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While I’m not able to game quite as much as I could in the past, it remains a topic that’s very close to my heart. We had a lot of fun putting this issue together, mostly because it gave us a reason to look back at all the happy years we spent with the games that helped shape our digital lives. Gaming is one of the big reasons I do what I do today, as making the most of limited resources, and knowing specs are both at the heart of the endeavor. We hope you share that joy with us this month. We of course have all the usual articles, so if you’re here for the tech, head over to the lab and parades, or dive into the motoring section to see what we’ve got for you this month. Thanks for picking up a copy, and see you again in a few weeks! Ren Alcantara Managing Editor
MARIBELLE M. ALBA
REN ALCANTARA
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
MANAGING EDITOR
#GIRLBOSS
Être fort pour être utile
@bellealba
@hisnameisren
PRESY ALBA
MARLET SALAZAR
EDITOR-AT-LARGE I don’t travel light, I lug too many gadgets, I can walk for miles exploring and I never say no to the local fare.
ASSOCIATE EDITOR Marlet is a book-lover, and can forego lunch to buy a book.
@presy1121
@marletds
MIA CARISSE BARRIENTOS
ASSOCIATE EDITOR If you ask me a Kpop-related question, I’ll respond with an essay. Ciao! @miaissocoollike
JEWEL STA. ANA
STAFF WRITER
Nope, I don’t live in a palace. @monsterjewfloat
ARNEL DORIA
CHINI YU SORIANO
GRAPHIC ARTIST
CONSULTANT, MOBILITY SECTION
I love dogs.
Marketing guru. Automotive industry veteran. Road safety advocate.
@chinisoriano
JOSE ALVAREZ
ZEIL ROMERO
CONTRIBUTOR
Let it be.
Jose loves football, video games, computers, and history, but not necessarily in any order.
GRAPHIC ARTIST @zeil_heyo
@josealvarez
MARK SIMON ENGRACIAL
JEFF DANIEL RINGON
GRAPHIC ARTIST
CONTRIBUTOR
“Apologize, and we outta time. Please get ya alibi straight, you ain’t gotta lie. Shook tradition, did it my way”
Self-proclaimed marketer. Pop culture fan. Sleeper, er, sleeping agent.
@mark_siomai
@hefedanyel
PRESIDENT & CEO
Maribelle Alba
SALES AND ADVERTISING MANAGER ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
Marisa Consuelo
ACCOUNTING MANAGER ACCOUNTING STAFF
Maritess Pascua-Maulion Lorie Bernardo
Carol Agabin
HR & ADMIN MANAGER ADMINISTRATION STAFF
Amy Christine Giray Ramil Almojano Clifford Dela Paz
PR & MARKETING STAFF DIGITAL CONTENT PRODUCER
Paula Candoy Jerico Lutrania
LEGAL COUNSEL
Alba Law Office
GADGETS Magazine is published monthly by Great Minds Media Inc. Address all correspondence to Unit 801-802, The One Executive Office Bldg., #5 West Ave., 1104 Quezon City. Our telephone number is: 288-8588 Our website is: www.gadgetsmagazine.com.ph
All unsolicited manuscripts, illustrations and photos submitted must be accompanied by a stamped self-addressed envelope if they are to be returned. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher is prohibited. Every care is taken to ensure that the content of Gadgets is fully accurate; however, the publisher and printer assume no responsibility for the effects arising therefrom. Gadgets Magazine is a registered trademark of Great Minds Media Inc.
GERRY GAVIOLA
CONTRIBUTOR
Cineaste. Audiophile. Gadget addict. @gerry.g626
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www.gadgetsmagazine.com.ph
CONTENTS
MAY 2019 | Volume 19 No. 9
07
20
26
34
40
Mobility
56
Everything on wheels.
Play. Respawn. Pause. Repeat.
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68
Parade Set your sights on these cool gadgets!
Photo Feature: Play , Level Up, and Dominate
Gadgets Lab Find out which ones are hits or misses.
CoverStory: The Rise of eSports Put your game face mode on!
Gaming
Race to glorious victory with our feisty heroine, Pauloa Krautz
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Razer: We Just Want To Do Cool Stuff Get to know more about Razer’s CEO, Min-Liang Tan.
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Visual Space: The Brushstroke Creative Experience Get a glimpse of the production process of the B2B service provider.
Artist Corner The spotlight is on Oliver Barcelon
www.gadgetsmagazine.com.ph
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70
72
74
76
79
Are you ready for the era of AI?
Suit up and ready your firmest handshake.
News, trends, and threats in the cyberspace.
Apps: Piip Mobile Avail of promos and deals with just one tap!
Feature: Smart City Solutions
Music Corner Funky and indie beats coming through!
Enterprise
MAY 2019
Exciting announcements from Apple’s Spring Event.
Cybersecurity
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92
You monthly dose of consumer and tech news.
The online service that started it all.
Bits and Bytes
6
Everything Apple
Relic: Sega Channel
www.gadgetsmagazine.com.ph
PARADE
Honda CRF250 Rally Motorcycle
The Japanese automotive and motorcycle brand continuously preserves its position in the off-road sports category with the release of the New CRF250 Rally. A great fit for motorcycle enthusiasts who want to keep going even after the roads stop, this off-road bike is powered by a 250cc liquid-cooled DOHC Engine. It has a large fuel tank capacity of 10.1 liters, aerodynamic shroud and undercover, large tool box with key locking, large diameter front disc brake, sporty, fuel tank cap, sharp tail light design and monoshock pro-link rear suspension. To make it bolder, the latest CRF250 Rally has a new HRC-inspired sticker design and a bronze-colored inverted front fork. The motorcycle still retains some of its key features like the tall windscreen design, rally-racing inspired twin LED headlight with carbon-like light cases and LED signal lights, and a fully digital instrument panel.
www.gadgetsmagazine.com.ph
MAY 2019
7
Mi 9
Smartphone Combining stunning design and incredible performance, the latest flagship phone from Xiaomi is hard to miss. It features triple AI cameras powered by the 48-megapixel Sony IMX586 main sensor that goes along with 16-megapixel ultra wide-angle and a 12-megapixel telephoto lenses that produce sharper and more vibrant photos even in low-light. At the core of the phone is a Snapdragon 855 processor that delivers a maximum clock speed of 2.84GHz. On the front, the Mi 9 sports a 6.39-inch Samsung AMOLED Dot Drop display along with a responsive in-screen fingerprint scanner. It is also the first smartphone to support 20W wireless charging and TĂœV safe quick charging certification. The Mi 9 comes in three colors: piano black, ocean blue, and lavender violet.
PHP 22,990 (6GB RAM + 64GB of storage) PHP 24,990 (6GB RAM + 128GB of storage)
Redmi 7
Smartphone Redmi has released another phone with uncompromising power and a great price tag. Its Snapdragon 632 chipset gives a significant boost in running even the most demanding mobile games. With a large, 6.26-inch Dot Drop HD+ display protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5, the Redmi 7 offers an immersive experience topped with an additional layer of protection. It is powered by a 4000mAh battery that can last up to two days, runs on the latest Android 9 through MIUI 10, has expandable internal memory up to 512 GB via a microSD slot, rear fingerprint scanner, and is available in two variants: 2GB RAM + 16 GB of storage and 3GB RAM + 32GB of storage.
PHP 5,890 (2GB RAM + 16GB of storage) PHP 6,490 (3GB RAM + 32GB of storage)
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ROG Mothership GZ700 Laptop
With a 17-inch, 1080 display, the Mothership GZ700 is one of the most anticipated gaming laptops from ASUS. It runs on factory overclocked Intel Core i9-9980HK. The Full HD panel has a 144Hz refresh rate and 3ms response time tailored for fast-paced games. It is powered by the mobile version of Nvidia’s RTX 2080 GPU and Intel’s top-of-the-line Core i9-8950HK processor. RAID 0 storage across three NVMe SSDs and up to 64GB of DDR4 RAM means extremely fast and secure computing. Its ports include the USB-C Thunderbolt 3 port, a standard USB-C port, four USB Type-A ports, HDMI, an SD card slot, and an Ethernet port, along with the dual 280W charging ports.
ASUS TUF Gaming FX705DU Laptop
The new ASUS TUF Gaming series has a CPU and GPU refresh and is equipped with AMD’s Ryzen 7 processor plus the latest generation of NVidia GPUs. ASUS also improved on its IPS-level NanoEdge display for a fully immersive experience. The ports are placed on the left side of the laptop so cables and wires won’t get in the way of gaming, and it is made with military-grade toughness that can withstand sudden jolts. ASUS used the over-stroke technology of the backlit desktop-inspired keyboard specially optimized for gaming. It also features RGB-backlighting across all zones that can be controlled through the TUF Aura Core panel. It also has a broader space bar, isolated arrow keys, and recognizable gaps between the function keys. ASUS-exclusive HyperCool technology comprises of the Anti-Dust Cooling (ADC) system and Fan Overboost technology to ensure exceptional cooling during intense gaming.
ROG Zephyrus S GX701 Laptop
The 17-inch ROG Zephyrus S GX701 stands out because of its 17-inch super-narrow bezel display in a chassis just 18.7mm thin. While slim, it still packs power with GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design GPU and 8th Gen Intel Core i7 CPU. The 144Hz/3ms panel features Pantone-validated colors. It also uses the ROG-exclusive GPU switch to change between G-SYNC for gaming and Optimus for battery life. Its core is powered by up to 24GB of DDR4 RAM for heavy multitasking and a 1TB NVMe SSD for games. The Smart Amp can give up to 200% volume. The USB Power Delivery allows Zephyrus S to charge from portable power packs. Fast-charging support reverses the flow, using up to 3A to quickly revive smartphones and other devices.
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MAY 2019
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ROG Zephyrus S GX502 Laptop
ASUS positions the ROG Zephyrus S GX502 as an ultra-slim gaming laptop. It is known for its excellent cooling with the active aerodynamic system that maximizes airflow. It runs on a 9th Gen Intel Core i7 CPU and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 GPU that goes well with its ultra-responsive 240Hz/3ms PANTONE Validated display. ROG Boost clocks the GPU up to 1540MHz at 115W in Turbo mode. With up to 32GB of DDR4-2666 RAM and 1TB of RAID 0 SSD storage, this is designed for heavy use.
ROG Strix G G731 Laptop
The ROG Strix G G73 features the latest 9th Gen Intel Core processors and GeForce RTX graphics. The 3D Flow Zone is inspired by ASUS’ collaboration with BMW Designworks Group, and seamlessly fuses form and function. The asymmetrical cut-out at the back looks sleek, and brings the added benefit of additional airflow, and ASUS’ own RangeBoost system ensures a solid network connection. The GeForce RTX 2070 graphics is supported by ROG Boost for the most intense gaming sessions. The processor pairs with up to 32GB of DDR4-2666 RAM to survive intensive games and apps, and you get up to 1TB M.2 NVMe PCIe 3.0 of SSD storage, and a 1TB FireCud SSHD.
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Oppo F11 Pro Smartphone
The selfie-centric mobile brand has offered a new contender in the mid-range category. With a large 6.53 Full HD+ display, the Oppo F11 Pro offers flagship-like features at an affordable price. It boasts a 16-megapixel, pop-up front camera mated with a 48-megapixel and 5-megapixel rear dual cameras that deliver impressive photos even in low-light conditions. Running a Mediatek Helio P70 octa-core processor mated with an efficient 6 GB RAM and 64 GB of internal storage, It comes with ColorOS 6.0 that is based on the latest Android 9.0, has 4000 mAh battery that supports VOOC charging, and face unlock.
PHP 18,990
AOPEN 27-inch HC1 Curved Monitor Monitor
Newbie gamers in the Philippines can now have a fully immersive gaming experience without having to spend an arm and a leg. Acer Inc. brings its latest subsidiary, AOPEN, to the country to take a slice of the constantly growing gaming industry. AOPEN, with its 178-degree wide-viewing angle, will open the doors for entry-level gaming enthusiasts to a fully immersive experience with its curved monitors at reasonable price points. It features an immersive 1800R curvature which means that every corner of the screen is at the same distance from the user’s eyes as the rest of the display. The 27-inch HC1 series curved gaming monitor is compatible with G-SYNC by NVIDIA and GeForce GTX 10-series and GeForce RTX 20-series graphics cards for a much-better Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) experience. The monitor supports high refresh rates of up to 144Hz and a lightning-fast 4ms response time. It supports Full HD (1920x1080) resolution.
www.gadgetsmagazine.com.ph
MAY 2019
11
Honor 8C
Smartphone The latest model from Honor brings another value smartphone option to the market. With a beautiful blue frosted body and stunning cat’s eye back design, the Honor 8C is equipped with a Snapdragon 632 processor matched with 3 GB RAM that offers fast web-browsing, smooth user interface, as well as a huge 4000mAh battery. Crafted for gaming and streaming online content, it has a 6.26-inch FullView display and a DND Mode that holds off all notifications and incoming calls for uninterrupted gameplay. It also carries the brand’s signature AI technology through its enhanced 13-megapixel + 2-megapixel dual cameras that can identify and adjust to various scenes. Among its notable features include intuitive and user-friendly interface, 32 GB of internal memory, TÜV Rheinland-Certified screen for complete eye protection, built-in LCD light compensation, and automatic face unlock.
PHP 7,999
Transcend microSDXC 330S Memory Card
Aimed to upgrade the storage and performance of mobile devices, the leading manufacturer of storage and multimedia products rolls out a new series of microSD cards. Coming in with the latest A2 speed rating, the microSDXC 330S allows smartphones and tablets to run apps seamlessly and directly from the memory card. It comes with write speeds up to 100 MB/s that makes it ideal for gaming. You’ll also get plenty of storage space for your multimedia files, games, and apps through its 64GB and 128GB capacities. Ideal for drones and action cameras, the latest memory cards from Transcend support 4K Ultra HD video recordings and can work under extreme temperatures.
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Samsung Galaxy A80 Smartphone
Created for the emerging era of live, the latest addition to Samsung’s Galaxy A-series is ideal for capturing spontaneous photos and streaming live videos. Its state-of-the-art rotating camera allows users to capture extraordinary photos. Giving the same photo quality that triple cameras offer, the Samsung Galaxy A80 parades a 48-megapixel main sensor and 8-megapixel ultra-wide sensors that can shoot vivid images from dusk until dawn. Meanwhile, its 3D Depth camera offers Live Focus by scanning objects for measurement and depth. Among its compelling features are the massive 6.7-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED display, Dolby Atmos-powered speakers for immersive audio, super fast-charging 3,700 mAh battery, spacious internal memory at 128 GB paired with 8GB RAM, and a powerful 2.2GHz Snapdragon 730G processor.
Panasonic Lumix G95 Mirrorless Camera
Panasonic widens its portfolio of mirrorless cameras with the Lumix G95. Featuring a 20-megapixel Micro Four Thirds CMOS sensor, the newest addition to the Lumix G-series is designed to be equally adept at both still pictures and videos. Offering extensive control to its users, it has a 3-inch, flip-out touchscreen display and 5-axis, in-body stabilization for seamless shooting ultra high-definition videos up to 30p. It also has a 2360k dot electronic viewfinder for professional photographers, and allows continuous shooting up to 90 FPS. As a mid-range mirrorless camera, it features a weather-proof body, uses DeFocus AF system, has pop-up flash and wireless connectivity, and dynamic range up to ISO 25600.
www.gadgetsmagazine.com.ph
MAY 2019
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Pioneer DMH-Z58250BT In-Car Multimedia Receiver
Sporting a large, 8-inch touchscreen display, the top-of-the-line model Pioneer’s Z-series of car entertainment systems is loaded with remarkable specifications. Enhancing driving experience, the DMH-ZS8250BT features Apple CarPlay and the Android Auto which links iOS and Android devices to the car’s entertainment system. It also has a pre-installed WebLink, a new interface which allows drivers to interact with apps, media, and entertainment on their phones right on the receiver’s display. The said interface features customizable elements with bigger icons, offering a more intuitive multimedia receivers. The DMH-ZS8250BT now automatically detects cable connection, simultaneously connects three phones, controls Spotify through the Apple Car Play, and has a flexible installation that lets drivers set up the receiver in a single, double, or non-DIN configuration.
Pioneer AVH-Z9250BT In-Car Multimedia Receiver
One of Pioneer’s Z-series of versatile in-car receivers, the AVH-Z9250BT enables drivers to use their Android and iOS devices wirelessly through the receiver’s dashboard. It boasts a 7-inch WVGA touchscreen display, gets Android CarPlay, Android Auto, and WebLink out of the box, links up to 20 devices via Bluetooth (with up to three phones on simultaneous connection), and provides customized steering wheel controls, camera inputs, and parking assist guidelines. In terms of connection, it doesn’t run out of options for it has dual USB and HDMI ports, SD card slot, and even supports Wi-Fi.
Pioneer AVH-Z7250BT In-Car Multimedia Receiver
Ideal for vehicles with a single DIN slot, the AVH-Z7250BT sports a motorized 7-inch touchscreen display that lifts up when activated. It can connect and control up to two mobile devices simultaneously via Bluetooth, supports Bluetooth and USB connectivity, has a host of smart entertainment options from Spotify Connect, WebLink, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto, as well as provides dual camera inputs useful for parking and towing. As part of Pioneer’s latest Z-series of car entertainment system, it integrates numerous audio features like the 13-Band Graphic Equaliser, Auto Time Alignment, Auto EQ, Crossover settings, and Pioneer’s new advanced sound retriever audio enhancement software.
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MAY 2019
www.gadgetsmagazine.com.ph
Pioneer DDJ 800 DJ Controller
Ideal for outdoor use, the newest 2-channel DJ controller sports significant upgrades professional DJs and those looking to improve their craft will appreciate. It is the first Pioneer console that is equipped with a high-definition Color On Jog display that shows information in the center of each jog wheel, and supports the latest Feedback Reducer feature which lessens microphone howling in its out of the box rekordbox dj software. The DDJ-800 has a familiar layout, lightweight and compact body, and two. Giving controls comparable to club-standard controllers, professional DJs can show their skills with its performance pads, faders, and knobs. You can also use it as an audio mixer to control the volume of an external audio, quickly reach any playback position via Advanced Super Fast Search, and take direct control of rekordbox dj key-related features through Key Shift and Key Sync buttons.
The ONE Light Smart Keyboard
Coming in with synced LED lights, The One Light is a portable smart keyboard ideal for beginners. It has 61 light-up keys that work together with a dedicated app to offer basic piano lessons, an extensive music library with over 4,000 pieces, and support for iOS and Android mobile devices. Aside from MIDI output and recording capabilities, the smart keyboard has more than 100 pre-installed instruments and support for other MIDI-based apps. For more advanced musicians, the keyboard comes with a built-in sustain and optional pedal socket, a collapsible stand for sheet music and tablets, and speakers.
www.gadgetsmagazine.com.ph
MAY 2019
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MSI Prestige PS42 Laptop
Designed for productivity on the go, the PS42 is sleek and elegant with an aluminum silver chassis. Despite its 15.9 mm slim form factor, MSI was able to fit powerful features into this reliable work machine. The PS42 is equipped with either an Intel Core I5-8250U and Intel HD 620 combination or an Intel Core i7-8550U 2 GB of NVIDIA GeForce MX 150. It also comes with an IPS-level panel framed with thin bezels and either Windows 10 Home or Windows 10 Pro.
MSI Prestige PS63 Laptop
Powerful with up to the latest Intel Core i7 processor and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 with Max-Q Design-powered graphics, the PS63 is one to turn heads. It parades a slim aluminum, sand-blasted chassis accented with bhuish diamond cutting. Exuding elegance on the outside, the PS63 is a beast of a machine at work and promises up to 16 hours of battery life allowing you to confidently work any time, anywhere in style.
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Sony RX0 II
Action Camera Dubbed the world’s lightest and smallest premium compact camera, the Sony RX0 II comes with a BIONZ X image processing engine paired with a 15.3-megapixel Exmor RS CMOS image sensor that delivers photos with a wide dynamic range, reduced noise, natural-looking details and rich tonal gradations.The lens is a 24mm equivalent f/4.0 Zeiss Tessar T, offering wide-angle shooting with a minimum focusing distance of just 20 cm (7.8 in). Expanding creative options, it has 18-degree tilting LCD screen and 4K video recording that shoots super slow motion clips with up to 1000 fps. Other features include a waterproof, dustproof, shockproof, crushproof body, as well as wireless connectivity.
PHP 39,999
MSI Prestige P65 Laptop
The MSI Prestige P65 is a game-changing device powered by a next-generation Intel Core i7 processor combined with a GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q GDDR36 8 GB graphics card running gaming duties. Partnered with a 4K UHD display, a 1 TB NVMe SSD, and up to 8+ hrs of battery life, working on your projects with this machine would be nothing but a delightful experience. Whoever thought a gaming machine could be this beautiful?
www.gadgetsmagazine.com.ph
MAY 2019
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Samsung QLED 8K TV Smart QLED TV
Samsung unveils its latest feat in smart televisions. Powered by a Quantum 8K processor, the newest smart TV boasts AI upscaling technology that upgrades videos in lower resolutions--such as 4K, Full HD, HD, and even in standard definition--into 8K quality. The Samsung QLED 8K TV has a higher resolution of 7680 x 4320 that showcases vivid details and better contrast of colors on its larger-than-life screens. Meanwhile, its Dynamic Black Equalizer and Real Game Enhancer, provides gamers and cinephiles better visibility in the dark by dramatically enhancing contrast. To make it smarter, the QLED 8K TV is equipped with Bixby, Samsung’s personal assistant, which recognizes voice commands. Another clever feature that it sports is the Magic Screen that turns the screen into a work of art, picture frame, or an interior piece when it’s not in use.
