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SEPTEMBER 2017 | P175

GEEK CHIC

TECHNOLOGY FOR THE FAST-PACED LIFESTYLE

PIA WURTZBACH

contents

issue . 159

cover story Ghosts of retail past watch as e-commerce giant Amazon expands its territory in the shopping jungle.

Can the good olâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; days of brick-and-mortar shopping stand against the emergence of e-commerce?

features

We are close to seeing (and wearing) clothes tailor-made by robots.

2 September 2017

09 . 17

contents

issue . 159

09 . 17

hotspot

trending

11tech frontiers

mobile apps

26 technosphere

Listen. There’s a podcast for you.

The latest technological breakthroughs, including a power cell fueled by sweat

Free up your device’s memory space to install these cool mobile applications.

Tech journo Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla figures out what the next age of personal computing will truly be.

podcast

98 movies Check out the must-watch films this month.

100 cover girl

Miss Universe 2015 Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach answers all our questions in the only way she knows how— in royal fashion.

108

16future tech

Soon to open: a hotel suite that goes where you go

18 cyberspace

Discover Google’s latest Arts & Culture project aimed at promoting and understanding fashion. Plus, this month’s list of social media accounts to follow.

columns

manual

30 arsenal Speed flaunts the most coveted list of new gadgets and gear, headlined by the cutting-edge tech and design of the Louis Vuitton Tambour Horizon. Complete your tech look with our monthly dose of featured mobile devices, audio gear, cameras, apparel, and shoes.

people@speed The men who lead two popular lifestyle brands in the country: Victorinox Swiss Army Watch AG CEO Alexander Bennouna and Tony & Jackey President and General Manager Sky Park

118 how to proving ground

tested Hot products we tested this month, plus Ever Oasis.

Find the right luggage for you and go on a digital detox.

123 ask the editor Ask us and we’ll answer any tech curiosity, trouble, or query on your mind.

open forum Guest contributor Michelle Orosa-Ople shares how Cherie Gil convinced her to seek the help of an online styling service.

EVERY MONTH

6 Outbox 8 Contributors / Staff box 10 Inbox 124 Billboard 127 Store Directory 129 Mobile Buyer’s Guide 136 Before You Go

112

geek-spotting Get to know the experts and enthusiasts who have an overflowing passion for a certain field, topic, or activity.

115

events Samsung’s unveiling of its latest J-series smartphone and the arrival of Japan’s “it” bag in Manila.

4 September 2017

form factor Everyday clothing that merges creative smarts with crafty engineering

ON THE COVER Pia Wurtzbach Photography Dookie Ducay Styling Patrick Perez Makeup Gery Penaso Hair Aries Manal

outbox

Weaving magic

n 1804, Joseph-Marie Jacquard, son of a master weaver, invented a programmable machine that made weaving more efficient and less tedious. This machine, known as the Jacquard loom, automated weaving, revolutionized manufacturing, inspired British scientist Charles Babbage’s inventions, and formed the basis for modern computing. Today, the highly sophisticated computers that evolved from Babbage’s invention are the same machines that control the patterning of modern textiles and that churn out creations such as wearables and 3D-printed clothing. This month, in Speed’s annual Fashion Tech issue, we look at the intersection of fashion and technology, and a trend that could disrupt the fashion industry. And we don’t just mean high-tech clothing and stylish wearables.

with a built-in camera that takes hands-free full-body selfies and doles out fashion tips. And as if those aren’t enough, Amazon just won a patent for on-demand apparel manufacturing, in which machines only start snipping and stitching when a customer places an order. At the heart of all this is technology—AI, e-commerce, robotics, big data—and how Amazon is utilizing it to innovate the shopping experience while delivering the best customer service. And for that we thank Joseph-Marie Jacquard. It is only fitting that the weaving loom he invented, and which inspired modern-day computing, is now generating innovation in the fashion-tech industry. Jacquard’s loom has come full circle.

In case you haven’t heard, Amazon—yes, that tech company that seems to be in the business of everything—is hoping to change the way we do online fashion retail. The e-commerce giant is planning to roll out a service called Prime Wardrobe, a service that lets you pick from over 1 million items on Amazon Fashion, have these delivered to your doorstep with no upfront cost, and decide if you want to keep them or not. If you like it, buy it. If you don’t, return the products without shelling out a single cent. Aside from the ‘try before you buy’ service, Amazon has also introduced the Alexa-powered Echo Look, a smart speaker

6 September 2017

Ed i t o r- in - C hiEf katrina@speed-mag.com

meet the geeks

What online shopping sites do you frequent?

Editorial editorial@speed-mag.com

Editor-in-ChiEf Katrina Rivere-Diga | katrina@speed-mag.com I lurk around Etsy, but have never bought a thing.

Amazon

managing Editor Aritha Zel Zalamea | zel@speed-mag.com onlinE Editor Patricia Mae Calica | pat@speed-mag.com Editorial assoCiatE John Sosmeña | john@speed-mag.com Contributing Editors Val Gonzales, Andy Leuterio, Candy Villanueva-Lykes, Gadjo Sevilla (North American correspondent)

The online stores of Fully Booked and National Bookstore

Lazada and Zalora

michelle orosa-ople is a long-time journalist transitioning into public relations. She is a storyteller by heart, and enjoys turning the mundane into personal, documented, and memorable experiences. She delights in deep conversations, good food, classic fashion, and cats.

Contributing WritErs Ron Cruz, Erik Paolo Escueta, Carmela Maraan Fernando, Antonio Jose Galauran

dEsign

art dirECtor Christian J. Veril | chris@speed-mag.com sEnior graphiC artist Melai Balitaan | melai@speed-mag.com final artist Arnaldo G. Santos

Deovir Arts

photographErs Dookie Ducay, Marlon Pecjo, Shaira Luna, Xander Angeles

Lazada

salEs & markEting sEnior salEs managEr James B. Orlanda | james@speed-mag.com advErtising aCCount managEr Mia C. Morales | mia@speed-mag.com marketing@speed-mag.com

admin | circulation produCtion offiCEr Charissa Tandoc | production@speed-mag.com hrd offiCEr Lala Nañola-Talob | lala@speed-mag.com Zalora and BEAUTYMNL. Their collections are always up to date and they offer great discounts.

bam Cocjin is a physician by profession. He has the uncanny ability to fall in love with TV shows that get canceled after the first season. During his spare time, he searches for podcasts that he hopes will help keep him sane whenever he is stuck in traffic. He still hasn’t found what he’s looking for.

Lazada for their wide selection of products

National Bookstore and Metrodeal

aCCounting supErvisor Lorena Avenido | lorie@speed-mag.com CirCulation managEr David R. Domingo Jr. | circulation@speed-mag.com CirCulation assoCiatE Maria Carla Ellyn Leaño

ron Cruz is well on his way into becoming a grumpy old man. He is delaying this inevitable transformation by playing card and board games, trawling the interwebs, and stuffing his face silly with junk food. He still has an unhealthy obsession with cats.

PublishEr

Airo Media International, Inc. CEo/prEsidEnt Marcos A. Sosmeña | nmsosmena@speed-mag.com

Magzter, Ookee, and Shopee

ChiEf opErating offiCEr Susan M. Sosmeña | smsosmena@speed-mag.com lEgal CounsEl Tolentino Corvera Macasaet & Reig Ctp and lithography Megatone Printhauz, Inc.

Magazine

Speed is published monthly by Airo Media International, Inc. Address all correspondence to #96-B Panay Avenue, South Triangle, Quezon City 1103. Our telephone numbers are (02) 3746771 to 74 with telefax number (02) 3746775.

8 September 2017

All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher is prohibited. Every care is taken to ensure that the content of Speed is fully accurate; however, the publisher and printer assume no responsibility for the effects arising therefrom. Speed is a registered trademark of Airo Media International, Inc.

Jovi figueroa started making ruckus in the media industry in 2014, fresh from snagging a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism from the University of the Philippines. If the world was perfect, she would rather lurk in the tech and gaming corners. When she is not over-encumbered with work, she is playing violent shooting games, running around the ice, or musing over Murakami.

inbox

One happy cOnvert Dear Speed,

Hey, Ronalyn!

I’ve seen copies of your magazine for years now but never bothered to pick one up. I thought I wouldn’t be able to relate at all ’coz I’m not much of a techie. One time, a friend was browsing a copy, the one with Solenn on the cover, and I got curious. That’s when I realized that I’ve been missing out on a lot all this time. Akala ko kasi pang-guys and pang-techie lang ’yung Speed! I’m glad I got to browse your magazine (and thanks to my friend, too!). Malaman at hindi bitin! I’m looking forward to your upcoming issues!

We’re thrilled to have another happy convert! Yes, we’re not just a magazine for guys and tech-heads, we’re for all and everyone who care about technology and how we use it in our everyday lives. Welcome to the Geek Side, Ronalyn! Here’s our welcome gift for you: a pair of musicanywhere WA0809 headphones worth P6,500.

Great job, Speed! Ronalyn Servo

Thanks from a couch poTaTo

shooT like a pro

I just want to say thanks to you guys for your article in your July issue where you featured TV shows worth watching. I love watching TV, but I can’t seem to keep up because there’s just too many shows that look interesting. So many choices, so little time haha! But thanks to you, I think I know where to start: American Gods! Now where to get the popcorn?

I got interested in an article in your July issue where you wrote about how to shoot like a pro videographer. It’s very helpful for someone like me who’s just starting to experiment with shooting. I like that the writer gave examples of movies where the camera movements were used. I searched videos online to see what pans, tilts, and dolly shots look like, and I’m excited to practice doing them! Don’t worry, I’ll take your advice. Will do everything in moderation ;) Thanks, guys!

Hello!

Cat Miranda

10 September 2017

We Want to hear from you!

Dear Speed,

Migs Vicencio

Send in your thoughts and comments about Speed by dropping us a line or two at editorial @speed-mag.com.

trending tech frontiers

very time you work out, you can produce electrical energy. Welcome to the sweat life!

Researchers at the University of California in San Diego have developed a biofuel power cell patch that’s fueled by your sweat. It can store enough juice to power a radio for two days, or even a small mobile device. 123rf.com/ profile_ostill

This power cell is a small, flexible square patch that sticks to your skin. It harvests

your sweat, which is combined with enzymes that perform the same function as precious metals in standard batteries.

Lactic acid found in sweat is what helps operate this cell. This is produced through muscular exertion, and you can tell when you’re starting to produce it when your muscles begin to ache. Aside from powering music and mobile devices, this sweat-powered battery is hoped to have greater use in the medical tech industry. It can ultimately be utilized to help monitor your performance during physical activity, as well as monitor glucose levels in diabetic patients’ sweat. It’s a non-invasive way to provide alternative power and keep track of one’s health.

September 2017

tech frontiers

Dear Dolly

arents, don’t say we didn’t warn you. Dolls could be your child’s next— or only—best friend.

And we don’t simply mean brainless Barbies talking to your bored kids, but high-tech dolls capable of recognizing and responding to precise human emotions. A research team from University of CastillaLa Mancha in Ciudad Real, Spain, has

developed a chip and integrated into a doll. This chip has been programmed to recognize facial images and analyze eight different types of children’s emotions—including surprise and happiness—with the help of a small integrated camera. The doll will then adjust how it ‘behaves’ according to the child’s emotion. Unlike controversial emotion-reading dolls like the Hello Barbie that sends audio clips to third-party servers over cloud, this new model markets itself as privacy-sensitive machine that can work internet-free.

123rf.com/profile_gpointstudio

Words Antonio Jose Galauran

Oscar Deniz University of Castilla-La Mancha

IncredIble Iron man No, we’re Not referring to Tony Stark. We’re talking about a super hero who will save us from doing one of the most daunting household chores ever.

Meet the heaven-sent robot TEO, a mechanical specimen that may soon iron our clothes for us. Place any cloth and ironing board in front of TEO and it will automatically stimulate the built-in camera in its head to create a 3D representation of the garment and ironing board. It will then spot for creases and hold down the press until its local “wrinkliness local

descriptor”—which measures 0 for sharp edges and 1 for flat— commands it to halt. TEO hails from Carlos III University of Madrid in Spain and has been undergoing training since 2012. Five years on and TEO is still perfecting his craft with the help of the researchers. Don’t rush hiring TEO until he’s a master iron man or he might end up burning your clothes. Cornell University

September 2017

tech frontiers

Nodrowse driviNg

Synthetic Sight O

ur iris automatically dilates and contracts depending on the amount of light entering it. Now imagine such an iris that performs this way inside your camera.

Arri Priimägi’s team at Tampere University of Finland has built a synthetic iris that closes and opens on its own. It’s made of polymerized crystal elastomer, cut into a disc only 14 millimeters across, with 12 radial petals cut in

Professor Cheung Yiu-ming’s team from Hong Kong Baptist University has developed a prize-winning app for detecting and waking drowsy drivers before they fall asleep. This system uses real-time smartphone video to analyze a driver’s neutral facial features. The smartphone is placed near the steering wheel, and as soon as the frontfacing camera detects any facial signs of drowsiness, it automatically sets off an alarm. The research team has already submitted a patent application to the US for the system.

its center. This material can contract or expand according to heat. In the dark, the petals curl outward, creating a small pupil-like hole. When exposed to blue or green light, the petals close up, thanks to the addition of a special light-responsive red dye. This mimics the natural behavior of our iris. The artificial iris can contract and dilate in seconds, which can be sped up for use in cameras and light-sensitive microbotics. Eventually, it may also be used in corrective eye procedures.

Photography through walls A group of German scientists has discovered a method for taking 3D photos or holograms through walls using Wi-Fi. Using two antennas, this process records Wi-Fi intensity and light phases inside

14 September 2017

another room. Wi-Fi routers emit microwave radiation in phases, which bounce off random objects inside its field. A specialized software analyzes this recorded data, which is used to build and stack several 2D images together. These images then combine to recreate a 3D hologram of all the objects that the antenna have detected inside that room. According to one of the researchers, this holographic system can be used to map out the inside of a building within seconds.

Words Carmela Maraan Fernando

A simple smArtphonebased system may help prevent road accidents caused by sleepy drivers at the wheel.

future tech

The suiTe life Words Carmela Maraan Fernando

hanks to a brilliant architecture student, you may enjoy the comfort of luxury hotel accommodations while traveling. That means your suite goes where you go. Brandan Siebrecht from the University of Nevada in Las Vegas conceptualized the Hyperloop Hotel. It consists of shipping containers repurposed as hotel suites that

16 September 2017

travel along the Hyperloop network (Elon Muskâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vision of a lightning-fast mode of travel incorporating cloud, IoT and AR/ VR). These suites can be docked at a modular hotel in each destination city in the network, so guests can travel to multiple destinations without going through the trouble of booking at different hotels. According to Siebrecht, the entire idea is based on modular design, from the transient suites to hotel towers that contain permanent amenities for the docked suites. The Hyperloop Hotel won the student award for the 2017 Radical Innovation competition, for changing the relationship between technology and hospitality. Siebrecht says that the construction would cost $8 to 10 million, and may cost passengers $1,200 per trip, including travel and a one-night stay. Right now, he proposes to cover 13 Hyperloop destinations in the U.S. but may eventually expand to link cities in Europe and Asia.

Radical Innovation

cyberspace

Fashion matters

we wear Culture: a google arts & Culture project Words Erik Paolo Escueta We Wear Culture

18 September 2017

hat springs to mind when you hear the word “fashion”? Do you immediately think of the newest clothing trends and latest in-season apparel? Or perhaps brands come to mind— such as your favorite Parisian designers and maybe even celebrities, big names who have left an impression on your style? There’s no wrong answer here, but they do emphasize one thing: how big of a role fashion has played in our cultural identities, whether as an individual or as a collective. And it’s this aspect of cultural development that’s taken the spotlight in Google’s latest Arts & Culture project, titled we wear Culture (google.com/culturalinstitute/beta/ project/fashion). A curated collection of stories and narratives centered on the personalities, events, and disciplines of the fashion world, We Wear Culture pulls out all the stops in ensuring that visitors learn not only about fashion’s overall impact on culture, but also the little details underneath. Don’t worry about being overwhelmed either; Google has thoughtfully divided its displays into four distinct categories for easy accessibility.

Alexander McQueen

Audrey Hepburn and her Salvatore Ferragamo shoe collection

Tokyo Street Fashion and Culture

The Icons focuses on notable designers and couturiers—from fashion nobility like Gianni Versace and Dame Vivienne Westwood, to youngbloods such as Victoria Beckham and Alexander McQueen—with a selection of online exhibits and meticulously written insights into their cultural legacies.

There are also sections dedicated to the cultural icons and muses that contributed to their rise (like Audrey Hepburn and her Salvatore Ferragamo shoe collection, and Pierre Balmain’s wardrobe for Her Majesty Queen Sirikit of Thailand). There are also special galleries highlighting fashion’s influence on different cultures, and the styles and designs that give them a unique visual identity.

The Movements takes a fine look at

the developing trends of fashion, the locations where they were born and flourished, and their impact on popular culture. The galleries are intricately detailed, with maps, timelines, and archive photos showcasing the progress of fashion.

Take for example the Tokyo Street Fashion and Culture exhibit. Beginning in the 1980s with the youth donning American-style apparel that confronted formal aesthetics, they went through several fashion trends over the years that continue to influence the daring and experimental fashion of modern-day Tokyo.

September 2017 19

cyberspace

The Arts explores how fashion has

influenced—and also been influenced by— the different art forms and mediums, from film and stage to print and photography, with interesting and intriguing exhibits such as the contemporary stylings of the Women of Bollywood cinema and the graceful yet curious costumes of the Australian Ballet. Or if you fancy a bit more fantasy, the Fairy Tale Fashion exhibit at The Museum at FIT is a brilliant thematic take on classic fables attire. Of course, being a Google project means that We Wear Culture showcases more than

just picture slideshows and photo galleries. Museum exhibits can be viewed in full 360 degrees using your VR headset, or by tapping around your touchscreen. Interviews and biopics also provide some audio-visual entertainment for the more leisurely patron. Naturally, everything is searchable. With more than 175 partners contributing to the project (esteemed institutions like the Kyoto Costume Institute, Wien Museum Austria, and Parsons School of Design, to name a few) and with its archives amounting to almost 3000 years of fashion history, We Wear Culture is definitely not scarce for content.

Man’s wedding costume from Galičnik (early 1900s)

The Making Of reveals the facts and

histories of the unique clothing of countries and peoples around the world. The slideshows and galleries explore the rich cultural heritage behind many pieces such as the traditional dresses of Romania and Korea, the jewelry of Balkan, and the folk costumes of Serbia. Even raw materials are covered in excruciating detail, and their impact on the fashion industry for different cultures.

20 September 2017

Balkan Jewelry Albanian slippers or outer socks

cyberspace

ollow tHeSe accounts to transform your digital space into a buzzing hub with the hottest news, gags, designs, and trends. Beauty lies in diversity, and each account’s distinct character will keep your feed fresh and will leave you endlessly scrolling. Say goodbye to boring Instagram feeds from now on.

Cru Camara @crucamara

Enter the dream-like Instagram feed of Manilabased photographer Cru Camara. Her technicolor page is all about oversaturated filters, neon lights, pastels, portraits, and plants. Scroll through her feed and see how the ordinary becomes whimsical, the mundane becomes exceptional.

@seriousstudio

The Instagram page of Serious Studio boasts some heavyweight typography and design creds. The minds behind this account are the same ones behind some of the most recognizable branding works in the metro. Think Manila Creamery, Yes Please, Solenn Heussaff’s website solenn.ph, Ayala Land, Inc., BJ Pascual’s Push: Muses, Mischief, & How to Make it in Manila—these are just few of the projects that the studio had their hands on.

22 September 2017

Jv Ruanto @jvruanto

Toys are not just for little boys. Self-proclaimed toy collector and photographer Jv Ruanto works as a product marketing officer from nine ‘til five every weekday. But during his free time, he “plays” with his collection of Legos and action figures (read: take really cool photos of them) and uploads them to his social media pages.

work2day @work2day

Managed by New York-based artist Jason Gringler, @work2day features the most intriguing contemporary art pieces from all over the world. The curated works of art create a unifying theme—a dystopian, abstract world—when viewed as a whole. Gringler also gravitates toward artworks that play with materials like broken glass, metal scraps, and rocks.

History in Vids @historyinvids

Go back in time and see history unfold in front of you. Check out @historyinvids to watch short but amazing videos from the past—whether it’s in the year 1986 when Mike Tyson knocked out Trevor Berbick during Round 2 of their bout, or in 1968 when Martin Luther King delivered what would be his last speech.

Words Pat Calica

Serious Studio

mobile apps

iOS P249

Halide Words Erik Paolo Escueta

The iPhone’s camera is good, that’s undisputed, but in the hands of expert photographers, the in-depth settings of premium camera gear still take a lead over the quick-shot orientation of the native iOS camera app. Fortunately, the App Store offers

several alternative camera apps that put more power into your snapshot settings, and while a lot of them do offer plentiful pro-level options, very few are as easy to use as premium camera app Halide. Thanks to its simple interface, Halide makes camera adjustments essentially effortless and virtually seamless. You can access almost every option without ever leaving your viewfinder. These include common tasks like choosing between manual and auto controls and between JPG and RAW file output. Quick gestures also adjust technical settings like exposure and focus without having to open a menu or an options picker, and even throws in a histogram viewer for serious shutterbugs who like to fine-tune every aspect of their shots. All these and more make Halide live up to its tagline as a premium camera for your iPhone that won’t break the bank.

24 September 2017

MOBILE APPS

Cinetrak Android, iOS | FREE Looking for a new flick to watch and can’t find anything new? Is your movie backlog starting to get unmanageable? Have you ever tried to recall a certain title you’ve seen only to fall blank? Then you’ll probably need an app like Cinetrak, which not only helps you create watch lists and track your movie collection, but also keeps you updated on the latest releases and discover new ones through curated lists and trending titles. Cinetrak also has a robust set of community features such as comparing your movie-watching stats against your friends and crowdsourced movie ratings that help ensure your precious movie time is spent watching a few hours of cinematic splendor rather than an old rotten tomato.

Groovebox iOS | FREE

Lord of Dice iOS | FREE

Lord of Dice is more than just your average fantasy game of the week, with gameplay that combines dice rolls and traditional turn-based battles while using Dicers (collectible warriors that comprise your arsenal of special attacks and abilities). Lord of Dice also has a great online community, with modes that span the standard range of playerversus-player arenas, raid boss battles, and timed events that should keep players glued outside of its intricate story mode. Note, however, that while it’s free to play, you should be prepared to pay up in spades if you intend to go all

out on the game’s exclusive gear and Dicers for higher-level challenges and rewards. Lord of Dice is also one of the grander visual productions on mobile games so far. Full Japanese voice acting lends some authenticity and reflects well on its high production values. Same goes for the character portrait animations and artwork, which are just stellar and lively to look at. Not everyone may go for the anime aesthetic, but at least Lord of Dice pulls out all the stops to make itself stand out of the crowd.

We’ve covered a lot of music creation apps before, but we have to admit that Groovebox has more style than most in its looks and presentation. Its unassuming color palette, funky flat dials, and shapely icons make Groovebox feel like a refreshing spin on the genre. And when it comes to its collection of electronic dance music composition tools, Groovebox doesn’t fall flat either, offering an array of options like a 16-pad drum machine, retrobass and poly-8 synthesizers, and a deep loop sequence editor to easily craft your own seismic beats and rhythmic riffs. We only lament that much of the content in Groovebox is locked away as in-app purchases, which does sour its otherwise innovative imagery.

September 2017 25

technosphere

Is there a valId reason to fear artIfIcIal IntellIgence?

