Speed March-April 2021 by speedmagph

TECHNOLOGY FOR THE FAST-PACED LIFESTYLE

MARCH-APRIL 2021

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ISSUE.195

CONTENTS

03-04.21

Cover Feature BTS is taking over the world. And it looks like there’s no stopping them.

47 hotspot

People@Speed Meet Dexie Diaz, a 17-yearold streamer who is now conquering social media.

EVERY MONTH

Cover Story

6 Outbox 8 Contributors/ Staff box 10 Inbox 76 Billboard 80 Store Directory 81 Mobile Buyer's Guide 88 Before You Go

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, industries and businesses that have been at the top came crashing down. One industry, however, thrived as we became, quite literally, a population of couch potatoes: the gaming industry.

Feature

Motoring

Intrigued about tabletop RPG? Roll the dice and read this firsttimer’s guide.

Let’s clear the air and bust some myths about hybrid cars.

Check out the best movies and series to watch on your favorite streaming platforms.

MARCH-APRIL 2021

Press Play BTS x Samsung Image courtesy of Samsung

ISSUE.195

trending

Tech Frontiers

A fully customizable laptop, a fully recyclable shoe, and a future-ready city (by IKEA)

Click Here Get rappin’ with BARS, create beautiful stories of your workout with Any Distance, and go live with three of your friends via IG Live Rooms.

Games 5 Pinoy-made games we can’t wait to play

Arsenal All the latest gadgets and cars, including B&O’s first wireless gaming headphones, Marshall’s first true in-ear wireless earbuds, Maxus’ first compact SUV in the country, and more.

MARCH-APRIL 2021

CONTENTS proving ground

03-04.21

columns

71 manual

Technosphere FOMO, or fear of missing out, is what’s driving streaming services—especially now that many of us are homebound and hungry for some entertainment.

How To

Beat pandemic fatigue, speed up your PC’s boot time, and prevent your Instagram account from being hacked.

All About the UX Planning a trip to Boracay this summer? Trixie Reyna-Benedicto tells us why the QR code is your best friend when traveling to the island paradise.

Tested

Ask the Editor

Hot products we tested this month.

We answer any tech curiosity, trouble, or query you have in mind.

Game on Resident gamer Jovi Figueroa shares one of the lessons the pandemic has taught her: it pays to be a patient gamer.

OUTBOX

INOCULATE AGAINST THE BLUES G

aming was already a favorite activity across audiences before the world was locked down to fight a global pandemic. Not surprisingly, the activity level now is exploding.

A year in confinement has accelerated gaming as an antidote to confinement—a “cure” to our new social isolation reality. People of all ages suddenly found themselves with more time on their hands. Whether they’re casual or hardcore gamers, they discovered that gaming platforms and apps meet some of our most important needs during this time: entertainment, escape, connection, competition, and mental stimulation. In this issue, Speed looks at how games have become legitimate avenues of social networks and opportunities, how indie games are becoming less niche, and what gear you should invest in if you’re serious about gaming. We also list down five Pinoy-made games we can’t wait to play, and interview a 17-year-old streamer who’s now conquering social media. Elsewhere in this issue, we also write about the movies and series streaming on your favorite services, the hottest gadgets in town, myths about hybrid cars, how to beat burnout, and yes, the Bangtan Boys—the global phenomenon that has the world at its feet. We hope this issue keeps you entertained!

MARCH-APRIL 2021

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF katrina@speedmagazine.ph

MEET THE GEEKS EDITORIAL editorial@speedmagazine.ph EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Katrina Rivere-Diga | katrina@speedmagazine.ph ONLINE CONTENT PRODUCER Anthony Sierra | ant@speedmagazine.ph CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Andy Leuterio, Gadjo Sevilla CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Anjon Galauran, Ayie Licsi, Demai Granali, Earl Manalansan, Jovi Figueroa, Pat Calica, Trixie Reyna-Benedicto

DESIGN

CRE ATIVE CONSULTANTS John Paul Dizon Carmela Balitaan FINAL ARTIST Arnaldo G. Santos

SALES & MARKE TING SENIOR SALES MANAGER James B. Orlanda | james@speedmagazine.ph

GET YOUR TECH AND LIFESTYLE FIX ONLINE. Download the free digital copy of Speed from speedmagazine.ph, ISSUU, and Magzter.

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marketing@speedmagazine.ph

ADMIN | PRODUC TION PRODUC TION OFFICER Kate Villareal | production@speedmagazine.ph HRD OFFICER Lala Nañola-Talob | lala@speedmagazine.ph CIRCUL ATION MANAGER David R. Domingo Jr. | circulation@speedmagazine.ph

PUBLISHER Airo Media International, Inc. CEO/PRESIDENT Marcos A. Sosmeña | nmsosmena@speedmagazine.ph CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Susan M. Sosmeña | smsosmena@speedmagazine.ph LEGAL COUNSEL Tolentino Corvera Macasaet & Reig C TP AND LITHOGRAPHY Megatone Printhauz, Inc.

Speed is published monthly by Airo Media International, Inc. Address all correspondence to 123 Gen. Ordoñez St., Marikina Heights, Marikina City 1810. Our telephone numbers are (02) 8374-6771 to 73. All rights reserved. Speed is a registered trademark of Airo Media International, Inc. (AMII). Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher is prohibited. The views and opinions expressed in this publication are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of AMII and its officers and management. While every care is taken to ensure that the content of Speed is accurate, the publisher and printer assume no responsibility for any effect from errors or omissions arising therefrom. Likewise, the advertisers in this magazine are separate and independent from AMII. AMII does not in any way warrant or guarantee the accuracy or genuineness of the contents provided by the advertisers and AMII shall not be responsible for any false information or misdeclaration provided therein.

MARCH-APRIL 2021

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INBOX

Hail to the Queen! Hi there!

First of all, I love the color combination you used in your January-February cover. It’s so trendy and so 2021. And then of course, there’s Queen C. She looks fab! Simple but elegant. I also liked her answers to your questions, especially the one where she said there’s no such thing as flawless or perfect. She really is a true queen inside and out. Great issue, Speed! Looking forward to the next one :)

I downloaded your Jan-Feb issue and I spent a good chunk of my day reading it. As always, there’s so many things to learn and discover. But I must say I really enjoyed your Q&A with Mr. Portus, who’s such an inspiring young man. I hope he succeeds in his endeavors!

Rhea Galvez

Belle Clemente

INSPIRING IMMANUEL Hello, Speed!

TIMELY TIPS Hi, Speed! Thank you for publishing the “Wear it, work it!” story in your recent issue. It’s so timely because I got a smartwatch as a Christmas/New Year from my sister and I really wanted to know how to maximize its use. Now I’m excited to start my fitness journey :D Franco Lim

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM

YOU! 10

MARCH-APRIL 2021

Talk to us. Share your story. Tell us what matters to you. We value your views. Send us an email at editorial@speedmagazine.ph or drop us a message on our Facebook page (@SpeedMagazinePH).

Framework Laptop

PICK YOUR PORTS, SWAP YOUR SCREEN The worst thing about laptops is that they’re virtually impossible to upgrade. Most of the components are soldered in, which means when you run out of storage or memory, or the battery no longer holds a charge, you’ll pretty much have to toss your machine in the trash. Framework, a San Francisco-based startup founded by former Oculus engineer Nirav Patel, wants to change this by creating a sleek, lightweight, and fully customizable laptop. The Framework laptop features a 13.5-inch display hidden behind a series of magnetic bezels, making it easy to replace. It also packs 11th-gen Intel Core chips, Wi-Fi 6, up to 64GB of DDR4, and up to 4TB of Gen4 NVME SSD storage. The laptop comes with four expansion card bays that let you choose exactly the ports you want—in the position you want. You can also swap out the battery and even change the keyboard language and layout, if you wish. According to the company, it will allow others to build and sell compatible modules for the laptop through its Framework Marketplace. Here’s hoping this cool, modular laptop doesn’t fizzle out like other projects before it.

TRENDING

MARCH-APRIL 2021

TECH FRONTIERS

IKEA IS ASSEMBLING THE CITY OF THE FUTURE IKEA is stepping outside the four walls of homes.

READY-TO-RECYCLE RUNNER Have you ever wondered what happens to your worn-out sneakers when you throw them away? Yup, they will likely spend the next few decades in a landfill, adding to the world’s waste crisis. That’s why some sportswear manufacturers are stepping up and thinking of how they can become part of the solution. adidas has done it with its FUTURECRAFT.LOOP shoe. Now, Salomon is following suit with its first fully circular shoe. The Index.01 starts its life as a performance running sneaker. What’s interesting is that when it reaches the end of its life, every single part can be recycled and reused. The shoe’s upper, made of recycled polyester upper, can be recycled into new thread for fabric. The bottom unit—made of nitrogen-infused, TPU-based foam—can be ground into tiny pieces and recycled to make Salomon ski boots. Nothing is wasted. According to the French sports equipment company, they will use regional collection centers to gather used shoes, clean and disassemble them, and then send the materials to local partners for recycling. The recycled materials will then be sent to manufacturers, who will breathe life into something new.

In partnership with the city of Helsingborg in its native Sweden, the flat-pack giant is starting on a project called H22, which will explore sustainable solutions to the challenges that come with urban living. A City Expo slated for Summer 2022 will take place in and around Helsingborg, which was recently named by the European Commission as one of Europe’s most innovative cities. IKEA will carry out three different pilot projects in three of the city’s neighborhoods with the goal of making life easier for everybody everywhere—just like assembling the iconic bookshelf. In Drottninghög, IKEA will establish an urban farming marketplace that aims to upskill residents and create new jobs and businesses. A site called ‘The Garden’ will serve to grow organic produce, which will then be cooked and prepared in ‘The Kitchen’ and sold at ‘The Market.’ Oceanhamnen, on the other hand, will become a hub for IKEA’s own designers who will brainstorm and apply their own visions around the future of retail, manufacturing, and the home. There will be interactive exhibitions of the latest product concepts. Meanwhile, in the city forest of Fredriksdalsskogen, IKEA will create an outdoor camping space using sustainable material and a self-sufficient energy and water system. To generate a virtual global discussion around issues relevant to housing, students from around the world will be invited to design new affordable home solutions.

MARCH-APRIL 2021

CLICK HERE!

Make room for these apps Getting bored with the apps on your phone? Looking for something new to download? Head on over to your app store and check these out.

Instagram Live Rooms Android, iOS | FREE

Want to start a live talk show or jam session on Instagram with up to four people? Simply update the app to use the new Live Rooms feature.

Facebook BARS iOS | FREE

Are you an aspiring rapper who wants to get your air out there without having to pay for expensive equipment? Facebook’s got your back with BARS. This app allows you to access professionally created beats that you can rap over for your 60-second videos. To help you amp up your performance, BARS comes with audio and visual filters and a rhyming dictionary just in case you suffer from creative block. Think you’re getting better at rappin’? There’s a Challenge mode where you can freestyle based on auto-suggested word cues. Once completed, videos are uploaded in a TikTok-like feed.

The feature allows up to four people to video chat in a live broadcast, compared to the previous limit of two. This will let you reach new audiences, drive sales, or engage with your community by starting talk shows, hosting jam sessions and podcasts, and more. To start a Live Room, swipe left, pick the Live camera option, add a title, and tap the Rooms icon. As a broadcaster, you can add up to three guests at once or one by one.

Any Distance iOS | FREE

So you’re serious about fitness? Congratulations! Now, why not share your fitness journey to inspire others to work out or take up some form of activity as part of their lifestyle? How? Try Any Distance, an app that turns your workout into beautiful stories to share to social media. It’s compatible with a wide variety of workout types including running, cycling, hiking, walking, snowboarding, and skiing, and can be synced with Strava and Apple Health. Add a photo to a selection of templates, customize the look, design with data (such as distance, average speed, time), and include a simple outline of the route so you can share a unique beautiful image of the place you ran or cycled and share it on social media.

MARCH-APRIL 2021

GAMES

5 Pinoy-made games we can’t wait to play WORD S J OV I FIGU EROA

It’s time for Filipino developers to shine on the international gaming stage!

Perfect Gold: The Alchemy of Happiness

Good Knight

After the success of The Letter, a horror visual novel, and Love Esquire, an RPG dating sim novel, here comes another visual novel from Yangyang Mobile for yuri lovers.

What happens if you combine Dante’s Inferno with the horrors, history, and literature of Philippine mythology? What you’ll get is this crazy, exhilarating arcade game that’s dubbed as the first ever orbital shooter arena. Bullets are flying everywhere, almost kaleidoscopic in pattern, as you battle the demons of the different levels of hell.

(PC)

Perfect Gold stars two young women, Audrey and Marion, who will have to escape detention to attend the Sunflower Festival. What’s interesting about this visual novel is that you’ll get to play as both characters, deciding the paths they will take to get to different unique endings. Immerse yourself in the beautiful soundtrack, voice overs, and artworks that create the fantasy city of Castlecoast. Unravel a heart-tugging story between two girls who get a second chance at love and friendship. You can now download the Perfect Gold demo on Steam, and wait with bated breaths until its release. 16

MARCH-APRIL 2021

(PC)

Although Good Knight is inspired by games like Super-Hexagon, Castlevania, and Touhou, it’s easier to say that this game is genre-less. It’s a rhythm game, a retro arcade game, a shooter—and on top of it all, hardcore metal. Good Knight has already attracted attention, thanks to bagging several awards from game conventions like the Electronic Sports and Gaming Summit (ESGS) and Game Developers Association of The Philippines (GDAP) GameOn. The PC demo was also released in 2019 and can still be downloaded at good-knight.itch.io.

5 PINOY-MADE GAMES WE CAN’T WAIT TO PLAY

Lawmage Academy (PC)

Final Fantasy meets Harry Potter in this exciting new RPG that lets you live your magical wizard dreams. In this game, you play the character of a student invited to study at Lawmage Academy, where you can be sorted into one of four houses, attend classes, learn spells, craft potions, create meaningful memories with your classmates, and fight monsters you encounter in the wild. Created by solo indie game developer Verinius in 2018, Lawmage Academy is now set to release via Steam by 2022. But if you’d like to experience its magical 2D world, you can now download the demo through Steam or verinius.itch.io.

Project Xandata (PC)

Probably one of the games that we’re most excited about is Project Xandata, a skill-based, team-focused, competitive 3v3 first-person shooter by veteran Filipino developer Secret 6. Heavily influenced by classic competitive FPS games such as Destiny, Halo, and Quake, Project Xandata debuted at ESGS 2016 to overwhelming support by fans and gamers. Eventually, it started attracting international spotlight, winning Best in Technology at Level Up KL in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and Best Downloadable Game and the People's Choice Award at Casual Connect in San Francisco, USA. Four years after and we’re seeing major development from the team working on the game. In December 2020, Project Xandata surprised fans when it went public and launched a limited-time worldwide testing that opened the demo to players all over the world. At this point, there were three classes (marksman, agent, and juggernaut), four maps, three game modes, and nine weapons available to test. From the gameplay videos so far, we noticed that the maps are heavily influenced by Overwatch’s aesthetics. The pace is good and exciting, the mechanics are smooth and intuitive, and the world is really starting to take shape. Project Xandata is already listed on Steam for PC, but still without a concrete launch date. But honestly, if Project Xandata gets the funding it deserves, it’ll give Apex Legends and Valorant a run for their money.

Jack Axe

(PC, coming to Nintendo Switch) Here’s something for the hardcore platform gamers who like to torture themselves with impossibly difficult pixel stages. Jack Axe is an upcoming 2D open-world platformer from developer Keybol Games, who previously released successful titles such as Grand Guilds, Tower Fortress, High Noon Revolver, and Kill The Plumber. This time, they’re flipping the plumber Mario concept by introducing the axe-wielding Jack, a young woman who decided to break taboo and take on a “man’s job” despite the protestations of an irate god. More than its colorful and vibrant 2D graphics, Jack Axe fuses Norse and Filipino mythology and puts girl power front and center. And you know there won’t be male gazing here because the game is actually written by couple Bari and Melai Silvestre, with the help of their three daughters. While the release date has yet to be announced, we’re already very excited especially after Keybol Games joined the Steam Game Festival in February to showcase the four-player compatibility of Jack Axe with the Steam Remote Play Together. MARCH-APRIL 2021

ARSENAL

SPEED AND PERFORMANCE realme GT 5G

MARCH-APRIL 2021

REALME GT 5G

In the automotive world, GT stands for grand tourers— sports cars designed to go long distances at high speeds, and combine both high performance and reliable attributes. Like its automotive counterpart, realme’s first flagship of 2021—the realme GT 5G—is all about speed and performance. Codenamed “Race” before it was officially launched, this smartphone is powered by the top-of-the-line Qualcomm Snapdragon 888. It’s even made available in a yellow variant (which reminds one of a certain sports car) that’s made with vegan leather and comes with a black racing stripe. Those who want a more subdued color can opt for the blue or silver variants. The realme GT 5G runs on realme UI 2.0 based on Android 11. It’s equipped with a 6.43inch Full HD+ AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate, 360Hz touch sampling rate, and 91.7 percent screen-to-body ratio. In the camera department, this phone has a triple rear camera setup: a 64-megapixel main, 8MP ultra-wide, and 2MP macro snapper. There’s also a 16MP front-facing camera. In China, where it was initially launched, the realme GT 5G comes in two variants: the 8GB + 128GB model priced at CNY 2,799 (or around P21,000) and the 12GB + 256GB model priced at CNY 3,299 (roughly P24,700).

MARCH-APRIL 2021

ARSENAL

TECH LOOK

READY TO PLAY

Staying at home has given you more time to pursue your hobbies. And if you’re a gamer, you’ve probably found some time to finally finish slaying the beasts in Monster Hunter: World or whatever game you’ve had to put on hold pre-pandemic.

Need to do a quick grocery run? Dress up in simple but stylish garb: (2) adidas Kermit the Frog tee (P2,100) paired with (3) Wrangler Elvis Low Rise Slim Tapered Five Pocket Jeans (P1,699.75)

Ready to play more? The (1) ASUS ROG Flow X13 (P99,995 for the Ryzen 9; P89,995 for the Ryzen 7) might just be your best gaming buddy. This 2-in-1 convertible gaming laptop is a powerful ultraportable that rocks a Ryzen 5000-series processor and a GTX1650 GPU. And don’t worry about overheating because this machine has heat pipes and all-new Dual Arc Flow fans to keep it cool.

Slip on these chunky (4) Timberland Solar Wave Knit Low Sneakers (P6,790) with bungee cord laces.

MARCH-APRIL 2021

Ride to your destination on your (5) Mi Electric Scooter Pro 2 (P34,990). It can climb 20% incline slopes effortlessly, travel up to 25kph, and last up to 45km on a single charge. Needless to say, the Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Teaminspired design looks uber cool.