PHP 999,999 (82-inch) PHP 599,999 (75-inch) PHP 4,999,999 (98-inch)
Samsung Q90R Smart QLED TV
Another new product that completes Samsung’s 2019 lineup of QLED smart televisions is the Q90R. Dubbed as the pinnacle of 4K TVs, it is equipped with the latest Quantum 4K processor that automatically converts any sound and image to 4K quality. It delivers more punchy and crisper colors with Quantum Dot technology, produces sharper details and breathtaking contrast through Quantum HDR 16X, and comes with an intelligent assistant via Bixby on TV. Engineered to reduce glare and enhance picture quality at any spot you are in, the Samsung Q90R has Automatic Adaptation and Ultra Viewing Angle features that make it a good addition in your living room. It is currently available in 75-inch and 65-inch models.
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Samsung Q60R Smart QLED TV
The last in the QLED series of smart televisions from the Korean brand is the Q60R. Just like the rest of the lineup, it upscales lower resolution audio and videos up to 4K quality, thanks to the Quantum 4K processor. It is paired with Quantum HDR 4X that produces incredible color and quality, has an ambient mode that compliments your space by turning into an aesthetically pleasing piece of home decor, and supports voice commands through Bixby on TV. Created with gaming in mind as well, the Q60R is available up to 82-inch and is equipped with Dynamic Black Equalizer that uses detailed scene analysis to optimize image quality in dark environments.
Samsung RU7300 Smart UHD TV
Experience optimized TV performance right in your home with the Samsung RU7300. Among its key features are the 4K UHD processor that delivers captivating videos in 4K resolution, a massive curved display up to 65 inches large, and the ability to display a wide range of colors and stunningly enhanced details with HDR and PurColor technologies. Samsung’s latest UHD TV is equipped with a Universal Guide that allows easier navigation and streaming of content online. It also boasts UHD Picture Engine, Micro Dimming, and Mega Contrast ideal for cinephiles and binge watchers alike.
www.gadgetsmagazine.com.ph
MAY 2019
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GADGETS LAB
Realme 3 Reviewed by Mia Carisse Barrientos
One could say that smartphones of today are like peas in a pod. Apart from a few bells and whistles, they are all also roughly the same: compact, mobile entertainment devices that allow you to communicate, connect, and then some. While flagship smartphones are great, there are options that won’t drill a hole in your wallet. Realme, a relatively new player in the country, aims to be the go-to choice for capable yet affordable smartphones. Here’s what we think of its new offering, the Realme 3.
DESIGN
USER EXPERIENCE
From the get-go, you wouldn’t be able to tell that the Realme 3 is an entry-level device. It has a gradient back that commands attention, and a 6.2-inch HD+ display that’s nice to look at. Rounded edges make the phone easy to hold, while its slim build makes one-hand use possible.
The Realme 3 is further enhanced with AI capabilities, and this is evident in almost every operational aspect of the device. It would flash a message telling you that charging has been halted when the device gets too hot, it routinely shows how much memory an app is consuming, and other convenient little tricks you don’t notice, but does wonders for the phone. These little things also allow the device to perform at its best.
The Realme 3 has buttons, ports, and slots spread conveniently along its sides and a fingerprint scanner nicely positioned at the back. While there are various components that make the Realme3 stand out, its dual rear camera system is hard to miss. Propped to the upper left of the fingerprint scanner are the 13 MP main rear camera accented with copper rim and a secondary 2 MP depth sensor. Its 13 MP selfie camera, meanwhile, finds itself in the display’s dewdrop notch.
HARDWARE As outstanding as its appearance is, where the Realme 3 truly shines is its hardware. Bent on making everyone know they are here to stay, the brand has equipped the device with features beyond what is expected of a budget phone. In charge of driving the device is a 12nm MediaTek Helio P60 processor with a 2.0 GHz clock speed. This allows the Realme 3 to operate at blazing–fast speeds without putting much strain on its 4230 mAh battery. Working alongside the processor is either 3- or 4 GBs of RAM. The unit loaned to us utilized 4 GB RAM and 64 GB onboard storage. In use, this combination did wonders particularly when tasked with games. To put it to the test, I installed Ragnarok Eternal Love and would leave my character farming for hours on end. I had no problem with it performance-wise. While it didn’t stutter even when climbing the demanding Endless Tower, it does heat up pretty quickly despite its 12 nm design. Though, it only gets too hot to touch when I charge and play concurrently.
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MAY 2019
Two features that make the Realme 3 truly exceptional are Nightscape and Chromaboost. These features, which can be activated through the phone’s native camera app, allow you to capture beautiful night scenes and images with vivid colors without needing to tweak settings—just choose the mode and shoot. On Nightscape mode, the camera gets deeper blacks and night lights are defined. Chromaboost, on the other hand, injects images with just the right saturation and contrast to appear more vibrant. These are especially great given the device’s entry-level status.
SPECIFICATIONS: Color: Dynamic Black, Radiant Blue Display: 6.2 inches, HD+ 1520×720 with Corning Glass Battery: 4230 mAh Rear camera: 13 MP + 2 MP, PDAF Fast Focusing, f/1.8 Aperture, 5P Lens AI front camera: 13 MP, 1.12μm Pixels, AI Beautification, HDR, AI Facial Unlock Video: 720p / 1080p, 30fps, Slo-Mo (90fps/720p) Processor: MediaTek Helio P60 (Global Edition), 12 nm production process, 2.0Ghz Storage: 3 GB + 32 GB, 3 GB +64 GB, or 4 GB + 64 GB Storage expandable up to 256 GB Connectivity: SIM Card Type: Dual nano-sim cards/ microSD Expansion/Triple Slots/Dual 4G LTE Wireless: Supports 2.4G Wi-Fi, Supports Bluetooth 4.2 OS: ColorOS 6.0 based on Android P Blue Diamond and Grey cases – which are priced at PHP 499 and PHP 399, respectively What’s Hot: -Affordable -Nightscape mode What’s Not: -Device gets hot quickly
While its cameras and processing power were nothing but amazing, the sound of its speakers produced was tinny. Plugging in good headphones or pairing it with Bluetooth speakers would resolve this issue, though.
VALUE At PHP 6,995 for the 3 GB + 32 GB variant, and 3 GB RAM and 64 GB storage 4 GB RAM and 64GB storage configurations coming in at PHP 7,990 and PHP 9,990, respectively, the Realme 3 is a capable smartphone that is worth considering. It has a dual-camera system and accompanying Nightscape and Chromaboost modes to up your photography game, a generous screen real estate to satisfy your entertainment needs, and powerful processing that would allow you to get your game on.
BOTTOMLINE The realme 3 is a real scene-stealer.
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Canon Mini Photo Printer PV-123 Reviewed by Jewel Sta. Ana
Instant cameras have provided convenience to shutterbugs for generations now. Through these cameras, people have been able to instantly print their captured photos, skipping the inconvenience of having your shots developed elsewhere. With the remarkable quality that smartphone cameras are able to deliver, even the convenience of instant cameras have been eclipsed. This paved the way to the creation of portable photo printers. We were able to test out Canon’s newest mini photo printer and here are our thoughts. DESIGN At just 11.9 cm, Canon’s new mini photo printer boasts a solid, rectangular body made entirely of hard plastic. Our demo unit had rose gold accents, giving it a classy, understated look. On its top part lies the micro-usb port and LED indicator for charging, as well as the reset button and a lanyard hole for your carrying convenience. Its left side is home to the power button, while the front edge is the slot printed photos appear from. When you slide the top cover upwards, it reveals the smart sheet slot where the ZINK photo paper can be loaded. Its compact size and low weight barely register in your bag, making it an extremely travel-friendly device. Since it is small, the mini photo printer produces 2 x 3-inch wallet-sized prints.
HARDWARE Like most other portable photo printers, the Canon Mini Photo Printer uses ZINK technology that boasts inkless printing. Instead of using ink cartridges, the device uses specialized photo paper that produces colors when exposed to heat. Small but definitely capable, the device can print a single photo in 10-20 seconds, depending on the image resolution and size. Its performance also depends on the image source. In terms of connection, the mini photo printer from Canon comes with Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity, and can be linked with Android and iOS mobile devices through the Canon Mini Print App.
USER EXPERIENCE To fully enjoy its capabilities, you will need to install its dedicated mobile app to your own device before connecting to it via Bluetooth. The app also allows you to access several cloud, and
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social media sites such as Dropbox, Google Photos, Facebook, and Instagram, and print photos from those. You can also navigate to your device’s own gallery, or take a new photo and print it in real time. Ideal for memory hoarders and scrapbook enthusiasts, the photo printer lets the users add layers, filters, emojis, texts, special effects, and frames to the images prior to printing, all from the convenience of the app. Apart from the inkless Zink technology and borderless printing, the Canon Mini Photo,s prints are smudge-proof and tear-resistant, and can even be turned into stickers thanks to an adhesive back. I tried submerging one of my samples in a glass of water for a full, with no damage to the photo. However, there are some downsides that I was able to notice upon using it on my work trip to Hong Kong. First, the device gets hot after about half an hour of use. It also took me forever to charge the device, with a full charge happening over about three hours connected to a wall outlet. When it comes to the photo print quality, don’t expect magazine-cover quality. I tried printing low-light photos featuring city buildings and it delivers darker images with quite a bit of noise. Colors are also paler and a bit blurry to images on natural lighting, except for portraits which turned out great. All of my photos were taken at high resolution, but when compared to the printed versions, you can notice a difference from the image on the phone’s screen. Photo printing time comes in at an average of 30 seconds.
SPECIFICATIONS: - Dimensions: 11.9 cm x 8.1 cm x 1.8 cm - Weight: 160 g - Printing technology: ZINK Zero Ink, borderless printing - Print speed: Up to 50 seconds - Print resolution: 314 x 400 dpi - Compatible operating systems: iOS 9.0 and above, Android 4.4 and above - Connectivity: Bluetooth 4.0 - Memory: 64 MB - Battery: Built-in rechargeable lithium-ion, 500 mAh can print up to 20 sheets
What’s Hot: - Ergonomic design - Produces water-resistant and tear-proof prints What’s Not: - Lacks support for Wi-Fi connection - Colors are a bit washed out - Charging time takes forever
VALUE The Canon Mini Photo Printer is jampacked with features that are both quirky and appealing to millennials. It comes in a handy, colorful package that gives decent, wallet-sized photos of your special moments. If that’s what you’re looking for in a device, then the PHP 8,000 sticker price shouldn’t hold you back.
BOTTOMLINE It delivers real-time photo printing at your fingertips.
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Fujifilm X-T100 Reviewed by Jewel Sta. Ana
As various smartphone manufacturers develop sophisticated phone cameras, and prices for mirrorless cameras increase, consumers are having a hard time finding a device that is both compact and reasonably priced. Fujifilm’s latest entry-level camera, the X-T100, has found its niche for those who would like to upgrade their photography skills with a dedicated snapper. Is it a hit or a miss? Let’s find out. DESIGN Light, handy, and stylish: these are the words that perfectly describe the Fujifilm X-T100. It gives the same premium vibe that the previous X-series had, thanks to its anodized aluminum top cover. Its solid, textured body in black with champagne gold accents adds to the retro design of the camera, and sets it apart from other models of the same class. For better handling, it comes with a detachable grip. Keeping with the signature form of Fujifilm, the controls and dials are neatly placed on top of the camera’s body. It has a new function dial that allows users to customize and assign shortcuts, like film simulation, and a hotshoe that provides connection of other camera accessories. Basic buttons for power, function (Fn), shutter, and video recording can be found on the top right part of the camera. On its left lies the 2.5mm audio jack for microphones, while the HDMI (Type D) and micro-USB ports are on the opposite side. There’s also a pop-up flash up front and a 3.2-inch touch screen monitor that you can flip vertically and tilt up and down.
HARDWARE Just like its predecessor, the X-A5, Fuji has integrated a 24.2-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor that is equipped with a phase detection autofocus system for accurate shooting. It supports 4K videos in 30-minute clips, and Full-HD videos up to 60 fps. For more fluid zooming and focusing, the mirrorless camera is paired with the XC15-45mm f/3.5 - 5.6 which happens to be the brand’s first motorized X Mount lens. This also makes the device compatible to other zoom and prime lenses from the said lineup. Giving you a clearer view of the subject that you’re about to shoot, another new feature that it boasts is the 2.36-million dot resolution electronic viewfinder. In terms of connectivity, the X-T100 provides a wide array of options. It supports Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity which are great for sharing photos to other devices, or over the Internet. There’s also HDMI and USB ports for those who prefer wired connections.
USER EXPERIENCE I really love how Fujifilm made the X-T100 compact and lightweight. As a photography
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enthusiast who travels often, I’ve always wanted to have a capable camera that’s less bulky in my bag. The X-T100 has both boxes ticked. Unlike many models that I had handled before, adjusting the settings in manual mode in this camera is easy. You have the option to customize buttons and navigate through menus through the dials or right on the display. Delivering performance akin to a professional-grade camera, it produces photos with rich details and accurate colors from its large camera sensor. It has an extended output sensitivity that can stretch up to ISO 51200 which is perfect for taking photos in lowlight conditions. The rear display has a good level of clarity, although not quite as slick as those found on most smartphones. Equipped with a hybrid autofocus system that offers a variety of focus patterns, the camera allows beginners to point and shoot subjects in different scenes. For example, the Zone AF specifically tells which area your subject is in while the Single Point AF mode enables you to select focus on a particular area on the frame. There’s also a handy eye-detection AF mode that focuses on the eyes of portrait subjects. However, it isn’t the quickest and isn’t best suited for moving subjects. Getting used on the touch screen autofocus can also take you some time. For those who are used to manual zooming and focusing, the motorized lens may prove to be quite a different experience. It’s great for video capture, but not as useful for photography. In terms of battery life, the camera lasts longer than I expected. I was able to shoot photos and record short video clips for a total of 8 and a half hours on a single charge. Should you need an additional kick of power, you can plug it into a power bank or a USB port. On the other hand, the videos look a bit lackluster compared to the photos. To compensate, it delivers solid frame rates when in full HD mode and excellent footage under proper lighting. As with other Fujifilm cameras, the X-T100 has film simulation presets that carry Fuji’s legendary film stock which gives every photo added character.
Shelling out less than PHP 40,000 is probably a good decision for those who want to upgrade their photography skills. SPECIFICATIONS: Image sensor: 24.2-megapixel APS-C CMOS Storage: SDXC up to 256 GB ISO Sensitivity: ISO 200 to ISO 12800 (Extended output from ISO 100 to 51200) Shutter speed: Mechanical from 30 seconds to 1/4000 second (up to 1/32000 for electronic) Image stabilization: OIS Continuous shooting: 6.0 fps for 26 frames maximum, 3.0 fps up to card full maximum (4K Burst available) Video resolution: 4K at 15 fps, full HD from 23.98 fps to 59.94 fps File formats: JPEG, RAF (RAW), RAW + JPEG for photos; H.264 MOV for videos LCD Monitor: 3-inch, 3:2 three-way tilt-type touchscreen monitor Connectivity: USB 2.0 (micro-USB), HDMI (Type D), 2.5 mm jack, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi transmission Added features: Electronic viewfinder, dynamic range, 11 film simulation modes, face detection, eye detection, touch shooting, touch autofocus, 4K multi-focus, interval timer shooting, advanced filter, motion panorama, auto red eye-removal What’s Hot: -Solid build -Versatile and compact -Exceptional photo quality -Articulating screen What’s Not: -4K video mode is limited to 15 fps -Slow autofocus
What’s Not: -Pricey
VALUE Meant to be an entry-level camera for Fujifim’s mirrorless series, the X-T100 has a plethora of features and presets that will not disappoint novice and even more serious photographers.
BOTTOMLINE It’s a bang for the buck mirrorless camera that casual photographers dream of. www.gadgetsmagazine.com.ph
Plantronics BackBeat Fit 3100 Reviewed by Ren Alcantara
I have been searching for the perfect pair of true wireless headphones since they started to be a thing a few years ago. While they generally do offer great freedom, superb convenience, and a handy size, they tend to all have the same problems with latency and maintaining a connection, particularly if any movement is involved. Plantronics, a name that’s synonymous with great audio products, has released true wireless earphones, and as a bonus, they’re perfect for working out. DESIGN Plantronics has moved away from plain designs and colors with these earphones. Orange eartips and blue-green, metallic side buttons that make it clear that they aren’t made for the confines of an office cubicle. Soft, rubber loops rest comfortably around the back of each ear to keep the buds in place, even with intense activity. The earbuds come with a charging case, which is bulkier than average, but works out great, since you’re less prone to losing it. The case is about the size of hard cases for wired earphones, so aren’t difficult to toss in a bag anyway.
HARDWARE The charging case, which is the only way the buds charge, carries a 740 mAh battery, and has space to hold and charge both earphones at the same time. There are charge indicator lights, and a button you can press to check power levels. A small pocket holds a short microUSB cable for charging the case, which has a microUSB port on the outside rear. The earbuds have 90 mAh batteries internally, internal microphones, and are IP57 rated for moisture and dust ingress. They come with sports eartips, and connect to your device via Bluetooth 5.0. 13.5mm drivers deliver the music.
USER EXPERIENCE Plantronics nailed the design on this device. The ear hooks are comfortable and secure, and though the earphones themselves are a little larger than my usual go-to true wireless pair, they’re still small enough to remain comfortable. They also look the part, with a busier-looking color scheme than plain, boring black. The orange ear tips are designed to sit securely in your ear canal without creating a seal, to let ambient noise in. It’s a simple solution for safety that’s effective nonetheless. Taking them out of the case initiates a connection to the last known device, and shortly after you get them in place, they should be connected to each other and the host device, ready to play your
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favorite tunes. There are no discernable controls on either earbud, but the flat, outside portion of is touch-sensitive, and allows you various controls for your music. The instructions aren’t quite as clear as I would have wanted, but after fumbling with the left ear for volume control, I found that tapping and holding on the earpiece will drop the volume, but increasing the same requires a slower, more patient cadence of tapping and releasing. It was a tremendous source of frustration at first, but one that sorted itself out eventually. One of the things I loved about it was the practically imperceptible latency. On some true wireless earphones, the delay between the video and audio is unbearable, leading one to just give up and go wired. These, however, don’t have that issue, allowing me to finally watch videos on my device without any wires whatsoever. Comfort is also way up there. There’s no pinching, they’re extremely light, and they are totally secure for all but the most extreme moves. Anything short of parkour, and these are going to stay on your head. This is an extremely good thing, given that the earphones are rated for five solid hours of use per charge, something I found to be reasonably accurate. Should additional time be needed for your workout, popping the buds back in the included case can charge them two additional times, for a total of 15 hours of power per top-up. The case itself is also well-designed, and feels like a sturdy piece of kit. While it’s a little large to stow in a pocket, it’s more than handy enough to toss in a gym bag and forget. Micro USB charging on the case means you can give the charging case a quick boost with any commonly available cable. Sound quality is more than acceptable, though it is important to note that since these are designed to let outside noises in, it’s not going to be able to compete with in-ear monitors. Lows in particular, take a hit, but it’s all in the interest of safety, as these are meant to go with you on your runs in the outside world. Overall, it’s a good tradeoff, though its something that any potential user should be aware.
VALUE At a converted price of about php 10,000, this is a pair of true wireless earphones that are worth considering. Solid fit, zero lag, and enough power to outlast even your longer workouts means it’s the perfect gym or running buddy. SPECIFICATIONS: - Weight: 22 g/ .78 oz - Wireless range: Up to 33 ft/ 10m - Bluetooth technology: 5.0, HFP 1.7, HSP 1.2, A2DP 1.3, AVRCP 1.5 - Speaker driver size: 13.5 mm - Frequency response: 20- 20,000 Hz - Sensitivity: 94 dBSPL @ max volume - Microphone: MEMS microphone with DSP - Listen time: Up to 5 hours (earbuds only) and up to 10 additional hours with charge case - Talk time: Up to 5 hours - IP rating: IP57 sweatproof and waterproof - Quick charge: Up to 1 hour of listening time with a 15-minute charge - Battery capacity (earbuds): 90 mAh - Battery capacity (charge case): 740 mAh What’s Hot: - Great comfort - Hours of charge - Latency-free performance What’s Not: - Sacrifices sound quality for safety
BOTTOMLINE A great option for sporty, true wireless buds.
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Konzert Portarray 15 Reviewed by Mia Carisse Barrientos
If you’ve been to public functions, concerts, and other large gatherings, then you probably have an idea what a line array is. They are neatly arranged systems of loudspeakers that produce sound able to fill large spaces. Konzert, a local audio solutions brand, sent over their version of this PA system to the Gadgets HQ, and we wasted no time to blast music—albeit discreetly—into our modest office. Here’s what we think of it.
DESIGN The Konzert Portarray 15 is a compact format line array speaker system that comes packed in two boxes. One box contained the 15-inch active subwoofer, while another carried the stands, loudspeaker set, and other components. There’s not much to be said about the design of the speakers. The subwoofer came in a standard boxy frame, while the line array speakers shared an identical rectangular build that’s curved at the front. The speakers are numbered one to four and are tagged as either left or right. Ports are on the back so that when they’re stacked on top of each other and mounted on the corresponding stands, connections are out of sight. The subwoofer, on the other hand, has various ports on the back, control knobs, as well as a small display partnered with control buttons.
HARDWARE As a line array speaker system, the Konzert Portarray 15 has a 15-inch active subwoofer with a maximum 800-watt output and eight units that consist of 4- and 1-inch tweeters each. While this appears to be your standard loudspeaker arrangement, the Portarray 15 is equipped with user-friendly features that are convenient to use. The speaker system can be connected to a Bluetooth-enabled device, and has an aux-in port, a USB port, and an SD card slot. It even has FM radio in the absence of the aforementioned sources, or if you just feel like listening to your good old radio stations.