Gadjo Cardenas sevilla

left unchecked, can result in the ruin of humankind. “I have exposure to the very cutting-edge A.I., and I think people should be really concerned about it,” Musk said at a recent meeting of the National Governors Association. “I keep sounding the alarm bell, but until people see robots going down the street killing people, they don’t know how to react, because it seems so ethereal.”

Intelligence or A.I. is fast becoming a part of our lives—with everything from chatbots inside apps to voice assistants competently taking over menial tasks that humans are often not very good at. A.I. pertains to machines or computers serving as agents with cognitive functions, meaning that they are capable of reacting to specific situations or answering queries by drilling down a logic tree. If A.I. bots or agents were coded by hand, they’d be pretty basic and quite limited. What’s making A.I. extremely powerful today is machine learning and cloud computing. Machine learning is exponential With machine learning, an agent can be fed

terabytes of data at a time and it then digests this data into functioning solutions or courses of action. This goes way beyond your basic Siri search query and into the realm of problem solving and learning. How insanely powerful is A.I. today? Here’s a recent example: Google’s AlphaGo AI player handily beat Ke Jie, the best human Go player. According to Jie, AlphaGo’s performance left him “shocked” and “deeply impressed,” noting that the moves the computer played “would never happen in a human-to-human match.” While it is easy to argue that Go is merely a game of strategy, we need to consider that Google AlphaGo won by surprising a seasoned grand champion through the use of moves that, maybe, have yet to be conceived by the human mind. Go is said to be a more complex game than Chess, and IBM’s Deep Blue, a chess computer, also handily beat out world champion Gary Kasparov back in 1996. He who shapes A.I. controls the future So, when you have programs or agents that exist beyond the realm of what humans can program them to do, you can say you have way smarter artificial intelligence—possibly one that can easily surpass man’s accomplishments. It’s no surprise, then, that there are many very intelligent people who fear that applying A.I. without reigning it in could yield some catastrophic results. Elon Musk, who gave the world PayPal, Tesla, SpaceX, The Boring Company, and SolarCity, fears that A.I., if

26 September 2017

Okay, so maybe Elon Musk’s vision of a robot apocalypse might seem exaggerated. After all, this is the same person who said, “Odds are, we’re living in a simulation.” Still, there’s some wisdom in approaching A.I. with the same care and reverence as we would a weapon of mass destruction. Something of this magnitude and power cannot be taken lightly or abused. Crisis of control Author Peter J. Scott investigates this in detail. His book, Crisis of Control: How Artificial SuperIntelligences May Destroy or Save the Human Race, proposes the following: Conscious artificial intelligence (CAI) cannot be prevented, thus we must be acquainted with its inner workings. Advanced technology of this magnitude will make it possible for people of ordinary means to kill millions. CAI will surpass human levels within a short time of its arrival. CAIs’ ethics will reflect those of their creators’ (likely the Pentagon or Wall Street), which should spur conversation about the ethics and choices of those creators. Ethical CAI must be created in the public domain first to beat unethical competition. Challenges and opportunities tip the scales Scott, an IT expert and futurist who has worked for NASA for over thirty years, thoroughly examines both the challenges and opportunities of artificial superintelligences in a way non-experts can grasp. He aims to spark conversation as a society, generate awareness, and help each of us understand the interplay of the many dynamics shaping our future. This future isn’t 20, 15, or 10 years away. This future is now. Humans, it seems, cannot continue to carelessly interact with technology. We need to seriously be aware of who curates and controls the way A.I. is created and also anticipate where it is headed.

.123rf.com/profile_studiostoks

Artificial

open forum

How CHerie Gil ConvinCed me i needed a stylist

Michelle OrOsa-Ople

Enter Cherie Gil and this Facebook ad from Stylist in Pocket (SiP). There she was, wearing a crisp, elegant yellow top and chic pants, in her quaint, beautiful home, just sharing her confidence in the stylist who visited her and put together her outfit. I was sold that first hit. Surely these stylists could work on me too! It took a few more hits, but eventually I went and checked out SiP’s site to surf the selection myself. I clicked “Sign Up” on SiP’s Facebook page, and upon seeing the site, I was hooked. There was no turning back from there.

all me a “second-rate, trying hard copycat,” but it took several hits from a Facebook ad-testimonial from Cherie Gil to inspire me to upgrade my limited wardrobe selection. And fast.

Let me tell you why. When I say limited wardrobe, I mean limited. As a journalist for over the past decade-and-a-half, my wardrobe usually rotated among anything flexible enough to be worn from hotels one second, to wet markets, accidents, and fire incidents the next: collared shirts, 3/4 sleeved tops, and jeans, jeans, jeans. I had a few nice outfits, to be sure, for the usual nights out and personal events. Thing is, I am about to change industries; I will be moving from media to public relations. As a journalist who’s met some of the best PR professionals in this country, let me just say my “limited wardrobe” was definitely crying out for help.

28 September 2017

The site immediately asked me to profile myself through a series of questions. This excited me because I immediately felt as if something was being customized just for me, which was exactly what I wanted and needed. The series of questions ranged from my height, weight, and preferred clothes. I particularly enjoyed the pegs section, where I could choose five from about nine photos on the kinds of pegs I wanted for the style I was exploring. I also liked the fact that SiP asked for my preferred price range for the tops, pants/bottoms, and/or shoes. I was already computing my budget and was glad to know SiP was working with me there. Next part was SiP asking whether I wanted a home visit, or online suggestions sent to me. I chose Home Visit for the experience, but was pleasantly assured that if I didn’t have the time, the stylists could very well put together a look-book of ensembles for me to check out. Enter very frequently-asked fact here: There’s NO FEE for the stylists! Customers pay only for the clothes they choose, at the same prices as the products would have at the malls. Ecstatic at that, and happy with my profile, I scheduled a visit that weekend. Stylist in Pocket’s team sent me a confirmation message within the hour after filling out the profile, and about a text message per day leading up to the

appointment. The stylist herself, Jessica Newfield, reached out, and soon we had a candid exchange about what to expect. When Jessica and her partner Krissy showed up on the appointed date, I was floored. They brought an entire rack of clothes with them: from tops to bottoms to dresses. Jessica handed me a glass of free iced tea upon coming in—talk about service! The clothes were a mix of SiP’s local and foreign partner brands. All the clothes came with price tags, as if I was shopping in a mall. More than these, all of the clothes fit the online profile I filled out—almost all of them fit as if they were made for me. I pulled my husband in for the show, and he sat fascinated as Jessica and Krissy worked their magic in an hour-and-a-half fashion show right in the comfort of our home. I was so happy I set aside a loose budget for my wardrobe makeover—I loved almost every ensemble. By payment time, SiP pulled out another surprise: a mobile POS for credit and debit cards. Patay! But what a convenient detail. I was already one happy camper when Jessica asked if I wanted to donate three old pieces of clothing in exchange for a P250 off voucher for the next visit. They would donate the clothes to charity. Wow. Long after Jessica and Krissy left, my husband and I kept talking about how happy we were about SiP’s business model. Disruptive, innovative, convenient, and highly personal. He called it “pro-consumer and service-oriented.” I called it “genius.” It was a novel experience for people like me who hardly have the time to shop to our heart’s content. From filling out an online profile followed to a T and getting the services of stylists (which used to be a luxury only celebrities could afford), to the entire experience of being able to see everything in front of me as I would in a store—or better! I have to add that the expertise of the stylists was a priceless help: they picked out classic yet trendy ensembles I didn’t even know I could try, but gave me the space to pick out items I fancied. This was a deal breaker for me: that personal touch in addition to the online convenience. I started out trailing Cherie Gil, but SiP turned me into a fashionista all my own. If this is a trend in retail, consider me a willing suki. I am already planning a repeat session.

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30 September 2017

Louis Vuitton tambour Horizon

The LV connection

Louis Vuitton tambour Horizon Words Aritha Zel Zalamea

WHo eVer said tHat cutting-edge tecHnoLogy cannot be fashionable—or vice versa? With luxury so much embedded into its DNA, Louis Vuitton doesn’t only marry the two; it adds opulence to a smartwatch like only Louis Vuitton can.

Meet the Tambour Horizon, the wearable that puts together horology and luxury to elevate your social status to out-of-thisworld affluence without discrediting your tech know-how.

Three models differ in index design, each available in three executions. Black, Graphite, and Monogram models are available, embodying popular Louis Vuitton aesthetic variants to match your style and mood.

The Tambour Horizon, despite being a smartwatch, looks so much like Louis Vuitton’s analog Tambour watches. That must be the appeal because it doesn’t look like a piece of high-tech hardware at all. Instead, it looks very much like an elegant—and expensive—Louis Vuitton timepiece.

Each Tambour Horizon execution comes in a 42mm case. In front, it is protected by sapphire glass. The caseback is also topped

with sapphire glass bearing the Louis Vuitton logo.

If you’re familiar with Louis Vuitton’s earlier watches, you won’t be surprised at the 24 hours outer ring and the 12 hours inner dial. It’s chic. It’s different. It’s Louis Vuitton.

Have you almost forgotten that this is a smartwatch? The center screen shows notifications powered by Android Wear 2.0. The Tambour Horizon is compatible with at least an Android 4.3, iPhone 5, or iOS 9. It connects via Bluetooth 4.1 and Wi-Fi.

Louis Vuitton provides a 2-year international limited guarantee, which should give you some peace of mind. After all, it retails at $2,450—$2,900 if you get the steel finish. Feel even better with some exclusive features such as the My Flight travel function and the City Guide app.

You can change the strap—30 options are available for men and women—but it still doesn’t give access to the plebes because the Tambour Horizon uses Louis Vuitton’s patented system.

The AMOLED touchscreen looks every bit like an analog watch face. Together with the rest of the watch, it is water-resistant up to 30 meters and is powered by a battery that lasts up to 22 hours. The watch comes with its own charger.

September 2017 31

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Tech Look

Fit for any occasion No-NoNseNse gear aNd garb that allow you to do more things and go to more places— these are what today’s multi faceted individuals need in their lives. Clothes that can go from formal to casual and vice versa are the way to go. Any top paired with the (1)Zara wool suit trousers (P3,995) turns into a smart-looking number. Add the (2)Zara combined blazer (P4,595) to your clothing staple—it can be worn as a standalone piqué blazer or with the detachable interior lining and adjustable hood. Top the whole look with a contemporary timepiece such as the (3)TAG Heuer Carrera Heuer-01, which sports a new 43mm 12-part modular steel case and the Heuer-01 Manufacture Chronograph movement.

Experience the traditional feel of pen and paper when taking notes and doodling on the (5)Wacom Bamboo Folio. With a push of a button, the Bamboo Folio converts your handwritten notes into digital files that you can save or share.

32 September 2017

Words Pat Calica

Of course, you’ll need a bag that looks practical in the boardroom but stylish for everyday use. The (4)anello Limited Edition All Black Polyester backpack (P3,350) got you covered with its sturdy, fashion-forward design.

Tech Look

Styledriven Are CAsuAl City driving And roAd triPs uP north part of your regular weekend plans? Then, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got a driven and driving style master within our midst. Whether you are discovering more nooks and crannies in the metropolis or just enjoying a legal speedy ride along the expressway, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no place you are more comfortable at than behind the wheel. Make your ride extra pleasurable by wearing relaxed clothing such as the (1)Mango printed cotton shirt (P1,295) paired with (2)Mango Skinny Jude jeans (P2,295). Rev up your style with the (3)TW Steel Volante (P14,000-P27,000). Made for those who love to drive, the Volante watch features 22 different executions in 45mm and 48mm size. The available designs are: a 3-Hand Miyota 2415 movement, a Chrono in either a compact 45mm 0S10 Miyota movement or 48mm big caliber 6S10 movement, and a Dual Time Seiko VD31 movement. Words Pat Calica

As you get your engines roaring, the (4)Hawk Neon Backpack Edition (P3,999.75) screams along a loud style. Pack your things neatly inside this spacious 22L bag with triple compartment and multiple pocket features.

September 2017 33

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TEch Look

Early adopter AlwAys first in line, eArly AdoPters like you get their hands on the latest tech and products ahead of everyone. Way before all our devices are equipped with virtual reality features, you are already in on the craze with the (1)Arsenal VR One (P11,990). This VR-ready Android 6.0 Marshmallow device sports a 5.2-inch JDI LTPS panel, a 1.3GHz octa-core Cortex A53 processor, 32GB internal storage, and 3GB RAM. Keep all your tech gear inside the (2)Thule Legend Action Camera Backpack. This pack has a sleek design and semi-hard shell construction to protect your gadgets. As the name suggests, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a durable case specifically designed for your action camera and its accessories.

Classic sneaks with innovative technology? Check that off the list, too. The (5)Chuck Taylor All Star x Nike Flyknit (P5,430) flaunts the iconic highcut Chuck Taylor look while incorporating the Nike Flyknit technology with a welded micro suede upper, sleek TPU fused toe cap, and a Nike Lunarlon sockliner.

34 September 2017

Words Pat Calica

You are also forward-thinking when it comes to clothing, not letting functionality compromise your style. The (3)H&M Patterned Hooded Sweatshirt (P1,690) and the (4)H&M Cotton Twill Joggers (P1,490) are the latest pieces in your ever-changing wardrobe.

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Mobile Devices

AssAult your senses RED, the company known for its cinema-grade cameras, is getting into the smartphone game.

with various camera modules for “higher-quality motion and still images.”

But they’re not just working on some run-of-the-mill smartphone. Their smart device, called Hydrogen One, is set to assault your senses with a 5.7-inch “hydrogen holographic display” and a proprietary algorithm that converts stereo sound to “multidimensional” audio.

Little is known about the specs of the Hydrogen One aside from the fact that it will run on Android OS and will come with a microSD card slot.

The display will be capable of displaying traditional 2D media, stereo 3D content, and holographic RED Hydrogen 4-View content (H4V), and will even support augmented reality, virtual reality, and mixed reality without the need for wearable glasses or headsets. Since RED is known for its cameras, it’s no surprise that it plans to fit in a modular camera unit that users can switch out

36 September 2017

If you’re keen on forking over an eyewatering $1,195 (aluminum finish) or an even more outrageous $1,595 for the titanium version, then head over to RED’s website to pre-order. Estimated delivery is in the first quarter of 2018. In the box, you’ll get the device, a USB-C cable and charger, and a “special small token” for ordering early.

Words Katrina Rivere-Diga

ReD Hydrogen one

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MobIlE DEvIcES

Bright night sky

Samsung Galaxy J7 Pro Keep your night photos bright using the Samsung J7 Pro. The J7 Pro boasts a powerful night camera, with a 13MP rear shooter featuring an f/1.7 aperture and a 13MP front camera with an f/1.9 opening. The smartphone features a 5.5-inch Full HD Super AMOLED screen cased inside a full metal unibody. It comes with a 1.6GHz octa-core processor with 32GB internal memory, up to 256GB microSD expansion, and 3GB RAM. The Galaxy J7 Pro runs on Android 7.0 Nougat. It has a home button doubling as a fingerprint scanner and Always On Display, a feature that’s usually seen on Samsung’s higher-end phones. Price: P15,990

Infinite conversations

Infinix Note 4 and Note 4 Pro

Familiarity breeds content

Both the Infinix Note 4 (P8,999) and the Note 4 Pro are equipped with the company’s own unique Xcharge 4.0 feature. The high-efficiency and low-voltage charging system allows these devices to have as much as 250 minutes of talk time in under five minutes of charging. The Note 4 and the Note 4 Pro have 4300mAh and 4500mAh batteries, respectively. Each comes with a 1.3GHz octa-core processor, 32GB internal memory, microSD that supports up to 128GB, and 3GB RAM. Each device sports a 2.5D 5.7-inch FHD screen and runs on Android 7.0 Nougat. The Note 4 Pro comes with the Xpen stylus.

Wacom Intuos Pro Paper Edition

38 September 2017

Note 4 Pro Words John Sosmeña

As its name suggests, the Intuos Pro Paper Edition lets you attach drawing paper on top of its surface to give you a unique feel depending on your project. Any type of paper works, just as long as it’s in A5 (Medium) or A4 (Large) sizes. The Intuos Pro Paper Edition also comes with the new Wacom Pro Pen 2 with enhanced pressure sensitivity and natural tilt support. Wacom supports Inkspace, so you can store your sketches on the device or in the cloud, ready for editing on whatever platform you choose. Price: P25,590 (Medium), P32,590 (Large)

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CaMEraS

Fill the Frame

Canon EOS 6D Mark II After five long years, the 6D gets an upgrade. The Canon EOS 6D Mark II takes a huge leap from its predecessor with a new 26.2MP fullframe sensor, DIGIC7 image processor, Dual Pixel AF, 45 cross-type AF points, 40,000 max ISO, video capability of up to 1080p at 60fps, and burst shooting of up to 21 RAW and 150 JPEG images. The touch-capable 3-inch LCD swivels to the side for a front-facing preview. Connectivity options include Wi-Fi, NFC, and Bluetooth, while the GPS lets you geotag your photos. Price: $1,999

Steep upgrade

Canon EOS 200D With a 24.2MP APS-C sensor, the Canon EOS 200D churns out images up to five frames per second, and videos with 1080p resolution at 60fps. The DIGIC 7 image processor helps the camera perform in low-light conditions, while the EF/EF-S mount gives it access to more than 80 lenses. Price: $549

Drop dead

The mirrorless Leica TL2 is a gorgeous piece of photography hardware. It has 4K video capability, a beautiful body fashioned from a single block of aluminum, a 24.2MP APS-C CMOS sensor, up to 50,000 ISO, Maestro II image processor, and a 3.7-inch touchscreen for live preview. Ready your $1,950 for the camera body.

40 September 2017

Words Aritha Zel Zalamea

Leica TL2

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Sony BRAVIA OLED A1

Sony knows that 4K HDR content is here to stay, but it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just want the picture to look good. It also wants the TV to give justice to it. Boasting a One Slate design, the BRAVIA OLED A1 series packs all you need in a TV in one slate with a super slim bezel. The stand hides behind the panel, while the revolutionary acoustic surface turns the screen into the speaker; touch it and you can feel the feedback. With this design and the DTS Digital Surround technology, this Android TV-powered panel puts your Blu-ray watching, PlayStation 4 gaming, and video streaming experiences to a whole new level. Price: P169,999 (55-inch), P269,999 (65-inch)

42 September 2017

Words Aritha Zel Zalamea

Just the good stuff

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AuDio

Vroom Vroom

Porsche Design 911 Speaker You can take the driver out of the sports car but the sports car would just follow him to his house, kitchen, and bedroom—especially when it’s a Porsche. The Bluetooth-enabled Porsche Design 911 Speaker uses the Porsche 911 GT3’s car exhaust pipe as its aluminum housing. The dual speaker setup has 60W output, a 24-hour battery life, and stereo sound. If the Porsche 911 GT3 is way out of your budget, all you need is €500 to get the Porsche Design 911 Speaker instead.

rolling with your homie

Whether rolling or folding, it doesn’t matter what you subscribe to when it comes to packing your clothes. But as far as headphones are concerned, there’s only one way to do it—and you don’t need your carry-on for it. The Luzli Roller MK01 fits in your pocket just as easily as your watch does. Using a metal link bracelet design, the Roller MK01 has a headband that folds onto itself, so you can easily slip the curled up headphones into your pocket. Handmade in Sweden, every Roller MK01 comes with a wooden display case, a suede travel bag, spare earpads, a cleaning cloth, and a $3,000 price tag.

44 September 2017

Words Aritha Zel Zalamea

Luzli Roller MK01

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Wearables

Tick Tock

Mobvoi Ticwatch s and e Now here’s a smart wearable that won’t break the bank. The Ticwatch S and E, short for Sport and Express, each comes with a 1.4-inch OLED display and antiscratch glass. Inside, both are powered by a 1.2GHz dual-core MTK MT2601 processor paired with 512MB RAM and run on Android Wear 2.0. The smartwatches feature Glonass, heart-rate monitor, proximity sensor, accelerometer, gyroscope, and e-compass, and are rated IP67 water- and dustresistant. Charge using the magnetic connecting pin and get about 48 hours of runtime. Price: $199 (S); $159 (E)

Ticwatch S

Ticwatch E

Turn up the heat

MaTrIX PowerWatch

This watch is smart enough to help you stay healthy; the more you move, the more power you generate and supply the smartwatch. The Sequent SuperCharger is water-resistant up to 50m, and tracks biofeedback, heart rate, and step count. It also features an accelerometer and GPS connectivity. It is equipped with Bluetooth 4.2 and works with an app. It can also sync with your smartphone to send you your notifications. Price: $438

This smartwatch is powered by you. The MATRIX PowerWatch uses thermoelectric energy to keep itself active, monitoring your activity level and sleep as well as measuring your calories burned throughout the day. The PowerWatch features a power meter that displays how much electricity you’re generating. You can take the wearable for a swim because it is resistant up to 50 meters. And while you sleep, the watch sleeps, too, only waking back up once it is strapped on your wrist. Price: $169

46 September 2017

Words John Sosmeña

Up next

sequent superCharger

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SportS

The Night Life

Harder and tougHer adidas Harden LS

He may not have won the coveted MVP title, but James Harden is still winning at the shoe game. Following the success of the Harden Vol. 1, the Rockets superstar and adidas come up with the new Harden LS available in four colorways. The shoe sports an uncaged toe box and a multicolor Primeknit upper. A full length BOOST sole provide cushioning. The LA Life variant has silver accents finished with a marbled outsole, while the Fast Life comes with a candy orange Primeknit upper, and a black BOOST and gum outsole. The Sweet Life features a pink Primeknit upper and gold accents. The Night Life, on the other hand, dons James’ signature in glow-in-the-dark material, XENO three stripes, and a black and white Primeknit upper. Price: $160

Ready for repairs

rapha x SILCA HX-one The tools of the trade are important, and the HX-One tool kit from Rapha and cycling brand SILCA have created a masterful set you can take anywhere. The HX-One carries a walnut wood box with a custom Rapha Cycling Club (RCC) crest. Each hex key is made of satin chrome steel with hard-wearing powder coating. It comes in various sizes from 2 to 10mm. Also included in the HX-One are 10 driver bits and two Philips screwdrivers. Price: $220

On deck

Comfort can never be secondary for skaters, and the Vans Ultrarange Pro brings that and much more. It is made of a new co-molded bottom that combines Vans’ UltraCush Lite foam and waffle outsole for a much more comfortable landing. It boasts a LuxLiner internal sock-fit construction for added breathability, while the Molded Duracap suede upper adds resistance from abrasion and scratching. Price: $90

48 September 2017

Words John Sosmeña

Vans Ultrarange pro

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cARs

EV for thE massEs Tesla Model 3

With prices starting at around $35,000, the Model 3 is touted as Tesla’s eco-friendly gift to the masses. The five-seater’s advanced lithium-ion batteries and efficient powertrain can travel up to 346 kilometers on a single charge (base rear-wheel-drive). It’s expected that Tesla will offer all-wheel drive models and larger batteries. It’s fast, too, accelerating from zero to 97 kph in about 5.6 seconds. Tesla’s Autopilot self-driving feature will be an option.

It’s ElEctrIfyIng

Aston Martin RapidE

The British luxury and storied sportscar maker’s first all-electric model will be based on the Rapide AMR concept. It will use technology developed in collaboration with Williams Advanced Engineering. According to Aston Martin, the all-electric powertrain will match the Rapide S V-12 performance. The four-door electric sports car is set for a limited production run of 155 units.

