Lifestyle

Vivo NEX S: What’s taking selfies with a pop-up camera like?

And other relevant questions about Vivo’s newest flagship

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“It has a pop-up selfie camera.” That was the only thing I heard when the Vivo NEX was announced, and all other features faded into the background. Seriously, my main excitement over this phone stems from the fact that it has a mechanical camera that comes out when you take photos with the front-facing camera.

How would it work? Why the technical maneuvering to make this camera happen? Would it break after the gajillion selfies I take in a day? These were all questions I needed answers to. So, it’s time for a quick review — and by quick, I mean I’m only tackling the key features. (You can read the full hands-on review here.)

What’s the deal with this phone anyway?

The Vivo NEX, to us mere mortals (your average non-techie consumer), looks like a typical smartphone. Until you have to scan your fingerprint and take a selfie, that is. Of course, a number of people have given praise to this handset for being the future of smartphones — and I can’t blame them. In a sea of identical notched devices, a camera with moving parts sounds oh so exciting.

You’ll realize that the hype is real when you finally get this baby in your hands. Anything that feels less than premium in my hands is a big no-no for me, and the NEX doesn’t disappoint in this regard. Unlike the previous midrange Vivo releases that didn’t quite do it for me, this handset has a good weight to it and you can definitely feel the glass build.

Sure, it comes in drab black, but if the light hits right, you can see colors of the rainbow. No, really:

It’s a nice lighting touch, though to be honest, it just looks more black in most lighting scenarios. I’m pretty disappointed I’m not the dazzling unicorn I thought I’d be by using this phone, but that’s just me.

Do we really need all that screen?

A 91+ percent screen ratio is a big deal in terms of measurement and smartphone hype, but it’s just a bunch of numbers to me. Admittedly, however, the wider screen experience is good — the obsession with a wider screen in a smaller phone body is understandable for people with smaller hands like mine.

Speaking as someone who hides the notch when I have the option to, the lack of screen obtrusion is refreshing. More screen means a literal bigger picture, which is great when being viewed on a massive 6.59-inch Super AMOLED screen. As much as I’d love to say that’s a problem for the small-screened population, it’s the lack of standard in screen ratios that’s the real culprit, so I’ll leave it at that.

How does the fingerprint sensor feel?

Hidden in plain sight is the fingerprint sensor. Yes, it’s in the display! You know where to scan your fingerprint because when the phone’s locked, the area of the screen where you’re supposed to put your finger lights up.

How does this new technology fare? Well, it’s decent. Compared to other fingerprint scanners which take less than a second to unlock with a slight touch from your finger, the in-display sensor on this thing is less sensitive and it takes longer. You’d have to hold your finger precisely on the correct area of the screen for a second or two.

Call me spoiled, but in a time of talking refrigerators, that two-second delay feels so long. Impressive as an under-display fingerprint sensor may be, anything longer than a second just feels so laggy to impatient old me, especially since the only two options to unlock this phone is via the sensor or entering a code (which is so 2010). The phone isn’t equipped with face unlock technology since, to get to the front-facing camera, you’d need the phone unlocked.

Vivo offers an alternative to all this in the form of the lower-priced Vivo NEX A, though, so problem solved. That version of the NEX has an actual fingerprint scanner  — the usual fast one — on the back of the phone.

What’s taking selfies with a pop-up camera like?

First of all, I’d like to admit: Taking selfies with a pop-up camera is pretty cool. The reaction I get when other people see this moving part on my phone is priceless.

How it works is the camera pops up every time you flip the camera to selfie mode. The whole thing barely makes a sound, though there are options to add a sound effect every time the cam came out, but I refused to turn that on because who wants an alert every time a selfie is attempted? It’s a pretty smooth movement so once the novelty faded out, there were times I even forgot it was happening.

Forgetting that tiny protruding camera was actually what scared me. One too many times, I’d accidentally tap the selfie camera option and, without me noticing, the camera would come out. This happened in my bag, in my hands, or even on my cluttered desk, and every time I was scared I’d break this tiny moving part.

