2019 v20n2 - FAST FORWARD

If you’re at all like most of us here at the magazine, you’re wondering where the year went. It’s been such a whirlwind of new tech, hot news, and devices that we simply lost track of time. Before long, Jose Marie Chan will be invading the airwaves once again, and traffic will get even worse. Until then, enjoy this month’s issue. We have a lot of interesting features, including a look at the future of some of the technologies we use today, and of course the usual parades and reviews you’ve come to expect from us. 2019 has quite a bit left in it, so keep on keeping on, and see you next month!

Ren Alcantara Editor-at-Large

MARIBELLE M. ALBA

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF #GIRLBOSS @bellealba

REN ALCANTARA

EDITOR-AT-LARGE Être fort pour être utile

ARNEL DORIA

MOBILITY CONSULTANT

PRESIDENT & CEO

Maribelle Alba

SALES AND ADVERTISING MANAGER ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Marisa Consuelo

ACCOUNTING MANAGER ACCOUNTING STAFF

Maritess Pascua-Maulion Lorie Bernardo

@hisnameisren

Marketing guru. Automotive industry veteran. Road safety advocate.

JEWEL STA. ANA

JOSE ALVAREZ

Jose loves football, video games, computers, and history, but not necessarily in any order.

HR & ADMIN MANAGER ADMINISTRATION STAFF

Amy Christine Giray Ramil Almojano Clifford Dela Paz

@josealvarez

PR & MARKETING STAFF DIGITAL CONTENT PRODUCER

Paula Candoy Jerico Lutrania

LEGAL COUNSEL

JUNIOR EDITOR People say you can’t live without love, I think oxygen is more important. @monsterjewfloat

GABRIEL JOHN PE

CONTRIBUTOR

GERRY GAVIOLA

STAFF WRITER

CONTRIBUTOR

*Laughs in 5 ft

Cineaste. Audiophile. Gadget addict.

@pe_gab

@gerry.g626

JERICO LUTRANIA

DIGITAL CONTENT PRODUCER

“Ceeeeeeeeeeeb!”

PAULA CANDOY

CONTRIBUTOR “You do note.”

@_easyo

@polacandoy

CHINI YU SORIANO

CONTRIBUTOR

I love dogs.

Self-proclaimed marketer. Pop culture fan. Sleeper, er, sleeping agent.

@chinisoriano

@hefedanyel

ZEIL ROMERO

ASSISTANT GRAPHIC ARTIST

Let it be.

Not everyone needs to know everything about you!!

GRAPHIC ARTIST

GRAPHIC ARTIST @zeil_heyo

2

PRESY ALBA

EDITOR-AT-LARGE I don’t travel light, I lug too many gadgets, I can walk for miles exploring and I never say no to the local fare. @presy1121

SEPTEMBER 2019

JEFF DANIEL RINGON

CLIFFORD DELA PAZ

Carol Agabin

Alba Law Office

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@iamclifford._

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ROG GZ700 GZ700 ROG

ROG mothership mothership ROG REDEFINE HOW YOU PLAY REDEFINE HOW YOU PLAY

9980HK RTX2080 2080 I9I9- -9980HK INTEL速 CORE INTEL速 CORE

FACTORY OVERCLOCKED

FACTORY OVERCLOCKED

Up your game.

Up your game.

NVIDIA速 GEFORCE NVIDIA速 GEFORCE

FACTORY OVERCLOCKED

FACTORY OVERCLOCKED

G-SYNC DISPLAY G-SYNC

DISPLAY

CONTENTS

SEPTEMBER 2019 | Volume 20 No. 2

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22

Gadgets Lab

28

Make way for new gadgets!

The tests are done, find out how these devices did.

Our predictions on what the future holds.

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40

52

Everything on wheels.

Learn more about Lenovo’s Michael Ngan.

Parade

Photo Feature The New Isuzu D-MAX

Mobility

Take a look at the New Isuzu D-Max LS-A.

Executive Profile

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56

58

We put your favorite food delivery apps to the test.

What lies ahead of Apple’s Homehub.

A chat with champions.

Apps: Food Delivery Apps

4

Cover Story: Fast Forward

SEPTEMBER 2019

Everything Apple

Gaming

www.gadgetsmagazine.com.ph

64

Music Corner Looks who’s coming to town.

Feature: 7 Folds You’ll want to visit this laundry shop.

68

Home Pure, fresh air courtesy of Dyson.

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72

74

AR dodgeball anyone?

Get to know the Philippine Aeropress coffee champion.

It’s not all about the money.

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80

92

Stay one step ahead of cybercrime.

The latest in Philippine Tech.

What was NeXT for Steve Jobs.

Visual Space

Cybersecurity

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Food: 2019 Aeropress Champion

Bits and Bytes

Enterprise

Relic

www.gadgetsmagazine.com.ph

PARADE

NVIDIA RTX 2060 Super Graphics Card

The RTX 2060 Super might be the first among NVIDIA’s new Super series but don’t let the numbers fool you. Its performance is almost as good as the RTX 2070 graphics card. It has a base clock speed of 1470 MHz but can be boosted up to 1650 MHz. It has 34 dedicated ray tracing cores for glorious ray tracing visual. With 8 GB DDR6 VRAM, you can be sure to get all your extreme graphics gaming done with ease.

NVIDIA RTX 2070 Super Graphics Card

The RTX 2070 Super truly embodies the word “super.” It’s a significant upgrade from the RTX 2070, with performances comparable to the base RTX 2080. It has 40 dedicated ray tracing cores for some delicious ray tracing and 8 GB of DDR6 VRAM so you won’t run out of graphics RAM anytime soon. It has a clock speed of 1650 MHz which can be boosted up to 1770 MHz, ensuring seamless gameplay for AAA titles.

NVIDIA RTX 2080 Super Graphics Card

The RTX 2080 Super was made for the ultimate ray tracing experience.

With its 48 dedicated ray tracing cores, you can be sure of glorious RTX action from all compatible titles. It has 8 GB of DDR6 VRAM for more graphic intensive loads, and the base clock of 1650 MHz can be overclocked to 1815 MHz.

www.gadgetsmagazine.com.ph

SEPTEMBER 2019

7

Lenovo IdeaPad C340 Laptop

The IdeaPad C340 is a versatile laptop with a 360-degree hinge. It has a 14-inch FHD touchscreen with pen support, and is powered by Intel’s 8th Generation Core i7 processor, with Nvidia’s GeForce MX230 discrete graphics. The 360-degree hinge adds to the laptop’sversatility, offering tent mode for sharing, stand mode for binge-watching, or tablet mode for more intuitive interaction. The optional Lenovo Active Pen 2 allows users to write and sketch directly on the screen.

PHP 25,995

Lenovo Legion H500 Stereo Pro 7.1 Surround Sound Gaming Headset Gaming Headset The Legion H500 is a powerful gaming headset with driverless 7.1 surround sound. It features a high-end retractable and noise cancelling mic, and preset audio profiles delivered via USB 2.0, or a single 3.5 mm audio jack. The headset is supported by a steel suspension headband covered by soft, high-quality padding and protein PU leather for a more comfortable feel.

PHP 4,995

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Lenovo ThinkBook 13S Laptop

Combining exceptional style and performance, the ThinkBook series are professional consumer notebooks which boast metal bodies.

Spearheading the lineup is the sleek ThinkBook 13S, which comes with a magnesium alloy body that adds to its premium look. It has a 13.3-inch FHD IPS antiglare display with slim side bezels, and is powered with Dolby Vision for better picture quality. Engineered for daily use, the ThinkBook showcases durability features found in the ThinkPad line. These include protection from water spills, extreme temperatures, vibrations, and corrosion, as well as a zinc-alloy hinge with 25,000 open-and-close cycles. In terms of hardware, the ThinkBook 13S is equipped with an 8th generation Intel Core i5 processor paired with 512 GB M.2 PCle SSD storage and 8 GB of RAM. It comes in two variants: one with AMD RADEON 540X graphics and Windows 10 Home, and the other with an Integrated Intel UHD 620 on Unified Memory Architecture (UMA) graphics that runs on Windows 10 Pro.

PHP 54,990 (AMD Radeon with Windows 10 Home) PHP 58,990 (Intel UHD 620 with Windows 10 Pro)

Linksys MR8300 Wi-Fi Mesh Router

Addressing the growing demand of consumers for a seamless 4K entertainment experience and mobile gaming at home, Linksys launched a new Wi-Fi mesh router. The Linksys MR8300 has 93 percent lower ping than its competitors in a multi-user environment. It supports up to 2.2 Gbps Internet speeds, and is powered by a 716 MHz quad-core processor, improving overall network performance on wired, wireless, and WAN to LAN connections for homes that require massive bandwidth. Through MU-MIMO technology, the MR8300 delivers a dedicated signal to each connected device. Giving users the flexibility to cover any dead spots, the router is equipped with Intelligent Mesh Technology that adapts, self-heals, and optimizes Wi-Fi bands and channels based on the user’s behavior. It can connect over 15 devices without lag and delays, and has four high-performing antennas to transmit signals at its maximum strength.

PHP 10,995

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www.gadgetsmagazine.com.ph

LG XOOM GO

Bluetooth Speaker Music is meant to be shared, and what better way is there to do that than a wireless speaker. LG, in partnership with Meridian Audio, created the XBOOM Go, a bluetooth speaker with apt-X HD technology for the clearest, loudest, most earth-shattering sound, without wires. The speakers offer stereo audio, IP5X water resistance, access to your phone’s smart assistant, and even lights to make sure your party is lit.

Eighteen hours of music playback and USB C charging mean you can take the party wherever you go, and top up whenever you need.

PHP 7,490

www.gadgetsmagazine.com.ph

SEPTEMBER 2019

11

Garmin Forerunner 45 Smartwatch

Perfect for beginners, the Forerunner 45 is good for everyday use. It monitors heart rate at the wrist and has built-in GPS to keep track of pace, distance, intervals, and more. With a dozen activity profiles available, it can record efforts on various workouts whether you’re cycling, running, or doing yoga. It monitors daily steps, distance, calories burned, and sleep. Featuring all-day stress monitoring and Body Battery energy monitoring, users can plan their day better to optimize times for activity and rest. It has a solid battery life that can last up to seven days in smartwatch mode and up to 13 hours in GPS mode.

PHP 12,595

Garmin Forerunner 245 Music Smartwatch

Made for the audiophile, the Forerunner 245 Music is equipped with advanced features to help runners improve their performance. It holds up to 500 songs and lets users sync playlists from select music streaming services like Spotify, and transfer music from a computer.

It has performance-monitoring tools like VO2 max and training status with adjustments for heat, recovery time, and aerobic and anaerobic training effects. Letting athletes see all six running dynamics right on the watch, it can be used with the brand’s Running Dynamics Pod and compatible heart rate strap. The smartwatch tracks your well-being even after workout by monitoring the level of oxygen in your body through its wrist-based Pulse Ox4 sensor. It can last up to one week of continuous use in smartwatch mode, up to 24 hours in GPS mode, and up to six hours in GPS mode with music.

PHP 24,595

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Garmin Forerunner 945 Smartwatch

Made for the elite, the Forerunner 945 is a premium running and triathlon smartwatch that stores up to 1,000 songs and lets users sync playlists from Spotify, or transfer music from a computer. The onboard maps on the smartwatch guide serious runners and athletes so they never get lost on a run. To help athletes with their intensive training, the Forerunner 945 includes key performance monitoring tools to sort recent training history into different categories based on activity structure and intensity. They can also see all six running dynamics on their watch with the use of a Running Dynamics Pod or compatible heart rate strap. Intended to be worn all day, the Forerunner 945 provides additional insights to the body’s performance. It also has a Pulse Ox4 sensor to see the amount of oxygen absorbed in the body. It has two weeks of battery life in smartwatch mode, and can last up to 36 hours in GPS mode, and up to ten hours in GPS mode with music.

PHP 42,995

Honeywell Notifier 950 Smoke and Heat Detector

Fire is one of the most dangerous things that can happen to property, which is why homes and buildings should be equipped with smoke detectors and alarms to provide vital alerts in emergency situations. Honeywell’s NOTIFIER 951 series of smoke and heat detectors offer a high level of protection in case of emergencies. The Notifier 951 uses Photoelectic sensors to detect smoke, which reduces false readings. With its Point ID system it can provide the exact location of the fire to the control software. Its sensitivity can also be adjusted to suit the surroundings. It has a sleek, low-profile design which makes it blend with most ceilings.

Being part of the Notifier series, it can be used as an upgrade for other Notifier products.

www.gadgetsmagazine.com.ph

SEPTEMBER 2019

13

Redmi 7A

Smartphone The Redmi 7A is the latest entry-level smartphone from Xiaomi. It has a 5.45-inch IPS LCD HD+ display. It is equipped with an octa-core processor, and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 439 chipset.

The processor is paired with 2 GB of RAM and either 16 GB or 32 GB of internal memory. For its cameras, the Redmi 7A has a 12-megapixel camera at the back with a large 1.25 цm pixel size for clearer night picture. On the front is a 5-megapixel camera capable of AI portraits and face unlock. This phone could last a day in use thanks, to its 4000 mAh battery. It is also capable of 10 W fast charging.

PHP 4,790 (2 GB + 16 GB) PHP 5,290 (2 GB + 32 GB)

Xiaomi Mi A3

Smartphone

The Mi A3 is Xiaomi’s newest addition to the Android One series of smartphones. It has a 6.0-inch AMOLED Dot Drop Display with 2.5D rounded glass edges. Powering the Mi A3 is an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 655 paired with 4GB of RAM and either 64GB or 128GB of internal memory expandable up to 256 GB. Camera-wise, the Mi A3 has some powerful shooters, with its 32-megapixel front camera and triple camera setup at the back.

The main camera is 48 megapixels, but it also has an 8-megapixel ultra wide lens underneath it, along with a 2-megapixel depth sensor. It has a significantly larger battery size of 4030 mAh, capable of 18 W fast charging. It also has an in-screen fingerprint scanner for a more secure device.

PHP 11,990

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SEPTEMBER 2019

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Mi Mosquito Zapper Mosquito Zapper

Eliminate flies, mosquitoes, and other flying pests in a snap with the stylish Mi Mosquito Zapper. It can be used in two ways, allowing users to manually swat the insects, or powered on in its charging dock for passive bug zapping. Rechargeable and convenient to store, the smart home device has a battery capacity of 2000 mAh and has a charging time of four to five hours.

PHP 799

Mi Mosquito Dispeller Electric Mosquito Repellent

It’s time to protect your home from the dengue outbreak. A nifty electric mosquito repellent that you can place anywhere, the Mi Mosquito Dispeller comes with refillable repellant liquid which consists of an odorless, natural herbal extract that’s safe for humans.

Lasting for about a month, it is 20.5 percent more efficient compared to its competitors, covering up to 15 square meters of space. It features an eye protection night light, a 10-hour automatic timer, and silent components that won’t interrupt your sleep.

PHP 499

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SEPTEMBER 2019

15

Igloohome Smart Keybox 2 Smart Keybox

Ideal for Airbnbs and other shared properties, the Igloohome Smart Keybox allows safe storage of keys and keycards. It can be accessed remotely once the PIN code is generated, and the PIN can be sent to guests via SMS or email. Through the Igloohome app, property owners can create and activate PIN codes at a certain time, monitor battery status, and unlock the keybox. It can hold up to 6 keys and 7 keycards, and comes with two replaceable shackles for mounting on walls and hanging on doorknobs. Among its security features are a lockout mode, auto relock, decoy security code, and an emergency DC 9V jumpstart when the battery is low.

Igloohome Smart Padlock Smart Padlock

Providing users with convenient access control for their properties and assets, the Igloohome Smart Padlock ensures the security of your belongings remotely. Made of zinc alloy, it has a battery cover to protect against tampering. It can be accessed through the Igloohome app, which allows for creating and authorizing PIN codes for certain periods of time, as well as unlocking the device. It can be customized for each user so that the property is kept secure before and after the visitor leaves. It can be used for securing personal property, or facilities so that staff no longer need to physically pass keys to one another, saving time and manpower. Security features include keypad security lockout, auto relocking, masking of security code, and emergency jumpstart using a DC9V battery.

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SEPTEMBER 2019

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AMD Epyc 2nd Gen Server CPUs

It seems like the AMD train can’t be stopped; just a month after releasing its 3rd generation Ryzen CPU chips, AMD launched its second generation of Epyc server CPUs and they’re better than ever. The new Epyc processors have up to 64 cores—double the previous generation. Using Infinity Fabric technology, AMD has opted to go with Chiplets on a die instead of a single chip, making the most out of the space and with faster compute time. It has an improved DD4-3200 memory bandwidth, and PCI-E Gen4 support with double I/O bandwidth speed (now up to 4 GB/sec bidirectional).

Nintendo Switch Lite Two years after the release of the Switch, Nintendo is finally giving it a rework with a handheld device, the Nintendo Switch Lite. The Switch Lite is designed for handheld play only, removing the hybrid play capability. Being handheld only, the Switch Lite has a non-removable controller, no IR Camera capability, and no HD rumble (vibrations). The Switch Lite also has a smaller 5.5-inch touch screen, but with the smaller display comes a bump in playtime as the Switch Lite can handle 3 to 7 hours of gameplay. The new Switch Lite comes in three cute colors: yellow, gray, and turquoise.

www.gadgetsmagazine.com.ph

SEPTEMBER 2019

17

Canon EOS M6 Mark II Mirrorless Camera

Global camera brand Canon recently announced two of their latest enthusiast-grade cameras. Featuring a 32.5-megapixel APS-C image sensor, the Canon EOS M6 Mark II captures images with superb clarity and sharpness. It is powered by a DIGIC 8 processor paired with an electronic shutter capable of speeds up to 1/16000. Other features include uncropped 4K/30p recording, continuous shooting at a maximum 14 fps, and burst shooting in RAW mode at 30 fps with AF and AE tracking. It has a 3.0-inch ClearView IT touchscreen display that can tilt up to 180 degrees, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, and in-camera RAW to JPG format conversion.

Canon EOS 90D DSLR Camera

Another model from Canon’s latest announcement is the EOS 90D. The new DSLR camera boasts the same hardware as its mirrorless sibling: a 32.5-megapixel APS-C image sensor, a DIGIC 8 image processor, an electronic shutter with speed of up to 1/16000, uncropped 4K/30P video recording, dual-pixel autofocus in live view with 5,481 selectable points, built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, and a USB-C port for charging and data transfer. However, the EOS 90D is more powerful with continuous shooting capabilities of up to 10 fps with AF and AE tracking, It has an expanded ISO that maxes out to 51200, a 3-inch, vari-angle Clear View touchscreen, and is paired with either an 18-55 mm IS STM or an 18-135 mm IS USM lens.

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Canon PowerShot G5X Mark III and G7X Mark III Compact mirrorless cameras

Canon has just released the latest iteration of the popular PowerShot G7X mirrorless camera, the PowerShot G7X Mark III. The update gives the camera the DIGIC 8 processor, a new 1-inch stacked CMOS sensor, and an ISO range bumped up to an amazing 25,600. It delivers enhanced auto focus for fast, razor-sharp photos in a wider range of lighting conditions. Capable of 30 fps shooting in Raw, and 20 fps in JPG Canon’s PowerShot G5X Mark III has similar capabilities, but also gives photographers 5x optical zoom, thanks to a newly designed f/1.8- 2.8 lens with 24-120 mm focal range, where the G7X Mark III delivers 4.2x optical zoom.

Both cameras are capable of 4K 25p/30p recording without cropping, but where both cameras shine is in sharing content. With YouTube live streaming compatibility for full HD streaming right from the camera, users with a Canon iMAGE GATEWAY account who meet YouTube’s requirements can stream without having to invest in extra hardware and software solutions.

www.gadgetsmagazine.com.ph

SEPTEMBER 2019

19

Zebra ZC100 Card Printer

Zebra’s ZC100 Card Printer is great for companies and organizations that want to make their own IDs and membership cards. With plug and play compatibility, the machine is painless to install on new computers. Thanks to its various connectivity options (ethernet, USB, and Wi-Fi) anyone in the organization can access the machine. Security and privacy are also addressed by this printer, with advanced security features that enable printer-to-host authentication preventing unauthorized access, and AES data encryption protecting sensitive information such as card numbers when printing the cards.

Zebra ZC300 Card Printer

The ZC300 makes printing any card possible for anyone. This card printer is loaded with advanced card production features that let you print any design on any card. You can also create your own payment cards with a magnetic stripe, or more secure cards with the device’s contact and contactless combination encoder with Secure Access Module socket support. Zebra’s software development kits allow you to add any third party contactless encoders you want. Users of this machines will find it very easy to use thanks to the LCD screen, and installation is also a breeze with plug and play support. Like the ZC100, it has government-grade data encryption for sensitive information and advanced security features which prevent unauthorized access to the machine. This card printer is perfect for companies who want fully customized cards with financial capabilities.

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Hella Pagid Brake pads

The rainy season is upon us, and hand-in-hand with torrential rains is decreased traction when on the road. Hella wants to ensure the safety of the motoring public with the Pagid brake pads. Hella’s Pagid brake pads offer performance that matches original equipment parts, while delivering excellent value for money. Tailored for cars available in the country, their non-asbestos, organic friction formulations deliver fade-resistant performance in various driving conditions. On top of that, they deliver extended service life, and superb high-temperature performance.

Hella Premium, Curvo, and Razor Wipers

Seeing the road clearly is the first step in being able to drive safely.

Rain, keeps us from doing just that. Keep your vision unobscured with Hella’s line of wipers designed to deliver lasting performance, even in the adverse, tropical conditions of the Philippines. Featuring nanotechnology graphite-coated rubber blades, Hella wipers provide smooth, quiet operation, driving away the worst rain mother nature can throw at you.

www.gadgetsmagazine.com.ph

SEPTEMBER 2019

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GADGETS LAB

Asus ROG Zephyrus S GX531GXR Reviewed by Gabriel Pe

Ever since I started gaming I’d wanted a machine that could handle any game thrown at it, yet remain practical enough for other work as well. The obvious choice back then was a desktop, which lacked the portability I needed as a student. On the other hand, laptops I had access to were underpowered. I think I finally found the answer to my problems: the Asus ROG Zephyrus S. DESIGN One look at the Zephyrus S and I immediately fell in love. Apart from the cool RGB lighting, it isn’t over the top with its gamer aesthetic. It’s a laptop that you could bring into a meeting and not look ridiculous.

The Zephyrus S has a variety of I/O ports. It has three USB Type-A ports and two USB 3.1 Type-C ports, one of which you can use to charge the device using a power bank or phone charger. At the back of the device is an HDMI 2.0 port, and a Kensington lock port, though it does lack an ethernet port.

The keyboard is the usual chiclet type. Key spacing is great, making typing a joy. The keyboard layout also places the touchpad beside the keyboard, instead of below it. Coming from the traditional laptop setup, I needed some time to get used to this layout. The touchpad also transforms into a num pad, useful for people who still rely on the num pad like me.

HARDWARE Our model is the highest end GX531GXR equipped with an Intel Core i7-9750H processor and NVIDIA RTX 2080 Max-Q GPU with 8 GB of VRAM. It has a 15.6-inch FHD IPS screen with a 240 Hz refresh rate and 3 ms response time. As a bonus, the screen is also 100 percent sRGB and Pantone validated for accurate color reproduction.

Underneath the hood, the Zephyrus S has 8 GB of DDR4 RAM running at 2666 MHz, plus it has another SODIMM slot that can accept another RAM chip, for up to 24 GB of RAM, just like our review unit. For the internal memory, the Zephyrus S completely drops HDD for NMVe SSDs, our model had 1 TB available but there are three more slots free for additional memory.