ARSENAL

TECH LOOK

FITNESS FANATIC

Spending a year in lockdown hasn’t stopped you from taking care of your physical health. You’ve taken your workouts from the gym to your living room. Getting fit with friends means going online and doing pushups and burpees together—virtually. Going for a run around your village is also part of your early morning routine. Suit up and put on the (1) Nike Women’s Engineered Running Tank (P2,095) with Dri-FIT technology. Need to layer down after your run? The tank can be packed into the internal pocket on the left side for convenient on-the-go storage.

Pair it with the versatile (2) UNIQLO Airism Cropped Jogger Pants (P990).

Lace up and go with the (3) Nike Air Zoom Vomero 15 (P7,795) with Nike ZoomX foam in the heel and Air Zoom unit at the forefoot.

Keep motivated with music and never miss a call with the (5) Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro (P9,990) in your ears.

MARCH-APRIL 2021

Don’t forget to strap on the chic (4) Garmin Lily Sport edition (P11,395) so you can track your fitness level and even monitor your heart rate and blood oxygen saturation.

ARSENAL

TECH LOOK

BEACH, PLEASE!

More domestic destinations are opening up for local tourists. If you’re looking to fuel your wanderlust—safely and responsibly, of course—book a flight or drive to your beach destination of choice and bask in the summer sun. Stay updated and connected with the (2) Lenovo K12 Pro (P9,990). This phone has a 6.8-inch Max Vision display, a triple rear camera setup, and a massive 6,000mAh battery that supports reverse charging.

Enjoy sunsets and capture the beauty of nature with your (1) Fujifilm X-E4 (P47,990, body only; P59,990 with XF 27mm F2.8 R WR Lens kit). This X series camera packs a 26.1MP X-Trans CMOS 4 sensor and fast and accurate autofocus.

Take long, leisurely walks on the shore in a (3) Mango Man Regular Fit Floral Print Shirt (P2,995) and (4) Regatta Textured Drawstring Deck Shorts (P695) with textured weave.

Slip on a sleek pair of (5) Birkenstock Kyoto Soft Footbed (P9,990) with an adjustable hook and loop closure. Its additional foam layer offers extra comfort all day long.

MARCH-APRIL 2021

ARSENAL

CHALLENGING BOUNDARIES

Redmi Note 10 Pro

The most capable of the Redmi Note 10 series, the Redmi Note 10 Pro comes with features that feel like they come from a flagship spec sheet. Almost. For one, its quad camera setup boasts of a 108-megapixel Samsung ISOCELL HM2 camera sensor with 9-in-1 pixel binning. The rest of the sensors include an 8MP ultrawide, 5MP telemacro, and 2MP depth. In front is a 16MP camera. The Redmi Note 10 Pro also has an Arc side fingerprint sensor and a 6.67inch 120Hz AMOLED DotDisplay with Gorilla Glass 5. Powering this phone is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 732G (sorry, no 5G here), 6/8GB RAM, 64/128GB storage, and a 5,020mAh battery with 33W fast charging.

BIG BATTERY, BIG ON PERFORMANCE

Samsung Galaxy F62

This ain’t a power bank, but the Samsung Galaxy F62 does have a massive 7,000mAh battery that supports 25W wired fast charging and reverse charging. The unit comes with a 6.7-inch OLED display with a 32MP selfie camera in a hole-punch notch in the top-center. At the back, there’s a quad camera module consisting of a 64MP main, 12MP ultrawide, 5MP macro, and 5MP depth sensor. There’s also a side-mounted fingerprint sensor on the phone. Under the hood, the 7nm Exynos 9825 chipset is paired with either 6GB or 8GB of RAM and up to 128GB of storage. Initially launched in India, the Galaxy F62 retails for INR 23,999 (around P16,000), making it a real bang-for-the-buck device. 26

MARCH-APRIL 2021

MOBILE DEVICES

HANDSOME HINGED HANDSET

Huawei Mate X2

There’s another hinged handset from Huawei, but this time it’s got a completely redesigned inward-folding screen and a secondary screen on the outside when it’s folded. Both of the displays on the Huawei Mate X2 are OLED screens with refresh rates of up to 90Hz. Inside is an 8-inch display with a 2480 x 2200 resolution while the exterior sports a 6.45-inch panel with a 2700 x 1160 resolution. The inner screen features a “magnetically controlled nano optical layer,” which minimizes light reflection and glare. And when folded, the device doesn’t have a gap. The hinge also protects the middle part of the screen from creasing. Under the hood, the flagship Kirin 9000 processor powers the Mate X2 complemented by 8GB of RAM and a 4,500mAh battery that can be fast-charged at up to 55W. The chipset also makes this device 5G-capable. This foldable has a quad camera array on the back, which is co-developed with Leica. This setup consists of a 50MP main camera, 16MP ultrawide, 12MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom, and an 8MP Super Zoom lens. The 16MP front camera is found on the secondary display, making the main display free of holes and notches. The Huawei Mate X2 is priced at RMB 17,999 (~P136,000) for the 256GB model and RMB 18,999 (~P143,000) for the 512GB model. MARCH-APRIL 2021

ARSENAL

AUDIO

THE GAME HAS CHANGED

B&O BeoPlay Portal

High-end headphones for your high-end console? Why not? Bang & Olufsen has waded into uncharted territory and applies its audio expertise to the gaming world with its first wireless gaming headphones. Developed as part of the Designed for Xbox program, the BeoPlay Portal brings luxurious minimalism while integrating a whole host of tech. The earpads are crafted from lambskin-wrapped memory foam, the earcups boast touch-sensitive aluminum discs, and the headband is covered in a bamboo fiber textile. It’s available in three colors: black anthracite, grey mist, and navy. Priced at $499, these headphones are designed to seamlessly connect to an Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One consoles via the Xbox Wireless protocol. When you’re not gaming, the Portal has a Bluetooth 5.1/ USB-C connection with support for aptX Adaptive codec, so you can pair it with a PC or mobile device. These cans come with adaptive active noise cancellation, Dolby Atmos compatibility, and a new virtual boom arm (in place of the ubiquitous boom mic) that can isolate and amplify the user’s voice using an array of built-in microphones.

ROCK ‘N’ ROLL IN YOUR EARS

Marshall Mode II

Marshall may be late to the party, but it tries to make up for it with a rock ‘n’ roll entrance. The brand’s first true in-ear wireless earbuds, the Marshall Mode II, features custom-tuned 6mm drivers that Marshall says will deliver big bass, natural mids, and crisp treble. These buds also boast five hours of playback on a single charge and an additional 20 hours of battery life from its included charging case. The $179 Mode II features IPX-4 water resistance, Bluetooth 5.1 connectivity, and voice assistant support.

MARCH-APRIL 2021

IN ASSOCIATION WITH EPSON

‘Be Cool’ with Epson’s Heat-Free technology and PaperLab

Make your work greener with Epson’s new sustainability campaign

ne of the most significant side effects of increased output in many industries today is the impact it has on the environment. With increased output and consumption, we are likely to see costs imposed on the environment. This can be a tricky balancing act for businesses— productivity vs sustainability— but the two do not have to be mutually exclusive. This is the premise of Be Cool, Epson Southeast Asia’s new printer sustainability campaign. The regional campaign was created to remind customers that it is possible to maximize efficiency and productivity while reducing environmental impact. Banking on the brand’s expertise in innovation, businesses can choose to Be Cool and discover how Epson technology makes the sustainable choice a simple one. The campaign is fueled by Epson’s range of EcoTank and Business Inkjet printers that use Heat-Free Technology to deliver advanced benefits over laser and thermal inkjet technology. It also features the world’s first dry process office paper-making system, PaperLab. Printing can Be Cool Be Cool brings three product lines front and center to highlight how their eco features can help significantly streamline processes and give businesses a competitive advantage. Epson’s Heat-Free Technology ensures that its EcoTank and Business Inkjet printers use no heat in the ink ejection

process, which means less power consumption and more savings on electricity costs. With this technology, no heat is required for printer warm up, allowing you to save time with consistent high-speed printing. Since inkjet printers do not have fusers that need heating, less energy is consumed, resulting in cost savings for the business. Epson’s EcoTank and Business Inkjet printers also use fewer parts and consumables that require replacement, which minimizes user intervention and increases productivity. Pushing the envelope on environment-friendly technology is Epson’s first in-office paper recycling system, PaperLab. Powered by Dry Fiber Technology, PaperLab turns wastepaper into

new paper in just three minutes using a virtually dry process. It uses only about 1/100th of the water it takes to make an equivalent mass of ordinary paper so that businesses conserve water while reducing the volume of paper that must be transported to off-site recyclers. When data security is crucial for your business, PaperLab delivers absolute certainty that key confidential waste is safely and effectively destroyed. It removes toner and inks and reduces wastepaper into fibers. This means information stays safely on site with no need to trust external contractors. With PaperLab’s unique technology, water is conserved, less heat is used, carbon footprint is reduced, and wood resources

are saved. Combined with Epson’s heat-free printing solutions, PaperLab helps build a recycling loop in the office and promotes a circular economy for businesses. Make the switch By highlighting the synergy between Epson’s Heat-Free Technology or Dry Fiber Technology with the products’ productivity features, the Be Cool campaign presents how performance and sustainability can go hand in hand and urges businesses to make the green choice with Epson’s business solutions. To learn how you can make the switch to sustainable technology, visit www.epson.com.ph/be-cool or get in touch with your local Epson Authorized Dealers.

ARSENAL

CARS

TURBO DRIVING FUN

Maxus D60

With three MPVs and a pickup truck in its stable, Maxus Philippines saw it fit to enter the competitive SUV market by introducing its first compact SUV in the country: the D60. The Maxus D60 comes in two variants: the 5-seater 1.5T Pro and the 7-seater 1.5T Elite. Both are powered by a 1.5-liter turbocharged gasoline engine mated to a 7-speed dual clutch automatic gearbox. This combination generates 167hp and 250Nm of torque. The two variants are immediately distinguishable by their grilles. The Pro has black with silver highlights, while the Elite has a cobweb design. The Elite also sports full LED lighting and 18-inch alloy wheels (versus 17-inchers in the 1.5T Pro). Both variants are equipped with rear air condition vents and an 8-inch infotainment system. The Elite offers the additional comfort and convenience of keyless entry and push start, leather seats, and power folding side mirrors. The D60 offers several active and passive safety systems, including electronic stabilization program, electronic parking brake with auto hold, cruise control, front dual and side airbags, reverse camera, a tire pressure monitoring system, rear park distance control (PDC), and an additional front PDC for the 1.5T Elite. The Maxus D60 1.5T Pro is priced at P1,148,000, while the D60 1.5T Elite goes for P1,258,000.

MARCH-APRIL 2021

IN ASSOCIATION WITH BRIDGESTONE

Bridgestone Philippines fuels students’ aspirations for a better tomorrow P

hilippine Allied Enterprises Corporation (PAEC), the official importer and distributor of Bridgestone tires in the Philippines, has fulfilled its promise to fund the construction of three classrooms for the Talogtog Elementary School in Mangaldan, Pangasinan. The commitment will be executed in partnership with Friends of Hope Inc. as the acting-coordinator for the Department of Education. Bridgestone aims to encourage every child to pursue their best chance in seeking better futures through education. By sponsoring the construction of much needed classrooms, the brand hopes that the children of Talogtog Elementary School would become more excited to go back to school once the pandemic is over. In 2019, around 560 students enrolled at Talogtog Elementary School. This inflated number of enrollees meant that a fraction

of the school population, which included the faculty, had to make do with makeshift rooms of lumber and plywood. These plywood rooms were cycled, narrowly serving various grade levels (Kinder to Grade 2) and purposes (feeding and faculty rooms). During the rainy season, the makeshift classrooms of Talogtog Elementary School would swell and rot due to the rising water—a common vulnerability of ‘last mile’ areas.

Similarly, unfortunate scenarios and lack of fast intervention would mean longer-term damage to Talogtog’s makeshift classrooms, which are short-term solutions. Eventually, the rain and elemental features will no longer affect just the classrooms, but hold back the community as a whole. The lack of a sound schooling environment brings the children of Talogtog behind their peers, thereby hindering progress at the margins.

Makeshift classrooms used by elementary students of Talogtog Elementary School.

Thus, Bridgestone, in cooperation with key partners and contributors, started plans to bring change to Mangaldan by improving Talogtog Elementary School. The partnership will replace the three makeshift classrooms, as well as raise these new classrooms to protect from the rising water during inclement weather. Through this initiative, Bridgestone will be able to contribute to the continuance of education of Talogtog Elementary School students. Last March 5, Bridgestone’s Marketing Manager and project lead Allan Santos personally visited the school and met with some partners in the province to discuss this mission of giving hope to children through education. At the moment, discussions between Bridgestone Philippines’ management and other partners are ongoing to bring this goal to fruition.

ARSENAL

CARS

RAPTOR LITE

Ford Ranger FX4 MAX The feisty, fierce-looking FX4 gets a new maxed out version: the Ford Ranger FX4 MAX pickup truck that delivers off-road driving capabilities inspired by the Ranger Raptor. The P1,698,000 FX4 MAX gets new 2-inch monotube Fox shock absorbers in both the front and rear axles. It also has a modified leaf spring at the back that Ford claims will provide greater compliance off-road while also delivering balanced payload and towing capability. Like the Ranger Raptor and Wildtrak 4x4, the Ranger FX4 MAX is powered by a 2.0-liter bi-turbo diesel engine capable of 210hp and up to 500Nm of torque. The engine is mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission. The Ranger FX4 MAX features the iconic F-O-R-D grille and a full-length tubular sports bar finished in matte black. Body-mounted metal hoop side steps with non-slip finish toughen the look and showcase the FX4 MAX’s commanding presence and attitude. It wears 17-inch alloy wheels with BFGoodrich all-terrain tires. Unique to the FX4 MAX is the auxiliary switch pack, which gives FX4 MAX owners the ability to easily connect and operate auxiliary accessories and equipment in a seamless and integrated solution. To support such additions, the FX4 MAX features a specific 250A alternator to support power supply to multiple accessories and reduce reliance on the vehicle’s battery. The Ranger FX4 MAX is also equipped with a host of smart and safety features, including an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, smart keyless entry with push button start, and driver-assist features such as cruise control, hill launch assist, hill descent control, and rear parking sensors, among others.

MARCH-APRIL 2021

CARS

READY FOR ADVENTURE

Isuzu D-MAX

After six years of research and four million kilometers of testing, Isuzu’s all-new D-MAX is more than ready to be your capable and reliable daily commute. The feature-laden iteration of the iconic pickup truck is equipped with design and engineering innovations that ensure it can overcome all types of terrain. These include the one-piece aluminum tail shaft, 800mm water wading depth capability, newly designed steering wheel with tilt and telescopic adjustment, redesigned gear lever for better gear selection and control, Terrain Command Select Dial, and electronic differential lock. The all-new pickup truck comes with two engine options: a brand new 3.0-liter 4JJ3-TCX turbodiesel that produces 187hp and 450Nm of torque, and the familiar 1.9-liter RZ4E turbodiesel that’s good for 148hp and 350Nm of torque. It also boasts new front suspension geometry, larger side rails and eight cross member for torsional rigidity, new rear leaf spring design, ultra-high tensile steel reinforced cabin structure, and a semi mid-ship engine design. Another highlight is the addition of new safety and driver-assist features for the D-MAX 3.0 LS-E variant, which comes with an Advanced Driver Assist System (ADAS). Using the Smart Duo Cam system—a pair of stereoscopic cameras mounted on the inside of the windshield—the D-MAX gains features such as forward collision warning, autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, pedal misapplication mitigation control, blind-spot monitoring with lanedeparture warning, and rear cross-traffic alert. Keeping the driver and passengers entertained is the new 10.1-inch infotainment system with Bluetooth connectivity, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and voice control. There’s also an improved navigation system and dynamic surround sound system. Pricing for the all-new Isuzu D-MAX starts at P857,000 for the RZ4E Single Cab MT and goes all the way up to P1,825,000 for the D-MAX 3.0L 4x4 LS-E AT.

MARCH-APRIL 2021

ARSENAL

BIKES

RIDE SMART

Honda X-ADV Looking for a bike for your daily commute that you can also take off road on the weekends? Then maybe the all-new Honda X-ADV should be on your list. This adventure maxi-scooter is powered by a 745cc SOHC parallel-twin engine (58hp @ 6,750rpm and 68.7Nm @ 4,750rpm) paired with a six-speed dual-clutch transmission. This gives you the option of shifting manually or fully enjoying the twist-and-go benefits of an automatic. It’s also equipped with a 5-inch TFT Full-LCD digital meter with Honda Smartphone Voice Control system, allowing you to access your smartphone via voice command. Other features of the X-ADV include headlights with daytime running lights, smart key with electronic steering lock, antilock brake system, emergency stop signal, a 1.2-liter glove box, and a 22-liter under-seat storage compartment with a USB charging port, among others. The all-new X-ADV is available in Graphite Black, Matte Beta Silver Metallic, and Grand Prix Red for P830,000.

MARCH-APRIL 2021

p.38 M IS FOR ‘MAGNIFICENT’

APPLE 13-INCH MACBOOK PRO M1 p.36

Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Carbon

p.37

Marshall Major IV

p.39

Fitbit Sense

p.40

realme TV

p.41

vivo Y31

p.42

Jeep Renegade 1.4L Longitude 4×2 A/T

PROVING GROUND

MARCH-APRIL 2021

TESTED

PRODUCT TEST NO.

2300 THE NUMBERS OS Windows 10 Home DISPLAY 13.3-inch QHD 2560×1600 PROCESSOR Intel Core i51135G7 GRAPHICS Intel Iris Xe Graphics MEMORY 16GB LPDDR4x-4266 RAM STORAGE 512GB SSD M.2 2280 PCIe 3.0×4 NVMe CAMERA 720p + IR + ToF webcam CONNECTIVITY & PORTS WiFi11ax, 2×2, Bluetooth 5.1, 1x 3.5mm audio jack, 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, 2x Thunderbolt 4 PRICE P64,995

FEATHERWEIGHT FIGHTER

Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Carbon WOR DS AYIE L IC S I

The Yoga Slim 7i Carbon carries all the iconic features unique to the Lenovo Yoga range—ultrathin body, sleek style, and premium performance—all in an eye-catching white chassis. Bells and whistles aside, how does this ultraportable fare as a daily driver? This laptop sports a 13.3-inch QHD+ display that can reach up to 300 nits of brightness. The display is antiglare, so I had no problems using it even while I was sitting against the light. And thanks to the narrow bezels, this 13-inch machine provides a big screen real estate. I could seamlessly multitask between two windows and still get ample views of both.

The picture quality of the 720p IR ToF camera was a little lackluster. I had someone tell me my old MacBook’s webcam quality looks better. On the upside, the webcam can be used to unlock the laptop through Windows Hello. And conveniently, the laptop dims the screen when it detects that I’ve walked away from it. It automatically wakes, too, once I’m in front of it again.

The Slim 7i Carbon boasts an 11th-gen Intel Core i5 processor with Intel Iris Xe graphics and a whopping 16GB of RAM. Needless to say, my daily tasks of writing and light photo editing were a breeze for this machine. I also tried playing a few light games like Stardew Valley and this laptop did not disappoint.

