Speed May-June 2021 by speedmagph

TECHNOLOGY FOR THE FAST-PACED LIFESTYLE

MAY-JUNE 2021

ANNIVERSARY ISSUE

Onward, always forward Tech innovations that help us in today’s—and the future’s—challenges

y l l a c i t e g o l o p a n U real ISSN 1655-9827

MAY-JUNE 2021

KATHRYN BERNARDO

for the realme 8 Series

ISSUE.196

CONTENTS

05-06.21

Cover Girl Despite facing the uncertainties of the pandemic, blockbuster and digital superstar and realme ambassador Kathryn Bernardo remains unstoppable in pursuing her life’s passions.

People@Speed Meet Mong Vicente, an I.T. professional who stepped out of the corporate world and into a path toward being his own boss. Plus, get to know more about digital film student and aspiring filmmaker Adam Dumaguin, who won third place at the Russo brothers’ 48-hour No Sleep ‘til Film Fest.

53 hotspot

EVERY MONTH 6 Outbox 8 Contributors/ Staff box 10 Inbox 84 Billboard 88 Store Directory 89 Mobile Buyer's Guide 96 Before You Go

Cover Story

Tech innovations that help us navigate today’s— and the future’s—challenges

TECHNOLOGY FOR THE FAST-PACED LIFESTYLE

MAY-JUNE 2021

ANNIVERSARY ISSUE

Onward, always forward

Press Play

Lawyering and game developing may seem like two very opposite worlds, but that is not the case for Jin Arabejo, a.k.a. Verinius.

What’s there to binge-watch this month? Here’s a list of streaming movies and series to keep you entertained at home.

MAY-JUNE 2021

lly Unapologetriceaal ISSN 1655-9827

MAY-JUNE 2021

Feature

Tech innovations that help us in today’s—and the future’s—challenges

KATHRYN BERNARDO

for the realme 8 Series

Kathryn Bernardo for the realme 8 series Image courtesy of realme Philippines

ISSUE.196

trending

Tech Frontiers

Sony FlavorGraph AI pairs ingredients based on science, adidas creates Stan Smiths out of mushroom, and Disney’s Project Kiwi brings Groot to life.

Click Here Must-follow Instagram accounts for science and technology geeks

Games Whether you’re on the PC, consoles, or Switch, there’s something fresh and exciting to get your hands on.

CONTENTS proving ground

columns

80 manual

Technosphere Our resident tech guru lists down features that smartwatches and fitness trackers should have to make them make sense given today’s realities.

How To

All About the UX Earth urgently needs saving, and these five documentaries could convince you to take action.

Arsenal

Tested

Ask the Editor

Game on

All the latest gadgets and cars, including the new iMac, realme 8 series, Polaroid Go, and Volkswagen T-Cross

Hot products we tested this issue: Huawei Vision S, realme 8, vivo V21 5G, Lenovo ThinkPad E14, and more

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

How do you translate a good game into a movie? Columnist Jovi Figueroa thinks The Witcher and The Last of Us set a good new springboard for the next video game adaptations.

MAY-JUNE 2021

05-06.21

OUTBOX

DREAM CHASING A

nd just like that, Speed is 18 years old. And what a time to come of age—where the world has experienced a seismic shift to digital.

The road that led us here was riddled with a lot of trials. But the dream to publish quality content about technology for the fast-paced lifestyle overcame those tribulations, and we find ourselves here, now, in these very challenging times, still pursuing that dream. To this day, we continue to create relevant, informative, and well-curated content for our readers. This past year, faced with the uncertainties of the pandemic, we went beyond the printed page and decided to publish the magazine digitally. While we wait for the situation to ‘normalize,’ we remain steadfast in striving to innovate and reach new heights. Of course, we at Speed couldn’t have done it all alone, and so a special thanks goes out to our readers and advertisers for your continued support and trust in us. In this 18th anniversary issue, we celebrate the technologies and visionary solutions that help us navigate today’s challenges and beyond—from health to education to the environment. We also feature three extraordinary people: Jin Arabejo, a lawyer-slash-game developer; Mong Vicente, an I.T. professional-turned-mobile barista; and 20-year-old Adam Dumaguin, an aspiring filmmaker who tells his stories through the lens. And then of course there’s our cover girl Kathryn Bernardo—phenomenal star, one of Forbes Asia’s 100 Digital Stars, and realme ambassador—who dares to leap at opportunities that come her way. Go on, (virtually) turn the page. We’ve come of age.

MAY-JUNE 2021

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF katrina@speedmagazine.ph

MEET THE GEEKS EDITORIAL

editorial@speedmagazine.ph EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Katrina Rivere-Diga | katrina@speedmagazine.ph CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Andy Leuterio, Gadjo Sevilla CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Anjon Galauran, Ayie Licsi, Jovi Figueroa, Justine Punzalan, Pat Calica, Carmela Maraan Fernando, Trixie Reyna-Benedicto

DESIGN

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

SALES & MARKE TING

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

SENIOR SALES MANAGER James B. Orlanda | james@speedmagazine.ph ADVERTISING ACCOUNT MANAGER Mia C. Morales | mia@speedmagazine.ph

marketing@speedmagazine.ph TECHNOLOGY FOR THE FAST-PACED LIFESTYLE

ADMIN | PRODUC TION

MARCH-APRIL 2021

PRODUC TION OFFICER Kate Villareal | production@speedmagazine.ph HRD OFFICER Lala Nañola-Talob | lala@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.

MAGAZINE

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.

MAY-JUNE 2021

speedmagazine.ph

/SpeedMagazinePH

@speedmagazine

INBOX Oh, my purple heart! What can I say? My (purple) heart didn’t just skip a beat— it actually leapt with joy when you posted your BTS cover on your FB page! And I didn’t waste time. Downloaded a copy right away and looked for the photos and feature on my boys! Was kinda disappointed at first that there was just a 1-page feature, but wow it was so well-written! Sounds like ARMY ang nagsulat. Tama ba? :D It’s actually better than other longer articles on BTS that I’ve read before. And the photos—the photos! Love all of them! I really wish you had printed a hard copy of this issue. I’m sure us ARMY would love to add this to our collection :) Thank you soooo much again for featuring BTS! You guys are the bomb!

GAME ON! Astig ng March-April issue nyo, Speed! Akala ko puro BTS lang laman dahil sa cover haha. Buti na lang nag-download ako ng copy ko. Great articles— especially the ones on gaming. At natuwa ako sa interview nyo kay Dexie. I follow her online. She’s really good! Also love the tabletop RPG story and the one on Pinoy-made games! And okay, I have to admit, even if I’m not a BTS fan, that article about them is awesome. Looks like I’ll give them a listen because of it ;)

Yvonne

rmx23 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

CHUN-LI’S MY GIRL! Just want to say I love the last page of your mag where you featured Chun-Li. Cute ng layout. And yeah, Chun-Li kicks Lara Croft’s butt anytime! Kyle de Leon

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM

YOU!

MAY-JUNE 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).

Project Kiwi

BABY GROOT COMES TO LIFE WORDS JUSTINE PUNZALAN

Disney’s Imagineering research and development studio has created a pint-sized bot that looks and acts just like Guardians of the Galaxy’s beloved character Baby Groot. The in-development robotics platform is officially called Project Kiwi, and was developed and designed by Disney Imagineers so that one day, Disney theme park guests can interact with the trueto-life versions of their favorite characters. In a lengthy piece, tech website TechCrunch detailed how the Imagineers’ three years of work resulted in a small bipedal robot that can move and act on its own and take the form of many different characters, including Baby Groot. Baby Groot robot is as adorable as the original CG creation—it can walk, dance, run, wave, and even stand on one leg. It maneuvers smoothly with arms swinging in lifelike manner and the body swaying without any twitch. The droid was made to look exactly like the famous character with accurately textured face, hands, and feet. Baby Groot robot also has clever design features, such as a hollow frame that allows circulating air to cool its motors and actuators.

It only has a single cable to deliver live instructions and built-in speakers for interaction with nearby humans. Project Kiwi is still in the early prototype phase. It is programmed to undergo a number of enhancements, which include more stability, as well as longer battery life than its current 45-minute span. The team is also working on an improved skeleton that is lighter and more efficient. New systems will also be installed, such as a new sensor package so it could better understand its surroundings and recognize human faces, as well as a new set of actuators that would enable it to handle sudden interactions with people.

TRENDING

MAY-JUNE 2021

TECH FRONTIERS

Sony FlavorGraph

SERVING UP FOOD PAIRINGS, AI STYLE

Want to cook up a perfect meal? Maybe AI can help.

Researchers at Sony and Korea University have unveiled an ingredient mapping tool called FlavorGraph that uses AI technology to let you know which ingredients, in theory, go well together. FlavorGraph extracts relationships between food items from a million food recipes, analyzing how chefs and recipe creators have brought ingredients together. The deep learning system then combines these with information for 1,561 flavor molecules to find patterns in how ingredients have been historically combined.

"As well as relationships between food ingredients and flavor compounds that have not been explored before, the FlavorGraph research will allow greater flexibility for matching single or multiple ingredients to many others," a blog post penned by Sony AI strategy and partnership manager Fred Gifford and Korea University post-doctoral researcher Donghyeon Park said. "As the science develops and we get ever better representations of food, we should discover more and more intriguing pairings of ingredients, as well as new substitutes for ingredients that are either unhealthy or unsustainable." FlavorGraph is one of the first projects to come from Sony AI's gastronomy flagship project. Launched at the end of last year, the machine learning and AI research arm is said to focus on three key areas: an AI application for new recipe creation, a robotics solution that can assist chefs in the kitchen, and a community co-creation initiative.

The sneakers’ outer upper, perforated three stripes, heel tab overlay, and branding are all made with Mylo, a leather-like material made from mycelium, the underground roots of mushrooms. The midsole, on the other hand, is made with natural rubber.

RIGHT UNDER YOUR FEET

Mylo is created using a highly efficient grow process compared to traditional leather: it takes less than two weeks for a batch to grow. According to adidas, the process takes advantage of modern vertical agriculture technique, allowing the mycelium to be grown in a "space-efficient system that increases the yield per square foot.”

The footwear giant has unveiled the adidas Stan Smith Mylo, a concept shoe composed of a unique leather substitute: mushrooms.

The concept sneaker was made possible through a unique and collaborative partnership with Bolt Threads, a biotechnology company committed to creating the next generation of advanced materials.

Stan Smith Mylo

As part of adidas’ push to only use natural materials in their shoes and reduce their environmental impact, they looked to nature for inspiration—and they found it right under their feet.

MAY-JUNE 2021

CLICK HERE!

Get your geek on!

8 must-follow Instagram accounts for science and technology geeks W O R D S PAT C A L I C A

Every day over 500 million users log on to Instagram to connect with family and friends, stay up-to-date with their favorite personalities, and get inspiration for their daily activities and projects. The social media platform has also become a great venue to learn. Instagram accounts dedicated to bringing new knowledge, showcasing interesting innovations, and sharing the latest in the world of science and technology can make your stay on the platform worthwhile. Geeks, time to add the handles below to your follow list!

NASA

Google

(@nasa)

(@google)

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Instagram account teases your mind and eyes with its collection of hauntingly beautiful pictures of the universe and mind-blowing facts about it. Images of the surface of the Earth and other planets, various galaxies, billion-year-old asteroids, and so much more are a good addition to your feed. NASA also shares pictures of astronauts manning the space station and piloting voyages throughout the years, snapshots of various launches from Earth and journeys in space, and ongoing or past exploration programs. Space-related tips, how-tos, and trivia are also available to provide additional knowledge to followers.

If you like NASA, you may also follow Mars Curiosity Rover (@marscuriosity) and SpaceX (@spacex) for more out-of-thisworld—literally—experience.

MAY-JUNE 2021

Want a closer look into one of the biggest technology companies in the world? Look no further than Google’s Instagram page, where the tech giant posts everything about products and projects, latest technologies, new research studies, and lots of must-know information on history, society, arts, and culture. They share pictures and footage taken from Pixel phones, quick backgrounders on the #GoogleDoodle of the day, manuals on how to explore art history using AR on #GoogleArtsCulture, search guides on the latest happenings and trends in the world, as well as many other interesting innovations.

Bonus! Life at Google (@lifeatgoogle) gives a preview of the life at Google offices, while Made by Google (@madebygoogle) showcases the company’s latest product offerings.

GET YOUR GEEK ON!

MIT Technology Review (@technologyreview)

With the mission to equip its audience with “the intelligence to understand a world shaped by technology,” MIT Technology Review enlightens its readers about innovations and their impact on society, people, and the planet. On Instagram, the media company does it through easy-to-digest photocards, short but info-packed video clips, and eye-catching graphics so followers can easily grasp the concept or interest them into learning more about a certain topic. It's a great addition to your feed if you want to gain a more indepth understanding of the science and tech you use in your everyday life as well as the developments that can greatly affect your and humanity's future.

Unbox Therapy

(@unboxtherapy) Lewis Hilsenteger, more popularly known to his fans and loyal followers as Lou, is now one of the trusted names in the world of consumer tech. He is known for getting the first dibs on newly launched or soon-to-arrive gadgets and other awesome tech gear. Lou puts these gizmos to test and shares his honest reviews on his YouTube channel, Unbox Therapy. Following him on Instagram gives you alerts and teasers on his upcoming videos as well as a close-up, detailed look on the items he gets his hands on.

Apple

(@apple) Apple’s official Instagram account is a subtle yet quite genius way of marketing its illustrious smartphone line. The page curates beautiful images, ranging from scenic views, artistic street photography, and compelling portraits to gorgeous fashion editorials, vibrant flatlays, and action shots. Of course, the overarching theme for the account is that every picture on the account is #ShotoniPhone. It gives you a look through the lens of iPhone users from all around the world, provides snippets of the featured photographer’s process or inspiration, and at the same time, highlights the camera prowess of the iPhone. This will surely push you to be more creative with your own picture-taking or, perhaps, consider an iPhone for your next device upgrade.

Marques Brownlee (@mkbhd)

Marques Brownlee showcases a wide range of technologies on his Instagram page (and other social media channels)—from smartphones, cameras, gaming gear, and audio-video equipment to high-tech automotive, drones, future-forward accessories, and other novel but really cool items. There are also how-tos and quick explainers for the satisfaction of gearheads and geeks. In between all that, Marques also shares his hobbies outside of tech (golf!), pictures of his adorable dog Mac, and behind-the-scenes of his vlogs and photoshoots.

World of Engineering

(@world_of_engineering) The field of science, technology, and engineering are truly fascinating spaces not just for geeks— and nothing highlights these awesome worlds more than the Instagram page of the World of Engineering. In this account, followers can see short but oddly satisfying video clips of machines—simple and complex ones alike—and how these engineered contraptions work to make life easier for everyone. The feed also features scientific experiments that draw you to intently watch and tickle your brain to make a quick search and learn something new. There are also photos of contemporary architectural designs and functional structures.

Science Museum

(@sciencemuseum) The Science Museum in London is devoted to highlight human ingenuity with a great showcase of the greatest science discoveries and inventions. If a science geek wants to see what's inside this popular destination but don't have the means to go, following their Instagram page can also give the same front-row preview of their displays and activities. With a swipe, you can see their awardwinning exhibitions and iconic items featured within the museum's walls. You also get access to stories of scientific hardwork, genius, and success from the years past up to the current times.

MAY-JUNE 2021

GAMES

Mash those buttons! WO RD S J OV I F I G UE R OA

Things are certainly picking up for new game releases this summer. And whether you’re on the PC, consoles, or Switch, there’s something fresh and exciting to get your hands on.

Rust: Console Edition

Mario Golf: Super Rush

Roughly three years after Rust launched in full on PC, this popular multiplayer is finally available with cross-platform experience on PS4 and Xbox One. Although it has been a while since Rust released, the surge of live streamers on Twitch early this year and the console release this May has given the game a second wind. And for those who are still not quite over the survival and battle royale hype, Rust is definitely one of the better ones out there.

At a time where outdoor sports and activities remain restricted, the Nintendo Switch’s motion-controlled games truly shine to give us a taste of the outside world. And when it comes to golf, both young and casual gamers will get some kick out of Mario Golf: Super Rush, the seventh installment in the Mario Golf series with single-player and multiplayer compatibility. Play by yourself, with your friends, or with the whole family. Mario definitely knows how to serve some wholesome and family-friendly fun.

May 21 (PS4, Xbox One)

MAY-JUNE 2021

June 25 (Switch)

MASH THOSE BUTTONS!

Just Die Already

Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade

The rise of indie gaming has given birth to some of the most brilliant games in history like Stardew Valley, Undertale, and Cuphead. But what we love most about indie games is their capability to go really wonky and bust-your-lungs hilarious. From the designers of the blockbuster indie Goat Simulator comes this wacky sandbox game called Just Die Already, where you play the role of a really old person kicked out of your retirement home. Enjoy the crazy physics and hilarious possibilities in this game, and die from the most epic stunts like rocket launches and police chase to the most mundane tasks like slipping on your own blood or running into a pair of barbells. Go wild, go crazy, and waste a lot of time having some good fun.

Although shortage of PS5 stocks is forecasted to persist through the year, Sony and Square Enix are not making it any less painful for us unlucky people who were not able to get our hands on the new console. June 10 marks the release of the previously released Final Fantasy VII Remake on the PS4 to the PS5. On top of the vanilla game, PS5 owners will have access to the Final Fantasy VII Remake Integrade DLC, which is a timed exclusive for the PS5 for at least six months. News about whether Integrade will be available on PS4 and the PC are still scarce, since Square Enix has yet to confirm if the remake will indeed come to the PC this year, and that Integrade was “optimized” specifically for the PS5. But for the lucky few who already run PS5, get ready for some exclusive Yuffie Kisaragi action in Midgar.

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart

Knockout City

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is the 16th installment in the franchise and takes place after the events of the 2013 and 2016 Ratchet & Clank titles. Although established enthusiasts have lots to look forward to in this release, Insomniac Games promise that the game will feature a full-length standalone storyline that will appeal to new newcomers. Based on trailers, the new worlds and planets to explore in Rift Apart do feature some glorious visuals, so this is definitely a thirdperson shooter to add to your list.

Knockout City is a new take on the team-based multiplayer firstperson shooters that began to mushroom after Overwatch. This time, we’re not shooting guns or firing elementals; instead, we’re throwing supercharged balls around in a fun and quirky map with fun and quirky characters. In short, we’re playing dodgeball.

May 20 (PS4, Xbox One, PC, Switch)

June 11 (PS5)

June 10 (PS5)

May 21 (PC, PS4, Xbox One, Switch)

The game’s goal is to attack enemies from the opposing team by knocking them out with a ball, and try to look cool while you’re doing it. If you’re a fan of fast-paced competitive games, this will definitely fill up some adrenaline meters. The mechanics and the possibilities take a bit of an effort to really understand and play well, so time to get on the game and get good before others do!