What makes the Zephyrus S special is its revolutionary cooling system. Asus’ Active Aerodynamic System (ASS) gives the laptop five heat pipes and four heat sinks with vents all throughout. Part of the AAS is the elevation of 22

SEPTEMBER 2019

the bottom of the laptop to add another envelope where the laptop can take in more cool air.

USER EXPERIENCE Playing FPS games such as Apex Legends and PUBG was really fun using this machine. The 240 Hz screen refresh rate and 3 ms response time is really a huge leap from a laptop with 60 Hz. As someone who owns a budget gaming laptop, playing with this machine is an out of this world experience.

Thanks to its NVIDIA RTX 2080 Max-Q the Zephyrus S can handle any AAA games thrown at it with ease. We ran Assassin’s Creed Odyssey at max settings and it ran smoothly, coming in at an average of 50 fps. Hitman 2, a slightly less intensive game managed between 90 fps to 110 fps.

One of the few problems I encountered with the laptop was the battery life. Using the laptop at full load only yielded about two to three hours.

One thing that disappointed me was the lack of an ethernet port. I do, however, respect Asus’ choice of an Intel WiFi chip capable of 802.11 ac wave2, which gives consistent and fast gigabit WiFi. What’s great about Asus’ ROG line is the various applications it has for gaming enhancement like the Armoury Crate and the Sonic Studios, making the user experience very personal.

SPECIFICATIONS: • Processor: Intel Core i7-9750H 2.60 GHz (4.5 GHz boosted) • OS: Windows 10 Pro • Graphics: NVIDIA RTX 2080 (Max-Q) • Memory: DDR4 2666MHz SDRAM, 8 GB on board + 1 x 16 GB SO-DIMM • Storage: M.2 NVMe PCIe3.0 x4 1 TB SSD • Display: 15.6-inch Full HD (1920x1080) IPS-level panel, 240 Hz, 3 ms, 100% sRGB, Pantone® Validated • Audio: 2 x 2W speakers • Keyboard: Chiclet Keyboard with N-Key rollover and Asus Aura 4-Zone RGB backlighting • Ports: 1 x DC-In, 1 x USB3.1 Gen1 Type C, 2 x USB2.0, 1 x 3.5mm audio jack, 1 USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-A, 1 x USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C, 1 x Kensington lock, 1 x HDMI What’s Hot: • Very portable • Extremely versatile and powerful • 240Hz display • Great speakers • Asus ROG software provides customization What’s Not: • Battery life is not that great • No Ethernet port

Aside from gaming, the Zephyrus S was also great for some content creation and consumption.

Rendering photos and videos was a piece of cake thanks to its RTX 2080, massive RAM, and SSD, while watching movies is extremely immersive thanks to the screen display and audio quality of the speakers.

VALUE The Zephyrus S is a bit pricey, coming in at around PHP 200,000, but it is extremely worth it. With the latest processor and GPU, you can be sure that it could last for the foreseeable future. For someone who is always on the go but still wants maximum power and performance, this machine is for you.

BOTTOMLINE I will gladly do anything to get my hands on this for myself. www.gadgetsmagazine.com.ph

LG XBOOM Go Reviewed by Ren Alcantara

Music is a fantastic thing. It lets us escape the stresses of the world, allows us to focus on work or working out, and generally does wonders to set the mood. Sometimes though, you’re going to want to share the music, and for that, you’ll want a great speaker to do justice to the tunes. LG was kind enough to lend us one of their latest portable speakers, the XBOOM Go. It looks great, lights up, and promised a great audio experience. Here’s what we thought of it.

DESIGN The XBOOM Go has a very current look to it. Not too industrial, but not a boring box of a speaker either.

The large drivers are protected by a large, metal speaker grille, above and below which extend large, hard plastic bars that serve the dual purposes of propping the speaker up off the surface on which you lay it, and acting as a handle for you to grab on to. The entire device is done is a serious black, with a few exposed screws just for effect. To control the device, look to the top edge, where rubberized buttons for power, pairing, volume, and all the other relevant controls all reside. It’s wonderfully simple, just as a speaker should be.

HARDWARE There are a few things that set the XBOOM Go apart from anything else in its space. Stereo sound is brought to your ears via drivers that deliver 20 watts of audio bliss. Connectivity via both Bluetooth and a 3.5 mm jack are available, and a USB-C plug is also available for charging.

We have to set a little space aside to talk about the Bluetooth connectivity. The partnership between LG and Meridian audio brings exceptional sound quality to the speaker, and with aptX HD, you can make the most of high-res audio sources. Voice controls are available thanks to smart assistant integration with your phone, and the drivers light up in time with the music, for a more dynamic listening experience.

USER EXPERIENCE I’m a big fan of background music. It’s something I wish life had natively. Failing that, I try to take music with me wherever I am, though it’s usually heard through headphones. The day I got the XBOOM Go for review, I immediately unpacked it and paired it with my smartphone, and got to work with the playlist I normally use to test audio hardware.

The first thing I noticed about the XBOOM Go is volume. There’s a lot of power on tap here. On full blast, it’s too loud for a modest listening room, and plenty for listening to outdoors with the usual party-level talking in the background. You might not think it from its reasonably small form factor but there’s a lot of power in that box. The next thing I noticed was the amount of bass it was capable of.

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Now, I’m not a bass-head like the industry seems to assume everyone is, so while I appreciate the heavy emphasis on the low end, I also know that it’s sometimes a ploy manufacturers use to mask hardware that’s lacking in other aspects. I was quite happy to find that the bass on the XBOOM Go wasn’t the sole focus of the speakers. The mids were clear and round, and the highs, while a little weaker than the both mids and lows, were discernibly pleasant. Overall, it does favor more bass-heavy party tracks, but it’ll happily pipe out more vocal-driven tracks without trouble.

Should you feel the need, the extra weight on the low end can be alleviated somewhat with a quick trip to your player’s equalizer, or by selecting one of the convenient audio presets on the speaker itself. Without strict test conditions, I wasn’t able to test if the upgraded audio codec made a huge difference to sound quality, but I can confidently say that little details that are often lost when listening to portable speakers were present in my listening sessions.

Something that may or may not be for you is the integrated lighting. It adds a little extra to your listening experience, but, as we’re sure it’s not for everyone, the option to disable it is a simple button press away. It’s coincidentally the same button as would trigger the smart assistant—another integration that isn’t absolutely necessary, but a handy thing to have.

You can issue the same voice commands as you could on your mobile phone, as long as your phone is acting as the source, and while it’s not as convenient as simply calling out to Google or Siri, it’s a workable implementation nonetheless.

An extra bonus worth mentioning is that it’s IPX5 rated, so a little rain, splashing from the pool, or a few spilled drinks shouldn’t be a problem for it.

Battery life is rated at 18 hours. It has been a very long time since I went to a party that lasted that long, but based on the use I had, and the remaining battery afterwards, it shouldn’t have any trouble outlasting your festivities. I’d be surprised if you managed to sap it dry in 12 hours, though if you did, it might be time to reevaluate your partying. If you really needed it, you can top off the 2,600 mAh battery from empty in about four hours, so take that time for a nap or some food, and you should be fine.

VALUE While waiting for the price of the XBOOM Go, I was admiring its performance and looks. In my head, I was thinking I’d have to shell out somewhere around PHP 10,000 for the privilege of owning it. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that the sticker price was PHP 7,490, well below my expectations. This is a reasonable asking price for the performance, making it a solid candidate for anyone looking for a speaker for their home, or outdoor adventures.

SPECIFICATIONS: • Power: 20W RMS • 2.0 Channel • Connections: 3.5 mm audio jack, USB C, Bluetooth with apt-X HD • Battery: 7.4 V, 2400 mAh • Dimensions: 220x129x119 mm • Weight: 1.2 kg What’s Hot: • Great sound quality • Very portable • Water resistance What’s Not: • Price might put some off

BOTTOMLINE Whether indoors or out, these are speakers that take the party with them.

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Realme C2 Reviewed by Jewel Sta. Ana

There are a lot of factors to consider when buying a smartphone as a gift. If you’re looking for a device that’s reasonably priced and still quite capable, Realme is a solid brand to consider. It has been a hit in the Philippines since it debuted, with competitive smartphones at attractive price points, targeting the younger generation. Fast forward to 2019, it recently launched the second iteration of the brand’s entrylevel phone, the Realme C2. How different is it from the Realme C1? Let’s find out.

DESIGN Looking closer at the phone, the Realme C2 is an eye-catching device with its diamond cut design and matte finish. Unlike other phones in its class, it feels more solid and sturdy in the hand. The upper left portion of the rear of the device is where its 13-megapixel + 2-megapixel dual-rear cameras and the LED flash rest. Our review unit came in diamond blue, and was neither slippery, nor overly prone to keeping smudges and fingerprints.

Featuring a dewdrop notch where its 5-megapixel front camera rests, it now has a bigger screen compared to its predecessor.

However, it retains the large lower bezel which is standard on phones at its price point.

Opposite the power button on the right are the volume rockers and SIM slot. A single speaker grille, micro-USB port, and a 3.5mm audio jack can be found at the bottom part of the smartphone.

HARDWARE One thing that you’ll notice about the Realme C2 is the absence of a fingerprint scanner which Realme made up for with face unlock.

It has a 6.1-inch HD+ display that’s protected

by Corning Gorilla Glass 3. It is powered by a Mediatek Helio P22 octa-core processor matched with either 3 GB or 2 GB of RAM. We got the 3 GB RAM variant paired with 32 GB of storage.

Similar to its previous version, the Realme C2 is equipped with dual cameras, having a 13-megapixel main sensor with f/2.2 aperture.

To add a bokeh effect, it is paired with a depthsensing, 2-megapixel secondary camera with up to 4x digital zoom and a Chroma Boost feature which we’ll discuss further later.

USER EXPERIENCE The Realme C2 surprised me a lot in the camera department. I didn’t expect a lot from it since it’s an entry-level device, but it performs better

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than other mobile phones in its class. With the help of Chroma Boost, it produces richer and sharper photos in full color even in low light conditions. A better daylight shooter, it delivers natural-looking selfies with the AI beauty mode on. However, the bokeh effect doesn’t always come out smoothly. Low-light shooting in normal mode is underwhelming, with noise and some overblown lights. The story is different with video. It is capable of shooting slowmotion clips up to 80 fps, 1080p recording, and has a time-lapse mode which is a rare feature for phones in this space.

The Realme C2 runs on the brand’s own ColorOS 6, an overlay atop Android Pie. It is pre-loaded with apps that optimize the phone’s performance and productivity such as the Game Space and Game Center, Phone Manager, and other third-party apps like Lazada and Opera. The phone may have small internal storage of 32 GB but it is expandable up to 256 GB through a dedicated micro SD slot. The Realme C2 performs well in gaming, although I experienced minor frame drops when playing graphics-heavy games like PUBG Mobile. When it comes to multitasking, the device doesn’t disappoint. Just take note that heavier apps may load slower than the lighter ones since it only has 3 GB of RAM.

few thousand more than its retail price of PHP 4,990, they offer the Realme 3 Pro. At its price point though, this device is one of the rare gems.

SPECIFICATIONS: • Display: 6.1-inch HD+ dewdrop display (with 19.5:9 screen-to-body ratio, with Corning Gorilla Glass protection) • Processor: Mediatek Helio P22 2.0 GHz octa-core • RAM: 3 GB • Memory: 32 GB (expandable up to 256 GB via microSD slot) • Cameras: 13 MP f/2.2 + 2 MP dual rear cameras, 5 MP front camera • OS: ColorOS 6.0 based on Android 9 • Battery: 4,000 mAh • Features: AI Face Unlock, 80fps/480p slow motion, Dual VoLTE, Dual SIM card slot What’s Hot: • Affordable • Awesome design • Very responsive facial unlock What’s Not: • No fingerprint scanner • Display looks darker even at maximum brightness

Replacing the fingerprint sensor is the very responsive facial unlock. Other security features include Find My Device, Emergency SOS, Anti-harassment/Fraud, Pseudo Base Station Blocking, App Encryption, Kid Space, and Private Safe. It also has a large 4000 mAh battery that can last the whole day with continuous use and can take a total of 2 hours to charge.

VALUE An interesting device on its own, the Realme C2 packs an edgy design and good battery life. It takes two steps forward from its predecessor, the Realme C1, in terms of hardware and performance. Bear in mind though, that there are other options within the same brand. For a

BOTTOMLINE If you’re on the look out for the most affordable phone in the market, Realme has got you covered.

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Oppo Reno 10x Zoom Reviewed by Ren Alcantara

After a long time of being mostly stagnant, the smartphone industry is once again starting to get really interesting.

While many players are still putting out variations on the same theme of incremental hardware bumps, others are trying to see what kind of innovation they can include. Oppo is one such brand, and with their Reno 10x Zoom, they’re pulling out all the stops.

DESIGN This is easily among the best-looking phones in the market right now. Our review unit, done in a sleek, serious black, subtly whispers premium.

A luxuriously smooth, curved glass back done with an eye-catching sheen, and a camera group that’s subtly highlighted with a change in finish all come together to what might be my personal vote for the best-looking phone of this generation.

Materials and design come together elegantly, making a device that’s really hard to set down.

Three buttons, two speaker grilles, and wonderfully little else give it the kind of lines that smartphone manufacturers have been trying to achieve for generations now, and the inclusion of a clever pop-up front camera completes the look eliminating the bezels almost entirely.

HARDWARE The Reno 10x Zoom is much more than just a pretty face. With the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 chipset, an Adreno 640 GPU, and a massive 8 GB of RAM plus 256 GB of storage, this premium device isn’t just for show. A 4065 mAh battery powers everything, and extremely rapid charging makes sure you can top that battery off in no time flat.

The display is a massive 6.6 inch, 2340 x 1080 AMOLED display for a crisp 387 ppi screen density, and a staggering 93.1 percent screen ratio. This is a screen that will spoil your eyes and make it difficult to move to anything that’s less sharp. It also had an in-screen fingerprint scanner for security.

The camera is just as superb as the rest of the phone. A 48, 8 and 3 MP triple camera setup with laser focus is present at the rear, while a 16 MP front camera rises diagonally from the top edge of the notchless display when you need it. True to its name, it offers superb zoom.

USER EXPERIENCE The first thing you will notice after initially admiring the beauty of the phone, is that it has quite a bit of gravity to it. At 215 grams, it’s deceptively heavy, and will let you know it’s in your pocket just by its weight.

That screen though. It’s so wonderfully sharp, with vibrant colors and deep blacks that really pull you

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into the image. The fact that it barely has bezels just makes the whole experience that much better.

Videos from short YouTube clips to entire seasons of Netflix shows are no match for the size and clarity on this screen.

if you manage to fill up 256 GB plus all your cloud storage, you might have some other problems you’ll want to look at.

It also has speakers to match. This thing is capable of throwing out audio that borders on too loud. If you turn the volume up to max to listen to some music or watch a video, be warned that everyone in the room is going to hear that loud and clear.

Because of the bezel-less, pop-up camera deal, the sound does come out louder from the bottom grille than the top, so keep that in mind.

At PHP 45,990, it offers superb value for its class. It has features available that are available in phones from the competition, but at steeper price points.

If you want a premium phone that is absolutely gorgeous, and has a few tricks up its sleeve (most notably the 10x optical zoom), then this is the one to check out.

What really makes this camera special is the hybrid 10x zoom. Instead of cropping the image to create a zoomed shot, it actually has a telephoto lens that optically zooms into your subject for lossless zoom up to 5x in, and only after then will it rely on digital zooming. We’re very happy to report that it’s not just a gimmick—the 10x zoom shots we took came out orders of magnitude better than purely digitally zoomed photos could manage. I was able to take shots of buildings several blocks away and produce readable text on the facade that weren’t readable with the naked eye. It’s amazing how far smartphone photography has come.

As for battery life, try as I might, I couldn’t get the battery critically low with just one day of use.

Music, videos, and occasional gaming will leave you with more than enough juice after a full workday, if you somehow manage to drain the battery, seek professional help, and plug in. Extremely rapid charging will top off a dead battery in under an hour. If you wanted to try, this is a phone that could last you two days between charges.

VALUE

SPECIFICATIONS: • Dimensions: 162 x 77.2 x 9.3 mm (6.38 x 3.04 x 0.37 in) • Weight: 210 g • Display: AMOLED, 6.6 inches, 1080 x 2340 pixels, 387 ppi, 93.1 percent screen-to-body ratio • Chipset: Qualcomm SDM855 Snapdragon 855 , Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Kryo 485 & 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 485 & 4x1.78 GHz Kryo 485) • GPU: Adreno 640 • Camera: 48 MP, f/1.7, 26 mm (wide), 1/2.0”, 0.8 µm, PDAF, Laser AF, OIS • Periscope 13 MP, f/3.0, 130 mm (telephoto), 5x optical zoom, Laser Auto-focus, OIS, 8 MP, f/2.2, 16mm ultrawide, Front pop-up 16 MP • Battery: 4065 mAh, with Vooc Flsh Charge • What’s Hot: • Might be the best-looking phone out there now • 5x OPTICAL zoom.

• Plenty of muscle What’s Not: • Extremely slippery • Noticeably heavy

One last thing to note. Yes, the front camera rises mechanically. Yes, it’s very cool, and fast enough to serve as a viable way to implement face unlock, and if Oppo is to be believed, should last upwards of 200,000 actuations.

For all the praise I have heaped, there are a few things I’m not overly fond of. While I appreciate the glass design, it’s extremely slick, and feels like it wants to flow out of your hand in use. This is particularly noticeable when you’re gaming or watching on the phone, so take extra care with that. Like I said at the start of this review, it’s also on the heavier side, Which may be a problem for some.

There’s also no option to expand storage, though

BOTTOMLINE I wish I needed a new phone right now.

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Fujifilm instax mini LiPlay Reviewed by Jewel Sta. Ana

Naysayers believe that physical photo prints are obsolete. But for photography enthusiasts like me, that’s entirely not the case. In fact, Fujifilm continues to produce instant cameras that print photos right as you wait. The instax line continues to grow,, and this year, it merges a photo printer and a camera into a single device through the recently released Fujifilm instax mini LiPlay. Is it a hit or a miss? Here’s what we think.

DESIGN Boasting a matte plastic unibody, the Fujifilm instax mini Liplay’s design is more than stylish. It is a point and shoot camera that has a rounded and compact body that’s easy to hold and is ideal for traveling. It might weigh a bit more than its older siblings when loaded, but the placement of the buttons is very ergonomic. We got our review unit in a striking blush gold color.

The shutter button is on the front, just above the lens, while the menu controls are on the back.

Meanwhile, the power button and the three shortcut keys for different effect filters are all located on its side. Beside the lens are a built-in flash for extra light when you need it, and a mini selfie mirror. Right below those is a sound button that lets users record audio for attaching to their printed photos.

HARDWARE Replacing the viewfinder found in all other instax cameras, the mini Liplay features a 2.7-inch TFT LCD screen that allows users to review and customize captured photos, reminiscent of digital cameras during the 2010s. This hybrid camera has a 5-megapixel 1/5-inch CMOS sensor and enough internal memory to store approximately 45 digital photos. Should you want more, there’s a dedicated micro-SD slot additional storage. Unlike earlier models, the mini LiPlay’s lens is fixed, so zooming in will have to be done by walking towards your subject. Setting it apart from other mini instax cameras, this one can even embed audio into the photos through a QR code, making the whole endeavor more interactive.

Behind its colored LCD display is a switch that reveals a hidden compartment where you pop the film cassettes into the camera. If you’re an owner of a mini instax, you can use the same film here, since it’s compatible with this device. There’s also a directional pad just beneath the display for easier navigation of the camera’s interface.

USER EXPERIENCE There’s a lot of things that we really like about the mini LiPlay. Aesthetics-wise, it’s an eye-catcher

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that deserves to be carried around. It might be a bit chunkier, but it’s still lightweight and is available in chic colors such as blush gold, elegant black, and stone white. It is, however, difficult to take selfies with just one hand, given its bulk, so you might want to hold it with both hands, just to be safe.

Producing more detailed and crisper images, the image quality from the camera is punchier compared to other models in the mini-series.

Exposure compensation is automatically switched, but it can be tweaked through settings. It has a tendency to wash out the brighter parts though.

The story is different for autofocus. You’ll need to lock focus on the subject then reframe your shot for an off-center subject.

Since it is a hybrid camera with a number of special features up its sleeve, the mini LiPlay delivers more when used with its mobile app.

This allows direct printing and remote shooting of photos from a smartphone, customizing shortcut keys, designing images with frames, and the playback of embedded audio. The camera has a sound function that embeds audio into the photo in the form of a QR code. Take note that the Live View mode from the remote shooting function of the camera is quite small, so you may need to adjust the camera if you’re taking group photos. It takes two hours to fully charge its battery, but rest assured that it can last a day on a single charge. You can even charge it with a power bank, thanks to its microUSB port.

SPECIFICATIONS: • Display: 2.7-inch TFT LCD • Image sensor: 1/5-inch CMOS primary color filter • Media storage: Internal memory, expandable through a microSD/SDHC slot • Recording capacity: 45 images (internal memory), 850 images per 1 GB (microSD/SDHC card) • Shooting sensitivity: ISO 100 to 1600 (automatic switching) • Autofocus: Single AF (with AF illuminator) • Shutter speed: 1/4 second to 1/8000 second (automatic switching) • Aperture: F2.0 • Photo capacity: 10 prints per pack • Supported image format: JPEG • Printing time: Approximately 12 seconds • Other features: Remote shooting, direct print, sound playback, and frame selection What’s Hot: • Solid build and chic design • Works as a camera and a printer • Embeds audio on printed photos What’s Not: • Small display for the in-app remote shooting • Taking selfies can be tedious • The display is not a touchscreen

VALUE With its hybrid capabilities, the instax mini LiPlay is something that shutterbugs might like to invest in. It ticks a lot of boxes both in the novelty and photography departments, and being the first digital camera and photo printer from Fujifilm to record audio is definitely a plus. At just PHP 9,999, you can get the camera with a free microSD card and a two-pack of regular instax mini film. We also had the chance to try the latest confetti instax mini film that adds a pop of color to your photo collection. If that doesn’t sound like a great deal, I don’t know what is.

BOTTOMLINE A clever camera that combines digital photography and novelty. www.gadgetsmagazine.com.ph

COVER STORY

Words by The Gadgets Team

More than most, we here at Gadgets see technology’s constant march forward.

Today’s smartphone will be tomorrow’s relic, and homes as we know it now will give way to a host of new and exciting tech that will render current smart solutions woefully obsolete. We can’t say we know for certain what the future holds, but we have some ideas. Take a look at them with us, and maybe we’ll manage to get some guesses right.

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The Future of Smartphones From 6G connectivity, 3D cameras, and much more Words by Jewel Sta. Ana

What’s the first thing that you hold on to when you open your eyes from a good night’s sleep? In today’s day and age, the answer will likely be a smartphone. The mobile device is capable of providing us with practically everything: from hailing a ride, managing and controlling smart home appliances, connecting people around the world, and even disseminating information. With technology changing almost daily, we can’t help but look forward to innovations that the industry has in store for smartphones.

VR and 3D-sensing cameras Multiple rear smartphone cameras have existed in the market for some time now, closing the divide between cameras integrated in phones, and dedicated cameras. With the current developments in the worlds of virtual reality and augmented reality, the possibilities open up immensely.

VR cameras are now within consumers’ reach with the arrival of the GoPro Fusion.