USER EXPERIENCE It is apparent that the Portarray 15 is not for home or office use, but to get an idea of what this system could do, we got to work to assemble it. Two people in good shape can probably have it set up easily, but in our case, we had the entire
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creative department involved. The line array speakers had some weight to them, while the subwoofer was 10 times the weight of a small tweeter. Setting up the speaker system was quite a challenge. You would usually turn to the user manual to solve this dilemma, but the guide that came with the package contained little information as to how to put the components together. It wasn’t rocket science figuring out which part connects to which though. The label on the speakers proved to be helpful, and after tightening up a few screws, the Portarray 15 was completed. The line-array speakers connect to the subwoofer, and that is where you do most of the controls. Knobs are easily accessible on the rear and give you the freedom to tweak settings for your desired audio output. The package also comes with a remote control, which is useful in the setup of public functions among others. The stands might appear thin, but they actually do a good job at keeping the speakers aloft, though you do want to keep them on even ground. Our worries of the speakers toppling over vanished with the sturdiness of the stand. The tripod’s height can also be easily adjusted to complement where they’re going to be stationed.
and balanced sound through a massive 15-inch subwoofer and 8 units of loudspeakers.
SPECIFICATIONS: Active Sub: 15-inch Subwoofer, 800 watts max Line Array: 2 x 300 watts max, array - midrange 4-inch x 8 pcs Array tweeter: 1 inch x 8 pcs Package includes: 2pcs 6 meter speaker link cable, 6pcs 0.3 m array link cable, 2pcs assembly bracket, 2pcs 1.8 m tripod stands, remote control Connectivity and features: Bluetooth/ USB/ SD/Auxin/XLR/PL/2 microphone ports/FM radio remote
What’s Hot: - Affordable line-array system - Produces loud and clear sound - Various connectivity options What’s Not: - User manual won’t help you much
What’s really great about this speaker system is its connectivity options. After powering the device up, you can choose to connect it to your phone and stream music, making DJ-ing effortless. The system can also accommodate up to two microphones. And as the speakers are arranged in a linear manner and angled in a way they fire sound at different directions, the sound evenly spreads across the room or any other area.
VALUE The Konzert Portarray 15 retails for PHP 29,999, which is a good deal for what it offers: powerful
BOTTOMLINE We recommend this line array speakers to organizations in the market for a powerful yet affordable PA system.
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COVER STORY
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Words by Jose Alvares Art by Simon Engracial
Five years ago, in our July 2014 issue, I asked an important question about video games for the cover story: is it still just a game? Are we playing for enjoyment, or for a bigger purpose? Do we want to make video games our livelihood? I had talked about the divide between casual and hardcore players. I revisit this question now as eSports has become a surging field since then. As someone who has played video games for the majority of my life, this question popped up around the time I discovered that playing video games can be done legitimately as a job. So whether or not it is still just a game, it’s become more and more obvious to gamers that this is not only something you can enjoy, but something you can also do to earn money, fame, and recognition, much like artists earn money, fame, and recognition through the various forms of art
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Electronic sports (eSports) has been around since the dawn of video games. A 1972 Spacewar competition held at Stanford University is the earliest known video game competition, while the 1980 Space Invaders Championship is the first large-scale video game competition. The 1980 event attracted over 10,000 participants. During the 1980s, the video game record keeping organization Twin Galaxies was founded. The U.S. National Video Game Team was formed in 1983, and by the mid-1980s, shows such as Starcade showcased video games on a national level. By 1988, Netrek was considered the first online sports game, where up to 16 players could compete against each other online. By the 1990s, popularity of video games had expanded to the point where video games tournaments were part of the video game community. In the 1989 movie The Wizard, the protagonist Jimmy Woods (played by Luke Edwards) plays in a video game competition called Video Armageddon. The game was Super Mario Bros. 3 (which wasn’t even released in the United States yet). The book and 2018 film Ready Player One is about a video game competition that involves players in virtual reality plugged in to escape the dystopian world around them, and
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involves a video game competition to find an easter egg that will give them control over the virtual reality world OASIS. The 1990 Nintendo World Championships (NWC) was a one-off tournament that toured across North America. Players played Super Mario Bros., Rad Racer, and Tetris. The winners of each age category were given US$10,000 in a savings bond, a 1990 Geo Metro convertible, a 40� rear-projection television, and a gold-plated Mario trophy. The NWC came back in 2015. There was a mixture of old and new games, with Splatoon, The Legend of Zelda, Metroid Prime: Federation Force, Super Metroid, Mario Kart 8, Balloon Fight, and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U being the games one can compete in. The final contest included the then-unreleased Super Mario Maker. Nintendo legend Shigeru Miyamoto himself presented the winner with a trophy and gave each finalist an autographed New Nintendo 3DS XL. The NWC came back in 2017 as well. There are rumors that it could be an annual event at another convention such as the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3). Games such as Quake, Warcraft, and CounterStrike gained prominence during the late 1990s. The Evolution Championship Series (EVO) was founded in 1996 as a fighting game tournament. The tournament still runs to this day. What muddied eSports in the 1990s was a focus on the console wars, the video game
violence controversies that led to the creation of the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB), and concerns over gaming addiction. In addition, there were also technical limitations: the commercial Internet was still in its infancy in the United States and there were numerous roadblocks to overcome to make eSports a nationwide thing. One of the major obstacles at that time, in my opinion, is that there was a stigma around gaming. That stigma was that gamers were generally seen as antisocial individuals. By the 2000s, eSports started to grow in prominence. Several television channels were dedicated to discussing video games, such as G4. South Korea became the hub of esports; there was even a government department formed in 2000 called the Korean e-Sports Association which operated under the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism. One notable incident arose in 2005 when a South Korean gamer died from playing Starcraft for 50 straight hours. In addition, eSports players became famous in the country and were treated like celebrities, much like we would treat NBA players like LeBron James or Russell Westbrook. South Korea truly started off what would become a revolution in the gaming world: normalizing gaming and bringing it into the mainstream.
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Streaming Allows Players To Get Into eSports When Twitch was founded in 2011, the platform allowed gamers to stream themselves playing video games and allowed audiences to watch them. Now, Twitch is one of the most popular streaming services in the world. Everyday people utilize the platform to gain a following. It is not uncommon to see fans donate hundreds of dollars to their favorite streamers. Those who are partnered with Twitch can also make a living off of it. Twitch streamers often blend in their streaming efforts with social media, allowing fans to interact with streamers on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, and more. In a way, streamers are changing what it means to be a celebrity. Some of today’s streamers play a variety of games, including League of Legends, Fortnite, Overwatch, and more. Ninja (real name Tyler Blevins) is one of the most prominent streamers on Twitch. His previous experience includes stints with eSports teams such as Cloud9 and Team Liquid. He reportedly earns US$500,000 a month streaming Fortnite. He was also the first streamer to appear on the cover of ESPN The Magazine in September 2018. Ninja has since branched out into other games such as Apex Legends, currently one of the most popular battle royale games out there today. Ninja averages 30,000 viewers every time he goes online. Smaller, lesser-known streamers can even get between 20 and 100 viewers per stream. Many streamers are also female; this has led to huge backlash from gamers who opine that women are invading a once maledominated domain. There were very few female gamers even during the console war era. Speaking from personal experience, it was very rare for me to find a girl who enjoyed video games even in high school (around 2002 or so), but today, streaming can be considered a 50/50 affair (at least in terms of gender). World of Warcraft is another popular game for female streamers. While the representation of women in eSports is still small, it will grow as we enter the new decade. There have been many instances of female streamers being stalked and harassed, which has left the streaming community wondering if women truly have a place in the surging industries of streaming and eSports.
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However, the rise of eSports has not been without controversy and backlash from various figures. In 2015, then-ESPN commentator Colin Cowherd made a series of comments criticizing eSports.“I am not a friend of eSports,” he said.“Go outside,” he also said, stereotyping gamers as people who are anti-social and living in their mom’s basement. The criticism has surged all the way to the top of sports. International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said,“We cannot have in the Olympic program a game which is promoting violence or discrimination. So-called killer games. They, from our point of view, are contradictory to the Olympic values and cannot therefore be accepted,” he said following the 2018 Asian Games, which featured eSports as a demonstration sport. It could be included by the 2022 Asian Games. Despite Cowherd’s anti-eSports rants and Bach’s criticism of having eSports as a potential Olympic sport, professional athletes are huge fans of gaming.
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They appear on the covers of sports games every year, and play a variety of other games as well, sometimes in collaboration with other celebrities and fans themselves. NBA All-Star Gordon Hayward has been very astute when it comes to eSports. He said in July 2018 to ESPN, “Everybody around the world is starting to understand there is a lot of money that can be had in eSports. You see, not just the NBA, but business leaders and CEOs are investing in teams; Robert Kraft is invested in an Overwatch team. At this point and time, I wanted to have a team for the last four or five years and I’ve almost pulled the trigger three or four times, but at this point and time when you have Robert Kraft jumping in, it’s almost over my head. There’s some big money at play.” Hayward’s statement about various celebrities investing in eSports is right. Rapper Drake has invested in eSports, and has played alongside Ninja in Fortnite during his streams. Hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs is another investor; he invested in a Los Angeles organization named PlayVS which allows high school students to compete in eSports, and ultimately, eSports scholarships at a number of universities. Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and actor Ashton Kutcher have also invested in eSports betting. Hall of Famer and NBA legend Magic Johnson is co-owner of an investment group which acquired ownership of Team Liquid, one of the most prominent eSports organizations today.
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EVO, as mentioned before, is possibly the world’s oldest eSports competition. Some games included in the competition include classics such as Street Fighter, Tekken, Mortal Kombat, Super Smash Bros., and Soul Calibur. Newer games such as DragonBall FighterZ and remakes of old fighting games such as Samurai Showdown. The Cyberathlete Professional League (CPL) came next in 1997. It also produced one of the first celebrities in eSports, Fatal1ty (real name Johnathan Wendel). It also had an online league for amateurs called the Cyberathlete Amateur League (CAL). It was one of the largest gaming leagues in North America upon its dissolution in 2009. One of the main
games played in CAL was Counter-Strike. At its peak it had 20,000 teams and over 600,000 players in North America alone. One of the most successful eSports leagues is the Overwatch League (OWL). OWL was founded by Blizzard Entertainment in 2017 and now boasts 20 teams across the world. The league mirrors actual sports leagues like the MLB and NHL in that it also has minor leagues (Overwatch Open and Overwatch Contenders). These teams’ owners also own another professional sports team: the Boston Uprising is owned by the Kraft Group, which also owns the NFL’s New England Patriots. The Philadelphia Fusion is owned by Comcast, which also owns the NHL’s Philadelphia Flyers. There is so much crossover between traditional sports and eSports today that eSports cannot be relegated to something that is done behind closed doors.
Financial analysts have weighed in on the power of eSports. It is estimated that the total revenue of eSports will surpass USD 1 billion this year, with close to USD1.65 billion in revenue by 2021. The number of viewers could approach 600 million by 2020. One tournament, the Intel Extreme Masters (46 million viewers), drew more viewership than the
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Stanley Cup (4.6 million viewers, World Series (18.7 million viewers), and the NBA Finals (20.4 million viewers) combined. An October 2018 Forbes list listed eSports team Cloud9 as the most valuable eSports team in the world at USD 310 million, with Team SoloMid at $250 million and Team Liquid at USD 200 million. Given the value of the companies who own other eSports teams, the potential could explode even further as companies are always making games and looking for the next big hit.
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eSports teams have even invested in gaming and streaming houses for their players to live and work. Players don’t even have to be part of an eSports team for this to happen. Some players look for roommates to live with and work on their streams and other aspects of gaming such as eSports competition. The idea was piloted in South Korea for StarCraft players, but has since spread to numerous other countries, including the Philippines. While the gaming house is still a popular concept, there are pros and cons to living in a gaming house. The blurring of video games and real life in a gaming house had lots of unanswered questions: do people just play video games all day? In fact, the opposite was true. Gamers followed a routine just like the rest of society: they woke up, worked out, played games, and stopped to eat. South Korean culture and Western culture are radically different; the idea of living where you work is seen as acceptable in South Korea, but not so much in other countries. According to Team Liquid co-owner LiQuiD112 (real name Steve Arhancet), “Gaming houses are a pressure cooker for team dynamics, which play such a vital role in team performance. When you don’t have separation between work and life, everything bleeds together.” This has a parallel outside of gaming as well: many people don’t have work/life balances, and often bring their work home with them. This affects the way people interact with one another. 32
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I go back to my original question: is it still just a game? At its very core, it really is just that: a game. It’s something people can pick up and have fun with, but at the same time, it caters to people who want to make it more than just a hobby. People may enjoy video games occasionally, but they want more out of that. For me, video games bring me stress relief, and for others, they may bring something else. They may bring someone purpose in their lives. People may find passion in playing video games for fun, or they may find glory and triumph in conquering their opponents. With constant intersections between video games, the Internet, streaming, social media, celebrity, business, and more, it probably isn’t the game that we once picked up back in the early 1990s when we came home from school and just wanted to relax. With the rise of the Internet, people bring the game to the rest of the world. Perhaps all these other aspects of modern gaming have relegated the idea of being able to come home and play games like Super Mario Bros. until 3 am. The rise of eSports has allowed anyone to take something they enjoy and make a living off of it, and the accessibility of games today compared to over 30 years ago shows that. But what eSports has done is basically turn a lot of things we see upside down. eSports celebrities and streamers are now more accessible individuals than your typical athletes, musicians, actors, and other celebrities who may live in a world that we dream of living in. But video games have brought people together more than ever in recorded human history, and that is why I think it is more than just a game.
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May 2019
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PHOTO FEATURE
ART DIRECTION BY Jezeil Romero PHOTOGRAPHY BY Raphael Yu HAIR AND MAKE-UP BY Ayra Salvador STYLING BY Paula Candoy ASSISTED BY Chini Yu Soriano Simon Engracial Jewel Sta. Ana Jerico Lutrania Marlet Salazar
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MODEL Paula Krautz of Women’s Folio Management
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When we need to get out from our daily routine, some people go on out of town trips or fire up a new show. Others leave reality behind and get their game on. It’s like entering an entirely new world full of action, challenging missions, and courageous characters that long for victory. Playing games, as some research studies suggest, improves your focus on details, as well as develops measurable gains in reaction times, and coordination. Upgrading your gear will help you level up, dominate the battlefield, and race to glorious victory.
Seamless Knit Bralette, Active Hooded Jacket, Denim Mini Skirt by FOREVER 21 Branches: SM Megamall, SM Makati. SM City Cebu, SM City North EDSA, SM Mall of Asia, SM Lanang Premier, SM Aura Premier, SM City Fairview, SM City Clark, SM Southmall, SM Seaside City Cebu, SM City Iloilo, SM City Bacolod, Robinson’s Magnolia, and SM CDO Downtown Premier
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MAY 2019
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Lenovo Legion Y740
Active Sheer Mesh Crop Top, Seamless V-neck Bralette, Denim Jeans by FOREVER 21
Your game, your glory
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MSI Agility GD60 Light up your way to greatness
MAY 2019
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Distressed Denim Mini Skirt by FOREVER 21
Logitech G432 Let your squad be heard
Predator Thronos A battle station fit for a royalty
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MAY 2019
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Pleated top surplice top, cotton brend drawsting shorts by FOREVER 21
Interviewed by Jewel Sta. Ana Wherever Paula Krautz goes, she turns heads. A statuesque beauty rivalling her own favorite heroine, Wonder Woman, this Brazilian babe oozes confidence and exudes energy. Hailing from Belo Horizonte, Paula started in the glamorous industry of modelling at the early age of 14, and began traveling the world at the age of 16 to further her ambitions. Now an industry veteran, she continues to work her way up the world of fashion. Recently, she worked with such big names as Jimmy Choo and Mango, as well as the Philippines’ own Ezra Santos and Francis Libiran. The 21-year old model is an adventurer. Her work has taken her to China, Indonesia, India, Malaysia, Thailand, and the USA, But no matter where she goes, she always carries her most prized possession: a guitar. Proving that she’s more than just a pretty face, Paula does guitar covers and sings quite well. She is also a nature lover who enjoys hanging out with her friends at the waterfalls near her hometown. A casual gamer herself, she gets her game face on whenever she fires up Call of Duty with her brother. During her younger years, titles such as Grand Theft Auto and The Sims kept her occupied. She always loved the idea of accomplishing every mission and making progress from one stage to another. For her, each experience in her career makes her want to go forward. Just like the characters from a video game, Paula levels up as she travels from one place to another. It’s always a brand-new start where she can socialize with people, get to know the culture, and seize the moment. What she does is not just working, it’s living. The Gal Gadot-lookalike is going to be living in the Philippines longer than she intends to, and according to her, it is the best decision that she made in her life.
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MOBILITY
Honda Click 150i Reviewed and Photos by Ren Alcantara
Scooters are, for the most part, a fairly tame affair. Made primarily for getting around the city, their twist-andgo nature makes them perfectly suited to your daily commute. There are people, however, who need a little more than a tame, daily commuter. The Click 150i is just that. If you’re the kind of rider who likes their rides to be practical but have a bit of a kick to it, this might just be what you need in your garage. DESIGN The Click 150i is easily one of the best-looking scooters you can get your hands on right now. It takes cues from its much larger siblings, but does so in a way that keeps it from looking like it’s trying too hard. Sharp lines, from the headlight, down to the stepboard, and all the way back to its pointed tail section give you the impression that it’s meant to go fast. Five-spoke wheels add to this look, and the cherry on top is a gorgeous matte red finish that I could not get enough of. It’s a scooter that’s as much fun to ride as it is to look at, easily setting
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it apart from all the other ones you will come across on the road.
HARDWARE The heart of this feisty little city rocket is Honda’s 150cc, liquid-cooled, PGM-FI engine that delivers 9.7 kW of power at 8500 RPM, and 13.4 Nm of torque at 5000 RPM. It’s got an automatic transmission for rider convenience, and a hydraulic disc brake at the front. A wheelbase of 1.28 meters makes it agile, and lets you fit it easily between
traffic, and a comfortable seat height of about 30.3 inches makes flatfooting it easy, even for smaller riders. Fuel economy is rated at 53 km/l, thanks in part to the idling stop system that kills the engine when stopped, and brings it back to life with a twist of the throttle.
USER EXPERIENCE In terms of practicality, scooters are hard to beat. Traffic in Metro Manila needs no explanation, and one of the best ways to beat it is taking it on with
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two wheelers. The Click 150i knows what it was built to do, and includes many conveniences for rider comfort. Keyless ignition lets you start and go without having to fish for a key. This is particularly great since safety gear makes that one of the most frustrating tasks you’ll run into on a regular basis. As long as the key is on your person, you simply have to turn a large dial to wake the bike, hit the ignition and drive off. Should you forget where the scooter is in the first place, the fob has a handy button that makes the bike emit a loud beep, and a quick flash of its signal lights, so you can say goodbye to losing your bike in the mall parking. Honda put a lot of thought into designing the Click 150i, and it shows. A wide, soft seat keeps saddle time comfortable, even through hours of terrible Manila traffic. Agility is way up there, and the bike feels smaller than it actually is. It feels like a combination of the rake angle, lower-set handlebars, and a generally sportier feel than scooters of late. Then, of course, there’s that engine. The engine on this little scooter is nothing to sneeze at, and like that little bit of hot sauce that makes ordinary dishes instantly more interesting, the extra zip is something I really appreciated. Most scooters, while great for the daily commute, lack the power to put a smile on your face, particularly if you’re used to larger-displacement
motorcycles. The Click 150i is not most motorcycles. With a 150cc engine pushing a curb weight of just 113 kg, it's got more than enough zip to put a smile on your face. And it responds fast. Crack the throttle open, and in a quick beat, you’re pulling back on the handlebars as a smile creeps slowly across your face, with the wind whipping around your helmet. If you need to get yourself out of a tight spot, or have a little weekend fun, this scooter will happily oblige. Cargo space is something I appreciate, and the Click 150i has plenty. With enough room under the seat to take in a half-face, enough groceries for a solo shopper, or a reasonably large office bag, it allows you to ride unencumbered, further adding to the safety and convenience of this superb commuter.
VALUE The Click 150i can be yours for a sticker price of PHP 96.900. It’s a little steep in absolute terms, but you do get a lot for your money. Conveniences such as keyless starting, plenty of storage, idle stop, and head-turning design, plus an engine that won’t leave you wanting more power, all make for a convincing value proposition. Should you want a daily ride that has a little extra fun in reserve, this is the bike for you.
What’s Hot: -Great design -Plenty of useful power -Lots of rider conveniences
What’s Not: -A little pricey
Bottomline: If I didn’t already have a daily driver, I wouldn’t hesitate to get one myself.
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MAy 2019
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Final inspection to ensure that passengers stay dry during wet weather. TCSAT uses the same technology and processes as Subaru Japan.
Tan Chong opens Subaru Assembly Plant in Thailand to boost sales in SEA With the opening of the plant in Thailand, Tan Chong International Ltd. (TCIL), an investment holding company with headquarters in Hong Kong, will be able to meet the demand of the Subaru brand in the Southeast Asian region. The automotive assembly plant, located at Bangkok’s Ladkrabang Industrial Estate, is expected to deliver over 6,000 Subaru Foresters in its first year of operations. The 100,000-square meter factory has an initial investment of USD 150 million. “This is truly a milestone for us: to be able to build Subaru cars ourselves in Thailand,” said Glenn Tan, deputy chair and managing director of TCIL. “This strategic long-term move will allow us to manage our supply chain better, widen our product lineup, localize better, and be less dependent on supply from Japan. We will be able to respond and meet consumer demand for Subaru vehicles better in the region and perhaps even beyond in the future.” The Tan Chong Subaru Automotive (Thailand) Ltd. (TCSAT) is a joint venture between TCIL and Japan’s Subaru Corp. TCIL, holds a 74.9 percent stake through its subsidiary, TC Manufacturing and Assembly (Thailand) Ltd. Its headquarters is in Singapore. For its part, Subaru Corp. holds the remaining 25.1 percent. Motor Image Group, a wholly owned subsidiary of TCIL will distribute the fifth-generation Subaru Forester to countries like Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. It is reported that 100 cars have already been delivered to customers in Thailand. To ensure that the cars built at the new plant
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are 100 percent the same as the ones made in Japan, TCIL hired Japanese expatriates to work alongside the over 400 highly skilled workers from Thailand. High-performance robotics will also be used at several stages of the assembly process "to ensure superior quality and zero defects." At the painting line, the pre-treatment, electrical deposits, primer, and top coat are applied automatically. The key welding points of the car body and the sealer application for glass components are also automated to achieve total consistency. The Subaru Forester built in Thailand will carry features of all four Subaru core technologies. The Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive sends power to all four wheels to give drivers a reliable drive in even the harshest conditions. The Boxer Engine enables a lower center of gravity for better stability and handling. The EyeSight DriverAssist Technology alerts drivers to unanticipated risks and helps prevent accidents. The Subaru Global Platform elevates overall safety and performance with a new body and chassis design. It was given a Good Design Award by the Japan Institute of Design Promotion last year. Quality control and correction processes take place during and throughout the assembly process. This is complemented by regular production audits by Subaru. Some of the unique features of the plant include a test track, which is specially built to assess the condition of every car before they leave the factory. The robust quality control procedures ensure that every car produced at TCSAT is safe, comfortable, and reliable.