This machine lasted up to seven hours before needing a charge. Tasks like video calling and watching videos take a bigger toll on the battery, but powering up is not a problem. With the 65W USB-C charger that comes out of the box, this laptop powers from 20% to full in less than two hours.

Binge-watching The Good Place was delightful on this laptop. The display produces a crisp and high-quality picture while the 2W Harman Kardon speakers with Dolby Atmos create an immersive sound experience. The unit is in Moon White, so I thought at first that the laptop would look less sleek than other Yogas. But as I got used to seeing it on my desk, I learned to appreciate its beauty. To my pleasant surprise, this white laptop doesn’t catch dirt as easily inside and out.

One of the compromises to an ultra thin body is the lack of connectivity ports. This Yoga only has a total of four on it: three USB-C ports (one of which is Thunderbolt 4) and an audio jack. Keep adapters at the ready in case you want to use flash drives or connect this to an HDMI display. The Slim 7i Carbon’s top case is made of carbon fiber (hence the name) while the bottom is made of magnesium alloy. I had no problem carrying this device around with one hand as it only weighs 996g. And while it’s ultrathin at 14.25mm, it’s still sturdy and durable. It doesn’t heat up as much, too.

GEEK METER SPEED SAYS The featherweight Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Carbon packs a punch. It’s a reliable daily driver for both work and leisure alike. You can trust that this laptop offers more than just its stunning look. DIMENSIONS 295.88 x 208.85 x 14.25mm, 996g

MARCH-APRIL 2021

PRODUCT TEST NO.

2301 THE NUMBERS DRIVER 40mm dynamic FREQUENCY 20Hz to 20kHz IMPEDANCE 32 Ohm CONNECTIVITY Bluetooth 5.0, USB-C, 3.5mm audio BATTERY PLAYTIME 80+ hours (Bluetooth) PRICE P8,690

LIKE A WELL-TUNED GUITAR

Marshall Major IV WO RD S AN T S IE R R A

Marshall is known for providing musicians and music enthusiasts with superior audio devices that deliver unparalleled sound quality. Take that audio engineering magic and pack it into a compact, personal device, and you get the Marshall Major IV. One of the most noteworthy things about the Marshall Major IV is the elegance of its overall build. The chic black body accented by the classic white Marshall logo gives the Major IV a sophisticated vibe, while still having a sense of ruggedness through its use of leather and the exposed metal frame and wires.

The earpads are soft to the touch, and the adjustable frame contours to the head without the feeling of being pressed too hard on the ears. The icing on the cake is the leather material used. Unlike other headphones, the Marshall Major IV doesn’t cause itchiness and doesn’t feel warm even after long hours of use.

It has a very responsive tuning when it comes to its midtones and trebles. It’s able to adjust itself well enough so that higher tones don’t come out too sharp, which helps in lessening the risk of an unwanted change in modulation.

If you want hours of wireless listening without having to worry about getting cut off, the Major IV has more than got you covered with 80+ hour battery life. Plus the promise of a full charge in just three hours guarantees long hours of listening beyond one could expect, especially for casual users.

The Major IV has a pretty decent builtin microphone that condenses the voice well enough so that conversations are clear. However, it doesn’t suppress background noises that well to completely devoid a call or recording of any nuisance.

Control and connectivity are both placed at the right hand side of the headphones, which is handy when using the headphones with cables. What’s surprising is that even if it’s all on one side, you can still use the multi-directional knob without worrying about anything blocking your thumb’s movement when the headphones are plugged.

“Clear” is a bit of an understatement when describing the quality of sound that comes out of the Major IV. It’s actually more akin to wearing a portable recording studio (if there’s such a thing). The bass, while thick and audible, is subtle enough not to overpower the playback with deep tones.

GEEK METER SPEED SAYS With the Marshall Major IV, you get ergonomically designed headphones with timeless aesthetic, incredible sound quality, amazingly long battery life. Definitely worth more than you pay for. WEIGHT 165g

8 MARCH-APRIL 2021

TESTED

M IS FOR ‘MAGNIFICENT’

PRODUCT TEST NO.

Apple 13-inch MacBook Pro M1

2302 THE NUMBERS

WORD S GADJO CAR D E N AS S E V IL L A

The new Apple M1-powered Macs represent a sea change in Apple’s history and a departure from their dependence on Intel, who has been the exclusive processor provider for desktop and laptop Macs for over a decade. Running their own Apple Silicon in their prosumer portables means that Apple can finely tune the operating system to maximize the processor performance while improving battery life.

OS macOS Big Sur DISPLAY 13.3-inch 2560 × 1600 PROCESSOR Apple M1 octacore GRAPHICS 8-core GPU MEMORY 8GB RAM (configurable up to 16GB) STORAGE 256GB, 512GB, 1TB SSD storage (configurable to up to 4TB SSD) CAMERA 720p FaceTime HD CONNECTIVITY & PORTS Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, Thunderbolt 3, USB 3.1 Gen 2 ports, 3.5mm headphone jack PRICE P71,990 (8GB + 256GB) P83,990 (8GB + 512GB)

Once you fire up the M1 MacBook Pro, you get the sense that something has changed. Everything is markedly faster, more efficient, and less laggy. Even classic applications, which now run through the Rosetta 2 emulator in real time, appear to load faster than what we see on Intel Macs.

Applications that have been coded for Apple M1 load quickly, handle more intense performance, and run up to two times faster. For graphic design or photography apps that run and render multiple filters on large RAW images, the M1 slices and dices without hesitation. There were times I had to do a double take to check if my edits and filters had started, only to find out they had already finished.

M1 Macs can now run iOS apps, which adds a substantial number of applications to the Mac ecosystem. The only issue is all of those iOS apps are designed for a touch interface, which macOS does not yet support.

Coming from a 2017 MacBook Pro, the look and feel of my new M1-powered 13-inch MacBook Pro was very similar. Noteworthy are the Space Grey aluminum body that’s now made from fully recycled computers and iPhones and a new and improved Magic Keyboard. The Apple M1-powered MacBook Pro is a slim and light laptop that has a lot of power on tap, but also manages to yield spectacular battery life. The new MacBook Pro lasts up to three times longer than my older Intel-powered MacBook Pro, and it runs so much cooler. Not only can It run on battery for up to 15 hours, the instant-on functionality gets me into the system and my applications in under a minute.

The 13-inch Retina Display is sharp and bright with 500 nits of brilliance and true-tone functionality that adjusts to the environment.

M1 Macs still have some limitations, one of which is that you can’t add more than 16GB of RAM right now. There are also issues hooking up to more than one monitor, which is a problem now that many use dual monitors. macOS Big Sur, which is the transitional OS supporting both Intel Macs and M1s, is still rough around the edges.

GEEK METER SPEED SAYS DIMENSIONS 304.1 x 212.4 x 15.6mm, 1.4kg

MARCH-APRIL 2021

Are M1-powered Macs worth it? I usually advise against being an early adopter, especially for Apple products, which have notoriously fussy first-gen issues. This time it is different. While the MacBook Pro form factor isn’t new, most of the quirks (including the universally despised keyboard) have been solved. And then there’s the Apple Silicon processor. All the big software companies like Microsoft and Adobe are moving to support it. It is the future.

8.5

PRODUCT TEST NO.

2303 THE NUMBERS DISPLAY 1.58” 336 x 336 CONNECTIVITY Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, NFC, GPS COMPATIBILITY Apple iOS 12.2 or higher, Android OS 7.0 or higher PRICE P19,940

FITNESS BUDDY

Fitbit Sense WO RD S JOV I F IG UE R OA

The Sense is Fitbit’s most advanced health smartwatch to date. It features innovative sensor and software technology, including the world’s first electrodermal activity (EDA) sensor on a smartwatch to help manage stress. After wearing the Fitbit Sense for weeks, here’s what I think about this stylish, feature-packed smartwatch.

You can sync the Sense with Google Assistant or Alexa, and have some tasks—such as setting alarms, sending messages, and Googling random stuff—taken care of. Using a Pomodoro timer technique when you’re working? Just say, “Hey Google, set an alarm for 30 minutes.” Cooking or baking? Ask Google Assistant to convert one cup into tablespoon, or 180 Celsius to Farenheit. The Sense has a nice and sleek look, with straps you can change with a click in seconds. You can also choose from a plethora of clock faces to suit your style or mood. The AMOLED screen helps make the colors stand out.

You can answer calls directly on the Sense since it’s fitted with a speaker and microphone. When receiving a text, you can also dictate replies to messages directly on the watch. The biggest draw of the Fitbit Sense is in its health tracking features. It’s the first Fitbit with an onboard ECG app, which can produce a singlelead electrocardiogram read in just 30 seconds. It also has a skin temperature sensor so you can check your temperature any time of the day.

The smartwatch supports fast charging that can give you up to 80% juice in just 10 minutes. Plus, Fitbit updated the charging mechanism on this smartwatch. Say goodbye to clamp-style charging and hello to magnetic charging.

The watch can help you monitor and regulate your stress levels with the EDA Scan App and Sp02 Oxygen Saturation Monitor. These monitors can track the level of oxygen in your blood and detect changes in your skin, which may indicate your body’s response to stress.

Buying the Fitbit Sense will get you a 90-day free trial of Fitbit Premium, which gives you access to more health metrics, guided programs, personalized action plans, and 1-on-1 coaching. However, we find that Fitbit is stretching it a bit by slapping a subscription fee on top of an already pretty pricey product.

The Fitbit Sense is a great exercise companion. Just tap on your exercise and you’re good to go. It has a wide variety of exercises such as pilates, yoga, bootcamp, kickboxing, and tennis, to help you keep track of your exercise and progress. If you do cardio workouts, it’s best to keep track of your fat burn with your heart rate, and this is where the Sense’s improved PurePulse 2.0 heart rate tracker comes handy.

GEEK METER SPEED SAYS

DIMENSIONS 40.48 x 40.48 x 12.35mm

The Fitbit Sense will make you much more goal-oriented with your regular tasks, health, and fitness. It’s great to have, especially if you want to keep your health in check these days with the pandemic going on.

8 MARCH-APRIL 2021

TESTED

PRODUCT TEST NO.

2304 THE NUMBERS DISPLAY 43” 1920 x 1080 LED PROCESSOR ARM Cortex A53 Quad-core CPU, Mali 470 MP3 GPU OS Android TV AUDIO quad stereo speakers (24W) with Dolby Audio OTHERS Chroma Boost picture engine PORTS 3x HDMI, 2 USB 2.0, AV, 3.5mm headphone jack, digital audio out (SPDIF), LAN WIRELESS CONNECTIVITY 2.4GHz Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0, infrared, and DLNA PRICE P18,990

WELL-ROUNDED BUDGET ANDROID TV

realme Smart TV 43” WORD S KAT R IN A R IV E R E- D IGA

Late last year, realme started expanding its ecosystem in the country by offering lifestyle accessories such as luggage, smart scale, and electric toothbrushes. This year, the company brought in its first smart TV offerings in the Philippines: the realme Smart TV 32-inch HD and 43-inch FHD. We tested the 43-inch model to see if it’s a good inexpensive big screen.

Some of the built-in apps include Netflix, YouTube, YouTube Kids, and Amazon Prime Video. Since this is an Android TV, you can easily download additional apps from the Google Play Store. It also has Chromecast built in so you can stream just about any content from your phone to the TV.

The remote is made of plastic but comes with a matte finish, so it feels less cheap. It has a built-in mic for voice control, as well as dedicated buttons for Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, and Google Assistant.

This TV has slim top and side bezels with a glossy finish. Its chin is a little thicker and has a brushed finish. Right smack in the center of the bottom bezel is the realme branding.

The 24W quad stereo speakers produce clear, crisp, and loud sound, although it’s a little lacking in bass. The sound profile is mainly mids and some highs, so if you want more bass, you will need an external subwoofer.

The TV features realme’s Chroma Boost picture engine (which is also present on realme phones). It enhances the overall picture quality of the smart TV, improving its brightness, color, and contrast. To better enjoy the bump in picture quality, we suggest watching with the room lights turned off. If you’re not a fan of Chroma Boost, you can just tweak the display settings until you get your desired quality.

The two base stands included in the box are made out of plastic. They’re easy to screw on and seem pretty solid. If you’d rather hang your TV on your wall, you may do so as the realme Smart TV comes with VESA sockets at the back panel. You’ll have to purchase a wall-mount bracket separately though since there’s none included in the package.

SPEED SAYS DIMENSIONS & WEIGHT 967.5 x 560 x 87mm; 6.7kg (without stand)

MARCH-APRIL 2021

On the hunt for a smart TV but are on a budget? Consider the 43-inch realme Smart TV. For P18,990, you get a nice, big Android TV with decent picture quality, plenty of ports, and hours of entertainment.

GEEK METER

8.5

PRODUCT TEST NO.

2305 THE NUMBERS OS Funtouch OS 11 (Android 11) DISPLAY 6.58-inch FHD+ (2408 × 1080) Halo FullView IPS display CPU Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 MEMORY 8GB STORAGE 128GB, microSD card CAMERA 48MP main + 2MP macro + 2MP depth rear, 16MP front CONNECTIVITY 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ ac, Bluetooth 5.0 GPS, GLONASS, USB Type-C DIMENSIONS & WEIGHT 163.86 × 75.32 × 8.38mm, 188g PRICE P12,999

CAPABLE PERFORMER

vivo Y31 WO RD S KAT R IN A R IV E R E- D IGA

The latest member of vivo’s Y series has a lot going for it. It’s got a sizable screen, a Snapdragon chipset, plenty of RAM and storage, and a huge battery that can last more than a day. If you’re in the market for a decent all-rounder, check out the vivo Y31.

The vivo Y31 is an attractive phone that looks more expensive than it is. It’s got a matte-finish rear, rounded edges, and comes in two color variants. The Ocean Blue colorway is the more eyecatching of the two, but the Racing Black, is also good-looking in a more subdued way.

The slightly protruding camera module houses a 48-megapixel main camera, a 2MP macro, and a 2MP depth sensor. Yup, no ultrawide camera here, which is quite a shame. Other than that, the rear cameras produce good daytime shots with accurate colors. The night mode, however, isn’t anything to write home about. Low-light shots are a hit or miss.

The Y31’s 5000mAh battery can last a little over a day with moderate use. Play games non-stop or do a series marathon and you’ll exhaust the battery faster. Topping up the battery from zero to 50 percent takes about 45 to 50 minutes, but topping it up takes almost 2 hours and 30 minutes.

The power button and volume rocker located on the right edge are clicky and responsive. The fingerprint scanner integrated into the power button works well and fast.

The huge display— interrupted by a waterdrop notch—is sharp and bright. I actually enjoyed watching videos on this phone because colors are vivid and pretty accurate. There’s a lone speaker at the bottom, which delivers decent audio for solo viewing. Worth noting is that the sound doesn’t get distorted even when you set the volume to max.

Browsing the web, scrolling through social media, and watching Netflix and YouTube videos were a breeze thanks to the pretty powerful combo of the Snapdragon 662 and 8GB RAM. The phone’s UI also looks clean, thanks to FunTouchOS 11 based on Android 11.

SPEED SAYS DIMENSIONS & WEIGHT 163.86 × 75.32 × 8.38mm, 188g

The vivo Y31 is an attractive and capable all-around device. It’s great for content consumption thanks to its big screen and huge battery. The rear camera system is decent, but if you’re particular about your phone’s camera, you might want to look elsewhere.

GEEK METER

8 MARCH-APRIL 2021

TESTED

PRODUCT TEST NO.

2306 THE NUMBERS ENGINE 1.4L turbocharged engine TRANSMISSION 6-speed dual clutch transmission POWER 147hp @ 5,500rpm TORQUE 230Nm @ 3,000rpm BRAKES vented disc front, disc rear SUSPENSION independent MacPherson strut front; independent multi-link rear TIRE SIZE 215/60 R17 SAFETY airbags, cruise control, all speed traction control, electronic stability control, electronic roll mitigation, anti-lock 4 wheel disc brakes PRICE P1,640,000

A CROSSOVER WITH THE JEEP ATTITUDE

Jeep Renegade 1.4L Longitude 4×2 A/T WOR D S E AR L M AN AL AN SAN

The Wrangler is the quintessential Jeep—a tough, macho vehicle with a gung-ho attitude, the kind that will traverse anything, even if there are no actual roads. But the Wrangler isn’t for everybody. Which is probably why the manufacturer came out with a crossover for those who appreciate the reliability Jeep is known for but don’t need a Wrangler as an everyday ride.

The Renegade’s engine is a small but potent 1.4L twin cam, 1.6-valve, MultiAir turbo engine with direct injection. A 7-speed dual dry clutch transmission transfers power to the front wheels. This power combination is fuel-efficient, with a measured 10-12kpL in heavy traffic.

The square wheel openings mean business—a salute to its off-road pedigree. Black claddings add some visual gratification, aside from road debris protection.

The Jeep Renegade Longitude comes with the ubiquitous seven-slot grille and a pair of round headlights. The design profile is angular with a lower beltline that complements the sharp corners of the windows.

All 147hp is on tap when you mash the accelerator. The suspension is also at par with more expensive SUVs; firm but comfortable—and can keep up with spirited driving. This, ladies and gentlemen, is one serious crossover.

INTERIOR

The rear is angular and features square taillights and a big rear bumper. The rear hatch has a curving glass window that widens at the middle, giving a more expansive rear view. The low cargo floor makes loading stuff easier.

Inside, you’ll find the A/C vents on the top of the center dashboard, with the 7-inch infotainment system right below it. This system comes with the Uconnect vehicle platform with voice command, Bluetooth, and Apple CarPlay support. The audio from the six-speaker system sounds great.

The fabric upholstery is ideal for hot weather as it disseminates heat especially during summer. The front seats have good back support and are contoured well for comfortable seating. Sadly, there’s no power adjuster for these; you’ll have to move the seats manually to adjust to your desired position.

The 60/40 split-folding rear seats offer generous space. Even tall passengers can sit comfortably, with its angled backrest and higher ceiling. The seatback can fold flat for storage. For extra-long cargo, the front-passenger seat can fold forward, too.

SPEED SAYS

DIMENSIONS 4,232 x 1,886 x 1,689mm

MARCH-APRIL 2021

The Jeep Renegade Longitude is one understated crossover. It has top-notch amenities, big interior and cargo space, and a powerful but fuel-efficient engine. At P1,640,000, the Renegade is a bit pricey, but you get what you pay for—and more.

GEEK METER

8.5

TECHNOSPHERE

GADJO CARDENAS SEVILLA

These streaming services thrive on content exclusivity. They either license the right to shows or movies for a limited time or they create original content that no one else has. It was easy to justify the cost of these subscriptions during the pandemic because we’re stuck at home, but looking back at my family’s viewing habits has revealed a few things. Netflix has a lot of hit-or-miss shows. Aside from Umbrella Academy and Bridgerton, there hasn’t been much on there worth noting. Amazon Prime Video has a few hits including Coming 2 America, but I find its indie films and documentaries to be its strong suit.