Sure, Vivo said they did drop tests and that the camera can pop up to 50,000 times (Chay did the math: That’s 137 years if you only take one selfie per day), but does that mean it’s Isa-proof? It did survive more than a week in my hands, but I don’t think that thing would’ve survived a solid drop if it so happened with the camera out. (Because let’s be honest, everyone drops their phones.)

The selfie camera on the NEX is pretty good and I love how its AI beauty mode is so subtle but effective. Of course, the beauty mode can still be too much at optimum settings, but who told you to amp up the filter that high, Brenda?

Additionally, the rear cameras are pretty good, too. Honestly, it’s a pretty capable IG camera. See for yourself:

For more photo samples, check out our 24 Hours at the World Cup with the Vivo NEX.

Do I likey?

Me likey what I’ve seen so far.

If you’re in the business of reviewing phones and gadgets, it’s easy to get bored with all the identical phones being churned out nowadays. That being said, it’s also easy to get carried away by something just by virtue of it being different.

Truth be told, this is one solid phone from Vivo. Honestly, it’s a flagship that I would totally use, even for just the selfie camera. But, on top of it being novel, I’m happy to report that it performs well, all things considered. Despite caveats, it’s a phone that pushes boundaries and dares to stray from what conventional smartphones are making.

And, don’t we all love that exciting wildcard? C’mon, live a little and take poppin’ (pun intended) selfies along the way.

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Dyson’s viral portable fan arrives in the Philippines

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Dyson HushJet Mini

If there is one Dyson launch that has generated unusual levels of anticipation this year, it is the Dyson HushJet Mini Portable Fan.

The compact cooling device quickly gained a following after its international release, reportedly selling out within a day in several markets. Now, just in time for the hottest and most humid months of the year (no thanks to climate change), it is finally arriving in the Philippines.

With temperatures continuing to climb, the timing feels almost inevitable. Lightweight and designed for use on the move, the HushJet™ Mini brings Dyson’s airflow technology into a portable format that fits easily into everyday life—whether commuting through the city, attending outdoor events, traveling, or spending long days under the sun.

Its appeal extends beyond functionality. Finished in Dyson’s Stone/Blush colorway, the device combines cooling performance with a sleek aesthetic that feels at home alongside the accessories people already carry daily.

The new Dyson HushJet Mini is your new companion against heat and humidity.

The launch also marks one of the most accessible entry points into the Dyson ecosystem. Priced at PhP6,499, the HushJet Mini offers consumers a practical way to experience the brand’s engineering and design in a product built for everyday use.

Given the strong demand seen overseas, interest is expected to be high when the fan officially launches in the Philippines.

Where, when, and how to get your own Dyson HushJet

The Dyson HushJet Mini Portable Fan in Stone/Blush will be available beginning June 25, 2026 at 3 p.m. at participating Dyson stores, including Mall of Asia, Podium, Greenbelt 5, and One Bonifacio High Street.

For those hoping to get their hands on one, it may be worth keeping a close eye on Dyson Philippines’ official social media channels and Dyson.ph. If international demand is any indication, this could be one of the season’s most sought-after releases.

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Entertainment

Now Playing: Toy Story 5

What happens when a tablet enters the toy box? 

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Toy Story 5

Toy Story 5 is the funniest the series has been for me, even if it might end up being one of its more forgettable entries. Toy Story 3 is still the franchise’s most profound when it arrived 15 years after the original film and spoke directly to an audience that had grown up with Andy. It gave people the kind of nostalgia and continuity they were ready for.

So, when Pixar finds an angle through the takeover of iPads and the Roblox-ification of childhood, we are primed with a very predictable premise. The toys are no longer competing only with time or growing up. They are competing with screens that know how to keep a child looking. 

Whether that is a genuine attempt to stay relevant or simply another way of keeping the franchise alive, it is hard not to admire the idea. 