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Subaru XV GT Debuts at the MIAS 2019 Motor Image Pilipinas Inc., the exclusive distributor of Subaru vehicles in the Philippines, unveils the Subaru XV GT Edition on the first day of the 2019 Manila International Auto Show at the World Trade Center. The special edition of the popular crossover vehicle is considered to be a ground-breaking collaboration with engineering company Giken Co. Ltd. and Masahiko "Jack" Kobayashi, former chief designer and head of Global Advanced Design Studio at Subaru Corp. Kobayashi was responsible for the exterior design of more than 12 Subaru production models including the popular WRX STI. The special edition XV aero kit has four well-made and integrated elements, which give the already sporty XV a sleeker and even sportier look than before: front bumper lip extension with integrated canards, side skirts, roof spoiler, and rear bumper extension. These features will be complemented by a set of 18-inch bespoke alloy wheels. It also boasts its own carpets and seat leather design inspired by the cabins of high-performance grand tourers from Britain and Germany. Completing the equipment package of the Subaru XV GT Edition is a dual side-view monitor system, which enables drivers to park and maneuver with ease. This iteration of the XV will be a game-changer for Subaru in the country as it caters to Filipinos' preference for dynamic and sporty vehicle features. Filipinos expect their vehicles to be in good form and function to suit the "ready-for-anything" lifestyle. Consumers will elevate the fun in driving with the XV GT as it combines Motor Image's in-depth understanding of the market, Kobayashi's expertise, as well as Giken's experience and Japan-standard production in Southeast Asia. "Motor Image worked with Giken and Mr. Kobayashi because they share our enthusiasm for design and creating fun and exciting products," said Glenn Tan, deputy chair and managing director of Tan Chong International, owner of Motor Image Pilipinas.
Subaru Opens New BGC Showroom Subaru opened the doors to their newest showroom in April of 2019. The new showroom, situated across SM Aura in BGC, is one of the first in the country to have the same AR and VR experience the Tan Chong group is bringing to Subaru showrooms all across the region. Customers can enter the store to view an interactive AR display showing off the features of a number of Subaru vehicles, see the cars in the metal, or enter a virtual showroom where select models of Subaru’s lineup can be experienced firsthand, down to sitting in the driver’s seat and experiencing the interior. The showroom also offers Subaru-branded merchandise, from jackets, bags, automotive accessories, and parts. Tan Chong International Ltd’s own deputy chair, Glenn Tan was present at the opening, saying that the goal was to offer a delightful experience to the customers, from the time they step onto the showroom floor, until they drive home a happy Subaru owner.
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May 2019
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Yamaha and New Nemar Open Revzone Lipa
Yamaha, together with motorcycle dealer New Nemar, recently inaugurated a new Revzone in Lipa, Batangas city. Taking design cues from Yamaha’s YZone flagship shop in Manila, Revzone Lipa offers state-ofthe-art amenities in a sophisticated space made for the convenience of customers. Highlighted in the shop are Yamaha’s big bikes along with a comprehensive lineup of the brand's current offerings. While their bikes are in the service area, clients can chill at the lounge area on the second floor. The grand launch was attended by YMPH president, Toru Osugi, New Nemar president Ichu Cadiz, and New Nemar vice president Eric Cadiz. The occasion was also graced by two former YMPH presidents, Yoshiaki Takeda and Takeshi Yano, both of which were instrumental in Yamaha’s growth in the Philippines alongside New Nemar since their first shop opened in 2008. To celebrate the opening, the brand held a Yamaha Big Bike Night for riders in the area. Yamaha’s continued expansion in the country is part of its efforts to make the brand within every Filipino’s reach. With the opening of Revzones across the Philippines, Yamaha gets closer to its goal of giving the best experience to its customers.
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Yamaha Philippines Holds the First Leg of Sight Safe Run Motortrade and Yamaha Motor Philippines recently held the first leg of the Yamaha Sight Safe Run for 2019 in Cainta. The second year of the said program has produced a recordbreaking performance in terms of efficiency. Francis Rivera, the president of Adventure Team Philippines, shared his experiences in leading a group that promotes local tourist destinations through sports activities. Together with his group, he advocates the protection of wildlife and eco-tourism in the country. This year's Safe Run route enables riders to roam around and enjoy the breathtaking scenery of the province while meeting outstanding fuel efficiency. All riders used the edgy Yamaha Sight that is powered by a fuel-injected engine that gives high performance and better acceleration in every ride. Among its other features include a disc brake for better braking force, 9 liter compartment, and a roller rocker arm mechanism that reduces vibration. The ride started at the Yamaha 3S Shop in Ortigas going to Motortrade Tanay branch. From Tanay, the riders continued to go to Petron Lumban which is approximately 82.8 km from the point of origin. The route ended at the Petron CDV Ortigas where they covered a total distance of 164 km. Recording remarkable fuel efficiency, the Yamaha Sight Safe Run lasted for 4 hours and 49 minutes. The top 3 finishers from the run are Victor Dagaas (110 km/L), Reymart Dumandan (103 km/L), and Marlon Aloba (101.23 km/L). Members of the media also joined the race. Lance Ruiz from Driven2RidePH recorded a total 94.29km/L, placing him at the top spot while Ricci Abrina got 88.71km/L. Alex Alo of Lifestyle on Wheels lands on third place with 77.10 km/L.
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May 2019
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Shell Introduces New Roster of Brand Ambassadors Pilipinas Shell recently presented its newest brand ambassadors at the Manila House in Bonifacio Global City. One of the most influential celebrities in the country today, Maine Mendoza, is the new face for Shell FuelSave. Even before rising to fame, Shell has always been a part of in her life as her family owns a number of Shell dealerships. Now that she drives around the city a lot, she only has one go-to fuel. “I’ve always been practical, and I always go for the smart option. I recommend Shell FuelSave because it’s so fuel efficient that I can navigate traffic with no worries,” she shared. Launched with a new formulation last year, Shell FuelSave has DYNAFLEX Technology designed to help improve engine efficiency. Second on the list is prominent actor and travel show host Drew Arellano. A biyahero for life, Drew is a member of the popular BrapPack, a group of driven, outdoorsy men who bond over long motorbike rides in and out of the city while promoting road safety. His fuel of choice is Shell V-Power, the brand's best-ever premium gasoline with boosted DYNAFLEX Technology designed to deliver both performance and efficiency. “I definitely need reliable performance on the road and that's why I use Shell V-Power," said Drew. "Since I started using it, I've never had problems--whether I’m going on long bike rides with my buddies or just simply cruising around with my family in our SUV” . Apart from offering world-class, high-quality fuels, the company is also committed to supporting several advocacy programs, such as road safety and environment sustainability. Aligned with the same goals, Nico Bolzico is proud to be a Shell ambassador. He also pointed out how he was impressed with Shell's various partnerships with Plastic Bank and its role in the Global Road Safety Partnership Philippines (PGRSP). Nico also recalled how his father recommended Shell to him when he was just starting out driving in Argentina. “Shell has always been dedicated to ensuring that we have the best-fitting fuels range for motorists,” declared Mark Malabanan, Shell V-Power brand manager. "We are happy to have Maine, Drew, and Nico as our newest ambassadors because they are living testaments to what our brand stands for and the value we can give to our customers.” Shell continues to power progress through more and cleaner energy solutions that focus on delivering quality products while advocating safety and social responsibility on its 105 years in the Philippines.
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The All-New Suzuki Swift Media Drive Goes to Historic Bataan
The country’s motoring media got the chance to test the all-new Suzuki Swift’s mettle through a drive to Bataan.
through the Spanish colonial era-designed houses of Las Casas provided a refreshing sight not to be missed.
director and general manager for Automobile Keiichi Suzuki welcomed the media drive participants with a speech.
The two-day test drive, which happened on March 28 and 29, put the motoring media behind the all-new Suzuki Swift’s wheel. Boasting outstanding performance and quality craftsmanship in a compact chassis, the drive to the scenic Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar was nothing but pleasant.
The drive kicked off at Suzuki Caloocan, followed by a three- hour journey to this north of Manila destination. The Swift demonstrated its fuel efficiency, powerful performance, and advanced safety features as it navigated NLEX and bumpy roads of Bataan.
“Since its launch in 2018, the all-new Suzuki Swift has been receiving good response, and this media test drive is another proof of the Swift’s reliable performance on the road. It is also a testament to our ability to keep up with the changing needs of Filipino drivers, especially the millennial market. The Swift continues to evolve to offer our young Filipino drivers a richer driving experience. This is another way we reach out to more Filipinos and share with them the Suzuki Way of Life,” he said.
Powered by a 1.2-liter engine, the Suzuki hatchback features zippy performance and a youthful vibe yet sporty exterior. Driving it
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What made the drive an excellent experience was Swift’s GL grade features, which contributes to solid footing. This made easy work of the rough roads of Bagac, Bataan. Suzuki Philippines
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Skydrive Sport Campus Hangout Comes to Silliman University
Suzuki brings the trendy Skydrive Sport closer to the youth with its Campus Hangout at Silliman University. With more and more people discovering the convenience and benefits of traveling on two wheels, Suzuki has made it their mission to keep these young riders safe on the road by imparting to them the basics of riding a motorcycle, the fun way. The Suzuki Skydrive Sport Campus Hangout is part of this initiative. Launched at the scenic Silliman University in the city of Dumaguete, the first in the series
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of Campus Hangouts was greeted with a tremendous response. In partnership with GUD Moto Trading, Inc., the Campus Hangout kickstarted with a Learn to Ride Program and Safety Riding Seminar facilitated by the Suzuki Safety Riding Authority. The venue was also filled with activities students got to enjoy. The ‘hangout’ included games, photobooth with Suzuki motorcycles, freedom wall, as well as a Mural Design Making contest that allowed students to express their creativity. Capping off the event hosted by Sarah
Carlos, Dani Gaston, and Arky Tabanas was a performance by Silliman University’s very own Samuel Akinbode & WillFreedo. Suzuki also held a Skydrive Sport Campus Dance Challenge and Suzuki Fashion and Style Show. The Millenial Trio JBK and Urbandub also entertained the crowd. Suzuki also donated two Suzuki Skydrive Sport motorcycles to the university. The Suzuki Skydrive Sport is a stylish scooter powered by a 113cc, 4-stroke single cylinder air-cooled, fuelinjected SOHC engine that produces 8.5-Nm of torque at 6,000 rpm. It is available in black, pink, and matte silver and retails for PHP 67,900.
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Suzuki Philippines Inc. Announces New President Mr. Hiroshi Suzuki, the president of Suzuki Philippines, Inc., has announced that his tenure has come to a close after six extremely successful years of taking the Suzuki brand to greater heights than ever before. Mr. Suzuki, known for his extremely vibrant personality, and his love of the stage, will be returning for a new assignment in Japan, and will be succeeded by Mr. Akira Utsumi, starting May 1, 2019. Prior to his appointment to the Philippines, Mr. Utsumi was assigned as the President of Suzuki Indonesia and most recently, of Suzuki Taiwan. His extensive work experience in the automobile, motorcycle, and marine industry adds up to the company’s confidence in the continuous growth of the Suzuki brand in the Philippines.
PIAA Relaunches in the Philippines PIAA is a brand that most car enthusiasts are familiar with. Here in the Philippines, it is mostly known for its light bars and round lights mounted on off-road vehicles. To introduce motorists to their full product line-up, PIAA recently relaunched the range of lights, wipers, and horns. LIGHTS The newest headlights from PIAA are the Hyper Arros 4000K LED Bulb Kit. Suitable for all-weather use, the warmer tone of the 4000K LED offers clearer vision in inclement weather and difficult road conditions. The conversion kit is plug and play, even for older cars fitted with traditional halogens, as a pair of ballasts are also included in the box. Moreover, since PIAA LED bulbs are engineered to Japanese lighting regulations, they produce a bright focused light with a brilliant cut line to prevent blinding glare to oncoming vehicles. The Hyper Arros 4000K LED Bulb Kit is available for various bulb sizes. PIAA has a full line of driving lights, replacement bulbs, and conversion kits to make it easy to make the switch from your factory-installed lamps to any of its PIAA LED, halogen, or HID lights for both improved visibility and a more distinctive presence on the road. SILICONE WIPERS Wipers may be the last thing on our minds in this scorching summer www.gadgetsmagazine.com.ph
weather, but we all know that with our twoseason climate, torrential downpours are to be expected. PIAA’s silicone wipers offer not only better value as silicone rubber is more durable and thus lasts longer than regular rubber wipers, they also ensure improved visibility since the silicone compound coats the windshield for better water beading and quieter operation. The PIAA wiper range includes the Aero Vogue, with an aero cover to maximize down force for even pressure across the windshield; the SiTech comes in a multi-clip package for diverse applications; and the Super Silicone, which is a traditional blade with super silicone rubber.
HORNS PIAA wants you to not only be seen, but heard, with its range of performance horns. One of its new products is the OTO Style Horn which delivers an attention-grabbing 112 dB of sound. Its water- and dust-proof design makes it perfect not just for automobiles but for motorcycles as well. Its slim design makes it easy to fit, and it has been tested to have a longer life span than the European ECE standard. Meanwhile, the PIAA Slender Horn is only 39.8 mm thin. Despite its slim size, it still produces a powerful 112 dB dual tone sound. It is suitable for one and two terminal cars. May 2019
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Honda Unveils the All-New Brio
Just last month, Honda Cars Philippines, Inc. unveiled the latest addition to its stable of vehicles. The All-new Honda Brio is the brand’s entry to the A-Segment passenger car category and one that is a welcome addition to the Honda lineup. Featuring sporty, yet undeniably practical styling, the second-generation Brio brings the signature Honda ride to even more consumers. The concept behind the Allnew Brio was the intention to improve core aspects of the vehicle. Larger and roomier than the previous generation, it
sees a 60mm increase to its wheelbase, and a 90mm longer cargo area. This gives the little car a surprising amount of room for passenger comfort, as well as additional trunk space for larger items, all the while retaining the great mobility of a compact body size. Its exterior is low, sleek, and sporty, differentiating it from other vehicles in its segment. The sporty front, and honeycomb grille, as well as multireflector halogen headlights, and LED parking light guides, make for a little car
that’s not devoid of character. The heart of the All-new Brio is a 1.2-liter powerplant mated to either a 5-speed manual transmission for the 1.2s MT, or CVT, for the 1.2 V CVT, all the way up to the 1.2 RS Black Top Navi CVT. Until June 2019, the All-new Brio will be offered at the following introductory prices: 1.2 RS Black Top Navi CVT - PHP 732,000 1.2 RS Navi CVT - PHP 727,000 1.2 V CVT - PHP 646,000 1.2 S MT - PHP 585,000
Nissan Philippines Appoints New President Nissan Philippines recently announced the appointment of Atsushi Najima as the new president and managing director, overseeing local operations starting April 2019. Mr Najima will be in charge of growing Nissan’s business in the Philippines, and further increasing sales in line with the brand’s M.O.V.E. strategy. Mr Najima takes the helm from outgoing president Ramesh Narasimhan, who increased the brand’s market share by 40 percent during his time in Manila. Mr Najima joined Nissan in 2016, as part of the regional financial management group based in Japan.
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The 15th Manila International Auto Show Ignites One-of-a-kind Automotive Experience
Chevrolet announces the local availability of its muscle car, the all-new Camaro now powered with a 2.0-liter DOHC VVT direct injection turbo engine.
Kia Philippines brings its most exciting offering to date, the sports sedan Stinger.
The Auto Nation group unveils the 2019 Jeep Compass, a compact SUV with off-road capabilities.
Subaru releases a sportier version of its crossover hatchback vehicle, the XV GT edition.
Marking the 15th year of the premier automotive expo in the country, the recently concluded Manila International Auto Show allows car enthusiasts to “Experience Fun and Function” to a whole new level. Setting it apart from other auto shows are its top-notch event highlights that allow visitors to truly immerse in various automotive and motoringrelated activities. Opening the first day of the trade presentation is a kick-off ceremony spearheaded by guest speakers Gus Lagman, president of the Automobile Association of the Philippines, and assistant secretary of the Department of Transportation Goddes Hope Libiran. Along with them are Worldbex Services International’s key executives; Joseph Ang, Levi Ang, Arch. Francisco Flameño Jr., Jill Aithnie Ang, Rene Ramos, Tessie Roque, Alvin Uy, Jason Ang, and Ulyssess Ang. Among the much-awaited highlights at MIAS 2019 are various car club and monster truck displays for those with a penchant for big trucks or are looking to upgrade their business trucks and commercial vehicles for newer and better models, miniature die-cast
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car collection gallery, and automotive launches from top international brands. Among the brands present during the four-day car show are Jeep, Kia, Chevrolet, Hyundai, MG, Ford, Subaru, and Suzuki. Guinness World Record Holder Russ Swift also returns to the stage with his exhilarating stunt performances made possible by his trusty Subaru cars. Another event that car enthusiasts looked forward at this year’s MIAS is the Classic Car Competition, presented with Petron, which featured over a hundred entries of restored classic cars. Meanwhile, those who are looking to buy a new car or simply want to experience what it’s like to ride the latest car models, were able to test drive some of the vehicles displayed outside the main hall of the World Trade Center. The 2019 Manila International Auto Show is organized by Worldbex Services International for the benefit of the ABSCBN Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation Inc.
-Automotive manufacturer MG unleashes its entry into the compact, 5-door segment-- the 2019 MG-6.
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Hyundai Combines Rock Music and Technology at MIAS 2019
Automotive manufacturer MG unleashes its entry into the compact, 5-door segment-the 2019 MG-6.
The 2020 Hyundai Palisade at the 2019 Manila International Auto Show
Hyundai Asia Resources Inc., the official distributor of Hyundai passenger and commercial vehicles in the Philippines, has recently unveiled two new offerings at the 2019 edition of Manila International Auto Show held at World Trade Center. With the company’s concept of "Rockology" for their booth, a clever term for Rock Music and Technology, it continues to rock the industry by developing cutting-edge innovations that allow customers to experience fun and function in their vehicles. Among its 2019 lineup of cars is the brand’s flagship SUV, the Hyundai Palisade. Creating synergy between aesthetics and performance, the 7-seater SUV is powered by a 2.2-liter CRDi e-VGT GLS engine mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission. The 2020 model of the Palisade offers Hyundai’s HTRAC All-WheelDrive (AWD) System that optimizes traction over diverse road surfaces, a dial-type HTRAC Multi-Terrain Control for better driving modes over the roughest terrain or along city streets with equal ease, runs on four 20-inch alloy wheels, employs Advance High Strength Steel 54
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(AHSS) in key suspension and crash areas for increased tensile-strength and lighter overall vehicle weight, and Around-View Monitor with Blind Spot Collision Warning that is activated whenever the turn signal is on. It comes with a spacious cargo room that can carry up to 509 liters, a powerful 10.25-inch touchscreen, infotainment system car entertainment system with a 10.25 -inch screen, seven USB ports (six for charging and one multimedia terminal), wireless charging system, nine safety airbags, as well as heated and ventilated seating with lumbar support for the driver. The electric version of the brand’s crossover SUV--the Hyundai Kona EV--also makes its debut in the auto show. Bound to bring efficient and invigorating drive, the electric car is engineered with a Permanent Magnet Synchronous Electric Motor that has a maximum power of 204ps and maximum torque of 40.3 kg-m. It is powered by a lightweight, lithium-ion polymer battery that runs up the vehicle up to 415 kilometers. The
Hyundai Kona EV has numerous safety features on board. These include Electronic Stability Control that automatically assists drivers in maintaining control of the vehicle during extreme steering maneuvers, Hill-Start Assist which prevents the car from accidentally rolling backward whenever the brake pedal is released on a terrain, Tire Pressure Monitoring System that prevents accidents due to under or over inflated tires, Reverse Parking Assist System, Blind Spot Detection, Cruise Control, Tire Pressure Monitoring System, Electronic Parking Brake, and six airbags to protect passengers from side collisions and rollover events. To make it more futuristic, the car boasts electricfolding side mirrors, high-mount stop lamp, four 17-inch alloy wheels, unique closed-off front grille, wireless charging system for mobile devices, and a 7-inch display that provides the clear and precise information of the vehicle. The 2020 Hyundai Palisade and the Kona EV is now available at authorized Hyundai dealerships for PHP 3,240,000 and PHP 2,388,000. www.gadgetsmagazine.com.ph
Honda Opens Three Flagship Shops Honda Philippines Inc. (HPI) opened three new flagship stores in key locations in Batangas recently. The motorcycle manufacturer hopes to serve more customers in the south. The shops feature showroom areas that will feature the latest models and the bestselling motorbikes. Well-trained mechanics are available for consultations and other concerns at the service and maintenance areas. Elite Motorbikes Sales Corp. opened its second flagship shop along Maharlika Highway, Barangay Sta. Anastacia, Sto. Tomas, Batangas. Open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day except Sundays with Adelio Astudillo as the branch manager. Du Ek Sam Inc. opened its second flagship shop along the National Highway in Barangay Daro, Dumaguete City. Considered as the "motorcycle capital of the Philippines," the Dumaguete branch is managed by Bernadette Aragones with store hours is from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Mondays-Saturdays. Motorista Inc. inaugurated its first flagship shop along Maharlika Highway, Mulawin 1, Bitas Cabanatuan City. Jeffrey Santos oversees the store operations, which is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day except Sundays.