STREAMING VIDEO SERVICES RUN ON FOMO Streaming video

services like Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, and many others have seen widespread adoption during the pandemic. This is because the demand for original entertainment has surged. Majority of theaters have remained closed and various blockbuster releases have been moved to late 2021 and even 2022. In the meantime, streaming video subscription services have skyrocketed. There was a time I only had Netflix and was perfectly happy with what it offered. Then, Amazon Prime Video came free with Prime shipping and had groundbreaking shows like The Expanse and The Grand Tour. Having a young child made Disney + a no brainer, especially with access to all the Marvel and Star Wars shows. That subscription came bundled with ESPN+ and Hulu, which added access to sports coverage and even more TV shows.

A special promo for HBO Max was just too tempting, especially since it promised same-day showings of blockbuster movies like Wonder Woman 1984, Dune, Zack Snyder’s Justice League, The Matrix 4, and many others. Finally, there’s Apple TV+, which came free with recent Apple purchases. This is a service I’d never go out of my way to subscribe to (although Ted Lasso is a great show, and they have The Muppets). This seems like an excessive cornucopia of streaming services (and really, just the tip of the iceberg, as there are other more specialized services). While it is convenient and awesome to be able to tap into any of these entertainment multiverses and watch shows on demand from a TV, Chromecast, or even a PC or smartphone, the reality is that maybe all these services are too much— and also too little.

Disney+ seems like a good service, but only have one blockbuster out at a time (i.e. Mandalorian, Wandavision). Meanwhile, the Disney back catalog hasn’t been in high demand at my house. Hulu has all the anime and many edgy TV shows, and is one service I’d pay full price for even if it showed ads. HBO Max, on the other hand, has a wide range of award-winning TV shows. It has Studio Ghibli movies as well as a large library of classic movies and original films. Its big draw, however, is the same-day showing of Hollywood movies slated for theater releases we don’t want to miss out on. There’s no pay-per-view model for streaming services, simply an all-or-nothing subscription model. Fear of missing out, or FOMO, is really what is driving many of these services—especially now that many of us are homebound and hungry for some entertainment. Subscribing to all of these services all the time doesn’t make much sense. It is expensive and you can’t possibly watch everything. At some point, subscribers will need to choose which services to keep and which to let go of. The good thing is that since these are subscription-based services, it is easy enough to rotate through some of them to save some money. As consumers, it is up to us to budget and find clever ways to access the content that matters most to us. This means stopping a subscription and resuming it at a later date. Or, organizing with some friends or family members, so that each has one service that they can share with others, spreading the expense across households when possible.

MARCH-APRIL 2021

ALL ABOUT THE UX

TRIXIE REYNA-BENEDICTO

the Aklan border checkpoint, airports, Caticlan Jetty Port, resorts, and restaurants and bars.

THE QR CODE IS YOUR BEST FRIEND WHEN TRAVELING TO BORACAY AMID A PANDEMIC

This March marks our first year in lockdown. By now, most of us are itching to travel, especially this summer. If Instagram and Facebook feeds are any indication, so many in our network have given in to wanderlust anew. Boracay remains the top destination— not only for its powder white sand and sparkling turquoise waters, but also for the semblance of safety you get from its QR code system. While it has logged a number of cases since reopening in October 2020 with a COVID-free slate, Boracay still appears relatively safe, what with such stringent requirements, including getting a negative RT-PCR test no more than 72 hours before date of travel, among others, to get the precious tourist QR code. The QR code will become your best friend once granted by the Aklan government. Steps for getting one are straightforward enough; you’ll find them in touristboracay.com. Still, I’m sure you have questions, like I did—not least of all if it’s worth the trouble to travel during the pandemic. If you’re dreaming of a Boracay vacation, read about my experience here so you know what to expect. (Caveat: Because we drove from Iloilo to Caticlan, my account does not cover what transpires at airports.) Before applying for a QR code Our recent trip to Boracay for a double birthday celebration— my baby’s first and mine—took several months to research. 44

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One of the requirements for a QR code is a confirmed reservation at a Department of Tourism-accredited establishment with a Certificate of Authority to Operate (or a provisional one). You may check the list via the Facebook Page of DOT VI Western Visayas. Once you have accommodation options, check online for availability on your preferred dates. Most, if not all, resorts operate with skeleton teams— which is probably why they’re not as responsive to inquiries or even reservations via email, phone, or social media pages, based on our experience. So if you’re the type to ask lots of questions via email before you book, be prepared to wait at least 24 hours before someone gets back to you. I finalized all bookings and documentation less than 72 hours before the date of our arrival. Since we didn’t have flights to consider, my husband and I decided to put off booking accommodations until after we got a negative RT-PCR test result. It was somewhat stressful— I’m not used to booking trips last minute, yet we didn’t want to risk having to rebook our hotel and going through the process again. However, I have technology to thank for making everything more convenient. Waiting game Something you can accomplish even before you get swabbed is the online Health Declaration Card (HDC); just save a digital copy. Send it along with your

confirmed hotel reservation, negative RT-PCR test results, and photo of your valid government-issued ID to touristboracay@gmail.com. The Aklan government staff manning this email is pretty responsive and efficient. Two other emails you can send Boracay-related questions to and expect prompt replies from are boracaytourist@aklan.gov.ph and aklantourism@yahoo.com.ph. The resort we were interested in wanted us to confirm with the Aklan Provincial Tourism Office that our then 11-month-old doesn’t require an RT-PCR test. I quickly got responses from both emails that children 2 and below do not need to get swabbed. I saved these as proof, in case it became an issue when we got to Caticlan Port, but they were unnecessary. I’m sure parents who want to bring their babies to Boracay but are worried about subjecting them to the discomfort of a swab would be happy to know this. (Babies still need a QR code.) Keep your email open; sync it with your phone so you know immediately when swab test results and your HDC with the QR code drop in your inbox. Boracay through a QR code More than your ID, you’ll be whipping out your QR code several times throughout your Boracay trip. The LGU honors both printed and digital copies, but it’s just more convenient (and sanitary) to have a digital one on your smartphone. Have it ready to be scanned at every point of entry:

Some establishments also require you to accomplish a contact tracing form, often digital or via an app (i.e. Traze). It’s better to use your smartphone for this, as not all establishments provide a tablet or computer, and it’s better to limit touching items several other people touch. I’ve never appreciated QR codes as much as I do now. I wish all destinations would impose a “No QR code, no entry policy,” with RT-PCR test as prerequisite, just to ensure safe and convenient travel for everyone willing to risk doing so in a pandemic. It’s a polarizing requirement, however. Is it worth the effort? I believe the decision to take the risk to travel, not just to Boracay but to anywhere outside your home, is ultimately up to you. It was a risk taking my baby there, if only to experience playing on the sand, swimming in the ocean, and seeing fish, not to mention other people besides mommy and daddy; and collect fond memories to look back on. Looking back, it was scary. We were just lucky to return COVIDfree; one of the resorts where we stayed had several employees that tested positive. I had to get swabbed again a few days later for peace of mind. Not everyone might be as lucky. Ultimately, if you want to vacation in Boracay or anywhere else for that matter, the QR code gives you some peace of mind that there might be less risk of exposure, but it’s not a guarantee you’ll be safe from COVID-19. So if you must, proceed with caution, observe social distancing, avoid socializing, sanitize often, and only remove your mask and face shield when you eat and drink.

Follow me on IG (@trixiereyna), FB (trixiereynadotcom), and my blog (trixiereyna.com).

GAME ON

WHY IT PAYS TO BE A PATIENT GAMER

JOVI FIGUEROA

Secondly, being a patient gamer gives you time to evaluate if the game is worth your time. When you’re an adult scrambling to make time to play, every hour counts. This means RPGs that take 400 hours to enjoy and finish might have to take the back seat because you can’t hope to finish it when you only have four free hours on the weekend after you finish your chores. I never trust online reviews, because working in media, I know that not everything I read online is true. This is why I wait for my trusted gamer friends to give me their honest opinion about a game so I would know if it’s worth pouring my precious hours into. And thirdly, I love getting games for a bargain. Give a game a year and you’ll be sure to find it at half price during the Steam Sale. Imagine, I save a couple thousands of pesos to play a better, fixed version of the game people whined about a year ago. Isn’t that genius? Even better, wait for the game to release for free. Just like in January, when Battlefront II, one of the most polarizing games launched in 2017, released for free on the Epic Game Store. Four years after it launched to mixed reviews, it caught a second wind this year, bringing smiles and enjoyment to more than 19 million players all over the world.

It's cool to be on

the hype train. Being the first ones to get your hands on the Nintendo Switch to play Animal Crossing, installing Genshin Impact on the first day and getting all the launch freebies, and feeling the high of being the first one to finish the Final Fantasy VII Remake after what felt like decades of waiting—certainly, there’s adrenaline in the hype train.

at least six months after release to play a game or picking up older titles to see if they hold up against the times.

But I was never one to jump on new games. Yes, I admit, I was on the waitlist for Genshin Impact, and I almost upgraded my laptop just to be able to play Cyberpunk 2077 on Ultra graphics, but one of the lessons the pandemic has taught me is that it pays to be a patient gamer.

First and foremost, it pays to be a patient gamer now in a time bombarded by impatient gamers and marketing hype. Remember the months leading to Cyberpunk 2077—and then at launch, how it failed miserably to live up to its promises? To be fair, Cyberpunk has a pretty decent story—or so I’ve heard from my friends who got their hands on it upon release. But it was just painful watching people strolling around what was supposed to be the most beautiful and comprehensive open world of Night City, which in the end turned out to be a city filled with unfinished renders, bugs, and lousy AI.

In fact, I found that I was not alone. There’s a subreddit dedicated entirely to patient gamers—a community of 420,000 gamers strong, refusing to be swayed by marketing hype. Here’s where I found my people, waiting

Give Cyberpunk a few more months and I’m sure it’ll play better. Just look at The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and how it rose to its legendary status after what was a broken launch filled with bugs and glitches.

Had I played Battlefront II at launch, I would have been one of the people who complained about the terrible microtransactions and its passable campaign. But now, I get to play the Celebration Edition for free, I get access to all the characters that they launched and fixed throughout the years, and there are so many mods (including the more recent Mandalorian mods) to tinker with, too! I think ultimately, to each its own. There are certainly gamers who love getting elbow grease during the Alpha and Beta stages of a game, and there are gamers who revel in being early adapters. As for me, the pandemic taught me to find peace in playing games that I truly enjoy, not needing to conform to what people are playing currently or what people say are good. I heard a new Lord of the Rings game and Far Cry 6 are set for release this year. Oh, and I still haven’t gotten my hands on Spider-Man: Miles Morales and Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla. I guess I’ll be seeing these titles in two to three years’ time! MARCH-APRIL 2021

The game has just begun WOR DS J OVI FI GUER OA

When the world fell into chaos because of the COVID-19 pandemic, industries and businesses that have been at the top came crashing down. The tourism industry in the Philippines, which contributed to 12.7 percent of the country’s GDP in 2019, plummeted as people were instructed to stay inside their homes. The education sector struggled, as they saw a 50% drop in enrollees even when online and distance learning were implemented. All leisure facilities closed down, many of them taking too big a blow to recover again. But while foodie grams and travel vlogs took a backseat, one industry saw an opportunity to thrive as we became, quite literally, a population of couch potatoes: the gaming industry.

HOTSPOT MARCH-APRIL 2021

COVER STORY

Being cooped up inside our homes gave us more time to play, and many gamers— veterans and newbies, young and old—found the opportunity to lock in more hours in the virtual world. RPGs were being finished for the first time, more adults and women were playing thanks to Animal Crossing, and kids went crazy on Roblox and Minecraft (yeah, still!) with fewer homeworks and zero schoolyard playtime. In fact, COVID-19 lockdowns helped the global gaming sales increase by 20% in 2020, making it a bigger moneymaker than the global movie and sports industries combined. And with this growth came new trends and innovations that will forever change the way we play games.

Gaming trends in 2021 First, mobile gaming. Mobile gaming has always been a strong frontrunner globally, but in the Philippines, it has dominated ever since smartphones became more accessible and affordable. In 2020, mobile gaming led the gaming scene, with 74% of the online population playing games on their smartphones, compared to 65% on PC and 45% on consoles. Gone are the days when mobile games were only limited to addicting arcade ones like Candy Crush, Crossy Road, or Angry Birds. Now, it has become a legit gamers territory, as more competitive titles became more playable on mobile, such as Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, Call of Duty Mobile, and PUBG Mobile. It also helped that phenomenal RPGs like Genshin Impact and trendy games like Among Us became so popular last year. Many people look down on mobile gaming, primarily because it started the downward spiral that is microtransactions. But now that phones are becoming more powerful, and there is more incentive to develop better and more comprehensive games, mobile gaming is certainly shaping up to be the great equalizer.

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For families and gamers who can’t yet afford a decked out PC or a next-gen console, mobile gaming is a good alternative. Second, indie gaming. Indie gaming has always been a niche market, usually reserved for the ultra gamers who have seen it all in the mainstream arena. But ever since the blockbuster success of Stardew Valley and Undertale, and more recently, Untitled Goose Game and Hades, indie gaming has become more popular even with casual gamers. More than a decade after Roblox released, it’s still one of the hottest games not just among kids and tweens, but also among younger adults who are finding their gamer-creator personas in its independent game development capabilities. In fact, instead of indie taking cues from AAA titles, it’s now the other way around. Who’s to say that Roblox’s unique game development features did not inspire Dreams, the game creation system published by Sony for the PlayStation 4 in 2020? Just like the rise of independent publishing in the book and music industries, independent gaming has really taken off, breathing freshness and new flavor to the exceedingly commercial vibe of the video game industry.

THE GAME HAS JUST BEGUN

But now, you’ve got unsexualized females and LGBT characters taking the centerstage, just like in the award-winning Last of Us II (whose art direction was led by a Filipino-American veteran, Erick Pangilinan, no less). Cyberpunk 2077, despite its many criticisms and failures, also revolutionized the way we create our characters, introducing a not-so-traditional way of gender customization upon character creation. And fourth, games as legitimate avenues of social networks and opportunities. Multiplayer gaming has been around for decades now, creating friendships through guilds and raids. But now more than ever, gaming has become an avenue for social networking, with titles like Among Us and Animal Crossing becoming ways for friends to stay connected and people to find new acquaintances even though everyone was locked in their homes for the most part of last year.

Third, diversity. For the longest time, most gamers have been males. But the stereotypical loner male– hunched in the darkness of his room, the sole source of light being the female warrior on his screen–has never been more inaccurate in recent years. In the US, statistics found that 41% of gamers in 2020 were female. And it’s not just the gamers, but the way the games handle diversity is starting to shape up, as well. Apart from Tomb Raider’s Lara Croft, you can count the number of female leads in your hands.

We’ve seen Discord groups and Facebook chat groups filling up with people who are finding fellow gamers to fill the 10-people team needed for a good Among Us game. We’ve seen friends coming together for a Final Fantasy XIV raid well into the wee hours of the morning. Even social media is being filled with memes from popular online games, which is proof that gaming has really penetrated the mainstream bubble. Now more than ever, game streaming has also become lucrative. More people are taking professional gamers and streamers seriously, as the big bucks start pouring in. Even Facebook has come out with Facebook Gaming, in hopes that it can get a piece of the pie enjoyed by YouTube and Twitch for years. And of course, these trends that shape the way we play and how, in many ways, the games play us, are made possible by the rapid innovations and upgrades in gaming technology today.

MARCH-APRIL 2021

COVER STORY

Gaming gear in 2021 It’s easy to skimp on the specs of your TV, headphones, or even laptop when all you need to do is watch Netflix, jam to Spotify tunes, or write some reports for school or work. But when it comes to gaming, hardware and accessories make so much difference in the games that you can play and the way you play them. The new generation consoles from Sony and Microsoft are definitely at the top of our list for gear to buy in 2021. Although the Xbox Series X comes with a weird name and an ever weirder profile (Microsoft is seriously taking minimalism to a whole new level with this one), the Series X dethrones the Xbox One X as the most powerful console on the market. The Series X is fitted with all the mind-blowing hardware technology can afford you these days, promising graphically intensive ray tracing support and frame rates up to 120fps even at 4K resolution. With 12 teraflops of computing power, the Series X is essentially twice as powerful as the older Xbox, making for swifter load times and sleeker rendering. While all of the technical mumbo-jumbo means little at this point, what makes the Xbox Series X worth its more than P35,000 price point is the Xbox Game Pass. This subscription service will give you access to hundreds of games, many of them optimized to take advantage of the Series X’s amazing hardware.

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The Sony PlayStation 5, of course, also holds up its end. The PS5 rivals the Series X when it comes to performance— 120fps at 4K gameplay, ultrafast load times, and a PS Plus Collection to give the Xbox Game Pass a run for its money. But what people are most excited about with the PS5 is the new DualSense controller.

Sony has always been very clever with their controllers, and this time, they are replacing the DualShock 4’s rumble technology with haptic feedback that lets you experience all sorts of subtle vibrations during gameplay. This means that you can experience the subtle patter of rainfall or the feeling of running across a sandy beach–even the recoil of a gun if you wish.

THE GAME HAS JUST BEGUN

If you’re planning to get on all the good games that will be released this year, it’s still cheaper to get an Xbox Series X or PS5 than to upgrade to a more powerful PC or gaming laptop. There are definitely a lot of pros and cons to PC gaming compared to console gaming. But one of the things that we love about PC gaming is that there is so much more to play with in terms of customizing your gaming experience. First up, a gaming chair. A lot of people started investing in ergonomic gaming chairs throughout last year since we’re spending more time at home to play, work, and study. And if you have the cash to spare, you might want to upgrade to your very first Secret Lab gaming chair, especially now that they’ve come up with a limited edition collaboration with Filipino artist Quiccs.

Released in March, the Secretlab “Quiccs Edition” Premium Gaming Chairs take inspiration from the cultfavorite TEQ63 collectible toys by Quiccs. It’s always groundbreaking to see Filipino talent on the global gaming stage, and this collaboration with Quiccs and Secretlab takes this to a whole new level. Secondly, going wireless. If you’re a laptop user who tries to struggle with work-life balance in a work-from-home setup, you’ll know that there is some level of sanity in adhering to a routine, where you would close your laptop and clean your table at the end of a work day to have that delineation between work and rest. Having a wireless setup is a godsend in these situations, since you wouldn’t have to deal with the annoying wires every start and end of your work shift.

Although wireless has always been considered subpar in gaming due to the microsecond delay in input, Logitech has come a long way in addressing this flaw. With their proprietary Lightspeed wireless technology, wireless mice and keyboards have become serious gaming gear. The Logitech G Pro X Mouse, for example, sets the bar in terms of its pro-grade wireless technology. It’s also an engineering breakthrough, weighing 25% lighter than standard wireless mice. In this day and age where sustainability rings true to many sensibilities, the Pro X mouse shines as a fully carbon neutral certified product, which is made possible by Logitech’s efforts to reduce the carbon emissions in their manufacturing through the purchase of renewable energy and carbon offsets. We also recently reviewed the Logitech G913 Lightspeed wireless keyboard and the G733 RGB headset—both amazing additions to a wireless battlestation of a casual gamer or a professional working from home. Although Logitech has never been a favorite in ultra gamer circles, these wireless innovations help make gaming friendlier to a wider range of people.

