Author: Dawn Solano

Converge ICT Solutions Inc. has introduced an internet bundle that combines fiber connectivity, TikTok Shop benefits and personal accident insurance for online sellers and home-based businesses. The SellerPlus program, introduced with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and TikTok Shop on Sept. 29 in Makati City, targets micro, small and medium enterprises, livestreamers and content creators. The bundle includes a 200 Mbps fiber internet connection and personal accident insurance from AXA. Converge said it also provides TikTok Shop benefits intended to help merchants reach customers and sell through the platform. Converge said the program aims to address connectivity and…

The recently released HONOR 600S 5G will be available for as low as Php 15,799 for two days as part of HONOR Philippines’ upcoming online sale. The discounted price will be available on Oct. 8 and 9 during the HONOR Shopee Super Brand Day, down from the Php 18,999 suggested retail price of the 6GB+128GB variant. Qualified purchases of the HONOR 600S will also come with an HONOR Watch 2i and HONOR Bluetooth Speaker. Buyers will also get a chance to win a Php 1-million shopping spree at SM Store, subject to the promotion’s mechanics. The phone may also be…

The Philippines lost some of its gains in this year’s Global Innovation Index (GII) after improving its position for three consecutive years, with research capacity remaining among the challenges to its innovation performance. The country ranked 52nd among 139 economies, down from 50th in 2025, according to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). It placed 53rd in 2024, 56th in 2023 and 59th in 2022. Despite the decline, the Philippines ranked third among 36 lower middle-income economies and 11th among 17 economies in Southeast Asia, East Asia and Oceania. The GII uses roughly 80 indicators to measure economies’ innovation capabilities…

Editor’s Note: This article was first published in Future Forward, Volume 1, No. 2. For most Filipino households, home life is far less glamorous. “Tapos na ba ‘yung labada?” is what one family member would ask while another rummages through the refrigerator, looking for something to eat for a meal.Our house is no different. For this review, Midea Philippines loaned us three of its smart home appliances for a two-week evaluation. The 10kg Luna Inverter Front Load Washer, the matching 10kg Heat Pump Dryer, and the 1,6-cu Side-by-Side Inverter Refrigerator became our newest additions to our household.Installed in our home…

Editor’s Note: This article was first published in Future Forward, Volume 1, No. 2. Convenience has always been measured by what we no longer have to think about. Every technological leap, no matter how small, has promised to return a little more of our time to ourselves. Smart homes are simply the latest chapter in that promise. Today, we live among robot vacuums that clean while we’re away. Manufacturers often describe this as the future of living because they supposedly remove friction from everyday routines. Undoubtedly, these homes are smart. However, the more interesting question is whether they’ve actually become…

The PH-Singapore C2C undersea internet cable is back online after an outage that coincided with connectivity problems Friday night.

Internet users in the country reported connectivity problems on Friday, October 2, as an undersea cable segment between the Philippines and Singapore was reported offline. The UP Diliman Network Helpdesk said it was informed that one of the undersea cable segments connecting the two countries was offline, warning of increased latency and intermittent performance, particularly when accessing websites hosted overseas. The university said the issue was not limited to its network and that other local internet service providers and telecommunications companies could experience slowdowns depending on their primary links. Users of Globe, PLDT and Converge ICT also reported connectivity problems…

Amazon is giving its Kindle lineup a splash of color, including one shade that should sound particularly familiar to Filipino readers: Ube. The company unveiled a redesigned Kindle family on Oct. 1, introducing new colors Ube, Alpine Sky, Seaglass Green and Fig alongside Graphite. The Ube option, described by Amazon as a rich purple, is available on the new six-inch Kindle. And yes, Amazon is referring to the purple yam. The company said the color was inspired by the growing popularity of ube, following the success of the Matcha Kindle introduced in 2024. Amazon vice president of design Chris Green…

Proposed restrictions on short-form video feeds for minors could curtail children’s access to information and other digital rights without necessarily shielding them from online harm, digital creators and child rights advocates said. In separate interviews with PhilSTAR Tech, the advocates said lawmakers should focus on harmful content and platform accountability instead of restricting a format also used by young people for education, communication and expression. The House of Representatives is considering the proposed Children’s Social Media and Online Gaming Safety Act, which seeks to impose age-based restrictions on minors’ access to social media and online gaming platforms.The measure would prohibit…

Samsung has unveiled the Galaxy Tab S12 series, with the Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra measuring just 5.1 millimeters thick, the thinnest Galaxy Tab the company has produced to date. Despite its slim profile, the Tab S12 Ultra comes with an 11,600mAh battery and is powered by MediaTek’s Dimensity 9500 processor. It weighs 692 grams for the Wi-Fi model and 695 grams for the 5G version. Samsung said the processor delivers up to 19% faster CPU performance, 17% improved GPU performance and 61% faster NPU processing compared with the Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra. A redesigned 3D vapor chamber is also used…