Soon, brands will integrate VR camera recording on their smartphones to let users share more immersive content online. It will make media sharing more interactive, letting the audience see a 360-degree view of the digital content they are watching, in higher resolution.

Another prediction that some technology enthusiasts see is the adaptation of timeof-flight camera systems which provide an accurate 3D map of the environment. This can be useful in the field of architecture and animation, letting the developers use their phones to capture the information they need for the future rendering of scale models. The technology has already been introduced this year with the Nokia 9 PureView, its five cameras, and time-offlight sensor. However, in this case, the sensor merely aids in optimizing image quality since further improvements need to be applied to unlock the technology’s full potential. Meanwhile, a report from Bloomberg suggests that the upcoming iPhone will integrate the said camera system as well as a new multi-angle, Face ID sensor that captures a wider field of view.

This upgrades face unlock, making it easier to wake the phone even when it is placed on a flat surface.

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BUILT-IN PROJECTORS A large chunk of the workforce relies on smartphones to check their work emails and slideshow presentations. Sometimes, people need to take their work responsibilities beyond the walls of their office, so investing in mobile projectors with smartphone functions is a wise choice. Lenovo introduced the idea a few years back with the Smart Cast, the world’s first smartphone with a laser projector. But to update it for the future, more changes are necessary. These business phones could later on support hologram projection on tabletops or walls, and have improved haptics for more realistic conferences and discussions.

Button-less form factor A futuristic smartphone requires not only an infinite, notchless display but also a buttonless design— it has to be minimalist yet stylish.

Nevertheless, eliminating buttons and ports from the device means making it more wireless.

Vivo recently introduced these unique features through the Apex 2019, the brand’s very own concept phone. Replacing the USB-C port is the multifunctional magnetic connector that could be used for charging and seamless data transfers.

Other things that consumers should look forward to is battery life, maximizing its capacity up to 6000 mAh, and the addition of wireless reverse charging. Future phones should also get military-grade protection, preventing phones from intensive corrosion and submersion in water, not just the occasional rainshower.

6G connection Mobile phone giants Samsung, Huawei, Vivo, Nokia, and Oppo have ventured into 5G connectivity this year, and it’s just a matter of time before they manufacture phones that are capable of yet another mobile network standard. It might not come quickly, but various brands have expressed their interest in venturing into research on 6G. Continuing the capabilities of 5G smartphones, ones that are powered with 6G will support AR and VR systems and greater bandwidth, for a more seamless Internet connection.

Bolder and better hardware They say that the most integral component of any gadget is hardware, and seeing some major refinements from processors to internal storage and RAM should be expected. A few years from now, smartphones will integrate internal parts that work with AI, VR, and AR technologies. This involves 108 MP cameras with greater optical zoom, thermal detectors, self-reconfiguring chipsets, and more. The standard memory speed for smartphones can go up from 4 GB RAM to 20 GB RAM mated with nona-core processors. Sooner or later, the demand for bigger internal storage will also increase up to 1 TB. Smartphones will continue to be our constant companion for the foreseeable future, but the onward march of technology will ensure that they’ll be increasingly capable of more and greater things.

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The Future of home Words by Gabriel Pe

Our home is the most important place in our lives.

Since the first humans found shelter in caves, we have continued to search for ways to make our homes more comfortable—something modern technology has lent itself to very well.

Smart homes are the future, there’s no question about that. From smart speakers to IoT enabled lights and appliances, we are living in an era where we can control almost everything at home from the phone in your pocket.

Smart devices are just the beginning; the future of the home is something to look forward to.

Alternative Source of Power It’s no secret that the way we are living now is not sustainable to the planet. With rapid urbanization the need for power is also rapidly increasing. Unfortunately, the current most common power sources are fossil fuels, which are not renewable and release harmful CO2 into the atmosphere.

At the rate we are going, the planet will no longer be able to sustain human life in a few generations. Thankfully, several tech companies and universities around the world are studying new and sustainable energy sources to keep our planet safe.

Solar is a consensus among scientists as a great source of energy in terms of sustainability, as it is free and readily available. Solar panels are easily found in the consumer market, and anybody can attach a few solar panels to meet some of the power requirements of their homes. However, current solar solutions have some things to overcome, namely poor weather and slow energy collection, which has led some to think that the future of solar energy is not here on earth but rather on the moon.

Back in 2016, Japanese firm Shimzu proposed building a solar plant on the moon. The idea is to build solar panels around the moon to gather solar energy.

This energy would be converted into microwaves and beamed to receiving centers for conversion back into usable power. A lot of time and resources are needed for this idea to work, but it beats the alternative of depleting the remaining resources of our planet.

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ROBOTS, ROBOTS, AND MORE ROBOTS We have always been fascinated with robots.

The idea of a machine that does tasks for you is something we have longed for since we realized sitting is more pleasant than working. Home robots such as Rosie, the Jetsons’ lovable robot maid, are very much a part of our pop-culture consciousness, and have long been envisioned as machines that do all the household chores for the homeowner, giving them more time to do other things.

Current robots still do not have full autonomy, but they are getting there. With Google,

home entertainment goes online Before there was Netflix, the world turned to cable TV for most of their entertainment; but with the rise of Netflix, Hulu, and other streaming services, we now see ourselves well and truly in the streaming era. Who wouldn’t want to have a streaming subscription?

It’s convenient—all you need is a device with internet access and you’re good to go.

Streaming platforms are pushing traditional TV stations to adapt and go the streaming route as well, with even huge names such as HBO, Fox, NBC, and other networks jumping on the bandwagon. This means that soon all television stations will be on the internet either via existing live streaming services or on their own streaming platforms.

Microsoft, Boston Dynamic, and other tech companies developing self-learning programs, it would be no surprise to see self-learning robots real soon.

While we wait for fully self-learning robots, companies such as Moley and LG are now leading the way for home robots. Moley has made a robotic kitchen which can cook all your favorite foods via a program. As for the more recognizable brand LG, it has made a number of service robots, namely he CLOi PorterBot, ServeBot, GuideBot and CartBot which debuted at CES 2019. While all of these robots were made for enterprise, the interaction aspect makes it possible to see robots such as these come to a home near you sooner than you might think.

Streaming doesn’t end with movies. Films, music, and games will soon be streamable thanks to Google’s Stadia and Microsoft’s xCloud services.

Platforms such as Stadia and xCloud remove the need for specialized hardware to play AAA games, which makes gaming more accessible.

But what the future of home entertainment will really hold may not be in the physical but in the virtual. With more and more companies such as Google, Facebook, and HTC investing big money in VR research and development, we may see a future where we spend consuming entertainment in virtual reality.

There are a lot more things possible in the home of the future. 3D-printed food, biometric home security, self-reliant homes, and more. The speed of technology development is staggering, and home technology will continue to develop, continuing to change our homes for the better.

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The Future of computing Words by Ren Alcantara

Computers—PCs in particular—are as ubiquitous a sight now as they have been for decades. We’re used to seeing CPUs under desks, behind counters, at cubicles, and in our homes. As far as devices go, things have progressed more or less predictably, according to Moore’s law, with a few spikes here and there.

The machines themselves have remained roughly the same though, just faster, more efficient, and more powerful. Things are changing though, and while Moore’s law, and the increasing density of compute power will likely continue, computing itself is set to see some changes from how we do it today.

The Rise and Fall (and Rise Again) of Edge Computing Right now, as far as the actual computing is concerned, the heavy lifting has usually been done on-site, where the device and computer are. This is one of the reasons chips have been getting denser and denser—people want faster and faster hardware in the same space their old CPUs have always been. PCs, phones—all these computer electronics get more and more powerful, because they are expected to do more and more right on their own. There is a trend moving away from that though. With increasing internet connectivity speeds, computing is seeing a shift from on-site, edge computing, and passing all that on to much more capable, much more massive CPU farms located remotely. We see them already. Offices have the ability to run thin clients and even virtual PCs whose various processes or storage solutions exist in a location other than where the user and their terminal are.

Companies such as Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and a host of other, smaller players all allow people to do this. Even gaming, once the last bastion of powerful, brute-force hardware, hasn’t been spared. Google’s Stadia initiative will soon allow users to play AAA titles from their homes, without the need for a rig with obscenely expensive hardware, as long as they have a fast enough connection to the Internet. It’s exactly like streaming video, except it’s a game. All the important processes happen in a server farm somewhere far away, where electricity and real estate are cheap.

As we move forward, we’re likely to see more and more of these services migrating to the cloud. Mobile gaming, AI applications, and

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other resource-intensive processes will move from the edge, where the user is, to the cloud, where more capable machines can do a better job. This frees up manufacturers to use devices that use less powerful CPUs that are much more power-efficient, as well as include batteries with greater capacities. Conversely, devices can be made just as capable as they are now, though with smaller footprints.

That’s not where it ends though.

While a lot of processes will move well outside the box that sits at your desk, moving data around still does take resources to manage.

Time and money will continue to be a factor, and in some cases, there isn’t enough of either to make cloud computing feasible, and a complete shift to the cloud unlikely, at least with the technologies on the horizon, such as...

The Internet of Things The Internet of Things (IoT). While generally, these are low-powered devices that aren’t made to do too much computing, there’s the matter of latency. Latency, or the time between an input and the receipt of a reply, is an important matter to consider. Timesensitive processes, such as self-driving cars, require AI that can make split-second decisions, and relying on off-site computing might not be the most effective solution.

Also, the ability of hardware-level AI to perform better than current solutions will make the whole IoT thing much simpler.

There are also privacy concerns that edge computing has as an advantage against the cloud.

The realization of Moore’s law is something that is certainly beneficial to these smaller devices.

Increasing the density of compute power allows much smaller devices perform much more, while relying less on distant data centers. While this whole thing seems counter-intuitive, it’s simply a matter of solutions trying to take the path of least resistance. Those processes that require more power and are okay with a little latency will do computing off-site, while those that value speed, privacy and don’t necessarily need to be connected, will do their thing on the edge.

what does this all mean?

All of this is to say that computers as we know it, will change a lot, and at the same time, not so much. The experience of the user will be about the same. We will be able to do the things we do now, and more, with AI able to handle more and more of the little tasks we take for granted, possibly with slimmer, and much more power-efficient devices. The back end though, has a world of change coming.

Shifting the “thinking” processes from the edge devices to more capable computing, while also keeping some key processes local seems to be the way things are going. The Internet will continue to be an important part of the whole system, and data transfer speeds will be as important as ever.

At the end of the day, we should just look forward to what the future of computing holds for us, rather than get tied up in the details. The future is going to be great, and while it might not play out in the same sci-fi manner we might have come to expect from the movies, it’s still going to be a much more interesting world for us geeks.

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The Future of CAMERAs Words by Gabriel Pe

Photography has come a long way since the first images were projected from rudimentary camera obscurae.

When Joseph Nicephore Niepce first captured an image and saved it on physical media, the entire world changed.

At the heart of it, cameras are used to capture moments in time. We use the images to share experiences and tell stories about something. Ever since Niepce’s first homemade camera, the technology of cameras hasn’t stopped developing.

AI CAMERAS IN SMARTPHONES The current trend in terms of camera technology is Artificial Intelligence (AI). You may have heard or read about AI in cameras while browsing for a new phone, as phone manufacturers have been using AI as a major selling point for their phone cameras for several years now. The AI running your phone camera is basically a software algorithm which gathers information on the subject you’re trying to shoot, in order to pick the most appropriate settings with no need for further

SHIFT FROM DSLRs TO SMALLER FORM FACTORS Being dedicated devices, DSLRs are superb at the job that they do, increasingly versatile and easy to use. While the DSLR is still the go-to camera for professionals and hobbyists, the future of consumer cameras may no longer rest in that space.

Mirrorless cameras offer the same versatility of the DSLR minus the bulk. That’s why it’s generally recommended for those who are just starting into photography or those who want about the same power as a DSLR, without the extra weight.

When they first hit the market, they were behind their DSLR siblings when it came to image quality. However, the big players such as Canon, Sony, and Fujifilm have since managed to place DSLR-sized sensors in their mirrorless

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user input. While capable, this system is not without its limitations.

What’s currently limiting AI in smartphones is the programming and the capability of the sensors. As more and more sensors and lenses are fitted into smartphones, the complexity necessary to make the AI run properly increases as well.

At the start of the phone camera AI revolution, phones could only detect 2D images. With the inclusion of depth sensors in phone camera systems, AI could be programmed to view the world in 3D. Looking forward, phone cameras will continue to develop, and the gap between integrated cameras and dedicated ones will continue to shrink.

cameras, along with interchangeable lenses, to improve mirrorless image quality even more. Another thing to note about mirrorless cameras is the amazing video quality.

Mirrorless cameras were among the first to adopt 4K video capability, and might soon even adopt 8K. Apart from image and video quality, mirrorless cameras were once ridiculed for their use of electronic viewfinders. Unlike the optical viewfinder in DSLR which uses mirrors to see the exact same image going through the lens, mirrorless cameras rely on a digital image on a tiny display in the eyepiece. This caused a slight, but annoying delay as the camera struggled to render the image. Newer mirrorless found a way to reduce lag and produce a much more accurate image on their viewfinders.

The size and convenience of mirrorless cameras will herald its dominance over the bigger DSLR. This isn’t the death knell for the DSLR, though it may be relegated to a specific niche.

MORE PIXELS IN SMALLER FORM FACTORRS When Fujifilm announced the GFX 100 earlier this year, it blew away most photography enthusiasts. It was a beast of a camera, having a 102-megapixel sensor in a DSLR body. At first glance, you might think that it is a DSLR, but it’s not. The GFX 100 is a mirrorless camera, but despite having a 50 cm sensor, the whole system needed an in-body image stabilizer to fully utilize the 102-megapixel sensor, otherwise images will be blurry in handheld mode.

When the GFX 100 first came out, it was the poster boy for massive pixels in a reasonably portable body. A few months after the GFX100 came out, Samsung announced it had developed a 108-megapixel sensor. For smartphones.

Let that sink in for a minute.

Before anything else, the Samsung sensor will not be better than the Fujifilm sensor.

The image quality of Mirrorless and DSLR is still going to be superior to something taken on a phone. Furthermore, the massive 100-megapixel number is a bit unnecessary, as even image sensors with 27-megapixel can produce ultra-detailed images. But the capability to cram a 100-megapixel sensor in a phone is still a feat in itself, and goes to show that the future is going towards more pixels in smaller bodies. It may be possible that in the future, we may start seeing sensors capable of capturing images in the gigapixel, rather that megapixel range.

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MOBILITY

ISUZU UNVEILS NEW PREMIUM

D-MAX LS-A

Words by Ren Alcantara | Photos by Jerico Lutrania

More than a decade and a half after the first D-MAX was revealed to the public, Isuzu Philippines Corporation has launched the latest iteration of the iconic diesel workhorse, the D-MAX LS-A. The D-MAX LS-A is the culmination of almost a century of diesel-powered innovation and excellence. More than just a capable truck, the new pickup includes features that address the wants and needs of a market that mixes work and play.

The powerplant of the LS-A is a powerful and fuel-efficient 4JJ1-TCX 3.0-liter 4-Cylinder in-line Blue Power Diesel engine with VGS turbo intercooler. This engine is capable of producing an impressive 177 PS of power, and 380 Nm of torque. While the brand is initially launching the 4x4 variant, Isuzu Philippines noted that 4x2 offerings will also be present soon, with all versions having either a 6-speed automatic, or 6-speed manual transmission option.

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Mr. Kenichi Asahara, vice president Isuzu Motors International Operations Thailand. Mr. Daisuke Takagi, general manager, Mitsubishi Corporation.

Mr. Shojiro Sakoda, executive vice president, Isuzu Philippines. Mr. Hajime Koso, president , Isuzu Philippines Corporation. Mr. Hirokazu Okubo, sales executive officer, Isuzu Motors Limited Japan

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Boasting modern styling cues, the D-MAX LS-A features a dark gray front grille and bumper, a wide step board and rocker panel, and a cargo extender. For even more carrying capacity, roof rails also come standard on this model.

IPC President Hajime Koso describes the reason for being of the D-MAX LS-A. Introduced in 2003, the Isuzu D-MAX pick-up has sold more than 46,000 units so far and continues to be one of the country’s most popular pick-up models for its durability, fuel efficiency, and overall value for money. The new Isuzu D-MAX LS-A joins the ranks

of premium pick-ups with its stylish yet functional design and competitive pricing without compromising the D-MAX’s core value of being ‘Tough Enough for Anything’.

In his special message at the launch, Isuzu Motors Limited executive officer Hirokazu Okubo traces Isuzu’s experience with the pickup design to nearly a century back. “The first vehicle Isuzu produced in the market in 1922 was a pick-up truck, taking note of our expertise on the product and most especially on diesel engine technology.”

He added, “Worldwide, the Isuzu D-MAX is trusted in countries like Thailand, Australia, and the United Kingdom, certainly because of its design and functionality that have gone through rigorous testing and development.

The new Isuzu D-MAX LS-A variant will be a great addition to the very competitive local pick-up truck market,” he added.

Available in cosmic black, sapphire blue, titanium silver, red spinel, and splash white, pricing is expected to be announced soon

by IPC.

Mr. Hajime Koso lets the audience know of the exciting new features of the New D-Max.

www.gadgetsmagazine.com.ph

SEPTEMBER 2019

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Mitsubishi Strada GLX Plus AT Reviewed and photos by Maribelle Alba

There was some rather bulky stuff that I needed to move, so when Mitsubishi sent over a Strada test unit, I was ready to take it through its paces.

Adopting the dynamic shield concept fascia, the refreshed Strada exudes a stronger and more powerful stance. The halogen headlights and daytime running lights set in chrome enhance the radiator grill while the body color bumper with integrated turn signal lights and foglights all add up to a bold, attention-getting facade.

engineering that shortened the wheelbase for better maneuverability, while still maximizing interior space. The 2+3 seating configuration provides comfortable seating and legroom for all passengers. The 1,520 mm long by 1,470 mm wide truck bed, on the other hand, has more than enough room for loading bulky and odd-sized cargo like a tall refrigerator, a motorcycle or two, etc.

Dimension-wise, the Strada is a tad shorter than other pickups, thanks to clever J-design

Being a lower-end variant, the Strada GLX AT rides on 17-inch alloy wheels and 245/65/R17 tires.

DESIGN

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EQUIPMENT The Strada GLX Plus AT is powered by a 2.4L DOHC turbo-charged clean diesel engine that outputs maximum power of 181 PS at 3,500 rpm and torque of up to 430 Nm at 2,500 rpm. It’s a rear-wheel drive with a 6-speed automatic transmission. The suspension system consists of front double wishbones with coil springs for passenger comfort, and rear leaf springs for cargo-carrying capacity. Brakes are discs in front and drums at the rear.

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USER EXPERIENCE

A premium feature is the automatic climate control system with rear vents for optimum passenger comfort. The reverse camera is well-placed, giving a wide-angle view of the area you are backing into, ensuring that there are no obstructions or other hazards, especially at your blind spots.

Most noticeable about the Strada is its responsive power, which definitely outclasses other pickups in its category. Despite being a truck, it is easy to drive even in stop-go traffic, and didn’t feel unwieldy or ponderous. For those who want the best of both worlds—the convenience of an automatic and the performance driving feel of a manual—the GLX Plus AT has a gated shifter with sport mode for manual control.

The infotainment system has an AM/FM radio; aux-in, USB, iPod, and Bluetooth connectivity; as well as a navigation system that I found buggy.

With Waze or Google Maps now more accurate with real-time traffic information, built-in navigation seems redundant. Overall, though, the 4-speaker system delivered adequate audio quality for an enjoyable listening experience.

Safety features for the Strada GLX Plus variant include driver and passenger airbags, anti-lock brakes with electronic brake force distribution, brake assist, stability control, traction control, and hill start assist.

Getting into the driver’s seat, I found the seating position too low which, absent a seat height adjuster, I just had to get used to. I would have wanted to sit higher and more upright, given that I wasn’t in a sedan. Driving solo, or even with a front passenger, the Strada felt a tad bouncy, but I guess this was to be expected as the suspensions are tuned for heavier loads.

VALUE The Mitsubishi Strada GLX Plus AT is priced at PHP 1,240,000 — reasonable for its trim level.

Backed by a 3-year or 100,000-km warranty, and the Strada reputation as a reliable workhorse, one is undoubtedly getting good value for money here.

What’s Hot: -Powerful engine -Easy to drive

What’s Not: -A little bouncy when not loaded.

-The navigation system is not very useful.

Bottomline: No wonder the Strada is among the topselling pick-ups.

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Yamaha Introduces new brand ambassadors Yamaha Philippines unveiled its new campaign along with several new ambassadors last July 25.

The launch, which was part of the first-ever Yamaha Mediacon, introduced Yamaha’s new campaign “The #1 in everyone” to reference the company’s recent control over the automatic motorcycle segment in the country.

According to Yamaha, the company now owns 62 percent of the market in the automatic motorcycle segment.

The company also revealed that it would be retaining actor and model Matteo Guidicelli as the brand ambassador for the Mio Aerox, along with the newest faces for the rest of its Mio motorcycles.

Joining the Yamaha family are singer and songwriter TJ Monterde for the Mio Sporty, Asia’s Next Top Model Season 5 winner Maureen Wroblewitz for the Mio i125, and Model and International Cosplay icon Alodia Gosiengfiao for the Mio Soul i125.

Yamaha Philippines President Hiroshi Koike talks to media guests.

Present during the launch were Monterde, Wroblewitz, and Gosiengfiao who each talked about riding and what motorcycles meant to them.

Yamaha also screened its latest TV commercial featuring the four ambassadors.

Yamaha executive with the new Mio brand ambassadors.

Hyundai donates laptops and PCs to Marawi schools Hyundai Asia Resources Inc. (HARI) through its corporate social responsibility arm, HARI Foundation Inc. (HFI), donated laptops and desktop computers to Marawi City National High School and the City Schools Division of Marawi.

The donation was made as part of HARI’s commitment to the nationwide efforts of rebuilding war-torn Marawi City.

From L to R: Anna Zenaida Unte- Alonso, assistant schools division superintendent, City Schools division of Marawi, Ministry of Basic Education and Technical Education, BARMM, Jon Ramos of HFI, Lominog Manoga, principal, Marawi City National High School.

Students pose with the new computers.

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The turnover was held in the presence of the schools’ academic community.

Two students with the new desktops during the turnover ceremony.

“Through this donation, we reaffirm HFI’s advocacy for education as the most effective and long-term way of empowering people and building a better world for all. Driven by our faith in the power of the Filipino’s heart and heeding the call of the times, we engage like-minded partners from the government, in this case, our friends from the education sector Marawi, to help in a way that is meaningful to people, especially at the grassroots,” said Ma. Fe Perez-Agudo, president of HFI. The HFI has also been an active supporter of the Gawad Kalinga efforts in the rehabilitation. They have donated vehicles to the NGO which now ply the province as Kusina ng Kalinga vans. www.gadgetsmagazine.com.ph

Scania launches new trucks with an adjustable driver seat that can be moved up to 6.5 mm closer to the windscreen.

Scania also collaborated with its sister company, Porsche Engineering, to make a tougher-looking exterior made with high tensile steel.

The Scania G 360 4x2, general cargo transport

Scania Executives with BJ Mercantile Inc’s vice president, Ms. Leilani Lim Tan

European brand for commercial vehicles, Scania, recently launched its state-of-the-art trucks that are designed and engineered to give fleet owners greater productivity.

Ten years in the making, the New Truck Generation lineup is the biggest investment of Scania to date in the region (USD 3 million) and has traveled a total of 12 million kilometers on test drives before its formal launch. With the new range, Scania offers sustainable transportation solutions for each type of sector.

