Author: Jayvee Fernandez

It’s August 2024, more than half a year since a January report by our sister publication Businessworld on Filipinos expecting to lose their jobs because of Artificial Intelligence. In the study, 73% of Flipinos who were surveyed said this technology will lead to job losses, with 48% saying that AI will not help create new jobs. When I reference AI, I am talking about specific technologies such as Generative AI (GenAI) and machine learning that can be used for certain levels of creative output and customer service such as chatbots. Anecdotally, I’ve heard from friends in the BPO industry that…

itel has unveiled its latest super-budget phone, the P65. If you’re looking for an entry level phone that does NOT look cheap, consider this. Here are the specs: SPECS So yes, as you can see this is a device that really answers the question “I need an Android phone for less than P5,000 but looks mid-range.” In terms of camera performance, there isn’t much to write home except that it does what it was destined to do: take photos. It only comes with one 50 MP rear camera with no frills. The default camera mode is called AI CAM. It…

I consider OnePlus to be more of a marketing company than a phone manufacturer, as it really is a flashier subsidiary to OPPO. There was a time, long ago, when they used to build hype through online-only reservation channels. But in the highly competitive world of C-brand phones, it’s easier to stand out as an odd outlier. I actually like this phone. The Nord CE4 Lite 5G comes with a tad of things I can enjoy. Smart packaging with the iconic red charging cable (it’s 80W SUPERVOOC ready), a 3.5mm jack for the old-school audiophile, 5500mAh battery, 8GB RAM +…

If you’re a content creator looking to level up your game, you shouldn’t fade on the Hollyland Lark M2. As someone who has been on the go lately, I’ve been trying to figure out a new setup for my content creation needs that’s (a) pocktable and (b) modular. For my setup, I have my trusty smartphone, a Fuji X-T30ii, and a GoPro HERO12 with an AI tracking gimbal. The one thing I lacked was a versatile wireless mic that could fit on all three of these devices. A wireless mic makes a huge difference in content consumption. Cheap mics from…

I’ve said it before and I’m going to say it again — wearable tech is going to be the most pragmatic thing this decade. Apart from smartwatches, there has not been a lot of effort in mass producing other wearable devices. Just in the first half of this decade we saw wearable rings and smart glasses make their debut: local brand mWell has their ring while Samsung, although they already announced their own smart ring, won’t make it to Philippine shores. Ray-Ban is currently on their second iteration of the Wayfarer — and though not officially in the Philippines, has…

The PhilSTAR Tech team just got back from a huge product unveiling for the 6th generation Fold devices from Paris, France. As sponsor of the 2024 Olympic Games, Samsung has really gone out of its way to showcase the new hardware with a lot of fanfare. Samsung Galaxy Fold 6: A Productivity Powerhouse The Samsung Galaxy Fold 6 is designed with productivity in mind, featuring incremental hardware upgrades from its predecessor. However, Samsung has placed a significant emphasis on the AI software capabilities that set this device apart from the competition. One of the standout features of the Fold 6…

Touring Paris over the summer, I chanced upon an outdoor exhibit by the Notre Dame Cathedral restoration. Part of the signage reads: FACES OF THE RESTORATION WORKSITE This exhibition celebrates the men and women who, through their exceptional skills and dedication, have been making this high standard restoration possible within the set deadlines. For a week, Studio Harcourt Paris, high-quality portrait photographers whose timeless signature service is the creation of black-and-white portraits, set up its studio at the site headquarters to take 100 individual and group portraits of nearly 500 people and partners involved in the cathedral’s restoration. These portraits…

This is a long term review of a device that I initially found rather awkward to carry, but slowly fell in love with its quirks.

If you’ve been on a plane out from the Philippines these past few months you will notice something different at the immigration line: the lack of paper immigration forms. This has been in implementation since 2023, but many Filipinos are still confused with the process. As someone who witnesses this whenever I go to the airport, I see anxious Filipinos trying to figure out how to register online (many don’t have data on their phones). For outgoing (and incoming) passengers, you will need to fill out an eTravel form via the website or through the eGov app or website. I…

I sometimes get messages from friend asking for affordable tablet recommendations. They fall under the following categories: a simple tablet for Google Docs at a shop or a Netflix / Disney+ media consumption device. The biggest factor would be price — anything below P10,000 will do. So here I am recommending the TechLife Pad because at launch, it sells for only P8,999. For those unfamiliar, TechLife is a sub-brand of realme focusing on affordable mainstream devices. No “flagship killers” here. What you get are robust devices for the budget conscious. I have a realme Pad 2 at home and I…