MARCH-APRIL 2021

COVER STORY

for the camera—no matter if they’re actually good at playing, or not.

And since we’ve already pretty much covered the huge role that mobile gaming has in this year’s videogame landscape, we might as well talk about one of the best smartphones for this very exact purpose. Last year, the ASUS ROG Phone 3 was released worldwide. And if you’re not oblivious to the fact that ASUS ROG laptops are some of the best in the gaming laptop segment, then you’ll know that the ASUS ROG Phone 3 is definitely a tough smartphone to beat. This month, ASUS is set to release the phone’s successor, the ASUS ROG Phone 5, and we have no doubt that it’s going to be even better.

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Gaming in 2021 The times have really changed the way we play and the kind of gamers that we can be. Today, gamers are more than just the snotty geeky men consumed by the latest AAA releases. Now, there are casual gamers who make time for an hour or two each day for a quick Genshin

farming grind. There are those who bought a Nintendo Switch just to play Animal Crossing, and nothing else. There are kids who are shaping up to become developers and artists because of the influence of Roblox or Patapon. There are streamers and influencers who earn their keep by playing

After the turmoil of last year— which is undoubtedly far from over this 2021—it’ll be poor taste to judge people for the way they play and enjoy. No matter if your budget can only let you play F2P games on mobile, or if you’re not interested in stressing yourself out over a video game, how and what you play is your call. The video game industry is so huge and varied for this exact reason: to become a haven and a piece of paradise for all types of gamers, for all kinds of people, from all walks of life.

FEATURE

Roll the dice A first-timer’s guide to tabletop RPG WOR DS J OV I F IG UE R OA

In a world where you can be anything, who do you become and what do you do? This is the appeal of tabletop role-playing games (TRPG). At a time where we have the most advanced gaming systems and the most visually stunning RPGs, these pen-and-paper RPGs are still able to offer an extraordinary experience that is not limited by the constraints of programming or AI. If you’re someone who has grown up surrounded by consoles and handhelds, it may 54

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make you wonder—what, exactly, is the appeal of tabletop RPGs? To find out, we talked to Rachel Teng, the head of logistics of Gamers and GMs Philippines. This local hobby group is dedicated to organizing TRPGrelated events and introducing Filipino and RPGSEA-created games to more people locally and abroad.

What is tabletop RPG?

“TRPGs are typically pen and paper games that involve some form of collaborative storytelling and, as the name suggests, roleplaying your character/s. It’s a mix of improv writing and

ROLL THE DICE

the current situation, and then the GM tells them—using typical accessories like dice or cards— what the outcome of their action is.

acting, but with special rules and powers,” explains Rachel. In the simplest of terms, imagine a multiplayer RPG, where everyone plays a role in the story. And instead of a set program or AI dictating the course of your adventure, you have a person called a game master (GM) that controls the story, direction, and overall plot of your adventure. A typical session would last around four hours, where the GM describes the environment, the players react and tell the GM what they’d like to do based on

In TRPG, all the limitations set by virtual RPGs disappear. You can create your character to be anything, doing things and resolving conflicts in the most creative and obscure way as possible. Maybe you’d like to be a human-plant hybrid, with some talent for potion concoction and hair that can transform into poisonous needles when provoked. Your greatest flaw: you’re pretty much useless at night without the sunlight to power you up. There’s also much freedom in the way of choosing your genre and setting. While there are the most mainstream titles— including Dungeons and Dragons, Fate, Powered by the Apocalypse, and World of Darkness—you’ll find that there are thousands of games you can pick up for any genre you might think of.

With a cooperative crew and a great GM to set you off on your adventure, you’ll find that one session just isn’t enough. TRPG campaigns are a string of sessions that follow the same story and pick up from where you’ve left off. In fact, campaigns can even span years, like Rachel’s long-running game of The Great Pendragon Campaign, where they’ve been playing knights in the age of King Uther Pendragon, and then later on his son, King Arthur The group started the campaign in 2018, and they are now in their 70th session.

Getting into TRPGs

“I first started playing World of Darkness in 2005. Pamela Punzalan (now a community manager for Philippine Table-top RPGs on Facebook) invited me to her game along with some friends. We played as a bunch of normal people in a Metro Manila laden with supernatural creatures and beasts, and had to investigate the supernatural occurrences. It was a little horror-themed and very fun,” recalls Rachel. MARCH-APRIL 2021

FEATURE

It may be daunting to get into your first TRPG, with all the rules and character building that you might need to read up on, but the most decisive step is to really just get into your first game and experiment as you go. For starters, Dungeons & Dragons has free basic rules online, and physical books available in local games shops like Fortress Games, Gaming Library, and even Fully Booked. In fact, if like Rachel you’d want to embark on your own Pinoy adventure, there are games like The Islands of Sina Una, which is set on a supernatural precolonial Philippines. According to Rachel, we are now fortunate that we have so much TRPGs that highlight Pinoy talent and culture. “Joaquin Saavedra's Karanduun: Make God Bleed is a mix of modern fantasy, Filipino myth, and anime-inspired action where worthless heroes battle against imperial gods. Chris Fabon's Alamat ng Astig is a Filipino-first ‘talyerpunk’ game that takes inspiration from Filipino action films. Pam Punzalan's Tinoli me Tangere is a collaborative satirical game of 1800s social climbers and their battle for the best bowl of tinola. Jammi Nedjadi's BALIKBAYAN: Returning Home is a diceless, GM-less cyberpunk collaborative storytelling game of Filipino mythic creatures escaping from the clutches of oppressive megacorporations.”

TRPG in the new normal

Even before the pandemic, TRPG has already established a space in the digital world. This is why even though the pandemic stopped players from gathering physically, there’s a ton of tools and apps online that aid TRPG players so they can continue playing anytime, anywhere. Many players, for example, have migrated to video calls via Discord, Rachel says. But for others who play games with more involved grids/ map accessory requirements, they do it on a variety of tools like Foundry Virtual Tabletop, Fantasy Grounds, Owlbear. Rodeo, Roll20, and Google Slides. Regular sessions and campaigns were unscathed by the pandemic, but since Gamers and GMs Philippines is a group that hosts TRPG-related events, the pandemic, of course, challenged the way they held these larger-scale events. One of these events is Session Zero, the first of its kind held last August 2019 in Makati. Session Zero is a tradeshow and networking event (like Komiket, but for TRPG enthusiasts) that showcases Filipino and RPGSEA products to the hobby community. This paves the way for game designers, artists, crafters, and publishers to be able to meet and connect as an industry. “We had quite large plans for 2020, including raising funds to fly in publisher representatives from companies and industryexperts overseas, and RPG creators from the rest of the Southeast Asian region. We had booked a venue and everything! Unfortunately, the pandemic put

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a stop to any plans we had and we tabled our activities for a few months,” says Rachel. But if paper and pen can survive a digital migration, so could Session Zero. And on January 30, 2021, Session Zero Online went live on the Gather.Town virtual space for 12 hours with 95 booths and over 600 registrants. Session Zero Online was a virtual event like no other. Attendees were able to create their own avatars, roam around the virtual map, and sit in tables and visit booths just like in a real con. “Like any physical convention, we had some unexpected but totally fun activities. Some of our attendees and exhibitors started a karaoke session in the auditorium, while someone else began a long queue of dancing sprites. Some exhibitors and attendees stayed with us in the venue all the way until 6a.m., chatting and eating together with us around the virtual bar. We’ve received a ton of feedback praising the event and how it really made them feel like they attended a real convention— high praise since we really worked hard to give them that experience,” says Rachel. TRPG definitely offers a whole new experience for gamers, with a thriving and blossoming community ready to welcome beginners and veterans with open arms. Maybe it’s time to finally pick up that hammer you’ve been wanting to swing, or that snobbish elf thief persona that you’ve been wanting to role-play. In the world of TRPG, where you can be anything, why not become everything you’ve dreamed of to be?

MOTORING

6 HYBRID MYTHS BUSTED!

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hances are you’ve seen them in your favorite movies and TV series. No, we’re not talking about A-list celebrities, although many stars drive themselves around in one. We’re talking about hybrid cars, especially the uber popular Toyota Prius. Globally, Toyota’s hybrid cars have established themselves as reliable choices for amazing fuel economy. It’s no wonder why you see them almost everywhere in most other countries.

Hopefully, we can clear the air (pun intended) about these environment-friendly vehicles.

It’s a very different story though here in the Philippines where there’s still a lot to be understood about hybrids. Let’s address some of these top myths, shall we?

They’re similar in that they both have electricity as a power source but different because hybrid vehicles also have a second power source (the petrol engine).

MYTH #1: Electric vehicles (EV) and hybrid EVs are basically the same THE TRUTH: Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV) operate on only one power source—electric motor— while Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEV), as the name suggests, run on a combination of a petrol engine and an electric motor.

6 HYBRID MYTHS BUSTED!

MYTH # 2: Hybrid cars need to be charged before use THE TRUTH: Hybrids do not need to be plugged in to be charged. They are self-charging through the motion and braking of the car. This is called regenerative braking and is what makes hybrids unique and extra convenient as electrified vehicles. This makes them ideal for the Philippines since there’s no need for added infrastructure like charging stations. MYTH # 3: Hybrids are difficult to maintain THE TRUTH: Similar to a regular car, hybrids just need to be brought to your local Toyota dealer for their preventive maintenance service (PMS). While usage circumstances still play a key role, hybrid batteries don’t need any special maintenance on top of PMS. For added peace of mind, Toyota provides a 5-year warranty on the hybrid battery alongside the standard 3-year warranty on the vehicle itself. Plus, according to the Japanese car manufacturer, their hybrid batteries are designed to last the lifetime of the car with proper care and maintenance.

MYTH # 4: Driving hybrids in a flood will cause you to get electrocuted THE TRUTH: No, you definitely won’t get electrocuted! The power shuts off once it gets in contact with water. It’s no different in terms of safety from a conventional vehicle since both hybrids and conventional vehicles have their engines at similar heights from the ground.. MYTH #5: Hybrids are expensive THE TRUTH: Hybrids are a lot more affordable now and are priced competitively to their conventional gas counterparts. And since hybrids are very fuel-efficient, you’ll also save a lot on gas expenses in the long run. MYTH #6: Hybrids are hard to drive THE TRUTH: If you know how to drive a conventional vehicle, then you know how to drive a hybrid. Hybrids actually have the smallest learning curve among electrified vehicles. You just need to gas them up like your conventional car— just not as often anymore. The hybrid system is very intelligent and automatically switches between EV and gas mode to give you the most out of your fuel.

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PRESS PLAY

WHAT’S STREAMING THIS APRIL? Check out these Netflix and Disney+ movies and series streaming in April.

The Mitchells vs The Machines April 30 | Netflix What happens when smartphones, robot vacuums, and evil Furbys come alive and attack you? That’s what you’ll find out in The Mitchells vs. The Machines, an animated action-comedy dropping on Netflix on April 30. The story is about the Mitchell family and their struggle to relate and connect with each other in the midst of technology. When Katie Mitchell (Abbi Jacobson), a creative outsider, is accepted into the film school of her dreams, her plans to meet “her people” at college are upended when dad Rick (Danny McBride) decides that the whole family should drive Katie to school and bond as a family. Their journey, however, is interrupted when they find themselves in the middle of a tech uprising, where electronic devices come alive and threaten to take over the world. The family then becomes humanity’s unlikely last hope for survival. Other actors lending their voice to the film include Fred Armisen, Beck Bennett, Chrissy Teigen, John Legend, Conan O’Brien, Maya Rudolph, and Blake Griffin, among others.

Big Shot April 16 | Disney+ After getting ousted from his former job for throwing a chair at a referee, temperamental coach Marvyn Korn (John Stamos) must take a coaching and teaching gig at an all-girls elite private school in an effort to redeem what’s left of his career and reputation. While Coach Korn faces hostility from his new community, he realizes that his new team needs compassion and empathy and so changes his ways to become the best coach he can be. This Disney+ original series also stars Yvette Nicole Brown as an unimpressed school principal and Jessalyn Gilsig as Korn’s assistant coach.

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WHAT’S STREAMING THIS APRIL?

Secrets of the Whales April 22 | Disney+

Tale of the Nine Tailed April 3 | Netflix

This Sigourney Weaver-narrated National Geographic docuseries brings viewers deep into the epicenter of whale culture to experience the extraordinary communication skills and intricate social structures of humpback whales, beluga whales, orca whales, and more.

In Tale of the Nine Tailed, Lee Yeon (Lee Dong-Wook) is a former mountain spirit who now lives as a nine tailed fox in human form, waiting for the reincarnation of his first love Ah Eum. Meanwhile, TV producer Nam Ji-a (Jo Bo Ah) tries to find out what happened to her parents after a car accident 21 years ago. Their lives become entangled in the process.

This four-part docuseries, premiering on Disney+ on Earth Day and executive-produced by James Cameron, was filmed over three years in 24 locations.

Shadow and Bone April 23 | Netflix

Arlo the Alligator Boy April 16 | Netflix In this 2D animated adventure musical film, young humanoid alligator Arlo (Michael J. Woodard) leaves his swampy Southern home behind to head out to New York City and find the father he’s never known. Along the way, he meets colorful characters including Bertie (Mary Lambert), Teeny Tiny Tony (Tony Hale), Furlecia (Jonathan Van Ness), and Alia (Haley Tju). Multi-award-winning songwriter/composer Alex Geringas, along with director Ryan Crego, composed the original music for the upcoming animated musical.

Based on Leigh Bardugo’s worldwide bestselling Grishaverse novels, Shadow and Bone finds us in a war-torn world where lowly soldier and orphan Alina Starkov (Jessie Mei Li) has just unleashed an extraordinary power that could be the key to setting her country free. With the monstrous threat of the Shadow Fold looming, Alina is torn from everything she knows to train as part of an elite army of magical soldiers known as Grisha. But as she struggles to hone her power, she finds that allies and enemies can be one and the same and that nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. There are dangerous forces at play, including a crew of charismatic criminals, and it will take more than magic to survive. Shadow and Bone also stars Archie Renaux (Malyen Oretsev), Freddy Carter (Kaz Brekker), Amita Suman (Inej), Kit Young (Jesper Fahey), and Ben Barnes (General Kirigan).

The Way of the Househusband April 8 | Netflix Feared among the yakuza as “The Immortal Dragon,” Tatsu is a legend of the underworld with an impressive number of defeated rival gangs under his belt. However, hoping to wash his hands of his past, Tatsu gets married and devotes himself fully to the way of the househusband by diligently undertaking the cooking, cleaning, washing, and grocery shopping. But there’s one person who’s not happy about Tatsu’s new domestic life— his tough, former yakuza underling, Masa. As Tatsu tries his best to pursue the way of the househusband, one assassin after another tries their hand at taking him out.

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Samsung and BTS: A match made in the galaxy amsung knows how to create truly innovative products. For over a decade now, it’s been making irresistible smartphones that set the bar high for excellence in consumer electronics manufacturing. And it seems like the South Korean giant also has a knack for choosing its brand ambassadors. In 2020, it partnered with K-pop superstars BTS, starting off with a collaboration with the group’s contemporary art initiative Connect BTS. This global initiative in collaboration with curators from five major cities—London, Berlin, Buenos Aires, Seoul, and New York—was designed to connect people from across the world through art and dovetail with BTS’ philosophy that centers around “diversity, love, and care for the periphery.”

IN ASSOCIATION WITH SAMSUNG

Since then, the seven-member sensation has been seen in several campaigns with Samsung. In fact, the tech brand even released a special Galaxy S20+ and Galaxy Buds+ BTS Edition, which featured the band’s symbolic shade of purple.

tech conglomerate and the music moguls. But in the meantime, let’s check out seven (because RM, Jin, SUGA, j-hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook) of the many features of the Samsung Galaxy S21 Series 5G:

Early this year, at Samsung Unpacked, the brand and the band sparked another series of online frenzy with their partnership for the Samsung Galaxy S21 Series 5G. These phones—composed of the Galaxy S21, S21+, and S21 Ultra 5G—sport plenty of camera prowess, 5G support, and an immense amount of power to make the user experience a truly epic one.

Are you a vlogger or newbie content creator? You’ll love the Galaxy S21 Series 5G’s video-taking features! The new Director’s View displays live thumbnails for each lens so you can see what they see and switch focus accordingly. It also enables you to record with your front and rear cameras simultaneously with a feature called Vlogger View.

We’re pretty sure that Samsung fans and the BTS fans are waiting with bated breath for the next epic collaboration between the

1. Vlogger’s delight

Shooting in fast-moving or bumpy conditions? Your footage will still be buttery-smooth thanks to Super Steady video.

There’s also Single Take 2.0, which makes it easy for you to capture multiple cameras simultaneously by creating 14 different individual compositions from a single short video clip. Plus, there’s an impressive dynamic slow-mo for more dramatic shots.

effortlessly takes snaps from it, in a video called “Galaxy x BTS: Galaxy S21 Ultra 8K Video Snap.”

And then there’s 8K Video Snap, a feature that lets you take your best shots from crystal-clear 8K videos. It allows users to scrub the timeline of their video, find the right moment, and snap the frame to produce a 33MP photo.

2. Stunning display with 120Hz refresh rate

To further take advantage of this camera tool, Samsung released short films featuring BTS to demonstrate how the 8K Video Snap works. In one video, the group is seen watching a high-definition clip of their performance. Jungkook shows an 8K clip to RM, Jin, SUGA, j-hope, Jimin, and V, with the Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G and

The group is also seen playing around with their Galaxy S21 and S21+ 5G using the 8K Video Snap in a video called “Galaxy S21 | S21+ 5G: 8K Video Snap.”

All the devices sport an edgeto-edge Dynamic AMOLED 2X Infinity-O Display with an adaptive refresh rate. Samsung has dropped the curved edges1, giving the new series a flatter, sleeker look. The Galaxy S21 5G variant comes in with a 6.2-inch display, while the slightly bigger Galaxy S21+ 5G has a 6.7-inch display. The Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G, the most premium of the bunch, comes with a massive 6.8-inch screen. Interrupting the display is a single hole-punch cutout at the top-center. 1

For Galaxy S21 5G and Galaxy S21+ 5G only.

IN ASSOCIATION WITH SAMSUNG

The Galaxy S21+ and S21 Ultra 5G are even wrapped in Gorilla Glass Victus, whose drop- and scratch resistance are nothing to sneeze at. Moreover, the phones are available in a range of stunning colors—from the classic Phantom Black and Phantom Silver to a new signature color exclusive to the Galaxy S21 5G and Galaxy S21+ 5G: Phantom Violet.