The trucks also boast a number of features that

The Scania G 410 8x4 can be converted as a concrete mixer

improve fuel economy, driver environment and safety, and reliability.

According to Johan Gemback, Scania’s regional sales director for trucks in the Asia Pacific and Africa, the refreshed trucks cut fuel consumption up to 5 percent through the equipped advanced powertrain. This results to optimize driving performance and improved aerodynamics.

Scania also enhances the interiors and exteriors of its commercial vehicles for functionality.

Drivers can now have a better view of the road via an instrument panel and A-pillars, mated

Among its safety features are rollover side curtain airbags, advanced emergency braking system, optional camera sensors, and warning systems. To cater to other industrial sectors and minimize downtime, the new generation of trucks from Scania also adopts a unique modular system where customers can customize the vehicle configurations including the cabs, engines, and chassis. Companies can also use the Scania Fleet Management System for real-time tracking and managing of their vehicles and drivers.

“At Scania, we believe that sustainability and profitability go hand in hand. Our approach to sustainable transport is based on these three pillars— energy efficiency, alternative fuels, as well as smart and safe transport. And the bottom line is all about maximizing our customer’s profitability,” Gemback shared.

Scania is also set to open its first assembly plant in the Philippines later this year.

Pilipinas Shell introduces latest engine oils for light-duty trucks prolong oil life. Apart from breaking down soot and deposit build-up for vehicles carrying variable loads, Shell’s Dynamic Protection Plus Technology improves engine cleanliness, emitting fewer carbon deposits at 46 percent.

“We are positive that these products will shed a whole new outlook to the business of logistics.

But more importantly, we want this to be our driver’s partner-in-crime,” said Anthony Wee, marketing manager for lubricants, Pilipinas Shell. “Because of this, the new range of products will come at an affordable price point.”

Recognizing the growing for logistics in the e-commerce industry, Pilipinas Shell recently launched its newest range of premium lubricants.

Made for light-duty vehicles such as pickups and light-duty trucks, the Shell Rimula Light Duty www.gadgetsmagazine.com.ph

has a Dynamic Protection Plus Technology that protects the engine, lessens carbon deposits, and improves fuel economy. The technology protects against engine wear and tear caused by constant stopping and starting when stuck in traffic and has anti-oxidation components that

The launch also gave light to the role of light-duty trucks in e-commerce as the primary logistics vehicle. Through a panel discussion, key players in the industry discussed how online platforms such as Shopee and Lazada have pushed the exponential growth of the Philippines’ e-commerce industry in the last couple of years. According to Bloomberg’s report, it is predicted to skyrocket the country’s e-commerce gross merchandise value (GMV) to USD 10 billion by 2025. This increasing customer demand and supply entails the need for more functional logistics solutions.

The Shell Light Duty Range is now available at Shell gasoline stations nationwide.

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The new Ford Everest boasts new engine and 10-speed automatic transmission

Ford executives reveal the New Ford Everest to the media launch

Ford Philippines recently made some improvements to its famous mid-size SUV, the Everest, enhancing its capability, safety, and efficiency.

It is now powered by either a 2.0L Bi-Turbo or 2.0L Turbo diesel engine to improve fuel efficiency and deliver better acceleration. The Titanium+ 4x4 variant delivers 211 HP at 3,750 rpm and 500 Nm of torque between 1,750 to 2,000 rpm while the Titanium 4x2 variant has an output of 178 HP at 3,500 rpm and 420 Nm between 1,750 to 2,500 RPM. Both are paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission.

The New Ford Everest in arctic white

In terms of aesthetics, the new Ford Everest gets a new front grille, redesigned bumper, 20-inch split-spoke alloy wheels, panoramic moonroof for natural light inside the cabin, and Active Noise Cancellation which makes the cabin as quiet as it can be.

collisions, lane keeping system, adaptive cruise control, rear-view cameras, and parking sensors. It also has a standard built-in navigation and information system called SYNC 3 which is compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Just like its predecessors, the latest Everest range boasts smart keyless entry. Other features include an automated liftgate, active park assist, 4wd terrain management system for driving on- and off-road, autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and vehicle detection for mitigating road traffic

The Everest 2.0L Bi-Turbo Titanium+ 4x4 AT and the Everest 2.0L Turbo Titanium 4x2 AT is now available in Ford dealerships nationwide for PHP 2,299,000 and PHP 1,995,000 respectively.

It is available in six stylish colors: diffused silver, absolute back, aluminum metallic, arctic white, meteor gray, and sunset red.

Ecooter launches the E2 series have an extra battery space which doubles their travel distance.

The smaller E2L also uses a smaller power output coming in at 2500 W while the E2R nearly doubles that with its 4200 W. Performance-wise, the E2L only has a maximum speed of 75 kph but the bigger E2R can push it to 90 kph.

Both models do share some features, such as an all-LED screen and a smart key. Additionally, both bikes will have access to Ecooter’s smart app which displays all the necessary information of the scooter on to the user’s smartphone, like battery capacity, range check, and vehicle status. You can also customize the scooter using the app to suit your driving style or optimize it to suit your driving route.

Electronic scooter maker, Ecooter, launched the E2 series, their latest line of electric scooters.

The E2 will come in two variants: the smaller E2L and the larger E2R. The main differences between the two scooters are voltage and battery capacity. While both use

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a 64V battery, the E2L only has 20 Ah and the E2R has 40 Ah. Smaller battery means a shorter travel distance with the E2L coming in at only 80 km while the E2R lasts up to 140 km.

When it comes to charging times, the E2L takes about 2.5 hours while the larger battery of the E2R takes about 5 hours. However, both bikes do

The new E2 scooter is available in all Ecooter dealerships nationwide. The E2L will start at PHP 95,000 and the E2R will start at PHP 190,000.

You can also buy additional batteries in their shops with the 64 V 20 Ah at PHP 35,000, the 64 V 30 Ah at PHP 50,000, and the 64 V 40 Ah at PHP 65,000. All the batteries will come with a fast charge adaptor.

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Volkwagen opens Laguna dealership (Region 4A) that encompasses the provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon—a booming economic growth corridor populated by the nearly 8 million that fall within the vehicle-buying age demographic of 20 years old and above.

Volkswagen Philippines’ president Felipe Estrella said during the program, “Establishing our 8th Volkswagen dealership in the country, at the economic epicenter of a developing phenomenon that is the Calabarzon area, was a very easy decision to make. And in collaboration with the Lica Auto Group, we are able to establish our presence in a very exciting market. Now, the region’s residents and enterprises will have more access to the German engineering, build quality, and driving experience of Volkswagen automobiles and the accompanying Volkswagen aftersales services and support.”

Volkswagen Santa Rosa dealership, along the accessible automotive row of the Santa Rosa-Tagaytay Highway.

Volkswagen Philippines, in partnership with the Lica Auto Group, has inaugurated the Volkswagen Santa Rosa dealership along the busy automotive row of the Santa Rosa-Tagaytay Road.

The Volkswagen Santa Rosa dealership, Volkswagen Philippines’ 8th since it first officially started operations in 2013, is the first established in southern Luzon, and targets mainly the upwardly mobile markets of the Calabarzon Area

Lica Auto Group managing director Rene Limcaoco expressed in his special message, “Our first Volkswagen dealer takes the Lica Auto Group to a position of dominance in the auto industry in the southern Luzon area. At the same time, Volkswagen Santa Rosa will be more accessible to buyers and owners in the region.”

Honda donates vehicles to Pawikan Conservation Center the donation, Honda hopes to increase this number.

“In the last 20 years, we have released some 200,000 or so hatchling back to the sea. If we had not been able to do so, we would have lost these hatchlings to poaching. We thank Honda Foundation, Inc. for this donation because these vehicles will allow us to better patrol the shoreline and beaches and better protect these important marine animals.” said Manolo Ibias, chairman, Pawikan Conservation Center.

Hirotake Shimosaka, senior assistant vice president, business administration office, Honda Philippines.

Honda Foundation Inc. the corporate social responsibility of Honda group of companies, recently donated vehicles to Pawikan Conservation Center, in Morong, Bataan.

Honda donated three vehicles in total: one Honda FourTrax Rancher 420 4x4 ATV, a Honda TMX motorcycle with a sidecar, and a Honda XRM. Honda hopes the vehicles can be used in improving the conservation efforts of the group.

“We are honored to be part of this support through our ATV and motorcycle donations.

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The brand new Honda FourTrax Rancher 420 4x4 ATV will be used to monitor the beach at night.

We hope to help the Pawikan Conservation Center ease their problems and improve their conservation efforts,” said Hirotake Shimosaka, senior assistant vice president of business administration office, Honda Philippines Inc. Volunteers from the Pawikan Conservation Center can use the vehicles to monitor the shoreline at night to search for sea turtle nests and transfer the eggs to a hatchery. The group has already released a total of 116,404 hatchlings from 1999 to 2018, with an average success rate of 74 percent. With

According to a report by Oceana, some sea turtles like the green sea turtle, for instance, help to maintain healthy seagrass beds. By grazing on the seagrasses they increase the productivity and nutrient content of seagrass blades. Without constant grazing, seagrass beds become overgrown and obstruct currents, shade the bottom, begin to decompose and provide suitable habitat for the growth of slime molds.

Sea turtles such as the hawksbill sea turtle and the leatherback sea turtle keep the sea healthy by controlling the growth and population of sponges and jellyfish. By eating sponges from coral reefs, hawksbill turtles allow more coral species to thrive, thus allowing more formation of coral reefs. Leatherback turtles, on the other hand, control the population of jellyfish. By keeping the population of jellyfish in check, fish stocks are protected as jellyfish are one of the key consumers of fish eggs and larvae. www.gadgetsmagazine.com.ph

Toyota launches All-New Hiace Super Grandia

Toyota executives posts with the new Hiace Super Grandia

The front grille with the bi-beam headlamps

The driver’s console

Passengers have 4-way power adjustable captain seats.

After the global launch of the Hiace in the country last February, Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) has unveiled the brand’s all-new Hiace Super Grandia, the luxury model of the Hiace van.

“With the Philippines as the debut country for the 6th generation all-new Hiace, and being recognized as the biggest Hiace market in the world outside of Japan, the country truly has earned its place in Hiace history. Today, we continue our Hiace story by adding another powerhouse mover to our formidable lineup,” said Satoru Suzuki, president of Toyota Motor Philippines.

Mr. Suzuki added that the Hiace has garnered a massive 54.6 percent in the market for its segment as of July 2019.

The All-New Hiace Super Grandia has a 2.8-liter 1GD-FTV diesel engine capable of 174 hp and 450 Nm of torque. The engine is paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission. Beneath the van are McPherson Strut suspensions in the front which gives the vehicle great handling and stability, while the 4-link coil spring suspension at the back reduces cabin noise, vibration, and road harshness for a smooth and comfortable ride even on long drives.

What makes the new Super Grandia standout is the attention to detail Toyota has given it, elevating the sense of luxury for a family van.

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According to Toyota, the new Super Grandia embodies grand luxury and ometenashi (a Japanese team for hospitality). Aseries of developments on the design, performance, and safety features gives the luxury van a refined exterior, an inviting interior and most important of all a comfortable ride for both driver and passengers.

On the exterior, Toyota has given the Super Grandia chrome accents all-around but the front grille merging with the bi-beam LED headlamps definitely gives the van a more elegant look.

Greeting passengers inside are the 4-way power adjustable captain seats with ottoman in the first two rows. For bigger groups the Hiace Super Grandia also has bench type seats at the back that could fit four more passengers. Toyota has equipped the van with personal reading lamps which gives passengers a sense of personal control and convenience. The interior illumination can also be adjusted to the passengers’ preference with the Elite variant switching colors to blue, amber, or white.

The Super Grandia Elite variant is also the vehicle in TMP’s lineup to feature the brand’s Toyota Safety Sense (TSS). TSS incorporates active safety features which identify factors that may cause accidents and aid the driver in eliminating these factors. Features for this variant include the

pre-collision system (PCS), lane departure alert (LDA), adaptive cruise control (ACC), and automatic high beam (AHB).

For the other variants, the new Super Grandia is still very safe. All variant have ABS, vehicle stability control with brake assist, hill start assist, clearance and back sonars, a back monitor, nine SRS airbags, and emergency locking retractor 3-point seatbelts for the driver and all passengers.

The new Hiace Super Grandia comes in three variants; fabric, leather, and elite with two sub-variants monotone and 2 -tone. Each monotone sub-variant comes in black, gray metallic, and white pearl colors, while the 2-tone sub-variant comes in the brand’s luxury pearl toning color.

Prices for each variant are as follows: Fabric monotone – PHP 2,420,000 Fabric 2-tone - PHP 2,435,000 Leather monotone - PHP 2,510,000 Leather 2-tone PHP 2,525,000 Elite – PHP 2,875,000 Elite 2-tone – PHP 2,890,000 The All-New Toyota Hiace Super Grandia is now available in Toyota dealerships nationwide.

For more information about the Hiace Super Grandia, you can visit Toyota Motor Philippines www.toyota.com.ph

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Isuzu Car Clubs compete in 2019 Isuzu Fuel Eco Challenge

Isuzu vehicles drove around the brand’s Laguna plant

The participants of the 2019 Isuzu Eco Fuel Challenge

Fresh from the success of the 2018 edition of the Isuzu Fuel Economy Challenge that saw six mu-X and D-MAX owners emerge victorious after intense competition among thousands of hopefuls from Isuzu dealers across the country, Isuzu Philippines Corporation (IPC) resumes the Fuel Eco Challenge series this 2019.

This time, however, various Isuzu Car Clubs took centerstage. The first leg of the Car Clubs Edition was held at IPC Plant, where 12 participating members of the mu-X Owners of the Philippines (mu-x OP) compete among each other to gain the most mileage from the Isuzu mu-X RZ4E and D-MAX RZ4E in a 4.2-kilometer course around the IPC headquarters--the same route taken by last year’s finalists.

The 12 participants were divided into two groups, wherein six competed drove the Isuzu mu-X RZ4E, and the other six boarded the D-MAX RZ4E. They joined by four members of the local motoring media—two each for the

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Winners of the fuel run

mu-X and D-MAX who will also try their hand at getting the most fuel-efficient readings.

Substantial prizes were at stake. The champion for each model brought home a PHP 7,500 Shell fuel voucher and Isuzu trolley bag, while the rest got PHP 1,000 worth of Shell fuel vouchers, and Isuzu premium items.

IPC vice president for Sales, Yasuhiko Oyama, reiterated the significance of holding a fun competition of this nature. “IPC has always valued, and strove for, not just power and reliability in all its vehicles, but also fuel efficiency. Our RZ4E Blue Power engine exemplifies our effort to produce the most fuel-efficient diesel engine, capable of producing more power for less fuel. But fuel efficiency can only be achieved if the driver practices the best habits of fuel-efficient driving.

We also aim to educate drivers about practices that could decrease their fuel consumption and to have a same and efficient driving.,“ he said.

“The 2019 Isuzu Fuel Eco Challenge Car Club Edition attempts to bring together the best

drivers and the best engine, and the spirit of camaraderie that exists in every thriving car club makes the exchange of sound knowledge and driving skills from one owner to the other that much faster and more effective. Your members’ achievements would also serve as an inspiration and motivation for the motoring public in general. It is a very timely reminder that, despite the prevailing volatility of fuel prices in the market, fuel efficient drivers can still have control over their fuel expenses,” Mr. Oyama added.

With Shell as its official fuel partner, the 2019 Isuzu Fuel Eco Challenge Car Club Edition is IPC’s way of promoting and advocating fuel-efficient driving among existing Isuzu vehicle owners and potential Isuzu vehicle buyers, as well as highlighting the unparalleled efficiency, power, ride comfort, and durability of the new Isuzu mu-X RZ4E SUV and the D-MAX RZ4E pick-up—both powered by Isuzu’s latest innovation in diesel engine with Blue Power technology.

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EXECUTIVE PROFILE

MICHAEL NGAN Country General Manager, Lenovo Philippines

Words by Ren Alcantara | Photos by Paula Candoy As we were setting up for our interview with Michael Ngan, Country General Manager of Lenovo here in the Philippines, the man himself walks into the room to check up on us. Dressed in a relaxed long-sleeved shirt and jeans, he immediately put everyone at ease, making sure everything was okay and saying he would be right with us. Years of dealing with people directly has given him the confidence that makes everyone warm up to him quickly, making for easy conversation. The man behind much of Lenovo’s success in the country, Mr. Ngan let us in on some of the secrets behind his leadership, the direction Lenovo is taking as a company, and the value they place on their people.

Michael Ngan started his journey in a distribution company over 25 years ago. After spending the better part of a decade there, he made the jump to IBM in 2005, where he took the role of channel manager, in charge of a number of distributors. In May of that year, Lenovo came in and took the reins, and Michael has been a part of the team ever since. After more than two decades of working in the industry, Michael was quick to share the philosophy behind his work. “It’s always a learning journey,” he revealed. “ To me, learning is perpetual, and every day I want to learn new things.”

This translates well to leadership in Lenovo, a company that is always at the forefront of change.

As the leader of an organization such as Lenovo, one would expect a man of his stature to have any number of grandiose goals set for himself and his role in the company. Michael’s own goals, however, are much more sincere and humble.

“It would definitely be to leave a legacy. A legacy that I can impart to my colleagues—one of learning and new journeys, and most importantly, one that reminds people that we were able to bring the company to what it is today. This is something that I would like myself, my children, and my colleagues to be able to look back on and see—this legacy I want to leave.”

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As the Country General Manager, Michael realizes that the bottomline is important, but there’s more to it than just numbers.

“Of course, as with any business, the ultimate goal is to deliver financial results. To me though, it’s how to get there that’s more important. How do you build a business management system that allows you to reap the results of the hard work of everyone in the company. With any company, it’s about the bottom line, but the journey, that to me is more important. It’s building that foundation for the climb that is important to me, personally as a leader.”

Lenovo also puts great importance in its people.

“The number one asset we have is people.

In Lenovo, we always mix work and fun, so within the company, we have the ‘People First’ initiative. This is a program that allows us to have a year-long calendar of events with our people. They can be simple fun, like bowling, or something like training.”

to meet these challenges, it has to start with himself. “I believe in this market,” he shares.

“We continually invest in it. As challenging as it may seem, particularly for client solutions like laptops and PCs, we know we just have to keep that focus, keep the business growing both organically and by acquiring known brands in order to stay relevant.”

This year, Lenovo has a manager acceleration program which sends some of their managers abroad to learn more from the program there.

Everything—from fun out-of-office activities to training overseas—is part of Lenovo’s drive to invest in their people and show they are valuable to the company.

Lenovo has recently taken in brands that further bolster their portfolio in a shrinking market. Fujitsu and NEC are now under Lenovo’s umbrella, and while this market shrink isn’t going quickly as they originally imagined, one can’t deny the fact that people are shifting technologies. “A few years ago, if I were a first-time buyer of technology, I would probably not be buying a laptop. Now, it’s slowly shifting back. People are realizing that smartphones can’t deliver the same productivity a laptop can,

The market that Lenovo deals with here in the Philippines is volatile, and the industry they are in is challenging. Michael knows that

so we actually see that the PC market is coming back,” Michael shared.

In this light, Michael believes that Lenovo is 101 percent ready to face the changes the market has in store. The company is determined to be the leader in the digital transformation era. “I think we’ve been doing that quite well, with a lot of investment in digital transformation. That era is already happening, and we’re ready.”

Lenovo is, in fact, one of the most ready, particularly in meeting consumer demands.

They have one of the most complete lineups of products that are able to meet both consumer and commercial demands. As a technology company, they invest heavily in research and development in order to deliver the kinds of devices Lenovo is known for, and the devices the market both needs and wants.

From their ThinkPads to the Legion line of gaming laptops, Lenovo is dedicated to give nothing short of the best products possible.

Lenovo is now not just the top PC vendor globally, but in the last quarter, Michael and his team took Lenovo to the top spot in the Philippines as well, with a solid top 3 position in the PC gaming segment.

Michael Ngan and the rest of Lenovo here in the Philippines are doing great things in the PC space and beyond, and we can’t wait to see what else the brand has in store under Michael’s leadership.

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APPS

TOP FOOD DELIVERY APPS Bringing your cravings right to your doorstep

The most popular among the three, GrabFood has been feeding hungry tummies for a year now. The app has seen a lot of upgrades since its launch, with more and more available stores and branches, a variety of cuisines, round-the-clock operation hours, an ETA indicator, and daily deals. It communication with the drivers through in-app messaging. To protect the drivers from pranksters, the app recently included

restaurant to buy and wait for your food to be prepared.

Words by Jewel Sta. Ana

For someone who’s always out and about, preparing meals on a daily basis can literally be impossible. There’s the hassle of thinking about the week’s menu, a trip to the grocery for the ingredients.

Now that we are all living in the golden age of food delivery service, satisfying our cravings is now possible with a few taps on a smartphone.

Curious to see how these apps perform against each other, we decided to test the top three food delivery apps in Metro Manila. We ordered the same items from the same milk tea brand and divided the orders evenly.

Factors that we have taken into consideration were the location and distance, partner stores of the food delivery services, time, and weather conditions. We made the

Adapting the same GPS system as its ridehailing division, GrabFood automatically locates the nearest restaurants in your area.

In our case, we ordered at Yi Fang Tomas Morato branch which is exactly 2.6 km from

have any smaller bills, you may inform the drivers about it for a smoother transaction.

A standard delivery fee of PHP 49 applies on top of your order, so you may need to pay a little extra from your total bill. Every purchase also gives users corresponding reward points that can be used in redeeming discounts on any services of Grab or other perks from its partner establishments. In addition, it’s the fastest among its competitors, delivering two Brown Sugar Pearl Oolong Tea Lattes within 16 minutes from the time the order was booked.

GRABFOOD

simultaneously booking orders on three smartphones.

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A new player in the food delivery scene, LalaFood initially began to feed the busy bees in the business districts of Bonifacio Global City and Makati City. Two months ago, it expanded to key cities in the metro—Pasig, Mandaluyong, San Juan, and Quezon City—hoping to reach more urban residents. Just like GrabFood, it gives a list of nearby restaurants that could cater to a

industry, Foodpanda has become a household name. Even before an app was developed, the online food delivery service had been serving service even outside Metro Manila, reaching other customers in rural areas as long as they have a connection to the Internet.

With over a thousand partner restaurants nationwide, the global food delivery

than 45 minutes, lets customers track their orders, and connects them to the drivers through an internal messaging function.

However, its partner establishments are limited, limiting your choices a little. The Trinoma branch was the only nearest Yi

From milk tea places to Mexican restaurants, they’ve got you covered. It has the same features from its competitors such as as the in-app messaging, delivery time indicator, payment history, and live monitoring of orders. However, it has an edge over its other

accept orders on LalaFood, so we had no choice but to book it. True to its promise, the driver delivered our milk tea 43 minutes later after we placed it. LalaFood

accepting debit and credit cards or through Paypal. Take note that delivery time varies between branches, but ours came from Tomas Morato and just arrived at the same time as the one we booked from Trinoma. Operating hours are also limited, running from early morning to late evening, depending on the schedule of the nearby restaurants within the customer’s location.

Setting it apart from its competitors, partner stores which grant customers free delivery up to three times within a given period. It also has a Live Chat feature for customer support, accommodating inquiries about an order, promo-related concerns, and service feedback.

LALAFOOD

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If you’re out of ideas where to take some breakfast, lunch, or dinner around the metro, just install these apps on your phone. Having options to conquer hunger at any time of the day won’t hurt you, anyway. All of the food delivery apps mentioned above works with both iOS and Android devices.