MAY-JUNE 2021

ARSENAL

Making a (colorful) statement Apple iMac

MAY-JUNE 2021

APPLE IMAC

More than twenty years after the original iMac was released, Apple takes the all-in-one back to its roots by releasing the iMac in an explosion of colors that recalls the original’s vibrant lineup. The iMac is ultra-sleek at 11.5mm thin, thanks to the architecture and power efficiency of the M1 SoC that allowed Apple to consolidate and reduce the size of the logic board and thermals. The M1 iMac is available in seven colors—green, yellow, orange, pink, purple, blue, and silver. In front, the colors are softer, making it less distracting for users. The back, however, is a different story. The colors are bold, saturated, and eye-wallopingly vibrant Completing the look is a color-matched woven power cable that attaches magnetically to the back. The 24-inch 4.5K Retina display boasts a whopping 11.3 million pixels, 500 nits of brightness, and over a billion colors. It also comes with True Tone technology—which automatically adjusts the color temperature as the environment changes—as well as anti-reflective coating. At the center of the thin top bezel sits the iMac’s 1080p FaceTime HD camera. The image signal processor in the M1 chip and the Neural Engine enhance the camera’s image quality, reduce noise, and improve overall color, exposure, and white balance.

Complementing this is a studio quality three-microphone array so you can have clearer calls and voice recordings. With the 8-core CPU and up to 8-core GPU, plus its 16-core Apple Neural Engine, the iMac delivers up to 85 percent faster CPU performance and up to 2x faster GPU performance than previous models. Alas, ports are limited; the base model has just two Thunderbolt/ USB-4 ports and a headphone

jack, while the more expensive models have an additional twoUSB-3 ports and Gigabit Ethernet. Alongside the new iMac, Apple is also introducing the Magic Mouse, Magic Trackpad, and Magic Keyboard. The keyboards have a Touch ID

button for logging in and making purchases with Apple Pay. The 7-core GPU model is available for P73,990 and its 8-core GPU counterpart is priced at P85,990 for the 256GB and P97,990 for the 512GB storage MAY-JUNE 2021

ARSENAL

TECH LOOK

ON AND OFF THE GREEN Just because you’re attending virtual meetings from the comforts of your home doesn’t mean you can look sloppy.

Strap on the (4) Huawei Band 6 (P2,599) fitness tracker to keep track of your heart rate, Sp02, and calories burned after that exhausting 18-hole round of golf.

Wear a casual but decent top like a (1) Hackett Slim Fit Logo Shirt to make you look neat and professional. After your meeting, you can head out for golf still wearing the same shirt paired with (2) Lacoste shorts in yellow, and you’ll still look your best on the green. Don’t forget to put on a (3) Pedro del Hierro cap to protect you from the blazing heat of the sun.

MAY-JUNE 2021

If you like teeing in peace with only your favorite playlist to accompany you, put on the (5) Huawei FreeBuds 4i (P3,599), which features advanced active noise cancellation that uses built-in acoustic and algorithmic components to isolate external noise.

ARSENAL

TECH LOOK

MINI MEET-UP

Finally, after more than a year of #socialdistancing, you’ll be able to see your siblings in the flesh. While you’re all fully vaccinated, it’s only prudent to still take precautions.

Keep your facemasks on unless you’re eating or drinking. The (1) UA Sportsmask (P1,395) has a water-resistant outer shell made of smooth, breathable spacer fabric, making it comfortable to wear for long periods. An antimicrobial treatment on the inside layer helps keep the mask fresh.

Don’t forget to hydrate! Bring with you the (2) Hydro Flask Lightweight Standard Flex Cap (P2,790) bottle. Its TempShield insulation eliminates condensation and keeps beverages cold up to 24 hours or hot up to 12 hours.

Pair it with the water-repellent (4) Hoff City Rome (P5,450) sneakers in beige, which are set on a cushioned footbed. It’s got cute details, too, such as the transparent sole that highlights serigraphed images of recognizable Roman architecture

After living in pambahay clothes all year round, you deserve to wear something nice and chic like this striped (3) Zalora Basics Wrap Skort Playsuit (P1,329) with side tie fastening.

MAY-JUNE 2021

Keep track of the time and your heart rate, too, with the sleek (5) Fitbit Luxe (P8,490) wellness tracker. Additional health tools include food, hydration, and weight logging, as well as menstrual health tracking.

ARSENAL

TECH LOOK

DAILY GRIND

Heading back to the office after four whole quarters of working from home? If your workplace has a less restrictive dress code, then you might as well take this chance to dress up a little and return with a bang. Bring summer and sunshine with you by donning this cotton (1) Marks & Spencer Collection Slim Fit Easy Iron Cotton Floral Shirt (P1,650) with intricate waterlility print.

Fit all your essentials in (3) The Tannery Manila Sean Leather Messenger Bag (P7,550) made with soft-milled nappa leather and boasts multiple interior and exterior pockets.

Pair it with these (2) Mango Man Slim Fit Black Jan Jeans (P2,295) in a classic solid shade for that well put together look.

Never lose your stuff with the (4) Apple AirTag (P1,690). Attach this tracking device to your keys, bag, or wallet so they’re always on your radar in the Find My app.

Capture your first day back at work with your officemates and make new memories with the (5) Fujifilm Instax Mini 40 (P5,499). It features a retrostyle body with a textured finish for grip. This Instax features a 60mm lens with a selfie mode, an easy-to-use automatic shooting mode, exposure control, and a built-in flash.

MAY-JUNE 2021

ARSENAL

MOBILE DEVICES

A LOT TO SHOUT ABOUT

realme 8 series

realme’s number series has been a democratizer of flagship technology, allowing even younger users to enjoy premium features at affordable price points. The 8 series is no exception. The realme 8 Pro is a premium 108MP smartphone designed primarily for photography enthusiasts and content creators. The realme 8, on the other hand, is the 8 Pro’s equally impressive midrange counterpart that will suit users’ gaming and digital needs. Both phones in the series sport the same 6.4-inch Super AMOLED display, 128GB of storage, and 8GB RAM. The P13,990 realme 8 is equipped with a MediaTek Helio G95 processor, a 5000mAh battery capable of a 30W Dart charging, and a 64MP AI quad camera setup. Meanwhile, the P16,990 realme 8 Pro is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G chipset with Adreno 818 graphics, a 108MP quad camera setup, and a 4,500mAh battery with a 50W SuperDart charge that powers up to 100% in about 47 minutes. The 8 Pro’s 108-megapixel Samsung Isocell HM2 sensor for improved daylight and low-light photos.

POWER ON A BUDGET

TCL 10 5G

The number of budget 5G phones on the market is growing, and TCL wants to join the game with the TCL 10 5G. Under the hood of this handset is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G processor paired with 6GB RAM and 128GB of storage. It comes with a large 6.53-inch display with 91% screen-to-body ratio, a 16MP frontfacing camera, and a 6MP + 8 MP + 5MP + 2MP quad-camera setup at the back. The TCL 10 5G’s 4,500mAh battery supports Quick Charge 3.0 and on-the-go reverse charging, turning the phone into a portable power bank should you need to juice up, say, your earbuds. Available in Chrome Blue or Mercury Gray, this 5G-enabled phone retails for P17,990.

MAY-JUNE 2021

TABLETS

BRILLIANTLY POWERFUL

Apple iPad Pro

This ain’t no ordinary tablet. The Apple iPad Pro is now even more of a powerhouse thanks to the same M1 chip found in Apple’s computers. Aside from an 8-core CPU, this flagship tablet also comes with an 8-core GPU so you can play games at high frame rates and enjoy overall stunning visuals. Both the 11- and 12.9-inch models are equipped with a new 12MP ultrawide front camera with a 122-degree field of view. At the back is a dual camera system composed of 12MP wide and 10MP ultrawide shooters. The 11-inch model gets a Liquid Retina display with 600 nits of brightness and features such as ProMotion, True Tone, P3 wide color, and ultralow reflectivity. The 12.9-inch model ups the ante with a Liquid Retina XDR display powered by over 10.000 LEDs, and features a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio, 1,000 nits of full‑screen brightness, and 1600 nits of peak brightness. Like its smaller brother, it comes with advanced display technologies like P3 wide color, True Tone, and ProMotion. Both models offer Thunderbolt support and are available with 5G wireless networking. Models with 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB storage come with 8GB RAM, while those with 1TB and 2TB storage are equipped with 16GB RAM. The 11-inch model starts at P45,990, while the 12.9-inch starts at P62,990.

MAY-JUNE 2021

ARSENAL

AUDIO

NOW THIS IS A BOOKSHELF SPEAKER

B&O Beosound Emerge

The latest collaboration between B&O and design agency Layer’s Benjamin Hubert is a speaker designed to resemble a book. The side panels of the slim Beosound Emerge wrap around the speaker like a book sleeve, while the front is marked with the B&O logo—in the same way you’d expect to find the author’s name on the spine of a book. This beautiful speaker houses a powerful 37mm midrange driver, a 14mm soft dome tweeter, and a 100mm side-firing woofer for a big sound experience. It has Google Assistant for voice control, while its wireless, multi-room streaming capability is courtesy of Apple AirPlay 2 and Chromecast. There’s also Bluetooth onboard. The Beosound Emerge is available in Gold Tone ($899) and Black Anthracite ($699) versions.

SMASHING DEBUT

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 and PI5 They may be late to the party, but Bowers & Wilkins sure knows how to make an entrance. Engineered by the same team behind the brand’s highly coveted 800 Series Diamond loudspeakers, the B&W PI7 and PI5 true earbuds headphones are available in white and charcoal colorways, support Siri and Google Assistant, and can be paired with multiple sources. The more premium PI7 ($399) features 24-bit connection, Qualcomm aptX Adaptive technology, adaptive noise cancellation with six microphones, and dual hybrid drive units. Its smart charging case not only stores and charges the buds, but it also has USB and 3.5mm ports, allowing you to connect it directly to an audio source. The $249 PI5 is slightly less powerful with a single 9.2mm Bowers-developed driver instead of dual-driver units. There are also just the two microphones on each side for noise cancellation and no inputs on the case. 28

MAY-JUNE 2021

ARSENAL

CAMERAS

A POCKETFUL OF SURPRISES

Moza Moin

Move over, Osmo Pocket. Moza, the company behind a number of popular gimbals, wants a share of the pocket camera pie. Its Moin camera has a 1/2.3-inch sensor mounted at the top of the grip on a 3-axis gimbal for shakefree footage. The sensor can shoot 12MP stills and 4K video at up to 60p—there’s even an 8x slow-motion option, face tracking, panorama, first person view, and timelapse modes. First Person View (FPV), Panorama, and Time-Lapse modes. Sound is recorded using built-in stereo microphones. For composing shots and navigating the menu, there’s a 2.5-inch flip-out touchscreen. This 176-gram pocket cam has a claimed battery life of 145 minutes that can be fully charged in 90 minutes. There’s also a companion Moza Artist mobile app for editing, filters, effects, and music, and you can transfer your content wirelessly via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.

ALL THE SMALL THINGS

POLAROID GO

Polaroid has released what they claim is the smallest analog instant camera on Earth. Called the Polaroid Go, the device measures 2.4 inches tall, 4.1 inches long, and 3.3 inches wide, and is definitely pocket-friendly. The $99.99 Go is a tiny version of the Polaroid Now and features an updated selfie mirror, self-timer, dynamic flash, double exposure, and travel-friendly accessories. Of course, since there’s no film that could fit into the tiny thing, Polaroid has developed a new one, so you can capture your big ideas and moments and print out 2.6-inch photos.

MAY-JUNE 2021

ARSENAL

DYNAMIC CROSSOVER

Volkswagen T-Cross The Volkswagen T-Cross targets young, accomplished professionals looking for vehicles that can keep up with their dynamic lifestyle. This global SUV is available in two variants: 1.5 MPI AT S and 1.5 MPI AT SE. Both pack a 1.5-liter gasoline engine capable of 111hp and up to 145Nm of torque. The Euro 6 engine is mated to a six-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission. The T-Cross comes in five colors: Tribu, Syringa Violet, Romance Red, Polar White, and Chinchilla Gray. The SE variant will feature cabins trimmed with the same color of the exterior. With a 2,651mm wheelbase, this subcompact SUV can comfortably seat five and still offer 329 liters of luggage space at the back. This can even be expanded to 1,319 liters when the rear seats are folded. Inside, both T-Cross variants are equipped with a large infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and App connect, as well as USB sockets in front and at the back. Other standard amenities include LED taillights, dual SRS airbags, ABS with EBD, stability control, rear park distance control, and a tire pressure monitoring system. The T-Cross 1.5 MPI AT SE has additional airbags (for a total of 6), bigger 17-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, rear AC vents, a panoramic sunroof, rear camera, rear parking sensors, and autonomous emergency braking. The T-Cross 1.5 MPI SE is priced at P1,198,000, while the 1.5 MPI S goes for P1,098,000.

MAY-JUNE 2021

CARS

THE JAZZ’S SPIRITUAL SUCCESSOR

Honda City Hatchback

If you like Honda’s bestselling subcompact sedan but wish it was a bit sportier—plus you’re into hatchbacks— then here’s the City for you. From the front, the five-door Honda City Hatchback looks like its sedan sibling—sporting similar headlights, grille, and front bumper. From the central pillars to the back, however, it’s a totally different car. There’s a longer roof, a rear door, slim, wraparound taillights, an integrated tailgate spoiler, and rounded off bumpers. It wears 16-inch two-tone Berlina Black aluminum alloy wheels. The lone available variant in the country is the 1.5 RS CVT, which is powered by a 1.5-liter 4-cylinder DOHC i-VTEC engine with a maximum power output of 119hp at 6,600rpm and 145Nm at 4,300 rpm. The engine is mated to continuously variable transmission. Want a more engaging driving experience? The paddle shifters will take care of that. Honda’s Eco Assist System is also available to help promote fuel efficient driving. The spacious cabin features suede-and-leather seats, black interior trims with red stitching and accents, leather-wrapped shift knob and steering wheel with audio controls, front and rear center armrests, sports pedals, and multi-information display with red illumination. There’s also an eight-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Bluetooth with two USB ports, plus an eight-speaker system. Like its spiritual predecessor, the Jazz, the all-new City Hatchback comes with Honda’s signature ULTR seating system, which allows the rear seats to be folded flat or flipped up. Safety features include G-Force Control (G-CON) body structure, six airbags, vehicle stability assist (VSA) with agile handling assist (AHA), emergency stop signal, ABS with EBD, hill-start assist and multi-view rear camera with dynamic guidelines. The all-new City Hatchback is priced at P1,115,000 (exclusive of P13,000 Safeguard Duty Cash deposit).

MAY-JUNE 2021

ARSENAL

CARS

ELECTRIC DREAMS

Nissan Leaf

Nissan’s groundbreaking electric vehicle has been a fixture in many roads around the globe for many years— and it's finally made its way to the Philippines. The electric motor of the Nissan Leaf packs 148hp and 320Nm, and can go from zero to 100kph in 7.9 seconds. It can also reach a top speed of 140kph. According to Nissan, the 40kWh lithium-ion battery has a range of up to 311 kilometers on a full charge. This is equivalent to traveling between Quezon City and Bonifacio Global City twice a day for five days for a daily commute, or a one-way out of town trip to Baguio. A supplied universal charging cable that plugs into any regular household outlet can top up the Leaf's battery in 15 to 18 hours. If you need a quick charge, select Nissan dealerships are equipped with quick charging stations that can fully charge the car in 40 to 60 minutes. What's more, the Leaf has vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technology that enables bi-directional charging. This means you can use energy from the Leaf battery to power homes and equipment. Driving the Leaf in stop-and-go city traffic is made easier with Nissan's e-Pedal. This feature allows the driver to start, accelerate, decelerate, and stop the car by just using the accelerator pedal alone. When the accelerator is fully released, regenerative and friction brakes are applied automatically, bringing the car to a complete stop. The EV is also packed with intelligent driving assistance features such as cruise control, around view monitor, emergency braking, driver alertness alert, land intervention, and trace control. Other features include high beam assist, hill start assist, rear cross traffic alert, blind spot warning, and lane departure warning. Inside, the Leaf comes with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support, six speakers, an e-shifter, and a TF meter display with advanced drive assist display and EV info. The Nissan Leaf seats five persons. There's a huge cargo space behind the rear seats, which can be increased when the back row is folded down. Want some electric power with instant thrills? Get ready to shell out P2.798M.

MAY-JUNE 2021

ARSENAL

CARS

FULLY LOADED

Subaru Evoltis The biggest model offered by Subaru to date has finally landed in Philippine shores—and it comes fully loaded with comfort, convenience, and safety features. Subaru’s seven-seat midsize SUV—the US-made all-new 2021 Subaru Evoltis—is powered by a new 2.4-liter turbocharged boxer engine that produces 260hp and 375Nm of torque. It boasts 220mm of ground clearance, a 2,200kg towing capacity, and room for seven people with its 2-2-3 layout (the second row has captain’s seats). Luxurious cabin amenities include a 14-speaker, 792-watt Harman/Kardon sound system and 8-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. There’s also a large 54-inch panoramic sunroof, three-zone automatic climate control with rear-seat controls, 10-way power-adjustable seats for the driver and four-way power-adjust for the passenger, smart rear view mirror, and multiple USB ports and power outlets. Plus, it has a grand total of 19 cupholders—more than enough for all its occupants even if they have two beverages each. The all-new Evoltis is built on the Subaru Global Platform, and Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive with X-MODE is standard. Its safety features is headlined by the EyeSight active safety suite, which includes adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, lane sway warning, lead vehicle start alert, and pre-collision throttle management, among others. The Evoltis is available in five colors: Crystal White Pearl, Ice Silver Metallic, Crystal Black Silica, Crimson Red Pearl, and Abyss Blue Pearl.

MAY-JUNE 2021

p.40 HUAWEI VISION S

STUNNING AUDIO-VISUAL EXPERIENCE

p.38

p.42

TECNO Mobile Spark 6 Air

vivo V21 5G

p.39

p.43

realme 8

p.41

HP ProBook 445 G7

p.44

p.46

Apple iPad Air (4th-gen)

p.47

Apple Magic Keyboard

p.48

PROVING GROUND Lenovo ThinkPad T490

Lenovo ThinkPad E14

Vivo Y12s

MAY-JUNE 2021

TESTED

PRODUCT TEST NO.

2307 THE NUMBERS OS HIOS 6.2 (Android 10) DISPLAY 6.95-inch 1640 x 720 CPU Octa-core MediaTek Helio A25 MEMORY 3GB STORAGE 32GB built-in, microSD card CAMERA 13MP + 2MP + AI rear, 8MP front CONNECTIVITY 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou PRICE P4,690

LOTSA FEATURES FOR A LIGHTWEIGHT PRICE

TECNO Mobile Spark 6 Air WOR DS KAT R IN A R IV E R E- D IGA

TECNO Mobile’s latest budget phone may be called “Air,” but, really, there’s nothing lightweight about it—well, except for its price.