6. Future-ready with 5G

3. Pro-grade cameras

Samsung has a penchant for offering incredible camera setups on its phones, so it’s no surprise that the ones on Galaxy S21 Series 5G are astounding.

The Exynos 2100 chipset, which goes inside all three Galaxy S21 Series 5G smartphones, is a 5G-integrated mobile processor. This means that the handsets will allow you to enjoy blazing-fast internet speeds for ultra-fast video, no-latency gaming, and so much more.

Equipped with Samsung’s bestin-class camera, the Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G takes stunning, studioquality photos in various lightings and settings. It has a quad rear camera (108MP Wide, 12MP Ultra Wide, and 10MP dual Telephotolenses) with an improved Bright Night sensor for beautiful lowlight photography.

7. Seamless connections

Meanwhile, the Galaxy S21 5G and Galaxy S21+ 5G feature a triple camera setup consisting of 12MP Wide, 64MP Telephoto, and 12MP Ultra Wide lenses.

Meanwhile, multitaskers will love Samsung DeX, which extends your smartphone to a monitor and allows you to use your device as a dedicated machine.

4. Powerful in every way

You can also link your Galaxy device to your Windows 10 PC just by clicking on the start menu or taskbar and enjoy your pinned apps on a big screen.

Pair the phones’ big battery capacity with the power-efficient display and processor and you have a device that can last you all day long. Need to power up quick? No problem! The Galaxy S21 Series 5G supports super-fast charging and fast wireless charging.

5. Head-turning design

The Samsung Galaxy S21 Series 5G handsets are premium flagship phones—and they certainly look the part, with their unique contourcut camera housing that will undoubtedly turn heads. The build quality is top-notch, too, with IP68 dust and water resistance rating.

If you are a part of the Samsung Galaxy ecosystem, you can easily switch between, connect to, and enjoy your Samsung gadgets. With app continuity, for example, you can easily continue working between your Galaxy devices without restarting the app from the beginning.

Go get ‘em! The Galaxy S21 Series 5G now comes in 128GB storage for as low as Php 44,990 SRP for the Galaxy S21 5G, Php 54,990 SRP for the Galaxy S21+ 5G, and Php 66,990 SRP for the Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G. It’s available in Samsung Experience Stores and samsung.com/ph. The Galaxy S21 Series 5G is also available in 256GB storage starting at Php 47,990 SRP.

COVER FEATURE

A global phenomenon BTS—the megawatt group from Seoul, South Korea— has undeniably taken over the globe. Starting out as a humble K-pop idol group in 2013, they have grown to become the biggest band in the world. WORDS DEMAI S. GRANALI

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BTS: A GLOBAL PHENOMENON

Composed of seven members—RM, Jin, SUGA, j-hope, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook, all multi-talented lads in their 20s—BTS appeals not just to a perceived demographic of teenage girls but to women, men, and children of all ages, nationalities, and social status. But how did they get to be so popular? The success that BTS is enjoying these days did not all happen overnight. For nearly 10 years, the members, together with their agency Big Hit Music (formerly known as Big Hit Entertainment), have been working hard at honing and continuously improving their craft while enduring every possible obstacle there is. They’ve been downplayed by local media, got cut off from broadcasts, accused of manipulating the charts, and disrespected by industry peers simply because 1) they dared to be different in so many aspects, and 2) because they didn’t come from an influential label that had clout over media.

unsplash.com/@szabo_beni123

But that did not stop them from producing good music and content that are based on their personal experiences and thoughts, which have resonated with people going through similar adversities. Since 2015, BTS has been consistently charting in the U.S. Billboard. Their album The Most Beautiful Moment in Life, Pt. 2 was their first to enter the Billboard 200, and even ranked No. 1 on the Heatseekers Albums and World Albums charts.

SINCE 2015, BTS HAS BEEN CONSISTENTLY CHARTING IN THE U.S. BILLBOARD. Their 2017 song “DNA” became their first Billboard Hot 100 placer. The following year, “Fake Love” entered the Hot 100 Top 10, and in 2020, they became the first Korean artists to have not one but two No. 1 songs on the Hot 100 chart with “Dynamite” and “Life Goes On.” Their 2020 albums Map of the Soul: 7 and BE also nabbed the top spot on the Billboard 200.

including feats that broke the records of the likes of Adele, The Beatles, and Michael Jackson. BTS’ success is the result of a combination of great music, meaningful and life-changing (for some, life-saving) lyrics, jaw-dropping choreographies, well-thought-out programs and content, and an open and sincere two-way communication with fans. As the founder and CEO of Big Hit Entertainment Bang Sihyuk put it in his 2018 interview with Time Magazine, the biggest factor behind BTS’ success is the “loyalty built through direct contact with fans.”

They’ve been named Global Recording Artist of 2020 by the IFPI (International Federation of the Phonographic Industry) and is the first Korean group to be nominated for the Grammy Awards’ Best Pop Duo/Group Performance category for “Dynamite.”

The BTS ARMY has played a huge part in BTS’ global popularity. They are not simply fans who enjoy listening to their music, but are a very inspired, highly organized, socially conscious, and driven group of people who spread the good message of BTS to the world by launching charity drives, care and education missions, and longterm campaigns such as Black Lives Matter and #StopAsianHate. Backed by ARMY, BTS has been tapped since 2018 by UNICEF to become the ambassadors of the “Love Myself” campaign, which aims to help end violence against youth and aid them through the COVID-19 pandemic.

These are just some of the recognitions from top awardgiving bodies. There’s just not enough space in this article to list their other achievements,

With its zealous ARMY, brilliant partnerships, and unmatched power and reach, it’s safe to say that BTS will continue to dominate the world.

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PEOPLE@SPEED

Streamer spotlight: DEXIE DIAZ I NTERV I EW BY J OVI FI GUER OA P H OTO S COURTESY OF T I ER O NE ENT ERTA I NMENT

A decade ago, playing video games always felt like judgment. The words “Kaka-computer mo ’yan!” still echoes in my head when thinking about the hours I’ve spent in front of the computer or the PlayStation, forgetting—quite deliberately— my homework that’s due tomorrow. It was the hobby for nerds and introverts, and never cool enough for the jocks who were the stars during school intramurals, or the geniuses who would be sent to compete in spelling bees or interschool competitions. But finally, we live in a time where social media personalities, vloggers, and streamers are finally getting respect for the dedication and passion that they have for their craft. The idea of doing what you love for a living has never been truer in their case, earning good money while enjoying every bit of their work. When it comes to the streamer arena, there’s so much content to enjoy out there. But one passionate young woman has carved a steady following for herself. She’s the youngest talent of Tier One Entertainment, the first esports talent agency in Southeast Asia founded in 2017 by esports veteran Tryke Gutierrez and cosplay and gaming star Alodia Gosiengfiao. Her name: Dexie Diaz. Dexie was just 14 when she started her streaming career playing Mobile Legends: Bang Bang. Three years later, she now has an astounding five million followers on Facebook, with thousands of people tuning in to her stream day in and day out. Speed got the chance to sit down and talk to Dexie, the 17-year-old streamer star who is now conquering social media. We hear her story straight from her— unfiltered and unedited. 68

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STREAMER SPOTLIGHT: DEXIE DIAZ

When did you discover your love for gaming? I discovered it way back nu’ng 12 pa ako. Favorite gadgets ko kasi ’yung iPad and PSP. Patapon ang madalas kong laruin before [laughs]. Kwela kasi nu’ng music na ginagawa nila. How did you go from playing to streaming? I think this was way back in 2014. May friend kasi ako and sinabi ko sa kanya na gusto kong maka-ipon. From there, he supported me—from equipment to plans to everything. Naging manager ko na rin siya. My first streaming platform was Tamagom which closed due to financial problems, then Game.ly, then finally Facebook Gaming.

What can you say about the exponential growth of your fan base? Surprised talaga ako! Grabe po ’yung support ng fans ko from 100K followers to three million followers in less than a year! Naramdaman ko talaga na marami na akong na-iinspire nu’ng may event kami sa ESGS (Electronic Sports and Gaming Summit) in SMX tapos sobrang dinumog ’yung segment namin. Sobrang enjoy! Even though you stream a lot of games, you have been known for streaming Mobile Legends. Why this game? I’ve been playing the game for a long time na rin, so I got used to it na. I like how competitive it is and people watched me before kasi I used to compete rin in Female's League. MARCH-APRIL 2021

PEOPLE@SPEED

How do you feel about being the youngest talent of Tier One? It feels like a big milestone for me kasi I believe na ’yung ibang talents din ng Tier One started young in the company. Dream come true because I met my childhood idol: si Mommy Alodia. Do you have a message for young gamers who look up to you and to your fans who always support you? I would like to tell all aspiring young content creators to never forget to set priorities sa buhay nila, lalong lalo na ang family and sarili. Para hindi ma-burnout, we should enjoy spending time with our loved ones. And humble lang dapat at walang pressure sa sarili! Sobrang happy ako sa mga solid fans ko. Most of them I've met na in real life tapos naka-bonding ko na rin sa mga meet and greet events. Apart from gaming and streaming, you are also now into cars. When did this start? Mahilig na talaga ako sa cars before, pero off-road cars kasi I love going on adventures. Recently, nahilig na lang talaga dahil sa friends. I call it the Fong Yang squad. Eight people lang kami sa group pero madalas kami magkakasama basta cars. When it comes to race courses and tracks, si Manager talaga ang nagpasimuno niyan. Siya ’yung nag-aaya kasi everytime he wants to try something out, nadadamay ako! Just like in my gaming, I can definitely say na competitive pa rin ako sa driving—basta sa controlled conditions like sa race track lang! What are you driving now? I'm currently driving a Subaru BRZ, pero sobrang dami na naming inupgrade dito to improve its performance and upgrade its looks. Favorite color ko rin kasi ’yung orange, kaya orange siya! ’Tsaka siyempre medyo rare ’yung orange na car [laughs]. Gusto ko kasi tinginin ’yung kotse.

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Are you thinking of going competitive soon? JDM Numbawan na ako! [laughs] Kidding aside, I'm into Japanese cars ngayon kasi sobrang cute nila eh! I'll try to compete ’pag feeling ko may skills na ’ko and ready na lahat. You’re just turning 18, but you’ve already reached and achieved so much. What else are in your plans? ’Di naman po siguro ganu’n karami [laughs] pero kasi karamihan sa mga bata ngayon puro hingi na lang eh. Siyempre may mga perks din ako sa buhay na reason bakit may advantage ako, pero I can definitely say naman na I honed what I have and put everything para makarating sa kung nasa’n man ako ngayon. Marami pa akong gustong maabot, pero mostly adventure! Sipag at tiyaga rin talaga.

TECH TIPS H

ave you found yourself at a dead end in Google Maps, but there’s actually a perfectly good road in front of you? Well, you can now add any new or hidden roads on the Maps by drawing them in yourself. Simply open Google Maps on your computer, click on the hamburger menu next to the search bar, select “Edit the map,” choose “Missing road,” and mark the missing road by drawing lines. Google will vet user submissions before they are published.

MANUAL

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HOW TO

BEAT THE BURNOUT 5 ways to fight pandemic fatigue

s we cross the oneyear mark of the COVID-19 pandemic, there’s little doubt that pandemic fatigue is real. Do you have it? Here are some tell-tale signs: You’re growing increasingly tired of the pandemic measures and health and safety practices. You feel restless even with adequate sleep. You’re easily irritable and have difficulty concentrating on tasks. You start to withdraw from socializing; you think of how to excuse yourself from your

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weekly virtual catch-up with friends. Indeed, this continued uncertainty is hard to handle, causing many to become demotivated, overwhelmed, and exhausted— physically, emotionally, mentally. But we can’t let it get the best of us, can we? Our family, friends, and co-workers are counting on us. So try to keep powering through by taking some steps to make your lives better and healthier. Adjusting to this ever-changing challenge isn’t going to be easy, though, so don’t forget to be kind to yourself in the process.

BEAT THE BURNOUT

Get up and get moving Physical inactivity is associated with anxiety and depression. This, in turn, will make you feel fatigued. Replenish your energy by moving—do chores, exercise, dance, or anything that involves movement. Set a timer so you’ll be reminded about when you should get up from your seat and move around. If you need help getting more active, make plans with a friend or a family member. If you’re meeting up with a friend in person, make sure to observe minimum health protocols. Rest and relax Do things that calm you— whether it’s reading a book, taking a bath, or tending to your plants. Schedule simple deep breathing sessions at least three times a day. When you slow down your breathing, you’re telling your body that there’s no immediate threat. This, in turn, will help reduce stress and anxiety. Getting quality sleep can also combat burnout. This means relaxing your mind and putting away your gadgets before bed. Aim for seven to eight hours of uninterrupted sleep, if possible. Hydrate and eat well Have a tumbler or glass of water nearby so you’ll be

reminded to hydrate every so often. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink; by the time you feel the need for it, you may already be dehydrated. Replenishing your fluid throughout the day can help you maintain (or boost) your energy. Because stress negatively affects blood pressure and blood flow, it’s also important to feed your body with nutrients from healthy food. Nutrients such as vitamin E, omega-3s, and polyphenols help improve blood flow in the body. Make time to prep healthy meals. While it may be challenging to fit into a busy schedule, note that a healthy

diet can reduce the negative effects of stress on your body. You don’t need to put together an elaborate meal. You can start by snacking on fresh, nutritious fruits or nuts and high-fiber cereals. Pick a time that’s Zoom-call-free It may not be a formal diagnosis, but Zoom fatigue or virtual fatigue is very real. This comes from sensory overload from (over-) using video chat platforms. If you’ve ever logged out of your last video call or conference for the day and found yourself completely drained, then you probably have this type of exhaustion.

Even though it isn’t something you consciously realize, it takes more effort to have conversations through Zoom than it does in real life. One reason is that you have to work harder to read gestures and non-verbal cues through a computer screen. If possible, when doing your daily or weekly schedule, pick a block of time that is videocall-free. Utilize the “hide selfview” feature or turn off your camera if it’s not mandatory to show yourself. Stop doomscrolling Doomscrolling is the act of endlessly and obsessively reading about every little detail of something bad you see online. Many people have been (unknowingly) doing this habit since the pandemic, and unfortunately, they do not realize that doing so robs them of energy and makes them angry or depressed. Of course, it’s important to stay up to date with current events, but try to determine which information makes you feel stressed or exhausted rather than informed or empowered. Impose limits on yourself, take a break from news and social media, and maybe try actively engaging in conversation with others instead of just passively scrolling through your feed. Especially during these uncertain times, do whatever you need to look after yourself. There’s no shame in self-care. MARCH-APRIL 2021

HOW TO

PUT A SPRING BACK IN YOUR PC’S STEP

Secure your IG account

Hackers and spammers are becoming more sophisticated each day, so it’s important that you secure your online accounts to prevent getting hacked or becoming victim to some phishing attack. If you’re an Instagram user, consider setting up two-factor authentication. Here are two ways:

indows 10 may be Microsoft’s fastestbooting operating system ever, but if you feel like your PC’s still a bit sluggish at startup, there are a few things you could do to shave seconds off its boot time. Here are three of them: 1. REMOVE OR REDUCE WINDOWS 10 STARTUP ITEMS Task Manager, the built-in utility you usually use to stop annoying processes that refuse to shut down, can also help manage your computer’s startup times. Go to Task Manager and click on More Details to see the full program. In the expanded view, go to the Startup tab where you’ll see a list of programs that launch at boot time. Check the Startup Impact column and consider disabling programs classified as “high” or “medium.” 74

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To disable a program, select, right-click, and choose disable. Under the Status column you’ll now see that the program has switched from Enabled to Disabled. 2. CLEAN ‘ER UP! Squeeze a little more speed out of your boot time by running Disk Cleanup. This will get rid of any junk files and make your SSD or hard drive operate a little more efficiently. Oh, and speaking of, if your PC still has a hard drive, you might want to upgrade to an SSD. You’ll most definitely see an improvement not just in your PC’s boot time but its overall performance. 3. CHECK FOR MALWARE Scan your system for malware using the Windows Security suite. Select Virus & Threat Protection, then run a Quick Scan if there are any current threats. When the scan finishes, quarantine and remove any malware or potentially unwanted programs found.

1. 2FA USING YOUR PHONE On the Instagram app, go to your profile by tapping on your profile picture on the bottom right. Tap the three lines on the top right, then tap on Settings. Go to Security > Two-Factor Authentication. Tap on Get Started. Turn the toggle on next to the Text Message. Enter your phone number then tap Next. Enter the code sent to your phone and then select Next. Once you've entered the correct code sent to your device, your 2FA will be activated. Instagram will also give you a list of codes you can use when you don't have access to your phone. 2. 2FA USING A THIRD-PARTY APP On the Instagram app, go to your profile by tapping on your profile picture on the bottom right. Tap the three lines on the top right, then tap on Settings. Go to Security > Two-Factor Authentication. Tap on Get Started. Turn the toggle on next to Authentication App. If you don't already have an authentication app on your phone, Instagram will recommend either Google Authenticator or Duo Mobile. Download the suggested app, and tap Next. Once the app is installed on your device, a pop-up will take you to the third-party two-factor authentication app to retrieve an access code. Copy the code from the third-party app and then return to Instagram and paste it in the text field. Now you will be registered with the thirdparty app so that anytime you log into your IG account, a code will be sent to the app for verification.

ASK THE EDITOR

Prevent unwanted purchases on Google Play

Start your Mac faster Hello! I have a 5-year-old MacBook Air. It’s quite old so it’s gotten pretty slow booting up. Plus there are some apps that launch automatically every time I boot up. What to do? JAM ROJAS Hi, Jam! Here’s a simple trick so you don’t have to wait to get started with whatever you need to do on your Mac: kick those apps out of the startup process. To speed things up, go to System Preferences (Cmd + Space or by clicking on the Apple logo), go to Users and Groups > Login items. From there, you can remove unwanted apps by selecting them and clicking on the “—” icon. On the other hand, if you want an app to start upon login but not show up on the screen, you can check the hide box against it.

Hi, Cess.

Hi! I let my 9-year-old son use my phone to play games. But I’ve heard a lot of horror stories about unwanted credit card charges because of accidental purchases. What’s the best thing to do? JOSEPH CASTANEDA Hello, Joseph. We know those horror stories too well! So, we’ve set up password protection on Google Play. We suggest you do, too. Open the Google Play Store app, tap your profile icon found on the top right. Go to Settings > Tap Settings > User Controls, then choose “Require authentication for purchases.” This will give you options “for all purchases through Google Play on this device,” “every 30 minutes,” or “never.” You may also want to activate Fingerprint authentication while you’re at it.

Wanted: Caption/ subtitle tool

If you’re using Google Chrome as your browser, then you’re in luck. Chrome’s new Live Caption accessibility feature can provide closed captioning for many videos and audio files on your browser. According to Google, it works across social and video sites, podcasts, personal video libraries, and most web-based video/audio chat services. What’s better is that the feature also works for local audio and video files saved on your hard drive; you just need to play the files in Chrome.