FOODPANDA

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EVERYTHING APPLE

The Future of Apple’s HomeKit and NFC Words by Gerry Gaviola

Having a phone that serves as a universal remote for a home filled with tech gives you a glimpse of what total convenience can be.

A house is not a home if it’s simply a place you sleep and eat in. A house can be a home if it feels sacred to you, and if it’s a space you can feel safe and comfortable in. The outside world is already rife with so much noise and everyday responsibilities that things can seem so out of your control. Fortunately, returning

to your own little space in this world can give you back some peace of mind and control. And in case you haven’t noticed, one of the next big things in the tech scene is the development of smart homes.

As enablers of comfort and convenience, technologies such as Homekit and Siri are only bound to get better.

Siri Shortcuts has been out for almost a year and has been known to powerfully amplify the layer of functionality that Apple’s onboard digital assistant brings.

With the Shortcuts app, users are able to create customized words or phrases to execute a series of tasks normally done inside apps. Proving itself as a real game changer, Shortcuts also allows for quick access across multiple apps, and even lets users reach into something deep within the app via their voice or a single tap. From getting directions and instantly playing a playlist, to instantly prompting iOS to take an audio recording and consequently instructing the phone to open the notes

app, the possibilities and combinations can feel infinite. Siri Shortcuts through its “domino effect” programming, enables a swath of neat features and it’s amazing to think that so much can be done through so little—a tap, a word, or a phrase.

Old Tech, New Tricks

Siri Shortcuts On

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In iOS 13, Siri Shortcuts becomes significantly more powerful, adding support to the already present NFC technology in iPhones. Rather than voicing out for Siri to activate a Siri Shortcut, users can now automate more tasks just by tapping their phone on an NFC Tag.

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Edit

Why NFC if there are voice commands?

Kitchen Light 20%

Near Field Communication On

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It might seem pretty silly for NFC to be made a big deal of, especially when apps and home appliances can already be controlled via voice, but it’s not. Even sillier is speaking a sentence to Siri to turn on the lights when toggling a nearby switch can be way faster. Of course speaking to Siri has its benefits, especially when having more specific requests, but what if you could make a customized and smart switch for almost all your smart appliances? With NFC chips, you now can.

There are 3 main things that are needed in order for you to take advantage of the new Homekit and NFC support combo.

First, a 2018 or later iPhone running iOS 13; second, an NFC tag, and lastly, a homekit– enabled device. Once you have those three, you’re all set to start controlling your home through tap, rather than through voice. With iOS 13, Siri Shortcuts comes preinstalled, so simply navigate to the app.

In the Automation tab, select the option to create a personal automation, then select the NFC option. From there you’ll be prompted to scan the tag, enable the control feature, then link it to a scene or accessory of your choice.

The applications are infinite, and the combinations you can add to Siri Shortcuts is plentiful. If you own a smart lock and other smart appliances, imagine walking by your front door and tapping your phone on the NFC tag you’ve placed to unlock the door, and to consequently have your television, AC, and lights open.

Additionally, whether you live with a partner or your family, you can add on to the shortcut to let Siri automatically notify them via text message that you’ve arrived safely at your home. Or imagine tapping your phone on the garage wall and having all your home appliances turn off, your doors locked, and then having your phone pull up directions to your next calendar event and shortly have your phone play your road trip playlist.

From a single tap on an NFC tag using your iPhone, you can turn on and off, by batch, specific appliances. You can mix and match and assign the tags to overlapping appliances as in the end, the tap is the only thing that’ll matter. The great thing about NFC tagging is that it replaces your traditional keys and controllers to become a smarter universal remote.

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GAMING

Words by Gabriel Pe | Photo by Jerico Lutrania

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It was a roller coaster year for the players from PLDT-Smart Omega’s Mobile Legends team. Just last January they were all playing in teams under different names, now all of them are under one roof and he team has just won the first conference of The National’s Mobile Legends tournament, taking home PHP 500,000 of prize money in the process.

The Nationals is the country’s first franchise-based eSports tournament.

Announced just last year and launched in March, it was an opportunity to legitimize eSports in the country. Companies such as PLDT-Smart, and sister company Cignal took this chance to sponsor teams to play under their banner for the tournament. The Nationals features three different gaming titles: DoTA 2, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, and Tekken 7.

When The Nationals was announced, PLDT-Smart had to field a talented squad to represent the country’s largest telco brand. The brand had previously sponsored international eSports tournaments in the country such ESL One Manila and The Manila Major. The company partnered with the Sterling Global Dragons to field teams that will compete in the Nationals under the banner of PLDT-Smart Omega.

SGD/ PLDT-Smart Omega’s Mobile Legends roster is composed of Adrian Jay “Toshinu” Bacallo, Kenneth Jiane “Kenji” Villa. Jahaziel Jay “Crypzu” Villanueva, Earvin John “Heath” Esperanza, and Kyle Gabriel “Karltzy” Nepomuceno. The team is coached by Steve Dale “Daledalus” Vitug.

“On behalf of the team I can really say that we are proud. Fulfilling yung ganoong feeling na mapakita namin sa mundo na ang paglalaro ay hindi lang yung parang old school way na tinitingnan na laro lang. So there is also a career

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na for playing that. Siguro I can say din na it’s something priceless na mairepresent yung biggest telco brand sa country as PLDT-Smart Omega, we’re very proud and happy,” said Patrick Cruz, one of the team’s managers.

(On behalf of the team, i can really say that we are proud. It was fulfilling, the feeling of letting the world see that you can make out of a profession from eSports. Maybe, i can also say that it’s something priceless to represent the biggest telco brand in the country as PLDT-Smart Omega. We’re very proud and happy.)

Like most other ML players, all of the players from SGD/PLDT-Smart Omega were already MOBA players prior to playing ML. It was an easy and obvious choice on why they switched to ML. “Mas madali po dito eh, tsaka mabilis yung game, and pwede sa bahay lang,” said Nepomuceno.

(The game is easier, faster, and you can play it at home.)

“Ako nagsimula ako beginning ng season 2, so mga 2017 around September nun. Sinubukan ko lang, nanghihiram pa nga ako ng cellphone nun eh. Nageenjoy ako so tinuloy tuloy ko lang,” said Bacallo.

(I started playing in the beginning of season 2 it was around September 2017. I just tried it, I still remember borrowing cellphone just to play ML that time. I really enjoyed it so I just continued.)

The team was dominant in the finals of Nationals, sweeping archrival Cignal Ultra Warriors (3-0). According to coach Vitug, the team was extra motivated in the finals.

“Pinaghandaan talaga namin, pinag-usapan namin anong mangyayari, tapos madaming

struggle kasi sa team nun eh kasi gusto talaga naming manalo. Nung game one kabado pa yung mga players eh. Sinabi ko na pigilan lang nila yung kaba nila, tapos ayun nga paglabas ng game one, ‘Ok na ako’ sabi nila game two laro na ito, dito na simula ng laro, ayun hanggang nagtuloy tuloy na,” said Vitug.

(We really prepared for it. We talked about what will happen. During that time, there were a lot of struggles within the team since we really wanted to win. Game one was close since the players were still nervous. I told them to just calm their nerves. After game, one they told me they were fine they only got serious when the second game started, and then the rest is history.)

According to Cruz, there’s nothing different from their preparation to other teams. But one advantage, he says, was that they learned how to prep the team from the first round of The National which was the DoTA 2 tournament. He adds that he and bootcamp manager Arnold “Lei” Rodriguez handles the physical exercises for the players while Vitug does his own thing with coaching and strategies.

Apart from winning The Nationals, members of the team have also qualified to be part of the eSports national team for the South East Asian Games this coming December. The team promises to push themselves to be picked as the official representative of the country for Mobile Legends.

As for other tournaments, the team credits their success to fans that supported them. The promise to continue doing better in tournaments but hopes that the fans would also continue to support them even through losses.

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Developer: Blizzard Entertainment | Publisher: Blizzard Entertainment Platform: PC Words by Jose Alvarez | Art by Zeil Romero

World of Warcraft (WoW) revolutionized the massively multiplayer online role playing game (MMORPG) on its release on November 23, 2004. Many people sunk not only hours, but days and even years into the game (including me). As the game went on and started releasing expansions adding content to the game, many players were frustrated with the direction of the game. They felt that Blizzard ignored the player base and made decisions without their input. As a result, private servers (usually fan-made and ran by fans who hosted servers of unauthorized WoW expansions) started popping up all over the place.

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Blizzard sent their legal team after them, and banned players who participated on private servers. However, that didn’t stop fans from yearning for nostalgia. One of the most popular private servers, Nostalrius, hosted 150,000 players from February 2015 to April 2016. The fan demand was too much for Blizzard to ignore, and a Change.org petition was made to bring back Vanilla WoW (the first game). At BlizzCon 2017, Blizzard announced WoW Classic would be coming, finally answering the fans’ demand for classic servers.

The game is based on Patch 1.12.1 (September 2006), which was the last patch before the first expansion, The Burning Crusade. The game world has been reverted to its original state. That means the Alliance can play as humans, dwarves, gnomes, and night elves, while the Horde can play as orcs, trolls, tauren, and Forsaken (undead). The nine original classes are playable: druid, hunter, mage, paladin, priest, rogue, shaman, warlock, and warrior. Like in the original game, paladins will be Alliance-specific, and shamans will be Horde-specific. Just like in WoW today, players will fill roles such as tank, heal, and DPS. The maximum level of the game is level 60, and game content launched after November 23, 2004 will be released by a to-be-determined schedule according to Blizzard. They will not modify any core game mechanics such as character abilities, remaining faithful to Vanilla WoW and giving old fans a chance to experience the game as it was, and those who joined after to come back and have a new game experience.

While WoW Classic will try to maintain the feel of the 2004 original, Blizzard has hinted that they will allow character transfers which was not possible in the original launch, this means that to play with friends, you had to level all the way from level 1 again). They also hinted in a recent Reddit AMA that they might also bring back The Burning Crusade and Wrath of the Lich King, which many fans believe were the best Blizzard expansions to date.

Playing WoW Classic is a very time-consuming experience much like it was in November 2004, but fans of the game should enjoy this reproduction of nostalgia. As Disney is trying to remake their classic films, we are seeing the same thing being done in the gaming world.

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OPPO RENO 10X ZOOM Words by Ren Alcantara

Gaming has truly gone mobile. While there are still a lot of dedicated handheld devices out there, the best gaming device is the one you always have with you, and in this day and age, there isn’t a device as omnipresent as the mobile phone.

Oppo is a company that knows what its users want. Apart from the usual user requirements such as great cameras, a manageable size, and outstanding looks, they also know that smartphone users want to get their game on. The Reno 10x Zoom is no exception. If you want a full review of the device, head over to the GadgetsLab section of this issue, where we take a look at the phone as a whole. Here though, we see how this bad boy performs as a gaming device.

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Size-wise, the Reno 10x Zoom is perfect. It’s a little on the large size, but that makes it easy to hold, even over extended gaming periods. The gorgeous glass back, however, makes it slick.

Fortunately, the included case gives it plenty of grip—something we recommend you use, particularly for shooters that benefit from unorthodox grip styles, like the claw. There is a bit of weight to the phone, so a solid grip wouldn’t be a bad thing at all.

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The specs on the Reno 10X Zoom are solid. The Snapdragon 855, 8 GB of RAM, and 256 GB of internal storage give you a phone with the muscle to do some serious gaming. The large, bezel-less screen, all of 6 inches on the diagonal, and devoid of notch, punch hole, or water drop is superb. It’s a screen that lets you see all of the action, without anything being cut out, chopped off, or otherwise missing.

While not a dedicated phone, all of the hardware above makes for one that can keep up with the best of them. Oppo has more tricks up its sleeve.

Immediately, you’ll notice how sharp the display is. The high pixel density made for crisp visuals.

That’s a big deal with this title, as it allows you to be able to see enemies from a good way away, so you know whether to engage, break off, or that what you saw was just a shrub, without immediately having to scope in.

All the power under the hood makes gameplay smooth. Shooters, MMOs and other PVP titles all require lightning-fast reflexes, but if your device can’t keep up, sometimes even pro-level skills won’t be enough to save you. Now, I’m far from the best PUBG player, but I know my skill, and I can tell when the phone struggles to keep up. The Reno, even with gunfights, smoke, and multiple players on-screen, the phone didn’t miss a beat.

Bear in mind that I was playing with all the settings maxed out, anti-aliasing enabled, and

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Oppo has baked in Game Space. When you launch a game on the device, Game Space immediately frees up RAM for better device performance. The phone will also enable network protection, restricting network use for other apps running in the background so your game doesn’t have to compete for bandwidth and cause you problems. Lastly, the Reno 10x Zoom shuts off notifications. One of the main reasons we game is to get away from the world for a bit, and Oppo makes sure we get our peace. If you don’t want to be a total recluse

though, that setting can be disabled to let notifications through.

with a squad running open microphones, and at no point was there a problem.

For shooters, you’re going to want to use headphones, and as the Reno doesn’t have a 3.5 jack, your only real solution is to go wireless. For titles where audio directionality isn’t such an issue, the built-in speaker is fine, with sufficient volume.

As for heat management, maxed out setting can generate a significant amount of heat. The Reno 10x Zoom wasn’t spared from this—it’s just the nature of mobile gaming with such taxing titles, but at no point did the heat build up to an uncomfortable level. Even after three consecutive matches, I didn’t feel like I was holding a hot iron.

Extended play will take a slight toll on your hands, as the Reno 10X Zoom does have a bit of heft to it. Again, we can’t say enough how much more comfortable it is to hold with the included case. If you want a better grip, a little extra girth, and less hand strain for longer game sessions, the case is definitely the way to go.

With all the settings maxed out, PUBG Mobile becomes quite a taxing game, and one that I enjoy playing a lot. Bumping the graphics performance also does a lot to make enemies more visible from a distance, and that, coupled with the large screen, give players on the Oppo Reno 10x Zoom quite a real advantage. I’ll take any excuse to load up the game and play a few matches, so I fired up PUBG Mobile on the Reno 10x Zoom to see what it had to offer.

Battery life is also superb. Your eyes and hands will be tired well before the battery gives up on you, and if you’re so hardcore as to be able to keep playing, the included charger tops up the battery incedibly fast. Plug the phone down, have a snack, rest your eyes for a bit, and you should be ready to go again.

So is the Oppo Reno 10x Zoom a gaming phone?

Technically, it’s not. But can it game anyway?

Yes it can. Maybe even better than practically anything else out there.

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MUSIC CORNER

Words by Daniel Ringon | Art by Jezeil Romero

2019 is shaping up to be another good year for music. New local artists, each with their own sound, are coming out with fresh tracks, and foreign music acts are flocking to the country as part of their album tours. Just this year, the Philippines welcomed Lany, Two Door Cinema Club, Kodaline, Josh Groban, Blackpink, Momoland, Maroon 5, Jason Mraz, and a whole host of other artists, much to the delight of their fans. Of course, you might be checking show dates and you come across an unfamiliar name or two. Read on and find new artists to discover and cheer for their upcoming shows this year. You’ll thank me later.

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When: September 1, 2019 Where: ABS-CBN Vertis Tent Latest Album: Origin (June 2019) New Zealand-Australian musician Jordan Rakei is only two years into his music career, and he’s already been nominated for a Grammy for his work with Disclosure on the song Masterpiece.

In his latest offering Origin, the artist remains true to his soul, jazz, and hip hop influences with dance-friendly songs that will make you think, too. Catch him this month, as he performs with Unique Salonga for a night of soulful music at the heart of the metro.

Get Started With: With Goodbyes (Wallflower, 2017), you’ll be getting who the artist is in one song. Starting off with music similar to what you’d expect from a movie score, a sudden change in tone with the piano and bass, and with the coup de grace, coming from the soulful voice at just the right moment. The song is about that early stage in the relationship where you invest so much on someone, only to have them not feel the same way.

When: September 2, 2019 Where: New Frontier Theater Latest Album: Post Traumatic (February 2019) Hip-hop and rock fans may up at arms with this artist. “This guy isn’t an unknown. He’s famous!”

They’re right, too. American musician Mike Shinoda rocketed to fame as the lead vocalist of the rock band Linkin Park and as the rapper Fort Minor. He recently made waves in 2018, with the release of the Post Traumatic EP, featuring three songs about his own feelings about Chester Bennington’s death.

The succeeding album of the same name features all three songs and thirteen additional tracks with

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influences taken everywhere from Nine Inch Nails to N.W.A. Watch him rock out and drop bars with British rock band Don Broco this month at the New Frontier Theater.

When: October 10, 2019 Where: New Frontier Theater Latest Album: Plays Metallica by Four Cellos (December 2018) Despite their last album being composed of Metallica originals, the Finnish symphonic metal band already has eleven albums to date since being active way back in 1993. What sets the band apart from the usual metal band is their use of cellos, not the usual rock band setup. Yes, that means cello riffs. However, aside from their unique instrument choice, they have the metal basics down, namely fast drum beats, and the riffs that are the foundation of rock music. The band will be performing in the country as part of their 20th anniversary tour.

Get Started With: Given that Apocalyptica got a vocalist for their last all-original album Shadowmaker, their other albums are filled with guest vocalists from Bush, Rammstein, Slayer, and Bullet For My Valentine. However, true Apocalyptica classic, Path (Cult, 2000) shines as the best work of their core members. With clear cello work being played against riffs, this is one that plays to the better end of expectations when you hear about three classically trained cellists play metal.

Get Started With: His work between Linkin Park and Fort Minor speaks volumes about his artistic range. Over Again (Post Traumatic, 2019) will give you Mike’s point of view as he pays tribute to his friend Chester Bennington. With sad verses, a complementing beat, and a strong message, Mike Shinoda delivers a great song, a sad story of mourning, and an excellent tribute to one of the greatest musicians of the decade.

When: October 4, 2019 Where: New Frontier Theater Latest Album: Only Ticket Home (October 2018)

When: November 30, 2019 Where: New Frontier Theater Latest Album: Soy Pablo (October 2018)

Following the steps of U2, Hozier, The Cranberries, and The Script, comes another great musical import from Ireland. Gavin Wigglesworth, who is not in any way a member of a children’s musical group, independently released a single which then won the Meteor Song of the Year Award. He then became a supporting act for artists such as Ed Sheeran, and Sam Smith before releasing a full-length studio album. His songs feature strong vocals and an obvious acoustic presence with pop sensibilities.

My research into this band had me watching a teenager in a pink hoodie and shorts playing guitar. I now have a new band to follow. Hailing from Hordaland, the indie-rock band became viral in 2017 with the aforementioned music video for a song called Everytime. The band’s music is characterized by a mixture of lo-fi sound and jingle-jangle, creating warm music anyone can sing to. Do yourself a favor and catch them play for the second time in the country, headlining their first concert ever.

Get Started With: Differing from most of his songs that center on relationships, Start Again (Only Ticket Home, 2018) talks about doing things you haven’t yet. Reminiscent of pop songs from the mid-2000s, the song will leave you tapping your feet with the beat and singing along.

Get Started With: Get caught up by listening to the song that started it all: Everytime (Roy Pablo, 2017). With the played up treble, lo-fi sound, and somewhat ironic story, the song wraps up to be an instant favorite.

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65

FEATURE

Giving a fresh spin on laundry day

Words by Jewel Sta. Ana | Photos by Paula Candoy

Being a yuppie has its pros and cons. Apart from financial independence, you’re now bound to accept social responsibilities that are essential for your growth. This includes gathering up enough courage to stand for yourself and getting your hands dirty doing your own household chores. For busy bees who work from 8 AM to 5 PM, however, washing piles of dirty laundry can be a tedious task. Ray and Mary Jane Layoso recognized the need in their neighborhood, and went about offering a solution. To that end, 7 Folds Laundry was born.

7 Folds started in April 2012 when Ray Layoso, an IT professional, saw the need for a high-quality express laundry service in their community. At the time, the couple was living in a condo in Makati City. Below their condo unit was a laundry shop that constantly had bags upon bags of clothing waiting to be washed. Out of curiosity, he learned that customers usually take up to five days to receive their clothes.

Ray and his wife Jane then decided to acquire the business rights to an existing laundry shop and entered the laundry industry with its first-ever branch in Roosevelt, Quezon City.

The couple started small, with two top load

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washing machines and dryers. Ray implemented improvements to the shop, starting by shortening the wait between dropping your clothes off and claiming them to two days, and eventually changing its name to Rayne Laundry, a wordplay on the Layoso couple’s names. He juggled his work as a System Engineer and Administrator and as an entrepreneur for five years, but then decided to focus on his foray into the business on the sixth year.

Gearing up to provide Filipinos with quick and reliable laundry service for its seventh anniversary, he rebranded the shop to 7 Folds which signifies God’s number. “For me, number seven is a number

of blessing. It also represents the number of restoration that God promised in the Bible,” Layoso shared. He also switched its colors from blue to green, signifying rebirth and prosperity.

The pair’s fourth business venture, 7 Folds has successfully grown into a full-service and self-service laundry shop that now caters to both young professionals and students. The two other branches in Manila—one in Leveriza Street, Malate, and one located at the back of the Green Mall near De La Salle University—are equipped with state-of-the-art LG front load washers and dryers, well as a well-trained and accommodating staff that keep customers coming back.

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To stand out from its competitors, the shop started offering special services that involve dry cleaning of rubber shoes, stuffed toys, bags, pillows, and carpets. Layoso also shared that they expanded their services due to numerous inquiries from their patrons who couldn’t find the services they needed. “We always hear and attend to our customers’ needs. Most laundry shops in the metro only offer the usual full service. So when we saw that there was a growing market for those kinds of services, we decided to offer them at our shop.” 7 Folds also ensures to its customer that every item is handled with care, knowing that some are made from delicate materials.

Walk-in customers can avail of the wash and fold full service with free pickup and delivery for an affordable price of PHP 30, provided that the laundry weighs at least 5 kilos. As of this writing, it can only be picked-up and delivered up to a 2 km radius from the shop. Should they want to have their clothes delivered right to their doorstep the next day, they just have to make sure that the laundry weighs at least 7 kilos. The shop is also a go-to place for travelers who want to get their laundry on the same day. They just have to pay PHP 40 to avail of the wash and fold full service.

If they are in a rush, they can pay double and get their items within four hours. For those who want to do their own laundry, they can wash and dry their clothes for PHP 65 each provided that they meet the minimum required load of 5 kg.

To ensure the quality of its equipment, the laundry shop does daily cleaning of its machines,

quarterly cleaning on its exhaust system, uses hypoallergenic laundry detergents, and strictly implements a “one machine, one customer” policy.

7 Folds also offers commercial laundry to nearby hotels in the area. Among their clients are the food and beverage department of the Rizal Park Hotel.

At present, Ray and his wife are working to expand their business through franchising which is now under development. Recently, the shop introduced online booking through its website to give convenience They also plan to invest in

automated washers and dryers for efficiency. “Our vision is to be the preferred and trusted laundry shop in the metro by opening more branches and serving even more customers,” Layoso ended with a smile.