Mitsubishi Motors Philippines hits 1-Million Unit Sales in 2019 Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp. (MMPC) takes pride as it announces its 1 million-unit sales milestone this year. The company has been logging various milestones in its history books and this particular achievement is deemed to be a highly memorable one. It has been operating for over 55 straight years as an automotive manufacturing plant and distributor which remained in the country even in times of economic difficulties. Through the unwavering commitment of all its past and present employees, dealers, suppliers and loyal customers this new milestone was realized. MMPC is so grateful and very fortunate that its products remain to be one of the leading and trusted brands in the country since then. “Mitsubishi Motors Philippines has been selling top quality vehicles to the Filipino people for more than five decades," said Mutsuhiro Oshikiri, president and CEO. "This unprecedented record withstood the test of time which brought us to where we are today.�
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In a related event, MMPC also salutes the government, particularly the Department of Trade and Industry Board of Investment for their continued support for the growth of the automotive industry which developed several small and medium-sized enterprises and other related industries which highly contributed to the growth of the economy. The company shall
keep pace its world-class manufacturing plant capable of producing export quality vehicles that will further boost the Philippine economy. As MMPC surpassed its millionth unit sales, the company eagerly looks forward to bringing new and exciting vehicles designed to meet the needs of the Filipino people.
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GADGETS GAMING LAB
Publisher: Disney Interactive Studios Inc. Platform: Disney Interactive Words by Daniel Ringon
May the Force be with you. With these words, an entertainment giant was born. Starting out as the third movie from then-upcoming director George Lucas, Star Wars has come a long way. The franchise is responsible for a sizeable chunk of popular culture, embedding itself to at least a memory or two in our childhoods. From movies to television, action figures to video games, there are almost no form of media that Star Wars has not yet entered. There are even Christmas specials and lawn ornaments!
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The lasting appeal of the force-empowered Jedi and Sith, as well as the constant struggle for freedom of the Rebel Alliance from the Galactic Empire (or in the new trilogy’s case, the Resistance from the First Order) has brought several generations together. From Luke to Rey, Vader to Kylo Ren, Boba Fett to Jar Jar Binks (well, maybe not Jar Jar), there’s always something for everybody. May the Force be with You Star Wars Commander aims to do the same. A mobile strategy game by NaturalMotion Games, inserts you into the galactic friction starting out as an unnamed mercenary. Given a choice between serving the Emperor and fighting for freedom, you will be granted control of several types of units, vehicles, and eventually, heroes to fight with. As players proceed with the campaign, they will begin gaining favor in their new position, being given newer and better items and stats for the cause. Throughout the course of the campaign, you will be taught the basics of warfare. from training your troops and building vehicles to upgrading your units and buildings. While in PVP, such is the case with real-time strategy games, the basic aim of the game is to survive throughout waves of incoming enemies. It
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is always a treat seeing Darth Vader lead his stormtroopers and turret-crushing AT-ATs to raid enemy camps as much as it does to see Chewbacca and his rebels wipe enemy resources clean. Join the Dark Side or Die For a movie series incomplete without robots of various sizes, blasters, lightsabers, and the Force, sound effects are imperative. The game fulfills expectations with movie accurate sound effects from the chiming of passing X-Wing Fighters to the *choom-choom* of every AT-AT blast making you feel like you are in the game dodging storm trooper fire and discreetly avoiding Darth Vader’s path. Speaking of storm troopers and Darth Vader, like most strategy games, teams are given various types of units, namely: the infantry, vehicles, ships, and heroes. Each type of unit has variations on their movement speed, attack damage, and hit points as well as a priority target. Infantry is the standard attack unit. Among them are the standard storm troopers, scout troopers, rebel soldiers and wookie warriors among a number of variations on the theme. Vehicles, are mostly the land mobile units seen in the movies, TV series, and comics
such as AT-ATs, AT-STs, AATs, and hailfire droids. Vehicles offer more protection than infantry units but cost as much especially when it comes to unit capacity. Mercenaries, are the units you would find in Jabba’s palace. They can be used as infantry but they cost much more given their special attacks. Gammorean guards, Twi’lek incinerators, and Drabatan saboteurs are among their number. Lastly, the heroes. These are special units that have increased stats and are usually unique characters namely, Luke, Han, Chewbacca, R2D2, and Leia for the rebels, and three special vehicle units (Veteran AT-ST, AT-MP Mark III, and Elite AT-AT) along with a Royal Guard, and Darth Vader represent the empire. Gameplay remains the same as normal strategy games. Players get to strengthen their bases as their main building gets higher in level. This then, unlocks new upgrades for units and buildings, as well as unlocking new units. PVP mode enables you to attack players from opposing factions. Overall, Star Wars Commander, though just a rehash of the old strategy game, deserves credit for exerting effort to immerse players in the world of the franchise. Reliving the thrills of the intergalactic battle between the Rebel Alliance and the Galactic Empire has never been this good on a smartphone.
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GAMING
Words by Mia Carisse Barrientos Developer: Chucklefish Limited Platform: iOS and Android (PHP 399)
They say that farm living is better than any other kind of life. Imagine relaxing at the patio overlooking crops raring to be harvested, while homegrown critters run free across lush pasture. This is the good life you’ll get on Stardew Valley, albeit digitally. The hit indie farming RPG that had many trading bedtime for tending livestock and growing crops has officially come to mobile.
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The premise of the game is the same as its PC and console counterparts. Tired of your desk job, you travel to Pelican town and settle in the farm you have inherited from your grandfather. Making use of worn out tools, you, little by little and through nuggets of wisdom from the townspeople, work to give yourself the best life. The game sees you do farm work throughout four seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter. You have to lookout for which crops grow best for each season, make infrastructural adjustments as your farm grows, feed and provide comfortable shelter for the animals, and learn skills such as farming, mining, and crafting materials, all these on top of keeping good relationships with the people of Pelican town. While it seems a lot of work, Stardew Valley has managed to create an addicting gameplay that would make you want to do more. It retains its calming soundtrack as well as the colorful 16-bit graphics, but is now tailored for smartphone screens. Going about the farm life has been made easy with tap and drag controls. Everything’s optimized for playing on the go. Doing tedious tasks such as watering crops have become more intuitive: just tap the watering can icon, tap the crop that needs to be watered, and repeat. Moving items from your personal inventory to the shipping bin also feels more natural than it is on PC as you just tap and drag. Another new feature in the mobile version is the option of moving your toolbar from the bottom of the screen to side, vertically so you could see more of your farm. When exploring the mines, players have the option to activate the auto attack mode. What this does is when you have your weapon equipped and hostile critters such as slimes are nearby, the character automatically goes into combat mode and attacks the enemies, reducing work on the players end. Meanwhile, if you need to purchase seeds and materials or sell produce, you will no longer be required to tap as many times as the intended quantity with the new slider menu. Just slide to the amount you need to sell or purchase, and you’re done. One thing that’s missing, however, is the co-op mode. The highly-raved feature, which allows you to farm with real-life friends, is sadly not available in the mobile version. But since Stardew Valley mobile has just been released this year, it is not impossible for a multiplayer mode to be rolled out as an update anytime soon. With Stardew Valley available online and offline, you can farm your heart out, be closer to defeating Joja Corporation, and restore Pelican town’s former glory anytime, anywhere.
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GAMING
Words by Jose Alvarez Developer: Limbic Entertainment Publisher: Kalypso Media Platform: PC, macOS, Linux, SteamOS, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
The popular phrases “the man is keeping me down” and “stick it to the man” have been around for approximately 100 years, with its true popularity rising around the late 1960s and early 1970s. Resisting the government (either passively or openly) has always been popular. Protests have occurred in almost every country in the world to encourage change in the status quo. The People Power revolutions of 1986 and 2001 are examples close to home, as well as Occupy Wall Street in the United States and the Arab Spring in 2011. But what if, just for a minute, you were “the man” that you swore to resist?
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Tropico 6 is classified as a construction, management, and political simulation game rolled into one. While previous editions had you build your own tropical paradise on one island, you can now build across an entire archipelago. Developer Limbic Entertainment, which is well known for developing several Heroes of Might & Magic games, came up with the idea because eventually one would run out of room on just one island. This would allow Tropico players to utilize resources available on various islands. You start as El Presidente, and you can customize your character and presidential palace in a variety of ways. You can choose personality traits for your character which will affect the way El Presidente governs in the game. For instance, choosing to be manipulative will allow you to gain favors from foreign powers more easily. Unlike previous Tropico games, workers actually clock in and out of their jobs, allowing you to rule with an even greater iron fist than before. Much like SimCity, you have to provide infrastructure for your citizens to become productive members of society. You can set certain policies that favor foreign powers as well as local policies to better (or oppress) the people of Tropico. Each citizen belongs to a faction that you must keep happy, but all of them have different desires. For instance, the Communists favor policies that help the poor, while the Industrialists want to better their own profit-making businesses. Much like a real-
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life dictator, you can also undermine democracy. You can bribe certain individuals, rig elections, or even take out threats to your rule (and I don’t mean to lunch). On the other side of the coin, you can hold fair elections and make customizable campaign speeches even if you don’t intend to keep them. One of the biggest challenges in Tropico 6 is balancing the economy. Much like in real life, the economy is a very complex tool with various mechanisms that may turn even the most stable governments into disasters (some real-life examples include Venezuela or Zimbabwe). There are also missions that you should fulfill with various victory conditions. For instance, if you want crime to drop to virtually zero, you might need to max out your law enforcement budget and build police stations and other law enforcement structures all over your sprawling city. Some missions have interesting restrictions, such as not allowing you to build housing, or even basing your economy on fishing, oil, and tourism because there is no arable land. Tropico 6 provides great replay value, but finding the balance to keep Tropico stable is much like finding a work-life balance—it may be impossible to do so without sacrificing aspects of either your work or life. However, Tropico 6 keeps the great sense of humor that made past Tropico games enjoyable. If you like games where you can play God or just have the power and control you’ve always wished for, Tropico is the game for you.
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GAMING
Words by Ren Alcantara Developer: Saber Interactive Publisher: Focus Home Interactive Platform: Microsoft Windows (reviewed), Playstation 4, Xbox one
Some might say that the whole zombie craze has jumped the shark. As much as I ove the genre, I’m inclined to agree. Gaming in particular saw a massive explosion of zombiethemed titles until fairly recently, so it got tiring very fast. There is however, one series that people seem to keep returning to, despite its age, and that’s Left For Dead. Something about the game’s mood, pacing, and general feel has gamers returning to it now and again. One of the greatest frustrations of FPS gamers everywhere was the third installment of the L4D franchise that never arrived. As far as publisher, developer, or even theme is concerned, World War Z has nothing to do with L4D, but spiritually, it’s the Left for Dead game we never got, and then some.
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World War Z takes heavy inspiration from the Brad Pitt movie that came out in 2013, which itself sort of kind of got some ideas from the Max Brooks book of the same title. This puts the players in one of several episodes located throughout the zombie-overrun world. You get to visit New York, Moscow, Jerusalem, and Tokyo, each with its own set of objectives to complete. To be fair, the devs try to make the story worthwhile, including snippets of dialogue, scenario elements, and occasionally even NPCs to push the narrative forward, but really, in a zombie shooter such as this, the story takes a back seat to the undead-killing action. And man, it does have undead-killing action.
on the map, can be found and used to help your four-person squad overcome the impressive flood of zombies that will inevitably make their way to you. Each chapter ends with defending against a swarm, and seeing zombies wash over shipping containers, cars, and buildings is an awesome sight. It’s just like in the movie, with zombies tripping over each other, forming massive pyramids to climb over walls and make a snack of your pancreas. Special zombies are, of course, part of the horde you’ll be fighting. There’s the tough Bull, toxic gas bag (a zombie in a HazMat suit), and ever-annoying creeper that pins you down from the shadows. If these seem like the Tank, Boomer, and Lurker from L4D, that’s because they basically are, and we’re fine with that.
The game is so much more than a straight, extremely well-done clone of L4D. Firstly, there are more weapons available. From pistols, to SMGs, shotguns, and differnt rifles, there is enough hardware here to at least get the attention of your average gun nut. There are even three tiers of weapons per type, and heavy weapons on top of those. Each weapon has an XP bar that you fill up through use, unlocking upgrades for each as you do so. Upgrades can then be purchased with supplies awarded to your character at the end of each chapter. The last level of each weapon is significantly better than the starter version, so it’s worth spending time unlocking upgrades to buy.
To mix things up a bit, different classes are also available to suit individual play styles. Each class has unlockable abilities that you can purchase, much in the same manner as weapons, the only difference is you can only choose a set number of skills to activate before the start of each episode. Some abilities are common across classes, while some are class-specific. It’s best to talk to the members of your squad so you can all run synergies among your individual skills, making for a more effective zombie-killing team. The last customizable feature is being able to choose your character, but that’s purely cosmetic, and won’t affect gameplay.
In addition, equipment, such as throwables, better ammo, health kits, and defense kits that can be placed at pre-determined spots
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Co-op campaign mode is every bit as fun as L4D, with players rushing to set points while hunting for better gear, and fighting hordes, ending in static defense until you can leave the map. It’s plenty of fun, and will have you and up to three
other friends frantically running and gunning. Should you get tired of that mode, there’s one other thing that makes the game great, and possible what will make this game totally different from L4D: competitive multiplayer. The competitive multiplayer mode, which I’ll just call multiplayer for simplicity, pits your team against another team of warm bodies, on top of the zombie threat that is out to destroy you all. Different modes are also available, including straight deathmatch with zombies, king of the hill with zombies, and a supply hunt with zombies. This adds a very interesting layer to the game, and might be the thing that makes this game explode. In light of the superb multiplayer experience, single player almost seems like bonus content. There are even more classes in multiplayer than campaign co-op, and each class brings something relevant to the table, at least in the form of different weapon loadouts. Gameplay is even more intense in multiplayer, as gunfights trigger zombies, adding another thing to worry about. The game throws you into situations where you have to decide whether to cut and run, deal with the zombies, or forget them altogether and just deal with the humans instead. The pace doesn’t let up, so if you’re an adrenaline junkie, consider playing this game with some friends and see how your skills and squad comp stack up against others. In my opinion, this is the sole reason you’d go back to playing WWZ once you’ve finished the campaign, and it makes the USD 23 sticker price on the Epic store worth it.
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In January 2017, Razer bought the phone company Nextbit and launched a smartphone that carries a price tag of USD $700 the same year. The now iconic three-headed neon green snake logo was born out of the confidence that it will disrupt the competition. This logo has become an indication or even an identification of a serious or professional gamer. Avid fans have the logo tattoo while rabid fans who genuinely admire Tan have his face tattooed in different parts of their body. In a post on LinkedIn in 2017, Tan reiterated that Razer is “not a peripherals company, not a laptop company but a company by gamers for gamers.”
Words by Marlet D. Salazar Always clad in an all-black casual ensemble, Min-Liang Tan, CEO of Razer, embodies a true-blooded gamer. It is his air of confidence when speaking about the brand and the products that develop that gives him away as the top company man who turned a startup up into a billion-dollar gaming empire. Tan is graduated from the National University of Singapore Law and was an attorney at Rajah & Tann law firm until he shifted career, much to the dismay of his parents. He comes from a family of professionals: doctors and lawyers. His father is a real estate consultant while his mother is a homemaker who raised four children. Tan is the youngest. Like many Singaporeans, he is fluent in English and Mandarin.
He said — albeit in jest — that one of the reasons the company has become known for its highperforming laptops, which many other brands are trying to emulate, is because “I just wanted a gaming laptop that I would use myself when I’m on the road.” The Razer Blade series has consistently hogged the top spot for best gaming laptops by gamers and technology journalists. In March, technology website TechCrunch reported that Razer forged a deal with Tencent, an investment holding company, so it can focus on mobile gaming. The partnership will allow Razer to optimize Tencent Games, PUBG and Fortnite, for its smartphones, mobile controllers, and its Cortex Android launcher app. Tan has visited the Philippines a couple of times in the past for product launches and even for
participating in gaming festivals. He said that it’s his way of showing support to the growing community of gamers in the country. A few years ago, Tan bought boxes of pizzas for fans waiting outside SM North Edsa to get the first glimpse of the first Razer store in the country. Tan’s commitment to advancing e-Sports led to a USD $2.4-million investment in Malaysia, of which he was widely criticized and accused of neglecting the industry in his own country. In news reports, he defended the move and said it was for the food of esports in the region. In 2012, Kotaku named Tan as one of the “Top 40 Most Powerful People in Video Games” while in 2013 Business Insider included him in the list of the “25 Most Creative People in Tech.” In 2015, Tech in Asia named him as one of the “Top 30 Tech Founders in Southeast Asia. “ According to a report by Forbes, the gaming industry is a USD $130-billion industry alone and is consistently growing double digits. The proliferation of mobile gaming also opened doors for more recreational gamers that helped increase the number of players and enthusiasts. Razer started shipping to Asia and the United States and just a few years ago, it started shipping to Europe. Tan vows to continue innovating as long as there are gamers out there. “Because at the end of the day, we just want to do cool stuff,” Tan always said.
However, Tan has been a gamer since childhood, playing with his brother Min-Han. It was this passion, and innate entrepreneurial skills, that led him to solve one problem gamers had to deal with. He built the company from building a gaming mouse and officially founded Razer Inc. with Robert Krakoff in 2005 in San Diego, California. He took over the creative design director tasks as soon as he established the company and continues to oversee product development. The brand’s first gaming mouse is called “Razer Boomslang.” Today, Razer, the gaming hardware company, is worth USD $2.2 billion. It maintains headquarters in Singapore and San Francisco, California. The company is gradually expanding to software in addition to more hardware peripherals including keyboards. In March, Razer launched Razer Pay in Singapore for beta testing months after it first launched the mobile wallet in Malaysia. Tan claims that Razer is the first company to introduce the “true gaming laptop.”
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VISUAL SPACE
BEHIND THE SCENES: THE BRUSHSTROKE CREATIVE EXPERIENCE Words by Jewel Sta. Ana
When God showered creativity onto the world, most Filipinos caught it in buckets. Our ingenuity has always brought us to the international stage, opening endless possibilities and changing our perspective on things. Deviating from the stereotype of an artist, this full-scale print service provider shows that the artistry of Filipinos can spark revolutionary innovations that improve the quality of life, and generate income at the same time.
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Some of the company’s previous installations made for their clients
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Day Spa, Cinnabon, Aranáz, Rock Robins Design Studio Co., Heineken, Ajinomoto, and Bad Bird among others. From 20, the company now records a total of 150 employees this year.
Mary Sy, business development manager of Brushstroke Creatives, discusses the milestone of the company
In line with its commitment to achieve new heights , Brushstroke Creatives recently opened the doors to its new and expanded warehouse and showroom in Parañaque City. The launch gave an exclusive and interactive journey to the guests where they got to experience every single stage of the company’s production process. The Sakura digital laser engraver used for metal tumblers
equipment are the Easy Fabric Display System comprised of fabric-dressed frames that click and the B-lock which features aluminum frames that can be dressed in other materials. It has also introduced LED curtains, a new display system that is 70% transparent and is ideal for window display and event launches.
The company at a glance Established in 2005, Brushstroke Creatives is a full-scale print and cutting service provider operating under its sister company, Union Inks and Graphics Philippines Inc., which is itself known for manufacturing screen printing inks, reducers, related chemical solutions, and distribution of screen printing supplies. With 14 years of experience in the digital printing and cutting, it has been a creative force behind some of the most eye-catching and impressive installations as seen in various commercial spaces, events, and trade shows.
An operator shows how one of their printing machines work
On the other side of the warehouse is the showroom which houses vignettes of the company’s past projects, as well as installations of its various services. Inside, visitors get to see firsthand look at The Designery’s lounge area, award displays, wall accents, and LED curtain displays of Brushstroke Creatives.
A masterpiece in progress The first phase of the event was the company’s visual timeline wall where visitors saw its history and milestones in retrospect. Investment in state-of-the-art printing and cutting machines, as well as strict implementation of measures that advocates sustainable and eco-friendly printing, are the cornerstones for the success of the B2B service provider.
The ink mixing lab where they formulate the desired colors for the paint
Constantly pushing the boundaries in pursuit of infinite possibilities in the industry, the company produces various marketing and advertising collaterals such as window displays for various BPOs, real estate, interior design and architecture, food and beverages, and retail. Whether it’s a medium-sized acrylic logo or a large wall accent design, they can handle it. Brushstroke Creative’s roster of clients include top local and international brands like Uniqlo, PLDT, Smart, Rustan’s Supermarket, SM, Shopwise, Harlan & Holden, Sutherland Global Services, Robinsons, JPM, RCBC, Homme et Femme, Guess, Vista Land, Samsung, Happy Skin, All Day Supermarket, Ministop, Heima, Esencia
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Teams from Uniqlo and SM shared their experiences with the Brushstroke Creatives. To see the actual demonstrations of each machine and their finished outputs, the guests were given “tour tickets” which detailed each station, and toured around the facility. Among these cutting-edge
The portable fabric booth
Indeed, Brushstroke Creatives’ transition to a bigger warehouse is reflective of its growing status as a leading service provider in the field of innovative printing, cutting, and creative installations. In just a span of 14 years, the company received its ISO 2015 certification from SGS, opened a showroom in Mall of Asia, launched The Designery in Ortigas (a showroom dedicated to interior design), and received awards from other business entities.
Brushstroke Creatives’ staff demonstrates the fabrication of signages
Brushstroke Creatives is also a member of the Primer Group of Companies, a retail and distribution company of the world’s top and premium consumer brands.