50 September 2017

Words Katrina Rivere-Diga

First unveiled as a concept in 2015, the Aston Martin RapidE is set to enter production in 2019.

cArs

For the young and the restless Audi Q2

The fiercely fought compact crossover segment just got a little more crowded with the launch of the Audi Q2. The smallest—and arguably the most stylish— member of Audi’s Q family is an urban vehicle for everyday and recreational use. Aimed at a younger demographic, this chic crossover features Audi’s signature Singleframe grille, LED headlights with LED daytime running lights, a low roof that merges into the C-pillars, a high window line, and a long roof edge spoiler. Powering the Q2 is a three-cylinder 1.0-liter TFSI with direct injection mill mated to

a 7-speed automatic transmission. The engine is capable of producing 116hp and 200Nm. According to the German automaker, the Q2 can go from 0 to 100kph in 10 seconds and can reach a top speed of 197kph. Inside the premium crossover is a 5.8-inch multimedia interface screen. The infotainment system can be controlled via rotary/push-button controls. Other features include a navigation system, Audi connect with car phone, mobile phone interface, ambient lighting, leather seats and steering wheel, and Audi sound system. Standard safety features include anti-lock braking system, ESC, and lots of airbags. The Audi Q2 comes in two variants—Design and S-Line— and pricing starts at P2.7 million.

a whole lotta tech Audi A8

Audi’s newest flagship sedan packs the latest in technology. It can drive itself thanks to an array of sensors, cameras, and laser scanner. There’s even an Audi AI traffic jam pilot that will take over and drive the car (up to 60kph), should you find yourself stuck in slow-moving traffic. When the traffic assist is on, a camera facing the driver is activated so that it can watch for signs if you’re nodding off at the wheel and attempt to wake you up.

The A8 also packs a remote parking pilot and garage pilot feature so you can move the car in and out of parking spaces using the MyAudi smartphone app. According to Audi, all variants will feature Quattro all-wheel drive and will shift via an eightspeed automatic.

September 2017 51

proving ground

09.17

p.63

Unhinged

Lenovo Yoga 910

WHAT WE TESTED THIS MONTH p.60

p.64

p.61

p.66

p.62

p.68

Nintendo Switch LG K10 Motorola Moto C | Skullcandy Method Wireless

Skyworth 49G6 Acer V9800 Dodge Durango Limited

p.70

Chevrolet Spark 1.4 LTZ

p.72

Nissan Urvan Premium

p.74

Ever Oasis

September 2017

tested

THE NUMBERS

A joy in gAming

Nintendo Switch

ProDuct test no.

Review by Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla

DisPlay 6.2-inch 1280 x 720 multitouch LCD cPu NVIDIA Custom Tegra memory 32GB internal storage, microSD up to 2TB connectivity Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1, HDMI, audio jack Price $299 *The unit reviewed here was released in the North America market.

As someone who has always preferred portable gaming devices over their larger console counterparts, it never occurred to me that a hybrid device could offer the best of both worlds in terms of features, power and portability. This is why the Nintendo Switch is a very interesting proposition to me.

1934

It is larger than a typical Nintendo handheld yet powerful enough to approximate console graphics seen in the Wii U or even older consoles like the Microsoft Xbox 360 or Sony PlayStation 3. What makes the Switch so enticing is that it brings motion control that allows users to separate the Joy-Con controllers and use them independently. You can pop these into the Switch screen for portable gaming or you can dock the Switch and plug the Joy-Cons into a standard game controller for a more traditional setup.

Using the Switch propped up with the Joy-Cons connected to a controller is much better and a natural extension of what traditional console setups offer. Playing the Switch connected to an HDTV with a proper controller is familiar and more relaxed (not to mention easier on the eyes as the graphics take on a bigger screen). The Switch does deliver as advertised in the sense that you can start a game on your TV, slide in the Joy-Cons, and pick up the console and play it on-the-go.

SpEEd SayS Dimensions 102 x 239 x 13.9mm, 398g (w/ Joy-Con)

September 2017

The Nintendo Switch features very innovative hardware even if the materials are rather cheap and look like they could break easily. The slick removable Joy-Con controllers can easily be removed and added to the Switch with a resounding ‘click’ sound that’s become something of a trademark. Using the Switch with the Joy-Cons installed is an intimate and rather lavish portable gaming experience but it isn’t at all ergonomic, especially for longer gaming sessions. The battery life of the 4310mAh is a scant four hours, less if you’re playing a power-hungry game like Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. But thanks to the Switch’s USB Type-C port, you can quickly keep the gaming going by plugging to a wall adapter or even an external battery.

What’s really holding the Nintendo Switch back is the dearth of launch titles. Having no major sporting titles or solid platformer or first-person shooter greatly diminishes the Nintendo Switch’s appeal right now. That said, things might be way different in six months to a year from now and the Nintendo Switch might be the blockbuster that many hope it will become.

gEEk METER 7

THE NUMBERS prODUCt test nO.

1935

Display 5.3-inch 720 x 1280 277ppi IPS LCD Os Android 7.0 Nougat CpU 1.5GHz octa-core Mediatek MT6750, Mali-T860MP2 GPU MeMOry 16GB, microSD up to 64GB, 2GB RAM CaMera 13MP rear, 5MP wide-angle front COnneCtivity Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2, NFC, microUSB, audio jack priCe p8,990

Wide-angle SelfieS, anyone?

LG K10 (2017) Review by Aritha Zel Zalamea

Hold the balloons and the confetti. The LG K10 skips the fanfare, so you might not even know that it leverages that recently much-coveted wide-angle front-facing camera for your selfies and groufies. Aside from that, it is an ordinary midranger without an ordinary price tag, which is sometimes all that you need.

The rear camera does the job. Photos should be good enough for sharing on social media. But don’t expect vibrant colors or a dreamy depth of field. When you zoom in, the image doesn’t pixelate but there is much noise. The camera, however, does deliver bright photos, albeit by overexposing some shots.

The wide-angle front-facing camera has an impressive field of view. It does capture a lot more than your regular selfie shooter. With this wide of an angle, do expect lots of distortion.

Although the display only has a 720p resolution, it is bright and shows details clearly.

The rear power button isn’t very convenient and needs getting used to. When you’re typing or scrolling one-handed, for instance, you would need to shift your grip to be able to push the button—at least it’s a soft one. It is light and made of plastic but it still comes off as sturdy. The shape and finish make the LG K10 feel good in the hand. It is thin as well and yet it is wide enough to allow for a convenient grip.

SpEEd SayS

The K10 offers decent mobile computing. It is not a slow phone, but don’t expect apps to fire off as fast as on higherend devices. Multitasking is manageable, although memoryhungry games can be challenging.

The LG K10 is a decent midrange smartphone that already runs on Android 7.0 Nougat. What makes it special other than the latest OS is the wide-angle selfie camera and dualSIM support. Other than that, expect the K10 to be a dependable average mobile device. DiMensiOns 148.7 x 75.3 x 7.9mm, 144g

gEEk METER 7 September 2017

tested

THE NUMBERS ProduCt test no.

1936

ConneCtivity Bluetooth up to 30ft Features Built-in mic & remote, sweatresistance, DualLock fit, FlexSpot collar, 9-hour battery PriCe P4,190

Stick to it

Skullcandy Method Wireless Review by Pat Calica

People with very active lifestyles are who Skullcandy has in mind when they designed the Method Wireless, an audio gear that promises to keep up with you no matter what your vigorous activities are. The earbuds sit well on the ears thanks to the soft build and various size options for the tips. The earbuds are attached to a collar, so you can remove the buds from your ears and not worry about losing them. The collar is light that you won’t notice it’s there. When not in use, you can wrap the earphone cables on the recess along the collar to avoid tangles. All the action happens on the left side of the collar, where the control buttons are placed. Aside from powering the earbuds on or off, the controls also allow you to start and stop music, adjust the volume, skip tracks, as well as answer or hang up a call without the need to slip out your phone from your bag or pocket.

gEEk METER

The Method Wireless produces good audio and keeping the volume on low levels is enough to enjoy your music. Bass-hunters may find the earphones not banging enough, but it can handle most genres. In addition, taking calls with the earphones is fairly easy and seamless. Call quality is average. The Method Wireless also keeps its promise of long playing hours. Fully charge the earbuds via the USB port at the left end of the collar and you can enjoy non-stop listening almost all day long. The earphones don’t irritate the skin and produce any smell when soaked in sweat or water.

SpEEd SayS

With its secure fit and sweat resistance, the Skullcandy Method Wireless is designed with active people in mind— whether you regularly work out and train or just constantly move around. It offers solid Bluetooth audio streaming and decent audio quality. For its price, however, the plastic build may be a letdown. 62

September 2017

THE NUMBERS

See the new Moto

Motorola Moto C

ProduCt test no.

1937

disPlay 5.0-inch 854 x 480 TFT capacitive touchscreen os Android 7.0 Nougat CPu 1.1GHz MediaTek MT6580m, MaliT720MP2 GPU MeMory 16GB internal storage, microSD up to 32GB, 1GB RAM CaMera 5MP rear, 2MP front ConneCtivity Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS, dual microSIM diMensions 145.5. x 73.6 x 9mm, 154g PriCe P3,699

gEEk METER

7 SpEEd SayS

Review by John Sosmeña

The Motorola Moto C is a great first phone. It’s light, easy to handle, and can take on basic tasks and apps with ease. But is it a good enough option for Android power users? Let’s find out. The micro-textured back cover of the Moto C makes it feel a little bit more premium. But it’s still plastic, so take extra care when opening and closing it. The phone grips well, and I find the 5-inch size adequate. The display is good for indoor viewing, but I don’t recommend you surfing the web under bright sunlight. Colors are bright and vivid, but the Moto C could use more than 854 x 480 pixels for users who view high-quality photos. Photos taken with the rear camera are of standard quality. In bright light, the images are clear and well-saturated. However, the 2MP front camera is slow. Both rear and front shooters have difficulty producing quality photos under low light conditions. The 2350mAh battery is enough to get through a day’s use, give or take a few mobile data breaks in between. Charging, however, takes time, so you’ll have to make sure to charge it every now and then. The 1.1GHz processor has enough power to run apps smoothly, albeit individually. I can play light games like EverWing without a hitch, but games like Mobile Legends: Bang Bang lag. Multitasking between Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter apps is bound to make one of the three apps crash.

The Moto C is a good option for those wanting to get their hands on a new Motorola. Although definitely nowhere near as powerful as its flagship counterparts, the Moto C gives you a preview of the new user interface and provides a capable device. But power users would find this best as a second smartphone.

tested

THE NUMBERS

Unhinged

Lenovo Yoga 910

ProDuct test no.

Review by Aritha Zel Zalamea

DisPlay 13.9-inch 4K IPS os Windows 10 Home cPu 2.7GHz 7th-gen Intel Core i7, Intel HD GPU memory 256GB SSD, 8GB RAM camera 720p with dual mic connectivity Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1, USB 2.0 Type-C, USB 3.0 Type-C video-out, USB 3.0, audio jack Price P89,988

Lenovo’s Yoga has grown into a solid line of products, evolving from tablets to include full-fledged laptops that deserve a place at the Ultrabook table. The Yoga 910, however, is marketed as a 2-in-1 PC because it offers a versatile form factor that allows you to use it as a notebook and as a slate. Then again, many find the “2-in-1” moniker suggestive of moderate performance and a poorly crafted body. The Yoga 910 begs to differ.

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This laptop is fast. Although the specs already speak for themselves, putting them to use proves that the Yoga 910 isn’t just a performer on paper. Everything loads fast, the transitions are fluid, and even gaming presents no problem.

The hinge design allows the Yoga 910 to be folded flat on its back and be used as a slate, which is easier for presentations or when manipulating content via the touchscreen. Of course, this means you can also keep it upright like a tent or lean it far back for easier screen sharing.

The 13.9-inch screen supports 4K. Colors are exceptionally vibrant, details stand out, and the display, which maximizes the panel leaving only a very narrow bezel, shows blacks well. The two JBL stereo speakers found underneath can produce full, loud sound that easily fills a small room. What’s weird, however, is the location of the webcam right below the screen, making it difficult to find a comfortable angle for video calls.

SpEEd SayS

Switching between the keyboard and the touchscreen is surprisingly fast. Other laptops often lag when you tap on the screen just after using the keyboard; they need time to adjust.

The Yoga 910’s aluminum chassis is slim, sleek, and beautiful. It is light but feels sturdy, although you’d still think twice about putting weight or pressure on top of it. Also, the underside gets warm fast but doesn’t get too hot.

The Lenovo Yoga 910 is a well-crafted performer that leaves little to be desired. It’s a thin, lightweight laptop that you would want to see and be seen with, but it doesn’t stop at being your arm candy. It means serious business under the hood. Dimensions 323 x 224.5 x 14.3mm, 1.38kg

gEEk METER 9 September 2017

tested

THE NUMBERS

4K? OKay!

Skyworth 49G6

pRODuCt teSt nO.

Review by Pat Calica

OS Android 6.0 Marshmallow DiSplay 49-inch 16:9 4K Ultra HD LED TV ReSOlutiOn 3840 x 2160 COnneCtivity Cable TV, AV out, AV in, 2 x HDMI 1.3, 1 x USB 2.0, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth pRiCe p35,000

There is no shortage of 4K Android TVs in the market. However, most brands offer these in their top-tier range with sky-high prices. But Skyworth, in partnership with Toshiba, wants to give budget-conscious consumers a relatively affordable way to adopt this growing television technology.

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There is nothing outstanding about how the 49G6 looks; Skyworth sticks to a no-nonsense design, playing with a black and silver colorway that is usual on most televisions. All of the ports and inputs are arranged neatly at the rear. With that said, this television looks and feels sturdy thanks to the metal frame and stand.

DimenSiOnS 1099 x 241 x 698, 12.7kg (with stand) 1099 x 77 x 635, 16.2kg (without stand)

September 2017

The 4K Ultra HD screen displays clear and sharp images. Picture quality is also further improved by the MPEG Noise Reduction and Digital Noise Reduction features. You can see a slight noise in some standard-definition content, but highdefinition and 4K content are satisfying.

Fitted at the bottom of the screen panel is a front-facing Dolby + DTS soundbar that provides audio to the Skyworth 49G6. It is loud and clear enough when you are within a reasonable distance from the TV. Still, getting a separate audio system can vastly improve your viewing experience.

Skyworth boasts that its controller comes with a Google-powered Voice Command feature that lets users speak into the remote mic to execute tasks. Unfortunately, our review unit didn’t come with a remote control. But there’s a small joystick at the back of the TV for selection and navigation. Plus, the Skyworth 49G6 can wirelessly connect with your mobile device through the Android TV Controller app.

SpEEd SayS

gEEk METER

Skyworth’s G6 series is worth the second look if you’ve been meaning to try what 4K Smart TVs have to offer. You get Ultra HD image quality and smart viewing experience at a price that won’t break the bank.

tested

THE NUMBERS

Monster throw

Acer V9800

proDuct test no.

review by Pat Calica

Aperture f/2.05-2.37 FocAl length 20.54-30.31mm lAmp 240W UHP output 2200 lumens connectivity HDMI, HDMI 2.0, USB Mini-B, VGA, LAN RJ45, RS 232 resolution 3840 x 2160 2160p DLP UHD price p249,999

The way people consume entertainment has changed over the years thanks to the continuous development of mobile phones and the advent of on-demand content. But nothing beats the good ol’ cinema experience, where you feast on the stunning and gigantic visuals playing before your eyes. Acer’s V9800 4K UHD home cinema projector is meant to continue this big screen affair in the comfort of your home.

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This isn’t a noisy projector. According to Acer, the V9800 runs at 26dB in standard mode and drops to 20dB on silent mode. In reality, you can hear a tiny buzzing noise when the projector is on. But it’s nothing your audio system can’t hide.

Acer supplied this projector with its own IR remote control, which is convenient to use in dark settings as it is backlit. The remote control lets you access the various settings and functions of the projector. The V9800 projects stunning Ultra High-Definition images and renders vibrant colors. Every detail is razor-sharp, no matter the distance and size of the screen from the projector. The projector is also compatible with HDR sources, but it doesn’t support 3D content yet. If you have two sources to view images from, you can use the Picture-inPicture and Picture-by-Picture features of the V9800. The lens has a pretty long throw ratio, and it would be best to use the largest screen possible to really enjoy 4K projections. With a throw ratio of 1.36 to 2.03, the projector must be at least three meters away from the screen if you have a 2,540mm image. You manually adjust the zoom and focus of the projection via the lens.

SpEEd SayS Dimensions 563 x 471 x 216mm, 15kg

september 2017

All inputs are organized on one side of the projector. On top, hidden by a lid cover, are two knobs that let you manually shift the lens and adjust the image projection.

Physically, the Acer V9800 is a massive monster best used in a home theater setup where it can be permanently installed. Bringing it to your overnight viewing parties at your friends’ homes is a major hassle. Nevertheless, this projector is a goodlooking installation in any room with its glossy black finish, relief grilles, and silver lens ring.

As Acer’s pioneering entry to the 4K DLP segment, the V9800’s performance is superb, projecting clear and vibrant images from both HD and UHD sources and applying HDR effectively. Avid home theater enthusiasts would love having this projector installed, but the price and monstrous size can be a setback.

gEEk METER 7.5

tested

Muscle and power

THE NUMBERS

Dodge Durango Limited

ProDuct test no.

review by Katrina Rivere-Diga

engine 3.6L Pentastar V6 transmission 8-speed automatic Power 290hp torque 353Nm Brakes Front and rear discs susPension Front: independent Rear: multi-link safety Airbags, ABS, ESC, hill start assist, traction control, tire pressure monitoring Price P3,080,000

Sleek yet muscular, refined yet rugged, the Dodge Durango is a massive SUV that is luxurious, sporty, and handles nimbly, all while maintaining an imposing presence.

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The rear looks dramatic with the LED racetrack taillamp. There are 192 LEDs in the taillamp, but you wouldn’t know it because when lit up, it looks like one seamless ribbon of glowing red light.

I didn’t expect much in fuel economy, given the engine. During my time with it, the Durango returned 7.5kpL in city traffic and around 9.7kpL when I drove it at a cruising speed of 60kph.

interior The seats are comfortable and supportive. I like that I can adjust the driver’s seat until I have a commanding view of the road. The second row is roomy, while the third-row seats are best reserved for petite adults or small children.

The uConnect 8.4 infotainment system is intuitive to use. The interface is smooth and it won’t take you long to figure out how to control the music, seat warmer, and climate control (among many others).

The steering wheel looks busy with its many buttons (handsfree calling, cruise control, audio control, etc.). Behind it is a 7-inch driver information digital cluster that shows you your fuel economy data and vehicle’s status, as well as warning indicators.

The face is distinctly Dodge with its crosshair-andmesh grille. The projector headlamps with LED daytime running lamps illuminate the road well and even adjusts its beam depending on the road surface or whether there’s oncoming traffic. Viewed squarely from the front, the Durango looks wide and menacing. The V6 is powerful enough to move this gargantuan car along. The 8-speed automatic transmission is smooth and is good at selecting the right gear that I’d rather let it do its job than manually shift gears using the paddle shifters.

SpEEd SayS

september 2017

Dimensions 5110 x 2172 x 1847mm, 2156kg

There’s no denying that the Durango is one enormous vehicle with a long wheelbase. The SUV’s side profile isn’t as distinct as the front and rear, though. If not for the muscular fender arches, the SUV’s side profile looks a bit bland. Body roll is kept in check, the ride is compliant and bump-soaking, road noise is muted well, and steering feels neither too heavy nor too quick.

The Dodge Durango is not the most practical choice out there for everyday driving, but if you have a big family and/or haul a lot of stuff, the Durango makes transporting people and cargo a breeze with its pulling power and spacious cabin. The Durango Limited variant is priced at P3,080,000 but it looks, drives, and feels more than that.

gEEk METER 8

tested

THE NUMBERS

Small car, big fun

Chevrolet Spark 1.4 LTZ

ProDuct test no.

review by Katrina Rivere-Diga

engine 1.4L DOHC L4 DVVT transmission CVT Power 99hp @ 6200rpm torque 128Nm @ 4400rpm Brakes Front: ventilated rotor disc Rear: drum susPension Front: MacPherson strut-type Rear: torsion beam tires 185/55R15 safety driver & passenger airbags, electronic engine immobilizer, traction control, Price P763,888

It’s easy to understand the appeal of mini cars, especially if you live in the city and have to deal with horrendous traffic every day. These cars are fuel-efficient, easy to drive and park, and can ferry you and up to three others (or a week’s worth of groceries) to your destination without much fuss. But some small cars sacrifice quality and comfort for cost—cheap interiors, stiff ride, low engine power. Not the new Chevrolet Spark. The top-of-the-line LTZ variant, in particular, offers features you wouldn’t normally expect from econo-boxes on wheels.

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The new taillights and the 15-inch wheels in the LTZ variant blend well into the new design. The exterior door handles for the rear seats are still placed right next to the C-pillar.

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interior The cockpit looks clean and polished. There’s a smattering of plastic used, but they don’t feel plasticky. At the center of the dash is a user-friendly 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system. All buttons and controls are familiar and ergonomically placed, save for the headlamp control knob that’s positioned to the left of the steering column. Maybe my arms aren’t long enough, but I find that I always have to lean forward to switch on/off the lights.

The Spark could use better noise-deadening materials in the cabin. City noise—especially loud mufflers and music blasting from jeepney speakers—seep through the cabin.

The front seats are comfortable but are on the firm side. Visibility is good from the driver’s seat. At the back there’s decent space (head, leg, and shoulder room) for two full-grown adults and maybe a tweener. As expected, trunk space is small, but you can fold down the 60-40 back seats if you need more room for your groceries.

The Spark is cute because of the size, but it’s neither pa-cute nor loud. The new design is more mature and subdued, but still with hints of fun. The front end is fetching with its slim grille flanked by sweptback headlamps. The large lower grille, on the other hand, gives the Spark a nice scowling look.

SpEEd SayS

September 2017

Dimensions 3635 x 1595 x 1483mm

The ride is good even for a short wheelbase car. Suspension is nice and firm, there’s little bounciness at the back, and the car goes over bumps quite well. The car is also agile and easy to maneuver. The LTZ variant and the mid-range LT CVT even have traction control. The car is heavier than before, but it’s all good because the engine has more than enough power to propel it even when loaded with four people. There is a slight delay in acceleration from stop, but it’s not bothersome. At an average of 20kph in city traffic, I got 9kpL. This went up to 12.4kpL in 60kph speeds.

The Chevrolet Spark is a fun-to-drive all-around city car—good design, decent build quality, a cabin with more features than most, and a fuel-efficient engine. Budget-conscious shoppers might find the top-ranging LTZ variant a bit pricey though; in which case, there’s the mid-range LT CVT (P682,888) that they can consider.

gEEk METER 8

tested

THE NUMBERS ProDuct test no.

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engine 2.5-liter 4 in-line DOHC 16-valve variable turbocharged diesel transmission 5MT Power 127hp @ 3200rpm torque 356Nm @ 14002000rpm Brakes Front: ventilated disc Rear: drum Suspension Front: torsion bar Rear: leaf spring safety Front SRS airbags, seatbelts/lapbelts, childproof lock, load sensing valve, ABS, brake assist tires 195/70 R15C Price P1,650,000

Super-Sized luxury

Nissan Urvan Premium review by Katrina Rivere-Diga

When you need to ferry 10 to 15 people and their bags, the most efficient and practical way is to use a van. So, for Speed’s recent company outing in Subic, we borrowed the Nissan Urvan Premium to shuttle the team to our destination. And because vans are best experienced as a passenger, I opted to sit in the rear cabin instead of behind the wheel. Here’s what I observed:

interior The fabric of the seats feels upscale, there are seatbelts for every seat in the house, and bottle and cup holders and receptacles are aplenty. Leg- and knee-room is good, too, unless you’re a 6-footer. The only things missing from my convenience feature wishlist? Swingaway armrests and USB ports for charging mobile devices.

There are 14 individual airconditioning vents in the rear cabin to keep all passengers comfortable. The A/C did take a while to cool down the cabin— cooling down a huge space is no joke, even for Nissan’s famed A/C system—when we left the van parked under the sun.

