Buds T100 Buds T100

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realme Buds T100 Review

Has one weird quirk

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realme has a rather confusing line of TWS earbuds. Just a while back we had the realme Buds Q2. And now here comes the realme Buds T100. 

Both are priced relatively close to each other with the Buds Q2 selling for PhP 1,490 and the Buds T100 coming in at PhP 1,299. Other than the price, the obvious differences are the overall design and packaging. 

The Buds Q2 has a rounder, more compact look to it. No stem whatsoever. Kind of like the Galaxy Buds Pro and, to a certain extent, the WF-1000XM line from Sony. The case also looks different and kind of premium for its asking price. 

Meanwhile, the Buds T100 has a stem design – think AirPods Pro – for easier reference. Even the case is reminiscent of Apple’s own TWS earbuds. 

We spoke glowingly of the Buds Q2’s sound considering its price. And the Buds T100 isn’t too far off, save for one real quirk. But we’ll get to that in a while. 

First, here’s a look at everything inside the box.

Buds T100
To list, you’ll find: 

  • The Buds T100 – Charging case and earbuds
  • A yellow USB to USB-C cable
  • Warranty Card
  • User Guide
  • Ear Tips (not in photo, but they’re there. Trust us). 

Unbalanced sound? 

Buds T100

Okay, so about that quirk. One thing we quickly noticed is how the left and right earbuds don’t produce the same sound. Granted, this truly is the case for some tracks. But even for some that aren’t, the left sounds significantly heavier than the right. 

What we mean is that the lower frequencies all come from the left, while the higher one’s come from the right. This makes for a generally uneven listening experience. You’ll probably get used to it after a day or two, but it will remain noticeable regardless. 

LE SSERAFIM’s Kim Chaewon sounds good no matter how you listen to her

We thought this could be changed in the settings on the realme link app. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. You only get basic equalizer changes: Balanced, Bass Boost, and  Bright. As you may have guessed, changing the setting to either Bass Boost or Bright only increases the imbalance as it emphasizes the high and low frequencies difference on each earbud. So, if you end up grabbing these, it’s best to stick to Balanced. 

Overall, the sound isn’t terrible. It just has that weird quirk. And it certainly beats buying the generic sub-par, wired ones for half the price. 

Easy controls 

realme Buds T100

This is where the stem design comes into play, we think. The controls consist of multiple taps or a touch and hold. You can customize this on the realme link app. 

By default, you tap twice to play/pause, thrice to play the next track, touch and hold the right earbud to up the volume and do the same on the left to turn it down. There’s also an option to add a touch and hold both left and right. You can assign anything, but we left it blank since that kind of looks silly in practice. 

The absence of a single tap makes sense because the sides of the stem seem to be pretty sensitive. This way, there won’t be any accidental taps that disrupt your listening sessions. 

The volume control was a curious choice though. We thought for sure an up and down motion on either earbud would be the volume control. But that isn’t the case. 

Battery as good as advertised

The charging case is standard issue for most TWS earbuds.

Each bud has a 40mAh battery and the charging case adds an extra 400mAh. It promises up to 28 hours of total playback. For the most part this is true. A week since receiving the unit, we haven’t really had the need to plug it in since juicing it up all the way to 100% prior to using it. 

It’s still going strong after a few hours of jamming to some animé soundtracks and bouncing between TWICE’s Between 1&2 and LE SSERAFIM’s FEARLESS

Battery life will depend, obviously, on your frequency of use. On our part, we probably averaged around an hour and a half for seven days. That’s pretty good. 

Noise Cancellation and other features

The Noise Cancellation feature isn’t as pronounced as others in the higher end side of things. That said, it does a good enough job of making sure you hear what you’re trying to listen to even in a crowded environment. But on standby, you barely feel it.

Also worth noting is that it is IPX5 rated, meaning it is sweat and mini-splash proof. You can take this baby to the gym without worries. 

Is this your GadgetMatch? 

For its price, the realme Buds T100 is fine. The left and right sound quirk is odd but it’s not a deal breaker. And it works as advertised everywhere else. It’s just hard to pick this one over the Buds Q2 which is only a couple of hundred pesos more and without any of the quirks mentioned. 

It’s neither excellent nor really bad. It’s just okay but not something that would be on top of our recommendations.

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IQOS x Isabel Santos turns heated tech into a cool, design statement

A limited-edition collaboration where product innovation meets contemporary Filipino art.

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IQOS unveiled its latest collaboration with contemporary Filipino visual artist Isabel Santos.