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ARTIST CORNER
OLIVER BARCELON GET TO KNOW ME A graduate of Bachelor Fine Arts in Visual Communication from UP Diliman, currently working as a graphic designer.
SPECIALTY My work is inspired by Art Nouveau. I like working on the natural, such as botanicals and animals, because these beings cannot be made by artists. I believe nature is still the best artist, and I follow its path by trying to conjure their likeness with my own spin.
TOOLS OF THE TRADE I use acrylic paint and colored pencils.
NOTABLE WORKS I have joined a couple of group exhibitions. Most are in Intramuros and UP Start 101 Gallery.
TAKEAWAY It definitely feels great when people appreciate my works and when they tell me that it evokes their emotions. The act of painting itself is the most fulfilling part of the process.
@opbarcelon
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APPS
From left to right: J.Rowell L. Castello, management consultant of Araneta Center Inc.; Alexander Sporri, CEO and founder Piip Mobile AG; Hildegarde Maea Atger, vice president Strategic Business Development, Piip Mobile AG; and, John Castelo, SVP Business Development, Araneta Group of Companies
Piip Mobile Renews Partnership with The Araneta Group Piip Mobile, the go-to mobile application for the best location-based promos and deals, recently renewed its partnership with The Araneta Group, building on the trust, success, and opportunities that both brands have achieved together since 2017.
With the Araneta Center being declared a tourism district in Cubao by the Quezon City Government last January 2019, Piip also has a chance to contribute to the city’s tourism by granting “Piipsters” the chance to find the best promos and deals in the metro.
This renewed partnership entails more collaborations between the Araneta Group and Piip, following the successful engagements from 2018. Piip will continue to provide more support to Araneta Center merchants with the app proactively marketing their products and services, making them more visible to their target consumers.
“As we continue our partnership, we want to highlight how closely both Piip and the Araneta Group are working together in safeguarding the continued growth of both our businesses through various engagements and initiatives in the coming months,” said Piip Mobile AG, vice president for Strategic Business Development, Hildegarde Maea Atger. “We also want to communicate our gratitude to the Araneta Group for its trust in our brand and ingenuity that Piip is bringing to the Filipino market.”
“Araneta Center is happy to renew this collaboration with Piip in 2019,” said John Castelo, SVP for Business Development of The Araneta Group. “With an improved Piip app, we look forward to further working with them to give our lessees a robust platform to attract more customers. Piip provides a convenient platform for our growing number of tech-savvy customers who rely heavily on their mobile phones for their lifestyle choices. Piip allows our shoppers to enjoy features and promos suited to their needs and gives them an online tool to enjoy new discoveries. The Araneta Center and Piip’s partnership offers an innovative shopping experience and comes with a huge benefit to our lessees and loyal shoppers.” www.gadgetsmagazine.com.ph
The first Araneta Center merchant to be part of this Order Now feature is Pizza Hut. Now, Piipsters have an opportunity to order their favorite PAN Pizzas at a Piip of a button. Continuing its growth in Metro Manila, Piip Mobile is expanding beyond the borders of Quezon City as it is now available in Makati, Bonifacio Global City, and Eastwood. Merchants, including local small to medium businesses from these new locations, can now be seen in the Piip app which means Piipsters can enjoy more promos and deals. “These new locations reveal that there is a genuine interest in Piip from both merchants and consumers alike. As we move forward this 2019, we are working with different brands and other local SMEs to help make Piip’s service available in more key cities in Metro Manila,” Atger said.
As it pushes to innovate its services, Piip levels up its instant messaging feature by introducing to the market its newest Order Now feature. This helps consumers to directly communicate their delivery orders to merchants and receive a direct response from a member of the merchant’s staff as if they are speaking faceto-face. All they need to do is open their Piip Mobile app, tap on Order Now, select their restaurant of choice, and proceed with their transaction. “The way food delivery is done here in the Philippines is through calls, websites, and mobile apps, but what they lack is the ability to communicate directly,” Atger said. “While calls offer personal communication, it isn’t guaranteed that a consumer will be connected instantly. With Piip, we are changing the whole ordering and delivery dynamics and it’s all thanks to our Order Now feature. We offer a seamless way of ordering that is more convenient for both the consumer and the merchant, and with proper confirmation and documentation.” may 2019
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MUSIC CORNER
Words by Daniel Ringon
What does summer sound like? Is it the sound of waves crashing on the shore? The gentle breeze of rural air? How about the noise people make when they go on about the heat? Of course, like most abstract things, the sound of summer is what we want it to be. A night out with friends, a roadtrip with the windows down, staying in with the air conditioning on full blast, or sunset at the beach. Whatever mood you’re in, we’ve got four albums for you that’ll definitely cool you down during the summer!
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Nighttiming [2007] Artist: Coconut Records Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World star Jason Schwartzman chucks his evil ex-boyfriend swagger for an indie pop persona having released his debut album Nighttiming under the name Coconut Records. He had two albums since, and all through out, displays his penchant for quirky melodies. His music can be described as indie-pop mixed with disco-rock as he uses techniques from the 60s to 80s music to create his own tune. Top Pick: West Coast - Telling the ramblings of a person missing his significant other makes this song a bit on the sad side, but the melody takes stage as it features Coconut Records at its best.
Tourist History [2010] Artist: Two Door Cinema Club Another great import from Northern Ireland, Two Door Cinema Club’s debut album introduced what they would come to be known for: a mesh of dance punk and indie pop tunes. This year’s Wanderland guests got a taste of Two Door Cinema Club’s music, with dance-worthy songs with lyrics that punch and tunes that kick with energy. Top Pick: Undercover Martyn - With lyrics preaching to take a risk, the song is perrfect for a late night summer party anthem. You will find yourself heaedbanging and swinging with the combination of synth and guitar riffs as you sing along.
In Your Face & Other Songs About Other Faces Artist: Kai Honasan [2014] Starting out with the ukelele to accompany her quirky and lighthearted songs, Kai Honasan gained recognition for her live performances as a solo artist as well as her collaborations with other musical acts in the Philippines. Her solo album features seven songs talking about varying degrees of the social-puzzle known commonly as dating. Mixing heartbreaking and funny scenes with wit and musicality, Kai Honasan holds her own as a solo artist as well as part of a band. Fun Fact: Kai Honasan is also the new keyboardist and serves as vocals for the band Autotelic. Top Pick: This City - There’s really nothing else out there to beat the feeling of summer love. That feeling of being unstoppable and just painting the town red. The song covers it in spades with Kai and her signature sound. www.gadgetsmagazine.com.ph
Les Enfants EP [2013] Artist: Ezra Vine Debuting with an EP, Ezra Vine indulges in his own musical style filled with handclaps, hums, and a hefty serving of bass. This darling EP consists of five unique songs displaying the artist’s indie-folk sensibilities. Nuff said! Top Pick: Celeste - Telling the thoughts of a person drunk in love, the song accentuates the feeling even further with strings, hums, and claps.
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EVERYTHING APPLE
Words by Gerry Gaviola
Year after year we’ve been bobbing for the same apples— iPhones, iPads, Macbooks & Apple Watches. Setting turbulence to the barrel, Apple has recently announced new services set to make a wave in the upcoming months. Apple’s move to invest in services simply make sense. After years of successful
Years back, we’ve seen Apple Pay slowly make its way into implementation in several countries. Partnering with a series of banks, it allowed users to link their debit and credit cards to their phones, making payment transactions easier than ever. As the logic behind mobile payments go, it’s easier to transact with a phone, which is already always in people’s hands. So rather than pulling out a wallet, and fiddling to find cash, or specific cards— a simple yet tedious step when you’re in hurry— users could just bring our their phone and tap to pay, bringing a minute worth of transaction down to seconds. As the technology uses the NFC wireless technology to communicate with point of sale machines, it’s also made its way to the Apple watch as well, thus furthering convenience. You know a company is dead serious when it starts tapping financial institutions to partner with them. You know things are serious when suddenly, it’s not just fun, games, and entertainment in the picture. With the Apple Card, things about to change. As our devices get smarter with AI and machine learning, we’re blessed to see a lot more data about ourselves and our habits. The thing about the Apple Watch and the Health app that came along with it is that it collected relevant
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innovation and marketing, it’s gained a huge following. Here, there, and everywhere are Apple’s products. Already in the hands of billions, it’s safe to say that many have bought into the company’s ecosystem; owning multiple Apple products for unparalleled convenience alongside seamless continuity. There’s iMessage, Facetime, Apple Music, Apple Health and continuous software updates that make it possible for a person to start a task in one device and continue with the other. Apple
data about people’s lifestyle and habits thus encouraging them to live a better, healthier lives. Rational beings that we are, it makes sense for us to easier tweak, change, and correct our actions when presented with real concrete data. And that’s what Apple’s health technology did. People were presented with personalized data about calories, exercise stats, idle time, and whatnot, to give them a nudge to rehabilitate and improve on their health. The same approach goes for the Apple Card. Much of what the Apple Card is, is virtual. It lives in the Wallet app, and you sign up, and get approved in the app as well. Typical of Apple, it has used its existing services to leverage new ones. As Apple Card is tied to Apple pay, it could be used whenever one could use the former. Absent in the credit card are late, annual, international, and over-limit feed, but it’s important to note that since it still is, after all, a credit card, the interest is still there. But that’s where things get interesting, it is where Apple makes an effort in transparency and financial coaching. So we’ve seen numerous individuals get into fitness and health by getting motivated by fitness apps, and health monitoring bands. Then and
devices in itself do work, but it’s always the software, the soul of the devices, and the new services that come along with it that make the difference. As competing companies gain traction and arguably overtake Apple in terms of hardware innovation, the move of Apple to offer new services to please it’s existing consumers make sense. It is only but timely for Apple to disrupt the services industry.
now, Apple has remained a major game player in such a sense that overtime, they’ve developed significant coaching and motivational skills. Now, it seems as though they’re using a similar coaching approach to better cater to the financial services world. There are many things that come alongside Apple Card. At a glance it shows users how much they’ve spent and how much they actually owe, but with additional data. Bringing in categories, it shows users color-coded and parsed icons to show them the categories they’re most spending you money on, be it on food, transportation, shopping or what not. Adding to that are weekly and monthly summaries to give users an overview on what they’re spending their money on, and when. Given data on your spendings, wouldn’t it be only natural for you to reconsider better budgeting?
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And if that’s not enough, Apple offers more to aid the users in making payments. Alongside the Apple Card is financial coaching. There’s realtime help users can access via Apple’s
iMessage Business; there’s suggestions on biweekly and weekly payments to avoid heavy debts; and it also gives users a glimpse of how much interest they’ll be paying based on the payment option they choose. And, as with other
cards, there’s cashback offerings as well. Credit card business models have always been evil and unforgiving, especially for those who’ve gotten themselves in debt. It’s nice to know that Apple is making a consumer friendly effort to change things.
Every now and then, it’s good to have a rest and enjoy a good game. Apple Arcade is the company’s new subscription based gaming service that provides user access to hundreds of Apple exclusive games. But no, it’s not like Apple Music that gives you access to thousands of existing songs for an affordable monthly price. Apple Arcade is platform you’ll be able to go to to access all new, Apple exclusive games made by handpicked creators.
Launching new features this May, Apple’s new TV app will enable users to subscribe to individual streaming services right from the app itself. Once a person subscribes to a specific service or channel, they’re able to freely browse all the shows made by them. Alongside announcing content subscriptions, Apple TV+, a separate service, was also announced. The service will feature original content produced by Apple. The star-studded portion of Apple’s Spring event featured Oprah Winfrey, Steven
A typical person’s phone would probably contain pages and pages of subpar applications and games. Thousands of games are out there, but some really only create clutter. As Apple is working hand in hand with game developers, the approach strongly favors quality and value over quantity. Big names have already partnered with Apple such as Sega, Konami, and Will Wright, the maker of Simcity, so it’s interesting to see what will be put out come fall this year. Apple has yet to announce its price.
Spielberg, Reese Witherspoon, and many more who spoke about their upcoming productions. Although the Apple TV+ announcement was short on details, especially on pricing, Oprah aptly explained what it was really about, “They’re in a billion pockets, y’all. A billion pockets.” Referring to iPhone ownership, Oprah hints that it all matters because Apple has about a billion people it can market its new entertainment packages to.
Priced at USD 9.99 per month, Apple’s new subscription based news service, Apple News+, allows users to browse a series of news exclusives, and several magazines. Apple has mentioned that over 300 magazines will be participating, with major names such as Wires, National Geographic, and the Wall Street Journal.
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FEATURE
Words by Jewel Sta. Ana
Technology continues to innovate the way we live. With the arrival of smart devices in the consumer market, people have now become more productive and efficient. Putting this fact in a global scale, more and more countries are now adapting smart city solutions which makes urban areas a melting pot for culture, economic growth, and business. In this year’s Smart ICT Expo that was recently held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, we encountered a number of interesting solutions applicable for Southeast Asian countries that would further enhance city governance and the everyday lives of its citizens.
The 2-year old, Hong Kong-based company empowers people to stay connected. Playing along with its name, PowZlot is basically a vending machine of power banks. Its main panel can store up to 30 power banks, each of which has a maximum capacity of 6000 mAh. All you have to do is scan the QR code from the panel, input your credit or debit card details through its safe and secured platform, and rent the power bank for the whole day. You can easily get a charge to any of your mobile devices through its built-in micro-USB, type-C, or iOS cables, or NFC-enabled pad if you opt for wireless, fast charging. Some of their PowZlot panels are now deployed around the key areas in Hong Kong. To generate further income, the company also serves as a platform for advertisers who want to place ads to their panels.
It might be small, but this tiny chip manufactured by Remotec Technology LTD is a powerful piece of tech that does wonders. Commonly known as Linked by Conexum, this module makes ordinary appliances more intelligent. When used side by side with Conexum, its dedicated app that turns every smartphone into a universal remote for various appliances via infrared technology, the module enables
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offsite control and estimation of energy consumption. The app can control up to four appliances which varies from TVs and entertainment systems to projectors and cable boxes. Mainly for commercial automation, the module can only be installed by electrical professionals to appliances. Its cherry on top is its voice recognition via Amazon Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant, and built-in sensors that collect the user’s behavior.
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Developed by Hong Kong Information Security Academy for CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional) certification, the Cyber Range is a visual platform that simulates a whole city. It uses actual network equipment that keeps people to practice their technical and cybersecurity skills by defending it from external attackers. Profiles for educators and students are provided within the interactive environment to
know performance-based assessments for professional hacking, real-time feedback, and record proficiency. There are also other available online courses that students may learn through detailed videos. As a simulation of an actual city, it is used mainly for monitoring the ins and outs of a specific territory. This includes access to the highways, main roads, and alleys of the area. It is mainly divided into three categories: web security, infrastructure, and security.
Microsoft Hong Kong has worked with Hong Kong International Airport for the integration of multiple IoT sensors to their ground support equipment. This helps the airport crew to monitor and locate the exact location of the passengers’ baggage. The special sensors from the deployed dolly collects data in real time, and will then share it through the Microsoft Air Share, a cloud platform used by the airport administration, and flashes the information in the power bi dashboard. For easier detection, the program are embedded with search filters. Powered by machine learning, the dollies can easily predict the aircraft that
An AI company founded in Hong Kong, SenseTime boasts more than 700 clients around the world including top international brands like Qualcomm, NVIDIA, Honda, and Alibaba. Offering smart solutions mostly on academic institutions and public facilities, the company’s core technologies focuses on face and body detection, cloud computing, and deep learning. Among its products include the Access Control Pass that uses facial recognition for gate keeping, and the SenseStudy platform used for teaching simplified programming courses to students. The Sense U that are installed on department store kiosks, on the other hand, are interactive panels packed with revolutionary features like motion capture, facial recognition, and self-learning functions. It collects data from the consumers and predicts their gender, age, and emotions. For software developers, there’s the Sense
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will land an hour before in the runway which significantly helps the baggage handlers. Through an experiment, they also demonstrate the power of Microsoft’s AI technology and Azure Cloud to fully understand the continual flow of data. Using the case of John F. Kennedy’s leaked documents about his assassination, the company developed a new tool called Cognitive Search that gathers different kinds of data and presents it in a simpler way through image recognition. There are flow charts to see the relationship of one keyword to another, and shows a wide range of documents from words, images, and even handwritten notes and letters.
AR that helps combines virtual and augmented reality. It unleashes their creativity by providing software development kit within the engine and the platform, allowing the rendering of apps for a certain software package. This puts a leverage in AR and VR tech. Lastly, the most important infrastructure that powers all the functions of SenseTime’s products and services is its AI Supercomputing platform. Aesthetically developed for AI research in AR and education, the company developed a very functional and applicable solution for key cities that are gearing to be a smart city. It gathers information by using cutting-edge technologies like video structure analysis, crowd density monitoring, reverse image search, and trajectory analysis, then stores it on a secure server where authorized users in the command center can access. This is ideal for law enforcement as well as crisis and disaster management.
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ENTERPRISE
Filipino Microfinance Institution Leverages Riverbed Solutions to Provide Convenient Services
Negros Women for Tomorrow Foundation (NWTF), a microfinance institution, has tapped Riverbed, a technology company, to boost its network reliability through the latter’s digital solutions. The solution will connect NWTF to its clients to provide convenient and secure financial services.
and digital services to improve agility and user experience while cutting cost. Achieving a more stable, reliable, and secure network has enabled the nonprofit to open more branches in rural areas with limited connectivity; enabling them to reach more people in need of their services.
NWTF helps women in rural communities in the Philippines to move out of poverty and achieve self-sufficiency and self-reliance through microloans. But NWTF’s legacy network was challenged with limited growth, agility, and low digital performance. There was also limited visibility into network activity where any changes to the network were done manually, which is not cost-efficient. This limits the organization’s ability to expand its services to women and communities in the country.
“Connectivity in the rural Philippines is spotty and unreliable at best with only 40-45% of the communities NWTF serves has a stable internet connection,” said Raymond Serios, assistant director, NWTF. “Providing our clients with access to life-changing financial services requires a fundamental rethinking of our network. We chose to partner with Riverbed on this journey because of its market leadership as well as its simple, intelligent approach to modern networking combining the capabilities of SD-WAN, application acceleration, and visibility into a single solution and make it incredibly easy to manage.”
The Riverbed solutions will provide NWTF with both SD-WAN and application acceleration capabilities to simplify networking, improve visibility and control over IT infrastructure, and accelerate the performance of applications
Nearly 3,500 employees of NWTF serve close to 450,000 clients. They operate in more than 150 branches in more than 10 islands in the Philippines. NWTF realized the necessity to give its clients in rural areas secure access to
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convenient financial services, and also provide a digital experience including access to mobile banking digital services in order to help them achieve self-sufficiency.
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Gartner Says Global IT Spending to Grow 1.1 Percent in 2019
Worldwide IT spending is projected to total USD 3.79 trillion in 2019, an increase of 1.1 percent from 2018, according to the latest forecast by Gartner Inc., an industry research and advisory company. “Currency headwinds fueled by the strengthening US dollar have caused us to revise our 2019 IT spending forecast down from the previous quarter,” said John-David Lovelock, research vice president at Gartner. “Through the remainder of 2019, the US dollar is expected to trend stronger, while enduring tremendous volatility due to uncertain economic and political environments and trade wars. “In 2019, technology product managers will have to get more strategic with their portfolio mix by balancing products and services that will post growth in 2019 with those larger markets that will trend flat to down,” he added. “Successful product managers in 2020 will have had a longterm view of the changes made in 2019.” The data center systems segment will experience the largest decline in 2019 with a decrease of 2.8 percent. This is mainly due to the expected lower average selling prices (ASPs) in the server market driven by adjustments in the pattern of expected component costs.
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The shift of enterprise IT spending from traditional (noncloud) offerings to new, cloudbased alternatives is continuing to drive growth in the enterprise software market. In 2019, the market is forecast to reach USD 427 billion, up 7.1 percent from USD 399 billion in 2018. The largest cloud shift has so far occurred in application software. However, Gartner expects increased growth for the infrastructure software segment in the near-term, particularly in integration platform as a service (iPaaS) and application platform as a service (aPaaS). “The choices CIOs make about technology investments are essential to the success of digital business,” said Lovelock. “Disruptive emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), will reshape business models as well as the economics of public- and privatesector enterprises. AI is having a major effect on IT spending, although its role is often misunderstood. AI is not a product, it is really a set of techniques or a computer engineering discipline. As such, AI is being embedded in many existing products and services, as well as being central to new development efforts in every industry. Gartner’s AI business value forecast predicts that organizations will receive USD 1.9 trillion worth of benefit from the use of AI this year alone.”
Gartner’s IT spending forecast methodology relies heavily on rigorous analysis of sales by thousands of vendors across the entire range of IT products and services. Gartner uses primary research techniques, complemented by secondary research sources, to build a comprehensive database of market size data on which to base its forecast. The Gartner quarterly IT spending forecast delivers a unique perspective on IT spending across the hardware, software, IT services and telecommunications segments. These reports help Gartner clients understand market opportunities and challenges.
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PLDT, Cisco team up for 5G-ready IP Transport Network
Telecommunications company PLDT Inc. taps technology firm Cisco to help transform its IP transport infrastructure into a fully automated software defined 5G-ready IP transport network. Under the partnership, Cisco will deploy its technology to design and build automated, highly reliable, highly scalable, software-defined nextgeneration infrastructure utilizing PLDT’s existing fiber network to deliver customized digital experiences to customers. “Today we mark another major milestone in PLDT’s efforts to help the country gear up for the Industrial Revolution 4.0, enabling us to move up to the next generation of digital technologies, such as 5G, software-defined networking (SDN),
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The software-defined architecture will also enable PLDT to fortify customer services with highly dynamic and agile networking capabilities, as well as cybersecurity to safeguard customer data.
Cisco’s Customer Experience team will play a leading role in the end-to-end design, build and deployment of the new infrastructure to extend the network’s reach, reliability, and scalability. It will also enhance experiences for PLDT’s customers and lay a solid foundation for 5G rollout.