Getting in and out of the van is a cinch thanks to the high and wide passenger entry. A 5’4” passenger can stand inside the van without crouching. There’s also a closure assist feature that allows you to close the sliding door without exerting too much effort. The van was loaded to capacity, but judging from my second row seat, the Urvan Premium didn’t seem to have any problem hauling both passenger and cargo, even on inclines and twisty roads. There’s relatively minimum body roll, and road imperfections were absorbed with aplomb.

SpEEd SayS

September 2017

Dimensions 5,230 x 1,880 x 2,285, 2190kg

Nissan has given the Urvan Premium’s exterior some bling. The trademark V-motion front grille is finished in chrome while the front and rear bumpers are body-colored instead of black. Front fogs light are standard. Another thing that differentiates this from the standard model is the high roofline.

The Nissan Urvan Premium is the van for private users looking for a comfortable, spacious ride. It’s perfect for both out-of-town trips and running errands around the city. I wish Nissan would bring in a variant with automatic transmission, and maybe offer an optional tech package with better infotainment features.

gEEk METER 9

reviewed

THE NUMBERS

Building a city

Ever Oasis Review by Erik Paolo Escueta

Platform Nintendo 3DS DeveloPer Grezzo Publisher Nintendo No. of Players 1 Player Offline

Ever Oasis

might look like your typical cutesy Japanese RPG (role-playing game), but its attempt to merge the action RPG mechanics of the Legend of Zelda series and the recreational depth of popular town-management simulator Animal Crossing merits some credit. So does Ever Oasis succeed? While it does build up appeal and interest with its interconnected gameplay elements and surprisingly high accessibility, its replayability and longevity unfortunately fall short when it comes to the actual variety and scale of activities on offer.

One step forward, two steps back Ever Oasis starts innocuously enough, customizing your hero or heroine touches (gender, skin color, eye color, and name are all you get to adjust though) before proceeding to the token cinematic backstory introduction. Once past all that, the story takes a more personal turn as you meet water spirit Esna and work together to build an Oasis that can stand up against the forces of Chaos.

September 2017

The mythology and characterizations of Ever Oasis are both interesting and well-executed, even if its foundations are a bit on the cliché side. The real problem, though, is that Ever Oasis progresses at an incredibly slow pace, doling out gameplay mechanics piecemeal like an endless tutorial and inching the storyline forward with minimum momentum. As the last remaining Chief capable of developing an Oasis, the snail’s pace feels rather contrary to the plot’s desired sense of urgency in building up your Oasis as soon as possible. Eco-friendly economy Once you do make some progress, though, you’ll find that building and managing your Oasis is important not just to the storyline but also to its gameplay mechanics. Leveling up your Oasis helps attract more travelers, who in turn can become residents of your Oasis and grow shops called Bloom Booths that help attract more visitors and tourists while netting you some income. There are also mining and gardening gameplay elements, gathering ingredients and materials for restocking Bloom Booth wares, trading for other rare materials, or synthesizing new equipment. Your Oasis also eventually affects your combat options through the happiness levels of your residents—the happier they are, the bigger the bonus to your lifebar and the more times you can auto-revive if you should ever fall in battle. It’s brilliant how everything works together through your Oasis, cementing its importance beyond its backstory. Vegan violence Speaking of combat, it’s intuitive enough with simple attacks and combos plus a quick roll dodge thrown in for good measure. Weapons and magic are probably the only real complexity, with enemies weak to corresponding types, requiring some tactical evaluation on who to add to your three-person party. If you’re looking for deep customization systems like skill trees and archetype classes, you’re not going to find it here; if anything, the combat in Ever Oasis feels more like a classic 16-bit brawler than a next-generation combo crusher, and may be a hit or miss for action-RPG gamers. A definite miss, though, is the game’s enemy lock-on feature. It can be terribly inconsistent, sometimes refusing to work after focusing the fiddly and rough in-game camera on enemies dead center, and against multiple opponents.

speed says

Assorted assistants Each resident has a unique skill to them, with majority of them mostly to do with exploration (like Pellet, where you roll up into a ball to enter small, otherwise unpassable circular passageways) and treasure-hunting (such as Digging and Mining). Other residents have other additional tricks up their sleeves, too, like hanging from switches and powerful attack skills. As you gather more residents to grow your Oasis, the greater your party options. Not much to do, so little time Unlike other simulation games where you’re given a multitude of menus and options to organize and adjust, Ever Oasis is comically trivial and rudimentary by comparison and mostly involves just gathering items and restocking shops to keep residents happy. Occasionally you need to clear away rogue Chaos plants and dusty debris, and eventually unlock the option to hold Festival events in your Oasis. But just like the combat, if you’re looking for something deep and with lots of micromanagement options, this is not going to scratch that itch. This is probably the biggest irony of Ever Oasis: it may be a very accessible game with a low learning curve, but it lacks much variety and scale during the daily grind between Oasis management and desert exploration. Consequently, the game starts becoming repetitive, even with a decent number of sidequests to go through. You’d think this would be addressed by the in-game clock (which runs quite fast), but all it does is make the repetition more frequent, as opposed to actually accomplishing more in a single run, and inhibits the amount of exploring you can do in the daytime.

If you can overlook its simplicity, Ever Oasis is an enjoyable RPG that combines adequate action and town management elements into a package that does its best to greet and ease players into its world. But because it does so slowly and with minimal variety, it risks stretches of repetitive routines and limited activities that unfortunately undermine an otherwise decent story and fun cast of characters. Hopefully, a sequel comes along to build on its foundations. For now, however, you can consider Ever Oasis more of a short-term lease than a long-term investment.

pROs

interesting story and diverse cast of characters easy and intuitive gameplay, low learning curve Oasis significantly affects your player progression

CONs

slow pacing and progression is potentially dragging activities and quests lack variety, can get repetitive inconsistent enemy lock-on, poor in-game camera combat and sim mechanics could use more depth, options in-game clock runs too fast for decent daytime exploration

geek meteR 5 September 2017

hotspot form factor

F o r w a r d F a s h i o n E v E r y d ay fa s h i o n g o E s high-tEch wor ds Anto ni o Jo se GAl Aur A n

rom cross-training kicks to formal oxfords, wornout jeans to sleek professional slacks, and warming jackets to executive coats— more than necessities, everyday clothes can be outlets of creativity reflecting each wearer’s individual lifestyle.

But some clothing innovators believe everyday fashion’s role transcends mere practicality and artistic expression. In fact, a handful of designers have increasingly transformed fashion wear into high-tech, utilitarian wearables. Below, Speed compiles a stylish selection of everyday garbs that merge creative smarts with crafty engineering, clothing designs that prove pragmatism need not kill ingenuity.

September 2017

form factor

Aerochromics Mimicking a chameleon’s ability to change physical form when in danger, the Aerochromics can alter its patterns upon detecting toxic environmental conditions. Upon exposure to pollution or radiotoxicity beyond 60 AQI (Air Quality Index), which is the threshold level for unsafe air, the shirt starts to reveal stylish prints ranging from subtle polka dots to proud batik. The Aerochromics is available in three variants: a particle pollution shirt that can detect dust, dirt, soot, and smoke; a carbon monoxide-detecting one; and a radioactivitysensitive model. It is made of 100 percent cotton and uses miniature sensors and chemical indicators to function. Through the shirt, manufacturers intend to make people more aware of the toxicity of the environment in the advent of urbanization.

EmEl + Aris mEn’s mAc with dEtAchAblE hEAtEd gilEt Never judge a coat by its exterior. The Emel + Aris Men’s Mac With Detachable Heated Gilet hides its best assets underneath its textile. Sporting a revolutionary heating system, this coat comes with a heat-conducting vest perfect for the cold winters or chilling executive offices. Instead of using a bundle of thermoelectric wires, a specially formulated polymer transmits electricity across the system, requiring only a single wire connected to the main battery to operate. Beyond everyday and all-weather comfort, this advanced wearable tech promises therapeutic abilities: relief from body pain and muscle stiffness, acceleration of tissue healing, increase in blood flow, and reduction of inflammation.

September 2017

Ultraboost X Parley shoes adidas, through its partnership with green think tank Parley for the Oceans, injected sustainable features into its iconic Ultraboost line. The result: the Ultraboost X Parley Shoes. This eco-friendly sneakerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Primeknit upper is made of reclaimed and recycled ocean trash. Up to 11 PET bottles are spun to create each pair, accounting for the laces, heel webbing and lining, and sock liner cover in the material. It arrives in ocean-inspired hues of ice and dark blue, and loads a bevy of performanceready technologies: an Ultracushioned boost midsole that converts foot strike to energy; a Stretchweb rubber outsole that adds flexible range of motion; and a Continental rubber outsole that ensures ground grip for a more stable ride.

September 2017

form factor

Levi’s Commuter x JaCquard by GooGLe It’s an everyday denim jacket at a glance. But underneath its laidback appeal lurks an innovation waiting to be unleashed. The Levi’s Commuter x Jacquard by Google doubles as a smartphone remote. Specially designed for urban commuters and casual bikers, the jacket provides access to the wearer’s smartphone by a touch of the jacket sleeve. Through this, the wearer can control features such as call, volume, and navigation. This functional wearable is a product of Levi’s Innovation team’s collaboration with Google ATAP’s (Advanced Technology and Projects) Project Jacquard, a group specializing in weaving touch and smart gesture technology into everyday textiles.

September 2017

EmEl + Aris mEn’s ovErcoAt From the boardroom to the Bronx, Emel + Aris Men’s Overcoat is an adaptable garb suited for all occasions. This overcoat carries a therapeutic heating system as well as windand rain-resistant properties, but it flashes a suave classic Savile Row styling with a sporty slim cut. It comes in three variants, all displaying luxurious craftsmanship: black and navy variants composed of 10:90 cashmerewool, and a charcoal variant made of 25:75 cashmere-wool.

Honda HT3 driving sHoe More than enough to make Honda fans’ hearts race, the HT3 is a Civic-inspired limited edition driving shoe revved to life by a triumvirate partnership between the Japanese motoring mogul, digital publisher Thrillist, and clothing brand JackThreads. Designed by JackThreads Senior buyer Michael Vincent, the HT3 showcases pebbled and quilted leather, sharp metallic hints, and a black suede upper with a seamless silhouette. The HT3 is specially manufactured to ensure optimum driving comfort.

September 2017

form factor SCOTTeVeST OTG JaCkeT A jacket with 29 engineered pockets, the SCOTTeVest OTG (Off The Grid) Jacket for men is every handymanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dream coat thanks to the massive amount of items it can store. It can carry your phone, tablet, wallet, keys, water bottle, sunglasses, camera accessories, and more. Heck, it could even fit a 13-inch laptop without appearing bulky. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s like having a backpack sans actually carrying one. The SCOTTeVest OTG Jacket is crafted to suit both outdoor adventure seekers and busy urban professionals frequenting business trips. It is made of 100 percent nylon ripstop quilt equipped with wrinkle-resistant qualities, comes machine-washable, has been specially nano-treated to obtain water and stain resistance, and features an RFIDblocking pocket

Physiclo PRo Resistance shoRts Composed of elastic layer materials that act as resistance bands wrapping your legs, the Physiclo Pro Resistance Shorts is a training apparel that can push your workout to its limits, even drawing comparisons to training on water where lower body effort is needed. The Physiclo Pro Resistance Shorts is built for running, cycling, or indoor training, as it closely targets the quadriceps, hamstrings, abductors, and glutes. As a performanceenhancement gear, the short is said to increase muscle activation by 23 percent and calorie burn by 14 percent. It is also designed with breathable and moisture-wicking properties and comes with a 3 x 4-inch zippered back pocket.

Outlier OG ClassiCs Outlier guns to champion the bike-to-work lifestyle with the Outlier OG Classics, which functions as a biking wear versatile enough to be worn straight as an office wear. Sounds icky? Rest assured, it is packed with a sufficient self-cleaning NanoSphere treatment technology. It dons a woven Condura-grade outer with water-resistant capabilities. It also sports a soft inner layer woven into a three-dimensional structure to minimize skin contact and promote breathability during and post- biking session. The OG Classics is woven out of Schoeller Dryskin fabric made of 80:10:10 nylonpolyester-elastane, and comes with unhemmed ships and custom Italian Mombasa buttons. It comes in three iterations: charcoal, navy slate, and black.

September 2017

Nadi X Workout pants could soon be your next yoga coach thanks to the invention of the Navi X. The pant vibrates, sending electronic micropulses or shocks to your hips, knees, legs, or ankles whenever your body’s performing the wrong yoga stances. But while creepy in theory, rest assured that the pulses are simply like gentle taps on your body designed to improve your asana. Designed by New York-based fashion tech company Wearable X, this machine learning mechanism is made possible by the pant’s connection to your smartphone via Bluetooth. Think of this workout gear as a trained machine that can listen to your body’s actions and respond in real-time to guide you through your everyday workout until you perfect your craft.

September 2017

cover story

ADD TO CART Words Aritha Zel Zalamea

THE INTERNET HAS GIVEN “WINDOW SHOPPING” A WHOLE NEW MEANING. AND BECAUSE OF THE EASE AND CONVENIENCE OF THE WHOLE PROCESS, THE INTERNET USUALLY WINS AGAINST YOUR SELF-CONTROL AND CREDIT LIMIT. 84

September 2017

ADD T0 CART

So many factors contribute to the rise of e-commerce. The heavy traffic alone discourages many of us to charge to the malls even without the pandemonium of 3-day sales and payday Fridays. Beyond that, we get unprecedented access to products and services that used to be unavailable to this Third World country. And with everybody’s seemingly busy schedules, it is sometimes no longer possible to run to actual stores to buy necessities. Besides, browsing through well-produced photos is so much more pleasurable than being stalked and hounded by a persistent salesperson. Amazon knows these pain points all too well and recently has set eyes on the fashionobsessed. Knowing that buying clothes just isn’t the same when you can’t try them on, Amazon finds a way to huff and puff and blow down that barrier. Read about Amazon’s new arrivals on page 86 and then find out which luxury goods conglomerate is out to beat Amazon in its own game. Malls may be dying elsewhere and the number of international brands closing shop is quite alarming but the war isn’t between

online brands and brick-and-mortars. It’s a lot more complicated than that. It’s about consumer behavior. And the brands on page 91 know exactly how to follow the money trail whether online or within four walls. Want a tip? Turn the page. Let your items sit in your cart just a few minutes longer. Your bank account will thank us later. Or not.

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AMAZON: WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE Ghosts of retail past watch as the e-commerce giant expands its territory

The clock is ticking fast for brick-and-mortars as Amazon aggressively expands its selection from books to fashion and, most recently, groceries. While the Seattle-based firm enjoys its position as the frontrunner in reforming the shopping culture, each tick echoes louder and louder for physical retailers.

September 2017

Carlos Santiago on Unsplash

Words Patrick Alcantara

AMAZON: WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE

THE LINEUP

HHGregg, an appliances and electronics company founded in 1955, pulled the plug when it hit the bottom in May 2017 after failing to respond to this day’s modern way of shopping. Although a failed attempt to spread their scope to a nationwide scale, Amazon’s appeal to modern lifestyle could possibly share a slice in its death. Other American marketplaces such as Walmart, Best Buy, Costco, and Target must have been feeling the threats that Amazon’s expeditions have been throwing at their kind lately, and the latter apparently has more blueprints to embody under their sleeves.

NOT JUST FOR LIONS AND WITCHES

When Amazon started selling shoes and apparel, however, retailers pointed out the former’s inability to let the consumers fit and try out the merchandise before purchasing. Bezos’ answer? Amazon Prime Wardrobe.

In 1994, Amazon founder and top dog Jeff Bezos thought he had failed to take advantage of the internet, a rapidly growing medium at the time, to help him cash in more money than what he was making. Shortly after his car drive from New York to Seattle, his business plan for an onlinebased shopping center had been plotted out, dragging him away from his well-paying job to officially establish Amazon in 1995. Twenty-two years later, he stands just behind Bill Gates as the richest man in the world with an $86.7 billion net worth in his pocket. Bezos has made it clear that he’s never playing the catch-up game anymore. Today, brick-and-mortar stores have gone back to the drawing board to find the right pieces and stay in Amazon’s peripheral view. In a recent report, more than half a thousand of retailers cite shutting down as the stronger (and safer) rope to hold on to rather than to cross the zip line heading to a different dimension from the feisty Amazon.

Amazon Prime is the company’s $99 membership program that gives out premium delivery service and discounts to its subscribers. This scheme gently forces its subscribers to purchase more by encouraging them to maximize their subscription within its validity, and additional services such as the Prime Wardrobe help Amazon lure people to sign up. More subscribers, more buyers, more revenue. Amazon Prime Wardrobe basically sends you a box containing your orders so that you can try out the clothes or accessories. You only get to pay the ones you keep, while those that you don’t want can go back to the box to be either picked up by Amazon or dropped off by you at the nearest UPS location. This service is for free if you are signed up to Amazon Prime. As of this writing, however, the Prime Wardrobe membership is only served by invite and is yet to be offered to all Prime members.

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AMAZON’S EDGE

To cut it short, Amazon aims to remodel how the boutique fitting rooms work by bringing them to your house—a thing that local retailers couldn’t do and presumably would choose not to. This kind of service requires expertise in logistics and sufficient workforce to successfully pull off hundreds—or probably thousands—of transactions every day. Amazon has the machinery, money, and time to get it done, while other retailers might still be in the meeting room figuring out ways to turn the reds into greens. Should Amazon succeed in bringing Prime Wardrobe to more people and places, the landscape of shopping will surely spark a light that we’ve never seen before. One of the downsides is the huge probability of Prime Wardrobe to cause trouble in employment. Unless workers opt to get on Amazon’s payroll, sales people and customer

September 2017

service agents whose duty is to walk us through the merchandise halls could lose their jobs. Once actual stores lose foot traffic and revenue, they would close down for good and affect more workers such as parking attendants and utility men.

AMAZON: WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE

THIS MARKS AN OVERLY INTERESTING WAR THAT THE WORLD SHOULD BE ROOTING FOR, AS THIS BATTLE IS DEFINITELY NOT JUST PROFIT-ORIENTED BUT A HEAD-TO-HEAD SHOWDOWN BETWEEN TWO GIANTS THAT COME FROM DIFFERENT WORLDS AND ARE TRYING TO TRESPASS EACH OTHER’S CAMP.”

Amazon

from its users worldwide, which lends a hand just in time for their upcoming “on-demand” apparel manufacturing project. With the Style Check feature, for instance, Alexa lets you capture yourself dressed in different outfits and stores them into a folder. You would then be asked to choose two photos to compare against each other, with Alexa showing you the better outfit to wear based on fashion experts and data from the cloud.

A CLOSER LOOK

To crank up your fashion sense, Amazon recently adds another skill set to Echo and Alexa via the Echo Look.

A few years ago, Amazon gave birth to the Echo, a cylindrical smart speaker with seven microphones around its body to recognize voice commands with the help of Alexa, Amazon’s intelligent personal assistant.

The Amazon Echo Look is a wireless camera that responds to your voice commands. With this, Alexa records not just your voice’s data but also everything it sees. Asking her to take pictures and videos of you turns Alexa into a mirror with the accompanying app, so you can see how you look in your choice of outfit.

But Amazon has only rolled up their sleeves halfway.

Alexa listens to your voice and does things for you like report a weather forecast, play and stream your music from Spotify, and respond to your queries about your calendar entries.

As a master of data gathering, Amazon is now able to collect more fashion thoughts

Amazon has recently won the patent over “on-demand apparels,” or clothes that are manufactured only when you have placed your orders, and this paves a broad way to the fashion line that Amazon launched last year. This, unfortunately, could kill off not just the brick-and-mortars but also the warehouses and fabric factories that spend a lot of cash in storage, machineries, manpower, electricity, and space leases. Again, this business model may attract more brands to pack up their stores and migrate to Amazon’s database and survive this day’s mode of shopping. But perhaps not all.

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A LUXE REVENGE

Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy, or LVMH for short, has some other things in mind. LVMH has geared up to rub against Amazon’s clothing line and accessories in the e-commerce arena by offering luxury multibrand products through a recently launched website called 24sevres. The website also has Android and iOS app counterparts. These brands, which include LV’s own Dior and Fendi, refuse to play as the dead fish, claiming that they are very well capable to catch up with the rise of social media platforms in advertising and shopping. LVMH has yet to prove its efficiency in delivering service and data gathering at the same pace which Amazon has been masterfully doing for years. Then again, these luxury names have the upper hand to take a swipe at Amazon’s apparel offerings in terms of quality, popularity, and value for money.

LET THE GAMES BEGIN

This marks an overly interesting war that the world should be rooting for, as this battle is definitely not just profit-oriented but a headto-head showdown between two giants that come from different worlds and are trying to trespass each other’s camp. Just like any other territorial wars, a tech mammoth and a fashion dinosaur bumping heads may unintentionally cause catastrophe to innocent bystanders. Like in previous wars, those who stand on the sidelines may actually take more damage than the players themselves. But searching through this battle’s midpoint at the end of the day would surely open up more (and hopefully better) opportunities to badly affected spectators.

September 2017

RETAIL REBIRTH

RETAIL REBIRTH Retail store survival in the era of online shopping Words Antonio Jose Galauran

Mindless window shopping, spurof-the-moment splurging, and the endless hunt for the best bargain sales—such were the good ol’ days of brick-and-mortar shopping. This shopping lifestyle would stand as society’s purchasing norm for decades, only to be shaken by the entry of e-commerce.

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ONSET OF ONLINE

E-commerce, also known as online shopping, revolutionized the way 21st century citizens purchase goods. Unlike traditional shopping that demands a buyer’s presence inside the store, e-commerce simplifies the shopping process, propelling it into global stardom. Since its surge, e-commerce has become widely considered as the next big wave in the retail industry. With online shopping, customers no longer have to wait in queue in shopping malls or boutiques just to purchase the latest gadget upgrade or keep up with the hottest fashion trend. With just a few taps on your smartphone, you can have items delivered straight to your door step or office cubicle. Online retailing’s success is now being brandished by proud industry players. Suddenly, Amazon, Lazada, and Zalora have turned into household names. Additionally, unlike traditional stores that cap your bargain hunting at 10 in the evening, e-commerce provides 24/7 shopping experience which makes it a perfect match for today’s fast-paced, on-the-go lifestyle. The internet is also one of the best places to scour for discount promos without having to leave your office chair. Instead of going around the mall just to find the perfect outfit, simply installing a shopping app or following a brand’s social media page would give you first-hand access to the latest discount rates.

A MELTING MARKET

E-commerce sure gets high praises from consumers. But from a business standpoint, it has also ushered in the slow, painful death of physical retail stores. For instance, in 2017 alone, approximately nine companies have gone bankrupt in the United States, while gigantic department stores such as J.C. Penney, Macy’s, and Sears have reportedly suffered hundreds of store closures. Market oversaturation and aggressive competition are among the factors that could have led to retail stores’ decline. But with e-commerce’s rise, it was also inevitable for it to steal a significant percentage of concept shop visitors.

September 2017

RETAIL REBIRTH

Retail experts see the fall of sales from physical stores as an evolution of the industry rather than a downward spiral path toward doom. Brick-and-mortar shopping can stand its ground. For one, nothing beats the sheer joy of checking out the trendiest sneaker in town or holding up that elegant dress close to your body before shelling out your hard-earned cash. Likewise, there’s an emotional safety net in experiencing the latest smartphone or gaming gear from a specialized concept store before taking out your wallet. Here in the Philippines, the city is experiencing a steady increase in online shoppers as well but retail shopping and department stores continue to have a solid footing as attested to by the endless rise of new malls and commercial centers. Retail stores also remain dominant in farflung communities, while department store monopolies in rural areas are still a trend.