What lingers is its lens on connection and what holds us together as the world keeps changing, even in the whimsy of a child. And the end credits song, Taylor Swift’s “I Knew It, I Knew You,” which carries us back to her country-pop roots.

Jessie steps forward

Aside from the introduction of tech play, the first sequence already makes it clear that Jessie (Joan Cusack) is taking on a larger emotional role here. Woody (Tom Hanks) gets some time to polish his boots before eventually being pulled back into the chaos with the rest of the gang. Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) gets caught in his own strange space-age mess with the kind of high-speed toy panic this franchise loves to stage.

Bonnie ditches toys for tech play

Bonnie (Scarlett Spears) is basically the new Andy now, except her childhood has more tabs open. She still transforms the gang into unwitting characters from different genres and eras in 2D treatment when she plays. But, she’s also feeling ostracized and pressured by screen-ager friends.

Sitting nearby is Lilypad (Greta Lee), a frog-shaped smart tablet bright enough to make the toys look a little dimmer. It looks exactly like one of those iPads with a green, funky case that you see kids carrying around at family functions. It is one more thing to play with and one more little world calling her name. The toys are still there, but now they are waiting between notifications and an attempt at sabotaging batteries. 

When all these attempts go wrong, the gang’s plan is to find Bonnie a friend who can still meet her in imaginative play. 

Is the screen the villain?

What Bonnie goes through as an eight-year-old is a reality for a lot of kids whose screen time stretches beyond moderation. In some ways, it feels a notch higher than Gen Zs and Millennials spending most of the week glued to work laptops while still trying to carve out time on a Sunday to “live a life.”

The inevitability of tech play is announced like an impending doom when Bonnie spots the twins she wants to play with lolling on a couch in a bleak living room, their faces looking washed in the glow of their phones. It’s more unsettling than Sid’s vicious grin in the first film, or Lots-o’-Huggin’ Bear’s refusal to redeem himself in Toy Story 3.

Bonnie’s friends even plan a sleepover just to end up on their Lilypads, not going a day without talking to each other face-to-face. It’s a room filled with excited kids slowly drained of energy by the devices in their hands. It’s strange enough that the kids packed into LAN parties and computer shops of our time, armed with the most creative trash talks, suggest a healthier version of real-world connection.

By the end, what keeps the film from becoming too preachy is that Lilypad is not treated like a Lots-o’-Huggin’ Bear by-product. The toys still matter, but the tablets do too. One gives shape to touch and make-believe, and the other opens up a metaphysical escape. Parents need to understand that it’s a matter of finding the balance between enough screen to discover new worlds. And enough real life for their kids to remember how to build one themselves.

The things that raised us

I lost touch with toys years ago, so I tried to make the story’s angle make sense through my grief for the glossies and magazines that raised me. I thought about the Filbar’s and grocery newsstands I grew up nagging my parents to take me to. Now Filbar’s fully houses collectibles and toys, which is its own little irony. 

The magazines left us. At least my favorites did. Now they survive as digital flipbooks on my iPad, which surprisingly works for my tactile self. Though these devices can never recreate the wrinkling of a spine that suggests I probably loved my mags too hard. I do love the illusion of turning the pages and being able to carry it everywhere. It does act like a thread to my younger, more idealistic self. Which, for me, is an important kind of connection.

And maybe Toy Story 5 circles around the idea. That we never really lose the essence of fun and connection, even if the world changes. It is an innate thing to us. We may go to our screens to virtually meet people, then we come back to the small shared spaces where the sense of belonging is tangibly real. 

Right now, fun lives in both the AFKs and in the realms of social media—half-present, half-elsewhere, but wholeheartedly connected.

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Lifestyle

What being a Superbod looks like in 2026

Century Tuna is finally turning fitness into a community movement.

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For the longest time, the Century Tuna Superbod competition felt like something I admired from afar. As someone who spends weekends chasing finish lines, logging kilometers on Strava, and squeezing training sessions between deadlines, I always associated Superbod with fitness models, perfectly sculpted physiques, and the bright lights of a competition stage.