“At Cisco, we are committed to working with our customers to transform their infrastructure, so they can unlock growth opportunities as everything becomes connected,” said Chuck Robbins, chairman and CEO of Cisco, who flew in for the official launch. “PLDT is at the forefront of this transformation and we are proud to partner together to deliver best in class services across the Philippines.”
“We are building with Cisco one of the most modern transport networks in Asia by maximizing the capabilities of the fiber infrastructure that we have already put in place,” said Joachim Horn, chief technology and information advisor of PLDT. “The automated architecture of the network will also enable PLDT to manage traffic congestion, minimize network outages, and launch new digital services faster.”
artificial intelligence and Internet of Things,” said Manuel V. Pangilinan, chairman of PLDT.
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CYBER SECURITY
Palo Alto Networks Launches AI-based Security Platform in the Philippines
In a cybersecurity forum, Palo Alto Networks introduced three significant advancements aimed at harnessing the power of advanced AI and machine learning to transform how security will be managed in the future.
sets. Cortex is enabled by the Cortex Data Lake, where customers can securely and privately store and analyze large amounts of data that is normalized for advanced AI and machine learning to find threats and orchestrate responses quickly.
Oscar Visaya, country manager of Palo Alto Networks Philippines, said companies need to challenge cybersecurity status quo in the country. One of these, according to Visaya, is that data breaches are becoming a new normal. He said organizations must be able to monitor and intercept attacks and maximize emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI).
Cortex XDR is an investigation and response product that natively integrates network, endpoint and cloud data. Cortex XDR uncovers threats using behavioral analytics, accelerates investigations with automation, and stops attacks before damage is done through tight integration with existing enforcement points.
With this in mind, the cybersecurity firm launched Cortex, considered to be the industry’s only open and integrated, AIbased continuous security platform. Cortex is a significant evolution of the Application Framework designed to simplify security operations and considerably improve outcomes. Deployed on a global, scalable public cloud platform, Cortex allows security operations teams to speed the analysis of massive data
Traps endpoint protection and response now include a Behavioral Threat Protection engine that stops advanced threats in real time by stitching together a chain of events to identify malicious activity. Traps 6.0 acts as the ultimate data collection sensor for Cortex Data Lake, gathering the most comprehensive endpoint security data in the industry. In conjunction with Cortex XDR, customers can use Traps to extend their prevention capabilities to include
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detection and response across their entire digital infrastructure with a single agent.
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Kaspersky Lab Enables Special Mobile Alert To Protect People From Stalkers
Commercial spyware programs are background-running apps installed on phones, which can be used to monitor and track device activity.
Kaspersky Lab has upgraded its Kaspersky Internet Security for Android with Privacy Alert, a new feature that warns the users if their private information is being monitored via commercially available spyware. While this kind of software is deemed to be legal, the program’s presence is often both unwanted and unknown by the user affected. In some cases, a program’s download page specifically states the software is intended to be used for secretly spying on the user. For this reason, Kaspersky Lab decided to introduce a special alert for such programs, enabling those affected to decide for themselves what they want to do about it. Commercial spyware programs are backgroundrunning apps installed on phones, which can be used to monitor and track device activity. Usually used to spy on partners or ex-partners, nothing can stop people from using such programs to target specific individuals for malicious purposes. This is often done without the victim’s knowledge, leading to these types of programs being commonly referred to as “stalkerware.” While functionality varies, it often allows the people who installed it to access their victim’s device information, messages, photographs, social media conversations, geolocation data and, in certain cases, to transfer audio and camera recordings in real time. Stalkerware While installing stalkerware on someone else’s device requires physical access, it can also be done quickly by downloading an app onto the phone from a distributor’s website. In 2018, Kaspersky Lab products detected stalkerware programs on 58,487 unique mobile devices proving the severity of the threat. While it seems hard to even imagine that such a blatant privacy
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invasion can be so common and easily accessible, stalkerware programs have been exposed and publicly criticized multiple times. Yet, in most countries, their status remains vague. Kaspersky Lab has now developed new attentiongrabbing alert that notifies users of Kaspersky Internet Security for Android if such programs are found on their devices. In addition, Kaspersky Lab researchers have looked at the wider landscape for such software. The resulting report, “Beware of Stalkerware,” features analysis of commercially available spyware, including the most popular consumer surveillance apps. The research shows that alongside the obvious privacy invasion, such programs generally lack protection measures for the sensitive data being hijacked. For instance, five out of 10 stalkerware programs analyzed had either experienced a data-breach or were found to be vulnerable to such attacks. Analysts even discovered one vendor storing victim data files on a server with critical security vulnerability, leaving the stored data accessible to all. The study that Kaspersky Lab researchers performed also exposes the extent of the socalled stalkerware industry. Even programs that have been shut down or at least claim to be so, continue to be marketed through official social media channels and offer franchise-like business models to buyers. “Legal spyware” Kaspersky Lab has been flagging potentially harmful apps that are not malware, including adware and so-called legal spyware for years, even creating a specific “not-a-virus” notification. However, as the problem of privacy abuse has increased, it decided to re-evaluate how
information about certain types of threats was being communicated to customers. “We were following what some media organizations and NGOs like the Electronic Frontier Foundation were doing to enhance privacy and security for vulnerable populations around the world, and to eliminate the threat that stalkerware poses,” said Alexey Firsh, security researcher at Kaspersky Lab. “We were inspired by their activities so much that we decided to review how our own products treat such software. As a result, we now flag commercial spyware with a specific alert which warns users of the dangers stalkerware poses. We believe users have a right to know if such a program is installed on their device. Our new alert will help them to do that and assess the risk properly.” Take the following steps to make sure you are not a victim of digital stalking: • Only install mobile applications from official app stores, such as Google Play. • Block the installation of programs from unknown sources in your smartphone’s settings. • Never disclose the password or passcode to your mobile device, even if it is with someone you trust. • Never store unfamiliar files or applications on your device, as they could harm your privacy. • Change all security settings in your mobile device if you are leaving a relationship. An ex may undertake attempts to acquire your personal information in order to manipulate you. • Get control of programs running in the background and disable suspicious activity. • Use a reliable security solution that notifies you about the presence of commercial spyware programs aimed at invading your privacy on your phone.
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BITS & BYTES
DICT, Cisco Collaborate to Strengthen Cybersecurity in the Philippines
(From left) Kerry Singleton, Cyber Security, Advanced Threat Solutions, APJC at Cisco, Eliseo Rio Jr., acting secretary, DICT, Miyuki Suzuki, president Asia Pacific, Japan and China at Cisco, and Karrie Ilagan, managing director at Cisco Philippines.
The Department of Information and Communications Technology(DICT) and Cisco have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate and strengthen cybersecurity in the Philippines. DICT is the administrative entity responsible for planning, developing, and promoting the national ICT development agenda of the Philippines while Cisco is a global technology company that provides various hardware and software solutions to organizations. “As the Philippines continues to push toward digital transformation, we are committed to ensuring that we build our cybersecurity capabilities accordingly,” said Eliseo Rio, Jr., acting secretary, DICT. “This not only includes adopting the right technologies but also building the local talent pool in the sector. For this, all stakeholders from government, to industry and educational institutions need to work together. Our partnership with Cisco will play a key role in making our cyberspace safe and resilient.” Under the MoU, both parties committed to www.gadgetsmagazine.com.ph
enhancing information and intelligence sharing on cybersecurity threats and incidents. The two also agreed to conduct workshops and facilitate the exchange of ideas to enhance the cybersecurity of Critical Information Infrastructure. DICT will benefit from the in-depth research from Cisco’s wide telemetry of threat intelligence and leverage the information to better protect the government and critical infrastructure in the Philippines against emerging cyber threats. Enhancing cybersecurity capabilities across the Philippines has been a top priority for the DICT. This has been exemplified when the DICT launched the National Cybersecurity Plan 2022 in May 2017. The Plan aims to assure the continuous operation of country’s critical information infrastructure, implement cyber resiliency measures to enhance the ability to respond to threats before, during and after attacks, effectively coordinate with law enforcement agencies, and boost cybersecurity awareness among citizens. “Digital adoption and innovation are playing important roles in boosting the growth of the Philippines economy,” said Karrie Ilagan,
managing director of Cisco Philippines. “As technology becomes an integral part of businesses and consumers and we embark on digitizing the entire country through projects like smart city initiatives, the reliance on data and connectivity will continue to rise. The success of this digital transformation hinges in large part on the Philippines’ ability to tackle the cybersecurity threat. We are delighted to have the opportunity to partner with DICT and play our part in improving the country’s cybersecurity resilience.” DICT and Cisco will collaborate on specific programs to build up cybersecurity skills and capabilities in the country with the aim of enhancing the capacity and sophistication of cyber threat defenders in the country. The Cisco Networking Academy (www.netacad. com) Cybersecurity courses upskill individuals to build the workforce of tomorrow. Over 5,800 students in the country have undertaken cybersecurity courses under the academy. To date, almost 400,000 students were trained under the broader ICT curriculum offered through the Networking Academy. may 2019
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Baguio students top DICT’s startup challenge with books, gadgets rental app Qrent, an application aimed at making books and gadgets rental more convenient than before, is chosen as the best startup idea at the 5th Philippine Startup Challenge (PSC5) National Finals of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT). Team Victorem of St. Louis University in Baguio (SLU) bested 14 other participants. Qrent is a web-based and mobile platform designed for safe, secure, and convenient rental transactions between renters and item owners. “Our friend needed a camera lens for a shoot, but he didn’t want to buy one,” said Rammaria Paula Advincula, a 4th-year Computer Science major, and leader of Team Victorem. “He had a microphone for a DSLR that someone is renting from him. That was the lightbulb moment that helped us come up with developing the Qrent platform.” As champions of the competition, Advincula and teammates Kyrsten Kyra Villegas and Joshua John Bantayan qualify for the 2019 IdeaSpace Bootcamp. IdeaSpace is a nonprofit organization that supports innovation, technology development, and entrepreneurship. The team will also participate in Huawei’s Seeds of the Future Program, a two-week college
undergraduate study program in enriching ICTbased skills and knowledge, held in China. The top five winners received PHP 200,000 each in prototype development funding from the Department of Science and Technology’s Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development (DOST-PCIEERD). Far Eastern University, the first Manila-based team to join the PSC National Finals, placed second with Rentalbee, an online marketplace app that
helps students find safe accommodations. The Mathjestic Quest of Team CALM from Davao Central College and Western Mindanao State University’s Team RTK Incorporated’s Retrack placed third and fourth, respectively. The Team TechnoVators’ BFree of the University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines rounded up the Top 5. The DICT is also eyeing a version of PSC for senior high school students to further promote entrepreneurship and startup business among the youth.
Globe myBusiness opens MSME corner at flagship stores Globe myBusiness opened its first MSME (micro, small, and medium enterprise) corner in select stores in Metro Manila with the aim of assisting them to get the best digital solutions for their businesses. “We acknowledge the contribution of SMEs to the Philippine economy,” said Cleo Santos, sales head of Globe myBusiness. “It is our goal to help every enterprise reach its full potential through industry-specific tips, lessons from experts in the field, and business solutions tailored to every business owner’s needs.” Globe myBusiness Corner will have an interactive monitor, Robot GIO, and business consultants every Tuesday, to help entrepreneurs assess their business acuity. They will be able to experience various digital solutions and services before they make a decision to subscribe to a service package. These essential tools include the GSuite, Auto SMS Blaster, Go Canvas, and Prepaid Internet. The Globe myBusiness Corner is initially available at Globe Stores in Greenbelt 4, Robinsons Galleria, Robinsons Manila, and 82
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Globe myBusiness Corner features Robot GIO (Globe information officer)
soon at Ayala Cebu and Dasmarinas, Cavite. The MSME arm of Globe Telecom made it much easier for enterprises to avail themselves of broadband plans to fast-track their digitalization. Globe myBusiness will require only one identification card to apply for a plan of internet connection of up to 5Mbps starting at P1,699 a month.
Globe myBusiness offers The Plan for mobile for only P1,499 a month with Unli All Net calls, Unli All Net texts, and 1.5Gb of mobile internet for 24 months as well as free DUO landline for 12 months. Those who will avail themselves of The Plan from any Globe Store until June 30, 2019 will also get an additional 2Gb of mobile internet for free for 24 months. www.gadgetsmagazine.com.ph
AWS Summit Singapore 2019 brings together Asean cloud computing community
Amazon Web Services Inc. (AWS), an Amazon. com company, hosted over 10,000 technologists from across the Asean region who shared, learned and collaborated on the latest AWS features and services at the AWS Summit Singapore 2019 in April. The inaugural AWS TechFest, which took place on the first day of AWS Summit Singapore, was a full day event dedicated to technical audiences such as developers, data scientists, application architects, and IT Professionals. There were handson labs, boot camps, certification information, and deep-dive technical training curated by subject matter experts who shared their real-world experiences. On the second day of AWS Summit Singapore, Peter DeSantis, vice president of AWS Global Infrastructure and Customer Support, gave the opening keynote, joined by AWS customers, Indonesian start-up “unicorn” company Traveloka, and Certis, Singapore-based leading advanced integrated security services company. A wide variety of technical breakout sessions, demonstrations, and hands-on workshops helped professionals to better understand how they could successfully build their organization on AWS Cloud, be it a startup, small-medium business, traditional business, or a large enterprise.
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AWS Summit Singapore also featured the interactive and experiential AWS Solution Expo, where AWS and AWS Partner Networks members presented the latest cloud solutions, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), Internet of Things (IoT), Big Data analytics, and more to help customers get the most out of AWS Cloud. “Cloud technology has paved the way for accelerated innovation, helping businesses remain relevant and competitive by lowering costs and providing the solutions to create and bring services to market quickly,” said Nick Walton, managing director of AWS, Asean. “AWS Summit Singapore 2019 brought together over 10,000 thought leaders, subject matter experts, and customers to showcase the digital transformation of Asean businesses.” AWS DeepRacer League in Asean This year’s AWS Summit Singapore also saw the world’s first global autonomous racing league, DeepRacer League taking place in the Asean region. The live event provided developers with the opportunity to explore ML in a fun and highly entertaining way, as they race using 1/18th scale AWS DeepRacer cars driven by reinforcement learning, which is a branch of ML that is ideal for
training autonomous vehicles. At a racing area in the Singapore EXPO Convention & Exhibition Centre, developers tested their models and had their lap times with their cars recorded onto a Speedway Leaderboard. Participants with the fastest times advanced to the AWS DeepRacer Championship at AWS re:Invent 2019 in Las Vegas, and will compete for the coveted AWS DeepRacer Cup. Hack For Good Six teams from Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam took part in the grand finale of AWS Hackdays 2019, an annual education and hackathon event, where they spent 12 hours developing a relevant, real-world solution using AWS’s features and services. Team Astro from Malaysia placed first for their hack that utilized computer vision to detect specific objects and send automatic alerts. Under this year’s theme of “Hack for Good,” builders in the region showcased their innovation and demonstrated skills as they develop solutions to potentially drive positive impact in the areas of HealthTech, AgriTech, Smart City, or FinTech.
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POSIBLE expands offerings to benefit end-users, entrepreneurs
POSIBLE, a community digital transactions provider, announced its expanded partner providers as part of its on-going vision to empower the unbanked and underserved Filipinos. The fintech company formalized partnerships in the health, banking and telco sector through Maxicare, RCBC, and Social Light Inc. (POSIBLE WIFI).
For establishments that want to build customer loyalty, the POSIBLE WIFI is now also available. In partnership with Social Light, Inc., customers can avail themselves of instant connectivity with an affordable, prepaid WiFi connection. For Ka-POSIBLE retailers, this can bring additional revenue through WiFi vouchers sold.
To date, POSIBLE’s portfolio of comprehensive services includes utility bills payment, select government fees, money services, micro-insurance, mobile loading, online gaming credits, and ticketing.
POSIBLE offers more than 300 digital services to over 1 million Filipino consumers and has already generated close to PHP 5 billion worth of transactions. With almost 4,000 retailers nationwide, POSIBLE is on-track to achieve its goal of connecting every Philippine town and city to the digital economy within the next five years.
POSIBLE is a fintech and digital services provider that offers bills payment, money services, and mobile loading among others. It is one of the biggest business-to-business-to-consumer (B2B2C) networks in the country. The company also announced the POSIBLE SHOPBOX feature which offers access to a variety of online and traditional retailers and instantly converts a business location into an online shopping hub for the community. 84
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“We are pleased with the rate of growth that we see among the Ka-POSIBLE community of retailers,” said JG Puzon, CEO of POSIBLE. “The same can be said to the end-users who are enjoying the convenience and benefit of having one-stop, full access to the various services found in the POSIBLE device. And with the POSIBLE ShopBox, both kanto-preneurs and
micro-syantes, as well as their local patrons, can enjoy the benefits of ordering online.” The Filipino consumer experience in using digital technology, particularly fintech solutions, is evolving. More and more brands recognize this growing level of engagement in providing various types of service, including bills payment and gaining customer loyalty. Given today’s challenges getting from pointto-point, dealing with daily traffic issues, long queues at various traditional payment centers and the heat with the onset of the summer season, end-users are slowly gaining the “I-POSIBLE” habit for their payment needs. “The convenience feature afforded by POSIBLE to the general public is unprecedented because we use an open platform,” Puzon said. “Because of our business model, customers find our offering highly beneficial because of our one-stop, all-in-one device in providing digital payment. While most payment solution providers offer the most popular service like remittance, mobile reloading and utilities, POSIBLE has more (to offer).” www.gadgetsmagazine.com.ph
Facebook launches digital literacy program in the Philippines In March, Facebook launched its online digital literacy program “We are Digital” that aims to provide online users with accessible learning modules and resources to build skills in the digital world in partnership with experts from across the Asia-Pacific region. In April, Facebook brought the campaign to the Philippines with “Digital Tayo,” and the social media company is looking at training one million Filipinos by next year “and help shape the Philippines’ digital community.” “Digital literacy has traditionally focused on helping people learn to use computers, get jobs or access information from the Internet,” said Clair Deevy, director for community affairs of Facebook, Asia Pacific. “But there is a greater need to consider how we are plugging into a global community and connecting with people, not just information.” Facebook has become a venue where people from all walks of life congregate, share their ideas, update their families and friends. However, it has also turn into a platform for spreading hate and shaming. Under the program, Facebook will hold online and
in-person training sessions with topics covering privacy, safety, security, digital discourse as well as knowing one’s digital footprint. The company hopes to strengthen Filipinos’ understanding of the online landscape and help them become more informed digital citizens. “The program’s learning modules are designed to equip people with skills, including the ability
to think critically about what they see online, how to communicate respectfully and engage in digital discourse,” the company said. Facebook Phils. launched “Digital Tayo” in partnership with the Department of Education, Department of Information and Communications Technology as well as the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration.
Enjoy the break without leaving the city with Lalamove’s ‘Delivercation’ Going out in this record-breaking heat is like punishing yourself for the sins you have yet to commit. But staying at home can sometimes get uncomfortable, too, especially if you have to deal with the rotational brownouts. Lalamove, an on-demand logistics company, will help you enjoy the summer break right at your home, with “Delivercation.” It is basically purchasing something using the app and have it delivered right at your doorstep. The Lalamove app has certain features that make it easy for you to book an order whether it’s food, drinks, or items you bought online. Lalamove’s Purchase Service lets you order from your favorite fast-food or restaurant and partner riders will pick them up and deliver to you. Use the Queueing Service for paying bills, making bank deposits, or purchase movie tickets. You don’t have to go to the payment centers hours to queue. When you arrive, it might already be your turn. Lalamove has four-wheel vehicles that can deliver large packages. If you ordered something or need to move some stuff to another place, just book a four-wheel drive and the driver will deliver that item or items either to you or to another destination. Summer at home need not be boring or unproductive. www.gadgetsmagazine.com.ph
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Smart, PLDT power GameCon 2019 Telecommunications company PLDT and its wireless unit Smart Communications support anew the local gaming and tech communities at this year’s GameCon gaming and entertainment convention. The convention highlighted exhibits and competitions on various kinds of gaming, from mobile, PC, and video games to esports, virtual reality, robotics, cosplay, arcade, and tabletop, among other activities. The event also featured a workshop for aspiring game developers. PLDT Home Fibr and Smart Developer Network empowered over 5,000 attendees by providing strong connectivity during the two-day event, held at SMX Convention Center, Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City, on April 6-7. “We are now on our third year with GameCon, and this event gets bigger every year,” said Paul Pajo, senior developer, Smart DevNet. “PLDT and Smart continue to support this activity because it is in line with our commitment to helping nurture and expand the community of aspiring local gamers and tech developers.” “Our goal is to be a platform where different gaming communities come together to share their passion. The local game development industry is continuously growing, and it needs support from all sectors,” said Elaine Cedillo, cofounder,
The convention highlighted exhibits and competitions on various kinds of gaming
GameCon. “At the same time, we want to be a venue where families of all ages can come together and experience different types of play.” PLDT and Smart recently launched their official professional esports team Omega, which will represent PLDT-Smart in The Nationals, the country’s first franchise-based esports league featuring DOTA 2 for PC, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang for mobile, and Tekken 7 for PS4. Smart DevNet is Smart’s developer community
program targeted at desktop and mobile developers. It promotes general awareness of mobile apps development and technopreneurship while striving to foster a vibrant developer community in the Philippines by organizing and sponsoring tech events and meetups. Those who attended the two-day GameCon event were able to get limited edition Mobile Legends shirts and jackets by purchasing a Smart Prepaid SIM with at least P499 load.