RETAIL REBIRTH

RETAIL EXPERTS SEE THE FALL OF SALES FROM PHYSICAL STORES AS AN EVOLUTION OF THE INDUSTRY RATHER THAN A DOWNWARD SPIRAL PATH TOWARD DOOM.” But unlike traditional stores where you walk out with your goods, Zalora will ship the products straight to your home after purchase. You log on to your Zalora account via ready devices at the store, scan the purchased product’s quick-response (QR) code, and fill in your payment details. Renegade Folk What started as an idea by sisters Tina, Regina, and Bea Sambalido, and Bibai Gaisano-Puyatto to sell imported sandals eventually became a noble cause of promoting footwear handcrafted by Filipino shoe artisans from Marikina. Renegade Folk, which started in 2007, has transformed from being a bazaar mainstay to becoming an online darling, primarily selling leather sandals through their website and Instagram account. Renegade Folk became available at retail collectives at malls and a boutique in White Plains. Later on, the team saw an opportunity to set up a boutique at UP Town Center.

BACK TO BASICS

The power of retail shopping in the real world is even pulling online stores out of the screen. Below are some companies who complement their online stores with brick-and-mortar boutiques, booths, or pop-up stores.

Craft Carrot While sparing time for art seems like a farfetched idea for busy metro millennials, arts and crafts store Craft Carrot saw the potential in bringing art appreciation closer to the public. From starting out as an online

seller of craft materials, the company opened a store in Kapitolyo, Pasig, in 2016, offering art workshops for everyone. Craft Carrot carries acrylic paints, brush pens, markers, calligraphy materials, inks, coloring books, specialty paper, watercolor paint, and more. Zaril Zaril along Maginhawa Street and Wednesdays by Zaril in West Fairview both in Quezon City, are lifestyle concept stores that act as a bridge for online entrepreneurs and the retail shopping crowd. Instead of setting up a shop for an exclusive brand, Zaril opened its doors to collaborators, particularly, budding online entrepreneurs looking for a cozy yet hip space to showcase their collection. Both shops are havens for lifestyle products—from apparel, bags, and footwear to beauty kits, accessories, and craft materials.

NOT BLACK OR WHITE

This begs the question: is the physical retail really dead? Will brick-and-mortar shopping be out for good? Should entrepreneurs looking to put up a store look elsewhere? The simple answer? No. Besides, it doesn’t have to be just one or the other. What’s important is for buyers and sellers to have a choice.

Zalora Despite its glitzy and glamorous digital reputation among fashionistas and bloggers, Zalora supplemented its online presence with the opening of two pop-up stores at Shangri-La Plaza and Bonifacio High Street Central Square. The pop-up stores give interested customers the liberty to try on clothes, mix and match to find the perfect pair, or pose inside the concept store’s Instagram-friendly interior filled with HD television monitors, vanity lights, photo booths, and a makeshift runway—experiences that are unavailable to online shoppers.

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TAILORED FUTURE Clothes production needs a robotâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s touch Words Luis Adrian Hidalgo

lothing is perhaps one of the most important necessities in human civilization besides food, water, and shelter.

September 2017

Just like us, clothing has evolved according to the changing times over the course of history, ranging from using vegetation or animal skin to producing intricate garments worn by kings and queens, Now, a wide variety of apparel is available to us such as the trusty maong pants. Despite variations in materials, feel, and physical appearance, clothes always have a practical useâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;whether it be to cover up parts of the body or to provide its wearer protection and comfort. By and large, the clothes we wear are handmade by skilled clothes-makers who tailor-fit garments to the size and shape of its intended users. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a knotty process that requires focus, patience, skill, and more importantly, the flexibility and dexterity of human hands that even the best machines have difficulty replicating.

TAILORED FUTURE

“BUT WHETHER OR NOT AUTOMATION IS THE INEVITABLE FUTURE, IT IS HIGHLY LIKELY THAT THE HUMAN HANDS WOULD STILL PLAY AN INTEGRAL ROLE IN THE PROCESS— POSSIBLY IN A LESS DIRECT MANNER.” If the Sewbo proves better than the existing methods, it could become the precursor to a whole new way of making clothes. Of course, Zornow’s Sewbo is not alone in this pursuit. Other initiatives in the past, and perhaps countless others at present, have pursued the same goal of automation, albeit in a variety of methods. Whether these succeed down the line would greatly depend on the support for these innovations, and of course, the imagination and ingenuity of the inventors themselves. But as it is now, Zornow’s breakthrough seems to be taking the lead in the race.

ORGANIC vs ROBOTIC

WHERE’S THE TLC?

With advancements in technology, however, we might be close to seeing robot tailors that are as good as its human counterpart— if not better. Enter Sewbo by freelance web developer Jonathan Zornow. Sewbo is an industrial robotic arm that is very much like the ones usually seen in assembly lanes in mass production facilities, except that its primary function is to make clothes. However, anyone with knowledge of how industrial robots work would know that a robot could only handle rigid materials such as plastic, wood or metal, so textiles that are too limp and flexible are understandably unwieldy for such machines.

Essentially, Sewbo is a step toward fully automating an industry that is known to involve physical labor, specifically of the human hands. Such a feat would be a gamechanger, just like the way the invention of the sewing machine in 1942 brought significant change to the textile industry.

Would we see robot tailors soon? Could machines totally replace a living and breathing workforce in the clothing industry? We are yet to get answers for those questions. But whether or not automation is the inevitable future, it is highly likely that the human hands would still play an integral role in the process—possibly in a less direct manner.

This is what Sewbo seems to be aiming for. Its website states that the technology “will allow manufacturers to create higher-quality clothing at lower cost,” as well as “shorten supply chains and lessen lead times that hamper the fashion and apparel industries.”

The world is fast changing, and so does the technology we use every day. In the end, however, our hands, or the human body in general, are still the most sophisticated equipment known to man. So by all means, let the robots make our clothes!

CHEAP LABOR

To address this hurdle, Zornow thought of using a water-soluble polymer that would temporarily stiffen fabrics. This lets an industrial robot easily build garments from the rigid cloth as if it were working on a sheet metal. Once the stitching is done, the cloth is then soaked in warm water to wash out the polymer, bringing it back to its usual soft and flimsy state. Sewbo has already been able to sew together a T-shirt using this method. The finished product was far from perfect, but with some more fine-tuning, Sewbo could very well be the proof of concept that would entice manufacturers to the idea of automating garment production.

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THE DINNER PARTY DOWNLOAD A great party host is made, not born. This podcast gives you the necessary tools to make your party, legen—wait for it—dary! Each episode is equipped with the following: a joke you could use to break the ice, an anecdote with a corresponding themed drink, an interesting conversation with a celebrity guest, etiquette suggestions for every conceivable scenario, and a playlist to get your guests off their seats. Even if you aren’t planning a party anytime soon, you would feel like you’re in one while you are listening to this podcast.

HEAR, HEAR! The podcasts you should be listening to now

B Words Bam Cocjin

September 2017

eing stuck in traffic can be a mind-numbing experience. But don’t let your time on the road feel like a prison sentence. Podcasts are a great way to keep you sane and entertained. No matter what your interests are, it is almost certain that there is a podcast for your specific taste. Try some of these on for size.

S-TOWN From the producers of the awardwinning podcast Serial comes another compelling narrative. The title is a euphemism of the main subject John B. McLemore uses to describe his hometown of Woodstock, Alabama. The story, like the main character, is not as simple as it is initially perceived to be. It is a beautifully complex study of McLemore and his fellow townsfolk. Think of it as a redneck version of Midnight at the Garden of Good and Evil.

HEAR, HEAR!

MISSING RICHARD SIMMONS

SECRETS, CRIMES & AUDIOTAPE This star-studded audio drama anthology serves a generous portion of established and upand-coming plays. My favorite one is the musical black comedy, “Wait Wait Don’t Kill Me.” This musical is a satire of the podcast Serial (Season One) and its host Sarah Koenig. While listening, you would catch yourself laughing and singing out loud to really politically incorrect/ disturbing themes. This is like the bastard child of American Psycho and Avenue Q—a definite recommendation.

The overprotective housemaid. The private masseur. The secretive manager. The brother. These are among the cast of characters that may hold the clue to why the fitness guru, Richard Simmons, just suddenly disappeared. On February 15, 2014, Richard Simmons did not show up to his exercise class which he taught regularly for four decades. He has not been seen in public since. Podcast host Dan Taberski, a regular in Richard’s classes, decides to take matters in his own hands to find answers to this mystery. During the course of the series, he discovers the real person behind the persona. This definitely grabs you by the short shorts.

FUTILITY CLOSET Come for the stories; stay for the lateral thinking puzzles. Greg and Sharon Ross take us down the lesser known pages in history. If you are old enough to remember the TV show Ripley’s Believe It or Not, this is right up your alley. From the Boston Molasses Disaster to the Mad Gasser of Mattoon, each episode makes you believe that these true stories are definitely much stranger than fiction. And if that isn’t enough, the episode always ends with a lateral thinking puzzle that gives your brain some muchneeded workout.

MYTHS AND LEGENDS

THE BOWERY BOYS

Most of the fairy tales we know are actually overly sanitized versions of the original stories. Usually, the original versions of these tales are filled with sex and violence. One example would be Snow White’s story and a prince who is not altogether too charming. Jason Weiser, the producer and host of this podcast, presents us with the original stories but softens the blows by adding his natural wit and humor.

The Bowery Boys, Greg Young and Tom Myers, arrived in New York more than 15 years ago and it was love at first sight. They made it their mission to become the curators to the stories behind the various landmarks, streets, and personalities that made New York what it is today. Let the boys act as your guides as they take you on a tour of the city that they call home.

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buzz feed

The LEGO Ninjago Movie Opens September 27

Warner Bros. Pictures

Following

Flatliners (2017) Opens September 29

Columbia Pictures

The sequel to the 1990 film of the same title, Flatliners (2017) continues to explore what happens to us right after we die. It starts off as a simple experiment among a group of medical students, where they induce a near-death state, then return to document their experiences.

September 2017

The LEGO Movie and The LEGO Batman Movie comes The LEGO Ninjago Movie. Same universe, same humor, more of the action and fun.

Directed by Charlie Bean, Paul Fisher, and Bob Logan, the movie offers a simple premise that allows for enough conflict and laughs in this cheeky animated tale.

In The LEGO Ninjago Movie, young Master Builder Lloyd (voiced by James Franco) and his friends train under legendary kung fu mater Wu (Jackie Chan) to become secret ninja warriors to battle the evil warlord Garmadon (voiced by Justin Theroux). The catch? Garmadon is Lloyd’s dad.

The LEGO Ninjago Movie is also voiced by Michael Peña, Fred Armisen, Kumail Nanjiani, Abbi Jacobson, Zach Woods, and Olivia Munn. You don’t really need to expect anything new here aside from the characters and jokes, but it still makes for a relaxing comedy break that you can enjoy with the whole family.

The dangerous ordeal grants them newfound abilities and a brighter outlook on life. But things go wrong when the experiment’s long-term effects surface, bringing them unheard-of horrors they never anticipated. Flatliners (2017) stars Ellen Page, Diego Luna, Nina Dobrev, James Norton, and Kiersey Clemons. Kiefer Sutherland, who starred in the 1990 original, plays a “seasoned doctor” in the new film. It’s an interesting classic sci-fi premise that’s to die for.

Words Carmela Maraan Fernando

The Lego Ninjago Movie is the first film based on an original LEGO property, the LEGO Ninjago toy set line that includes advanced vehicles, dragons, and, of course, ninjas.

American Made Opens September 13 United International Pictures

Drugs, guns, anD money laundering: all in a day’s work for Barry Seal (Tom Cruise), former TWA pilot-turned-smuggler for the 1980s U.S. government.

Words Carmela Maraan Fernando

His real-life story is told in American Made, a movie detailing how he got recruited by the CIA and DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) to help handle a communist uprising in Central America. Of course, things went horribly wrong when he became involved with the Medellin cartel. This resulted in an international scandal that threatened to bring down the Reagan administration. What’s interesting is how Seal managed to escape this tight spot. Starring along Cruise are Sarah Wright, Domnhall Gleeson, Lola Kirke, and Jesse Plemons. American Made may not be Top Gun, but it’s definitely got your entertainment on cruise control.

IT (2017) Opens September 7

Warner Bros. Pictures

Evil clown.

That should be enough to scare the bejeebers out of anyone. But of course, there’s more. Based on Stephen King’s 1986 supernatural novel of the same title, IT centers around seven children in 1989 Derry, Maine, who investigate the mysterious disappearance of their friends from the neighborhood. Once they establish that this is not an ordinary crime, they soon discover a much bigger and darker menace that threatens their lives and sanity. We don’t want to spoil the rest of the premise for you, aside from the known fact that the story also involves Pennywise the clown (Bill Skarsgård). If you’ve read the novel or seen the original 1990 miniseries, you know how much worse it gets.

IT (2017) also stars Jaeden Lieberher, Jack Dylan Grazer, Nicholas Hamilton, Finn Wolfhard, Javier Botet, Sophia Lillis, Jeremy Ray Taylor, Wyatt Oleff, Chosen Jacobs, and Jackson

September 2017

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THERE ARE MANY MOMENTS IN PIA WURTZBACHâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S ME TAL L IC DRESS BY R IO ESTUA R

MISS UNIVERSE 2015 REIGN THAT LEFT INDELIBLE MARKS NOT JUST IN PAGEANT HISTORY, BUT ALSO IN

J E WE L RY BY RA M

THE ARCHIVES OF THE FASHION WORLD.

royal IN

FASHION

I NTE RV IE W BY PAT CA L I CA | P H OTO G R AP H S BY D OOKI E D UCAY | ST YLE D BY PATR ICK P ER E Z ASSISTE D BY ST EV EN C ORA L D E AN D M I C HEL L E Y U | M AKEU P BY G ERY PENASO | H AIR BY A RI ES M A NA L

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rom the royal blue Albert Andrada gown she wore during her coronation to the glittering royal blue Michael Cinco piece she wore during her final walk, plus all the couture and designer clothes she donned in between, Pia has indeed become a global style icon. That’s why for Speed’s Fashion Tech issue, there were no reservations or second thoughts to get her on the cover.

Speed sat down with Pia before the cover shoot started for a supposedly short interview that turned into a long conversation about her life after Miss Universe, her recent projects and advocacies, her love for video games, and of course, her personal style. Pia, like the Queen that she is, answered all our questions in the only way she knows how—in royal fashion.

F LUID FASHION

Pia describes her personal style as #EverChanging, a perfect description for a style icon like herself and for fashion itself. Her style, according to Pia, is constantly evolving. When she was still with Miss Universe, she always looked glammed up—wearing big hair, full lashes, long gowns, and humongous sparkly earrings. Nowadays, she’s trying to tone down that beauty queen look with less makeup and simpler clothing pieces. What are the clothing staples in your closet? I can never go wrong with a pair of nice-fitting jeans and a black shirt. I like a big V-neck, a round neck, or maybe an off-shoulder shirt. I don’t wear pageant heels anymore—you know the ones with the platform sa harap and six inches siya. Now, I can go down to four inches. I have a lot of those shoes now. And also sneakers. How about bags? Oh yeah, that’s something na hindi ko mapakawalan. Actually, I have a weakness for bags. Which one do you like buying more, bags or shoes? Bags. I’m a big fan of the Fendi Peekaboo that I want to collect all of them. But it’s too expensive so I only buy one at a time.

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On men, what fashion items get your attention? Their shoes, I guess. It’s very telling of their personality. Their choice of watch. And how comfortable they are in the clothes. Wala naman akong specific favorite look on a guy. But then if you see that the person is comfortable and you know he is confident in his clothes and his style, then that’s very attractive. That’s true. What Instagram accounts do you follow for inspiration? I really like Kim Kardashian, you know. Nobody would ever admit, but then come on, guys, we all follow Kim Kardashian— the Kardashians, all of them. But I don’t try to copy a certain celebrity. I’ll just find something online and try to remember it. Oh lately, I really like the style of Bella Hadid. I like that she can wear a top bun lang forever, every day of her life, tapos sobrang ganda niya pa rin. Have you tried buying clothes online? Yeah! It can be a bit tricky unless you really know that brand and you know your size. But so far all of my experiences with online shopping, especially with clothes, have been good. When I receive the items, they fit and they’re not different from what I’ve seen on the pictures. Any tips for newbie online shoppers? Do know the brand. [Ask yourself if you’ve] worn this brand before. It’s very important that you know your size so you don’t get hassled or get surprised when you see the item in person. And also, always check your checkout basket properly before you go to the next page. Malay mo nagdoble ‘yung items. That happened to me in New York. I got two bandanas instead of just one, two shirts instead of just one. Great advice! What fashion technology do you like the most? There are some clothes, for example in Uniqlo—I am a brand ambassador for Uniqlo right now—and they have some innerwear that’s very useful for me, especially outside in the heat, because the sweat doesn’t go through the clothes. I don’t get sweat patches all over my shirt so I don’t have to keep changing. They also have an innerwear that has heat technology. You can wear it if you decide to go to Europe during Christmas. You can wear that underneath so you don’t feel too cold. With wearables, I don’t think a lot of people know that a Philip Stein watch is actually a well-being watch. It’s not so much a fashion watch. When you turn it around, it has two discs and that technology aligns the natural frequency of your body to [that of the Earth’s]. You become calmer and less stressed; it helps you sleep better, wake up more refreshed, and become more focused.

SEQUINED DRESS BY ELYANNA AMOR JEWELRY BY JOANIQUE AND WEAR CARI

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M E TA L L I C DRESS BY R I O ESTUA R J E W E L RY BY RAM

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Don’t ever post anything out of emotion—out of anger. When you’re emotional, stay away from your phone. GEEK CHIC

It’s not a secret anymore that Pia is a gamer at heart. But you should hear her talk about the games she plays to really know how passionate she is about them. We got a detailed explanation of her outstanding gameplays on Mobile Legends, her favorite character Rafaela, and how she spent cash to level up her avatar. How long have you been playing Mobile Legends? Mga two, three months pa lang naman but on and off. Healer ako sa Mobile Legends eh. Ako ‘yung kapag namamatay na ‘yung mga kakampi ko, nasa malayo ako tapos binabatuhan ko sila ng heal. Hindi ako masyadong nakakapatay pero ‘yung assist ko grabe, mataas ‘yung score ko palagi! Minsan nga nag-MVP ako just because I keep healing my teammates. Ang mahirap naman dun, ako ang tina-target ng kalaban kasi ako ‘yung naghi-heal. Ang nakakatawa dito ang picture ko sa Mobile Legends, picture ko talaga, at ‘yung pangalan ko Queen P. They’re attacking the queen! Do you play other video games aside from Mobile Legends? Yeah, on my PlayStation. At night, before I go to bed kasi ‘yun ‘yung stress reliever ko. Parang workout ko na rin kasi meron akong PlayStation camera and then I play Just Dance—I bought the 2015, 2016, and 2017 editions. I play against people from different parts of the world. Tapos kina-career ko talaga kasi gusto ko for the Philippines kailangan manalo tayo. Haha! You’re competitive, aren’t you? What other titles do you play? I’m also a big fan of Tekken, Final Fantasy, and Kingdom Hearts. I also really liked Skyrim before but I was never able to finish it because it is impossible to finish it with that big map. Kailangan mong iwan ‘yung social life mo para malaro mo ‘yung game na ‘yun. Ngayon the games that I play are the quick finish ones like Mobile Legends. I like the mobile one because I don’t have to bring the laptop with me and have a fast internet connection. I have Marvel vs. Capcom. I also had a Guitar Hero phase.

EVERYDAY GADGET Huawei P10 Plus MOST USED APPS Instagram (@piawurtzbach) Spotify, WhatsApp, Viber, BDO Mobile Banking, Yahoo Mail, Gmail

What else do you do during your free time? I try to text my friends, “Oh anong ginagawa niyo? May free day ako.” If not then I’ll stay at home. You know, it’s really a nice feeling to do absolutely nothing. It feels so good. After a week of shoots and everything, I just chill at home, I chat with my cousin who is living with me. And we just play PlayStation or watch the YouTube videos on Roku.

it is in the world right now, we are all connected to our phones through the internet and that’s how everybody keeps in touch with each other. Is there a social media etiquette that you live by? Don’t ever post anything out of emotion—out of anger. ‘Wag kang magparinig sa tao online. When you’re emotional, stay away from your phone. Period. And it’s not just because of what you post online, it’s also the people you text—you’re emotional and it’s easy to be a keyboard warrior and go ratatatata. So if you’re emotional, if you’re not okay right now, just put your phone down. How do you interact with your fans online? If I can I would [reply to each one of them]; I “like” their photos instead. It’s easier, because if I type it takes a longer time. If I view their photo and they have something to show, I like it and then maybe I send a heart emoji. Just to keep everything quick and very fast.

LONG LIVE, QUEEN P.

“I want to show the world, the universe rather, that I am confidently beautiful with a heart.” These words have become the hallmark of the wit that Pia Wurtzbach consistently showed throughout her reign. The same words—in its original form or its many variations—would repeatedly spring up on hilarious social media posts, local beauty contests, TV show banters, and even in the day-to-day conversations of the ordinary Filipinos long after the pageant was over. And just like her famous answer, Pia also continues to leave her mark through her many projects and advocacies. What is life like after your reign as Miss Universe? For maybe a month or two after Miss Universe, they gave me a forced break so that I can rest and properly settle my stuff here in Manila. After that, I started working again—and now work has been very busy. Actually, it feels like it didn’t really end because the work really continues—except now I don’t have the crown, of course.

How often do you go online? Every day. Every second of my life I’m online. (laughs)

What are the similarities between the things you do for Miss Universe and the work you do now? There’s still the advocacy part of it and then there are a lot of shoots and endorsements. I guess now it’s just been a little bit more challenging to travel because a lot of my commitments are here in the Philippines and I have to fulfill them. I’m also shooting a movie with Vice [Ganda] and Daniel Padilla for MMFF for December. I have to balance all of that. I guess it feels the same. It’s just that may showbiz na nasama.

Let’s change the question. For how long do you go offline in a day? Much less than when I’m online? I’m constantly online because I have to post photos and I have to keep everyone updated. You know, I miss that, I miss just putting my phone down, living, seeing things. But it’s a part of our, can I say, evolution? It’s really how

What other projects are you involved in right now? I have the endorsements that I need to fulfill. Sometimes I still get called by Miss Universe to do some projects here in the Philippines or abroad with them. Actually last August, I went to Cancun, Mexico for Miss Universe to promote their hair sponsor CHI.

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Will there be more upcoming TV shows and movies for you aside from the movie you’re doing for MMFF? Because it’s been very hard to manage everything right now, I literally have work every day. Sa ngayon it’s just the movie. There won’t be any teleseryes in the near future. But we are working on some projects like a travel show maybe. Everything is still in the works but the only thing for sure right now is the movie. Even after your reign, you continue to promote your advocacy, which is HIV-AIDS awareness. I started this project with UNAIDS. It’s called the PIA Project and we have a social media campaign called #LIVE2LUV. If you use the hashtag #LIVE2LUV, I view the hashtag myself and then I like the photos when I have time. So people know that I see it and then more people are going do it. We will also start some video campaigns that we plan to show to universities and companies. Actually, UNAIDS liked the idea so much that they wanted copies of the videos to put subtitles on it and send it to countries in Asia. We also have the Love Gala happening on December 1, which is World AIDS Day. How do you use technology to promote your advocacy? I have almost five million followers on Instagram now and it’s still growing thankfully, [so] I’m using that [platform]. That’s at least a few million people who will see your picture. They may not like it, they may not comment, but at least they saw it. So what’s one upload ‘di ba? What’s one video? What’s one post to give them more information. I urge others to do the same. Ano ba naman ‘yung isang picture lang. May makakakita niyan eh.