Operating hours: 7:30 AM to 9 PM Facebook: https://www.facebook. com/7foldslaundry/ Website: http://www.7folds.ph/

Branches: Roosevelt 313D VillaAzor Building Roosevelt Avenue, Brgy San Antonio, Muñoz, Quezon City (across BPI Family Savings Bank) Contact numbers: 573-0566, 0936-8223613 Malate 2202 Chua Building, Leveriza St, Brgy 711, Malate Manila (behind Assumption Parish Church) Contact numbers: 247-3480, 0917-7274522 De La Salle 78 Noli St corner Fidel Reyes St, Zone 78, Brgy 708, Malate, Manila (behind SMDC Green Residences Taft Avenue) Contact numbers: 526-7288, 0926-3408663

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SEPTEMBER 2019

67

HOME

Purified Personal Air Brought to you by DYSON PURE COOL ME

UP TO 90% OF OUR TIME IS INDOORS We, the indoor generation, are spending up to 90% of our time working, studying, eating, exercising, sleeping and playing behind closed doors. Our indoor environment—from the air we breathe to the dust, allergens and temperature we are exposed to—plays a vital role in our wellbeing.

When we talk about pollution, we often talk about outdoor pollution. But indoors, there is also more to air than meets the eye. In addition to pollution entering our homes when we open the windows or doors, common everyday activities and household items can also make air dirty.

In the bedroom, where we can spend up to one third of our lives, we may find VOCs (volatile organic compounds) from personal care products like cosmetics, hair spray, perfume, or scented candles. In the kitchen and living room, cleaning products emit VOCs; gas hobs and other cooking processes release particulate matter, fumes and odors; and carpets can collect dust and allergens. The Dyson Pure Cool Me personal purifying fan captures these pollutants and delivers cleaner air within your personal space.

Featuring Dyson’s air filtration and air projection technologies, this compact machine is a perfect fit for your personal space—whether beside your bed, on your desk, or in a nursery. The new Dyson Core Flow technology transforms the way purified air is delivered to you.

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DYSON CORE FLOW TECHNOLOGY, A TRANSFORMATION IN AIR PROJECTION TECHNOLOGY

For a personal purifying fan, a focused stream of air is crucial. Dyson Core Flow technology revolutionizes the way cleaner air is delivered to your personal space. Inspired by the aerodynamic properties in the Harrier Jump Jet, Dyson engineers discovered that when two jets of air meet on a convex surface, they converge to create a high-pressure core and a focused stream of air. By harnessing this phenomenon, they developed a way to project a stream of precise and focused air to cool you and deliver cleaner air all year round.

Adjusting a dome at the top of the machine allows you to precisely control the angle of the airflow. The Dyson Pure Cool Me personal purifying fan also features 70-degree oscillation for even more customization.

HEPA FILTER CAPTURES 99.95 PERCENT OF PARTICLE POLLUTANTS

The unique HEPA ensures no compromise in particle capture, so you can rest easy knowing cleaner air is being delivered to your personal space. HEPA media captures 99.95 percent of particles as small as allergens, and activated carbon absorbs and traps gases, odors and household fumes such as VOCs. The HEPA filter will trap even the smallest of particles, down to 0.1 micron. For reference, that is 300 times narrower than a human hair.

ACOUSTICALLY ENGINEERED FOR YOUR PERSONAL SPACE Designed for your personal space, the Dyson Pure Cool Me personal purifying fan is acoustically engineered to be as quiet as possible. A layer of acoustic attenuation foam in the base of the machine absorbs excess noise from the motor.

INTELLIGENT LIGHT SENSING FOR A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP Equipped with an intelligent light sensing system, the machine actively tracks the ambient light, and automatically dims or brightens the built-in LCD screen in real time to blend in with your surrounding environment. When the sensing system detects the space has become dark, it will automatically switch off the LCD screen. A sleep timer can be set so the machine will turn off after pre-set intervals ranging from 30 minutes to 8 hours.

The Dyson Pure Cool Me purifying fan retails for PHP 23,500 and is available in white/silver and gunmetal/copper colors.

It comes with a two-year warranty on parts and labor.

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SEPTEMBER 2019

69

VISUAL SPACE

A thrilling experience that combines technology and sports

Words by Jewel Sta. Ana

ABS-CBN has been venturing into a lot of fresh digital experiences for consumers. Just last year, the TV network giant launched its state-of-the-art indoor theme park that immerses guests on the Kapamilya universe. Expanding its horizons beyond the walls of the broadcasting industry, it continues to bring unique concepts in the form of themed attractions, and now, on activities. Partnering with Meleap, the media company brings in an AR game that everyone can play and enjoy.

WHAT IS HADO? A dynamic technosport, Hado combines augmented reality and physical activity. It is a non-contact, 3V3 dodgeball game designed to be played by two teams. Originating in Japan, the term literally means “vibration” in Nihonggo. Imagine Street Fighter’s iconic special attack, Hadouken, being played in real life. To play, participants wear VR glasses and a wrist-mounted motion sensor. Players then throw virtual energy balls at each other in a bid to score points for their side. Skills and attributes can also be customized for an in-game edge.

The team behind the game is the Japanese AR sports platform provider Meleap. As of this writing, the game has a strong presence in Asian countries like Japan, Malaysia,

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Singapore, Taiwan, China, and Indonesia. It’s also present in the USA and UK. Because of their stability and the consistency of their software, Apple devices were chosen to be used with the game. The gameplay looks simple but its setup can be quite complex, requiring a large space and solid internet connection. “We have an iPhone 8 for the VR glasses and motion sensors, as well as a computer in the back that connects to the server in Japan. Basically, it’s not something that’s for phone use,” shared Mark Coloma, project manager, ABS-CBN Themed Experiences Inc. Basically, what the players are seeing through their glasses is reflected on LCD screens presented to the audience. The Hado Team also has a fixed installation that they bring around as they tour and promote the game within Metro Manila.

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THE RULES What sets it apart from other sports, besides integrating AR technology, is that practically anyone can play. It merges strategy, physical play, and of course, technology, which summarizes what technosports in general are all about. ”Not only do you get your fitness in, but you actually reach the youth that embraces these technologies. I think that’s the biggest differentiator in everything here,” Coloma added.

Each player, as mentioned earlier, has special abilities and corresponding life indicators. They can launch energy balls at their opponents, as well as deploy energy shields that protect them from attacks for a certain period. The team with the most knockouts in the span of 80 seconds wins the game.

AS AN INTERNATIONAL SPORTS Apart from seeing Hado Pilipinas as a recreational game for families and friends, ABS-CBN sees it as a breeding place of new collegiate athletes. The network recently partnered with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) to introduce the game to the students of member schools. It will also hold an intra-school competition that will intensively train the drafted representatives and will, later on, compete against other teams to determine the final varsity team of each NCAA member schools. According to Coloma, training is necessary to familiarize the participants with the software.

The winner of the collegiate cup will win an all-expense-paid trip to Tokyo, Japan and will eventually represent the Philippines in the upcoming Hado

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World Cup 2019 that has a prize pool of up to 2 million Yen. ”We don’t only have a chance, (we) also have a fighting chance of actually performing well and winning the world cup this year,” he said with hope.

ABS-CBN will mount a boot camp to hold clinics for Hado within the ELJ compound in Quezon City. The Hado Pilipinas team also plans to establish fixed arenas inside malls where people can rent the equipment and play.

Coloma mentioned that the software may adapt 5G connectivity to improve battery efficiency in the future. ”There are many possibilities as to where Meleap can take the game. It’s how fast how the information travels that allows for a more complex system.”

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71

FOOD

TAKS ARGUELLES 2019 PHILIPPINE AEROPRESS CHAMPION

Words by Ren Alcantara | Photos by Chini Soriano

For many people, coffee is the only way to be useful in the morning. It’s a reasonably benign way to kickstart our brains, and throughout the day, offers a great way to step away from work for a minute, collect our thoughts, and keep from drooling all over ourselves at our desks.

For Taks Arguelles though, it’s become much more than that. After developing a taste for specialty coffee, he jumped right into the deep end, becoming part owner of a small, third-wave shop, and making a cup of coffee that won him first place in the recently concluded Philippine Aeropress Championship. Now gearing up as the official Philippine representative in the World Aeropress Championship in London this November, we got a chance to speak with Taks, and take a quick look at how he got from dabbling in specialty coffee, to national champion.

Taks’ interest started in 2012, after graduating from College. At the time, EDSA Beverage Design Group was open to the general public, and anyone could head in and have a cocktail or specialty coffee. At that point, third wave coffee was just starting to gain traction in the country, and Taks had little more interest in it than the next person. A cup of coffee from Arvee, EDSA’s resident barista at the time, revealed coffee as a much more complex drink than he had given it credit for.

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As a side note, Taks mentioned, that first cup was done in an Aeropress—a device that was getting a lot ofattention in the coffee world for being able to produce exceptional cups without a lot of hardware.

“It was interesting,” Taks shared. “There were so many complex flavors in that first cup—flavors that I didn’t think could be present in coffee, like hints of sweet fruit, caramel, and citrus,” he continued. At that point, he decided to try it for himself.

A purist in many things, Taks’ own foray into the world of specialty coffee started with pour-overs “because I felt that was ‘pure,’” he admitted with a hint of embarassment.

It was there he learned firsthand that making coffee could be a lot more rewarding than just running a percolator, or going instant.

“There are so many parameters to consider. There’s grind size, water temperature, pour

rates—and all of those change how your cup turns out. For me, it was rewarding to be able to change a few things, and get different flavors from same batch of beans.”

“I didn’t take any classes or anything, but I did have a lot of knowledgeable friends, some of whom were actual third-wave baristas by trade, and I learned a lot from them,” he elaborated.

From there, he embarked on the seemingly simple quest of getting the flavors he wanted.

He first decided to join the Philippine Aeropress Championship last year, in 2018. To prepare, he looked at previous recipes, and went with the winning one from 2017; the year prior. It was reasonably simple, and despite his relative inexperience, he managed to get as far as the semis, giving him the determination to try again.

“It was a bit like the scientific method, but a lot less scientific,” he laughed. “I wasn’t taking notes or anything, but I knew what I was changing, and I changed one thing at a time, basically trying to get a consistent brew.”

Taks went on to explain that getting repeatable results wasn’t easy, but the quest was increasingly rewarding. “I was basically just brewing for myself, and that hunt for consistency made me keep trying, even though it wasn’t always the best. I had an idea what I was after. Sometimes, all the changes brought me back to the start, which was frustrating, yes, but also made me more determined to get what I was after.”

For this year’s competition, he decided not to change a winning formula, and tried the competition beans with the parameters that won the world championship in 2018; the year he joined. “I didn’t like the result,” he laughed, “so I decided to try something I knew I did enjoy, which was again the winning recipe from 2017.” Much to his delight, it worked great, if a little too bright, so he drew on the experience that had built itself into a solid foundation. After changing some parameters, he managed to bring out a sweetness that he felt could give him a fighting chance.

He was right.

Round after round, his modified recipe saw him past more and more participants, until he found himself in the finals. When we asked him if he thought he would get that far, let alone take home the trophy, he referred us to the photo taken right at the point the winner was announced. “I had no idea I would get that far.”

Now, Taks is going to represent the country in the World Aeropress Championship in London at the end of the year, where he will be facing the best brewers from all over the world, to try and brew the perfect cup of coffee and put our country on the map in his own small way.

Until then, you can find him at the cafe he co-owns. 9/3 Cafe is located at 75B, Rosa Alvero, Loyola Heights, just off of Katipunan. One of the few remaining specialty coffee joints in the area, they offer great food, and specialty coffee, as well as special coffee blends that cater to people who might just be getting started with coffee. Anyone who wants to learn about coffee can also ask anyone behind the bar for a little extra knowledge, and if they want to consider going down the same path, the cafe also offers seminars ranging from basic brewing, to more advanced techniques, depending on the customer’s own knowledge level. Head over for a nice cup of coffee, but stay for the conversation, friends, and maybe even a boardgame or two.

As for advice to people wanting to try their own coffee journey, the champion has a few tips. “Find good coffee, and try different types from different places. You’ll find out what you like, and figure it out from there. You can get a great cup of coffee with simple tools.”

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SEPTEMBER 2019

73

ENTERPRISE

ENCASH and Ayannah launch first electronic POS device in the country

ENCASH President Juan Miguel Mapa and Panalo Express President Ian Atienza

ENCASH, the country’s leading non-bank ATM deployer, has partnered with Ayannah, one of the leading financial technology applications, to launch the Panalo Express SuperPOS. Panalo Express SuperPOS is a new product that aims to make electronic financial services more accessible to Filipinos. It is also the first electronic POS system that allows retailers and enterprises to process both cash-in and cashout services.

From left: Juan Miguel Mapa (president of ENCASH, Inc.), Myra Nate (CFO of ENCASH, Inc.), Monette Mapa (director of Sales, ENCASH, Inc.) Oliver Ian Atienza ( Panalo Express president), Bartolome Silayan, Jr. (Panalo Express director), Ramon Lapez, Jr. (Panalo Express chairman)

Using the ATM technology of ENCASH, cash withdrawals are now possible through the same POS device that can process mobile load top-ups, as well as various e-wallets top-ups and remittance through Ayannah’s growing remittance companies which now includes LBC, MLhuillier, Tambuting, Raquel Pawnshop, and RD Pawnshop.

“We are confident that in combining our awardwinning fintech application with ENCASH’s tried and tested ATM cash withdrawal service, Panalo Express will be in the best position to spur financial inclusion to majority of Filipinos,” said Richard Alikpala, president, Ayannah.

“Our idea of consolidating multiple financial transactions that most Filipinos perform on a daily basis and putting them all into one device aligns perfectly with our mission to provide better financial access to developing but unbanked communities,” said Juan Miguel Mapa, president, ENCASH.

The Panalo Express SuperPOS will also provide added convenience for retail merchants by providing all-in-one access across all major payment acceptance methods. Retail merchants using the Panalo Express SuperPOS will be able to process Visa and Mastercard credit card and debit card payments via Chip & PIN, PayWave

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“tap to pay” and process PayMaya, GCash, WeChatPay, and AliPay payments by scanning QR codes.

“The SuperPOS gives our growing network of agents the ability to accept all types of electronic payments as well as perform most if not all types of electronic transactions for their customers,” said Ramon Lapez Jr., Chairman, Panalo Express.

Panalo Express president Ian Atienza also notes that the company plans to deploy the SuperPOS to over 5,000 Panalo Express partners by the end of the year.

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Cashalo rolls out new payment solution Pay with Cashalo

Fintech company Cashalo has rolled out their new digital-credit payment solution, Pay with Cashalo. The new digital payment solution uses cutting edge technology and designed to provide a transparent and consumer friendly payment alternative to cash and traditional credit.

According to the data presented by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, only about 23 percent of Filipinos have bank accounts with even less owning a credit. Cashalo’s solution broadens the e-commerce experience of Filipino. Pay with Cashalo lets consumers pay for their online purchase even without a credit or a debit card.

As part of the launch, Cashalo has partnered with Cebu Pacific fulling integrating the new digital payment solution to the airline’s online payment method. Travellers can book a flight worth as much as PHP 7,000 on Cebu Pacific and pay later in installments over a period of three or six months. Credit approvals are also done in less than three hours.

“Through innovation, we are able to unlock greater financial possibilities for more Filipinos.

As a first-of-its-kind solution, we firmly believe that ‘Pay with Cashalo’ can transform how Filipinos from all segments of society transact online and build a more secure financial future.

We’re thrilled to launch this product with

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From L-R: Vice president for Digital Commerce of Cashalo Lina Lan and vice president for Marketing and Customer experience of Cebu Pacific Candice Iyog

our valued partner Cebu Pacific who shares our mission to empower every Juan with opportunities and create memorable moments,” said Hamilton Angluben, general manager, Cashalo.

through a fly now, pay later scheme. It will enhance payment options for our customers and even provide assistance to those who have urgent travel needs,” said Candice Iyog, vice president for Marketing and Distribution, Cebu Pacific.

“As Cebu Pacific enables every Juan to fly by broadening the base of travelers with affordable and accessible flights, our partnership with Cashalo will harness more potential travelers

Cashalo will be partnering with more e-commerce platform and merchants to integrate Pay with Cashalo as a payment alternative in the coming months.

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Visa and Robinsons introduce contactless payments in the Philippines

Consumers can now simply tap to pay with their Visa cards at any Robinsons Mall.

Country manager for the Philippines and Guam Dan Wolbert, and Robinsons president and CEO Robina Gokongwei-Pe kick off the partnership between Visa and Robinsons.

Visa recently announced that Robinsons, one of the largest chains of malls in the Philippines, is now accepting contactless payments at its department stores and supermarkets in the country. There will be over 700 contactless terminals enabled across 16 locations in the Philippines, where Visa credit cardholders can make contactless payments.

This innovation offers Filipinos a faster and convenient way to pay for their purchases, where they can simply tap their cards on a payment terminal to complete a transaction.

They will no longer need to dip, swipe or sign for payments under PHP 2,000.

“Contactless payments in the Philippines are starting to take off and we have been working

Contactless payments through Visa cards are applicable at Robinsons Department Stores and Supermarkets.

on expanding our contactless acceptance footprint in the Philippines. To date, we are seeing triple digit year-on-year growth in terms of contactless spend, and number of transactions in the country. With Robinsons coming on board as a key merchant partner, we believe more Filipinos will experience how fast, convenient and seamless contactless payments are,” said Dan Wolbert, Visa country manager for the Philippines and Guam.

“We want our customers to experience a faster, more efficient and secure way to purchase using contactless payments. This partnership with Visa paves the way to a new shopping journey for all of our customers, revolutionizing the way we transact and pay. Moreover, this helps our cashiers to attend to more customers

with contactless’ shorter transaction time and less waiting queues at checkouts. Contactless is truly the future of payments as we, Filipinos veer towards becoming a digital cashless society,“ said Celina Chua, group general manager of Robinsons Department Store and Toys R’ Us. “Contactless payments also help Filipinos to embrace paying with their payment cards for small ticket sized items. The average ticket size for contactless transactions is approximately 1,700 Philippines Peso. By expanding contactless acceptance with more merchants, we are onfident that more Filipinos will appreciate the benefits of contactless payments, which will help to accelerate the use of electronic payments in the country,” Wolbert added.

Source: IDC Quarterly Wearable Device Tracker, June 19, 2019

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POSIBLE turns sari-sari stores into digital hubs

POSIBLE prints out transaction slips as proof of payment.

Sari-sari stores have always been a staple among Filipino communities. According to Philippine Association of Stores and Carinderia Owners (PASCO), there are 1.3 million sari-sari stores nationwide. Despite the increasing number of malls and convenience stores, they are still the most frequented retail place by (94 percent) Filipinos, based on a Nielsen study in 2015.

With the POSIBLE Business Device, more kantopreneurs are evolving into all-in-one digital hubs in their communities. With 24/7 operations and convenient location, a sari-sari store can compete against bigger convenience stores, even malls.

Not your typical sari-sari store

Located near a mall in Malate, RJames Store was a typical sari-sari store. Vicky manages her family business; selling snacks, canned goods and other basic necessities. She recalls its humble beginnings, “Noon isang tao lang kasya sa tindahan. tatlong beses na naming inextend ‘yan (Back then, only one man could fit in the space.

We expanded the store thrice).”

RJames store also offers e-loading and e-money padala. Vicky noticed that the demand for e-money padala remarkably grew through the years. She says, “‘Yong money padala, ‘yon ang malakas sa ‘min talaga. Nakakaubos kami talaga,

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like for example, kapag payday, malakas talaga ang transactions. Umaabot kami ng PHP 100,000 sa isang linggo. (E-money padala is our top transaction. For example, it is really a hit during payday. Our transactions reach PHP 100,000 within a week).”

In 2016, Vicky saw the need to upscale her business and offered more services. With a PHP 45,000 investment, through POSIBLE, she expanded their business to include bills payment, select government fees payment, banking & financing services, bus ticketing, e-money padala, insurance, mobile loading and online gaming credits, among others.

For its wider array of services, fast transactions and convenient location, and in spite of competition from bigger stores and malls, RJames Store recorded a 65 percent increase in sales.

Vicky considers being a POSIBLE retailer as a huge factor to this success. She shares, “Gaya n’yan magbabayad ka ng kuryente mo jan, magpadala ka, s’yempre habang naghihintay ka, bumibili kayo ng merienda (For instance, while you pay your bills, you would also buy some snacks.).”

Transforming into an all-in-one digital hub

From being a traditional sari-sari store, RJames store is now a one-stop shop for digital financial

transactions. There are other options available, but convenience is paramount. Vicky narrates, “Bakit pa ako pipila doon sa mall para magbayad ng bills? Ang haba talaga ng pila doon, i-try natin POSIBLE. Iyon kasi talaga ang needs ng tao rito.

Halos lahat magbabayad bills. All-in-one na nga sa POSIBLE. (Why would I want to go to the mall to pay my bills? The queue there is quite long. I thought of trying POSIBLE because it’s really an all-in-one choice for payment transactions).

Vicky shares some instances when their neighbor’s water supply was almost cut off because of an unpaid bill. “Kahit sarado pa ang mall, pwede na silang magbayad ng tubig dito sa ‘min para hindi na sila maputulan ng supply ng tubig. (Even if the mall is closed, here they can pay their water bill to avoid disconnection).”

POSIBLE CEO JG Puzon notes, “We are pleased to see that our kantopreneurs are being enabled to offer services more than the traditional products in the community. With our innovations, we are seeing MSMEs upscale their businesses and make financial transactions even more convenient for Filipinos.”

Today, POSIBLE has over 5,000 empowered retailers nationwide, making digital financial services accessible to over 500,000 unique customers.

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CYBER SECURITY

Cisco PH recognizes the importance of communication in disaster mitigation Just in time for the rainy season, the Local Government Units (LGUs) of various regions recently started awareness drives and preparedness programs anchored on Disaster Risk Reduction and Mitigation (DRRM) for this year’s Disaster Resilience month.

The Asian Disaster Preparedness Center attributes the effectiveness of disaster reduction and response to the effectivity of managing information before, during, and after a disaster. However, utilizing relevant information is largely dependent on the availability and most importantly, the reliability of platforms for communication in place, according to Cisco managing director for the Philippines Karrie Ilagan.

“A huge part of the government’s DRRM measures for a disaster-prone country like ours is vigilant preparation as this is the foundation of our response to and recovery from disasters,” said Ilagan. “While preparation may involve tasks like having survival kits ready at home or LGUs readying early warning systems and transport systems like rubber boats and trucks, technology is a powerful tool that also plays a crucial role in DRRM and in fact, cuts across all stages of our disaster approach.”

All rights reserved to Sandra Cifo

Based on Cisco’s multinational partnerships, Ilagan forecasts communication technology greatly benefiting each DRRM aspect the government has in place: Prevention and Mitigation In order for the development of DRRM plans to be accurate, Ilagan believes communication technology must aid community assessments through solutions that facilitate end-to-end monitoring. She also highlighted that the reliability of these surveillance solutions is hinged on cloud platforms that allow seamless data gathering, storage, and exchange, easing the generation of vital community reports. Likewise, continual communication on surveyed areas is dependent on communication solutions that facilitate consistent exchanges between LGUs and their communities to ensure these reports are updated.

Preparedness

the time of each stakeholder through an all-inone platform. With technology, stakeholders will be able to utilize all the benefits of reliable audio conferencing with the added value of visual aids.

Response Collaboration among stakeholders, facilitated by reliable communication solutions, carries over to the next DRRM aspect of the response.

Integrated and coordinated search, rescue, and retrieval operations are fortified with resilient, uninterrupted communication among municipality.

Network Operation Centers

Strong partnerships and coordination among all key players like LGUs and their constituents rely on collaboration solutions that expand from traditional telecommunication platforms.

On the other end, mobile IP-based communication systems will aid on-ground operations using smallscale, independent Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP). The use of the Internet to facilitate phone calls bridges possible communication gaps caused by damaged or destroyed infrastructure.