The massive 6.95-inch IPS-LCD display is an awesome size for watching videos. It has a 1640 x 720 HD+ resolution and there’s a dot-notch at the top that houses the front-facing camera. Now, while the pixel density isn’t that high, we found it acceptable for casual viewing.

The triple rear camera system is composed of a 13-megapixel sensor, an AI lens, and a 2-megapixel depth sensor. There’s no dedicated Night mode here, and TECNO Mobile tries to make up for it with the quad flash feature at the back. In fairness, the resulting photos come out pretty good for posting on social media.

The Spark 6 Air offers a notable software feature called Audio Share that lets you connect up to three Bluetooth speakers or two Bluetooth headphones at the same time. This means you can watch with another person without having to split earphones with him or her. You can simply use two separate earbuds and enjoy watching in peace.

The Spark 6 Air is powered by an octacore MediaTek Helio A25 chipset paired with a PowerVR GE8320 GPU, 3GB RAM, and 32GB built-in storage. The chip is quite old, but it’s still good enough for productivity, multitasking, and even some games such as Mobile Legends and Call of Duty: Mobile. To further improve performance while playing, TECNO Mobile equipped this phone with a game mode, which optimizes the CPU, GPU, and memory.

The back cover is glossy, so it’s quite the fingerprint magnet. The Cloud White variant that we reviewed was able to mask fingerprint smudges, but I can only imagine how smeary the back panel could be if it came in a different color.

The Spark 6 Air is a pretty huge phone and is quite thick at 9.3 millimeters. The power and volume keys are located on the right edge and are clicky and accessible. The fingerprint scanner, however, is positioned a bit high.

The Spark 6 Air comes with a beefy 6,000mAh cell—a plus for a phone that’s less than P5,000. During our time with this device, the battery lasted a day and a half with moderate usage at 50% screen brightness. Unfortunately, the phone doesn’t support fast charging, so it takes a while to fully charge the battery. Then again, that’s understandable given the price of this phone.

GEEK METER SPEED SAYS If you’re looking for a phone with a huge display, decent camera system, and a long-lasting battery life at an accessible price point, consider checking out the P4,690 TECNO Mobile Spark 6 Air. DIMENSIONS 174.7 x 79.4 x 9.3 mm

MAY-JUNE 2021

7.5

PRODUCT TEST NO.

2308 THE NUMBERS OS realme UI 2.0 (Android 11) DISPLAY 6.43-inch FHD+ (2400 x 1080) Super AMOLED CPU MediaTek Helio G95 MEMORY 8GB STORAGE 128GB built-in, microSD card CAMERA 64MP + 8MP + 2MP + 2MP rear, 16MP front CONNECTIVITY 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ ac, Bluetooth 5.1, GPS PRICE P13,990

A DECENT, IF MIXED BAG

realme 8 WO RD S KAT R IN A R IV E R E- DIGA

realme’s latest number series comes in two models: the realme 8 and realme 8 Pro. Both are sleek and slim, with sides that are curved for a more natural grip. While the 8 Pro is being marketed as a smartphone designed primarily for photography enthusiasts and content creators, the 8 is being touted as a phone for gaming. We take a look at the latter.

Instead of a vertical camera array, realme 8 has a square camera module housing the 64MP main lens, 8MP ultrawide, 2MP macro, and 2MP depth sensor. Photos taken with ample lighting have a good amount of detail and decent colors.

The realme 8 packs a 5,000mAh battery with 30W rapid wired charging. The device can last a little over 24 hours of mixed use. Topping it up from zero to full takes about 80 minutes.

Low-light photography is a hit or miss. Depending on the amount of light available, photos come out either grainy, with excessive sharpening, or passable.

Unlike its predecessor, the realme 7, the realme 8 comes with an AMOLED panel—and an in-display fingerprint scanner at that. While the refresh rate has been scaled down to a conventional 60Hz from the 7’s 90Hz, the colors, saturation, and brightness of the AMOLED panel (vs the 7’s IPS) more than makes up for it. Another plus is that AMOLED is more powerefficient than an IPS panel.

The realme 8 has a bold, shiny exterior with the brand’s “Dare to Leap” tagline printed on the back. The Cyber Silver variant is a bit flashy, while the Cyber Black variant is pretty discreet despite the glossy finish.

The Helio G95 chip from the realme 7 is carried over to this newer model, which is a downer since it’s not really the best when it comes to efficiency. You won’t encounter any problem when it comes to day-to-day use, but if you’ll be playing a lot of games on this phone, then expect some throttling and heating issues.

GEEK METER SPEED SAYS

DIMENSIONS & WEIGHT 160.6 x 73.9 x 7.99mm, 177g

Overall, the realme 8 is a good midrange phone. Specs look great on paper, but real-world performance is a mixed bag. The AMOLED display and battery life are superb, and the Helio G95 works well for daily use. But heating issues and inconsistent camera performance haunt this otherwise sleek and powerful phone.

8 MAY-JUNE 2021

TESTED

STUNNING AUDIO-VISUAL EXPERIENCE

PRODUCT TEST NO.

Huawei Vision S 55”

2309 THE NUMBERS DISPLAY 55” 4K VA LCD panel with direct LED backlighting PROCESSOR Honghu 818 with 2GB RAM OS Harmony OS AUDIO 20W quadspeaker setup (10W speakers, 10W tweeters) CAMERA 13MP magnetic (currently supports 1920 x 1080 video calls and photos) CONNECTIVITY HDMI 2.0 x 3, AV In, USB 3.0, SPDIF, dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.1 OTHERS HDR, up to 120Hz, blue light filter PRICE P36,999

WORD S KAT R IN A R IV E R E- D IGA

Huawei has decided to make a go at making TVs, and the Vision S Series is its debut effort. How does this smart TV fare? Read on for our impressions.

Buying a TV these days usually means you also need to get at least a soundbar to elevate your entertainment experience. But with the Vision S, you can do without one (unless you already have one lying around). That’s how good and powerful the sound performance is.

As with many of you, Netflix is my top source of video content. There’s no problem once you’ve installed it, but take note that you need to use the Vision Home app or connect a mouse to easily navigate inside the Netflix app. The included remote control won’t be able to do that for you.

The Vision S runs on HarmonyOS and comes with Huawei AppGallery so you can download more apps. Of course, this means you don’t have Google Mobile Services, but the good news is that you can sideload apps on it via a flash drive or install apps like YouTube and Netflix via Aptoide.

One thing that sets the Huawei Vision S apart is the magnetic 13MP video camera that supports 1080p MeeTime video calls. While this may sound a bit gimmicky, it is a great add-on for when you want to catch up with family and friends. The camera has an adjustable, tilting mechanism so that you can point it up or backward when not in use.

Picture quality on the VIsion S is great, with vibrant and sharp images and decent color balance and contrast. Viewing angles are also wide, so you can sit on the side and still make out clearly what’s on the screen. Needless to say, 4K and 120Hz make for a sharp and smooth viewing experience.

Like many TVs today, the Vision S has slim bezels that lend it an upscale look. The bottom bezel is slightly thicker and is home to the Huawei logo. There’s a couple of slim metal feet included in the box, but if you want to hang the TV in on a wall, you’ll need to buy a VESA mount and brackets.

Setting up the Vision S is fairly quick and straightforward. But to make the most out of its features, you must create or log into your Huawei ID and install the Huawei Vision app on your phone. Alas, the app was a bit unstable during my review period, crashing a couple of times.

GEEK METER SPEED SAYS

DIMENSIONS & WEIGHT 1230.1 x 714.1 x 73mm; 14.2kg (without stand)

MAY-JUNE 2021

The Vision S Series is a good maiden outing for Huawei. It looks great, picture quality is good, and the built-in speakers are outstanding. The absence of Google Mobile Services is a bummer, but there are ways around it. Plus, if you purchase the Vision S on or before September 30, Huawei is throwing in a free smart box so you can easily access all the Android TV apps you’ll want and need. If you’re looking to buy this TV, you’ll want to make sure to grab this promo.

7.5

PRODUCT TEST NO.

2310 THE NUMBERS OS Up to Windows 10 Pro DISPLAY Up to 14” WQHD PROCESSOR Up to 8th-gen Intel Core i5/ i7 vPro MEMORY Up to 48GB STORAGE Up to 1TB PCIe SSD CAMERA 720p with ThinkShutter privacy cover CONNECTIVITY & PORTS WiFi11ax, 2×2, Bluetooth 5.1, 1x 3.5mm audio jack, 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, 2x Thunderbolt 4 PRICE Starts at P69,990

WHEN YOU MEAN BUSINESS...

Lenovo ThinkPad T490 WO RD S GADJO CAR D E N AS S E V ILLA

Lenovo’s ThinkPad line has long been considered the business-class workhorse. The ThinkPad T490 is the most recent version of a model that reimagines this laptop for the remote worker. An evolutionary update on a tried-andtested design, we now see slimmer bezels and more screen space with touch functionality as an option. The PrivacyGuard functionality—which protects your screen from prying eyes by making it hard to see if you’re not directly in front of the PC—and a physical switch that covers the camera are smart features that every new computer should offer. At around 1.42kg, the ThinkPad T490 is acceptably light and its battery life—rated at 16 hours, or more like 8 to 9 in real life—is fair for an all-day device.

Lenovo offers a range of 8th-gen Intel Core i5 or i7 processors, 8 or 16GB of RAM soldered to the chassis, and fast PCIe SSDs. The specs carry out most business and consumer applications admirably. The downside of this ThinkPad is that it just looks and feels dated. Even with the thinner bezels and sleeker contours, it can be mistaken for a 14-year old ThinkPad.

*The unit reviewed here was released in the U.S. market.

The large fingerprint scanner near the trackpad potentially speeds up wake-from sleep recovery times. Sadly, while the hardware strives to make getting on the device quicker, it is Windows 10 that waffles with a long startup or recovery time. I like the Rapid Charge functionality, which provides an 80% charge in just one hour. For travelers, in between flights, or those plugging in during lunch, this means a lot more productivity on-the-go. It also has USB-C to be used for charging as well as connecting devices with this now-standard plug.

ThinkPads are tested for 12 total methods and 20 procedures to ensure that they’re durable and canrun in extreme conditions. ThinkPads like the T490 are used in the International Space Station, arctic expeditions, and by armies in the desert. For us non-adventurous types, we can appreciate the spillresistant keyboard, as well as the strong yet light mix of magnesium alloy and carbon fiber materials to keep things light yet strong.

GEEK METER SPEED SAYS

DIMENSIONS 328 x 227 x 18.9mm, ~1.45kg

The ThinkPad T490 looks like a work laptop, which it is. It’s reliable and capable but lacking in fun and fashion—but it’s still the laptop you want to be walking into a conference room with, especially if you’re making a big pitch or presentation. It says that you’re all about business and you take things seriously.

7.5 MAY-JUNE 2021

TESTED

UPPING THE SELFIE GAME

PRODUCT TEST NO.

vivo V21 5G

2311

WORD S AYIE L IC S I

THE NUMBERS OS Funtouch OS 11.1 (Android 11) DISPLAY 6.44-inch FHD+ 2404 x 1080 CPU MediaTek Dimensity 800U MEMORY 8GB STORAGE 128GB built-in, microSD card CAMERA 64MP + 8MP + 2MP rear, 44MP front CONNECTIVITY 5G, 4G LTE, WiFi, Bluetooth 5.1, GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, BeiDou PRICE P23,999

vivo has always delivered when it comes to its V series of devices, making waves when it comes to the design, specs, and features of the phones. The V21 5G is no exception.

The phone’s triple rear camera array takes crisp shots, capturing the details of your subject. Images may turn out a bit pasty at times, but overall, shots look great especially with the cameras’ bokeh effect. The main shooter also comes OIS for less blurry shots.

The front camera offers different lighting features to make your selfies look better. Aura mode is great for when you need a less harsh light in less-than-desirable lighting situations, while Spotlight works well in dimly-lit scenarios, thanks to the phone’s two LED lights at the upper edge of the screen.

The selfie shooter comes with optical image stabilization so you can do walkand-talk style videos minus the shakes. No need for a gimbal.

Its battery can last all day, like when I would use it for light social media browsing, playing games, and spending hours binge-watching Binging with Babish on YouTube. Filling up the phone from 20% to full charge takes just a little over an hour thanks to the 33W vivo FlashCharging tech.

The phone’s huge 6.44-inch AMOLED display is interrupted by a dewdrop notch. Scrolling through different apps is smooth when on the 90Hz refresh rate, and you can choose to take it down to 60Hz when you need to save up on battery.

Our review unit came in the stunning Sunset Dazzle variant, an iridescent color that screams chic. It has an AG matte glass finish, which means you don’t have to worry much about fingerprint smudges. It does feel a bit slippery at times but there’s a clear jelly case that comes in the box to solve that.

Watching videos is fun on this phone, too, as it delivers a crisp and vibrant picture. The only downside is its speakers, which are a bit lackluster for my taste. This can be easily fixed by using your earphones.

The V21 is powered by a 5G-ready MediaTek Dimensity 800U chipset paired with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. It can run graphics-intensive games like Sky: Children of the Light without any lag.

SPEED SAYS DIMENSIONS & WEIGHT 159.68 x 73.90 x 7.39mm, 177g

MAY-JUNE 2021

When I first saw the LED lights on top of the vivo V21 5G’s front camera, my first thought was that this phone will be great for making TikTok videos. True enough, the feature makes the device a great choice for creators who love shooting videos and photos. It’s a solid choice for those looking to upgrade to a 5G-ready phone without breaking the bank.

GEEK METER

PRODUCT TEST NO.

2312 THE NUMBERS OS Windows 10 Pro DISPLAY 14-inch LED backlit (1366 x 768) PROCESSOR AMD Ryzen 5 4500U with Radeon Graphics MEMORY 8GB STORAGE 256GB SSD CAMERA 720p CONNECTIVITY & PORTS Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.1, 2x USB 3.1 Gen 1, SuperSpeed USB Type-C, stereo headphone/ microphone combo jack, RJ45, HDMI 1.4 PRICE P39,990

VERSATILE PRODUCTIVITY MACHINE

HP ProBook 445 G7

WO RD S KAT R IN A R IV E R E- DIGA

Notebooks have come a long way from the slow, clunky devices of the past. Today, there are sub-P40,000 laptops like the HP ProBook 445 G7 that are sleek and strike a good balance between battery life and performance.

The bezels are fairly thick especially on the top and bottom, where the webcam and HP logo are placed, respectively. The display is fairly bright so you can take this with you outdoors. Colors are good, although there’s a slight bias toward cool/blue shades. Overall, however, it’s a good screen for both work and entertainment.

This ProBook is housed in a stylish and durable aluminum case with an attractive metal finish. It’s also thin and light, so it’s easy to carry around should you find yourself spending time in coffee shops and co-working spaces when the pandemic is over.

The 720p webcam is good enough for your video conference calls. I like that HP equipped it with a built-in cover for privacy, so you can be sure you aren’t being watched when the camera’s not in use.

The splash-proof keyboard offers two-stage backlighting, which works well when typing in dimly lit rooms. The keys are sufficiently large, well-spaced, and responsive.

HP notebooks are known for their reliability, and this ProBook is no different. It’s tough, having passed 19 stringent MIL-STD 810H tests. Plus it comes with a self-healing BIOS called HP Sure Start for AMD, which automatically recovers from attacks or corruptions without IT and user intervention. There’s even HP Sure Sense and HP Sure Click, which help protect against viruses, malware, and ransomware. Talk about peace of mind.

The AMD Ryzen 5 4500U is more than enough for office tasks, web browsing, and basic image editing. I didn’t encounter any hiccupS even when running multiple applications at the same time.

The 3-cell 45Whr Li-Ion battery is rated to last up to 15 hours and 15 minutes. During my time with it, it got me through an 8-hour workday before I needed to plug it in. With HP Fast Charge, the battery level increased from 10% to 45% in just 30 minutes.

SPEED SAYS DIMENSIONS 324.2 x 237.7 x 17.9mm, 1.6kg

If you’re looking for a thin and light machine that’s powerful, secure, reliable, and won’t set you in debt, you can’t go wrong with the HP ProBook 445 G7.

GEEK METER

8 MAY-JUNE 2021

TESTED

PRODUCT TEST NO.

2313 THE NUMBERS OS Windows 10 Pro DISPLAY 14-inch IPS (1920 x 1080) PROCESSOR AMD Ryzen 5 4500U with Radeon Vega 6 MEMORY 8GB STORAGE 256GB SSD CAMERA HD CONNECTIVITY & PORTS Wi-Fi 802.11ax, Bluetooth 5.0, USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-C (DisplayPort 1.2, PD 3.0), USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-A, USB 2.0, HDMI 1.4b, RJ-45, 3.5mm combo jack PRICE P43,399

AFFORDABLE PRODUCTIVITY

Lenovo ThinkPad E14 WOR D S KAT R IN A R IV E R E- DIGA

ThinkPads are known for their reliability and sturdiness, as well as for having excellent keyboards and trackpads. But their prices can be prohibitive. The good news is that there’s a ThinkPad for you if you have a smaller budget. The Lenovo E series offers some of the best features of the ThinkPad line without leaving you bankrupt. The 14-inch IPS display with anti-glare coating has a 1920 x 1080 resolution running at 60Hz. It’s not a standout (understandable given the price) but it ain’t bad, either. It’s sufficient for productivity work and even for entertainment purposes. Brightness, color, and viewing angles are good, but not excellent.

The AMD Ryzen 5 4500U is fairly quick to handle day-to-day activities. On average, I have about 20 Google Chrome tabs open, on top of some light photo editing. The system held its own, without visible slow downs or lags.

The backlit chiclet-style keyboard, as expected, is superior. Typing feels soft and snappy, and keys are sized just right. You even get dedicated, albeit smallish Home, End, Page Up, and Page Down keys. A downside for me are the function keys at the top, which are automatically bound by their secondary functions instead of being F keys.

The touchpad is smooth and needs just the right amount of pressure to click. If you prefer to use the touchpad, I suggest you disable the TrackPoint as it’s incredibly sensitive.

If you’ve seen one ThinkPad, you’ve seen them all. This is true with the E14. The matte black finish is instantly recognizable, and the chassis feels durable with almost no flex. It’s relatively thin at 17.9mm, or about two smartphones stacked on top of each other.

The Lenovo ThinkPad E14 is powered by a 45Whr battery and ships with a 65W USB Type-C charger. At medium brightness and with Wi-Fi on, the notebook lasts around 8.5 hours. Filling up the battery from 10% to full takes about two hours.

SPEED SAYS

DIMENSIONS 325 x 232 x 17.9mm, 1.69kg

MAY-JUNE 2021

The ThinkPad E14 is a good midrange productivity machine for professionals and students alike. More importantly, it’s got the hallmark features of ThinkPads such as a durability, security, and a great keyboard.