SEQUINED TOP BY BEA SAMSON TROUSERS BY CHARINA SARTE NECKL ACE BY WEAR CARI

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That’s true. It is a powerful tool. Now, to wrap up this interview, we’d like to know: How do you see yourself 10 years from now? By then I’ll be 38 years old na. Oh my gosh! I hope I’ll be stable, confident, and worry-free. Hopefully, I have my own business and siguro naman by that time may family na rin ako. Something like that. Just more secure. We don’t doubt that.

people@speed Victorinox

The Victorinox I.N.O.X. V with a bumper

ou must have a Victorinox in your pocket, bag, or car. If not, you must’ve held one and wanted to get one for yourself. The multifunction pocket knives have had over a century to amass a large following. But for more than 25 years, a new family of Victorinox products is carving a niche for itself: watches. At the Philippine launch of the I.N.O.X. V, Speed sat down with the Swiss brand’s CEO for its watch division, Alexander Bennouna, who wears an I.N.O.X. Carbon. We found out how the brand known for the well-loved Swiss Army knives is taking the same value proposition to timepieces and addressing its consumers’ high expectations. As a bonus, Bennouna talked to us about a very special limited edition set that ties the two together and whether Victorinox is coming up with more watches. The I.N.O.X. watch, true to its brand, undergoes a battery of 130 tests, which is also a nod to Victorinox’s 130th anniversary in 2014 when the company launched the I.N.O.X. line. That’s why it took four years to develop; a regular Swissmade watch is usually subjected to a maximum of 50 or 60 tests only. The rigorous process is a testament to Victorinox’s promise. In Bennouna’s own words:

Swiss sentry

ALEXANDER BENNOUNA Interview and photos Aritha Zel Zalamea

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“We said we want a watch that you can use like the Swiss Army knife: You have it in your pocket. Most of the time, you will never need it but when comes the moment that you need it, you’re sure about one thing: it will deliver on your expectations. So, the I.N.O.X. is a watch that will never let you down no matter where, how, and when. It will give you this feeling of safety. And it will still look elegant on your wrist.”

ALEXANDER BENNOUNA

The different variants of the Victorinox I.N.O.X. V

There’s another special watch that you’re introducing, the I.N.O.X. Titanium Sky High Limited Edition. That’s a very beautiful story as well. It is inspired by a true story of a Canadian astronaut (Colonel Chris Hadfield) who entered into the space lab orbiting around the globe. I think it was in the late ’90s and in order to enter the space lab, he had to use a Swiss Army knife because the door was sealed in a too strong manner. That [gave the idea to] our Creative Director to come up with a watch that is inspired by the outfit of the astronauts. By the way, this astronaut wrote a book about this and he advises to never leave the planet without a Swiss Army knife. How are the materials inspired by space exploration? For instance, this Paracord [bracelet] has Technora inside. Technora is a material that is five times stronger than steel. It [is] also used to parachute the [Curiosity Rover] on Mars. functionality just for the sake of functionality. It is something that meets the lifestyle and the consumption pattern of modern lifestyle. It is a sign of respect for the consumer who do not want to spend too much time at service centers. It’s as well taking the anti-thesis of planned obsolescence, which is a big topic nowadays.

The Victorinox I.N.O.X. Titanium Sky High Limited Edition

What was Victorinox’s philosophy coming into the watch business? The development of this line, particularly, results from the decision from our side to basically assume who we are and offer to the consumer what he or she expects from a brand like Victorinox. For a normal Swiss-made watch, especially for a very premium and expensive Swiss watch, they would take care of it, wrap it carefully in the box in the evening, and take it [out] only for special occasions. But for a Victorinox watch, they would expose it to extreme conditions and expect the watch to work very good. [That’s why] we thought, “Okay, this is what they expect from us. This is what we have to deliver.” We came to the conclusion that we have to go beyond the limits and we have to come up with the highest quality standard for the ultimate level of functionality. It took us four years of development. Why the commitment to such a high standard of quality? We strongly believe that this level of quality is not just quality for the sake of quality, not

To Victorinox, the I.N.O.X. V line is for “empowered women.” How do you define that target market? It’s definitely the modern lady of today or what we perceive the modern lady of today to be, which means this is a lady who entered into an active lifestyle. Maybe it’s a kind of an anti-cliché approach of ladies in the sense that we try to walk away from this pure Barbie-style watch designs or very, very sporty driven [only] for productivity or very elegant, [suitable] only for social activities. We try to be versatile. It’s one of the Vs: versatile. Why does the I.N.O.X. come with a bumper? [We offer the bumper because] we’re talking about a crush-proof watch but we’re not promising a scratch-proof watch. So, if you would like to use your watch in a very hostile environment, you can always protect it with this little bumper. [It also] allows you to customize your watch. [There] will be different colors, different shapes as well of bumpers. Depending on your moods of the day, you can as well have different versions.

IMPOSSIBLE DOESN’T FIT IN THE VICTORINOX VOCABULARY. WE HAVE TO MAKE IT POSSIBLE.”

And [the watch] comes in Titanium because Titanium is used in [some parts of] the space shuttle. Again it’s an I.N.O.X., [so it went through the same battery of 130 tests]. How limited is this? It is coming in a limited edition of 2,000 units. It comes in a special set. It has a special box that is also water-proof and shock-resistant. It has two collector’s items: there is the watch but it [also] has the replica of the Swiss Army knife that the Canadian astronaut used in orbit to enter into the space shuttle. So, it’s a collector’s item for watch aficionados but there is [also] a big crowd out there that is collecting Swiss Army knives, knowing exactly which Swiss Army knife was used in which occasion. You already have a diver’s watch and an astronaut’s watch. How else will you innovate a watch that Victorinox promises “will never let you down no matter where, how, and when”? Innovation is a very important value for our brand. When the Swiss Army knife came out in 1905, it was a fantastic innovation because it put a big toolbox into a small item. When we first had to develop the I.N.O.X. line, I always heard the word “impossible.” But impossible doesn’t fit in the Victorinox vocabulary. We have to make it possible. That’s how we made this level of quality standard possible and it is something that we will keep on improving permanently because having the Swiss Army knife [as an inspiration] is [motivating] but a big challenge. In order to stick to this promise, we have to keep on innovating on the material, on the construction, on the engineering—in order to, yes, upgrade systematically our value proposition. And, yes, there will be something else coming next year. You just need to be a little bit patient.

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Trend setter M R . S K Y PA R K President, Bangs Group of Companies Interview Pat Calica Photos Melai Balitaan

rom the inauguration of its very first salon in Malate, Manila, Tony & Jackey has since become one of the most recognized names in the Philippines when it comes to hair care and styling. The company offers on-trend hairstyles, delivered by a team of Korean and Filipino hair professionals using the latest hair technology.

At the helm of Tony & Jackey is president and general manager Mr. Sky Park. Since the salon’s inception, Park has led the company to success, expanding to several branches and new brands. Speed visited Tony & Jackey’s head office to learn from Mr. Park himself how this initially unassuming salon company turned into one of the go-to hair experts in the Philippines.

Since we are the pioneer of Korean salon, concept, and hairstyle in Manila, Filipinos who visit our salon brought by their Korean friends tried our services. They found something different and new for them. They liked our hairstyling. That started them bringing their friends and family and we became famous in the Philippines.

Why did you open a hair salon here in the Philippines? We decided to set up a salon because there are a lot of Koreans living in Manila, and they need a place to have their hair cut. But many Koreans residing here in the Philippines don’t know how to speak English or Tagalog, so we decided to put up a salon to meet their needs.

Tony & Jackey is not a franchise from Korea. How were you able to conceptualize the business? It is not from Korea, but the people working in our salon are from Korea. At the same time, they are also professional hairstylists working in Korea [who] we recruited to our salon in the Philippines. Our motivation is to share our

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MR. SKY PARK

expertise and culture to the Filipino people so that they can try the new hairstyles offered by our Korean hairstylists. How did you personally get into the beauty and grooming business? Initially it was really hard, you know? I’m a man running a beauty salon. There were a lot of people who asked when we opened a shop for the first time why I am running a beauty salon. But I did not put up a salon because I want to run one branch. I put up a salon to make more branches, share our culture and expertise, and generate more hairstylists in the Philippines. I started a small salon but I wanted to do more—[educate], help other people. What were the challenges that the company encountered in the beginning? Communication barrier is actually a major thing. We had a hard time convincing people to try our services because that time, we were bringing new technology and a new way of servicing. I know that if they are going to try [our services,] they will like it, but they’re not going to try. We had no chances to offer it to them because most Filipino customers think that if they visit our salon, they will not be able to communicate with our people. How were you able to overcome that barrier? Breaking that point was a really difficult challenge for us. But we found out that if we could train our hairstylists to speak English— most of the Korean hairstylists working right now already speak English well—there would be no communication barrier. At the same time, hairstyling is beyond verbal communication. I think our hairstylists can feel what the customers really like and they can give it to them. How do you describe your leadership style? I’m kind of personalized with each employee. My will for the company is to make my employees successful. [As I mentioned], when I started a salon, I wanted to open many branches. I want to make more salons so that I can create working places. Out of more working places, people can make their own careers and their lives will change. When I talk to my people, I always say that up to the time that you retire, you are with us. I also promise them that I will maximize my effort to make the company more qualified or bigger to make their career better.

OUR GROUP IS REALLY INTO EDUCATION. WE ARE NOT ONLY RUNNING A BUSINESS HERE. WE CAME HERE BECAUSE WE WANT TO SHARE OUR EXPERTISE, CULTURE, AND NEW STYLES.” How hands-on are you? Since the academy is handling the technology, concept, and latest trends, what I’m doing is caring for the people. I’m hands-on; I’m actually too much hands-on sometimes, they say. When there are new people who are handling new things, I try to teach them from the very basic up to a certain level. After that, if they can run things by themselves, I give them my full trust and then let them run. What is your work philosophy? When I invite people to my company, I only look at one factor and that is whether that person really wants to work or learn. Is the person willing to face the challenges? I don’t care too much about their educational background or how they look. I want them to make mistakes. Mistakes can be a nutrient for our company to grow. That’s why I face a lot of challenges. I face a lot of things which are not familiar. I try to look at all the things which are new and I will try to adopt these things. How do you use technology in your work? The phone is very important. I have some applications there like KakaoTalk, Viber, and Waze. I use Waze especially if I have to go to the branches. We have a branch-to-branch intranet in our company for our communications, but we also use Viber. KakaoTalk helps us communicate and talk face to face. What makes Tony & Jackey different from other salons? Our group is really into education. We are not

only running a business here. We came here because we want to share our expertise, culture, and new styles. While we are sharing our services, our expertise to our people, the interns and staff learn about our skills. But we really want them to perform as Korean hairstylists and perform as professionals, so we set up an academy in the Philippines, called the Bangs Beauty Academy, which is run by Korean hairstylists. Why do you think Tony & Jackey has become a success here in the country? Our salon brand is successful because we are the best in doing the latest concept from Korea. People acknowledge us as a salon that brings Korean look to the people. We do our best to be updated of the latest trends in Korea. And while we are bringing the Korean look, we also worked out the services. What kind of services are we going to offer to the people? That’s very important, so customers are treated like very important persons in our salons. When you’re not busy working, what do you do for leisure? I play golf, badminton, and bowling. Most of the sports that I do are with my employees. We do competitions. How do you spend your rest days? Because of my limited time, I cannot spend time with my kids too much. My kids miss me a lot. I find a way to really spend time with my kids during Sundays. Of course, we go to church. After that, we go out for lunch. It’s just an ordinary life. I try not to make it too special. I want to be somebody who can mingle with other people. What hobbies and interests do you have? I like music. If I [were younger], I want to be a celebrity. I want to be a host. I want to sing. I want to dance. And I want to mingle with the people. That’s the reason why my wife is also a singer from the music ministry. I always say to my wife that after we retire, we’ll create a band. We will go place to place and we will sing together. It’s really nice. We sometimes go to karaoke without the kids. And we sing duets together.

ASIA BANGS FIRST GROUP, BANGS PRIME SALON, TONY & JACKEY, AND T&J SALON PROFESSIONALS ARE THE BRANDS UNDER THE BANGS GROUP OF COMPANIES.

We look forward to seeing your band perform—and more hair styles and technologies from Tony & Jackey, of course.

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CHRIS CAHILIG President, Insight 360 What’s a day in your life like? I often start my day early. I am up before 7a.m. While having coffee, I check and answer emails or work on presentation decks and reports. I usually have two to four meetings in a day. I try to have an early dinner—between 6 and 7p.m.—so that I can sleep before midnight. What do you love most about your job? My job is my way of life—it is my passion. I am happy that I get paid for making my crazy ideas come to life.

No, they’re not the eyeglasswearing, backpack-carrying, socially awkward people who pop culture has molded into a bad stereotype. They are the experts and enthusiasts who show an inordinate amount of passion for a certain field, topic, or activity.

Speed scours the streets for these different types of geeks—from intellectuals to die-hard aficionados, from professionals to devout amateurs. They are aplenty, and we aim to showcase what a special bunch they are by featuring a select few one issue at a time.

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Sounds awesome! You are also a film and music producer/director. Can you tell us more about that? Aside from running my own public relations firm, I produce music and manage artists. I have an extensive library of original songs from my artists including monster hit songs “Sa Isang Sulyap Mo”, “Hayop Sa Ganda,” and “Ang Saya-Saya” by 1:43. Just recently, I decided to venture into film production—first as a producer of the horror comedy film Echorsis and the soon to be released romantic comedy film Miss Q and A, and now as a short film and music video director. I am hoping to shoot my first full-length feature film next year. We’ll be waiting for that! What are your go-to gear for producing and directing? I love the quality of the Sony F55. Its raw footage allows us to manipulate the color and texture depending on the mood of the narrative. It’s my preferred camera for my short films and music videos now. What other gadgets do you use for work and for play? My ever reliable MacBook Air and my iPhone 7 Plus are the gadgets I use very often. For play, I recently bought a Samsung Smart TV. Its Full HD quality is ideal for watching movies and streaming Netflix and HD YouTube videos. How often and what do you usually post on social media? I can be very noisy on social media. I post at least three times a day. But when I have an event or I’m traveling, I make sure I get to document everything on my social media accounts, especially on my Instagram and Facebook pages. Speaking of traveling, what’s your favorite or most memorable travel destination? My trips to New York and to various cities in Japan last year were truly memorable. I went to these places during winter with friends I truly love. As a cineaste, New York truly stood out. It feels familiar because I’ve seen every corner of the city in many films that I’ve seen. How do you unwind after a long day? Watching movies relaxes me. I can watch as much as ten movies in a day. I am not very selective on film genre. You can make me watch philosophical films, gore, comedy, camp, action, and even documentaries. I also relax when I do people watching. When I travel, I observe people walking on the street, eating, shopping, and reading their social media feeds on the subway. I know it’s quite weird, but I try to figure out their stories, what they have in mind, and I imagine them as characters in my next film.

GEEK-SPOTTING

Photokitchen—the name alone makes us hungry. Tell us what you do. Photokitchen is a studio that specializes in food photography and prop and food styling. We’re basically in the business of making people hungry using photos. We’re drooling. So, what got you into photography in the first place? Photography has always been something I love playing around with to pass the time, although I never thought I could be doing it as a profession. I started working in a branding firm fresh out of college. I helped manage the illustrators and designers who worked on building restaurant brands, and I think it was from there that my love for food was kindled. It was only a matter of time that my passions somehow converged in the form of food photography.

NILCAH ORTICO Photographer & Director of Operations and Finance, Photokitchen Food Photography

We can imagine. What are the best and worst things about your job? There will always be clients who are a tad more difficult to work with. But the best part of this job is getting to see your photos in a catalog or on a billboard and being able to say, “I was a part of that.” Seeing all of your hard work come to fruition is really priceless. What’s your go-to gear at work? I use a Canon 5D Mark III. What do you look for in your tech gear? Wi-Fi compatibility, durability, portability, and multifunctionality. If something can do many things at the same time, that would be great. Any gadget on your wish list? An iMac, a Sony 7 II, and a DJI Osmo.

What food is your favorite photography subject? Desserts in general. I’m a huge sweet tooth, so prop styling and shooting cakes or pastries always make me giddy.

When you’re not busy shooting food, what do you do? I watch TV shows, paint surfaces we use for our food shoots, read non-fiction books, and get a good massage.

Aside from your day job, you also do acting on the side. How do you manage your time? Things can easily change at a moment’s notice, so I like the fact that I’m on flexi-time. I’m able to pursue my acting and financial careers at the same time.

I’d also love to have a Samsung Galaxy S8, a drone, and an Osmo camera. I love taking pictures.

Tyke King

On days when I have scheduled tapings, I make sure to get in a workout a day before the shoot. If the script was already sent to me prior, you will find me memorizing and studying my lines. If I don’t have tapings, I go to meetings or to the office. How do you keep track of everything? I have my laptop and my phone. Basically, my entire life is in these two gadgets!

MIKEE LIM Certified Wealth Manager & Financial Advisor, Manulife | Actor

Are there other gadgets you’d like to add to those two? [It would be cool if we have] anti-gravity shoes so that we can walk or run on air and above everything else to avoid Metro Manila traffic.

And you post them on your social media? Yes. I usually post about food, my local and foreign trips, and sneak peeks of my life as an actor. Do you follow any social media etiquette? I make sure not to complain on Facebook. There’s already enough negativity in the world! I don’t give away my location until I’ve actually left, or I try not to be specific as to where I actually am. Smart! How do your rock when your work is over? I usually chill with friends over good food. I like to watch movies alone every now and then. Sometimes, when I’ve had a really long day, nothing beats just curling up in bed and calling it a good day. Yes, sometimes, even on a Friday.

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What got you into theater? When I was in 5th grade, our school had a theater club. A lot of my friends joined (I think an excuse just to see each other on weekends and get out of class) and so did I. We spent the whole school year [preparing] for a weeklong show. I was part of a huge ensemble, no speaking lines—just swaying and singing along in the background. What’s the most memorable theater production you’ve been a part of? Dulaang UP’s Ang Nawalang Kapatid (2014) will definitely be the most memorable one. It really is a product of blood, sweat, and tears from the whole company. Intensive circuit training and workshops, tedious hours of rehearsals, challenging process of staging, all for the show to be what it was intended to be.

MIKKO ANGELES Freelance theater actor & manager

What projects and shows are you involved in right now? I’m designing the video projections for UPLB’s Macario Sakay slated this September and directing a new musical for our community theater in Marikina to premiere in December. I have a few other events on the side.

What’s keeping you busy? I do not have one work or job. I do a lot of stuff because I want to maximize and explore the skills I have and be part of this new generation that aims to move this nation, this world, forward and become a better place to live in. I have a regular job, a passion project job, and a community solidarity job. Yes, I have three! And these help me grow in every aspect of my life. As a Junior Communications and Outreach Specialist, I work closely with the experts of each component of the USAID FPI project. I work on the advocacy journalism and communications aspect of all components of the project, and I also help the team and our counterparts develop communications and outreach strategies to realize the goals of USAID FPI.

PATRICIA DE GUZMAN USAID Facilitating Public Investment (FPI) Project Junior Communications and Outreach Specialist

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I am currently developing a personal documentary project, which I plan to submit as a documentary film entry in 2018. I am also a volunteering friend for All Together in Dignity (ATD) Fourth World Philippines for almost two years now.

This year, I took a break from the professional theater scene and committed myself to help out Teatro ni Juan, a community theater in Marikina. It’s really fulfilling to be able to share your talent and knowledge to the youngsters, knowing that they are as excited as you are when you first started. You also freelance as a graphics designer and photo/videographer. What gear do you use for this? My MacBook Pro, an old Canon 1100D, and a Nikon D5000. What gadgets can you not leave home without? I need my iPhone 6s and MacBook Pro with all the Office software and the whole Adobe Suite installed. For music and video cueing, I use Qlab Pro. On my wish list are Canon EOS 7D Mark II and a Nintendo Switch. How often and what do you usually post on social media? Every day! Travel shots, photos of my cats and dogs, a few selfies, and DIY photoshoots. [I also post] quotes that I can relate to.

How do you use technology in your work? I use technology to deliver efficiently and effectively. Almost everything I do depends on it. Email, write-ups, video outputs, reports-technology keeps me going in my job. What are your everyday gadgets? I love the Leica dual camera of my Huawei P10. I also have an Obees Bluetooth headset, a Samsung Galaxy Tab S, an ASUS Zenfone 2, two laptops (personal and work), and a Canon 60D. What social media etiquette do you live by? I always verify any information I read. You know, we live in a world full of fake or “alternative” information and I seriously wage war against it. I am very keen at double checking my sources before I post anything. We’re curious. Do you still have time to unwind? How do you rock when work is over? After work, I just sleep. I spend time reflecting alone and then I spend time with my family and some close friends. I sometimes go on random trips (food or nature) with my family or small group of friends and just enjoy the moment.

events

Capture the night with the Samsung Galaxy J7 Pro SAMSUNG UNVEILED THE LATEST ADDITION TO ITS J-SERIES OF SMARTPHONES, THE GALAXY J7 PRO, AT THE SOLAIRE RESORT AND CASINO LAST JULY 4. During the launch, the tech giant introduced Liza Soberano as the Galaxy J7 Pro’s official ambassador. Liza wowed the audience with her performance of “Capture the Night,” a song especially made to showcase just what the Galaxy J7 Pro stands for. The J7 Pro’s main feature is its 13-megapixel rear camera with a super-wide f/1.7 aperture, which allows it to take clear and vibrant photos even at night. The phone’s pre-installed camera app is designed with an optimized Night Mode for lowlight photography. Other features of the Galaxy J7 Pro are a 13MP front camera with f/1.9 aperture, a 5.5-inch Super AMOLED display with FHD resolution, Exynos 7870 Octa octa-core chip, Mali-T830 MP2 GPU, 3GB RAM, and 64GB internal storage expandable up to 256GB

via microSD. It is available in Samsung Experience Stores and authorized Samsung dealers at a suggested retail price of P15,990.

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Japan’s ‘it’ bag is now in Manila

Style + Function

anello, which translates to “annual growth rings” in Italian, was founded in 2005 by Carrot Company, a world leader in the retail industry who also owns Legato Largo and Paquet du Cadeau. The Japanese’s keen attention to details and forward-thinking fashion sense is evident in the structured silhouettes and added functions of the bags. anello bags come in all forms, sizes, colors, and materials.

JAPANESE-ITALIAN BRAND ANELLO, KNOWN FOR THEIR SIGNATURE WIRED WIDE OPENING BACKPACKS, OFFICIALLY LAUNCHED IN THE PHILIPPINES LAST JULY AT SM MEGA FASHION HALL. ANELLO PHILIPPINES SHOWCASED THEIR ICONIC BAGS THROUGH A MINI BAG EXHIBIT AND FASHION SHOW, WHICH WAS ATTENDED BY VIPs, PRESS, AND BLOGGERS.

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“The brand is really known for coming up with no-nonsense pieces that allow you to do more things and go more places,” shared Marnie Chua, President of Crossmerchant, Inc., the exclusive distributor of anello Philippines. “Essentially, it answers the need for really trendy bags that do more than just hold things for its owner—one that is both sturdy, provide convenience, and designed in such a way that it fits into most occasions.” anello stores can be found at SM Megamall Fashion Hall, Estancia Mall in Capitol Commons, and UP Town Center. Stores in Uptown BGC, Alabang Town Center, Robinsons Magnolia, and more are already in the works.

manual

Packing for a trip soon? Here’s a tip to ease your worries about the possibility of losing your bag: get a luggage tag that has not only your name and address, but also a slim tracker.

The Away x Tile Luggage Tag’s tracker is linked to a Bluetoothconnected app, which keeps track of your bag’s last location (up to 100 feet). If your luggage strays too far, you can use the app to communicate with the Tile (lost and found) community, who will keep an eye out for your bag and notify you when it’s found.