To Ilagan, Video Conferencing innovates communication between these LGUs, giving critical meetings full context while maximizing

Tactical kits that are easy to deploy and navigate without the need for technical experts will greatly benefit early recovery implementations, as well by

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assisting in the public’s connection to family, friends, and colleagues in devastated regions.

Rehabilitation and Recovery Finally, on the road to recovery and rehabilitation, communication technology can aid reconstruction efforts for disaster and climate change resilient infrastructure through faster exchanges. A quick relay of data from small municipalities to national government offices like the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRRMC) has the potential to hasten assistance. Tactical solutions can ease reporting on potential or new hazards each region must take into account and can help facilitate monitoring for rehabilitation progress.

While recovery efforts are underway, mobile VOIP solutions can also provide interim connectivity infrastructure for constituents as communication tower reconstructions take place.

“We have plenty of use cases from different countries for our communication and collaboration solutions, Meraki Wifi, Webex, and Emergency Communication Kit--but all of them contributed to the effectivity of each nation’s disaster plan and we see the same potential in the Philippines,” Ilagan concluded. www.gadgetsmagazine.com.ph

Trend Micro launches first global detection and response center and certification programs

Trend Micro Executives during the official photo op.

Trend Micro Inc. strengthens its commitment to enhance Filipino talent through its establishment of a new solutions center in the Philippines.

The state-of-the-art center offers Managed Detection and Response (MDR) service in Manila, providing round-the-clock detection of cyberattacks across four sources: endpoint, networks, email, servers, and cloud workloads.

The facility utilizes Trend Micro’s MDR service, the Managed XDR, which employs extensive sets of data from a greater pool of protection points giving faster, accurate, and better insights. It provides organizations broader visibility over threats, alleviating the pain of the skills gap due to the scarcity of security experts.

Due to its complexity, the Managed XDR is exclusively carried out by a dedicated team with advanced security expertise and skills in investigating sophisticated threats. Around Trend Micro PH’s 1,000 local engineers are now assigned to the Managed XDR service.

“Trend Micro Managed XDR is global, servicing customers in key regions. We invested in our Philippine office to be among our headquarters for Security Operations Center (SOC) as it is backed by 20 years’ worth of expertise in cybersecurity. This is also Trend Micro’s new growth engine in our services and operations, and we believe that it will usher a

www.gadgetsmagazine.com.ph

Trend Micro officers explain the Managed XDR to the media.

new era and new generation of IT workforce, both locally and internationally,” said Max Cheng, chief information officer, Trend Micro.

Aside from recognizing the world-class Filipino talent in the area of cybersecurity, Trend Micro also wants to develop more experts in the field through its certified professional programs.

Recommended for security analysts, system administrators, cyber threat investigators, threat hunters, and security monitoring specialists, the

Trend Micro Certification Program is a 5-day course that focuses on fundamentals of Security Operations Center (SOC). It will be offered at the Trend Micro Philippines headquarters in Pasig City.

“Trend Micro will equip IT professionals from across the country with real-world experience in detecting and managing threats. The goal is to empower more Filipino professionals with the knowledge and skills to face evolving cybersecurity issues and develop into global cyber guardians” Cheng shared.

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BITS & BYTES

BPI-DOST recognizes science research of Filipino students The Department of Science and Technology and BPI Foundation lauded 30 outstanding college students for their scientific research and innovations at the 30th BPI-DOST Science Awards held last Aug. 2.

With the theme “Moving the Nation towards Sustainable Development through Science & Innovation” the BPI-DOST Science awards invited students from all over the country to contribute research and develop innovations supporting global sustainability goals.

Entries were judged based on their academic performance, commitment to research, research problem, application and relevance, and scientifictechnical soundness. It shortlisted 30 students to receive PHP 10,000 and a medal. From there it identified the top ten most promising entries to receive an additional PHP 15,000 and a certificate.

From the 10, two were named “Best in Innovation” and received another PHP 20,000 and a trophy.

The Project of the Year was awarded another PHP 25,000 and a trophy.

“Through these awards, we hope to inspire more Filipino students to pursue scientific researches and innovations that contribute to building a stronger and more sustainable future for all of us,” said Maricris San Diego, executive director of BPI Foundation.

BPI Foundation and DOST gives certificates awards 30 of the best scientific researches by Filipino students.

Winning this year’s Project of the Year and one of the Best in Innovation was Christian Badua, a BS Biology student from UP Manila who investigated how probiotics, specifically lactic acid bacteria, can be used in the treatment of colorectal cancer, one of the most common cancers in the Philippines.

Another awardee was Jay Patrick Niele, a BS Electronics Engineering student from UST, whose innovation helps locked-in syndrome patients communicate through a brain-computer typing interface that uses visual imagination of shapes and symbols.

Meanwhile, Jaime Gabriel, a student of Ateneo de Manila’s BS Chemistry program won the People’s

Choice Award for his study on how agricultural by-products can be harnessed in making printed electronic applications as components for technological devices.

Aside from awards, the two-day celebration featured a workshop from Professor Matthew Escobido of the Master of Science in Innovation and Business program at the Asian Institute of Management (AIM), and talks from Outstanding Science Alumni Awardees Dr. Leopold Ilag from Stockholm University, Dr. Luis Sison from DOST-UP Enterprise Center for Technopreneurship, and Engr. Maria Leah Flor De Castro from Ateneo de Davao University.

Lenovo SM Megamall concept store gets a modern look Providing Filipino customers a premium experience, Lenovo recently relaunched its newly renovated concept store in SM Megamall.

Showcasing Lenovo’s latest products, the Lenovo Exclusive Concept Store sports a more sophisticated and modern look to deliver outstanding customer service. The refurbished store located on the 4th floor in Cyberzone gives more room for visitors who want a firsthand experience of the brand’s growing portfolio of latest devices and accessories including its Yoga, IdeaPad, Legion, IdeaCentre, ThinkPad, and ThinkStation series.

According to Lenovo Philippines country general manager Michael Ngan, the renovation of the concept store will provide an overall better experience for their customers.

“One of the key strategies for growth that has helped Lenovo become the world’s #1 PC company in the first quarter of 2019 is to focus efforts into excellent customer service by giving them everything they need before they even 80

SEPTEMBER 2019

From left to right: Lenovo Philippines country general manager Michael Ngan, AccentHub president Derrick Yu, AccentHub vice president for Sales and Marketing Mike Taino, and Lenovo Philippines consumer lead Sally Yu.

know it. From the latest laptops to professional advice and support from our expert staff, our concept stores have all of these and that makes shopping for a new device a completely hasslefree experience,” he shared.

same time posting revenue of USD 11.7 billion and gross margin of 16.2 percent, both surpassing projections. These figures gave Lenovo the number one spot in PC shipments by Gartner for the first quarter of 2019.

This strategy has helped position Lenovo as a global technology leader. During the fourth quarter of Fiscal Year 18/19, the company’s net income soared to USD 118 million while at the

Currently, there are 19 Lenovo Concept Stores serving clients in key cities across the nation. The Lenovo Exclusive Store in SM Megamall is open daily during mall hours from 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM. www.gadgetsmagazine.com.ph

Dutch cyclist tops Le Tour de Filipinas 2019

Dutchman Jeroen Meijers of Taiyuan Miogee Team reaches the finish line.

The annual professional road bicycle race, Le Tour de Filipinas, recently celebrated its 10th anniversary. The 5-stage event lets participants travel the southern part of Luzon, covering a total distance of 822.2 km.

A total of 14 teams (five local and nine international) competed against each other over five days. The race started with an out and back route to and from Tagaytay City which was the shortest among the five legs. Starting from the Praying Hands Monument in Tagaytay City, the route featured two intermediate sprints with a King of the Mountain (KOM) leg standing in the riders’ way to the finish line. After a three-hour drive from Tagaytay City, the cyclists arrived at Pagbilao, Quezon and then traveled southwest towards Daet, Camarines Norte. The third stage continued southwards from Daet, towards the City of Legazpi in Albay. Stages 4 and 5 both started and ended in Legazpi City under the shadow of Mt. Mayon.

The breathtaking view of Mt. Mayon served as the backdrop for the last stage of 2019 Le Tour de Filipinas. Riders passed by the iconic volcano as they start in Legazpi Boulevard and head east to circle around Guinobatan and Donsol. They all crossed the finish line for the final time at Rizal Avenue.

In the end, Jeroen Meijers of Taiyuan Miogee Cycling Team’s early lead in Stage 1 would prove to be too much, even with Mario Vogt of Team Sapura Cycling’s two first-place finishes, as the Dutch rider took the throne in the Individual General Classification of Le Tour de Filipinas 10th edition.

Completing the winners in the said division is Mohd Zamri Saleh of Terengganu Inc. TSG Cycling Team which clinched third place. www.gadgetsmagazine.com.ph

For Filipino riders, Marcelo Felipe of 7-Eleven CLIQQ-Air21 finished on the 11th spot while Mark John Lexer Galedo of Celeste Cycles-Bianchi Philippines managed to break into 15th place.

Daniel Habtemichael of 7Eleven CLIQQ-AIR21 won the U-Freight Best Young Rider award while Marcelo Felipe won the SPL Best Filipino Rider

award. Vogt takes the Cargohaus Best Sprinter award while Philippine’s Jhon Mark Camingao was named as the NMM Best Climber.

Licensed by Union Cyclist Internationale (UCI), the race also determines the chances of the teams on qualifying for the 2020 Olympics.

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Logitech opens first Logitech G concept store Logitech Philippines, in partnership with PC Express, has opened the first Logitech G concept store in the country.

The Logitech G store is located at the 5th floor of SM North EDSA Annex, and will exclusively sell Logitech’s G series peripherals. Customers can get up-close and personal with Logitech’s gaming series peripherals via their on display setups.

Customers can also determine what sort of gear they need by trying out different devices for different games.

“For the past, Logitech has dreamed of providing fun to its fans and customers and I think today we have embodied that vision because everyone can just come here and really experience the products we are giving out. So before buying, its normal practice for the consumers to check out kung anong bagay na peripherals para sa kanila.

(What peripheral fits them) For every game that they play, Logitech would have a product to cater to their needs. This is the first one, we won’t stop here, there’s definitely going to be more because Logitech wants to bring that experience to everyone,” said Jarmine Borja, country manager, Logitech Philippines.

Logitech opens its first concept store in the country.

The Logitech G store is Logitech’s first physical store in the country, though the brand has been a big name in gaming gear and peripherals for decades. It has provided gaming equipment to big gaming leagues such as the League of Legends Championship Korea (LCK) and sponsored teams in different games such as G2 gaming, and TSM. “The Philippine market has been growing steadily for us and it is only until now that we see the investment would maximize the effect now. And we think that it is now that the gaming community

has established a base with us and enjoy this place and experience the full joy of Logitech G products,” said Bernard Chow, country manager for Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Logitech.

As part of the celebration, Logitech invited streamers and gaming personalities to spend some time with fans. The streamers also unboxed some Logitech products and played one-on-one games with customers.

Logitech also offers discounts on its products at the store for a limited time.

AMD officially launches their latest products in the PH While the new Ryzen and Radeon SKUs have been available on shelves for about a month now, AMD has finally gotten to launch it to members of the press and distributors at a huge event in Quezon City last August 7, 2019.

Representatives from AMD’s regional office were present and extremely pleased to formally show off the Philippine lineup of processors and video cards.

At the top of the list are the new Radeon graphics cards. The RX5700 delivers superior 1440 graphics, and raises the bar for gaming with the all-new RDNA architecture. With PCIe 4.0 support, 8 GB of GDDR6 VRAM, users get up to 1.5 times the performance per watt over the previous generation. With additional features such as Radeon Image Sharpening, that gives significantly increased image fidelity at virtually no performance hit, and Radeon AntiLag that cuts down the input-to-display times, for that little edge you need for eSports. The Radeon RX5700, and Radeon RX5700 XT are available now for PHP 20,873, and PHP 24,461 respectively.

The prices for the Ryzen processors are as follows:

The third generation Ryzen processors were also officially announced, with Zen 2 7nm process technology for superb performance-per-watt particularly over the competition. Whether it’s straight-up gaming, streaming, or content creation, these new processors bring superb value for money to the PC segment.

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Ryzen 3200G – PHP 5,900 Ryzen 3400G – PHP 9,275 Ryzen 3600 – PHP 12,250 Ryzen 3600X – PHP 15,200 Ryzen 3700X – PHP 20,500 Ryzen 3800X – PHP 24,400 Ryzen 3900X – PHP 31,000

www.gadgetsmagazine.com.ph

PLDT strengthens presence in Quezon City PLDT and Smart recently unveiled their first converged store in Quezon City. Located at the fourth floor of Ayala Malls Vertis North, the one-stop experiential hub and digital lifestyle store feature customer-centric interiors and innovative digital installations.

The new PLDT-Smart Store features a self-service InfoTouch Booth which allows customers to view and print billing summaries, as well as check account details and submit repair requests. The Smart Super Kiosk, on the other hand, enables customers to pay their bills or requests a change of SIM card without having to queue. To check data usage for different types of online activities and estimate download and upload times, there’s the Broadband Visualizer that aids customers in deciding the most suitable broadband plan according to their needs. An Interactive Table is also set up for guests who would like to browse, play, watch or listen while waiting for their companions in-store.

The newly opened store not only marks a milestone but also recognizes Quezon City as one of PLDT and Smart’s key markets. According to their records, the city holds the biggest number of wireless subscribers in Metro Manila and is the second largest nationwide for the fixed-line, business subscription.

PLDT and Smart Executives officially open the new PLDT-Smart store.

Currently, PLDT’s stores in Quezon City are located at SM North EDSA, Diliman, Fairview, Balara.

Smart also has stores in key areas in Quezon City including SM North EDSA, Eastwood Mall, Robinson’s Magnolia, Ayala Fairview Terraces, Araneta Gateway, SM Novaliches, Ali Mall Cubao, and SM Fairview. Moreover, Sun’s standalone stores are in New Farmer’s Cubao, Ali Mall Cubao, Robinson’s Magnolia, SM North EDSA, SM Fairview, SM Novaliches, SB-Centris, SB Fishermall.

“With the opening of the newest PLDT-Smart Store in a strategically located and upscale mixed-use development in the north, we are expanding our footprint and strengthening our brand presence in this area. We want to ensure that our customers have access to the best of what we offer by bringing our services closer to them,” shares Alex O. Caeg, SVP and Consumer Business Customer Development head, PLDTSmart.

Oppo opens the world’s first 5G-powered hotel in Australia Tech geeks and keen travelers who are looking for a luxury getaway without spending too much should put this latest offering from Oppo on their list. Clue: it’s not a mobile device.

Oppo ventures to the tourism industry by opening the doors of the world’s first traveling 5G-powered smart hotel to the public. Scheduled to tour around 5G locations in Australia over the next few months, the Oppo 5G Hotel sports a matte black exterior and minimalist interior touches to for an elegant feel. It’s currently located at the Gold Coast, at Australia’s very own Home of the Arts (HOTA).

The luxury one-bedroom suite is jam-packed with the latest technologies including 5G cloud gaming, buffer-free streaming, a range of immersive AR apps, and advanced smart home features. It’s also powered via Oppo’s latest Reno smartphone.

The 40 ft shipping-container-turned-futuristic hotel boasts a Smart Mirror which enables occupants to link their mobile devices and watch the latest news, get updates on stocks, read the morning newspaper, watch movies, or get the ideal light for the perfect mirror selfie. Through the hotel’s 5G Gaming Suite, guests can experience a high-end gaming computer in the palm of their hand. Users can access a library of games and play locally on the PC or through the Reno 5G smartphone. Connected to a Google Home www.gadgetsmagazine.com.ph

The hotel is powered by Oppo’s new flagship smartphone, the Reno 5G.

Hub, guests can also use the Reno 5G to control the lighting through voice commands, play their favorite songs from YouTube Music, ask questions, as well as get visual and immersive answers from Google.

The hotel is equipped with a number of immersive AR apps, letting the users experience it first-hand.

These include an interactive introduction to the Reno 5G and an AR Wardrobe which enables guests to preview different outfits in a virtual AR runway.

For buffer-free entertainment, there’s the high-speed and wireless Internet connection powered by 5G

Make the most of a quick vacation with speedy connections.

which is ideal for downloading, streaming, and watching digital content on the hotel’s widescreen TV. While staying in the OPPO 5G Hotel, guests may enjoy the Glow Festival, Farmer’s Markets, as well as the dancing in the Green and the Gold Coast Eisteddfod, the largest performing arts show of its kind in Australia.

A night of stay in the Oppo 5G Hotel costs AUD 150 per night for two people. All proceeds from bookings will be donated to local charities.

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Petron Gasul showcased at 2019 WOFEX Sakto, Sulit and Safe – the 3S guarantees of Petron Gasul were showcased at the 2019 World Food Expo (WOFEX) held last August 7-10 at the SMX Convention Center where the country’s leading home LPG brand was a Gold Sponsor.

One of the highlights of the event was a cooking demonstration by Chef Ernest Reynoso Gala, managing director of culinary training studio, Galastars Culinary and a Petron Gasul user for more than 10 years.

Chef Ernest, an internationally-trained chef, attests to the product’s safe and efficient qualities.

“In cooking, you need the best ingredients, but we also need the best gas to create something beautiful whether it’s a cake or a main dish. Petron Gasul is the best in the market. It’s sakto, sulit, and safe. What they’re advertising, it’s the truth,” he said.

Sakto means the right weight, so you get exactly what you are paying for, whether it’s 2.7-kg, 7-kg, 11-kg, 22-kg, or 50-kg refill tanks.

Sulit means it is more economical with its consistent true-blue flame. Poor-quality LPG produces a smoky yellowish flame that coats pots and pans with black soot, which means higher consumption of LPG. Petron Gasul, on the other hand, emits a true-blue flame that cooks your

food faster while keeping your pots spick and span. All these translate to efficiency, both in LPG use as well as your precious time.

Safe means that all Petron Gasul cylinders have passed quality and safety checks. Petron Gasul cylinders are manufactured to meet stringent safety standards set by the Department of Energy (DOE) including wall thickness, weld integrity, and valve fitting. A laser-printed quality seal is your assurance that each Petron Gasul delivered to your home has passed rigorous safety testing.

At the Petron Gasul booth, fair-goers were offered promotional prices. A 2.7-kg Gasulette with GS3 burner package – perfect as a reserve tank at home, or for those family camping trips – was sold at only PHP 1,299. Also available were the standard 7-kg and 11-kg tank for general household cooking needs, as well as the larger 22-kg and 50-kg tank for restaurants and other commercial applications.

22-kg Petron Gasul tanks were used as the official kitchen gas at the cooking stations during the four-day Philippine Culinary Cup, the most prestigious cooking competition in the country.

Another highlight of the Petron showcase at WOFEX was the availability of exclusive Petron Limited Collection items such as Lamborghini

Cooking demo by Petron Gasul user Chef Ernest Reynoso Gala (right).

mugs, Porsche toy cars, and Avengers collectibles, giving fair-goers a chance to catch up on items that may be missing from their collection.

Beyond WOFEX, Petron Gasul continues to provide convenience through its order system which can be done simply by sending a text message to 0917-878-8000 and waiting for a call to confirm your order details. The refill can also be ordered through the hotline 737-8000 or through the Gasul FB page, www.facebook.com/ GasulPH

HP finds millennial PH parents want “future-proof” kids HP Inc. just released the findings of the HP New Asian: Earning Experience Study, which shows that the majority of millennial parents in the Philippines want their children to be able to adapt to a future that is technologically driven. Furthermore, it showed that most of these parents are realists who are aware of the potential problems their children face, but are willing to put in the effort necessary to ensure their kids are prepared for such trying circumstances.

“The study gives us insights on how learning is evolving, and where our innovation can ensure these young learners thrive,” said Pallasena V Viswanath, Managing Director of HP Philippines.

Further findings showed that other concerns include the rising cost of living, and job security for their children. Another interesting point was that the majority of families are willing to spend part of the family’s income on extra classes and activities to give their children an edge, putting the country among the highest in the region to want to do the same.

Parents in the Philippines also believe that a combination of print materials, and digital tools are the best approach, and delivers the most benefit.

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HP, through its range of innovative printers and personal computers such as the HP DeskJet Ink Advantage 3775, and the HP Pavillion x360,

reinvents learning to ensure that students have the right tools to develop their skills and help their practical, creative, critical, and inventive learning. www.gadgetsmagazine.com.ph

NASA invites entries for 2019 International Space Apps Challenge National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the American agency responsible for aerospace research, calls for participants in its 48hour international hackathon.

Called Space Apps, the annual contest gathers coders, scientists, designers, storytellers, makers, builders, and technology enthusiasts around the world to form a team and to use NASA’s open data to build innovative solutions that will address real-world problems on Earth and in space. Since its inception in 2012, NASA’s International Space Apps Challenge has become the world’s largest global hackathon, recording over 18,000 participants at more than 200 events in 75 countries.

“I am thrilled and excited to continue the tradition of inviting students and professionals, beginners and veterans from the Philippines to join this prestigious global hackathon by NASA,” software developer Michael Lance M. Domagas said.

“In fact, a Pinoy team winning globally last year makes Filipinos inspired to use these technologies in helping the society we live in, especially now that a law has been passed creating the Philippine Space Agency,” he added.

It will be the fourth time that the Philippines will participate in the Space Apps.

Last year’s winning team, who developed an app seeking to use scientific data to benefit fishermen, even without an Internet connection, is being incubated at Animo Labs. It is the technology business incubator of De La Salle University in partnership with DOST-Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development.

“Animo Labs looks forward to see these kinds of projects being developed by Filipinos with the help of NASA data and resources, and we are happy to host it again at De La Salle University,” said Mr. Federico C. Gonzalez, executive director, Animo Labs.

The Space Apps will be held globally on Oct 18 to 20, 2019. Deadline of registration is on October 7, 2019 at 11:59 PM. Interested teams may register at https://spaceapps.splashthat.com/

RoboCon takes centerstage in Commercenter Alabang Commercenter Alabang will hold its first-ever robotics competition, RoboCon on September 14.

Held in partnership with RoboRAVE International and RoboRAVE Philippines, the competition is open to all Filipino students from elementary to senior high school. The competition aims to challenge young Filipino inventors’ skills in robotics.

marketing a working, innovative robot to an audience including subject-matter experts. The robot must cost PHP 150,000 or less to make and can be autonomous or remote-controlled. Any platform and design constraints will be verified by the organizers during the event, and winners will be determined via votes of attendees and experts.

“Who knows? From this group of young tech game-changers might come the next Elon Musk or Bill Gates. Robotics is the game of the future, and we are glad to contribute to the honing of the future A-players in this field.”

The SumoBot category lets teams of two design, build and program an autonomous robot that can push one or more opponent sumo robots off an elevated wrestling ring. Participants will be divided based on their division (elementary, high school, and senior high school) and each SumoBot must cost PHP 75,000 or less. SumoBots will have no height limit but its base must not exceed 400 square centimeters. The toughest SumoBot to survive all rounds will be declared the winner.

Participants can choose to compete in three different categories Entrepreneurial, SumoBot, and a-MAZE-ing—each testing different facets of robotics. Work will be judged based on purpose, function, marketability, and strategic thinking.

The a-MAZE-ing challenge lets teams of two build an autonomous robot that could clear a raised wooden maze without falling off. The robot must cost no more than PHP 75,000 with its volume not exceeding 65,030 cubic centimeters.

The Entrepreneurial category will challenge teams, composed of three contestants, in

The robot must complete the maze within 120 seconds. Teams can attempt as many as 10 runs

“We at Commercenter Alabang are excited to offer our youth this platform where they can put their penchant for science and technology in action, literally,” said Leslie Tagle-Dinglasan, AVP for marketing of Commercenter Alabang.

www.gadgetsmagazine.com.ph

to get their best scores. All mazes are identical with approximate challenge dimensions.

