Author: PhilSTAR Tech Team

Indoor air quality is becoming a growing concern for Filipino households as humidity, dust, and allergens continue to affect daily comfort. Technology company Xiaomi is making its latest devices as a solution, promoting what it calls “Total Indoor Air Management” through its AIoT ecosystem. To achieve its goal, the company introduces two products: the Mijia Smart Air Purifier 6 and the Xiaomi Smart Dehumidifier Lite. Designed to work together, the devices aim to address both airborne pollutants and excess moisture, two factors that commonly impact indoor environments in tropical climates like the Philippines. The Mijia Smart Air Purifier 6 is…

CloudMile won four Partner of the Year awards at Google Cloud Next 2026, including Southeast Asia Partner of the Year, signaling strong demand for AI and cloud transformation across Asia and the Philippines. The awards, given by Google Cloud, recognize partners with high performance in technical delivery, customer impact, and revenue growth. CloudMile also secured two Asia Pacific (APAC) awards in Databases and Infrastructure Modernization: Migration, highlighting its work in large-scale database upgrades and zero-downtime cloud migration. CloudMile said it has served more than 1,400 enterprises globally, helping companies modernize legacy systems and move workloads to the cloud without disrupting…

Laptops powered by the latest Intel Core Ultra Series 3 processors are now available in the Philippines, expanding access to AI-powered PCs across consumer and business segments. The new chips, first introduced at CES 2026, are designed for AI workloads, faster graphics, and longer battery life. Devices from brands such as ASUS, Acer, Dell, HP, Lenovo, and MSI are now being sold through local retailers. “The introduction of Intel Core Ultra Series 3 systems in the Philippines is an important milestone as AI becomes more relevant to how people learn, work, create, and do business,” said George Chacko, GM Sales Group Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand,…

SINGAPORE — As ASEAN consumers face a “triple-hit” of rising fuel costs, inflation, and economic volatility, leaders from some of the region’s major financial and technology companies highlight fintech’s and government’s role to enable economic resilience in a region currently navigating global shocks. Talking about the situation in the Philippines, Martha Sazon, president and CEO of Mynt, the parent company of GCash, shared how the platform has strengthened its role as a primary distribution channel for government relief—taking a page from its playbook on how it helped keep the local economy running and aid flowing when mobility was restricted during…

realme released the realme 16 Series 5G in the Philippines, expanding its lineup with three models: realme 16 Pro+ 5G, realme 16 Pro 5G, and realme 16 5G. The Pro variants carry a 200MP Multi-focal LumaColor camera system aimed at improving detail across different zoom levels. The realme 16 Pro+ 5G includes a 50MP 3.5x telephoto lens for portrait and zoom shots, while the realme 16 Pro 5G uses the same 200MP main sensor without the telephoto lens. The realme 16 5G uses a dual 50MP camera setup with a Sony IMX852 sensor, best for everyday photography. Across the lineup,…

Google has rolled out a major update to Google Chrome in the Philippines, adding built-in artificial intelligence (AI) powered by Gemini 3.1 to make browsing faster and easier to understand. The update introduces an AI assistant inside Chrome’s side panel, allowing users to ask questions, summarize articles, or generate ideas without leaving the page they are on. Instead of switching tabs or copying text into another app, users can now interact with content directly while browsing. The feature is designed to simplify everyday tasks. Users can turn long articles into short summaries, create a quick reviewer or quiz, or adjust…

OpenAI has released a major update to its image-making tool, now called ChatGPT Images 2.0. The upgrade aims to make the tool faster and much better at following specific instructions, which has been a common struggle for AI art programs in the past. The new version is reportedly four times faster than the previous one. It promises to be much better at keeping things consistent. The new system is designed to lock in important details, allowing users to make specific edits like adding an object or changing a style while keeping the rest of the picture the same. AI has…

Smartphone brand POCO is bringing the POCO M8s 5G to the Philippines this April, and is considered as a step up from its entry-level lineup focusing on battery life, display quality, and everyday performance. The POCO M8s 5G uses a 6.7-inch 1.5K display aimed at sharper visuals and smoother viewing. It also carries TÜV Rheinland certifications for reduced eye strain and includes a feature that keeps the screen responsive even with wet or oily fingers. The POCO M8s 5G is built with a 7,000mAh battery, which promises to last up to two days on a single charge. Even at 1%…

Smart device brand HONOR Philippines has awarded a Tesla Cybertruck to the grand winner of its HONOR X9d 5G “Win a Tesla Cybertruck” promo, which ran during the smartphone’s pre-order period from Jan. 9 to 23, 2026. The winner, Lorelyn Felonia, secured the multi-million peso prize after purchasing 10 units of the HONOR X9d 5G during the campaign, turning what began as a smartphone purchase into one of the most high-profile tech promos in the country. The campaign was designed to highlight the durability and everyday reliability of the HONOR X9d 5G, which the company markets as one of its…

PLDT Home is stepping up efforts to make work-from-home (WFH) setups more practical for Filipino households as rising fuel prices and inflation reshape daily routines. Instead of treating home internet as a fixed expense, the company is making connectivity as a way to offset commuting costs. By removing upfront fees and increasing speeds, PLDT Home hopes to make remote work a more accessible option for both employees and freelancers. For a certain period, PLDT Home waives the ₱3,600 installation fee, and offers temporary speed boosts for fiber subscribers. New users of Fiber Plan 1299 and above can get up to…