TECH TIPS

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GO ON A DIGITAL DETOX Power down, unplug, and reconnect instead with your IRL life Words Jovi Figueroa

Imagine the look on your friends’ faces when they learn that you haven’t watched the latest cat video that’s going viral on Facebook; or when you miss the tweet of that girl you’ve been crushing on for years now; or that you weren’t able to join the IG live of that celebrity talking about her lunch today. The horror! Face it: you’ve been officially FoMO-ed!

In this day and age of technology and social media, it’s increasingly harder to not get devoured by this phenomenon called FoMO, or that Fear of Missing Out. We don’t want to be that one guy who has yet to see the latest trending video or who can’t join in on the conversation because he wasn’t online last night.

Brooke Cagle

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Rachel Gorjestani

GO ON A DIGITAL DETOX

But is this kind of clinginess to technology, of harboring feelings of separation anxiety with social media, still healthy? Is it healthy that when you get together as a group, your topic of conversation would always be this friend’s post last night or worse, that you won’t be having an actual conversation at all because everyone is just tapping away on their rectangular lit-up boxes of radiation? It’s not easy to digest the fact that it’s okay to be disconnected. While it’s hard, it’s not impossible. Get rid of that nasty FoMO and remind yourself that there is so much more productivity and fun outside the four corners of your smartphone. It’s time to roll up your metaphorical sleeves, put on your running shoes, and trim down your digital obesity. BUY A GOOD OL’ FASHION ALARM CLOCK Relive that aching desire to smash shut an old-fashioned alarm clock (the one that comes with two ringers!) just like in the movies. Don’t use your phone as an alarm clock because it urges you to check it the moment you wake up. Instead of sending a “Just woke up, insert emoji here” snap, get up and greet your family a good morning. LET EVERYTHING SLEEP AT NIGHT How often do you catch yourself going to bed by 10p.m. but actually falling asleep by 4a.m.? Turn off the broadband and Wi-Fi routers before you head to bed. Stop yourself from getting carried away by the chain of Recommended-For-You videos on YouTube or stalking a profile until you get to their last, last, last year’s posts. STICK TO A DUMB WATCH, NOT A SMARTWATCH It’s simple: watches are for telling the time. And besides, analog timepieces look way better and classier than smartwatches, anyway.

FACES OVER FILTERS Find your social media fix IRL by planning dates with your friends instead of spending hours on an already EDSA-long comment thread. Dying to tell your friend about your recent investment or career milestone? Nevermind Messenger. Bond face-toface instead. FOOD ON THE TABLE, NOT PHONES Implement a strict “No phones on the table” policy at home, when out with friends, or even when you’re eating by yourself. Enjoy your food or think more about life while you eat your lunch and catch up on the day’s events with your family at supper. In fact, you can even turn this into a challenge when you’re having a night out with your friends. Gather all the phones in the middle of the table and set a penalty for the first person to reach for his or her phone. Picking up the entire bill sounds like a fitting punishment. WHEN YOU GO OUT, STOP One, stop checking in. Not only don’t people give a horse’s behind, it’s also safer to keep your location unannounced. And two, stop going to places with free Wi-Fi. Distance yourself from the urge to ask the cashier for the Wi-Fi password to connect to the free WiFi that’s most likely not only taking your data, but may contain viruses, too!

BE CREATIVE, NOT REACTIVE Social media is all about feedback, reactions, and comments. You’ll find that you spend most of your time on social media sites lurking around news feeds and liking posts and photos of your friends. Instead of reacting to posts by others, why not create your own stuff? Make crafts. Experiment with new recipes. Learn a new instrument or a new language. Actually do that something you’ve been itching to do instead of telling people how much you’d love to do it. Stop saying; just do. DELETE WHAT YOU DON’T NEED Do you really need to create an account on all social media sites known to man? Do you really need to post this photo on both Instagram and Facebook, while commenting on that photo on Twitter, snapping about how you took it on Snapchat (aren’t you tired of all those dog and deer faces on your feed?), sharing behind the scenes on Periscope, sharing the GIF version on Tumblr, and posting on Plurk (do people still even use this?), too, just for good measure? Cut down on your social media accounts and you’ll save yourself the effort of curating content and monitoring countless notifications. PULL AWAY FROM PUSH NOTIFICATIONS Why do you want to get notified every time your friend is hosting an IG live? Or when a contact has one new life on Candy Crush? Remove the temptation of hopping back on your phone every time you hear that “ping!” by disabling push notifications. If you absolutely must need it for work, leave email notifications on; everything else is distraction. BLAME THE GAME If you can’t remove all the games from your phone, at least remove the time-sensitive and grind-heavy ones. These little devils will suck the time—and most often, even money—out of you without you even noticing. Cut off Supercell from your life and spend all that time instead on a good book or a new place to visit. TELL A FRIEND—AND MAYBE GET A GIRLFRIEND If you’re worried that people will start looking for you when you start to lay off the digital grid, let them know of your digital sabbatical. That way, they will also be more mindful of contacting you for nonsensical thingamajigs. And better yet, get a detox buddy to join you in your quest so as to keep the motivation and morale high. Having someone unplugging with you will help keep the FoMO feels at bay and make you feel that you’re not alone. In fact, this could even be the perfect “da moves” to get your crush into the same things that you do—and maybe even get her to spend more time with you, don’t you think?

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FIND THE RIGHT LUGGAGE FOR YOU Words Ron Cruz

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There are literally thousands of listicles that tell you integral items to pack while you go on a vacation. But out of all the travel essentials out there, your luggage is perhaps the most underrated albeit most important piece of all. After all, your bags can dictate whether you can actually go on a plane or not.

FIND THE RIGHT LUGGAGE FOR YOU

Duffel bag Traveling with just a duffel bag is as no frills as can be. It’s as simple as you can get. And cheap, too! The bad thing about using a duffel is the lack of organization. Since it’s just quite literally a bag, everything inside will mix with everything, from your toiletries to random charger cables and even your used undies. If you’re just going to have a quick overnight trip (or if you’re just ridiculously lazy), this is hard to beat.

But not all luggage are the same. You can’t just randomly pick one up and go your merry way. With luggage, the parameters and needs change with every trip. If you’re still at a loss on what luggage is best for you, read on for our guidelines in choosing the right bag for you. In or out? The first thing to consider in choosing luggage is if you’re going to check it in or have it as a carry-on. This is important as the latter has size restrictions and, irritatingly enough, it varies with some airline carriers. There are safe, standard measurements, but always make it a habit to check while packing to save yourself from stress.

Backpack If you’re hiking across multiple regions, your best bet is a waterproof backpack with an internal frame. Not having to worry about unwieldy suitcases when you’re moving around is a huge plus. These bags have finally gotten the much-needed splash of ergonomic design. It now sports a mesh back panel for ventilation as well as added lumbar support. If you will always be on the move and don’t want to leave any of your things in shady hostels, a backpack is perfect for you.

Soft roll-aboard This is the basic suitcase that we’ve all had at one point in our lives. But just because it’s common doesn’t mean it’s bad. On the contrary, it’s one of the most versatile items you can have at your disposal. Since it’s made out of soft material, you’re afforded some teensy-tiny flexibility with the shape of the items you’re carrying. If you want a cheap luggage option with wheels, this is the most economical option for you.

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Hard plastic roll-aboard This bag, made famous by Pelican, is made mainly for protecting camera gear and other valuables or electronics from the elements. The interior is made of foam that’s cut to the exact shape and size of the gear you’re carrying. It has water-tight O-seals and it floats, so you can use it as a floatation device in case of a water landing. Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that but, hey, it’s nice to have options.

Aluminum roll-aboard While an aluminum suitcase is incredibly expensive, the cost is paid back through sheer convenience, especially if you’re a frequent flyer. It is sturdy but lightweight and can withstand a lifetime of abuse. The only bad thing about an aluminum suitcase is that it doesn’t expand. You can’t stuff it silly with all your pasalubong. That and your blood pressure rises whenever you see airline personnel just throwing it willy-nilly and giving it unwanted dents.

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Matching trunks If you’re the son of a sugar baron or have been embezzling money for quite some time, nothing says “you’ve arrived” than matching trunks and luggage. They’re hard to miss as they’re stacked on top of one another and emblazoned with logos—Louis Vuitton and Goyard just to name a couple. Some of these trunks can even transform into a desk! If you have these, you don’t need our tips since you’re probably flying on a private jet, anyway.

ask the editor

ForgetFul lucy Dear Speed, There have been a couple of occasions when I had to borrow an officemate’s laptop to access my email and, in a rush, I’d forget to log out of my google account. should this happen again (I hope not!), what do I do? LUCy CasTILLo Hi, Lucy. Gmail has a remote log out feature that you can use to end all active sessions from any computer or mobile device. This comes in handy not only when you forget to log out of a borrowed PC or laptop, but also when you misplace or lose your device. To do this, log into your Gmail account from any browser. Once logged in, scroll to the bottom of the page and look for the “Last account activity” at the bottom right of the page. Click the “Details” link and a new window will pop up. This will show all recent activities and a button that lets you sign out all sessions. Click that button and you’re all good.

(he)art attack! Hey, guys. I grew up using Ms Paint. so when I heard the news that Microsoft is planning to kill my favorite art software, I almost got a (he)art attack. so, what is it? Is Microsoft killing Ms Paint or not? Because if it is, I want to prepare myself for mourning. ryaN JaMes PaDUa Hi, Ryan. We feel you. But the good news is, there’s no need to mourn! After “an incredible outpouring of support and nostalgia around MS Paint,” the tech giant announced that it is not killing off Paint in the next update of Windows 10. Rather, the iconic software will be removed from the main OS and will be made available—for free—from the Windows app store. In a blog post, Microsoft also said that Windows users might want to use Paint 3D, which is available for free with the Creators Update to Windows 10. It offers MS Paint features as well as 3D capabilities.

Make your sMartwatch look sMart again Dear Speed,

Hi, Maerose.

I got a smartwatch for Christmas last year. I’ve been wearing it almost every day since then. Now, it’s gotten a bit dirty. The white silicone strap looks yellowish; lint and dirt are probably jammed up in the nooks and crannies. What’s the best way to clean it without damaging the parts, especially the electronic ones? Thanks!

Smartwatches, like any other watch, are bound to get dirty. Wearing one means exposing it to the elements. And because your smartwatch is in contact with your skin, it’s also exposed to sweat. This is why you need to clean it every so often.

Maerose UgaDDaN

Let’s begin with the strap, shall we? Lucky you, silicone is easy to clean. All you need are liquid soap (either for handwashing or dishwashing) diluted in warm water and a sponge or soft bristled brush. If you can detach the bands, do so; if not, make sure you don’t get the watch wet, unless it’s waterproof. Wet the sponge/brush and rub the silicone straps. Rinse well, then pat and air-dry. I suggest you wipe down the strap at least twice a week. Your screen, on the other hand, just needs to be wiped with a microfiber cloth to keep it free from smudges.

Just make sure you wash the microfiber cloth every now and then. To clean nooks and crannies, use cotton buds dabbed in alcohol. Swab it around the edges. If you need something smaller, get a straight pin and scrape away at the crevices. Do all these and your smartwatch will look new in no time! Speaking of smart, we’d like to give you a toy with AI smarts. This friendly neighborhood superhero pictured here is the Sphero Spider-Man (P9,490) that our friends from Digits Trading have generously shared with us. This toy is capable of telling jokes, asking trivia questions, waking you up, and guarding your room, among other skills. Swing by the Speed HQ so you can start doing hero stuff together.

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billboard SChnEIdEr ELECTrIC LAunChES GrEEn ELECTrICIAn’S LAb AT dOn bOSCO MAndALuyOnG Schneider Electric and Don Bosco Technical College (DBTC) in Mandaluyong City launched the Green Electrician’s Laboratory project at the DBTC TechnicalVocational Education and Training Center. The project aims to teach a minimum of 30 students annually, who will be given onthe-job trainings on Electrical Installation and Maintenance.

Lenovo brings Moto experience to sM MoA Motorola continues to strengthen its retail footprint in the country with the opening of its third Motorola kiosk. The latest kiosk, located at the 2nd level of SM MOA Cyberzone, brings the full

Moto smartphone lineup to Filipino smartphone consumers in the Southern Metro. The two other Motorola outlets are strategically located in key SM Cyberzones: Megamall and North EDSA. All Motorola concept stores carry the Moto smartphone lineup, including the Moto Z, Moto Z Play, Moto Mods, Moto M, and the newly launched Moto C, Moto C Plus, and Moto E4 Plus.

Need to make a pit stop on your way to Baguio? A two-hectare gas stationmini mall awaits you. The SEAOILCityMall SCTEX mega station located midway between Manila and Baguio is a partnership between SEAOIL, the largest independent fuel company in the Philippines, and CityMall, the mall development arm of DoubleDragon Properties Corp.

SEAOIL mega station along SCTEX now open

Upon completion of the training, students will be awarded a National Certification 2 (NC2) qualification for Electrical Installation and Maintenance from Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

The P600 milllion Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) mega station houses food joints such as Jollibee, Mang Inasal, Highlands Coffee, Potato Corner, and Shakey’s as well as shops like Theresa’s Pasalubong Center, Mayat Malagu Pasalubong Shop, and 7-Eleven.

Starmobile creates custom phones for MLhuillier Pawnshop and remittance chain MLhuillier tapped homegrown smart devices brand Starmobile to create a customized Android smartphone for its employees and customers. Powered by Smart Prepaid SIMs, the modified Starmobile Play Five units are pre-installed with MLhuillier’s MLWallet app, which the

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The Green Electrician’s Laboratory curriculum includes course of work and training on house and building wiring, fundamentals of electrical safety, troubleshooting and monitoring of electrical installation in residential and commercial buildings, basics of residential solar energy system installations, running a small business, and life skills.

Cebu-based company hopes will further empower its workforce to embrace the increasing influence of digital technologies on the remittance industry. MLhuillier is Starmobile’s first nontelco partner for custom-branded phones. It previously partnered with Smart for the launch of the Play Click phones.

Yamaha launches the YZF-R15 in grand fashion Yamaha Motor Philippines, Inc. welcomed the arrival of the all-new YZF-R15 in true racing fashion. Held at the Carmona Racing Circuit, the R-Day event featured a special racing clinic by Yamaha Riding Academy Executive Instructor Yoshiaki Kato for a group of 45 riders who used the all-new YZF-R15. After the test ride, a the participants battled it out in a fun race. The official launch happened right on the start/finish line where Yamaha Ambassador Gab Valenciano rode the YZF-R15 alongside racing stalwarts Masato Fernando and Kyle Paz. All-star riders also had an exhibition match. Aside from Fernando and Paz, James Mendez, Romer Corbe, Vrei Ar Suba, Herbert Lopez, J.E Inguito, Aljon Valencia, Rizaldy Canare, Tracy Soyangco, McDon Sande, Niel Jan Centeno, R.R Espiritu, Jacq Buncio, and Bethany Tolentino joined the match. The all-new YZF-R15, which has an SRP of P164,000, comes in Race Blue, Raven Black, and Matter Red, and is available in all Yamaha 3S Shops and multi-brand stores nationwide.

Pinoy aPP develoPers join 1st asUs hackathon ASUS Philippines joined forces with VR Philippines, a community of virtual reality (VR) developers and enthusiasts, and key partners from private and government sectors in staging a 48-hour hackathon event dubbed “ZenFone AR: A New Reality Hackathon.” Held from June 22 to 24 at Whitespace Manila in Makati, the hackathon gathered six teams from different parts of the country to vie for the top cash prize of P100,000 and an opportunity to undergo an exclusive immersion experience at the ASUS headquarters in Taiwan. In a span of two days, the teams were challenged to create AR and VR applications for the newly launched Tango-enabled and Daydream-ready

ZenFone AR and are designed to solve key problems in the Philippines. Team ARBotics, a group of UP Diliman students and Haraya VR/ Diwata-1 engineers from Quezon City and Navotas City, was awarded the top prize for their VR application that aims to solve IT-telco and medical issues through the application called “AR/ER.” ARBotics developed the application for on-the-go medical practitioners who would need access to a body scanner, in the event of an unforeseen accident.

Google Philippines, through its Google Arts & Culture Unit, and the Presidential Museum and Library, have worked together to create an online experience that allows online users to virtually explore the Malacañang museum and library. Online viewers can read about the history of Malacañang Palace, and find curated exhibits such as artwork, furniture, and other items from the collection of the Presidential Museum and private institutions and individuals.

Tour The Malacañang MuseuM, library via google

To explore the collections, online users may visit the Google Arts & Culture website or download the mobile application (Android and iOS) and search for ‘Malacañang Presidential Museum and Library.’

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Thule SubTerra collecTion focuSeS on SmarT deSign

Thule, a brand with extensive experience in designing products for the toughest outdoor and indoor environments, has developed a sleek and durable collection of bags for all your travel needs—whether you’re having a staycation in the metro, exploring the beautiful islands of the Philippines, or discovering new cultures around the world.

Salomon hoStS X-trail run PiliPinaS 2017 Constantly pushing the limits of outdoor experience, Salomon hosted another widely successful installment of the Salomon X-Trail Run last July 23 at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

Meanwhile, the 32km participants tackled asphalt, mud, and rocks, as well as river crossings and steep technical ascents and descents. John Ray Onifa and Jocelyn Eliveran were the first to cross the finish line.

This year’s race consisted of two categories: Fun Trail (6km and 12km) and the more technical Mountain Run (24km and 32km), which simulated the taxing ascents of Skyrunning races.

For the Fun Trail, Robin Angeles and Midori Mori copped the top awards for the 6km category, while Jhoe Ward Quiñones and Janette Luminao were declared top finishers in the 12km race.

The 24km Mountain Run featured technical ascents and descents, varying terrain, and a cutoff time of 5 hours. The emergent winners of this category were Drexel Dino and Midori Mori.

As in previous iterations, this year’s X-Trail Run was a Green Race. Use of disposables was not permitted; instead, participants were required to bring their own water bottles.

Rock colorful locks with David’s mermaid hair collection David’s Salon and Affinage Australia bring one of the sea’s mythical creatures to life with its Mermaid Hair Collection. This hair trend involves tricky hair coloring techniques to achieve multi-tone pastel hair or bright and bold tresses.

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The Thule Subterra Travel Bag Collection focuses on smart design and ease of use. All of the bags passed Thule’s rigorous testing standards, ensuring that they can stand up to abuse and absorb the impact of travel. The Subterra Collection includes carry-on bags, backpacks, and luggage in different sizes. These are available in three colors: Dark Shadow (dark grey), Mineral (dark blue), and Ember (dark red).

David’s Salon flew four Bb. Pilipinas alumni—UAAP courtside reporter Laura Lehmann, top models Yvethe Santiago and Hannah Ruth Sison, and Janicel Lubina—to Brisbane, Australia to shoot this collection. Expertly dyed mermaid hair is a feast for the eyes, so David’s Salon and Affinage Australia sought the help of creative and logistic teams, as well as Australia-based German fashion photographer Dan Sangermani to shoot the four beauty titlists-turned-sea nymphs. To get mesmerizing mermaid hair, book an appointment at David’s Salon. For more details, visit davidsalon.com.ph, like facebook.com/davids.salon, and follow @davidsalonph on Twitter and Instagram.

store directory

ACER Acer Philippines, Inc. 9/F W Fifth Avenue Bldg., 5th Ave. cor. 32nd St., Bonifacio Global City, Taguig (02) 815-3388 acer.com.ph ADIDAS adidas Philippines, Inc. 14/F Fort Legend Tower, 31st St., Bonifacio Global City, Taguig shop.adidas.com.ph ANELLO Available at anello boutiques in SM Megamall Fashion Hall, Estancia Mall, UP Town Center, and Uptown Mall BGC anello.asia ARSENAL Topstrasse Global, Inc. 172 A. Mabini St., San Juan arsenaldevices.com ASTON MARTIN Aston Martin Manila W Fifth Avenue Bldg., 5th Ave. cor. 32nd St., Bonifacio Global City, Taguig (02) 711-0007 manila.astonmartindealers.com AUDI PGA Cars, Inc. audi.ph/sea/brand/ph.html/ CANON Canon Marketing (Philippines), Inc. G/F and 7/F Commerce and Industry Plaza Bldg., Campus Ave. cor. Park Ave., McKinley Hill, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig (02) 884-9090 canon.com.ph CHEVROLET The Covenant Car Company Inc. 5/F ALCO Building, 391 Senator Gil Puyat Avenue, Makati chevrolet.com.ph CONVERSE converse.com.ph

DODGE Auto Nation Group, Inc. 1008 EDSA Greenhills, San Juan (02) 784-5005 H&M Available at H&M stores in Robinsons Magnolia, SM North EDSA The Block, SM Makati, and SM Megamall hm.com/ph HAWK hawkbag.com INFINIX infinixmobility.com/ph LEICA Leica Store Manila Greenbelt 5, Ayala Center, Makati leica-camera.com LENOVO Lenovo (Philippines) Ltd. 10/F 11th Corporate Center, 11th Ave. cor. Triangle Drive, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig (02) 558-5700 lenovo.com/ph LG LG Electronics Philippines Inc. lg.com/ph LOUIS VUITTON Louis Vuitton Philippines, Inc. The Enterprise Center Tower 1, 6766 Ayala Ave., Makati (02) 659-3549 eu.louisvuitton.com LUZLI luzli.com/ MANGO shop.mango.com/PH/men MATRIX matrixindustries.com MOBVOI chumenwenwen.com/en

MOTOROLA Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. 10/11F, 11th Corporate Center, 11th Ave. cor. Triangle Dr., Fort Bonifacio, Taguig (02) 558-5700 moto.com.ph

SONY Sony Philippines 11/F Marajo Tower, 312 26th St., West cor. 4th Ave., Bonifacio Global City, Taguig (02) 878-7600 / 860-3333 sony.com.ph

NINTENDO nintendo.com

TAG HEUER Available at TAG Heuer boutiquesin Glorietta 4, SM Mall of Asia, and TriNoma tagheuer.com

NISSAN Nissan Philippines 21/F Eco Tower, 32nd St. cor. 9th Ave., Bonifacio Global City, Taguig nissan.ph PORSCHE PGA Cars, Inc. porsche.com/pap/_philippines_/ RAPHA rapha.cc RED red.com SAMSUNG Available at all Samsung stores and authorized retailers samsung.com/ph SEQUENT sequentwatch.com SILCA silca.cc SKULLCANDY Available at Digital Village, Futureworld, Gadget King, Igig, Octagon Computer Superstores, Power Mac Center, selected Rustans and SM Department Stores, and The Landmark skullcandyasia.com SKYWORTH Skyworth Philippines Unit 1903 Antel 2000 Corporate Centre, 121 Valero St., Salcedo Village, Makati (02) 659-0117 iskyworth.com

TESLA tesla.com THULE Available at Tripologie Eastwood, and Thule stores in SM North EDSA The Block, SM Mall of Asia, SM Aura, SM Cebu, SM Clark, SM Store Makati, and Lazada TW STEEL Available at TW Steel boutiques at Podium, Marquee Mall, EDSA Shangri-La Plaza, SM Aura, Century City Mall, SM North EDSA, SM Megamall; and Lucerne, Chronos, Wristpod, Le Temp, ADORA, Timeovation, and Swiss Gear VANS Available at Vans boutiques in Araneta Center Cubao, Glorietta 3, Greenbelt 3, Robinsons Galleria, Robinsons Place Midtown, and TriNoma vans.com WACOM wacom.com/en-ph ZARA Available at Zara Man boutiques at Shangri-La Plaza, Power Plant Mall, TriNoma, Greenbelt 5, Glorietta 4, and SM Mall of Asia