GEEK METER

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TESTED

PRODUCT TEST NO.

2314 THE NUMBERS OS IPADOS14 Display 10.9-inch 2360 x 1640 Liquid Retina, 264ppi CPU A14 Bionic chip with 64-bit architecture, Neural Engine STORAGE 64/256GB CAMERA 12MP f/1.8 wide camera, FaceTime camera (7MP photos, 1080p video) CONNECTIVITY 802.11 ax Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS/GNSS PRICE Starts at P33,990 (64GB) Starts at P42,990 (256GB)

POWER & PANACHE

Apple iPad Air (2020) WO R D S GADJO CAR D E N AS S E V IL L A

The iPad Air was always the odd duck in Apple’s iPad lineup. Until now, it’s only standout feature was that it was thinner and prettier than the regular iPad while being slightly faster. That’s just no longer the case. I got the iPad Air (2020) and combined it with the Apple Magic Keyboard, which adds a trackpad and converts the Air into a subnotebook. I added the Apple Pencil 2 for good measure, to maximize the potential of a full-multitouch device for a lot less than if I had used even the cheapest iPad Pro. The iPad Air has a sleek but boxy design similar to the iPhone 12 and the iPad Pro. It has moved the Touch ID fingerprint sensor to the top button and reduced bezel size as a result. Apple has also added various pastel colors to the mix, such as Sky Blue and Green, but these look faded. Silver, Rose Gold, and Space Grey are still the best color options.

When mated with the Magic Keyboard and the Apple Pencil, the iPad Air becomes a complete laptop replacement—one that’s capable of creating content thanks to the ability to draw directly on screen or shoot and edit up to 4K video on the fly.

iPad OS is edging closer to becoming a full-fledged OS but still lacks a lot of functionality that could make it a serious alternative to Windows or macOS. I’m talking about a file structure, the ability to run programs that can be used to develop apps, or the ability to become more of a computer when plugged into an external monitor.

*The unit reviewed here was released in the U.S. market.

Thanks to some excellent iPad-optimized apps, I’m able to use the iPad Air as a portable writing tablet and as a go-to communications device when traveling.

Compared to the non-M1 iPad Pro, the iPad Air 4 looks and feels like the more contemporary and fun-filled alternative. It is also slightly thinner and lighter. As a tablet, it feels just right in terms of size and should serve as an ideal all-around content consumption device for a number of years.

The 10.9-inch Liquid Retina Display is bright and detailed and comes with various features such as True Tone, P3 wide color, and anti-reflective coating, which makes watching videos or reading a treat.

SPEED SAYS DIMENSIONS 247.6 x 178.5 x 6.1mm, 458g (Wi-Fi) / 460g (Wi-Fi + cellular)

MAY-JUNE 2021

The iPad Air is arguably the most powerful pound-for-pound iOS-powered device Apple sells today and effectively obsoletes the older, non-M1 iPad Pro models while adding a splash of panache in a slimmer profile.

GEEK METER

8.5

THE KEY TO PRODUCTIVITY?

PRODUCT TEST NO.

Apple Magic Keyboard

2315

WO R D S GADJO CAR D E N AS S E VI LLA

THE NUMBERS FEATURES Backlit keys, scissor mechanism with 1mm travel, designed for multi-touch gestures and the cursor in iPadOS, angle adjustability CONNECTIVITY USB-C SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS iPad Pro 11-inch (1st/2nd/3rd gen) or iPad Air (4th gen) running iPadOS 14.5 or later PRICE P16,990 *The unit reviewed here was released in the U.S. market.

Keyboards for iPads are nothing new. They’ve been around for as long as Apple has been slinging its tablets, but they’re mostly from third-party manufacturers. Seeing revenues go to other companies moved Apple to create a Smart Keyboard for the iPad Pros, providing a lightweight keyboard case with rubbery keys. Smart Keyboards were good covers, but the lack of a trackpad or backlit keys made people check out cheaper alternatives. Enter the Magic Keyboard.

The keyboard’s design is ideal for typing on a table but not on a lap. I like to type in bed or on a couch and the Magic Keyboard does not fit this use case. It also lacks physical controls for things like volume, brightness, or for playing and pausing media—you still need to use the screen for those.

The magnet that connects iPads to the Magic Keyboard is very strong and secure—so much so that you can lift the iPad Air and the keyboard won’t fall off.

The keyboard is overengineered and somewhat heavy. This counterbalances the weight of the iPad Air and also gives users good typing support when it is placed on the desk or on their lap.

The Magic Keyboard offers USB-C charging so you can charge and power your iPad Air or 11-inch iPad Pro. Its proper (albeit cramped) keyboard with scissor mechanism is backlit and is better than the majority of MacBooks pre-2019.

The Magic Keyboard isn’t a very good iPad Air case. It’s heavy and does not protect any of the corners of the tablet. If you drop the iPad Air and Magic Keyboard, there’s a good chance both devices will get damaged.

Apple has also improved the mouse cursor on the iPad Air thanks to the Magic Keyboard, so it is easy to select, copy, and paste text at will. No other iPad keyboard can give you these features.

The keys have decent travel, are responsive, and generally silent. Typing on the Magic Keyboard, while cramped, works great. I also like that you get some word hints as you type, so you can just click on words on the screen to add them to your text.

SPEED SAYS The Magic Keyboard delivers on the promise of making iPads feel more like notebooks by giving users a proper typing experience and a trackpad. While it’s not a perfect accessory, Apple will likely continue to innovate this peripheral while shaving off weight and mass to make it a more seamless keyboard for its tablets.

GEEK METER

7 MAY-JUNE 2021

TESTED

PRODUCT TEST NO.

2316 THE NUMBERS OS Funtouch OS 11 (Android 10) DISPLAY 6.61-inch HD+ IPS LCD CPU MediaTek Helio P35 MEMORY 3GB STORAGE 32GB built-in, microSD card CAMERA 13MP + 2MP rear, 8MP front CONNECTIVITY 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou PRICE P6,499

BUDGET-FRIENDLY STUNNER

vivo Y12s WOR D S JUST IN E PUN ZAL AN

The vivo Y12s is one smartphone that will catch your interest from the get-go. The device has a stunning design—shiny pastel-hued cover, an ultra-slim frame, and a huge display. Like its predecessor, the vivo Y12, the Y12s looks like a premium smartphone, but is in fact affordably priced at P6,499.

The camera bump at the back is thin and negligible, while the volume rocker on the right side of the frame is easy to use. The fingerprint scanner below it (integrated with the power button) responds fast, unlocking the phone in less than a second.

The dual rear cameras produce vibrant outdoor and indoor shots. On the flip side, the intensity of its brightness can also make the images look over-filtered at times. It can be bothersome for people like me who want photos to appear as real as possible. When using the night mode, images tend to look gritty and noisy.

For those who love taking selfies, the 8-megapixel front camera will suit your liking. It has a bokeh effect that makes the subject stand out from the background and look more alive.

The Y12s feels durable despite its size and weight (8.4mm thin and only 191 grams). But just to make sure, I recommend using a protective case. Aside from preventing physical damage, it will also keep the phone clear of fingerprint smudges because you’ll likely get many of that. The 5,000mAh battery can last for almost two days with moderate use and up to 9 hours with intense gameplay. However, it only supports up to 10W charging, which, based on my test, only gives you a mere 10% increase in power in a span of 30 minutes. A plus is that the battery supports reverse charging technology, so you can power your other devices.

The Y12s’ design is above par for its price range. I like that it’s nearly bezel-free and that the front contains nothing but a punch-hole camera on the upper edge. This makes scrolling the wide screen and playing games more enjoyable.

The Y12s is powered by a MediaTek Helio P35 chip and comes with 3GB RAM and 32GB storage. It performs certain tasks like scrolling through Facebook and Instagram with slight delay, but still fair enough for its low price.

For the best viewing and gaming experience, use your earphones where the audio is clear and rich. The quality of sound coming from the speaker, which is located on the upper edge of the phone, sounds muffled and isn’t loud enough even at high volume levels.

The 6.51-inch Halo FullView Display is bright and vibrant. It has an HD+ resolution with 270ppi density. While the numbers are not striking, they are still sufficiently good for YouTube and Netflix viewing. Brightness is 480 nits max and high enough to make the display visible even under sunlight. The Y12s takes its performance up a notch when it comes to gaming. It delivers a nearly stutter-free experience on games, such as Mobile Legends and Subway Surfers, thanks to its MultiTurbo 3.0 gaming mode that optimizes CPU and internal storage while you’re at play. To ensure that you get the best gaming experience that Y12s can offer, don’t leave other apps running in the background, as it can cause recurring lags on your game.

SPEED SAYS

DIMENSIONS & WEIGHT 164.41 x 76.32 x 8.41mm, 191g

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The vivo Y12s is attractive, has a vivid display, and works well for streaming and gaming. I would recommend it for anyone seeking a versatile smartphone intended for moderate use, and one that doesn’t carry a hefty price tag.

GEEK METER

TECHNOSPHERE

GADJO CARDENAS SEVILLA

widely used smartwatch, but it is still locked into the Apple ecosystem, which is outrageous to me. Apple Watch would be much more popular if it worked on Android devices, especially since Wear OS seems to be languishing. Fitbit makes fitness trackers and often attempts to make smartwatches with mixed success. That company absorbed the staff and patents of smartwatch originator Pebble before it was itself bought by Google, which seems to squander every acquisition it makes (cough HTC, cough Motorola).

WHERE ARE WEARABLES GOING? One aspect of

technology that seems to have plateaued is the wearables sector. We now have fewer smartwatch models to choose from and fitness trackers seem to have fallen out of favor. The time has come to ask ourselves: where are wearables going? Innovation wanes for wearables By now, most of us have owned or are using some sort of wearable. This could be smartwatches as adjuncts to our smartphones, or standalone fitness trackers that are used to guilt us into being more active. Five years ago, wearables were the next big tech category and some of them were even used as wrist phones capable of making and taking calls independently of phones. Manufacturers tried to cram all manner of features and functionality into smartwatches, such as cameras and mobile payments options. They made

smartwatches walkie-talkies and even music players. Where is that innovation now? Early smartwatches felt like solutions looking for a problem. Sure, they were great for notifications and for basic health tracking functions, but you still needed a smartphone to get the most out of the experience. Fitness trackers were singlepurpose devices and had the advantage of lasting for days on a single charge, but it seems that the market is saturated. Reflecting on today’s wearables The Apple Watch has no doubt reached critical mass and seems to be the most

Samsung is one of the unsung heroes of the wearables market. Its understated Galaxy Watch Active line isn’t new but continues to be updated to bring features like an electrocardiogram (EKG). I’ve been using one for over a year and have been impressed with its function and its battery life. Best of all, it looks like a watch with its round dial and bezel. I use my Galaxy Watch Active with a Galaxy S10 5G but can just as easily use it on any Android phone or even an iPhone because it is capable of this interoperability (as all watches should be, Apple!). Features for future smartwatches Smartwatches and fitness trackers are here to stay so they should incorporate features that make sense of today’s realities. Here are a few that should be considered: Panic button – Make wearables emit a loud alarm during times of emergency or when the user is threatened. Body camera – Enable recording of 360° video when triggered with recorded video backed up to the cloud. Thermometer – Capable of taking a user’s temperature as a preventive measure and with the ability to send notifications or alerts if temperatures are higher than normal. Personal tracking device – Wearables can emit a beacon to show where they are relative to a map. Voice recording – Ability to record audio and back it up to the cloud; useful in emergency situations. Vaccine passport – Should carry easily accessible links to a user’s health information including if they have been tested for COVID-19, have antibodies, or have taken their vaccines. Digital key – Wearables can be used to unlock doors, start vehicles, as well as open and unlock linked computers and tablets. Pulse oximeters – Can help track oxygen level in the blood and assist in determining infection.

MAY-JUNE 2021

ALL ABOUT THE UX

5 MUST-STREAM DOCUMENTARIES TO CONVINCE YOU EARTH URGENTLY NEEDS SAVING —AND WHAT YOU ACTUALLY CAN DO

Have you

watched a movie or series that made such a huge impact on your thinking, you decided to change the way you live—or at least certain aspects of it? I have, and a lot of them are documentaries. Docus are definitely getting an uptick in popularity, I believe, thanks to streaming services that are making it more accessible, noticeable, and palatable to viewers who always want to be entertained, even while they’re watching something educational. In this column, I listed five (all available on Netflix) that convinced me to adapt a more sustainable lifestyle in an effort to contribute less to climate change and environmental degradation—and be more vocal about it. All are highly entertaining and extremely eye-opening and informative. However, they are also triggering—you’ll be awed by scenes one moment, then hit by the devastating realization that these habitats and species are being destroyed faster than we can say extinction. What I like about them is the ray of hope they present in the form of solutions—some detailed, some general; some challenging, while most inspire us to do simple everyday actions meant to protect the planet, which can become world-changing when implemented on a global scale. Turn your binge-watching habit into something life-changing and you’re already on the right track. Awareness is always the first step. Whether you’re just looking for what to watch next on Netflix, hoping to enrich your environmental education, or already “eco-woke,” as they say,

MAY-JUNE 2021

these documentaries deserve a spot on your watch list.

1. Seaspiracy (2021) I kept seeing the buzzy docu among the Top 10 list, so I decided to watch it. Its Netflix description, “Passionate about ocean life, a filmmaker sets out to document the harm that humans do to marine species— and uncovers alarming global corruption,” didn’t prepare me for what came after I hit play. Trigger warning: You’ll see whales, sharks, and dolphins being slaughtered—and for no beneficial reason whatsoever. You’ll feel hopeless for our oceans. The culprit? Industrial fishing. My face fell into a horrified grimace a few minutes into the film and remained aghast until the end. As the credits rolled, I swore I’ll never eat fish again—like many who watched it. It’s controversial—some are critiquing the narrator-director’s style of being too central to the story. But viewers can’t deny his findings are shocking and eyeopening. And while a number of experts question and discredit some of his claims, it’s a mustwatch, if only to rethink our consumption habits and how they affect our seas.

2. Kiss the Ground (2020) What made this docu truly compelling for me was learning that what happened to Earth in the movie Interstellar— where it was reduced to a barren dust bowl doomed to become uninhabitable, hence the need to flee—actually already happened in the 1930s and could very well happen again if industrial farming persists the way it does now.

The key takeaway? Reversing climate change and environmental degradation lies in regeneration. The way to do that is to nourish the soil, so it can continue to trap carbon from the atmosphere and effectively stabilize our climate, and to stop destroying it by tilling and using chemical pesticides. A plant-based diet was also thrown out there.

3. David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet (2020) Followers of BBC journalist and naturalist Sir David Attenborough’s work will want to watch this 83-minute documentary he considers his “witness statement.” In it he traces his career as a natural historian and reflects on how the planet has degenerated over his 94 years of existence, while offering a vision for the future and how we can reverse the damage. We came across its trailer while looking for what to watch next after Seaspiracy. While it definitely did not do anything to lighten the post-Seaspiracy mood, it felt like such a heartfelt message— like your loving grandpa telling you hard-to-swallow truths about the world while offering advice on how you can get through these challenging times.

4. Our Planet (2019) Netflix captured the beauty and fragility of Planet Earth in the eight episodes of this muchtalked about limited series, also narrated by Attenborough, with a tone of urgency and alarm in his otherwise soothing voice. Highly entertaining and never boring, it features jaw-dropping footage of locales and creatures I never imagined existed, followed by their destruction. You’ll fall in love and have your heart broken

TRIXIE REYNA-BENEDICTO

while faced with the horrifying realization that what’s happening is real and unscripted. It trumps any drama or so-called reality TV show. Witnessing the breathtaking beauty and splendour of all manner of life on this planet, followed immediately by how they’re all threatened by human consumption and the resulting climate change, is one big gutpunch after another that will make you contemplate what you can do to save them—now.

5. History 101 (2020) If you don’t have the time or attention span to sit through a 90-minute film or binge-watch eight 1-hour episodes of a docuseries, History 101 is the docu series for you. Each episode lasts only 20 or so minutes, made interesting by fast-paced storytelling and colorful visuals. The title of the series might have lured you if you’re a history buff, but it’s not what you’re expecting. You won’t find anything on Mesopotamia, Ancient Greece, or the Roman empire. Instead, it tackles current hot-button topics like the rise of China in the 21st century and how oil is at the root of major wars in the Middle East. Even more surprising, a lot of episodes touch on the impact of human activities on the environment, resulting to global warming. I’ve read and watched countless content on the dangers of plastic to the environment, but none has given me such an unforgettable picture of just how indestructible plastic is—and how much of it we have on the planet (think: 7.8 billion tons of waste, a lot of it in our seas, and growing)—than the “Plastics” episode of History 101. If you can’t care less about the rest of the series, please just watch this one episode. Maybe throw in the intriguing yet alarming “Fast Food” episode, too.

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

GAME ON

FROM CONSOLE TO SCREEN

JOVI FIGUEROA

In fact, the Witcher series was such a success that it roped so many more people into the fandom. I knew so many casual Netflix bingers who dipped their toes into the Witcher series and ended up loving it. So, what did Netflix do right that countless of Hollywood productions failed to do? Again, storytelling. It’s mostly RPGs that you’ll find recreated as movies, and for good reason. RPGs have rich worlds and characters that are ripe for exploration. But the thing with their movie adaptations is that they fail to deliver that connection and experience that many gamers build with the world. Then again, you can only do so much in a one- to two-hour movie, and that may probably be the biggest roadblock that makes it hard for the viewer to attach and familiarize themselves with the world. Creating Witcher as a series gave them the advantage of time and world-building. Now, you have a longer leeway to build up what you need to build up, and talk to your audience the same way they spent hours exploring and experiencing the game.

So, have any of you watched the recently released Mortal Kombat film in all of its gruesome gory goodness?

Mortal Kombat is one of the most recent releases from Hollywood, all in a day’s work in their desperate bid to turn video games into blockbuster movie titles. And not surprisingly, although the new Mortal Kombat is a gore fest for the eyes, it still lacks the most basic element of what makes a good movie: storytelling. I think that the lack of good and concrete storytelling is probably what led to the disaster of many video games-turned-movies. You have an interesting and rich world to start off, a solid fanbase ready to support, and should have access to good graphics and visual effects since you’re already working with a material that’s basically 100% visual effects. But in the end, we usually still end up with subpar movies, unable to tell the story of its material, and unable to live up to the hype of the games they were inspired from. I remember getting so pumped up to watch the Assassin’s Creed movie on the big screen in 2016. I was seated beside my brother, who was an even bigger Assassin’s Creed

fan than I am, both of us excited to see Michael Fassbender become one of the many assassins we came to love. And then the movie began. And then it was finished. And both he and I were left with a weird pit at the bottom of our stomachs. That was it? Assassin’s Creed was one of the many titles that witnessed the same fate. There were the Hitman movies, Max Payne, Need for Speed, Warcraft, and not just one, but a number of Resident Evil titles that never really resonated well with anyone, not even the fans of the franchise. I have almost lost hope to see my favorite games turned into movies they deserve. Much like the live-action reimaginations of many animes, the video games-turnedmovies genre almost felt like an impossible tightrope to cross. And then, Netflix’s Witcher happened. It was everything every Witcher fan hoped it would be. Sure, they could’ve picked a better actress to star as Yennefer, but overall, it was such a satisfying and thrilling series to watch. Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia was perfection, and after the flak he got for Superman in the disastrous first Justice League cut, his rebirth as Geralt was very much welcome.

