Author: Dawn Solano

Google is expanding its AI-powered shopping tools as more consumers in Southeast Asia (SEA), including the Philippines, use artificial intelligence (AI) to help decide what to buy.In a commissioned Ipsos study, 82% of Google users of AI Overviews or AI Mode said the features help them make decisions faster, while 80% said they feel more confident about their purchases.A separate Kantar survey found that 86% of Gen Z respondents in the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Thailand said AI-powered Search helps reduce decision fatigue.The company introduced Commerce Media Suite, a tool that enables advertisers direct shoppers from YouTube ads to checkout…

Facebook users reported problems accessing the social media platform on Sunday, with outage reports on Downdetector increasing to 4,902 as of 3:57 p.m. on July 19. According to Downdetector, 62% of the reports were related to the Facebook website, while 12% involved the mobile app. Another 16% of users said they were having trouble logging in. Facebook in the desktop version shortly displayed an error instead of loading the site. As of this writing, however, the Facebook mobile app remains accessible. Users also shared similar experiences on other social media platforms, saying they encountered error messages or could not load…

Sony Philippines has urged consumers to purchase cameras, lenses and accessories only from its authorized dealers, following reports of unauthorized resellers offering Sony products in the country. In a public advisory posted on its official Facebook page, the company said it has received concerns from customers regarding unauthorized dealers. Sony warned that buying from unofficial sellers could affect product quality assurance, warranty coverage and eligibility for after-sale services. “To ensure your satisfaction with product quality, warranty rights, and eligibility for after-sale services, we encourage everyone to only purchase Sony cameras, lenses, and accessories from the authorized Sony dealers,” the company…

Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) workflows have been used in around 300 Netflix titles so far in 2026, according to the streaming company’s second quarter shareholder letter.Netflix said GenAI is being used throughout the production process, from concept development and pre-visualization to post-production and final delivery. The company said most of the work has been concentrated in post-production.“We are increasingly leveraging these tools to deliver higher quality output more quickly and at a lower cost than traditional methods,” Netflix said.It cited the Indian title “Glory,” Brazil’s “Brasil 70: A Saga do Tri” and the US production “The American Experiment,” which used…

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has signed an executive order replacing Memorandum Circular No. 78, a 1964 policy governing government data classification, with a new framework designed for the cloud and artificial intelligence (AI) era.Executive Order No. 119 updates the country’s approach to classifying and storing government data, replacing a framework introduced when records were largely paper-based.The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) said the policy reflects the rise of cloud computing, AI and other digital technologies in government.The order adopts a risk-based data residency framework instead of requiring all government data to remain in the Philippines. Storage requirements will…

KUALA LUMPUR – HUAWEI has expanded its premium consumer device lineup with the introduction of the HUAWEI Pura 90s Series smartphones and the HUAWEI FreeClip 2 S earbuds, highlighting new artificial intelligence (AI) features alongside upgrades in mobile photography, audio, and industrial design. First in the lineup is its new smartphone, the HUAWEI Pura 90s Pro Max, which is equipped with a 200-megapixel telephoto camera designed for long-range photography and video capture. The camera is paired with chip-level RAW image processing technology that enables higher-resolution telephoto images and supports up to 20x telephoto video recording. The device also features a…

Meta has introduced Muse Image, a new artificial intelligence (AI) image-generation model that expands the company’s creative AI tools across its platforms while giving users new ways to generate and edit images using text prompts and existing photos. Developed by Meta Superintelligence Labs, Muse Image allows users to create images from text prompts, edit photos through sketches and annotations, and combine multiple reference images into a single composition. The feature is now available through the Meta AI app and powers new AI experiences on Instagram Stories and WhatsApp in select countries. Meta said Muse Image will also be integrated into…

Messaging app Viber has integrated ChatGPT into its platform, allowing users to access artificial intelligence (AI) tools without leaving their chats. The update introduces features designed to help users summarize conversations, rewrite messages, translate text and edit images directly within the app. Some features are available after updating to the latest version of Viber, while others require users to sign in with a ChatGPT account. Here are five ways to use ChatGPT in Viber: 1. Ask questions without leaving Viber Users can open the ChatGPT tab within Viber to ask questions, generate ideas, draft text or find information. The experience…

Samsung Electronics has announced that its next Galaxy Unpacked event will take place on July 22 in London, United Kingdom, where the company is expected to unveil the latest additions to its Galaxy lineup. In an invitation published Wednesday on Samsung’s Global Newsroom, the South Korean technology giant said the event will be held in London, describing the city as one that “moves forward, not by chasing trends, but by setting them.” While Samsung did not disclose which devices will be introduced, the company hinted that artificial intelligence will continue to play a central role in its product strategy. “…The…

British consumer technology company Nothing has launched the Phone (4b) in the Philippines, introducing a new midrange smartphone featuring Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 chipset, a 120Hz OLED display and the company’s signature Glyph lighting interface. The device sports a 6.77-inch flexible AMOLED display with a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate and up to 3,000 nits of peak brightness. It is powered by the Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 processor paired with 8GB of RAM, with storage options of 128GB and 256GB. For cameras, the Phone (4b) is equipped with a 50-megapixel main sensor with optical image stabilization, complemented by an 8-megapixel…