Is there an app or tool that I can use so that all videos I watch on my laptop will get subtitles/captions? I sometimes encounter videos where I can’t understand the speaker’s accent or the audio is just bad. Thank you!

To enable Live Caption, first make sure that your browser is updated (Help > About Chrome). Open Chrome’s options menu, select Setting, then click the Advanced option in the left-hand navigation pane. From there, select Accessibility and enable the Live Caption feature. There’s also a Caption preferences option underneath the listing that lets you tweak the appearance of your captions. Currently, Live Caption is available only in English.

CESS JIMENEZ

Hope this helps, Cess!

Dear Speed,

MARCH-APRIL 2021

BILLBOARD

You can now withdraw with a QR code at select BDO ATMs

CHRIS EVANS IS THE FACE OF SMART’S ‘LIVE SMARTER FOR A BETTER WORLD’ CAMPAIGN Hollywood actor and “Captain America” Chris Evans has been unveiled as the newest ambassador of Smart Communications. Evans will be the face of the telco’s “Live Smarter for a Better World” 2021 campaign. Evans’ first Smart TVC is helmed by German-born director Pascal Heiduk, who has worked with the likes of Hugh Jackman and Lewis Hamilton and has done commercial film work for renowned brands.

You can now make cardless withdrawals at select BDO ATMs by just generating a QR code on your phone. To generate a QR code, log into your BDO Digital Banking app, go to More under options. Then, select Withdraw>Via QR. Pick your preferred account, input the amount, and save the generated code. The QR code is only valid for 24 hours upon generation to protect your account. It’s also different from the QR code you use to send money.

According to Smart, its “Live Smarter for a Better World” campaign aims to inspire people to commit to sustainable actions with lasting, positive impact to society.

When you’re at the ATM, tap on QR Code Transaction onscreen then scan the code and wait for the transaction to be completed.

“There’s nothing like the current challenges the world is facing to make us all realize that we are all interconnected, and that our personal actions have broader impact. Through our ‘Live Smarter for a Better World’ initiative, it is our aim to create that spark in everyone to help change the world for the better rather than just settling for ‘good’,” said Alfredo S. Panlilio, Smart Communications president and CEO, in a statement.

BDO says there are over 100 QRenabled ATMs in Makati already, with plans of expanding the upgraded machines in key cities nationwide.

Isuzu opens bigger Pasig dealership, truck center Isuzu Philippines Corporation and Isuzu Automotive Dealership Inc. (IADI) inaugurated a bigger and more enhanced Isuzu Pasig dealership and its Isuzu Pasig Truck Center (IPTC) last February. The Isuzu Pasig dealership and truck center are located along E. Rodriguez Jr. Avenue (formerly C5) at the corner of Calle Industria in Barangay Bagumbayan, Quezon City. The location is strategic, as it is accessible from the highly urbanized cities of Pasig, Taguig, and Mandaluyong. With a total combined floor area of approximately 5,000sqm, Isuzu Pasig and IPTC highlight a 5-vehicle display capacity—two light commercial vehicles

MARCH-APRIL 2021

(LCV) and one commercial vehicle (CV) for Isuzu Pasig, and two CVs for IPTC. For general repairs, the Isuzu Pasig dealership has three Periodic Maintenance Service bays with lifters to accommodate

light commercial vehicles (LCVs) and light duty trucks, while IPTC has eight bays with lifters (for LCVs), two bays for trucks, and a wheel alignment bay for LCVs for general repairs, apart from 11 tinsmith/prep bays and two paint booths for body repairs.

Take control of your business with Toyota PH’s fleet connected service Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) wants to help business owners make their fleet operations a whole lot easier by introducing the Toyota Fleet Connected Service.

SM AURA OPENS BOOK NOOK COMMUNITY LIBRARY There’s a new special space at SM Aura Premier where you can discover, read, and share stories. The Book Nook, located at the mall’s fourth level, is a free library built with the intention of creating a community that believes in the value of sharing and the love of reading. It was created in partnership with WTA Architecture & Design Studio, National Bookstore, Anvil Publishing, UV Care, and Samsung, together with SM Cares and The SM Store.

This service is the first automotive GPS system designed specifically for Toyota vehicles that aims to assist business owners and operators in managing vehicle assets and optimizing manpower productivity. With a connected device that tracks real-time data of fleet vehicles, companies are able to maximize efficiency and ultimately aid in improving business profitablity. This service provides the most recent vehicle information such as current location, trip monitoring, vehicle mileage, and even recognizes unusual driver behavior.

With over 1,000 different works, it’s easy to dive right in while sitting at the designated reading benches. Should you fall in love with the book, there is no need to part with it. A number of books are free to take home; all you have to do in return is pay it forward by donating books, too.

It also records each time when a vehicle enters and exits a virtual boundary through the geofencing function; and reports device disconnection and tampering through its unplug detection feature.

Given that we’re still in the middle of a pandemic, contactless systems like contact tracing via the SM Supermalls QR code, Trace Together, and logging books are in place. There will also be a UV light box to ensure all books borrowed and donated are safe to be handled by the next book lover.

All these data are instantly transmitted from the device to Toyota’s G-Fleet System, allowing businesses to have a full view of their fleet, anytime, anywhere.

Cleanfuel opens 2,500sqm Batangas City retail station Cleanfuel opened the latest member of its retail network in Batangas City, the country’s premier destination hub of trade and commerce and several other major industries. Situated along the busy street of San Jose-Ibaan Road in Barangay Balagtas Batangas City, the 2,500sqm station connects to the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) and 42-kilometer Southern Tagalog Arterial Road (STAR), providing easy access to motorists traveling toward the road of Maharlika Highway at Santo Tomas in Lipa, Ibaan-Batangas City, and the rest of Calabarzon. The newly opened Batangas station adds to the other Cleanfuel branches in the province including the ones in Calaca, Lipa, and Lemery, providing more Batangueños an affordable yet premium fuel in their daily drives. Aside from the residents and the thriving businesses in the area, the recently opened Cleanfuel station is also set to cater to the heavy trucks going to and from the Batangas International Port—considered one of the busiest passenger and container terminals in the country.

MARCH-APRIL 2021

BILLBOARD

LENOVO PARTNERS WITH SOLENN HEUSSAFF, NICO BOLZICO FOR YOGA ‘FOR ALL OF US’ CAMPAIGN Lenovo has partnered with multi-hyphenates Solenn Heussaff and Nico Bolzico to showcase how there’s a Yoga device made “For All of Us.” Known for their quirky personas and thriving careers both within and outside entertainment, the duo embodies the uncompromising flexibility and performance of Yoga notebooks that cater to practically every kind of personality or profession. Launched globally last year, the Yoga For All of Us campaign highlights humanity’s unique traits and pairs them with Yoga’s innovative technology to allow people to perform to their fullest potential. It celebrates innate attributes that Yoga notebooks spark among users such as

creativity and resourcefulness, while at the same time supports human flaws such as impatience and forgetfulness with its purposeful design. This is a stark contrast from usual campaigns that only revolve around achievements, and people can see all of

this unfold by following Solenn and Nico’s journey as they go through their dynamic lives with their Yoga notebooks in hand. Follow Solenn (@solenn) and Nico (@nicobolzico) on Instagram to see how they celebrate humanity’s unique traits in Lenovo’s Yoga For All of Us campaign.

Yuchengco Group breaks ground for Geely Manila Yuchengco Group of Companies’ (YGC) House of Investments, Sojitz G Auto Philippines’ (SGAP) shareholder and now a dealer partner, broke ground for the soon-to-rise Geely Manila.

Yamaha’s new Batangas facility can produce up to 300K units annually Yamaha Motor Philippines, Inc. recently inaugurated its brand-new manufacturing plant expansion in its head office at Lima Technology Center, Malvar, Batangas. The new facility will focus on the production of Yamaha’s small-displacement scooters for the local market, including the Yamaha NMAX 155 and Aerox 155. The newly built facility covers 20,000 square meters with an additional capacity of 300,000 units annually. The new facility was originally scheduled to open in August last year, but was delayed due to the Taal Volcano eruption and the COVID-19 pandemic. In all, it has created some 250 jobs, mainly for residents of Batangas and Laguna. 78

MARCH-APRIL 2021

During the groundbreaking ceremony, House of Investments President and CEO Lorenzo Tan expressed YGC’s commitment with its partnership with Geely as it eyes to finish the new Geely dealership in Manila by April 2021. “This event holds significance as it will be our first dealership undertaking despite the ongoing Covid pandemic,” he said. “Today, almost three decades after we have refocused and strengthened our car business. We are adding to our portfolio by building a very modern Geely dealership to service more Filipino customers.” Also present in the event were SGAP President and CEO Mikihisa Takayama and SGAP Executive Vice President Yosuke Nishi.

PLDT Home, through the PLDT Smart Foundation (PSF), recently turned over to the Department of Education 1,000 units of Home WiFi Prepaid for public school teachers’ online classes. The Home WiFi Prepaid units form part of the proceeds from the PLDT Home-sponsored virtual concert, At Home with PLDT: No Learner Left Behind, held in July last year. PLDT Home supports the No Learner Left Behind movement, which aims to maintain quality education of students and youths affected by the pandemic with projects and partnerships positioned to deliver the needed tools and proper learning environments.

PLDT TURNS OVER 1,000 HOME WIFI PREPAID UNITS TO DEPED

Converge offers flexible, value-formoney products with FlexiBIZ Converge ICT has launched two new internet plans that offer small and medium enterprises (SMEs) flexibility in bandwidth. Converge FlexiBIZ is a new pure fiber innovation that offers a range of connectivity solutions designed that allow business owners to take full control of their internet requirements. Businesses will be able to experience higher internet speeds during a pre-set time of the day, depending on their chosen plan.

RBank Remit: Send your remittances in just one click To help the millions of Filipinos who are sending and receiving remittances in the Philippines, Robinsons Bank has introduced its new service: RBANK REMIT. RBANK REMIT promises an easy, fast, and reliable remittance service that can be accessed through the RBank Digital Online Banking via mobile app or web. As long as senders have a Robinsons Bank account enrolled in the RBank Digital online banking, they can send to RBank’s partner remittance centers all over the country. Recipients are also able to receive funds in real-time and can instantly go to the remittance center and present the necessary requirements (valid ID, reference number) to claim. Clients can now use RBank Remit to send their remittances to Cebuana Lhuillier with 2,500 branches nationwide.

With Converge FlexiBIZ Daytime, SMEs will experience double the bandwidth from 7am to 6:59pm, which is often the peak working hours within a regular business day. FlexiBIZ Daytime is highly recommended for businesses with offices that mainly operate during the day. Meanwhile, Converge FlexiBIZ Peak provides SMEs with a premium service that offers high speed connections of up to 300Mbps, no matter the time. Converge FlexiBIZ Peak is perfect for businesses that need a fast and consistent internet connection, whether work is done during the day or night. MARCH-APRIL 2021

STORE DIRECTORY

adidas adidas.com.ph Apple Available in all authorized retailers apple.com ASUS ASUS Technology Philippines Hanston Building, Emerald Ave, Ortigas Center, Pasig asus.com/ph

Geely 75 Corregidor St. EDSA, Quezon City facebook.com/GeelyPhilippines/ Honda Honda Philippines, Inc. hondaph.com Huawei Huawei Technologies Phils., Inc. Picadilly Star, 4th Ave., Bonifacio Global City, Taguig huawei.com.ph

Birkenstock Available at Res|Toe|Run stores facebook.com/birkenstockphofficial restoerun.com

Isuzu 114 Technology Ave., Laguna Technopark, Binan, Laguna isuzuphil.com

Fitbit Available in all authorized retailers nationwide fitbit.com/ph

Lenovo Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. 10/F, 11th Corporate Center, 11th Avenue cor. Triangle Drive, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig lenovo.com/ph

Ford Ford Philippines ford.com.ph

Mango Man shop.mango.com/PH/

Fujifilm Fujifilm Philippines, Inc. 30/F Oakwood Premier Joy Nostalg Center 17 ADB Ave., Ortigas Center, Pasig

Marshall Available at all Digital Walker stores nationwide digits.ph

Garmin NAVCO (Nauts and Vectors Company, Inc.) 3F Millennium Place, Meralco Avenue cor. Julia Vargas Avenue, Ortigas Center, Pasig ph.garmin.com

Maxus Automobile Central Enterprise, Inc. 833 Sheridan St., Brgy. Highway Hills, Mandaluyong maxus.com.ph Nike Nike Philippines 10/F Marajo Tower, 312 26th St. West cor. 4th Ave., Bonifacio Global City, Taguig nike.com/ph/en_gb realme Available at all authorized retailers realme.com/ph facebook.com/PHRealme Regatta regattalifestyle.com

MARCH-APRIL 2021

Samsung Available at all Samsung stores and authorized retailers samsung.com/ph Timberland Available in all Timberland Stores nationwide lazada.com.ph/shop/timberland-ph/ UNIQLO Available in Century City Mall, Eastwood City Mall, Estancia at Capitol Commons, Gateway Mall, Glorietta 5, Power Plant Mall, Quezon Avenue (beside Fisher Mall), Robinsons Place Manila, SM Aura Premier, SM BF Parañaque, SM Clark, SM Dasmariñas, SM Fairview, SM Lipa,SM Mall of Asia, SM Makati, SM Megamall, SM North EDSA The Block, SM Pampanga, SM Rosales, SM San Lazaro, SM Sta. Rosa, and SM Southmall uniqlo.com/ph vivo vivo Philippines East Tower Philippines Stock Exchange Center, Pasig vivoglobal.ph Wrangler Available at Zalora wrangler-ap.com/ph Xiaomi mi.com/ph

MOBILE PHONES + TA B L E T S

p.82

UNDER P10,000

p.84

UNDER P20,000

p.86

P20,000 AND ABOVE

BUYER’S GUIDE

MARCH-APRIL 2021

BUYER’S GUIDE

NEW!

Cherry Mobile Flare Y20

Cherry Mobile Aqua S9 Max

P9,999 • Android 10 • octa-core Mediatek Helio G90T • 6.53” FHD+ 2430 x 1080 • 48MP + 8MP + 2MP + 2MP rear; 32MP front • 128GB built-in, microSD; 4GB RAM • 4G LTE • dual SIM

P3,299 • Android 10 • 1.6GHz octa-core SC9863A • 8MP + 2MP rear, 5MP front • 6” IPS TrueView • 16GB built-in, microSD; 2GB RAM • LTE • dual SIM

Infinix Hot 10

P6,990 • XOS 6.0 (Android 10) • octa-core Mediatek Helio G70 • 6.78” 720 x 1640 IPS • 16MP + 2MP + 2MP + QVGA rear; 8MP front • 128GB built-in, microSD; 4GB RAM • 4G LTE • dual SIM

Huawei Y5p

Huawei Y6p

Huawei Y7a

• EMUI 10.1 (Android 10) • 2.0GHz octa-core MediaTek MT6762R • 8MP rear; 5MP front • 5.45” HD+ 1440 x 720 • 32GB built-in, microSD ; 2GB RAM • 4G LTE • dual SIM

• EMUI 10.1 (Android 10) • 2.0Ghz octa-core MediaTek MT6762R • 13MP + 5MP + 2MP rear; 8MP front • 6.3” HD 1280 x 720 • 64GB built-in, microSD ; 4GB RAM • 4G LTE • dual SIM

• EMUI 10.5 (Android 10) • octa-core Kirin 710A • 48MP + 8MP + 2MP + 2MP rear; 8MP front • 6.67” 2400 x 1080 • 128GB built-in, microSD ; 4GB RAM • 4G LTE • dual SIM

P4,990

P5,990

P7,599

Huawei MatePad T8 P5,990

• EMUI 10.01 (Android 10) • 2.0GHz octa-core MediaTek MT8768 • 5MP rear; 2MP front • 8” HD 1280 x 720 • 32GB built-in, microSD ; 2GB RAM • Wi-Fi

Lenovo K5 Pro P5,990 (4GB) P6,990 (6GB)

• Android 8.1 • 1.8GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 • 16MP + 5MP rear; 16MP + 5MP front • 5.99” FHD+ 2160 x 1080 • 64GB built-in, microSD ; 4/6GB RAM • 4G LTE • dual SIM

NEW!

Lenovo K12 Pro P9,990

• Android 10 • Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 • 64MP + 2MP + 2MP rear; 16MP front • 6.8” HD+ • 128GB built-in, microSD; 4GB RAM • 4G LTE • dual SIM The Lenovo K12 Pro offers competitive specs for its P8,490 price tag. It provides decent performance in terms of processor, display, and cameras. Its stand-out features are the massive battery with a fastcharging feature, the pure Android experience it offers, and its premium design.

MARCH-APRIL 2021

Lenovo K12 Note

P6,995 • Android 10 • 6.5” HD+ 720 x 1600 • octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 • 48MP + 2MP + 2MP rear; 8MP front • 128GB built-in, microSD; 4GB RAM • 4G LTE • dual SIM

Lenovo S5 Pro

P7,490 (64GB) P8,490 (128GB)

• ZUI 5 (Android 8.1) • 1.8GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 • 12MP + 20MP rear; 20MP + 8MP front • 6.2”” FHD+ 2246 x 1080 • 64/128GB built-in, microSD; 6GB RAM • 4G LTE • dual SIM

UNDER P10,000

NEW!

Nokia 1.4

NEW!

Nokia 3.4

P4,990

• Android 10/11 (Go Edition) • Qualcomm Snapdragon 215 • 8MP + 2MP rear; 5MP front • 6.51” HD+ • 32GB built-in, microSD; 2GB RAM • 4G LTE • dual SIM

P7,990 • Android 10 • octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 460 • 6.39” 720 x 1560 IPS • 13MP + 5MP + 2MP rear; 2MP front • 64GB built-in; 4GB RAM • 4G LTE • dual SIM

realme C12

realme C15

P5,990

• realme UI (Android 10) • 2.3GHz octa-core MediaTek Helio G35 • 13MP + 2MP + 2MP rear, 5MP front • 6.5” HD+ • 32GB built-in, microSD; 3GB RAM • 4G LTE • dual SIM

P6,490 (3GB RAM) P6,990 (4GB RAM)

• realme UI (Android 10) • 2.3GHz octa-core MediaTek Helio G35 • 13MP + 8MP + 2MP + 2MP rear, 8MP front • 6.5” HD+ • 64GB built-in, microSD; 3/4GB RAM • 4G LTE • dual SIM

Nokia 5.4

OPPO A53

realme C11

• Android 11 (Android One) • Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 • 48MP + 5MP + 2MP + 2MP rear; 16MP front • 6.39” HD+ • 128GB built-in, microSD; 4GB RAM • 4G LTE • dual SIM

P8,990 • ColorOS 7.2 (Android 10) • octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 460 • 13MP + 2MP + 2MP rear; 16MP front • 6.5 HD+ 1600 x 720, 90Hz • 64GB built-in, microSD; 4GB RAM • 4G LTE • dual SIM

realme Narzo 20

Samsung Galaxy A11

Samsung Galaxy A21s

• realme UI (Android 10) • 6.5” HD+ LCD • octa-core MediaTek Helio G85 • 48MP + 8MP + 2MP rear; 8MP front • 64GB built-in, microSD; 4GB RAM • 4G LTE • dual SIM

• OneUI 2.0 (Android 10) • 1.8GHz octa-core • 13MP + 2MP + 5MP rear, 8MP front • 6.4” 720 x 1560 • 32GB built-in, microSD, 3GB RAM • 4G LTE • dual SIM

• OneUI 2.0 (Android 10) • 2.0GHz octa-core • 48MP + 8MP + 2MP + 2MP rear, 13MP front • 6.5” 720 x 1600 • 64GB built-in, microSD, 6GB RAM • 4G LTE • dual SIM

P9,990

P7,990

P7,490

P4,990

• realme UI (Android 10) • 2.3GHz octa-core MediaTek Helio G35 • 13MP + 2MP rear, 5MP front • 6.5” 720 x 1600 • 32GB built-in, microSD, 2GB RAM • 4G LTE • dual SIM

P11,990

NEW!