Also, it should go without saying that different media deserve different treatments. You can’t just translate a good game into a movie and expect it to work when majority of the reason the game was good was because of its game mechanics. You remove that, and you’re left scrambling for pieces to create a decent movie. The movie adaptation has to make up for the hole that the game mechanics have left in the material. And if the makers fail to see that—as we have seen—we end up with a movie that doesn’t do justice to anything. In the first quarter of this year, HBO announced that they are adapting the phenomenal Last of Us as a TV series after the movie got stuck in development. The news that Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey are reprising the roles of Joel and Ellie, and the fact that the series is being written and produced by award-winning series Chernobyl creator Craig Mazin, has a lot of fans optimistic toward this project. I personally feel that the Witcher and the Last of Us series will set a good new springboard for the next video game adaptations, many of them currently in the “works” like Gears of War, Uncharted, Just Cause, Call of Duty, Borderlands, and more. Here’s to hoping that bigwig producers finally see the merit in giving the opportunity to create fan-driven films to people who actually know and care about the source material. You know, just like how Jon Favreau and Kevin Feige recently revived the Star Wars and Marvel universes.

MAY-JUNE 2021

Onward, always forward Tech innovations that help us in today’s—and the future’s—challenges WO R DS CA R M E L A M A R A A N F E R N A N D O

As masters of adaptation, humans often find ingenious, efficient, and sustainable ways to work around changes of varying magnitude thanks to our neverending sense of innovation. Throughout environmental disturbances, economic upheaval, political unrest, shifts in food supply, cultural trends, and global health concerns, we have always developed tools and systems to allow us to make the best of current circumstances, often with the future in mind. We’ve listed down some recent innovations that are helping humanity navigate a constantly changing status quo—perhaps one that we had never imagined before, but have always unknowingly been on the verge of.

HOTSPOT MAY-JUNE 2021

COVER STORY

Mirror, mirror on the wall. The Themis smart mirror features a 10-inch screen, a touch interface, and several sensors to collect data regarding your health.

HEALTH The medical field is often one of the markets that are targeted for technological breakthroughs. From teleconsultation and tracking to supplementing traditional treatments for specific conditions, and also providing remote healthcare, these devices and gadgets are developed with efficiency and effectiveness in mind. Amplatzer Piccolo Occluder This is a treatment for infants born with a congenital heart known as patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), which causes the patient to have an anomalous opening between aorta and pulmonary artery, 54

MAY-JUNE 2021

resulting in circulation issues. The occluder helps close the gap to help facilitate proper blood circulation, which is highly critical in neonatal care. TrueLimb Prosthetics Unlimited Tomorrow’s TrueLimb is a realisticlooking but more reasonably priced alternative to standard prostheses for amputees. It’s a customizable 3D-printed robotic limb. But, unlike standard prostheses that require patients to schedule fittings at a facility, this only relies on 3D scanned imagery, which the patient can extract at home with the help of friends or family members.

DextER This is a tricorder that a patient can use at home to collect data about their vital signs, body chemistry, and biological functions— all without the need for a trip to a diagnostic clinic. Using sensors, the device combines the current information with the patient’s personal and family medical history and physical exam results to provide a quick and accurate assessment. Themis Themis is a smart mirror that reads your temperature, checks your vitals, assesses and analyzes your skin health, and even provides cosmetic recommendations.

ONWARD, ALWAYS FORWARD

EDUCATION As the educational environment has moved outside of the traditional classroom institution and mostly into homes (or any other given location), a plethora of edtech tools have emerged to grant maximum accessibility to students. These allow learners to engage in classes remotely and also provide both students and educators more diverse options in terms of module usage, resources, and digital systems to optimize various learning and teaching methods. Communication platforms Once only meant for longdistance or professional use, services like Skype, Zoom, Google Meet, are now the go-to tools for connecting educators with their audiences. Collaboration apps For online discussions, dedicated apps like Miro, InsertLearning, ConceptBoard, FlipGrid, Google Jamboard, Nearpod, Microsoft OneNote, and Creatly allow dynamic brainstorming and group exchanges in real time, while providing features for creative ideation like a drawing board, sticky notes, videos, slides, and webpage resource compilations. Activity platforms What good is a class if it isn’t enjoyable and engaging? That’s what online activity apps like Kahoot!, SeeSaw, Buncee, Colltrain, and PearDeck are for—putting the ’fun’ in ‘fundamentals of learning.’ ER (Enhanced Reality) is also implemented in some courses, where students use VR and AR to go on virtual field trips. Content creation For educators, tools like BookCreator, HSP, Udutu, Bulbapp, Lectora, Elucidat, Mote, iSpring Learn, and ZipBoard are very much helpful in creating courses, modules, references, interactive videos, and other materials to build upon the curriculum. Some of these are free so they can also be used in homeschooling.

ENVIRONMENT The notion that the antithesis of nature is technology has long been debunked by developments providing supportive care and maintenance for our environment. As our ecosystem faces massive long-term changes, enterprising developers, researchers, independent futurists, and even students continue to devise better ways of harnessing, protecting, and enhancing the resources that we still have, to ensure that we and upcoming generations still have a green world to look forward to.

The Smog Free Tower is located in a public park in The Netherlands.

Smog Free Project The Smog Free Project is a creative initiative where specially designed vacuum towers collect carbon particles from the air around the city, allowing nearby passersby to breathe in clean air. The trapped carbon particles are then reprocessed into fine jewelry, bringing the sparkle into smog. AirCarbon Newlight Technologies created AirCarbon, a carbonnegative biomaterial that

captures more greenhouse gases than it emits. Because it’s regenerative (made from air, saltwater, and microorganisms), it can replace synthetic plastics and fibers, and ultimately help reduce the production of climate-damaging nonbiodegradable waste. Facedrive A Canadian “people-andplanet first” tech ecosystem, Facedrive offers an ecofriendly rideshare business called Facedrive Rideshare, and an electric and hybrid vehicle subscription business called Steer. The company also allows you to buy “carbon offsets” with EcoCRED, which is your way of supporting sciencebacked initiatives that reduce pollution and slow down climate change. MoonDraught Having produced an awardwinning system for natural lighting, ventilation, and air conditioning technology, Moondraught uses large aluminum sun pipes installed in large workspaces. These pipes reflect natural light from outside into the enclosed area, greatly eliminating the need for expensive artificial lighting that produces several tonnes of CO2 yearly. MAY-JUNE 2021

COVER STORY

PANDEMIC RESPONSE One of the most drastic drivers of tech innovations is a global pandemic such as COVID-19. Since it’s a worldwide crisis that indefinitely affects our daily habits at the very least, and is fatal at its worst, the need for digital technology to help detect, document, track, manage, and prevent the disease’s further proliferation is top priority. UCL-Ventura CPAP Device A Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) device is a face mask that helps facilitate steady airflow for COVID-19 patients. This has helped several patients stay off of mechanical ventilators, allowing some of them to be treated at home and freeing up much-needed hospital space for more critical cases. JamVent To help reduce treatment costs, the low-cost, highperformance emergency ventilator called JamVent was developed for treating COVID-19 patients. It performs according to Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency specifications and may be used in ICUs. Its design has also been made free for download so medtech manufacturers can easily produce and deploy the device around the world. 56

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JamVent emergency ventilator

BioIntelliSense BioButton This coin-sized gizmo is an FDA-approved device that you stick onto your bare upper chest so healthcare providers can remotely monitor your temperature, respiratory rate, and resting heart rate for 90 days. This can help detect early signs of COVID-19, giving you a better chance of preventing the illness from escalating.

OTC COVID-19 home testing kits Pharmaceutical companies like Abbott Laboratories and Ellume are deploying their rapid antigen testing kits. These can be purchased over-the-counter at drugstores for home use, helping reduce the risk of exposure from waiting in long lines at public testing centers.

ONWARD, ALWAYS FORWARD

TRANSPORTATION The transport industry is also fair ground for digital and tech innovation. It isn’t merely confined to the latest smart vehicle iterations, but also inclined toward the development and application of more sustainable and ecofriendly transport options, greater accessibility in remote and developing communities, efficiency in urban mobility, and of course, responsiveness to protection against a pandemic. Touch-free activation As a precaution against the spread of COVID-19 and other possible infections, vehicle companies have adopted touchless alternatives, including iDetect, where users wave a hand in front of a sensor instead of pushing a button. The same principle has been implemented into crosswalk systems where FLIR thermal imaging detects pedestrians to activate crosswalk signaling. U-Flow traffic sensors Urbiotica’s U-Flow is an unobtrusive smart wireless sensor that monitors traffic volume, frequency, and average vehicle speed. It collects data from

installations in freeways, sidestreets, and even parking lots, and sends the information to be incorporated into algorithms for intelligent traffic management systems. Electronic Work Diaries Also known as EWDs, these monitor and record a professional driver’s rest period and work hours in real-time. This documentation allows companies to keep track of drivers’ peak performance and help minimize fatiguerelated accidents and errors without requiring drivers to manually log their breaks. Mobile ticketing Another response to the pandemic is the use of mobile ticketing in public transport systems, which applies Near-Field Communication (NFC) technology in contactless fare validation and redemption. This reduces contact with the driver, eliminates the use of traditional currency, and by extension, potential transmission of infection through physical contact.

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COVER STORY

FOOD The food and beverage industry has always offered several opportunities for technological transformation on various fronts. These include farming, production, manufacturing, industrial food tech, food waste management, supply chain technology, innovations in the culinary arts, sustainability, processing and packaging, POS (point-of-sale tech), commercial distribution, and digital transactions on the consumer level. Alternative proteins With production and farming issues coming to the spotlight, several markets have created a demand for alternative protein sources. Most of these are successfully derived from vegetables, beans, and mycoproteins such as Impossible, Beyond Meat, OmniMeat, and JUST Egg— all of which one can barely differentiate from their bloodier and less healthful counterpart. 3D-printed food Some gastronomists have been exploring the merits of 3D-printing food as an alternative production means. For instance, Chloe Rutzerveld’s Edible Growth Project is centered on creating an edible 3D-printed mini-garden that actually grows. The company Uprinting, on the other hand, turns discarded but

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still-edible food into edible filament that can be printed into snacks. And, Luna Yu, founder of bio-cleantech company Genecis, has been using 3D printing to transform food waste into biodegradable plastics. Eco-friendly packaging With the growing popularity of eco-friendly and zerowaste lifestyles, companies have been producing clever packaging solutions such as the ‘Killer Paper,’ which is paper infused with metallic silver that kills harmful bacteria types, or biodegradable delivery boxes, bags, and utensils

made of edible material like wheat and starch. Creator delivery options As a response to mandatory stay-at-home living, several food establishments have expanded their offerings from pre-cooked dishes to cooking kits that contain pre-selected ingredients and instructions for customers to recreate at home. Other packages allow you to brew beer, create Michelin-star meal courses (a la Galvin La Chapelle for Galvin at Home), and even grow your own garden-to-table produce (Gardenuity).

ONWARD, ALWAYS FORWARD

Initially created for gamers, Discord has morphed into a place for anyone to explore their interests in subjectspecific groups.

MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT The digital sphere has long been our go-to for entertainment; it’s no surprise that users from all over the world are often kept in the loop on the newest digital services, software, and devices to help enhance their leisure time. From video and online gaming to streaming media, couple and team activities, e-books, music, movie and series rentals, hobby-specific platforms, niche apps, and yes, social media, there are endless choices for all demographics. Mobile social media platforms Now that so many users are staying indoors, social media platforms that offer a wide variety of content have reached ubiquity. TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, SnapChat, WhatsApp, and YouTube may dominate the market, but other apps like Discord, SocialBee, and Telegram are also worth exploring.

Cloud gaming Currently, there are about three billion gamers worldwide, but not all of them have access to hardware for playing the latest games with. The solution? Cloud-based gaming, which is streaming video games from a remote server to the player’s device. These include Nvidia's GeForce Now, Sony's PlayStation Now, Google's Stadia, and Xbox's Project xCloud. Smarter personalization Thanks to longer and more frequent immersion in social accounts, more users are paying for ad-free and personalized content. In turn, companies continue to develop algorithms and AI-based technology that can seamlessly map out an individual’s preferences and habits to keep them engaged on the platform.

D2C streaming Direct-to-consumer streaming services are also highly favored among users. They’re relatively cheap, customizable, offer a wide variety of content—movies, TV series, music, podcasts, news, sports—and can be easily accessed anywhere. Also, with several carriers like Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, HBO, iQiyi, Shudder, Prime, and Apple TV+ aggressively butting heads over the largest market share, you’ll never run out of options to explore. To some of us, our current state may not seem ideal compared to the lifestyle we enjoyed in the past, but our former selves wouldn’t have also been able to experience and fully appreciate the technological developments that are making our lives much easier now. There is no point in pining; the past normal could only dream of our innovations as a future that we’re continuing to build on.

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FEATURE

Lawmage Academy: A magic school RPG created by a Pinoy lawyer WOR DS J OV I F I GU E ROA

Offline, Jin is a lawyer working with various non-government organizations to provide legal support to human rights advocates. Online, he is known as Verinius, the one-man team who created the magic school RPG Lawmage Academy. While lawyering and game developing seem like two very opposite worlds, Jin represents the many multifaceted gamers who love taking a break from the stresses of real life through the beautiful world of games.

For many gamers, game development is a dream.

Many of us have grand ideas of what kind of world and lore we would build, and what characters and monsters we’d like to play with. While some would prefer to sit on their amazing ideas, some take the big and brave step to bringing their dreams to reality. One of these brave souls is Gian Miko “Jin” Arabejo. 60

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“Back [in the day], I used to play a lot of DotA, but I also enjoyed RPGs like Mana Khemia and Persona. Now, I play a lot of JRPGs like Octopath Traveler, Fire Emblem: Three Houses, and some online boardgames like Dominion Online,” Jin tells Speed. “The game that really changed the way I viewed RPGs was Persona 4. I wanted to play a game like that but in a magic school setting and with more player agency.”

“What got me into game development was the free trial of RPG Maker MV back in 2018. I’ve had this rough idea for Lawmage Academy since I was in law school, so when I tried RPG Maker MV I felt that it was a good medium to turn that idea into something concrete,” Jin shares.

What it takes to create a game We now, fortunately, live in a world where opportunities that were once so scarce—such as game development, music and album creation, and independent book production—are already being democratized.

For Jin, it took a lot of studying: “The biggest challenge was learning new skills like art and basic programming. I don’t have any background on making games, that’s why I had to learn everything from scratch. The good news is that you can learn pretty much anything from the internet nowadays. As long as you have the patience and commitment, you can learn those skills and make your own game.”

LAWMAGE ACADEMY

The biggest challenge was learning new skills like art and basic programming. I don’t have any background on making games, that’s why I had to learn everything from scratch.” As a game enthusiast and a lawyer, writing comes more naturally to Jin. But he also had to study world-building and writing for video games to translate his ideas better into a playable version. It’s also inspiring that for the most part, he worked on Lawmage Academy alone. But to achieve his vision and make it a bit easier on himself, he commissioned a Filipino artist named Puzxle for the art and some smaller independent artists for the music. The game has grown so much since Jin started developing it. In fact, he just dropped a huge update to the current Lawmage Academy demo that’s already available on Steam, making the current demo playable up to two months in game.

“The earlier versions had smaller character sprites, unrefined dialogue, and unpolished art. It took me two more years to learn the skills necessary to improve the game’s quality,” says Jin. “The Mentors update has an extended storyline, more quests, items, and secrets to discover. After finishing the basic classes, or the tutorial as I would call it, players will have more freedom over their time and that’s when the real fun begins.”

What to experience at Lawmage Academy

Speed had the chance to spend a few hours on the game and our verdict is straightforward: we love it! Lawmage Academy plays just like a legit indie RPG, with surprisingly polished sound effects, dialogue, and concept. As described on Steam, Lawmage Academy is a “magic school RPG where you learn spells, craft potions, make friends, and go on exciting adventures as you uncover the dark secrets of the academy.” It’s this and more. You start the game by getting sorted into one of the four houses, Harry Potter-style. Jin reveals that the house system was indeed inspired by J.K. Rowling’s blockbuster creation, but as you play, you’ll get more of the elements and styles of Jin’s favorite games like Persona 4, Mana Khemia, and Octopath Traveler, which were the primary inspirations for Lawmage Academy. From the very beginning, the game doesn’t play or feel like a homebrewed game. In fact, you gotta love all the little details that make it feel so legit and polished like the small bubble emojis coming out of the characters when they converse, the added VOs here and there, and the level of attention to the SFX. MAY-JUNE 2021

FEATURE

We also love the subtleties that add to the overall experience, where for example, opening the door to the weapons room sounds different compared to when you’re opening the door to a regular classroom because you’d expect a weapons room to be fitted with a possibly locked metal door instead of a regular wooden door. The level of attention to detail for a game developed solely by one person is astounding. Instead of a tutorial, the whole gameplay and the lore slowly unfolds throughout the interactions you make, making it a much more engaging and realistic way of learning things in a new academy. At this early stage in the game’s development, it’s also really amazing that exploration is already rewarded with loots, giving you a sense of how much the developer invests in player satisfaction. Choices are definitely a theme in this game. You get different outcomes based on what you do, and this will affect your game as you move along. None of those Genshin Impact illusions of dialogue choice, which all just essentially lead you to the same thing.

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At Lawmage Academy, you create your path, encouraging many of the players to replay the demo to try out the different outcomes. Storytelling is such a huge part of JRPGs, propelling an otherwise okay game into a cult classic. And the way the story of Lawmage Academy was told, you know that Jin wrote it with passion. “When I was in law school, I realized how knowledge of the law and access to justice empowers people to change their lives. If you know the law, you can defend yourself, pursue your rights, and make things change. In that way, knowledge

of the law is like learning magic,” says Jin. “Unfortunately, access to justice is more of a privilege in the Philippine context—at least in my opinion. Everyone does not have equal access to justice and the law. In a way, I wanted to use the game to explore themes like inequality, grayness of morality, and other related issues.”

