Author: Dawn Solano

If “What are you reading?” sounds better than “Hey, wyd?” There is now a dating app built around that conversation starter. Readme is a dating app for readers, writers and talkers, created by Banu Guler, the creator of astrology app Co-Star, together with artist Emily Segal. Instead of centering dating profiles around photos and conventional prompts, Readme puts books, language and conversation at the heart of how users meet. The app starts with a quiz designed to determine a user’s reading archetype. There are 12 archetypes in total, drawing from research in literature, language analysis and psycholinguistics. Among them are…

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) called on US-based technology company Meta to answer for what it described as persistent shortcomings in protecting Filipino children from online sexual exploitation and other harms on its platforms. The DICT statement came after the House of Representatives deferred action on the department’s proposed Php 19.49-billion budget for 2027 amid concerns involving Meta. DICT Secretary Henry Aguda said he respects the House’s oversight function and supports lawmakers’ efforts to hold technology platforms accountable. The department said concerns raised during congressional deliberations include online sexual abuse and exploitation of children (OSAEC) and child…

Samsung Electronics Philippines showcased its latest large-screen televisions and gaming monitors in the country, highlighting how bigger displays and artificial intelligence are being integrated into home entertainment, fitness and gaming. The company held the showcase on Sept. 16 at Elan by the Bay in Parañaque, where it demonstrated several of its Vision AI TV models across different home settings. At the center of the living room setup was the 100-inch Micro RGB Vision AI TV, which uses microscopic RGB backlights to improve color reproduction and reduce color bleeding. Samsung said its Micro RGB AI Engine Pro also supports 4K upscaling…

Xiaomi has launched its REDMI Note 17 series in the Philippines, with the company banking on longer battery life and improved durability. The lineup consists of four models: the REDMI Note 17 Pro Max 5G, REDMI Note 17 Pro 5G, REDMI Note 17 5G and REDMI Note 17. REDMI Note 17 Pro Max 5G carries a 10,000mAh battery, and is the largest smartphone battery Xiaomi has introduced to date. It supports 100W HyperCharge and 27W reverse charging. Xiaomi said the series was designed around its REDMI Titan Durability platform, with the Pro Max and Pro 5G models receiving TÜV SÜD…

Samsung’s latest foldable smartphones are now on the market, but the launch of the Galaxy Z Fold8 is also a marker of how much the category has changed since the company first introduced a foldable phone. The new lineup arrives at a point when foldables are no longer simply technological curiosities. As more consumers become familiar with the form factor, Samsung is looking at how these devices can better accommodate the way people already use their smartphones. In an exclusive interview with PhilSTAR Tech, Samsung Electronics Philippines president Roman Han said these everyday behaviors have become an important part of…

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) said potential bidders are still adjusting to qualification and technical requirements for the country’s $288.88-million digital infrastructure project, as procurement delays continue to slow its implementation. The DICT issued the statement after the World Bank rated the implementation of the Philippine Digital Infrastructure Project (PDIP) as “moderately satisfactory,” reflecting delays in the project’s procurement process. The PDIP seeks to expand the country’s fiber infrastructure and improve broadband connectivity, particularly in underserved areas. It includes the expansion of the National Fiber Backbone, as well as middle-mile and last-mile connectivity infrastructure. The project is…

Garmin is placing greater emphasis on endurance tracking with its new fēnix 9 series, adding stamina tools designed to help athletes monitor effort and manage their pace during workouts. The fēnix 9 and fēnix 9 Pro introduce stamina zones and a stamina curve, which provide estimates of endurance across different levels of effort. Garmin says the features use fitness gains and training history to show how endurance changes over time and help users adjust their pacing. The stamina zones divide effort into five levels, from easy to maximum, with the watch estimating how long a user can sustain each zone…

Apple unveiled five new products at its September 9 event, led by its first foldable iPhone and accompanied by new Pro iPhones, Apple Watches and AirPods. Here’s what Apple announced. iPhone Duo Apple entered the foldable-phone market with the iPhone Duo, its first iPhone with a folding display. The device has a 7.6-inch inner display and a 5.4-inch outer screen, with both displays using the same aspect ratio to maintain visual continuity when switching between them. The 7.6-inch inner Super Retina XDR display is made from 10 ultrathin layers and has a custom nano-texture finish designed to reduce glare and…

Parents can now do more than track their teenagers’ rides through Grab’s new Grab for Family feature. Available to teens aged 13 to 17, the feature allows teenagers to book rides independently while giving parents and guardians real-time visibility into their journeys and access to safety tools throughout the trip. One of its features, 3-Way Chat, also allows parents to join the conversation between their teen and the driver during the ride. Here are the ways parents can stay informed when their teen is riding with Grab: 1. Talk to their teen and the driver Through 3-Way Chat, parents can…

Dyson has introduced the CameraJet, an electric toothbrush equipped with a built-in camera that detects gaps between teeth and directs precision water jets to clean them. The device combines sonic brushing with what Dyson calls precision-flossing technology, aiming to make interdental cleaning part of the regular brushing process. The CameraJet’s camera captures 28 frames per second as users brush. Its software analyzes the images to identify spaces between teeth and triggers a water jet when it detects an interdental gap. Each water pulse delivers around 0.15 milliliters of water in about 0.1 second, targeting individual gaps instead of continuously spraying…