That perception is changing. Standing at the recent Superbod Life community run, surrounded by runners, walkers, gym-goers, and people simply trying to become healthier versions of themselves, it became clear that Century Tuna is redefining what it means to be a “Superbod” in 2026.

The focus is no longer solely on how you look. It’s about how you move and how you fuel your body. More than anything, it’s about how you show up for yourself every day.

Fitness is becoming more connected

Over the years, I’ve noticed how much fitness has become intertwined with technology, both as an athlete and as someone who covers tech for a living.

Training used to mean showing up and hoping for the best. Now most of us track our runs, monitor our recovery, analyze our workouts, and share milestones online. Fitness has become more connected, more measurable, and surprisingly more social.

Century Tuna’s recent Superbod Era Strava Challenge tapped directly into that reality. More than 58,000 Filipinos joined, turning individual workouts into a shared movement. Whether you were chasing a race goal or simply trying to hit your daily step count, everyone found a place in the challenge.

I rely on Strava myself to stay accountable, so I understand the appeal. Seeing progress on a screen sounds simple, yet it often becomes the extra push that gets you out the door for one more run.

A community beyond the competition stage

What stood out to me most is that Century Tuna is building something that extends beyond a single competition season.

The newly launched Superbod Life Community on Facebook creates a space where fitness feels more approachable. Instead of focusing solely on transformations and trophies, the community centers on three pillars: Move Super, Fuel Super, and Live Super.

Move Super encourages members to stay active through expert-led discussions and accessible workout routines. Fuel Super focuses on practical nutrition tips and healthier eating habits that fit into real schedules. Live Super highlights the importance of sustainability, recovery, and building habits that last.

As athletes, we know consistency is the hardest part of any fitness journey. Motivation comes and goes. Community is what keeps many people moving.

The first Superbod Life community run, held in partnership with Megaworld and led by brand ambassadors Atasha Muhlach and Emilio Daez, made that clear. What started as conversations and shared progress updates online became real-world connections on the road.

Fitness can feel intimidating. Seeing people of different ages, backgrounds, and fitness levels show up together was a reminder that wellness doesn’t belong to a select few.

Fueling the lifestyle

If there’s one challenge I constantly face, it’s finding enough time. Between covering events, producing content, attending meetings, and training for races, meal preparation rarely goes according to plan.

That’s where convenience becomes important. Century Tuna recently introduced the Super Bowl, a ready-to-eat tuna and rice meal designed for people who are always on the move.

Packed with protein, Vitamin B3, and Omega-3 DHA, it offers a quick option for days when cooking isn’t realistic and skipping meals isn’t an option. At PhP 29 per can, it’s an easy add to a packed schedule.

I’ve eaten countless post-run meals in cars, airports, press rooms, and race venues, so I get why products like this exist. The goal isn’t perfection. The goal is making better choices easier to sustain.

How to join the community

If this resonates, you don’t need a stage to start. The Superbod Life Community lives on Facebook, where members trade workout tips and keep each other accountable. You can find it at facebook.com/groups/superbod.life.

For those still chasing the stage, the on-ground casting call for Superbods 2026 happens at Space at One Ayala, Makati City, on June 27 to 28, from 9 AM to 5 PM. Pre-registration is open at bit.ly/2026-superbods-pre-registration, in case you’d rather skip the line.

The Superbod era looks different now

The biggest takeaway from all of this is that the Superbod journey is no longer reserved for people chasing a title. It can start with a morning walk, a first 5K, a healthier lunch, or simply deciding to move more than you did yesterday.

Technology is making fitness more accessible. Communities are making it more welcoming. Brands like Century Tuna are recognizing that wellness isn’t a destination reserved for a few. It’s a lifestyle more people can participate in.

Perhaps that’s what being a Superbod means today. Not standing under stage lights. Sometimes, it’s showing up for yourself, one workout and one healthy choice at a time.

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