Final thoughts

As of writing, we have yet to finish the two months’ worth of content that the current demo has, but we’re already very much invested in the game’s lore, the secrets of the academy, and the impact our choices make in our overall playing experience. There’s much to

praise about the game at such an early stage, but overall, it’s an engaging, intelligently written, and developed RPG that sets the bar high for local game development. Currently, Jin is eyeing a 2022 launch, although he says he needs more time to complete his planned content. But if you’d like to help inspire Jin to continue working on Lawmage Academy so that it can be available in its full glory as soon as possible, you can now add the game on your Steam wishlist, try the demo, and spread the word to your friends! Let the magic begin!

PRESS PLAY

WHAT’S STREAMING THIS MONTH? Blaze up your summer at home by binge-watching hot new sci-fis and action dramas readily available online. All you need to do is sit back and relax.

The Woman in the Window May 21 | Netflix Psychologist Anne Fox (Amy Adams) is diagnosed with agoraphobia. She cannot step outside her New York City condo and has to avoid stressful situations or else she would get into panic attacks and feel trapped or helpless. Based on A. J. Finn’s 2018 novel, The Woman in the Window chronicles how Anne’s desolate life steers to a more turbulent path when her neighbor, Jane Russell (Jennifer Jason Leigh), becomes her friend. Anne later witnesses the murder of Jane from her window and tries to solve it alongside battles she has to face both outside and within herself.

Army of the Dead May 28 | Disney+ Launchpad May 14 | Netflix Launchpad is a collection of shorts featuring the inspiring journey of six storytellers who, despite coming from underrepresented backgrounds, found a way to shine. These six filmmakers were chosen from more than 1,100 people who applied for Disney’s Launchpad Shorts Incubator program that provides funding for filmmakers with compelling stories about women, people of color, LGBTQ community, and many more. Based on the theme “Discover,” this season delves into the heartwarming tales of a Muslim Pakistani immigrant, Mexican-American teen, Chinese student, and others as they each attain triumphant joy in embracing their true colors and creating their own paths in America.

Shortly after the success of Zack Snyder’s Justice League, the blockbuster director is giving us another rip-roaring ride with Army of the Dead. Set in zombie-infested Las Vegas, the film follows former zombie war hero Scott Ward (Dave Bautista) and a ragtag team of experts in their perilous mission to retrieve $200 million in a vault beneath the strip before the city is nuked. With a ticking clock, an impenetrable vault, and a tribe of smarter, faster Alpha zombies, the film is set to be one of the most gripping narratives in the history of zombie films by far.

Before she was a villain majoring in dognapping, animal cruelty, and conspiracy, Cruella de Vil (Emma Stone) was clever and creative young Estrella aspiring to be among London’s most prominent fashion designers. Disney’s Cruella will give us an in-depth look at the origin of the villainess. Talented and feisty as she is, Estrella catches the eye of fashion legend Baroness von Hellman (Emma Thompson). After a series of mishaps making her lose hope on her dreams, Estrella embraces her wicked side to take revenge against her mentor while transforming to the raucous, voguish Cruella.

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WORDS JU STI NE PU N ZA LA N

Cruella May 28 | Disney+

WHAT’S STREAMING THIS MONTH?

Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Eternal The Movie June 3 | Netflix Nineties anime icon Sailor Moon and her squad are making a global comeback in the Netflix premiere of Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Eternal. The two-part film, which was first aired in Japan last January and February, is based on the Dream arc of Naoko Takeuchi’s OG manga series. It features the Sailor Guardians’ growth as they battle against the mysterious troupe named “Dead Moon Circus.” With their mighty elemental powers, the girls will stop the baddies’ heinous plan to scatter nightmare incarnations (aka Lemures), seize the Legendary Silver Crystal, and rule over the entire universe.

Awake June 9 | Netflix Awake tells the story of a society in uninterrupted chaos and confusion as its loses access to all electronics and its ability to sleep. As scientists race against time to find a cure for the fatal phenomenon, Jill (Gina Rodriguez), a former soldier, discovers that her young daughter Matilda could be the key—and the only one—to the world’s redemption. She is then faced with a difficult choice whether to protect her children whatever the cost or sacrifice everything for the sake of humanity.

Sweet Tooth June 4 | Netflix Sweet Tooth is a fantasy drama series produced by Iron Man star Robert downey Jr. and his wife, Susan, based on the DC Vertigo comics written by Jeff Lemire. It follows the adventures of Gus, who was born part human, part deer ten years ago when a mysterious emergence of hybrids (aka “The Great Cumble”) ravaged the Earth. After a decade of being kept safe in an isolated home in the forest, Gus sets on a journey where he meets a wandering loner named Jepperd, fellow hybrids in search for the origin of their race, as well as unexpected enemies that will open Gus’ eyes to the dangerous world outside the forest.

The Mysterious Benedict Society June 25 | Disney+ Based on Trenton Lee Stewart’s bestselling novel of the same name, The Mysterious Benedict Society follows the story of four gifted orphans—Reynie, Sticky, Kate, and Constance— who are all recruited by an eccentric male benefactor named Nicholas Benedict to go on a special mission. The kids, which make up the society, are placed undercover at a boarding school known as The Institute. Together, they must stop a villainous plot being mapped out in an institution called L.I.V.E. (the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened) run by Mr. Benedict’s own twin brother, Ledroptha Curtain, while forming a family along the way.

Loki June 9 | Disney+ Two years since his cameo in Avengers: Endgame, Loki (Tom Hiddleston) is back to enchant us in his own show. The six-episode series takes off from the scene in Avengers: Endgame, where an alternate version of Loki vanishes with the Tesseract, making him break the proper flow of time. Now, the God of Mischief must face the consequences, as he is apprehended by the Time Variance Authority, the agency overseeing the timeline of the multiverse. Together with TVA official Mobius M. Mobius (Owen Wilson), the trickster God of Asgard sets on a multidimensional quest to fix the timeline using his “unique Loki perspective.”

Luca June 18 | Disney+ Prepare for an amusing summer adventure deep into the Ligurian sea and at the beautiful town of Portorosso in Disney and Pixar’s Luca. The coming-of-age animated film features Luca, a 13-year-old sea monster curious about life on land. Although he has since been warned that it’s a dangerous place, something is keeping him wanting more. With his new best friend Alberto, he sets on a journey eating gelato and going on endless scooter rides on the place has always dreamed of. All the fun, however, comes with the risk of letting out his true identity to everyone he meets along the way.

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realme is the Philippines’ #1 smartphone brand for Q1 2021

t’s no secret that realme is making a huge splash in the Philippines. But, just how well is it doing? Well, this three-year-old brand once again took the No. 1 spot in the top smartphone vendors for the first quarter of 2021—a position it first achieved in Q3 2020, just two years after its entry in the market in late 2018. According to a recent report of international market research firm Canalys, realme recorded a 23% unit share for, driven by a 95% annual growth. The brand also took the no. 1 spot in a separate report by IDC, accounting for 21.3% of total market share. Meanwhile, according to Counterpoint Research, realme showed the highest year-on-year growth during the quarter at +142%—despite the challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic. The brand also leads in the e-commerce space, having the highest proportion in online sales at 34%. Winning customer-centric philosophy So how did this young brand gain the trust and loyalty of Filipinos in just a short time? The answer: its customer-centric philosophy. realme has consistently focused on catering to the needs of its customers right from the

insights, and stay up to speed with all the latest news and events.

The realme 8 in Cyber Silver

point of purchase down to utilizing the product to its full capabilities. The brand continues to expand its presence both offline and online to ensure availability and accessibility of its products and services wherever the customers are. To date, realme has over 550 concept stores, kiosks, and partner dealers nationwide. It’s also available through e-commerce platforms like Lazada and Shopee, which offer convenience and safety to customers especially during this pandemic. realme’s 16 service centers located in different parts of the country have also been activated to support after-sales services and other enduser needs. It has also launched the realme Community app, which serves as the brand’s official community forum. Through the app, realme users can ask questions and receive guidance about realme devices, share their ideas and

Championing the youth Apart from these efforts in sales and marketing, realme continues to be a brand for and by the youth by pushing for product innovation geared toward championing the interests and passions of its young customers. These innovations include features and upgrades in its smartphones that are important for content creation, gaming, and other relevant youth passion points. The realme 8 and 8 Pro are perfect examples of the brand’s youth-driven innovation. The realme 8, with its powerful MTK Helio G95 processor, is perfect for gaming enthusiasts. Meanwhile, the realme 8 Pro is a great choice for aspiring content creators and multimedia enthusiasts thanks to its 108MP quad rear camera setup. In terms of aesthetics, both phones champion the youth’s bold and expressive style. Promising better innovations in the months to come, realme is set to continue its streak in leading the smartphone and TechLife categories with its customer-centric approach in developing new products and services that users can enjoy.

IN ASSOCIATION WITH realme

a powerful seven-blade fan. Keeping your game to optimum level is a thermal conducting silicon chip that absorbs heat and disburses it with the 5500rpm cooling fan all throughout the device.

Hey, Squad! Are you game? realme continues to raise the bar in the local gaming scene with exciting events and offerings to cater to the needs of Filipino mobile gamers. As part of its push to be the top smartphone of choice for Filipino gamers, realme co-presented PayMaya’s PlayMaya Tournament last May, which kicked off PayMaya’s new PlayMaya feature. The PlayMaya Tournament was a nationwide esports tournament featuring Filipino favorites such

as Mobile Legends, Call of Duty Mobile, and PUBG Mobile.

Mobile Legends tournament has a prize pool of P500,000.

Further strengthening their position in the local gaming scene, the brand is also set to launch other events for Filipino mobile gamers in June.

realme has also partnered with the Philippine Junior Marketing Association to bring the realme x PJMA Mobile Legends Cup: Campus Invasion to local universities. The league starts on June 16 and will culminate all the way in a playoffs and grand finals on August 20 for a prize pool of P100,000.

First, Filipino Mobile Legends players can once again test their mettle in the online arena with the return of the realme Mobile Legends Cup, powered by the realme 8. Now on its fourth season, the Quill Award-winning

Level up your gaming experience with realme mobile accessories Want to take your game to the next level? realme heard you, which is why it launched a new gaming kit that will enhance your mobile gaming experience. The realme Cooling Back Clip (P1,590) features a patented dual cooling technology that makes use of a power-driven semiconductor ice chip and

It maintains a steady temperature of 25°C and prevents any lag due to thermal throttling, power saving activation, and major damage to the phone’s components. To operate the device, the clip must be connected to a power source via the USB Type-C cable. Meanwhile, the realme Finger Sleeves (P240) are a must-have for gamers to protect their smartphone’s screen from sweat while keeping the sensitivity to maintain total control on the touchscreen. The sleeves are made with superconducting electric fiber material with 30% silver conductive fiber that has strong electrical conductivity and provides 6x more sensitivity than sleeves made with ordinary carbon fiber. The sleeves are only 0.25mm thin and are equipped with spin covering yarn technology and a four-dimensional elastic design that makes sure they fit any hand in a light and breathable way.

COVER GIRL

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UNAPOLOGETICALLY REAL

Being in show business for nearly two decades has aptly made Kathryn Bernardo the ultimate icon of the young generation. At 25, Kathryn has starred in blockbuster films and teleseryes, earned several acting awards, and touted as one of the most beautiful Filipinas both by local and international media outlets.

UNAPOLOGETICALLY REAL

Pushing her boundaries even further, Kathryn launched her own business, KathNails salon, in 2017 and her first business venture with reelto-real partner Daniel Padilla called Barbero Blues in 2019. The following year, the actressentrepreneur began taking the cyber world by storm with her new YouTube channel, Everyday Kath, which now has over three million subscribers. Today, Kathryn is still out to do much more. Recently, she joined the realme family as its first celebrity endorser. It is a promising partnership, as throughout her career, Kathryn has thoroughly embodied the qualities of a realme squad member: fun, determined, and most importantly, unapologetically real.

n y r h t a K o d r a n r Be

In this interview with Speed, Kathryn delves into her experience as a realme endorser. Despite facing the uncertainties of the pandemic, she remains unstoppable in pursuing her life’s passions.

WORDS JUSTINE PUNZALAN PHOTOS COURTESY OF realme PHILIPPINES

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COVER GIRL

How does it feel that realme got you as its first celebrity endorser? I’m very, very grateful for their trust. It’s also nice because realme is such a young company— three years pa lang siya, but then grabe yung growth nila as a company and I’m really excited for this collaboration because they’re very open with my ideas. And then ang dami ring supporters and fans ng realme na ka-age ko— the young adults and the young ones—so that’s a plus factor for me because I can relate to [them]. A realme squad member is fun, determined, and unapologetically real. How, would you say, are you like that? The brand is fun and authentic, and they empower the young ones to go out of the box. ‘Yung personality ng realme is very close to mine. And as you all know, growth has been a very big part of my journey as an actor, especially the past year. Nakaka-relate ako sa gustong makitang image ng company. I hope that with [this partnership with] realme, we can empower more people to be unapologetically real. What realme phone are you using now? I’m using the realme 8 now and I like that it can keep up with my lifestyle. Everything kasi that we do now is digital so I need something na nakakaya ‘yung schedule ko, hindi siya naglalag. Second, I like the battery life—sobrang tagal. I love it also because its camera is very nice, [the photos come out] very clear. I’ve been posting a lot of photos recently and I’m just impressed with the quality of the photos. Plus of course, the phone is very chic and classy. That’s a plus factor for me aside from the performance of the phone. Aside from those that you mentioned, what else do you like about the phone? I think ‘yung pinakagusto ko sa kanya is that I can multitask with it. You want a phone that can keep up with your needs— and I appreciate the realme 8 because its [performance is] very smooth, kahit mag-switch ka sa iba-ibang apps. It can keep up with my hectic lifestyle, and that’s the most important.

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Just go for it. Sabi nga nung tagline na nandun sa realme 8 phone: ‘Dare to leap. Don’t be afraid of failure because failure is your life teacher. Kung may gusto kang gawin...just go for it.” Oh, I also like the display! For someone who loves to watch YouTube and movies sa phone when I have free time or when I’m in the car, I really like the clear and sharp visuals of the realme 8 series. Right now I’m watching What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim? Matagal na pala ‘yon, but oh my God, na-o-obsess ako!

What would you say are the instances in your career that you were not afraid to stand out? Siguro every time I do something out of the box. It’s scary, diba? Kasi hindi ka sigurado kung anong mangyayari, but then it’s so fulfilling kapag nagawa mo siya for yourself—whether you succeeded or you failed. The fact that you tried, for me that’s already something.

Kapag sa shoots din, while they’re doing my makeup, I like watching series or movies [to pass the time]. Sa Netflix I recently watched Hell’s Kitchen. It’s nice to watch on the phone because the display is very sharp.

We can’t agree with you more. By the way, congratulations on getting a spot in Forbes Asia’s 100 Digital Stars list! How does that feel like—being recognized for taking the digital world by storm? Actually I didn’t expect that kasi hindi naman ako sobrang active sa social media. Hindi ko alam na ganun pala ‘yung naging contribution ko sa digital world, so it feels great. And I’m glad that I’m doing my part, na through my posts, na-i-inspire ko yung mga tao, especially the young ones.

realme’s tagline “Capture your infinity”— what does that mean for you? For me, it’s embracing and accepting the different sides of yourself. It means you’re open to all possibilities and you’re not afraid to stand out.

UNAPOLOGETICALLY REAL

I didn’t expect it because I just post everything na gusto ko, random photos, my thoughts… So now, I’m just really mindful about everything that I post. I try my best to contribute to the good side of the digital world by inspiring others, by sharing my life through photos. I think [I also made an] impact when I started vlogging and creating my YouTube channel. I hope mas marami pa akong magawa especially this year. Ang importante, nakikita pa rin ng mga tao—through everything that you post— is the real you. The real me! Now, let’s talk about how your businesses are doing. Of course, just like other businesses, we are really affected by the pandemic, but wala naman tayong magagawa. We’re still here, although very challenging talaga. We try to support the staff, na wala munang alisin hangga’t kaya pa. [On rotation muna] just to balance everything especially now na kailangan

ng lahat ng trabaho. Hopefully, in the coming months mas maka-adjust [and mag improve] na [yung situation]. What would you say are the lessons that the pandemic has taught you in terms of your showbiz career and your business ventures? In showbiz, meron kang deeper appreciation pa sa craft after everything—not just with what happened because of the pandemic but also with the franchise of ABS-CBN. I think 2020 made us realize a lot of things, and isa na sa pinaka-importante dun is to be grateful and to stand up for your company especially kapag kailangan ka nila. Sa business naman, the pandemic taught us to adapt to the situation and just move forward. Wala namang mangyayari kung ma-shock lang tayo—you need to come with the next plan. And I’m very happy to say that’s what we’re doing with Barbero Blues and Kathnails.

How hands-on are you with your businesses? My mom and my sisters, very hands-on sila on the business side. Nandyan ako para tumulong sa mga kaya kong gawin, pero dun sa mga hindi ako kagaling na side, nandyan yung mom ko to guide me. Tinuturuan nya ako how to handle challenges that we encounter along the way. Para akong intern, actually, ng Barbero and Kathnails. I actually like this because I’m learning a lot. Bago lang ako dito e, and ayoko naman mag-pretend to know all the stuff. So I really need guidance and I’m very open to learning and hopefully, soon, in the coming years, makapag-open ako ng business on my own na magiging hands-on talaga ako. So lahat ng natututunan ko ngayon, gina-gather ko so that I can apply them in the future. Now that you mentioned it, what business do you dream of venturing into? Sooo many ideas in my mind, but I want to take things slowly. I don’t wanna say specifically what, basta marami... Ang ginagawa ko na lang ngayon, pinag-aaralan ko, nakikinig ako sa mga tinuturo nila so that when the time comes and everything gets better, I can start my own business, whether it’s food, whether it’s clothing... Ang dami kong gustong gawin e, pero isa-isa lang muna. You’re a very busy person. How do you spend your “me time”? “Me time” for me is simple—matulog nang mahaba. I love sleeping. And then after that, magwo-workout ako, or sometimes I play badminton if there’s still free time. Magluluto dito sa bahay, makipaglaro sa niece ko and sa mga dogs ko. It’s very simple but those things keep me sane. I still like to keep myself busy by doing the things that keep me happy—pampering myself, watching. It really depends on my mood, kung ano lang ang feel kong gawin that day. Kapag artista ka kasi, buong month mo o year mo planado na. So on my days off, I like to keep it flexible by adjusting my schedule depending on my mood. With all your experiences and achievements, what advice can you give to people your age who would like to achieve more in life? Just go for it. Sabi nga nung tagline na nandun sa realme 8 phone: “Dare to leap.” Don’t be afraid of failure because failure is your life teacher. Kung may gusto kang gawin—whether it’s opening a new business, trying this new school, or kung gusto mong mag-enroll in a class—just go for it. Kasi kung hindi mo gagawin, kailan pa, diba? You just need to go out of your box and do you. For me it’s important to do the things that make you happy.