Team Liyab to represent PH at League of Legends SEA Tour Team Liyab, the professional esports team of Globe in partnership with Mineski, bagged the championship title at the Philippine National Minor event of the League of Legends (LoL) SEA Tour. The team will represent the country against the best teams from Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand for the right to participate in the MidSeason Invitational and a USD 50,000 prize pool. The LoL squad opened the National MinorSemifinals with a showdown against TNC Pro Team. Liyab started the series swinging, resulting in a sweeping 2-0 victory for the squad to set up a finals bout against Steelwolves Gaia. The Bacolod-based squad Steelwolves, known for their unconventional strategies, managed to upset Arkangel in the semifinals. However, Liyab banked on their championship experience to outmaneuver Steelwolves at all facets of the game and booked their slot at the LST Major with a 2-0 victory in the finals. The team is set to continue their bid for local and regional esports domination with another recent win at a major Hearthstone tournament. Last weekend, Liyab’s Cara Cute emerged as the Philippine representative from the Hearthstone 86
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Philippine National Qualifiers for the World Cyber Games in 2019. With this, she became the country’s representative to the Asia-Pacific Regional Qualifiers for WCG 2019 held on April 27-28 through another round of online qualifiers. Globe continues to be at the forefront of developing the esports ecosystem in the country and believes that with the right support and training, Filipino esports athletes can compete with
any esports team in the world. Globe’s esports commitment began through its pervasive LTE network that helped bring mobile broadband gaming to the next level. Then, the company entered into strategic partnerships with Riot, developer of LoL; Garena, publisher of Arena of Valor and Philippine publisher of LoL; and Mineski, which led to the formation of Team Liyab. www.gadgetsmagazine.com.ph
Letran marks quadricentennial with commemorative beep™ card
(From left): Jhennie Villar (co-chair Letran Quadricentennial Events), Rev. Fr. Lauro de Dios, O.P. (vice president for Financial Affairs, Letran), Sharon Fong (head, Business Development at beep), and Raymond Dolor (manager, Business Development, beep)
As part of its 400th-anniversary celebrations, Colegio de San Juan de Letran will be releasing a limited edition commemorative beep™ cards bearing the Letran 400 logo. Specially designed for students, alumni, and other beep™ card collectors, the Letran beep™ card will be sold at Letran Bookstore for PHP500 each, beginning Aug. 1, 2019. The sale of the special cards is in conjunction with the fundraising program for the school’s Grand Celebration in 2020. “We are celebrating our 400 years in 2020,” said Jhennie Villar, co-chair of the Letran Quadricentennial celebration. “We thank beep™ Cards for partnering with us. One of the thrusts of our celebration is to give back, thus, we are targeting to have 400 scholars. This is one way of helping your beloved Letran celebrate its 400 years.” Colegio de San Juan de Letran was founded in 1620
by Don Juan Geronimo Guerrero, a retired Spanish officer, and Diego Santa Maria, a Dominican brother. Since then, it has survived wars and calamities and remained true to its commitment to pursue knowledge and excellence, producing stalwarts in the fields of medicine, sports, media and entertainment, business, and public service, to name a few. Letran kicked off its quadricentennial celebration in November 2016 and has since been celebrating it with special events, homecomings, and tributes to alumni who have been part of weaving the school’s long and colorful history. The celebrations are divided into phases (the past, the present, the future, and forever) covering important parts of Letran’s story, including the Conquistar Nuevas Glorias (Conquering New Glories) phase, where celebrations dwell on the future, looking forward to everything it holds.
“Colegio de San Juan de Letran is ushering in a new era of positive developments and we at beep™ card are truly honored to be part of it,” said Peter Maher, president and CEO of AF Payments Inc. “Students have always been among our biggest supporters and we believe that the special Letran beep™ card is a great way to showcase school pride.” Letran’s main campus is located in Intramuros, Manila, accessible via LRT-1, LRT-2, and e-trikes, in which beep™ card is the main mode of payment. Those who will purchase the special edition Letran 400 beep™ cards will also enjoy the benefits of the planned expansion to establishments and tourist attractions within the Walled City. beep™ is a tap-and-go payment card used in all three elevated railways and select buses, PUVs, tollways, and retail partners. It is reloadable and valid for four years.
SM unveils the new ‘Cyberzone’ logo Taking the lead in tech and innovation in the country, Cyberzone unveiled its newest logo at SM Mall of Asia Atrium as it continues to offer a comprehensive roster of the latest tech and gaming products and empowers Filipinos to make smarter tech decisions. “Cyberzone always brings together the best of technology and gaming for its customers,” said Jonjon San Agustin, senior vice president for Marketing, SM Supermalls. “It’s about time that we refresh our brand as we continue to innovate our spaces and deliver the latest in tech in SM malls nationwide.” The new logo is minimalist and looks modern exuding a more refined and focused look. It signifies what the brand now stands for which is always ready for innovation. www.gadgetsmagazine.com.ph
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petitions on various kinds of gaming
Conduent elevates employee experience with new, enhanced facilities
Conduent Human Resource Country Lead for the Philippines Pamela Donato and Conduent Country CEO for Philippines and Malaysia Rishi Rajj Pradhan lead the inauguration of Conduent Philippines’ biggest dining and recreation center, the LIFE hall.
Conduent Inc., the world’s largest provider of diversified business services, reaffirms its commitment to provide its employees with an empowering and conducive work environment with the inauguration of Conduent Philippines’ biggest dining and recreation hub— The LIFE hall. The LIFE hall, which stands for Learn, Involve, Feel and Energize, is the latest addition to the series of facility enhancements at the Conduent Philippines headquarters in Pasay City. The hall is a 1,400-sqm. multifunction food and leisure center that features a variety of sections aimed at elevating the workplace experience of Conduent employees. “We at Conduent are steadfast in our commitment to provide a comfortable workplace for our employees,” Rishi Pradhan, CEO of Conduent in Malaysia and the Philippines. “We want to give them a space that they can call their second home. We’re confident that these enhancements will further help in empowering our employees to live, achieve and thrive right here at Conduent. With its multisectoral client portfolio, Conduent Philippines has been providing stable jobs to various field specialists since its establishment in the country in June 2005. Aside from typical voice jobs, Conduent offers non-voice and skill88
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based positions. The company is dedicated to providing its predominantly millennial workforce with an optimal workspace scenario through several programs and facility renovations that are aligned with their lifestyle and generation. This resulted in Conduent enjoying one of the lowest attrition rates in the BPO sector amid the robust competition in the local market. The LIFE Hall is divided into nine sections: La Cantina, The Honesty Store, Company Clinic, Mother’s Room, Quiet Room, Game Area, The Conduent Brand Store, Digital Interactions Corner, and The Platform. La Cantina is the hall’s main dining section and features international and local cuisines, a bread and pastry corner, and a dessert station, among others. The Honesty Store is a convenience shop designed to cultivate a culture of trust and integrity within the Conduent workforce as it employs an honesty-based payment system. To attend to all the health and welfare needs of the employees is the Company Clinic, which houses six beds, a spacious doctor examination room and a nurse station manned by registered medical professionals round the clock. The Mother’s Room is a private and isolated section where nursing mothers can comfortably tend to their young children. Highlighting the importance of meditation and
reflection in aid of mental wellness, Conduent has also put up a Quiet Room within the LIFE Hall where one can go for peaceful alone time. A quick break for fun and games is also encouraged in the workplace as board games, foosball and other fun activities are available in the Game Area. Those who wish to have their online breather can go to the Digital Interactions Corner, which has three Mac desktops, a strong Wi-Fi hotspot and the Conduent IdeaBox. The Conduent HQ team can now also easily conduct meetings and townhalls in The Platform, the company’s official function hall. The hall also houses two automated teller machines to service the company’s growing team. Able to accommodate up to 700 employees at any given time, The LIFE Hall is a welcome addition to newly-opened recreational spots in the Pasay HQ such as the Inspiration Corner, Conduent’s reading center, and the Mind Playground, a design thinking room. Conduent Philippines has been undertaking workspace and facility enhancement initiatives in its Manila and Cebu offices, cementing the company’s position as an ideal workplace for its current and potential employees. The company hopes these efforts will not only increase workforce productivity but also, and more importantly, enhance the overall work experience toward improving employee satisfaction and positive well-being. www.gadgetsmagazine.com.ph
PayMaya: Pinoys going ‘cashless’ for travelrelated expenses PayMaya, the digital financial services arm of Voyager Innovations, reported that in the first quarter of the year, travel continued to be a fast-growing use case for consumers, with payments for airlines and accommodation landing among the top cashless transactions for its customers. During the first quarter of the year, PayMaya customers, in particular, were using their accounts — through virtual cards, physical cards, or via QR — to purchase airline tickets from Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines, as well as to book accommodations in sites like Airbnb. “Many Filipinos are now discovering the added value of using PayMaya for their travel needs, because aside from enabling them to book that ‘Piso Sale’ deal or get the best travel accommodations, they are also able to seamlessly use it here and abroad wherever Visa or Mastercard is accepted,” said Paolo Azzola, chief operating officer and managing director of PayMaya.
Paolo Azzola, COO and managing director, at the launch of PayMaya’s Tara! Travel promo
According to PayMaya, PayMaya Business recorded a significant increase in the first quarter in terms of the number and amount of credit, debit, and prepaid card transactions it processed as the acquirer of top online commerce sites that offer travel services. Flag-carrier Philippine Airlines and one of the biggest online travel booking platforms in Asia, Agoda earned the top 2 spots. Card for travel Azzola noted that PayMaya accountholders are also increasingly using their PayMaya physical cards when they travel overseas. “When you’re out there traveling, features such as getting real-time text confirmations for every transaction provides not just convenience, but peace of mind,” he said. PayMaya allows users to use their virtual and physical cards abroad without the need to call in advance to activate; purchase in Visa- and Mastercard-accepting merchants and withdraw from ATMs, and be instantly updated of their purchases through the PayMaya app. They can also block their physical cards in real-time via the PayMaya app, allowing for fast action in case of lost cards. “With the fusion of convenience and great deals we are confident that we see continuous growth in travel-related transactions as we aggressively widen opportunities for consumers by giving them the means to make purchases with PayMaya, the best travel card out there today,” Azzola said. To help encourage even more travel transactions through its platform, PayMaya is www.gadgetsmagazine.com.ph
PayMaya allows users to use their virtual and physical cards abroad without the need to call in advance to activate
offering its users a one-of-a-kind travel experience through its “Tara!” travel promo, where account holders can get a chance to enjoy their choice of curated travel experience with three of their family or friends. They can choose between an adventure of Ice and Fire in Iceland and Croatia, a culinary adventure in Italy, a safari escape in South Africa, a K-pop experience in Seoul, South Korea, or a magical tour in London and Scotland. To participate and earn raffle entries, they simply have to do any of the following: Activate their virtual card (10 raffle entries); Link their PayMaya physical card to the app (10 raffle entries); Add
money (10 raffle entries); Upgrade their account (10 raffle entries); Pay bills (five raffle entries per biller); Send money (one raffle entry per day); Shop online and in-store (one raffle entry for every PHP 300 spend); Purchase digital goods in the PayMaya inapp shop or via PayMaya in Messenger (one raffle entry per purchase); and Pay with PayMaya QR (one raffle entry for every PHP 100 spend). PayMaya Tara! Travel promo is ongoing until May 31, 2019. Just download the PayMaya app, register, link your PayMaya card to your app, add money to your account, and choose your next adventure. May 2019
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DOST-ASTI pitches technologies at Nat’l Tech Transfer Day “Let’s make high-quality research and let’s make it fast,” said Jessi Christa Rubio of the Research and Development Division (RDD) in DOST-ASTI during the 2nd National Technology Transfer Day in April at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC), Pasay City. Rubio, together with other R&D projects representatives, pitched three DOST-ASTI technologies—the Philippine Earth Data Resource Observation (PEDRO) Center, the Computing and Archiving Research Environment (COARE) and the Remote Sensing and Data Science: DATOS Help Desk. Two of the technologies, PEDRO Center and COARE, were under the IT development category of the pitch talks while the DATOS Help Desk was under Disaster Preparedness. Other categories were Agricultural Productivity, MSME Competitiveness and Quality Healthcare.
Jessi Christa Rubio talks about the research aspect of the Computing and Archiving Research Environment (COARE), its services—high-performance computing (HPC), data archiving and science cloud—and how these can help researchers and academics.
The Technology Transfer and Business Development Unit (TTBDU) of DOST-ASTI’s Technology Licensing Office (TLO) also attended the event to assist its researchers in promoting their project outputs, which were meant for public good and government extension services but also has the potential of future commercialization. “DOST-ASTI is also looking at how the technology outputs can be utilized by the private sector and still be competitive in terms of affordability and sustainability because it is locally created,” Maria Irene Amatorio, TTBDU’s supervisor said. The event was organized by the DOST-Technology Application and Promotion Institute (DOST-TAPI) led by its director Engr. Edgar I. Garcia. The event was also attended by Secretary Fortunato Dela Peña who is dubbed in the DOST community as the father of technology. Undersecretary for Research and Development Rowena Cristina L. Guevara was also there to give her welcome remarks), while Assistant Secretary for Finance Maridon Sahagun delivered the closing remarks.
“We take selfies from space,” said Julius Judan of the Solutions and Services Engineering Division (SSED) of DOST-ASTI who talked about the process of uploading commands and downloading data from Philippine and other commercial satellites.
Representatives from both private and public research and academic institutions (e.g. UP Los Baños, Mapúa University, UP Diliman) were also present to showcase their research and development projects in the five essential categories identified in the event. After the program, DOST Secretary Dela Peña also visited the booths of exhibitors. Aside from pitch talks and exhibits, there was also the Signing of Term Sheets and Awarding of Fairness Opinion Reports to adaptors.
“We will capacitate you in providing AI solutions to geospatial problems,” SAID Jo Brianne Briones, also from RDD of DOST-ASTI, who talked about the relevant disaster information produced by the DATOS project. She further discussed the project’s products which include hazard maps and temporal analyses and how it can complement the efforts and initiatives of government agencies involved in disaster management.
DOST Secretary Fortunato T. Dela Peña leads the negotiations and signing of term sheets with the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines.
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DOST Secretary DOST Secretary Fortunato T. Dela Peña meets the TTBD Unit DOST-ASTI.
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Group recognizes champions of data privacy and security Accenture and UnionBank of the Philippines top the list of winners at the 1st Datos Privados – Awards for Excellence, Leadership Innovation, Transformation, Experience and Service in Data Privacy. Organized by the National Data Protection Officers of the Philippines (NADPOP), the event was in recognition for companies that have committed to comply in accordance with the policies governing data privacy. The 1st Datos Privados is the highlight of NADPOP’s data privacy conference “1*DATA Privacy and Security Solutions Day” that showcased data privacy and security topics and industry best practices. “We are at war,” said Sam Jacoba, founding president, NADPOP. “You should know that. When at war, we should be prepared, and we should look after each other. This is why NADPOP is here to help you.” Out of hundreds of entries received nationwide, finalists were chosen and awarded a Bronze, Silver, and Gold Datos Privados trophies for individual and institutional categories. The Gold Datos Privados awards were given to Millicent Desiderio-Dime, managing director Legal Compliance and Regulatory Affairs, Accenture and Henry Aguda, chief technology and information officer, UnionBank, as pillars for data privacy in corporate governance, Dondi Mapa for the
Individual Empowerment and Enablement, TUV Rheinland Philippines for Corporate Empowerment and Enablement, MIESCOR (Meralco Industrial Engineering Services Corporation) for its General Awareness Roadshow and the PLDT Group for its Handle with Care under the Internal Awareness Category. UnionBank was also awarded another Gold Datos Privados for Data Privacy Enterprise Management System. The winners of 1st Datos Privados represented the banking, business process outsourcing, utility, health, law, and technology sectors. Speaking at the 1st DATA conference, Eliseo Rio Jr., acting secretary, Department of Information and Communications Technology, introduced the National Information Communications Technology Ecosystem Framework (NICTEF) that will serve as
the country’s backbone for the digital revolution. He expressed the government’s commitment and accountability in securing data by maximizing the available platforms. In closing, Jacoba cited NPC data that there are 22,000 registered data protection officers nationwide. This, however, signifies a wide gap between available DPOs and the demand of millions of business companies in the country that should observe the Data Privacy Act. “Many companies still do not invest in data privacy,” Jacoba said. “Investing in data protection has long been overdue. What NADPOP can do is encourage these companies to comply with the Data Privacy Act and help empower the DPOs.”
Coworking space KMC Solutions raises new capital for expansion KMC Solutions, coworking and flexible workspace provider, has announced that ASEAN Industrial Growth Fund (AIGF) has invested in KMC Solutions and has injected new capital to drive the company’s expansion in the Philippines. Given AIGF’s extensive network and experience, KMC Solutions is confident that AIGF is the right partner to support KMC Solutions to achieve its growth plan and create more value alongside the current shareholders. AIGF believes that KMC Solutions has a very strong market-leading position as the company has developed a set of value propositions that has enabled it to capture a sizeable market share in the Philippines. Also, AIGF is very impressed with the dynamic management team and is excited to work together with the company in its next phase of growth. Founded in 2010, KMC Solutions is a pioneer in the Philippines’ coworking and flexible workspace industry and has experienced substantial growth since its inception. Today, KMC boasts over 13,000 members across 36 office floors in 21 buildings throughout Metro Manila, Cebu, and Iloilo. The funding will aid KMC Solutions in achieving its aggressive growth targets for 2019. www.gadgetsmagazine.com.ph
“We have been growing organically since KMC Solutions was founded and today’s announcement further cements our commitment for continued expansion throughout the Philippines,” said Michael McCullough, managing director and co-founder of KMC Solutions. “We are in a leading position to support the increasing number of startups, multinationals, and IT-BPO players who prefer beautifully designed workspaces and flexible lease terms.” “We are thrilled that we have attracted such a strong partner i.e. AIGF to support our expansion plans,” said Gregory Kittelson, executive chair & co-founder of KMC Solutions. “This announcement reinforces our capability to provide best in class office space and
highly -scalable solutions for businesses seeking to establish or expand their operations in the Philippines.” “The Philippines continues to be an attractive business destination for foreign companies given the country’s affordable labor costs, talented manpower, and fast improving infrastructure,” said Atty. Amanda Carpo, legal counsel and co-founder of KMC Solutions. “Foreign investment has also increased, prompting larger IT-BPO players and other multinationals to enter or expand in the country with us.” Paulton and Company served as exclusive financial advisor to KMC Solutions throughout the deal. May 2019
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Today, we now take online gaming for granted. We can play online on every console out today, and we obviously have PCs if we want those extra beefy graphics and PC exclusives such as League of Legends or World of Warcraft. 25 years ago, the Internet was still in its infancy, and nobody thought of including online play on consoles. Words by Jose Alvarez
The Genesis launched in 1989 to counteract Nintendo’s dominance of the North American video game market. As some of our older readers might remember, Sega and Nintendo were bitter rivals during the early 1990s. The console wars reached far beyond gaming, with the United States Congress holding hearings on violent video games. Sega and Nintendo both were present at the hearings: Sega wanted to bring video games to all audiences, while Nintendo insisted on familyfriendly material. What brought Sega ahead of Nintendo, in my opinion, was their willingness to innovate. Sega had experimented with VR in the early 1990s, well before the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. Sega also had the Sega Activator, a motion control device, over a decade before
the Xbox 360’s Kinect. While many of these peripherals never made it to consumer hands (Sega VR) or were considered as commercial failures (Sega Activator), it was clear that Sega was willing to take the risks and make technological leaps into the unknown. In 1990, Sega Meganet was released in Japan; in 1992, there was the Sega Anser, which turned a Sega Genesis console into a banking portal, well before phones had banking apps. By 1993, Sega announced the Sega Channel for North America, which would utilize cable television to deliver content to the Sega Genesis. In 1994, 21 cable companies agreed to sign up to carry Sega Channel. Fees would vary based on location, namely because the Internet was in its infancy and paying to access online content had different pricing tiers (in the early 1990s, some ISPs even had people pay by the hour or minute, as opposed to monthly like we do today). Sega charged a USD 25 activation fee and USD 15 monthly for the service.
for games to load. Players could also access cheat codes and play upcoming demos of games. How did Sega manage to bring online gaming to the platform during the infancy of the Internet? A team over at Sega would place content on a CD-ROM on a monthly basis. It was then sent to a satellite station, and then transmitted via satellite at 1.435 GHz upload and 1.1 GHz download to local cable providers. This was a rather complex system for the time. Players could choose 50 games monthly, including Aladdin and Sonic & Knuckles. There were even Sega Channel exclusives, namely Mega Man: The Wily Wars, which was a remake of the first three Mega Man games. The service was initially well received, even winning the 1994 “Best of What’s New” award from Popular Science. In 1995, despite more advanced systems such as the Sega Saturn, Nintendo 64 and Sony PlayStation on the horizon, a Sports Illustrated survey said that gamers between the ages of 9 and 13 were five times more likely to subscribe to Sega Channel than purchase any of the new consoles. At its peak, Sega Channel boasted 250,000 subscribers, far below Sega’s own projections of 1 million subscribers by the end of 1995. Sega Channel was criticized for high subscription fees, but also came during a time when Sega was working on far too many projects simultaneously. IGN’s Adam Redsell even credited the Sega Channel for the development of broadband Internet. Today, you can play demos of games on Xbox Live and PlayStation Network, something that can be attributed to Sega Channel as well.
Players then received a Sega Channel cartridge, complete with yet another power adapter (which complicated things even more if you owned a Sega CD and Sega 32X, which each required their own power adapters as well) and coaxial adapter at the rear of the cartridge. Starting up the Genesis with the Sega Channel cartridge took as long as 30 seconds. Gamers could then access content from the online service and start playing games. Depending on the size of the game, it could take several minutes Ultimately, Sega Channel had far more staying power than a lot of the projects Sega was working on in the mid to late 1990s. Sega Channel went out of service on July 31, 1998, three years after the release of the Sega Saturn and just over a year before the Sega Dreamcast came out. The Saturn itself would also cease production in North America in 1998. What if Sega came out with the Sega Channel earlier in its lifespan instead of propping up commercial failures like the Sega CD and Sega 32X? One can only imagine the possibilities. But hindsight is 20/20, and we should thank Sega Channel for laying the groundwork for today’s online gaming infrastructure.
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