thing that marketing teaches…

Remember Clippy on your Windows 98 machine? Back in the 90’s we had a helpful animated paper clip that would assist us in Microsoft Office tasks. Fast forward to today, Clippy has evolved into an AI companion that you can talk to. Not only is it your “copilot” in productivity, it’s also a personal assistant for things outside work like planning meals and vacations. All this is possible with the new Copilot+PC for Windows 11. But how do you know if your computer has these features? More than just a marketing label, Copilot+PC represents a fundamental shift in how hardware…

Stephen Cheng is a man about town. A figurehead in consumer tech with strong marketing agency roots, he’s driven, cordial, and sets challenging yet realistic expectations for the people in his immediate circle. In short, a man of HONOR, literally and figuratively. As Vice President of HONOR Philippines, Stephen leads one of the fastest-growing smartphone brands in the country. But beneath the sleek campaigns and sold-out launches is a marketer, entrepreneur, and family man who lives by the values of consistency, creativity, and care. He’s not one to sugarcoat the grind either. “Running a business is never easy. Nothing truly…

Growing up, I was taught that if generosity was a cup, it then should always have to overflow. Symbolic, but there’s truth to it – that good things are best experienced when shared. And it being the holidays, we’ve hyperfocused on the act of generosity. This focus on sharing good fortune is exactly what Maya is banking on with its massive Twinyonaryo campaign. Maya is challenging users to bring a friend into the fold for a chance to win one million pesos—for themselves and their preferred bestie. The core question Maya is asking is simple: “Kaninong buhay ang babaguhin mo…

The old adage ‘nothing is certain except death and taxes’ is going to be the banner statement in tech for 2026. I’m referring to the death of jobs in the BPO sector and the huge “AI tax” on consumer electronics due to the overall increase in demand for RAM for data centers. Since 2024, I’ve been covering the BPO sector from a macroscrope. The motherhood statement by Jimmy Go, President and CEO of VST ECS was that globally, AI is poised to replace 85 million jobs. But it will also create 70 million jobs. I asked myself where does the…

It’s been more than a month since I unboxed the Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max. I’ve written about the launch rather extensively here and here. I have been remiss, however, with the two other devices that came with it: the 46mm Apple Watch Series 11 and the AirPods Pro 3. Not that I have not been using them. In fact, I have, rather extensively. But I found myself to be in a rather unique position as a reviewer because I will admit that this is the first time I’ve actually used an Apple Watch and an AirPods. It is not,…

The showcase is meant to demo innovations in retail, hospitality, education and home. Last September, Samsung unveiled its 2025 B2B signage solutions and Smart Home showcase at the IFA Expo in Berlin. I was able to take a short peek at the signage solutions but due to the two hour lines for the Smart Home demo, I had to forego that part of the tour due to time constraints. Until this week. Samsung Philippines has just unveiled its Business Experience Studio and SmartThings Home Showroom at its HQ at the Science Hub Tower, Mckinley Hill. The Business Experience Studio was…

Pricing: *Early bird price is from November 26 to December 9 2025 Last April, I said that I can highly recommend the POCO F7 Ultra. This was because it was a true flagship device that was also quite affordable if placed side by side with your Samsung and OPPO flagships. As the first phone with the ‘Ultra’ label, you got a great all around camera with superb zoom, a fast Snapdragon Elite processor, and great battery management. Well guess what? Seven months in, POCO has now launched its second Ultra phone, the POCO F8 Ultra. It didn’t take a year…

With the official launch of Google Wallet in the Philippines, millions of Android users will now have more convenient access to seamless payments via Tap to Pay. But many netizens have asked what are the real benefits of Google Pay since we already have QR payments via mobile phones? Here’s a quick explainer: Google Pay works without Internet connection Have you ever tried paying via QR code and there’s no signal? Well, Google Pay is the convenient solution. The transaction makes use of wireless NFC communication, similar to when you tap your credit card onto a payment kiosk. This time,…

We go through several iPhone 17 accessories including cases, power banks, and wallets. Many of these are magsafe compatible which means you can also make them work on other compatible devices or compatible cases. Casetify Cases (introducing the new Glaze Case!) Casetify has released their Bounce Case, the new Glaze Case (the blue to yellow hues), and Impact Case (sticker prints) for the iPhone 17 series. Pictured here are the ones that fit the iPhone 17 Pro Max. The Bounce Case (P4,290) can be customized with text for up to 8 characters. This is the orange case with the four…