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PEOPLE@SPEED

From I.T. head to thriving mobile barista MONG VICENTE WOR DS J UST I NE PUNZA L A N P H OTOS COURTESY OF MO NG VI CENT E

With his ambition and grit, Mong Vicente has attracted hundreds of customers to his cafe on wheels, Cityboy Brew. And it is the same vast amount of determination that has kept his mobile cafe rolling when it nearly had none at the beginning. In the first two weeks of Cityboy Brew’s launch in January, Mong would traverse Marcos Highway on his bike, searching for

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customers craving for hot coffee at the break of dawn. “Iyong first two weeks, dalawang baso lang ang nabenta ko. Kapatid ko pa saka kaibigan ko ang bumili,” he tells Speed. “Pero naniwala pa rin ako sa vision kokaya hindi ako tumigil,” he continues. “Ang lakas pa rin ng loob ko noon kasi mag-isa lang ako sa Metro Manila na ganoon ang ginagawa. Wala namang ganoon dati, bigla nalang nagsulputan. So feeling ko may pupuntahan. Pinagtrabahuhan ko talaga para mapansin ng mga tao, especially since brewed coffee ’yung tinitinda ko.”

MONG VICENTE

It was a leap of faith mostly because, throughout his career, the 36-year-old had been used to earning a regular wage as an information technology specialist. Mong headed the I.T. department of Powermall in Isabela City and its satellite branches for three years. Right after, he moved to Manila, where he worked as an I.T. service desk analyst in two different companies based in Ortigas and Eastwood for a total of eight years.

the streets as “Cityboy Brew,” inspired by the ingenious concept of The Coffee Mobile, a Cebu-based café that went viral in 2020 for its caffeine bar mounted on a Yamaha RXT 135. From setting up his own mobile cafe along Marcos Highway during its first weeks, Mong moved to his regular station along Marikina Riverbanks, where he stays from 5 a.m. to 8 a.m. every Thursday and Friday, as well as 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. from Saturday to Sunday. The openair area, he says, has a refreshing vibe that adds to the relaxing experience of drinking coffee.

It was only in December 2020 that he stepped out of the corporate world and into a path toward being his own boss. It may have begun with an uphill climb, but Mong never considered making a detour. He elaborates, “Iyon ‘yung goal ko e, ‘yung hindi na bumalik sa corporate job. Parang walang nangyayari sa akin doon. Parang paulit-ulit, fixed ‘yung sahod. Hindi mo mapalaki masyado kahit galingan mo.” “At least, kapag may business ka, kapag ginalingan mo, may improvement, mas makikita mo ang result,” he adds. Breaking new ground with Cityboy Brew Aside from being an I.T. specialist turned business owner, Mong is also a freelance photographer. The idea of setting up a coffee shop came to mind when his client who owns online store Kape Kartel availed of his service. “Tumatanggap ako ng mga

usual na product shoot. Tapos may nagpashoot sa akin na ang product niya is coffee [beans]. So, ‘yun, parang ini-sponsor-an niya ako ng napakaraming kape,” Mong recalls. With those multiple bags of roasted beans, the former I.T. head created his own online store called “Blunt Coffee,” which sold cold brew drinks in bottles. He later took it to

In addition, Mong couldn’t be more grateful that its barangay leaders were considerate enough to permit him and other vendors to set up shop there. “Noong unang punta ko doon, dalawa lang kami ng magtataho. Kasi alam namin talaga, bawal doon,” Mong says. “Napakabait nga ng mga taga-barangay doon. Ginawa nilang okay lang kasi pandemic.” Next to looking for a high-traffic location, Mong upgraded his dark roast lineup with cold beverages using the recipe of his friend. The menu now includes Coldbrew Black, Latte, Black Hazelnut, Black Peppermint, as well as Caramel Latter priced P65 to P80 per cup.

Cityboy Crew

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PEOPLE@SPEED

Rannilie Vicente (Mong’s wife)

Running strong at hundred cups a day Mong’s tenacity and hard work ramped up sales from two cups in Cityboy Brew’s first weeks to as much as 150 cups on weekdays. “Actually, nao-overwhelm pa rin ako hanggang ngayon. Lalo na kapag weekend, maximum ko 300 cups na, three hours lang,” he says, adding, “Ang dami na, dinadayo na kasi ako. Like may mga nagme-message from Laguna, from Bulacan, naka-bike sila na grupo-grupo.” With his monthly profit growing five times more than his previous paychecks, Mong revealed that his supportive wife, Rannilie, is likewise planning to go full-time on their business. Also bearing witness to Citybrew’s success is its first franchise that opened on May 12. The kiosk, located in Marikina River Park, was acquired by Mong’s friend Mark Reyes. “Iyon ‘yung reason kung bakit ko tinanggap ‘yung request ng kaibigan ko— para malaman ko kung paano umiikot,” he remarks. “Kasi ang dami, e. Ang daming gustong mag-franchise. Hindi ko lang alam paano sisimulan. So dito ko siya isa-start sa kaibigan ko.” But more than the financial returns, what Mong considers the greatest feat of Cityboy Brew is its ability to empower people to pivot during the pandemic. Two months after Mong first wheeled out his shop in Marikina Riverbanks, he urged his friends to tag along with him and set up

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Cityboy Brew franchise

their own pop-up stores right beside his. They call their small community “ Cityboy Crew.” The I.T. specialist turned barista has also inspired young people to build their own business based on Cityboy Brew’s model. “Alam mo ‘yun, kapag normal na tao ka, mahihiya ka maging vendor sa street.

Gusto kong alisin sa tao ‘yun, e,” Mong tells Speed. “So ang dami kong naimpluwensyahan na mga bata na gayahin ‘yung setup ko. Nag-personal message sila sa akin, pinapaalam nila, ‘Puwede bang gagayahin ko?’ Open naman ako, syempre pandemic ngayon. I allowed them to copy the whole concept. Ang dami kong naturuan.”

PEOPLE@SPEED

Stories through the lens ADAM DUMAGUIN Digital Film student 3rd place winner, AGBO No Sleep ‘til Film Fest

Filming quality content during the pandemic already has its own set of challenges and constraints. But imagine if you only had 48 hours to do everything— from conceptualizing and writing the script, to shooting and editing— on your own.

Screen grab from “My House”

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Well, that did not stop Adam Dumaguin, a 20-year-old first year Digital Film student from Mapúa University. With creativity, passion,

determination, and a little help from his family, Adam was able to produce a short film in two days and snag third place in an international competition. Adam’s short film, “My House,”—about a 12-year-old boy who speaks to the things he loves about his house—was named the third place winner out of 700 entries in No Sleep 'til Film Fest. The 48-hour filmmaking competition for emerging creators was established by AGBO, an independent film and television production company founded by awardwinning and record-breaking Marvel directors Anthony and Joe Russo.

ADAM DUMAGUIN

What films have made an impact on you? My go-to film is Parasite. I read the script five times already, I think. Parasite is like the standard for me when it comes to making films. Other films that have made an impact on me include Whiplash and the Russo brothers' Infinity War and Endgame.

Congratulations on your third place win at AGBO's first-ever No Sleep 'til Film Fest! Have you always been into filmmaking? Thank you! I was not—I started with photography when I was in 7th grade. Wedding photographers mentored me, so I became part of the industry at a very young age. Since I knew photography, I became a volunteer in our local church community. Whenever there were significant events in our church, I would always observe and listen to great photographers in the ministry. Ever since it was always about developing the craft, I picked up my camera almost every day. Then, when I approached Grade 11, I [realized] that the next level I can take was filmmaking. I entered filmmaking because of photography. I treat each frame of a film like a single photograph. Because of this, I’m highly technical with how I deal with filmmaking as a craft. I am consistently applying photography to every frame in filmmaking. What equipment and software did you use to shoot and edit “My House”? For my camera, I used a Sony a6400 with Sigma 16mm 1.4 e-mount, Sigma 30mm 1.4 e-mount, and a Sigma 56mm 1.4 e-mount. I also had a Benro S6 tripod, a Deity D3 Pro shotgun microphone, a Tascam DR05x recorder, and a Feelworld F6 Plus monitor. For editing, I assembled the film on Adobe Premiere Pro. After that, I exported the sound to Adobe Audition and matched the color grade in Davinci Resolve. After fine-tuning the sound and color grading, I brought them back to Premiere Pro for final export. What challenges did you encounter during filming? One of the main challenges I faced in this film was the 48-hour limit, considering I will be doing the creative and practical output alone. I had to schedule how long I would write the script, brief the actors, shoot the story, edit the film, and sleep.

I allotted at least 12 hours for the preproduction. As a filmmaker, I always take my time to make a cohesive story on paper so that everything runs smoothly afterward. Then, for the production side, I had to shoot it at least within 26 hours. [That left me with] 10 hours to edit the film. Usually, I would sleep in between the process. You have such a supportive family! Your parents and brother were your actors and your mom even helped with the musical score. My parents were always supportive, even before I started filmmaking. In fact, they let me freely choose college program decisions without the pressure of finances. For the film, it was easy to get them on board. I told my brother he could sleep on my bed for two weeks. At the same time, I told mom and dad that the Russo Brothers hosted this festival and that potentially winning the festival can be groundbreaking. As a filmmaker, I always want my crew to be part of the creative process. They were very cooperative and supportive throughout the process. Working with them felt very natural, especially knowing that they were 100% on board with the story. It felt really good as a filmmaker and as a son, bonding with my family through film.

If you were given a chance to work with anyone in the industry, who would they be? I would love to work under Bong Joon Ho. I studied some of Bong's films during my free time, and he is one of the best directors of the generation. He mixes technicality with creativity. Because of this, Bong can master complete control over his craft. In the local scene, I would love to work under Jerold Tarrog. Jerold Tarrog is a hands-on director with his films. He writes, directs, scores, and a lot more with his projects. But honestly, working with anyone is fine with me. I want to be part of a studio or at least of something big. I do most of the process in all of my films—from writing, directing, shooting to editing—because I have never been part of a production team. Because of this, I was forced to study and perform each role in a team. And it’s been a blessing for you because you know the nitty-gritty! What filmrelated gadgets are on your wish list? Currently, I'm saving up for a Black Magic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K and some vintage lenses. My dad and I realized that if I pursued more filmmaking, I would need a cinema camera. Other things on my wish list are a Zhiyun Weebill S Gimbal, a Zoom H4N Pro recorder, and a Deity S-Mic 2 shotgun microphone. Any advice for young, aspiring filmmakers? Filmmaking is powerful. This is because stories power filmmaking and stories are powerful agents of change. Joseph Campbell even once said that stories are the soul of the human mind. New aspiring filmmakers should realize that because filmmaking is powerful, they bear the responsibility of telling what matters. Creators should not use their voices to demean, hurt, or even invalidate other people. Instead, the stories we tell should help and give voice to the voiceless. Be good. As a filmmaker, you can speak for the person beyond and behind you. Because the most significant achievement you can attain as a storyteller is seeing your stories touch other people's lives.

MAY-JUNE 2021

TECH TIPS I

f you use Google Photos and you’ve encountered the Memories feature, a painful or unwanted memory might have unexpectedly popped up. If you want to keep the past out of your present, open the Google Photos app and tap one of the creations above the Photo View (Recent Highlights, One Year Ago, etc.). Tap the Settings icon at the bottom right and choose Memories Settings. From there, you can choose to “hide people and pets” or “hide dates.”

MANUAL

MAY-JUNE 2021

HOW TO

STOP OBSESSING OVER LIKES Hide ‘like’ counts on Facebook and Instagram

re you struggling with ‘social comparison problem’? Are you evaluating your social and personal worth based on how you stack up against your friends and what they post on social media? Then maybe this new option from Facebook and Instagram might help a bit. Facebook and Instagram users can now hide ‘like’ counts on posts—a move that could potentially “depressurize” people’s experiences on the social media platforms. While ‘likes’ are just one part of the Facebook and Instagram experience, research has shown that they can have powerful effects on people’s mental health and well-being. Sure, it feels great when people react positively to your posts, but the opposite is true when you

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get negative feedback— or none at all. Those who are highly invested in and sensitive to external approval, and those who seek social validation are particularly vulnerable to likes and non-likes. Facebook is promoting the change as a matter of “giving people more control.” While this feature alone won’t solve the mental health problems that

may affect social media users, it could still make a big difference to some, especially if you’re someone who constantly thinks about likes (i.e. begging others to like your post, deleting a post because it didn’t get enough likes), and if you’re in the habit of comparing yourself to others based on the number of likes you have vis-a-vis your friends’ posts.

Instagram 1. To hide likes on an individual post, tap on the three-dot menu button next to an image and select the ‘hide like count’ option from the menu. 2. If you want to avoid seeing likes on any posts on your feed, go to your profile, click on the hamburger menu, and click Settings. Go to Privacy > Posts. From there you can toggle on the “Hide Like and View Counts” option. Facebook 1. Go to Settings & Privacy > Settings. 2. Scroll down until you see News Feed Settings. Click Reaction Preferences. 3. You can choose to hide number of reaction on either posts from others, on your posts, or both.

HOW TO

How to apply for the national ID Step 1: Online registration At PhilSys’ online registration portal, register.philsys.gov.ph, applicants will be asked to provide the following details: name sex date of birth place of birth blood type address marital status mobile number email address After filling out the form, proceed to the next step where you will be asked to schedule an appointment at your nearest registration center. The Philippine Statistics Authority will establish both fixed and mobile registration centers in strategic locations all over the country. The online portal will provide you with a transaction number, which you must bring along with supporting documents during your appointment.

n many countries around the world, governments issue a national ID to give people easier access to different social welfare programs. The ID card is also considered an official government-issued identification document as it contains the full name, facial image, birth date, address, and fingerprints of the bearer. Here in the country, we have Republic Act No. 11055, otherwise known as the Philippine Identification System Act (PhilSys). Signed into law on August 6, 2018, it seeks to “simplify public and private transactions” by collecting biometrics (fingerprint, iris scan, and photograph) of those who will register and store them in a universal identification card.

Step 2: Capturing of biometric information At the registration center, you will be asked to provide your biometric information through fingerprint and eye scans, as well as picture taking.

The national ID will be issued in both digital and physical formats and will serve as valid proof of identity for eligibility in social welfare programs and benefits from the government. It will also serve as a supporting requirement for loan and bank account applications, as well as help fast-track the country’s vaccination program and distribution of financial aid.

VALIDITY No expiration for Filipino citizens; will only be renewed upon updating of demographic information and biometric information One year for resident aliens; may be renewed annually

Your supporting documents will also be validated, so make sure to bring them with you. Step 3: Issuance of PhilSys Number (PSN) and PhilID After completing the registration process, you will be given your unique PSN and PhilSys will deliver the physical ID to your provided address. TIP: Do not upload a photo of your ID or PSN on social media as it contains personal information.

MAY-JUNE 2021

HOW TO

KEEP YOUR FINANCIAL DATA SAFE ONLINE D

espite the huge boom in e-commerce during this pandemic, many social media users are still apprehensive about sharing their financial information online. This is based on the study published by Kaspersky titled “Making Sense of Our Place in the Digital Reputation Economy” and conducted by research agency YouGov in Australia, India, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Vietnam last November 2020. From the 1,240 participants of the study, 861 prefer to keep their credit or debit card details away from the internet. The sentiment is highest among Baby Boomers aged 57 to 75 years old (85%), followed by Gen X or those between 41 to 65 years old (81%), and Millennials aged 25 to 40 years old (75%). Gen Z, currently between six to 24 years old, logs the lowest percentage with only 68% opting not to store their financial credentials online. Southeast Asians on social media sites also prefer not to share their personally identifiable information or PII (69%), information about their immediate family (64%), their whereabouts (54%), and their jobs (47%) on their own account. 82

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When it comes to the group of people they want to keep data away from, the respondents almost unanimously agreed it would be cybercriminals (73%) and random strangers online (61%). So, how does one keep financial and personal data safe online? Kaspersky experts suggest the following steps to secure your data both on social media and your mobile device: On social media Avoid disclosing too much information, such as your date of birth or workplace in the bio section of your social media profile, as well as home address or phone number in any public forum. Check if the social media platform you are using adds location data to your posts and if it does, turn the setting off. Avoid the fun quizzes that occasionally do the rounds on social media. Often these can ask questions such as your favorite pet or where you went to school. These types of questions are often used as security questions, so making these answers public could make it easier for hackers to break into your online accounts.

Be wary of giveaways and contests. Many are legitimate but some are scams in disguise. By sharing them on social media, you could unknowingly spread malware or trick people into giving away their sensitive data. On your mobile device Download apps and games only from legitimate app stores. Don’t jailbreak or root your phone. It can give hackers a way to overwrite your settings and install their own malicious software.

Consider downloading an app that can delete all the data on your phone remotely so that if your phone is stolen, you can delete your information easily. Stay up to date with any software updates and be careful about clicking on links online. Install combined security products that can minimize threats and keep your data safe online, such as the Kaspersky Security Cloud, Kaspersky Internet Security, and Kaspersky Password Manager.

ASK THE EDITOR

Top up RFID via mobile wallets Hello! What are the different ways to reload AutoSweep and EasyTrip RFID without requiring me to leave my house? I know we’re still under some level of community quarantine (I’ve lost track already!) but I just want to make sure my RFID accounts have enough load in them when I do need to use the expressway. Thanks, Speed! RJAY YAP Hey, Rjay. Thanks to technology, you can now top-up your AutoSweep and EasyTrip accounts using just your mobile wallets. In particular, Gcash, PayMaya, and GrabPay allow you to reload conveniently and not have to worry about getting an error at the toll gate because of insufficient load. To reload, simply go to the Bills or Pay Bills section of your preferred e-wallet, select Transportation (Gcash), Toll (PayMaya), or AutoSweep/EasyTrip (GrabPay). Enter your account number and the amount you want to reload, and you’re done! You can also reload AutoSweep via other electronic payment services, such as BPI, EON by UnionBank, UnionBank, China Bank, Maybank, coins.ph, Lazada, Shopee, RCBC, and Diskartech. Meanwhile, EasyTrip can be topped up via UnionBank, Maybank, BDO, Metrobank, UCPB, and coins.ph, among others.

Free up storage in Google Photos Dear Speed, I have a lot of crappy photos in Google Photos—you know, screenshots, blurry photos, large video files, those stuff. Is there a way to bulk-delete them and free up my storage? Thanks! ARA DE VERA Hi, Ara. We know exactly what you mean. And the fact that Google Photos is ending its free unlimited storage tier is making us anxious. Thankfully, there’s a tool within the Google Photos app that can help you clean unnecessary and crappy files from the cloud. Open the Google Photos app on your Android or iOS device. Tap on your profile picture on the upper right-hand corner and tap on Account Storage. Select the Manage Storage option. You’ll see a bunch of options, including Large photos and videos, Screenshots, and Blurry photos. Tap any of them and select items to delete. Voila! More storage!