Samsung Galaxy M11

vivo Y20i

vivo Y30

• OneUI 2.0 (Android 10) • 1.8GHZ octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 • 13MP + 2MP + 5MP rear, 8MP front • 6.4” 720 x 1560 • 32GB built-in, microSD; 3GB RAM • 4G LTE • dual SIM

• Funtouch 10.5 (Android 10) • octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 460 • 13MP + 2MP + 2MP rear; 8MP front • 6.51” 720 x 1600 IPS • 64GB built-in, microSD; 3GB RAM • 4G LTE • dual SIM

• Funtouch OS 10 (Android 10) • octa-core MediaTek Helio P35 • 13MP + 2MP + 2MP rear; 8MP front • 6.47” HD+ Ultra O LCD • 128GB built-in, microSD; 4GB RAM • 4G LTE • dual SIM

P7,490

P7,499

P8,999

Xiaomi Poco M3

P6,990 • MIUI 12 (Android 10) • octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 • 48MP + 2MP + 2MP rear; 8MP front • 6.53” 1080 x 2340 IPS • 64GB built-in, microSD; 4GB RAM • 4G LTE • dual SIM

Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 P8,490 (4GB+64GB) P9,990 (6GB+128GB)

• MIUI 12 (Android 11) • octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 678 • 48MP + 8MP + 2MP + 2MP rear; 13MP front • 6.43” FHD+ Super AMOLED • 64/128GB built-in, microSD; 4/6GB RAM • 4G LTE • dual SIM

MARCH-APRIL 2021

BUYER’S GUIDE

Apple iPad 8th-gen

Huawei Y8p

Huawei nova 7i

Huawei nova 7 SE 5G

Huawei Y9s

• iPadOS 14 • A12 Bionic chip • 8MP rear, 1.2MP front • 10.2” (2160 x 1620) Retina • 32GB built-in

• EMUI 10.1 (Android 10) • 2.2GHz octa-core Kirin 710F • 48MP + 8MP + 2MP rear, 16MP front • 6.3” FHD+ • 128GB, microSD; 6GB RAM • 4G LTE

• EMUI 10.0.1 (Android 10) • Kirin 810 • 48MP + 8MP + 2MP + 2MP rear, 16MP front • 6.4” FHD+ • 128GB, microSD; 8 GB RAM • 4G LTE

• EMUI 10.1 (Android 10) • Huawei Kirin 985 octa-core • 64MP + 8MP + 8MP + 2MP rear, 32MP front • 6.53” FHD+ • 256GB built-in, 8GB RAM • 5G, 4G LTE • dual SIM

• EMUI 9.1 (Android 9 Pie) • Octa-core Kirin 710F • 48MP + 8MP + 2MP rear, 16MP front • 6.59” FHD+ 1080 x 2340 • 128GB built-in, microSD; 6GB RAM • 4G LTE • dual SIM

P18,990 (Wi-Fi, 32GB)

P12,999

P11,999

P17,999

P11,999

NEW!

Nokia 7.2

Nokia 8.1

OPPO A9 2020

OPPO A92

OPPO Reno5 4G

• Android 9 Pie • Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 • 48MP + 8MP + 5MP rear, 20MP front • 6.3” FHD+ • 128GB built-in, microSD; 6GB RAM • 4G LTE • dual SIM

• Android 9 Pie • 2.2GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 • 12MP + 13MP rear, 20MP front • 6.18” FHD+ • 128GB built-in, microSD; 6GB RAM • 4G VoLTE • dual SIM

• Android 9 Pie with ColorOs 6.0.1 • 2GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon • 48MP+8MP+2MP+2MP rear, 16MP front • 6.5” 720 x 1600 • 128GB built-in; 8GB RAM • LTE • Dual SIM

• Android 10 with ColorOS 7.1 • 2.0GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 • 48MP + 8MP + 2MP + 2MP rear, 16MP front • 6.5” 1080 x 2400 • 128GB built-in, microSD, 8GB RAM • 4G LTE • dual SIM

• ColorOS 11.1 (Android 11) • Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G • 64MP + 8MP + 2MP + 2MP rear, 44MP front • 6.43” FHD+ AMOLED • 128GB, microSD; 8GB RAM • 4G LTE • dual SIM

P15,990

POCO X3 NFC

P10,990 (64GB) P12,990 (128GB)

• MIUI 12 for POCO (Android 10) • Qualcomm Snapdragon 732G octa-core • 64MP + 13MP + 2MP + 2MP rear. 20MP front • 6.67” FHD+ • 64/128GB, microSD; 6GB RAM • 4G LTE • dual SIM 84

MARCH-APRIL 2021

P12,990

P13,990

P15,990

P18,999

realme 6

realme 6 Pro

realme 7

realme 7 Pro

• Realme UI (Android 10) • 2.05GHz octa-core MediaTek Helio G90T • 64MP + 8MP + 2MP rear; 16MP front • 6.5” FHD+ 2400 x 1080 • 128GB built-in, microSD ; 4/8GB RAM • 4G LTE • dual SIM

• Realme UI (Android 10) • 2.3GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G • 64MP + 8MP + 12MP + 2MP rear; 16MP + 8MP front • 6.6” FHD+ 2400 x 1080 • 128GB built-in, microSD ; 8GB RAM • 4G LTE • dual SIM

• realme UI (Android 10) • 2.05GHz MediaTek Helio G95 • 64MP + 8MP + 2MP + 2MP rear, 16MP front • 6.5” FHD+ • 128GB built-in; 8GB RAM • 4G LTE • dual SIM

• realme UI (Android 10) • 2.3GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G • 64MP + 8MP + 2MP + 2MP rear, 32MP front • 6.4” FHD+ • 128GB built-in; 8GB RAM • 4G LTE • dual SIM

P10,990 (8GB)

P16,990

P11,990

P15,990

UNDER P20,000

Samsung Galaxy A42 5G

Vivo S1 Pro

P12,999 • Android 9 Pie with Funtouch OS 9.2 • Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 • 48MP + 8MP + 2MP + 2MP rear, 32MP front • 6.38” 1080 x 2340 • 128GB built-in, microSD; 8GB RAM • 4G LTE • dual SIM

Samsung Galaxy M51

TCL Plex

• One UI 2.0 (Android 10) • 2.3GHz octa-core Samsung Exynos 9611 • 64MP + 8MP + 5MP rear; 32MP front • 6.4” FHD+ 2340 x 1080 • 128GB built-in, microSD ; 6GB RAM • 4G LTE • dual SIM

• Android 10 • Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G • 64MP + 12MP + 12MP + 5MP rear, 32MP front • 6.7” Full HD+ • 128GB built-in, microSD; 8GB RAM • 4G LTE • dual SIM

• Android 9 Pie with TCL UI • Qualcomm Snapdragon 675 • 48MP + 16MP + 2MP rear, 24MP front • 6.53” 2340 x 1080 • 128GB built-in, microSD; 6GB RAM • 4G LTE • dual SIM

P13,990

P15,990

• One UI 2.5 (Android 10) • octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 750 • 6.6” 720 x 1600 Super AMOLED • 48MP + 8MP + 5MP + 5MP rear; 20MP front • 128GB built-in, microSD; 6GB RAM • 4G LTE, 5G • dual SIM

Samsung Galaxy M31

P15,990

vivo V20

vivo V20 SE

Xiaomi Mi 9T Pro (64GB)

• Funtouch OS 11 (Android 10) • Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 • 64MP + 8MP + 2MP rear, 44MP front • 6.44”” FHD+ AMOLED • 128GB built-in, microSD; 8GB RAM • 4G LTE • dual SIM

• Funtouch OS 11 (Android 10) • Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 • 48MP + 8MP + 2MP rear; 32MP front • 6.44”” FHD+ AMOLED • 128GB built-in, microSD ; 8GB RAM • 4G LTE • dual SIM

• Android 9 Pie with MIUI 10 • 2.84GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 • 48MP+13MP+8MP rear, 20MP front • 6.39” 2340 x 1080 • 64GB built-in, microSD; 6GB RAM • 4G LTE • dual SIM

P19,999

P19,990

P13,999

P18,990

Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite P14,990 (6GB+64GB) P16,990 (8GB+128GB) • MIUI 11 (Android 10) • 2.2GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G • 64MP + 8MP + 5MP + 2MP rear; 16MP front • 6.47” FHD+ 2340 x 1080 • 64/128GB built-in, ; 6/8GB RAM • 4G LTE • dual SIM

This phone is lite in price and heavy on features: a 6.47-inch AMOLED display, a Snapdragon 730G chipset paired with up to 8GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage. You even get a quad-rear camera setup and a 16MP selfie shooter.

Xiaomi Mi A3

Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro

P11,990

• Android One (Android 9 Pie) • 2GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 • 48MP+8MP+2MP rear, 32MP front • 6.088” 1560 x 720 • 128GB built-in, ; 4GB RAM • 4G LTE • dual SIM

P12,490 (64GB) P13,990 (128GB)

• MIUI 11 (Android 10) • 2.3GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G • 64MP + 8MP + 5MP + 2MP rear; 16MP front • 6.67” 2400 x 1080 • 64/128GB built-in, microSD ; 6GB RAM • 4G LTE • dual SIM

MARCH-APRIL 2021

BUYER’S GUIDE

Apple iPad 8th-gen

32GB: P26,990 (Wi-Fi + cellular) 128GB: P24,990 (Wi-Fi); P32,990 (Wi-Fi + cellular)

• iPadOS 14 • A12 Bionic chip • 8MP rear, 1.2MP front • 10.2” (2160 x 1620) Retina • 32/128GB built-in

Apple iPhone 12

Apple iPhone 12 mini

Apple iPhone 12 Pro

• iOS 14 • Hexa-core Apple A14 Bionic • 6.1” 1170 x 2532 Super Retina XDR OLED • 12MP + 12MP rear; 12MP front • 64/128/256GB built-in, 4GB RAM • 4G LTE, 5G

• iOS 14 • Hexa-core Apple A14 Bionic • 5.4” 1080 x 2340 Super Retina XDR OLED • 12MP + 12MP rear; 12MP front • 64/128/256GB built-in, 4GB RAM • 5G LTE

• iOS 14 • Hexa-core Apple A14 Bionic • 6.1” 1170 x 2532 Super Retina XDR OLED • 12MP + 12MP +12MP rear; 12MP front • 128/256/512GB built-in; 6GB RAM • 4G LTE, 5G

From P49,990

From P43,990

From P62,990

Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max From P69,990

• iOS 14 • Hexa-core Apple A14 Bionic • 6.7” 1284 x 2778 Super Retina XDR OLED • 12MP + 12MP +12MP rear; 12MP front • 128/256/512GB built-in; 6GB RAM • 4G LTE, 5G

Huawei Mate 40 Pro

Huawei Mate Xs 5G

Huawei P40

Huawei P40 Pro

Huawei P40 Pro+

• EMUI 11 (Android 10) • Octa-core Kirin 9000 5G • 6.67” 1344 x 2772 OLED • 50MP + 12MP + 20MP rear; 13MP + TOF 3D • 256/512GB built-in, Nano Memory; 8GB RAM • 5G LTE • single/hybrid dual SIM

• EMUI 10.0.1 (Android 10) • octa-core Kirin 990 5G • 6.6” 2480 x 1148 main (folded), 6.38” 2480 x 892 secondary (folded), 8” 2480 x 2200 unfolded • 40MP + 16MP + 8MP + 3D depth-sensing cameras with OIS, • 512GB built-in, 8GB RAM • 5G, LTE

• EMUI 10 (Android 10) • 2.86GHz octa-core HiSilicon Kirin 990 • 50MP + 16MP + 8MP rear, 32MP front • 6.1” 2340 x 1080 FHD+ • 128GB built-in, Nano Memory Card; 8GB RAM • 4G LTE • dual SIM

• EMUI 10 (Android 10) • 2.86GHz octa-core HiSilicon Kirin 990 5G • 50MP + 40MP + 12MP + ToF rear, 32MP front • 6.58” 2640 x 1200 FHD+ • 256GB built-in, Nano Memory Card; 8GB RAM • 5G • dual SIM

• 2.8GHz octa-core Kirin 990 5G • EMUI 10.1 (Android 10) • 50MP + 40MP + 8MP + 8MP + ToF rear, 32MP + depth front • 6.58” 1200 x 2640 • 512GB built-in, NM card; 8GB RAM • 4G LTE, 5G

P49,999

P139,999

P36,990

P45,999

P69,990

NEW!

motorola razr 5G P72,990

• Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G • Android 10 • 48MP rear, 20MP front • 6.2” foldable main display, 2.7” external • 256GB built-in, microSD card; 8GBRAM • 4G LTE, 5G

MARCH-APRIL 2021

OnePlus Nord

P21,990 (128GB + 8GB) P25,990 (256GB + 12GB)

• Oxygen OS 10.5 (Android 10) • 2.4GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G • 48MP+ 8MP + 5MP + 2MP rear, 32MP + 8MP front • 6.44” FHD+ • 128/256GB built-in; 8/12GB RAM • 5G, 4G LTE • dual SIM

OPPO Reno5 5G

realme X3 SuperZoom

realme X50 Pro 5G

• ColorOS 11.1 (Android 11) • Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G • 64MP + 8MP + 2MP + 2MP rear, 32MP front • 6.43” FHD+ • 128GB built-in, 8GB RAM • 5G, 4G LTE

• realme UI (Android 10) • 2.96GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 855+ • 64MP + 8MP + 8MP + 2MP rear, 32MP + 8MP front • 6.6” 1080x 2400 • 256GB built-in, 12GB RAM • 4G LTE

• realme UI 2 (Android 10) • Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon SM8250 • 6.44” 1080 x 2400 Super AMOLED • 64MP + 12MP + 8MP + 2MP rear; 32MP + 8MP front • 128/256GB built-in; 6/8/12GB RAM • 5G LTE • dual SIM

P23,999

P24,990

P25,990

P20,000 AND ABOVE

Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2

Samsung Galaxy Note 20

P109,990

• OneUI (Android 10) • Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 + • 12MP + 12MP + 12MP rear, 10MP cover camera, 10MP front camer • 7.6” QXGA+ Infinity Flex Display, 6.2” HD+ Super AMOLED display • 256GB built-in; 12GB RAM • 5G, 4G LTE • dual SIM

P67,990 (8GB + 256GB) P72,990 (12GB + 256GB 5G)

NEW!

• Android 10 • Exynos 990 • 108MP + 12MP + 12MP rear, 10MP front • 6.9” WQHD+ • 25GGB built-in, microSD; 8/12GB RAM • 5G/4G LTE • dual SIM

P53,990

• Android 10 • Exynos 990 • 64MP + 12MP + 12MP rear, 10MP front • 6.7” FHD+ • 128GB built-in; 8GB RAM • 4G LTE • dual SIM

This is a beast of a phone in so many ways: powerful processor, huge RAM and storage, amazing cameras, and future-proof thanks to 5G. And of course, there’s the S Pen with new useful features. This Note truly lives up to its “Ultra” moniker.

NEW!

Samsung Galaxy S21 5G

NEW!

Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G

P44,990 (128GB) P47,990 (256GB)

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G

P57,990

• OneUI 3.1 (Android 11) • Exynos 2100 • 12MP+12MP+64MP rear, 10MP front • 6.7”” FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED • 256GB built-in, microSD; 8GB RAM • 5G, 4G LTE • dual SIM

• OneUI 3.1 (Android 11) • Exynos 2100 • 12MP+12MP+64MP rear, 10MP front • 6.2”” FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED • 128/256GB built-in, microSD; 8GB RAM • 5G, 4G LTE • dual SIM

P66,990 (128GB) P69,990 (256GB)

• OneUI 3.1 (Android 11) • Exynos 2100 • 108MP+12MP+10MP+10MP rear, 40MP front • 6.8”” QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED • 128/256 GB built-in, microSD; 12GB RAM • 5G, 4G/LTE • dual SIM

Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite P26,990

• 2.3GHz quad-core + 1.7GHz quad-core • OneUI 2 (Android 10) • 8MP rear, 5MP front • 10.4” 1200 x 2000 • 128GB built-in, microSD; 4GBRAM • 4G LTE

NEW!

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip

vivo X50

vivo X50 Pro

Xiaomi Mi 11

• Android 10 • 2.95GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 855+ • 12MP+12MP rear, 10MP front • 6.7” 2636 x 1080 main, 1.1-inch 300 x 112 • 256GB built-in, microSD; 8GB RAM • 4G LTE • dual SIM

• Funtouch OS 10.5 • Qualcomm Snapdragon 730 • 48MP + 13MP + 8MP + 5MP rear, 32MP front • 6.56” FHD+ • 128GB built-in; 8GB RAM • 4G LTE • dual SIM

• Funtouch OS 10.5 • Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G • 48MP + 13MP + 8MP + 8MP rear, 32MP front • 6.56” FHD+ • 256GB built-in; 8GB RAM 256GB built-in; 8GB RAM • 5G, 4G LTE • dual SIM

• MIUI 12 (Android 11) • Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 • 108MP + 13MP + 5MP rear, 20MP front • 6.81” WQHD • 256GB built-in; 8GB RAM • 5G, 4G LTE • dual SIM

P79,990

P25,999

P39,999

P36,990

MARCH-APRIL 2021

BEFORE YOU GO

The First Lady of Video Games

Lara Croft may be a Guinness World Record holder— most successful human video game heroine and bestselling video game heroine—but she probably would be nowhere if it weren’t for Chun-Li. Chun-Li, who debuted in Street Fighter II in 1991, is regarded as the first playable and successful female video game character in an action game. Prior to Street Fighter II, most female characters in games existed as supporting characters or objectives to be rescued: girlfriends, the occasional opponent, princess in distress, or townspeople. Chun-Li’s popularity led to female characters becoming more common in gaming—Lara Croft included.

MARCH-APRIL 2021

Speed March - April 2021 - Aquis Date Cal. 400 Ad - 9 x 11.75 in