Titled Curiosity Without Limits, the partnership places product design and personalization at the forefront, using art as the medium that reshapes the experience.

When hardware becomes a canvas

On a Friday night in Makati, RCBC Plaza felt less like a business address and more like a portal. The third floor glowed in deep blues and music echoed through concrete walls.

Inside, a crowd gathered not for a board meeting, but for something far more immersive. At the center stood a curated installation of IQOS devices and limited-edition accessories wrapped in Santos’ signature visual language.

Her works, known for their fluid motion, layered forms, and bold interplay of blue, teal, and bursts of warmth, extended beyond framed canvases and into physical objects people could carry.

Hand-painted IQOS devices, tote bags, pouches, luggage tags, and magnetic snap wallets were displayed like collectible pieces rather than merchandise.

Personalization as part of the ecosystem

Beyond display, the event emphasized interaction. Legal-age IQOS club members were given access to on-site customization stations, where devices could be personalized with exclusive Isabel Santos designs.

The process turned a familiar tech ritual into something participatory, aligning with the broader theme of curiosity driving experimentation.

A digital sensory wall responded to movement, animating Santos’ artwork through ripples and waves.

Nearby, a sketch station allowed guests to draw digitally. Guests were able to see their creations projected in real time onto a large screen. The experience reinforced IQOS’ positioning at the intersection of product innovation and experiential design.

Design meets contemporary culture

Isabel Santos, known for her motion-driven compositions and layered abstractions, unveiled and signed a central artwork created exclusively for the collaboration.

Her ability to translate emotional rhythm into visual form brought dimension to IQOS’ structured aesthetic.

The partnership was announced by PMFTC Inc., the Philippine affiliate of Philip Morris International, framing the initiative as a design-led project for legal-age nicotine users who would otherwise continue to smoke.

While IQOS devices are engineered around heated tobacco technology, the collaboration highlighted how design can influence perception and experience. The devices remained technologically consistent. What evolved was the narrative around them.

Beyond the launch

IQOS is positioning its hardware not only as a technological alternative, but as a lifestyle object shaped by collaboration and  customization.

The IQOS x Isabel Santos collection extends to participating IQOS boutiques nationwide. Select locations in Bonifacio Global City, SM Mall of Asia, and Glorietta offer personalization services for a limited time, with a dedicated in-store installation unveiled at the Glorietta boutique.

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Jackery portable power solutions makes appearance at Doraemon Run

New portable power solutions provider set to make official launch soon

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Jackery recently made its first public presence in the Philippines quietly after being among the sponsors of the Doraemon Run 2026 Manila.

The portable power solutions provider founded in 2012 in California showcased three of their innovative charging products at their booth: the Explorer 100 Plus, Explorer 300 Plus, and Explorer 1000 V2.

Naturally, participants at the fun run were able to recharge their small devices for free with Jackery’s products at the booth.

The biggest variant, the Explorer 1000 V2, has a total power storage of 1070Wh. Along with a 1500W maximum output power, it can easily recharge gadgets like smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, earbuds, cameras, and even drones.

It also has multiple USB-C, AC, and DC ports for simultaneous charging of such devices.

Interestingly, the smallest variant, the Explorer 100 Plus, does champion portability. It costs just about PhP 6,999 and comes with a 99.2Wh capacity. That’s about more than 26,000mAh and is enough to recharge five smartphones.

It comes with a USB-A and two USB-C ports, and is much like a slightly larger power bank. Although, make no mistake, it is also approved for flights.

All three of Jackery’s Explorer models also have an informative digital display. The brand also had the Solar Saga 100W foldable solar panel on display. This standalone backup power solution has an IP68 water resistance.

Currently, Jackery’s products are available online via Lazada and Shopee. An official launch event is expected later this year.

The brand name is an amalgamation of the words “jacket” and “battery”. This is a nod to what Jackery produced a decade ago: jacket batteries for consumer tech companies.

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Apple AirTag 2 Review

Range, Sound, and REAL-WORLD Tests!

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THE Michael Josh puts AirTags in his bags, suitcases, keys, heck, even his TV remote.

They’ve saved him many times and keep anxiety at bay when it comes to delayed or missing baggage.

And just about last month, Apple announced a new model — the same size, shape, and price. But, it comes with a whole bunch of improvements that make it more findable.

So, should you rush out to get the new ones? In this review video, we test the range and sound of the all-new AirTag 2 in the real world.

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