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buyer’s guide SAVE OR SPLURGE, THIS LIST IS ALL YOU’LL EVER NEED

MOBILE PHONES + TABLETS

p.130

p.132

p.134

UNDER P10,000

UNDER P20,000

P20,000 AND ABOVE September 2017 129

buyer’s guide

Acer Liquid Zest 4G

ASUS ZenFone 3 Max 5.2

ASUS ZenFone Live

P8,995 • Android 6.0 Marshmallow • 1.3GHz quad-core MediaTek MT6735 • 13MP rear, 5MP front • 5.2” 1280 x 720 • 32GB built-in, microSD; 3GB RAM • LTE • dual SIM

P6,995 • Android 6.0 Marshmallow • 1.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 • 13MP rear, 5MP front • 5.0” 1280 x 720 • 16/32GBGB built-in, microSD; 2GB RAM • LTE • dual SIMAM • LTE

P5,699 • Android 6.0 Marshmallow • 1.3GHz octa-core MediaTek 6753 • 16MP rear, 8MP front • 5” 1280 x 720 • 16GB built-in, microSD; 3GB RAM • LTE • USB Type-C • dual SIM

Cherry Mobile Flare X2

P7,999 • Android 6.0 Marshmallow • 1.4GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 • 16MP Rear, 8MP Front • 5.5” 1920 x 1080 • 32GB built-in, microSD, 4GB RAM • LTE • dual SIM

Flash Plus 2

Huawei GR3 2017

P5,999 • Android 6.0 Marshmallow • 1.0GHz quad-core MediaTek MT6735P • 8MP rear, 5MP front • 5” 1280 x 720 • 16GB built-in, microSD; 2GB RAM • LTE • dual SIM

Cherry Mobile Flare S5

P8,490 (3GB RAM) P6,990 (2GB RAM) • Android 6.0 Marshmallow • 1.8GHz octa-core MediaTek MT6755 Helio P10 • 13MP rear, 5MP front • 5.5” 1920 x 1080 • 16/32GB built-in, microSD; 2/3GB RAM • LTE • dual SIM

130 September 2017

P8,990 • Android 7.0 Nougat • 2.1GHz octa-core HiSilicon Kirin 655 • 12MP rear, 8MP front • 5.2” 1920 x 1080 • 16GB built-in, microSD; 3GB RAM • LTE • dual SIM

Cherry Mobile Cosmos 3

Cherry Mobile Flare 5

CloudFone Excite Prime 2

CloudFone Next

CloudFone Thrill Boost 2

Huawei MediaPad T2 7.0

Huawei Y5 2017

P5,999 • Android 7.0 Nougat • 1.3GHz quad-core MediaTek MT6737 • 13MP rear, 8MP front • 5.5” 1280 x 720 • 32GB built-in, microSD; 3GB RAM • LTE • dual SIM

P7,490 • Android 6.0 Marshmallow • 1.5GHz quad-core Cortex-A7 • 2MP rear, 2MP front • 7.0” 1024 x 600 • 8/16GB built-in, microSD; 1/2GB RAM • LTE

P9,999 • Android 6.0 Marshmallow • 2.3GHz deca-core MediaTek Helio X20 • 13MP rear, 8MP front • 5.7” 1920 x 1080 • 32GB built-in, microSD; 3GB RAM • LTE • USB Type-C • dual SIM

P9,999 • Android 6.0 Marshmallow • 1.4GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 • 16MP rear, 8MP front • 5.2” 1920 x 1080 • 32GB built-in, microSD; 4GB RAM • LTE • dual SIM

P5,890 • Android 6.0 Marshmallow • 1.4GHz quad-core MediaTek MT6737T • 8MP rear, 5MP front • 5.0” 1280 x 720 • 16GB built-in, microSD; 2GB RAM • LTE • dual SIM

P5,499 • Android 6.0 Marshmallow • 1.3GHz octa-core MediaTek 6753 • 16MP rear, 8MP front • 5” 1280 x 720 • 16GB built-in, microSD; 3GB RAM • LTE • dual SIM

P2,499 • Android 6.0 • 1.3GHz quad-core Cortex-A7 • 5MP rear, 0.3MP front • 5.0” 854 x 480 • 8GB built-in, microSD; 1GB RAM • dual SIM

Infinix Note 4

P8,999 • Android 7.0 Nougat • 1.4GHz octa-core MediaTek MT6753 • 13MP rear, 8MP front • 5.7” 1980 x 1020 • 32GB built-in, microSD; 3GB RAM • LTE • dual SIM

UNDER P10,000

Lenovo PHAB2

LG K7

LG K8

LG K10

LG X Power

Meizu M5c

Moto C

Moto C Plus

Moto E4 Plus

Nokia 3

Nokia 3310

Nokia 5

Samsung Galaxy J2 Prime

Vivo V5 Lite

Vivo Y55

P9,999 • Android 6.0 Marshmallow • 1.3GHz quad-core MediaTek MT8735 • 13MP rear, 5MP front • 6.4” 1280 x 720 • 32GB built-in, microSD; 3GB RAM • dual SIM

P5,990 • Android 7.0 Nougat • 1.3GHz quad-core MediaTek MT6737 • 8MP rear, 5MP front • 5.0” 1280 x 720 • 16GB built-in, microSD; 2GB RAM • LTE • dual SIM

P2,490 • Nokia Series 30+ OS • 2MP front • 2.4” 320 x 240 • 16MB built-in, microSD • 2G EDGE • dual SIM

P5,490 • Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow • 1.1GHz quad-core Cortex-A53 • 8MP rear, 5MP front • 5.0” 854 x 480 • 8GB built-in, microSD; 1GB RAM • LTE • dual SIM

P3,699 • Android 7.0 Nougat • 1.1GHz octa-core MediaTek MT6737 • 5MP rear, 2MP front • 5.0” 854 x 480 • 8/16GB built-in, microSD; 1GB RAM • LTE • dual SIM

P9,990 • Android 7.0 Nougat • 1.4GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 • 13MP rear, 8MP front • 5.2” 1280 x 720 • 16GB built-in, microSD; 3GB RAM • LTE • dual SIM

P7,490 • Android 7.0 Nougat • 1.4GHz quad-core Cortex-A53 • 13MP rear, 5MP front • 5.0” 1280 x 720 • 16GB built-in, microSD; 1.5GB RAM • LTE • dual SIM

P6,299 • Android 7.0 Nougat • 1.3GHz quad-core MediaTek MT6737 • 8MP rear, 2MP front • 5.0” 1280 x 720 • 16GB built-in, microSD; 1/2GB RAM • LTE • dual SIM

P5,999 • Android 6.0 Marshmallow • 1.5GHz quad-core MediaTek MT6737T • 8MP rear, 5MP front • 5” 960 x 540 • 8GB built-in, microSD; 1.5GB RAM • LTE • dual SIM

P8,990 • Android 7.0 Nougat • 1.3GHz quad-core Cortex-A53 • 13MP rear, 5MP front • 5.3” 1280 x 720 • 16GB built-in, microSD; 2GB RAM • LTE • dual SIM

P8,999 • Android 5.1 Lollipop • 1.4GHz quad-core MediaTek MT6750 • 13MP rear, 5MP front • 5.5” 1280 x 720 • 32GB built-in, microSD; 3GB RAM • LTE • dual SIM

P9,990 • Android 6.0 Marshmallow • 1.5 GHz octa-core MediaTek MT6750 • 13MP rear, 16MP front • 5.5” 1280 x 720 • 32GB, microSD; 3GB RAM • LTE • dual SIM

P8,490 • Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow • 1.3GHz quad-core Cortex-A53 • 13MP rear, 5MP front • 5.3” 1280 x 720 • 16GB built-in, microSD; 2GB RAM • LTE • dual SIM

P6,990 • Android 7.0 Nougat • 1.4GHz octa-core MediaTek MT6737 • 8MP rear, 8MP front • 5.2” 1280 x 720 • 16GB built-in, microSD; 2GB RAM • LTE • dual SIM

P7,990 • Android 6.0 Marshmallow • 1.4GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 • 8MP rear, 5MP front • 5.2” 1280 x 720 • 16GB built-in, microSD; 2GB RAM • LTE • dual SIM

September 2017 131

buyer’s guide

Apple iPad

Wi-Fi: P18,990 (32GB) • iOS 10 • A9 chip with 64-bit architecture and M9 coprocessor • 8MP rear, 1.2MP front • 9.7” 2048 x 1536 • 32GB; 2GB RAM • LTE

Arsenal VR One

P11,990 • Android 6.0 Marshmallow • 1.3GHz octa-core MediaTek MT6735 • 13MP rear, 8MP front • 5.2” 1920 x 1080 • 32GB built-in, microSD; 3GB RAM • LTE • dual SIM

ASUS ZenFone 3 Laser P11,995 • Android 6.0 Marshmallow • 1.4GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 • 13MP rear, 8MP front • 5.5” 1920 x 1080 • 32GB built-in, microSD; 4GB RAM • LTE • dual SIM

ASUS ZenFone 3 Max 5.5

BlackBerry Classic

P10,995 • Android 6.0 Marshmallow • 1.4GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 • 16MP rear, 8MP front • 5.5” 1920 x 1080 • 32GB built-in, microSD; 4GB RAM • LTE • dual SIM

P18,390 • BlackBerry 10.3.1 • 1.5GHz dual-core Qualcomm MSM8960 • 8MP rear, 2MP front • 3.5” 720 x 720 • 16GB built-in, microSD; 2GB RAM • LTE

Cherry Mobile Flare Infinity

Huawei GR5 2017

Huawei MediaPad M3

HTC Desire 10 Pro

HTC U Play

P12,999 • Android 6.0 Marshmallow • 2.0GHz octa-core Helio P10 • 16MP rear, 5MP front • 5.5” 1920 x 1080 Bezel-less • 32GB, microSD; 4GB RAM • LTE • USB Type-C • dual SIM

P13,990 • Android 6.0 Marshmallow • 2.1GHz octa-core HiSilicon Kirin 655 • 12MP + 2MP rear, 8MP front • 5.5” 1920 x 1080 • 32GB built-in, microSD; 3GB RAM • LTE • dual SIM

Hyundai Aero Plus

Lenovo K6 Note

Lenovo PHAB2 Plus

LG Stylus 2

LG X Cam

P13,990 (32GB) P15,990 (64GB) • Android 6.0 Marshmallow • 2.0GHz octa-core MediaTek Helio P10 • 21MP rear, 8MP front • 5.5” 1920 x 1080 • 32/64GB built-in, microSD; 3/4GB RAM • LTE • dual SIM

132 September 2017

P11,999 • Android 6.0 Marshmallow • 1.3GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 • 16MP rear, 8MP front • 5.5” 1920 x 1080 • 32GB built-in, microSD; 4GB RAM • LTE • dual SIM

P18,990 • Android 6.0 Marshmallow • 2.3GHz octa-core HiSilicon Kirin 950 • 8MP rear, 8MP front • 8.4” 2560 x 1600 • 32GB built-in, microSD; 4GB RAM

P14,999 • Android 6.0 Marshmallow • 1.3GHz octa-core MediaTek 8783 • dual 13MP rear, 8MP front • 6.4” 1920 x 1080 • 32GB built-in, microSD; 3GB RAM • LTE • dual SIM

P13,990 • Android 6.0 Marshmallow • 1.8GHz octa-core MediaTek MT6755 • 20MP rear, 13MP front • 5.5” 1920 x 1080 • 64GB built-in, microSD; 4GB RAM • LTE • dual SIM

P10,990 • Android 6.0 Marshmallow • 1.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 MSM8916 • 13MP rear, 8MP front • 5.7” 1280 x 720 • 16GB built-in, microSD; 1.5GB RAM • LTE

P18,990 • Android 6.0 Marshmallow • 2.0GHz octa-core MediaTek MT6755 • 16MP rear, 16MP front • 5.2” 1920 x 1080 • 64GB built-in, microSD; 4GB RAM • LTE • dual SIM

P13,990 • Android 6.0 Marshmallow • 1.14GHz octa-core • 13MP rear, 5MP front • 5.2” 1920 x 1080 • 16GB built-in, microSD; 2GB RAM • LTE

UNDER P20,000

Meizu MX6

Motorola Moto M

Motorola Moto G4 Plus

Nokia 6

OPPO A57

OPPO F3

Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017)

Samsung Galaxy J7 (2016)

Samsung Galaxy J7 Prime (2016)

Samsung Galaxy J7 Pro

Sony Xperia XA1

Vivo V5

Vivo V5s

Vivo V5 Plus

P16,990 • Android 6.0 Marshmallow • 2.3GHz deca-core MediaTek Helio X20 MT6797 • 12MP rear, 5MP front • 5.5” 1920 x 1080 • 32GB built-in; 4GB RAM • LTE • dual SIM

P16,990 • Android 6.0 Marshmallow • 1.5GHz octa-core MediaTek MT6750 • 13MP rear, 16MP + 8MP front • 5.5” 1920 x 1080 • 64GB built-in, microSD; 4GB RAM • LTE • dual SIM

Sony Xperia XA Ultra

P19,190 • Android 6.0 Marshmallow • 2.0GHz MediaTek MT6755 Helio P10 • 21.5MP rear, 16MP front • 6” 1920 x 1080 • 16GB built-in, microSD; 3GB RAM • LTE • dual SIM

P14,999 • Android 6.0 Marshmallow • 2.2GHz octa-core MediaTek Helio P15 • 16MP rear, 8MP front • 5.5” 1920 x 1080 • 32GB built-in, microSD; 4GB RAM • LTE • dual SIM

P19,990 • Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow • 1.9GHz octa-core Cortex A-53 • 16MP rear, 16MP front • 5.2” 1920 x 1080 • 32GB built-in, microSD; 3GB RAM • LTE

P14,990

• Android 7.0 Nougat • 2.3GHz octa-core MediaTek MT6755 Helio P20 • 23MP rear, 8MP front • 5” 1280 x 720 • 32GB built-in, microSD; 3GB RAM • LTE • dual SIM

P13,999 • Android 6.0 Marshmallow • 1.5GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 617 • 13MP rear, 5MP front • 5.5” 1920 x 1080 • 32GB built-in, microSD; 3GB RAM • LTE • dual SIM

P11,990 • Android 6.0 Marshmallow • 1.6GHz octa-core • 13MP rear, 5MP front • 5.5” 1920 x 1080 • 16GB built-in, microSD; 2GB RAM • LTE • dual SIM

P12,990 • Android 6.0 Marshmallow • 1.5GHz octa-core MediaTek 6750 • 13MP rear, 20MP front • 5.5” 1280 x 720 • 32GB built-in; 4GB RAM • LTE • dual SIM

P11,990 • Android 7.1.1 Nougat • 1.4GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 • 16MP rear, 8MP front • 5.5” 1920 x 1080 • 32/64GB built-in, microSD; 3/4GB RAM • LTE • dual SIM

P13,990 • Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow • 1.6GHz octa-core Exynos 7870 • 13MP rear, 8MP front • 5.5” 1920 x 1080 • 16GB built-in, microSD; 3GB RAM • LTE • dual SIM

P14,990 • Android 6.0 Marshmallow • 1.5GHz octa-core Cortex-A53 • 13MP rear, dual 20MP front • 5.5” 1280 x 720 • 64GB built-in; 4GB RAM • LTE • dual SIM

P11,990 • Android 6.0 Marshmallow • 1.4GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 435 • 13MP rear, 16MP front • 5.5” 1280 x 720 • 32GB built-in, microSD; 3GB RAM • LTE • dual SIM

P15,990 • Android 7.0 Nougat • 1.6GHz octa-core Exynos 7870 • 13MP rear, 13MP front • 5.5” 1920 x 1080 • 32GB built-in, microSD; 3GB RAM • LTE • dual SIM

P19,990 • Android 6.0 Marshmallow • 2.0GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 • 16MP rear, dual 20MP + 8MP front • 5.5” 1920 x 1080 • 64GB built-in;4GB RAM • LTE • dual SIM

September 2017 133

buyer’s guide

Apple iPad

Apple iPad mini 4

Apple iPad Pro 12.9

Apple iPad Pro 9.7

Apple iPhone 7

Apple iPhone 7 Plus

ASUS ZenFone AR

ASUS ZenFone 3 Zoom

HTC U Ultra

HTC U11

Wi-Fi: P24,990 (128GB) Wi-Fi + Cellular: P26,990 (32GB); P32,990 (128GB) • iOS 10 • A9 chip with 64-bit architecture and M9 coprocessor • 8MP rear, 1.2MP front • 9.7” 2048 x 1536 • 32GB; 2GB RAM • LTE

P44,990 (32GB) P50,990 (128GB) P56,990 (256GB) • iOS 10 • A19 Fusion chip with 64-bit architecture and M10 motion coprocessor • 12MP rear, 7MP front • 5.5” 1920 x 1080 • 32/128/256GB built-in; 2GB RAM • LTE

Wi-Fi: P20,490 (16GB); P25,490 (64GB); P34,490 (128GB) Wi-Fi + Cellular: P26,990 (16GB); P31,990 (64GB); P36,990 (128GB) • iOS 9 • A8 chip with M8 motion coprocessor • 8MP rear, 1.2MP front • 7.9” 2048 x 1536 • 16/64/128GB built-in; 2GB RAM • LTE

P44,995 • Android 7.0 Nougat • 2.3GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 • 23MP rear, 8MP front • 5.7” 2560 x 1440 • 64/128/256GB built-in, microSD; 6/8GB RAM • LTE • dual SIM

Huawei P10 Plus

Wi-Fi: P42,990 (32GB); P50,990 (128GB) Wi-Fi + Cellular: P57,990 (128GB) • iOS 9 • A9X chip with 64-bit architecture and M9 motion coprocessor • 8MP rear, 1.2MP front • 12.9” 2732 x 2048 • 32/128GB; 4GB RAM • LTE

P23,995 • Android 6.0 Marshmallow • 2.0GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 • Dual 12MP + 12MP rear; 13MP front • 5.5”1920 x 1080 • 128GB; 4GB RAM • LTE • dual SIM

Wi-Fi: P32,990 (32GB); P40,990 (128GB); P48,990 (256GB) Wi-Fi + Cellular: P39,990 (32GB); P47,990 (128GB); P55,990 (256GB) • iOS 9 • A9X chip with 64bit architecture and M9 coprocessor • 12MP rear, 5MP front • 9.7” 2048 x 1536 • 32/128/256 GB; 2GB RAM • LTE

P26,990 • Android 7.0 Nougat • 2.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 • 12MP rear, 16MP front • 5.7” 12560 x 1440 • 64GB built-in, microSD; 4GB RAM • LTE • dual SIM

P37,990 (32GB) P43,990 (128GB) P49,990 (256GB) • iOS 10 • A19 Fusion chip with 64-bit architecture and M10 motion coprocessor • 12MP rear, 7MP front • 4.7” 1334 x 750 • 32/128/256GB built-in; 2GB RAM • LTE

P36,990 • Android 7.1 Nougat • 2.45GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 • 12MP rear, 16MP front • 5.5” 12560 x 1440 • 128GB built-in, microSD; 6GB RAM • LTE • dual SIM

SPEED SAYS

P36,990

• Android 7.0 Nougat • 2.4GHz octa-core HiSilicon Kirin 960 • dual 12MP rear, 8MP front • 5.5” 2560 x 1440 • 64GB built-in, microSD; 4GB RAM • LTE • dual SIM

134 September 2017

The Huawei P10 Plus’ hardware is amazing—design- and qualitywise. You get solid specs and highlevel performance that go beyond what you ask for. It is positioned for mobile photography, but its computing power and aesthetics should be commended as well.

P20,000 & ABOVE

Huawei P10

Lenovo PHAB2 Pro

LG G6

Motorola Moto Z

Motorola Moto Z2 Play

OnePlus 5

OPPO F3 Plus

Samsung Galaxy A7 (2017)

Samsung Galaxy C9 Pro

Samsung Galaxy S8

Sony Xperia XZ

Sony Xperia XZ Premium

Sony Xperia XZs

P28,990 • Android 7.0 Nougat • 2.4GHz octa-core HiSilicon Kirin 960 • dual 20MP + 12MP rear, 8MP front • 5.1” 1920 x 1080 • 32GB built-in, microSD; 4GB RAM • LTE • dual SIM

P25,990 (64GB) P29,990 (128GB) • Android 7.0 Nougat • 2.45GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 • dual 20MP + 16MP rear, 16MP front • 5.5” 1920 x 1080 • 64/12GB built-in, microSD; 6/8GB RAM • LTE • dual SIM

Samsung Galaxy S8+

P45,990 • Android 7.0 Nougat • 2.3GHz octa-core Exynos 8895 • 12MP rear, 8MP front • 6.2” 2960 x 1440 • 64GB built-in, microSD; 4GB RAM • LTE

P24,999 • Android 6.0 Marshmallow • 1.8GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 652 • 16MP rear, 8MP front • 6.4” 2560 x 1440 • 64GB built-in, microSD; 4GB RAM • LTE

P23,990 • Android 6.0 Marshmallow • 1.95GHz Qualcomm MSM8976 Pro • 16MP rear, dual 16MP+8MP front • 5.5” 1920 x 1080 • 64GB built-in, microSD; 4GB RAM • LTE • dual SIM

Samsung Galaxy Tab S3

P37,990 • Android 7.0 Nougat • 2.15GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 • 13MP rear, 5MP front • 9.7” 2048 x 1536 • 32GB built-in, microSD; 4GB RAM • LTE

P37,990 • Android 7.0 Nougat • 2.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm MSM8996 Snapdragon 820 • dual 16MP rear, 8MP front • 5.7” 2560 x 1440 • 32/64GB built-in, microSD; 4GB RAM • LTE

P23,990 • Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow • 1.9GHz octa-core Cortex-A53 • 16MP rear, 16MP front • 5.7” 1920 x 1080 • 32GB built-in, microSD; 3GB RAM • LTE • dual SIM

P34,490 • Android 6.0 Marshmallow • 2.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm MSM8996 Snapdragon 820 • 23MP rear, 13MP front • 5.2” 1920 x 1080 • 16GB built-in, microSD; 3GB RAM • LTE • dual SIM

P33,999 • Android 6.0 Marshmallow • 2.15GHz quad-core Qualcomm MSM8996 Snapdragon 820 • 13MP rear, 5MP front • 5.5” 2560 x 1440 • 64GB built-in, microSD; 4GB RAM • LTE

P23,990 • Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow • 1.9GHz octa-core Cortex-A53 • 16MP rear, 16MP front • 5.7” 1920 x 1080 • 32GB built-in, microSD; 3GB RAM • LTE

P45,590 • Android 7.1 Nougat • 2.45GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 • 19MP rear, 13MP front • 5.46” 3840 x 2160 • 64GB built-in, microSD; 4GB RAM • LTE • dual SIM

P24,999 • Android 7.1.1 Nougat • 2.2GHz octa-core Qualcomm MSM8953 Snapdragon 626 • 12MP rear, 5MP front • 5.5” 1920 x 1080 • 64GB built-in, microSD; 4GB RAM • LTE • dual SIM

P39,990 • Android 7.0 Nougat • 2.3GHz octa-core Exynos 8895 • 12MP rear, 8MP front • 5.8” 2960 x 1440 • 64GB built-in, microSD; 4GB RAM

P39,990 • Android 7.0 Nougat • 2.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm MSM8996 Snapdragon 820 • 19MP rear, 13MP front • 5.2” 1920 x 1080 • 64GB built-in, microSD; 4GB RAM • LTE • dual SIM

September 2017 135

before you go

Is your

5.6 %

choIce of

6.2 % Garmin

Samsung

wearable

13.6 % Apple

tracker

15.3 % Xiaomi

among the top 5 In the

19.2 % Fitbit 40.1 % Others

watch out! market?

136 September 2017