Winning teams will be awarded certificates, trophies, and medals. Winners will also be invited to join the 2019 RoboRAVE International: Philippine Invitational set on October 25 to 27 for free courtesy of RoboRAVE Philippines.

For more details, you can visit RoboRAVE Philippines’ Facebook page at facebook.com/ RoboRAVEPhilippines.

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NOW Telecom may be preparing to be fourth telco in the country

(L-R): NOW Telecom business development Kristian Pura; NOW Telecom chief technology officer Rene Rosales; NOW Telecom president Rodolfo Pantoja; Hyalroute Co-CEO Dana Dong; PFOCN co-managing director Walter Li; and PFOCN co-managing director Tony Wong

Is NOW Telecom gearing up to be the country’s fourth telecommunications company?

According to industry analysts, this seems to be so, following the signing of a memorandum of understanding with the world’s leading provider of shared communications fiber network, a move that is expected to facilitate NOW’s move into the 5G (fifth generation wireless network technology) space and its expansion nationwide.

Singapore-based HyalRoute Group, through local subsidiary Philippine Fiber Optic Cable Network, Ltd. (PFOCN), is investing between USD 1 to USD 2 billion to roll out a fiber optic cable network in the Philippines, which will then be leased to telcos, Internet service providers (ISPs), and cable TV operators, among others.

An earlier regulatory filing by NOW Telecom’s affiliate and listed firm NOW Corporation revealed that PFOCN and NOW Telecom will collaborate on the commercial aspects of shared fiber infrastructure assets nationwide, including access to fiber optic cores and other related facilities. The collaboration will strengthen and support NOW’s nationwide expansion.

Newly installed Information and Communications Technology Secretary Gregorio Honasan has said that he was open to a fourth or even a fifth telco.

China Telecom-backed Ditto Telecommunity (formerly Mislatel consortium) earlier bagged the right to become the country’s third telco, after PLDTSmart Communications and Globe Telecom.

Earlier, the DICT, which has also signed a memorandum of agreement with PFOCN, said in a statement that the latter’s investment will address the need to extend the fiber optic network to rural areas, which local telcos are unable to do at the moment because these areas are considered nonviable.

Media reports quoted HyalRoute chairman Huang Xinglong has said that this investment project will greatly improve the status of communication infrastructure, particularly fiber network, while improving broadband penetration rate and speed to meet the needs of the general public. The rollout of PFOCN in the country will be done in phases starting this year until 2028. The company will be giving preferential rates to the government for its free WiFi and National Broadband Program while the rest of its capacity will be leased to other players.

NOW Telecom also said both parties intend to collaborate on the fiber optic cable network rollout that will strengthen and support NOW’s nationwide expansion.

Last June, ALT Global Solutions, one of the 24 telecommunications tower-sharing companies that have signed an MOU with the DICT, reported that it has also signed an agreement with NOW Telecom for the provision of shareable telecom infrastructure.

Analysts say that with this impending partnership with NOW Telecom, which has a 25-year congressional franchise to provide telecommunications services throughout the Philippines and is a cellular mobile telephone system (CMTS) licensee, is in the best position to be the country’s fourth telco, beginning with the partnership with PFOCN.

ALT Global director Sherwin Hing told media earlier that while they are talking to all three major mobile network operators, so far they’ve signed with NOW Telecom. He said a partnership with ALT Global will allow telcos to utilize their shared tower infrastructure to enable rapid deployment of cellular equipment, and in some areas increase cellular density in preparation for 5G.

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In a chance interview, newly elected NOW Telecom president Rodolfo Pantoja said that their impending partnership with HyalRoute and PFOCN will accelerate NOW’s nationwide deployment through the availability of a nationwide transmission backbone.

Pantoja explained that when coupled with NOW’s fixed wireless capability for the last mile and using spectrum exclusive to it, NOW Telecom can reach consumers faster than a pure fiber-based broadband provider at a fraction of their capital expenditure, thus leading to more compelling broadband offers.

He emphasized that the collaboration with HyalRoute will be open to NOW Telecom underserved markets that are currently prohibitive due to the huge capex needed, adding that the presence of a provider-agnostic fiber operator solves one of the key infrastructure elements of NOW’s 5G plan and allows NOW to launch truly disruptive 5G offerings.

“The nationwide backbone (of HyalRoute-PFOCN) allows us to replicate our success in Metro Manila with guaranteed throughput broadband services that continue to resonate with enterprises especially those where availability of reliable broadband is mission-critical,” Pantoja added.

NOW Telecom has announced earlier that it plans to offer 5G or fifth generation wireless technology which will allow the delivery of up to 20 gigabit per second speed to enterprises and homes.

Pantoja explained that 5G will allow high wireless bandwidth in low latency scenarios, allowing for further complex technologies to exist. “5G is necessary for the Internet of Things to thrive. With cloud computing, you can now decentralize the business of telecommunications,” he said. www.gadgetsmagazine.com.ph

HyperX breaks record for fastest memory HyperX, the gaming division of Kingston Technology, has set a new overclocking world record for the fastest DDR4 memory frequency at 5902MHz. It broke the record with a HyperX Predator DDR4 8G module and an Intel Core i9-9900K on an MPG Z390I GAMING EDGE AC motherboard.

Earlier this year, the HyperX Predator DDR4 was used to set the world record at 5608 MHz. Since then, HyperX has expanded its Predator DDR4 memory module product line to 4266 MHz and 4600 MHz frequency along with latencies from CL12-CL19.

Optimized and compatible for the latest chipsets from Intel and AMD, the HyperX memory modules are Intel XMP-ready. It is available in 4 GB-16 GB single modules and kits of two, four, and eight with capacities of 8 GB –128 GB. The HyperX Predator DDR4 memories are factory tested at speed and backed by a lifetime warranty, with free technical support and legendary reliability.

The HyperX Predator DDR4 modules are available through the authorized HyperX dealers nationwide.

For more information, you can visit the HyperX Memory website at https://www.hyperxgaming. com/en/memory

Traveloka Xperience gives you seamless travel and lifestyle experiences Traveloka, a leading travel and lifestyle online booking platform, and one of the fastest growing technology companies in Southeast Asia, marked the official launch of its “Traveloka Xperience” product in the Philippines, a simple and easyto-use platform to discover and book travel and lifestyle activities in Traveloka.

During the event, Milani Franco, market and partnership manager of Traveloka Xperience Philippines said, “Traveloka is proud to form partnerships with key players in various leading markets like attractions, tours, activities, beauty and health, sports, events, transfers, and more, and introduce them to both local and international users. We would like to take this chance to recognize and thank the efforts of Traveloka’s business partners for the wonderful relationship and trust toward our growing platform.”

The product categories under Traveloka Xperience include: Attractions, Events, Beauty & Spa, Entertainment, Sports, Classes & Workshops, Tours, Transports, as well as Travel Essentials. The current inventory consists of more than 15,000 exciting inventories across more than 300 destination across globally.

Users can now easily discover and book things-to-do with instant confirmation from a www.gadgetsmagazine.com.ph

Milani Franco, Market and Partnership Manager of Traveloka Xperience Philippines and Sylvia Gunawan, Head of Revenue & Growth Traveloka Xperience

comprehensive range of options, from beauty and spa services in your neighborhood areas to fun-filled multi-day trips abroad with your friends or family. All of the bookings are offered at competitive prices, with convenient payment options, and instant booking confirmation.

Traveloka remains to be the Philippines’ first and only online platform that integrates all travel and lifestyle booking services, including flights, accommodations, airport transports (including pick-up and drop-off services), and also tickets for other things to do, such as tour packages, dining, entertainment, etc.

To provide various options for users and expand its inventories, Traveloka Xperience has built strategic partnerships with international players, like Resorts World Sentosa, Universal Studios Singapore, Hong Kong Disneyland, Tokyo Disneyland, Cartoon Network Amazone, and more. It has also partnered with local players like Enchanted Kingdom, Dreamplay by Dreamworks, The Mind Museum, Art In Island, The Dessert Museum, among others.

For further information and updated promotions, go to https://www.traveloka.com/ en-ph/ SEPTEMBER 2019

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Lalamove welcomes CitySavings as first bank partner for motorcycle financing Leading on-demand delivery app Lalamove has sealed a partnership with UnionBank’s thrift arm CitySavings, to provide motorcycle financing for units purchased at its accredited dealer-partners nationwide. Through the partnership, Lalamove partner drivers can enjoy flexible payment options plus rebates when buying Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, and Yamaha motorcycle models.

Aside from the one-day approval and easier requirements, payment settlement has also been made more convenient thanks to PERA HUB’s 350 branches nationwide. This will impact over 35,000 partner drivers in Greater Metro Manila and Cebu, areas where Lalamove currently operates.

“We are confident this partnership will be a success, given the ease of availment and convenience it brings our drivers,” shared Lalamove managing director Dannah Majarocon.

“Imagine acquiring a brand new motorcycle where you don’t need to show a payslip or go through a burdensome and difficult process— with CitySavings, our first bank partner, this is not just a possibility but a reality,” she added.

(L-R): Lalamove strategic partnerships lead Cherianne Mangrobang; Lalamove strategic partnerships manager Akiko Sumulong; CitySavings managing director - motorcycle loans business group Adm. Feliciano A. Angue, (Ret.); Lalamove managing director Dannah Majarocon; CitySavings vice-president - motorcycle loans business group Ruel Aquino; and CitySavings asst. vice-president - motorcycle sales head Eric Valdez

“City Savings proudly announces its strong partnership with Lalamove in providing and financing the needs of the motorcycling public.

With this partnership, we enable greater participation of motorcycle users in the rapidly

expanding economic activities in the country today,” said City Savings Bank managing director for motorcycle loans business group Adm. Feliciano A. Angue, (Ret.).

Mober launches Driverpreneur Program Filipino on-demand logistics provider Mober has launched its Driverpreneur program which aims to turn driver-partners to entrepreneurs.

Through the program, individuals can rent a van from one of Mober’s partners which they can then use to fulfill delivery requests made on the Mober app. The drivers pay a certain amount daily depending on the type of van rented. After the five-year program, the van will be under their ownership.

“With this program, drivers will have an easier time becoming an entrepreneur with Mober,” said Dennis Ng, founder and CEO, Mober.

Previously, potential partners needed to provide their own vans to work with Mober.

However, partners with fleets of vans had trouble finding high-quality drivers to operate them.

Ng also noted that in the three years Mober had operated, driver-owners received the most booking but these drivers only made up 30 percent of Mober’s entire fleet, highlighting a mismatch between supply and demand.

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Mober’s partner drivers were also often part of the 77 percent of Filipino adults who are unbanked or have no formal financial account.

This meant that Mober’s driver-partners will be unable to apply for a vehicle loan to purchase their own vans.

These problems are all addressed by the Driverpreneur program, which aims to create more driver-partners who have their own vans and manage their own businesses as Mober drivers.

Individuals with a friend or relative who want to work as a Mober driver but do not have their own van can also participate in the program. As long as they pay the daily fee that ranges from PHP 800 to PHP 1,000, they’ll be able to get significant returns for their investment. Mober will even take care of the maintenance of the van during the five-year period, reducing costs on the drivers’ end.

Ng also adds that individuals who will adopt an unbanked driver can have a return investment of 60 percent after five years.

“We’re proud to be part of the success stories of our drivers, and we hope the Driverpreneur

program will give many others the chance to grow with our company,” said Ng. For more information about the Driverpreneur program, you can visit Mober’s website at www.mober.ph

www.gadgetsmagazine.com.ph

PLDT-Smart boosts SM Cyber Month with new data offerings Leading telco and digital services provider PLDT and its wireless unit Smart Communications, Inc (Smart) are supporting SM Cyber Month with its new mobile data offerings for YouTube and gaming for digitalsavvy Filipinos.

Gaming enthusiasts, shoppers, and guests can explore gadgets on display, listen to tech brands talk about their latest products, join the NBA2K tournament, and get great deals during SM’s Cyber Month.

“Aside from free charging and free LTE SIM upgrade, gamers can also drop by the Smart booth to join mini tournaments, learn from a vlogger camp, and other special discounts during the event,” said Louie De Guzman, assistant vice president and center head of key accounts management at PLDT-Smart.

“We are here to provide the fastest fixed and mobile network services to support the Filipinos’ increasing appetite for data, particularly for gaming and e-sports. With Smart’s Free YouTube for all and evolved GIGA offers, Filipinos can pursue their passions more whether through social media, videos, or online games,” said Precy Katigbak, vice president and head of national key accounts at PLDT-Smart.

New GIGA offers drive Smart’s mobile data traffic Smart launched evolved data offers (GIGA Video, GIGA Games and GIGA IG+FB) earlier this year, and these have contributed to the rise in mobile data usage on the network, mostly because of the increased time spent by subscribers watching videos online.

As of the first quarter this year, monthly YouTube users further increased by 35% compared to the previous quarter, while viewership of other video apps like NBA, iWant and iflix have also more than doubled. In addition, the volume of monthly Mobile Legends data traffic also increased by 141% in the first quarter.

Philippines’ fastest network PLDT and Smart are continuously expanding and modernizing their fixed and mobile networks, backed by a historichigh capital expenditure of P78.4 billion this year.

The capex investments are to further expand coverage and to increase capacity to handle the exponential growth in data traffic. The ultimate aim is to deliver the best data customer experience.

Smart has raised the total number of LTE base stations to about 18,000 as of the first quarter. Smart

Patrick Pacla, senior assistant vice president for sponsorship and Cyberzone led the opening ceremonies of SM Cyber Month, together with Louie De Guzman, assistant vice president and center head for key account management at PLDT-Smart, and other partners and executives

is also activating carrier aggregation across its sites, enabling the network to deliver even faster mobile internet services by combining the capacity of two or more frequency bands.Meanwhile, PLDT has further expanded its total fiber optic cable network footprint to 259,000 kilometers. This fiber network also supports Smart’s mobile network by providing high-capacity links to cellular base stations

Agoda launches Mix and Save feature Agoda, one of the world’s fastest growing digital travel platforms, has launched a new feature, Mix and Save, for extra budgetconscious travelers, allowing customers to save up to 50 percent in some instances, by booking the cheapest combination of available rooms within the same hotel.

Leveraging Agoda’s technology and strong relationships with accommodation partners around the world, the new feature gives customers the option to split their reservation into multiple bookings and helps them to maximize savings when they search for stays between 2 to 14 nights at any of Agoda’s two million properties worldwide.

“Our customers inspire us to innovate. We’ve seen them ‘mix and save’ through trial and error, where they would split their stay and stack different room deals to get the best overall price, which can be cumbersome and time-consuming. Traditionally OTAs have made the assumption that guests wouldn’t change rooms, but our tests have shown that, for the right savings and low price, there are travelers who will be flexible and change rooms during their stay to get a better deal. We are excited to be

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the first major global online travel agent to make these ‘hacker-rates’ available. Mix and Save helps partners to optimize inventory and reflects our commitment to offering Agoda customers the best possible price.” said Omri Morgenshtern, chief operating officer, Agoda.

Currently available on desktop, Agoda is looking to enhance the offering in coming months, allowing users to enjoy Mix and Save deals on mobile, and making it more seamless for travelers by combining the split bookings in a single reservation.

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AOC launches new gaming monitors and commercial displays

Cooking demo by Petron Gasul user Chef Ernest Reynoso Gala (right).

AOC Monitors, the country’s leading brand for consumer and business-grade displays, continues to innovate with the arrival of its firstever public display and latest gaming monitors.

The company has been involved in the local eSports scene and in the first quarter of 2019, AGON Monitors, the brand’s own gaming line, made an impression in the Agon Dota 2 Invitationals. The company now gears up to offer its monitors to professional gamers and casual fans all over the country to keep ahead of the competition in the market. AOC recently released the G1 series, along with G2590X and G2790PX as a preparation for the AOC’s Battle of Visionaries PUBG Tournament on July 2020.

Bringing convenience and simplicity in the setup of digital signages, the AOC Commercial Display sports a Full HD LED technology that delivers punchier and more accurate colors.

It boasts four-sided, 3.5mm slim bezels for immersive viewing experience and an IPS panel for better viewing at any angle.

Setting up graphics is now made easier with the AOC’s Cloud Content Management System (CMS), allowing users to seamlessly create, manage, and publish from their own computers.

This makes content update more convenient on the displays, reflecting all the changes made in the monitors connected. The AOC commercial displays also have a SmartPlayer feature that

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AOC discuss their latest display.

plays content from a USB device and supports all sorts of connection like VGA, HDMI, and USB 3.0.

The commercial displays are built to last up to 18 hours a day, one week of continuous use. The company also ensures that there were no issues of outages, breakages, or overheating in using these displays over a long period of time.

The AOC Commercial Display has two variants: D-Line (46-inch) and X-Line (55-inch). The D-Line costs PHP 69,800 while the X-Line retails at PHP 50,750. Both will be available for online orders soon.

The D-Line and X-Line commercial displays.

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Filipinos win big at DoTA 2’s The International Several Filipinos are now millionaires after joining esport’s biggest tournament, in terms of prize money, DoTA 2’s The International.

The annual DoTA 2 tournament is the culmination of the DoTA 2 Pro Circuit (DPC) which pits the best teams in the world against each other. This year the tournament has gathered a total of USD 34,330,068 (about PHP 1.8 Billion) for its prize pool.

Nine Filipinos were part of the multimillion dollar tournament, the second largest among all the nationalities to take part. The Filipinos came from three different teams, TNC, Fnatic, and Mineski.

Djadel “DJ” Mampusti and Abed Azel “Abed” Yusop were part of the Southeast Asian Team Fnatic who bowed out in the first round of the tournament after losing to European squad Team Liquid in a do-or-die match. Mampusti and the rest of Fnatic took home USD 514,951 (about PHP 26.8 million) for their 13th to 16th place finishe.

Michael “ninjaboogie” Ross Jr. and Ryan Jay “Raging Potato” Qui of Southeast Asian team Mineski ended the tournament in 9th to 12th place netting themselves USD 686,602 (about

PHP 35.8 million). The team managed to beat CIS team Navi in a best of one, but failed to get past DPC first placer Team Secret in the second round of the tournament.

eventual seconder placers in the process. With the loss to Liquid, TNC ended the International at 9th to 12th place winning USD 686,602 (about PHP 35.8 million).

Meanwhile All-Filipino team TNC Predator looked dominant among the SEA teams starting the tournament on the Upper Bracket. However a loss against Chinese team Vici Gaming saw them facing Team Liquid in the second round of the lower bracket. The Filipinos failed to regain their composure and momentum losing to the

Winning the whole tournament was Europeans OG, the defending champions from 2018. OG is DoTA’s first repeat champion and the first team to win The International two years in a row.

They won 45.5 percent of the total prize pool amounting to USD 15,620,181 (about PHP 814 million).

ONE TEKKEN Tokyo Invitational Registrations now open Get a chance to battle some of the world’s greatest Tekken players and win USD 9,000 (about PHP 471,000) in ONE Champion’s ONE TEKKEN Tokyo invitational.

Known for its mixed martial arts tournament, the ONE TEKKEN Tokyo invitational is part of ONE Champion’s venture into eSports.

“ONE Esport’s first ONE TEKKEN Tokyo Invitational tournament is a testament to the quality and pedigree that ONE will bring to the fighting games community. We are pleased to have the best pro and amateur players in the world competing in our tournament and we look forward to telling their inspirational stories in the way that only ONE can do,” said Carlos Alimurung, CEO, ONE Esports.

The main tournament will take place on October 5 at the Bellesalle Shibuya in Tokyo, Japan. The 3v3 tournament will showcase three teams of pros and the winners of the community tournaments battle it out for a USD 15,000 prize pool and the honor of being the first winner of the ONE TEKKEN Tokyo invitational.

The tournament is part of the two-day ONE Martial Arts Fan Fest which also features top ONE Championship athletes such as Demetrious

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“Mighty Mouse” Johnson and Eddie “The Underground King” Alvarez as well as martial arts legends Rich Franklin and Miesha Tate.

The community tournament will be played in a single-elimination format with the winners joining the TEKKEN 7 pro players in a round-robin matchup before proceeding to a single ladder format for the finals.

Some of the pro player invited to join include 2018 Tekken World Tour champion Jeong

“Rangchu” Hyeon-ho. He will be joined by Lim “Ulsan” Soo-hoon and Kang “Chanel” Seong-ho.

Meanwhile invited Japanese pro players include Shoji “Double” Takakubo, Kachi “Pekos” Yota, and Genki “Gen” Kumisaka. Another All-star team from other parts of Asia includes Thailand based Nopparut “Book” Hempamorn while his teammates will be announced at a later date.

Registrations are open until September 27.

Interested players must form teams of three and register for the community tournament at ONE Esport’s website, www.oneesports.gg.

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RELIC

Words by Jose Alvarez

Steve Jobs was known as one of the most innovative technological minds in the history of personal computers. Having started Apple in 1976 with Steve Wozniak, he had become an overnight success with the Apple II (1977) and Macintosh (1984). Both are considered watershed moments in personal computing history as the Macintosh was the first mass-produced PC with a graphical user interface (GUI). However, that did not last long, and Jobs was forced out of his own company by 1985. Jobs formed NeXT, which would focus mostly on the higher education and business markets. His first project at the new company was the NeXT Computer.

NeXT Computer was unveiled in October 1988 in San Francisco, California. Steve Jobs was the speaker at “The NeXT Day” at the San Francisco Hilton. Educators and software developers were in attendance. It debuted for USD 6,500 (around USD 13,770 in 2018) and had a new operating system, NeXTSTEP. The PC also featured a Motorola 68030 at 25 MHz, 68882 FPU at 25 MHz, and a 56001 digital signal processor (DSP) at 25 MHz. It shipped with 8 MB of memory which was expandable to 16 MB of RAM, and featured a 256 MB optical drive and optional hard disk. The NeXT PC was unusual in that it had a cube-shaped tower (as opposed to the towers we see on desktop PCs today).

The NeXT Computer was critically acclaimed—one magazine said that it showed “what can be done when a

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personal computer is designed as a system, and not a collection of hardware elements.” It was ahead of its time with an optical drive, DSP, as well as an object-oriented programming environment which was rare at the time. Despite its beefy specifications, it had nowhere near the commercial success of the Apple II, Commodore 64, Macintosh, or Microsoft Windows PCs, but gained a very niche audience, mostly in business, education, finance, and government.

Why is the NeXT Computer so important? Tim Berners-Lee used a NeXT Computer to invent the Internet. The world’s first web server (CERN httpd) and web browser (WorldWideWeb) were developed on the NeXT Computer between 1990 and 1994. The NeXT Computer was also used to develop the first electronic app store, the Electronic AppWrapper, in 1991. First-person shooter (FPS) games such as Doom, Doom II, and

Quake were all developed on NeXT machines at id Software, alongside other games that used the Doom engine such as Hexen, Heretic, and Strife.

The world’s first online food delivery system was also developed on a NeXT machine, long before people sat at home and ordered food from home (Jobs’ first order was pizza with tomato and basil).

The NeXT Computer is arguably one of the most unheralded inventions, yet one of the most important ones as it pioneered the Internet, award-winning games, phone apps, and more.

While Jobs did ultimately return to Apple in 1997 (after founding Pixar in 1986, which produced the first 3D computer animated film, Toy Story) and brought the NeXT Computer with him, his time away from Apple allowed him to become more innovative and pioneered some staples of technology today.

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