MAY-JUNE 2021

BILLBOARD

Globe, TM customers can keep their mobile numbers when changing subscription type

HYUNDAI OPENS SILANG, CAVITE DEALERSHIP Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc. (HARI) has opened its 41st dealership in Barangay Lalaan 1, Aguinaldo Highway, Silang, Cavite. Hyundai Silang is the sixth Hyundai dealership under the helm of Hyundai Alabang, Inc., led by dealer principal William Chiongbian II. Hyundai Alabang, Inc. counts almost two decades of strengthening Hyundai’s presence south of Metro Manila through Hyundai Alabang, Hyundai Las Piñas, and in southern Philippines with Hyundai San Pablo, Hyundai Naga City, and Hyundai Southern Mindanao. The new dealership boasts of an elegant and convenient space designed for eco-friendly operations. It is pre-certified GREEEN (Geared for Resiliency and Energy Efficiency for the Environment) by the Philippine Green Building Initiative (PGBI), having received the “Molave” rating, or 75 percent compliance with PGBI’s GREEEN standards.

iACADEMY partners with Avid, Dolby to power new music, sound design program

The AB Music Production and Sound Design program will provide an overview of the fundamental principles of music and sound alongside industry standard tools and training for its students.

be providing iACADEMY with curriculum review and integration, visiting instructors from Dolby, and access to the various Dolby Atmos tools for both students and faculty.

systems. Avid will be providing iACADEMY with its Pro Tools— the industry standard for audio production—and curriculum as well as certifications for its students.

Dolby, known for its noise reduction systems and audio encoding/compression, will

Meanwhile, Avid Technologies is an expert on audio and video and non-linear editing

iACADEMY will offer this program starting August of SY2021.

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Globe officially launched its internal mobile number portability (MNP) capability, covering all postpaid to prepaid, prepaid to postpaid, and prepaid to prepaid customer movements within Globe and TM brands. Customers who are not under a subscription lock-in period and have no financial obligations or overdue balances may avail of the service. To apply for porting, mobile customers can visit the nearest Globe store or log in to their GlobeOne account. Globe myBusiness customers may check if their number is eligible for MNP via the GlobeOne app. If eligible, they can reach out to their respective account manager or myBusiness chat support. Globe Business clients can contact their dedicated account managers.

iACADEMY, a Makati-based school that offers programs in business, design, and computing, is collaborating with audio giants Avid and Dolby to launch its Music Production and Sound Design Program.

Planning on switching from postpaid to prepaid, or vice versa? If you’re a Globe or TM subscriber, you can retain your existing mobile number when you change your subscription type.

In compliance with Republic Act 11202 or the Mobile Number Portability Act, Globe is moving forward with this initiative to allow its own customers to keep their mobile numbers even if they switch from Globe to TM and vice versa, regardless of their existing subscriptions.

PLDT offers bigger, faster Home Biz Plans for homebased entrepreneurs PLDT is offering home-based entrepreneurs a better way to master their business from home with the new PLDT Home Biz plans.

LG ELEVATES LAUNDROMAT EXPERIENCE WITH SMART LAUNDRY LOUNGE LG Philippines recently inaugurated the first ever Smart Laundry Lounge outside of Korea. Located in FastWash Bocobo 1000 J. Bocobo St., Ermita, Manila, the Smart Laundry Lounge streamlines the laundry process for both business owners and customers. Since all the washing machines at the Laundry Lounge are Wi-Fi-ready, they can be connected to the LG Laundry Lounge App. The app comes with the following features: find store, real-time monitoring to show you the available machines in the shop, find my device to help you locate the machine you’re going to use, and laundry alarm, which notifies you when your laundry is done. It also has cashless payment for a safe and secure payment system. Meanwhile, business owners can utilize the app to monitor revenue, set up new machines, manage error messages, and get alerts when there is a problem in the laundromat. Each washing machine also incorporates hygiene care to ensure safety. The tub of the machine is clean and safe before, during, and after every use.

The all-new Home Biz Fibr Asenso plans offer the following: faster internet speeds (up to 60Mbps); free CAT6 Prepaid Home Wi-fi unit preloaded with 10GB data as a mobile backup internet so that your business is always connected; and seamless unlimited calls to PLDT, Smart, Sun, and TNT networks using their PLDT landline. It also offers end-to-end business solutions such as online store builder and hosting by UnionBank GlobalLinker, secure and hassle-free online payments by PayMaya, and delivery options by Grab and LBC. PLDT Home Biz is also supported by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) through a partnership that gives entrepreneurs direct access to the latest business trends, learning opportunities, and events organized by DTI.

Nissan Valenzuela opens with brand’s redesigned logo Nissan in the Philippines has opened its latest dealership in Valenzuela City, a 1,000sqm facility that holds five car displays and includes four service bays. The newly opened dealership features a 23sqm facade on its prime spot along the MacArthur Highway. It is also the first in the country and the ASEAN region to be designed and built with Nissan’s new logo, which was unveiled in July 2020. “The new logo signals the evolution of Nissan as not only a traditional vehicle manufacturer to a provider of mobility and services. Now appearing in our newest dealership in Valenzuela City, this marks the latest chapter in our commitment to

make the brand more accessible to more people in more areas in the Philippines through dealer expansion,” said President and Managing Director for Nissan in the Philippines Atsushi Najima.

In addition, established dealerships Nissan Mantrade Makati, Nissan Shaw, and Nissan San Fernando recently redesigned their facilities to adopt the new logo

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BILLBOARD

LALAMOVE LAUNCHES #UPGRADESABUHAY CAMPAIGN FOR PARTNER DRIVERS On-demand logistics company Lalamove has launched its #UpgradeSaBuhay campaign for the benefit of their verified partner drivers.

GoDaddy E-Store helps entrepreneurs grow their business

With this campaign, the delivery app aims to continuously improve its services by giving incentives and benefits, including personal accident insurance, free medical consultation, and many more.

Micro, small, and medium enterprise (MSME) owners can now create and manage an online store quickly and affordably—no coding experience required—with the GoDaddy E-Store.

Vehicular support will also be given to verified partner drivers through various fuel discounts, vehicle maintenance services, and even vehicular acquisition through the support of Panalomove partners. The e-identification card of all verified partner drivers grants various welfare offerings of Lalamove’s #UpgradeSaBuhay. However, some of Lalamove’s

The e-store helps small businesses establish a credible online footprint as well as facilitate a streamlined shopping experience for site visitors. benefits partners like vehicle financing may require additional documents to claim products or services.

All verified partner drivers have access to all of Panalomove benefits through the Lalamove website.

Globe empowers youth to connect the nation with Globe 5G Hackathon In partnership with Animo Labs of De La Salle University-Manila, Globe launched last April the Globe 5G Hackathon, the biggest hackathon event in the country. Students and young professionals from all over the country are invited to attend enablement workshops to inspire them to think out of the box and reinvent their power to create change today and for future generations through Globe’s 5G technology. The workshops, slated to happen between May 21 and June 4, will give participants the chance to be coached and mentored by industry experts on 5G technology and innovation. They will then be able to cultivate their ideas and bring them to life through a nationwide pitch from June 21 to 25, 2021. Winning teams will get exciting prizes and get the opportunity to have their ideas funded by one of Globe’s partners and 917Ventures, Globe’s largest corporate venture builder. Awarding of winners is on September 3. 84

MAY-JUNE 2021

“GoDaddy’s E-Store was developed in response to the growing need of small business owners to set up a digital storefront and cater to their customers’ online purchases. Using the E-store, they can easily build a professional-looking website equipped with a virtual store that has inventory management tools, and easily integrates with social and messaging apps, helping to strengthen their digital capability and presence needed to adapt to the changed business landscape,” said Tina Shieh, GoDaddy’s Marketing Director for APAC. GoDaddy E-Store allows business owners to establish a credible online footprint as well as facilitate a streamlined shopping experience for site visitors through these four features: flexible online store layout, payment, and shipping options; efficient and automated inventory management; built-in optimized marketing tools and messaging and social media integration; and vital website security GoDaddy E-store is available for a 30-day free trial. Plans start at a low monthly rate of P759 for the Starter Pack, while the Premium Pack goes for P1,299 a month.

UP VISAYAS STUDENTS NAMED CHAMPIONS IN 2021 GO GREEN PH FINALS BS Biology students from University of the Philippines–Visayas were crowned as the champions of 2021 Go Green Country Finals. Running on its 11th year, Go Green is a global student competition by Schneider Electric on the search for innovators and game changers across the globe who dare to push the boundaries of sustainable and digital transformation in Energy Management. Team Pasimano, composed of Jade Karrie Palma and Pauline Anna Lamela, emerged victorious among the Top 3 finalists from over 100 entries nationwide. Their winning project, Pasimano, is a solar-thermal window that collects and converts light and heat energy into power and electricity. It allows consumers to use natural sources of energy, while using products derived from materials often neglected in the environment: agricultural waste. The window, made from nanosilica and lignocellulose extracted from rice husk and biomass, aims to provide energy that is efficient and long-lasting. Lamela and Palma will be representing the Philippines in the 2021 Regional Finals, where they will be competing against delegates across Asia-Pacific from June 15 to 17, 2021.

Kia PH opens Cainta dealership

Kia Philippines has opened a new dealership in the heart of Rizal: Kia Cainta. With this new dealership, Kia now has a total of 41 dealerships nationwide and plans to open five more this year. Located at Ortigas Avenue Extension, Cainta, Kia PH’s newest dealership is run by Argani Motors, Inc. of Alice and Louie Lee. Vehicles in dealerships are fully cleaned, areas are sanitized at least every two hours, and all staff practice proper hygiene. Kia also now has an online remote

diagnostics system that allows Kia owners to have their cars diagnosed virtually in real-time. Kia Cainta is located at Celilu Industrial Compound,

KM 17 Ortigas Avenue Extension, Santo Domingo, Cainta, Rizal. You may reach them at +632 8-639 4854, +63 930 409 4638, and +63 955 600 9001.

Scottie Thompson to get own signature shoe line with World Balance Barangay Ginebra basketball phenom Scottie Thompson will be launching his very own signature basketball sneakers in the near future. This was announced after Mr. Do-it-all signed a deal with local sportswear brand World Balance. Thompson is the first player to sign with the brand since PBA legend Phillip Cezar in the ’80s. “Thompson caught our attention largely thanks to his court tenacity, rebounding prowess, and versatile play on both ends of the court as well as his challenger mindset of grit and hard work which makes him a natural fit for World Balance,” said President of CHG Global Inc, Barny Chong. “We are thrilled to add him to our WB family, and we can’t wait to collaborate with him in bringing an exclusive collection to the market.” The explosive and hardworking point guard will likely showcase World Balance basketball and performance line for the upcoming PBA season. MAY-JUNE 2021

STORE DIRECTORY

Apple Available in all authorized retailers apple.com Bang & Olufsen Available at B&O The Podium, Solaire Resorts and Casino, Greenbelt, Rockwell, Rustan’s Makati, Rustan’s Shangri-La bang-olufsen.com Bowers & Wilkins Available at Toyama Showroom, Quezon City; The Listening Room SM Megamall; Watts HiFi, Makati Cinema Square bowerswilkins.com Fitbit Available in all authorized retailers nationwide fitbit.com/ph Fujifilm Fujifilm Philippines, Inc. instax.ph/where-to-buy Hackett Available at Rustan’s Makati, Shangri-La, Alabang, Gateway, and Cebu rustans.com Hoff Available at Rustan’s Makati, Shangri-La, Alabang, Gateway, and Cebu rustans.com Honda Honda Cars Philippines hondaphil.com/virtual-honda

HP HP Philippines Intellectual Property Center, Upper McKinley Road, McKinley Hill Cyberpark, Taguig hp.com/ph

realme Available at all authorized retailers realme.com/ph facebook.com/PHRealme

Huawei Huawei Technologies Phils., Inc. consumer.huawei.com/ph/offer/

Subaru Motor Image Pilipinas subaru.asia/ph

Hydro Flask hydroflask.ph

TCL VST ECS Phils., Inc. vstecs.com.ph

Lacoste Available at Rustan’s Makati, Shangri-La, Alabang, Gateway, and Cebu rustans.com Lenovo Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. lenovo.com/ph Mango Man shop.mango.com/PH/ Marks & Spencer marksandspencer.com.ph Moza Gudsen Moza Philippines facebook.com/gudsenmozaph/ Nissan Nissan Philippines nissan.ph/virtual-showroom Pedro del Hierro Available at Rustan’s Makati, Shangri-La, Alabang, Gateway, and Cebu rustans.com Polaroid Polaroid by Indefinita shopee.ph/indefinita

MAY-JUNE 2021

TECNO Mobile tecno-mobile.com/ph/stores The Tannery thetannerymanila.com Under Armour underarmour.com.ph vivo Available at all authorized retailers shop.vivo.com/ph Volkswagen Volkswagen Philippines volkswagen.com.ph Zalora zalora.com.ph

MOBILE PHONES + TA B L E T S

p.90

UNDER P10,000

p.92

UNDER P20,000

p.94

P20,000 AND ABOVE

BUYER’S GUIDE

MAY-JUNE 2021

BUYER’S GUIDE

Cherry Mobile Flare Y20

Cherry Mobile Aqua S9 Max

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

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

Huawei Y6p

Huawei Y7a

• 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

P3,299

P5,990

P7,599

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

Lenovo K5 Pro

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 K12 Note

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

Huawei MatePad T8

Lenovo K12 Pro P9,990

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.

MAY-JUNE 2021

Nokia 1.4 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

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

• Android 10 • Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 • 64MP + 2MP + 2MP rear; 16MP front • 6.8” HD+ • 128GB built-in, microSD; 4GB RAM • 4G LTE • dual SIM

Nokia 3.4

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

UNDER P10,000

NEW!

Nokia 5.4 P9,990

• 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

OPPO A54

P9,499 • ColorOS 7.2 (Android 10) • MediaTek Heliop P35 • 13MP + 2MP + 2MP rear; 16MP front • 6.51 HD+, 60Hz • 128GB built-in, microSD; 4GB RAM • 4G LTE • dual SIM

realme C12 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

realme C15

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

NEW!

Samsung Galaxy A11

Samsung Galaxy A21s

Samsung Galaxy M11

• 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

• 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

P7,490

P11,990

P7,490

realme Narzo 20 P7,990

• 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

NEW!

TECNO Mobile Spark 6 Air

TECNO Mobile Spark 6 Go

• HIOS 6.2 (Android 10) • octa-core MediaTek Helio A25 • triple 13MP rear, 8MP front • 6.95” HD+ • 32GB built-in, microSD; 3GB RAM • 4G LTE • dual SIM

• HIOS 6.2 (Android 10) • octa-core MediaTek Helio A25 • dual 13MP rear, 8MP front • 6.52” HD+ • 64GB built-in, microSD; 4GB RAM • 4G LTE • dual SIM

Xiaomi Poco M3

Xiaomi Redmi Note 10

P4,690

P4,999

NEW!

vivo Y12s

vivo Y20i

vivo Y30

• Funtouch OS 11 (Android 11) • MediaTek Helio P35 • 13MP + 2MP rear; 8MP front • 6.51” HD+ • 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

P6,499

P7,499

P8,999

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

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

MAY-JUNE 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 A74 5G

OPPO A9 2020

OPPO A92

• 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

• ColorOS 11.1 (Android 11) • octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 5G • 48MP + 8MP + 2MP +2MP rear, 16MP front • 6.5” FHD+ • 128GB built-in, microSD; 6GB RAM • 5G, 4G LTE • 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

OPPO Reno5 4G

POCO X3 NFC

realme 6

realme 6 Pro

realme 7

• 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

P15,990

P18,999

• 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

MAY-JUNE 2021

P12,990

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

P15,999

P10,990 (8GB)

P13,990

P16,990

P15,990

P11,990

UNDER P20,000

NEW!

realme 7 Pro

Samsung Galaxy A32 5G

• 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

• One UI 3.0 (Android 11) • octa-core • 6.5” HD+ • 48MP + 8MP + 5MP + 5MP • 128GB built-in, microSD; 8GB RAM • 5G, 4G LTE • dual SIM

P15,990

Samsung Galaxy A42 5G

Samsung Galaxy M31

• 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

• 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

P15,990

P13,990

NEW!

Samsung Galaxy M51

TCL 10 5G

• 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

• TCL UI 3.0 (Android 11) • Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G • 64MP + 8MP + 5MP + 2MP rear, 16MP front • 6.53” Full HD+ • 128GB built-in, microSD; 6GB RAM • 5G, 4G LTE • dual SIM

P19,990

P17,990

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

vivo V20 P19,999

• 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

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.

vivo V20 SE P13,999

• 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

Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro

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

MAY-JUNE 2021

BUYER’S GUIDE

Apple iPad 8th-gen

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

Huawei Mate 40 Pro

Huawei P40 Pro+

motorola razr 5G

OnePlus Nord

• 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

• 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

• 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

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

P49,999

From P49,990

P69,990

From P43,990

P72,990

NEW!

realme X3 SuperZoom

realme X50 Pro 5G

• 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

P24,990

MAY-JUNE 2021

P25,990

Samsung Galaxy A52 5G P23,990

• Android 11 • octa-core • 64MP +12MP + 5MP + 5MP rear, 32MP front • 6.5” FHD+ sAMOLED • 256GB built-in, microSD; 8GB RAM • 5G, 4G LTE • dual SIM

From P62,990

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

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

OPPO Reno5 5G P23,999

• 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

NEW!

Samsung Galaxy A72 P23,990

• Android 11 • octa-core • 64MP +12MP + 5MP + 8MP rear, 32MP front • 6.7” FHD+ sAMOLED • 256GB built-in, microSD; 8GB RAM • 4G LTE • dual SIM

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 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

P20,000 AND ABOVE

Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra Samsung Galaxy Note 20

Samsung Galaxy S21 5G

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

Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G

P53,990

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

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

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

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

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.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip

• 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

• 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

P26,990

P79,990

NEW!

vivo X50

vivo X50 Pro

vivo X60 5G

Xiaomi Mi 11

• 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

• Funtouch OS 11.1 • Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 • 48MP + 13MP + 13MP rear, 32MP front • 6.56” FHD+ AMOLED • 256GB built-in; 12GB 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

P25,999

P39,999

P34,999

P36,990

MAY-JUNE 2021

BEFORE YOU GO

’i’ is for Apple

In May 1998, at Flint Center in Cupertino—the site of the historic Mac launch 14 years prior—Steve Jobs unveiled the first ever iMac, the “marriage of the excitement of the internet with the simplicity of Macintosh.” According to him, other computers at that time were slow, had crummy displays, and lacked networking. Referring to the iMac, he said, “The back of this thing looks better than the front of the other guys’.” The Bondi Blue iMac marked the beginning of Apple’s renaissance. It was an instant success, ushering in the era of Apple adding “i” to just about every product it created—and changing the trajectory of Apple forever.

MAY-JUNE 2021

INTRA-MATIC AUTOMATIC CHRONOGRAPH SWISS MADE

Official Service Center: WATCHWORKS. 2/F ALI MALL, Araneta Center, Quezon City