Features

First podcast network in PH shares tips, insights

PumaPodcast wants us to listen more

Published

August 12, 2019

Rodneil Quiteles

“We don’t listen enough.”

That’s what PumaPodcast — the first podcast network in the Philippines — hopes to change. The network officially launched in August 2019 but a lot of their shows have already been available to stream since the start of the year.

As of right now, they have a variety of shows including a newscast called Headlines, a show that tackles legal issues, and another that discusses culture, politics, religion, and everything else that makes Filipinos well, Filipino. There are plenty more and you can check them all out on their Spotify page.

PumaPodcast believes listening gives us a new perspective on things we think we already know about. Which is why they set out to be on platforms that people are already on.

“‘How many Filipinos listen to podcasts?’ is the wrong question. The question is, how many people are on Google, Spotify, Youtube?” says our founder @robyalampay.

Filipinos are already on these platforms. It’s about introducing people to podcasts on platforms they already use. pic.twitter.com/aITLpLqZfT

— PumaPodcast (@PumaPodcastPH) August 3, 2019

To get a better idea of what the network is trying to do and also get some podcasting tips on the side, we spoke with one of their hosts — Ceej Tantengco.

Ceej is a sports reporter, gender equality advocate, and three- time Palanca Award-winning writer. She’s the host of Go Hard Girls which hopes to shine a spotlight on underrated Filipina athletes. It also imagines what the industry would be like if it was better for women.

Read the full interview below:

Ceej Tantengco is the host of Go Hard Girls and also co-hosts another show called What’sAP?

1) Podcasting appears to be enjoying some sort of renaissance, why do you think that is?

More than a renaissance, I think it’s that podcasts are finally hitting their stride in the Philippines. There have been individual podcasts by Filipino creators that have become popular locally, but just a few years ago I’d often hear people say they listen to Mo Twister but not really any other podcasts.

In America, podcasting is a culture that started, kept going, and it’s now at what the New York Times calls “peak podcast.” They joke that everyone and their mom has a podcast in America, but you also have incredible shows like Serial, NPR’s Invisibilia, This American Life and 99% Invisible that push the boundaries of audio storytelling way beyond the usual talk format. The variety is just incredible. One of my favorite podcasts is LeVar Burton Reads, where he picks a short story (usually sci-fi or speculative fiction) and turns it into something that’s both audiobook and immersive experience.

And as more Filipinos consume those kinds of podcasts from abroad, the market for local podcasts grows as well. We’re looking for local perspectives and voices that feel familiar. Here in the Philippines, I think the big wave has only just begun.

2) How did you decide what kind of podcast to do? What to talk about?

First off, It has to be something you’re passionate about. In my case, I’ve been a sports reporter for the past 5 years and I’ve seen the gender gap and how female athletes get less media exposure, or have to deal with gendered comments, or struggle to find sponsors compared to their male counterparts. There’s still a lot of sexism in how our society sees sports—basketball is for boys, volleyball is for girls, blah blah—and I always feel sad when people tell me that “that’s just how it is.”

So Go Hard Girls is me taking matters into my own hands and telling the stories of incredible yet underrated athletes. I’m extremely passionate about what I’m doing in the podcast, and I think that’s something you need to have if you’re getting into podcasting. Putting up a podcast won’t always be easy, but if you’re passionate, you have a reason to power through!

The second thing you need is perspective. A lot of my co-hosts on the PumaPodcast network have unique positions in their industries like Give A Hoot, which talks about communication from the perspective of professionals in advertising and communication strategy; or Te Talks, where former Supreme Court spokesperson Ted Te explains legal issues that affect the Philippines. Why are you in a special position to talk about the topic and what do you add to the public discussion?

Ceej with members of 5-time UAAP chapms NU Lady Bulldogs who went on an insane 80-0 winning streak

3) I don’t exactly have the best voice but I really want to do a podcast. Should I still go for it?

Podcasting isn’t like TV news where there’s a specific type of voice that people look for. Some podcasts are loud and funny, some are soft-spoken and reserved, some are formal and some are casual. But podcasts are audio products and voice quality still matters.

How comfortable are you in front of the mic? Do you stutter or have a lot of dead air? Try doing a test recording and listen to yourself so you know what to practice and how to improve. Editing can also help in cutting out any parts of the recording you aren’t happy with.

4) What equipment should I be looking at to get started?

If you’re just starting out, you could consider using equipment you already have. If you have a phone with a mic and you have a laptop, you can absolutely get started.

If you’re using basic equipment, though, then you should consider taking the time to learn some post-production software. There are free audio editing programs out there, like Audacity, that can improve your sound quality.

If you’re looking for something more ambitious, you can look into microphones. There are condenser mics, dynamic mics, handheld mics, lapel mics, etc. Some of these can plug straight into your laptop or your phone, and some have their own recording capability on their own. Some of them need an audio interface or a mixer if you have multiple mics.

5) Are there places where I can rent out equipment?

Yes! There are many studios where you can rent studio time—that includes use of their equipment, a sound-proofed booth, and a sound engineer who oversees the technical aspects of recording so you can focus on content—as well as post-prod services. If you are just starting out and experimenting, though, it can be an expense that you have to think hard about.

Roar Audio Productions in Makati, though, has a special hourly rate for podcasters that’s lower than the commercial rate for ad agencies and musicians. PumaPodcast’s production arm PumaPublic Productions also offers services for people who specifically are interested in narrative-format podcasts.

If you can’t spare the expense at the moment, you can still make do with what you have and then upgrade as your podcast grows!

PumaPodcast hosts addressing the crowd at the network’s launch

6) What should I consider in selecting where to host my podcast?

Price is one thing. There are hosting platforms that are convenient because they’re free, and there are others that can be more costly, but provide more services.

Considerations would be storage (how often are you publishing and what file sizes are you expecting?), the platforms they publish you to, website hosting, or the number of unique feeds (if you’re planning to have multiple shows). What kind of data analytics do you want to get from your pod host? This matters if you have plans to monetize. The more intricate data/metrics, the more expensive the hosting.

7) Is there profit in podcasting?

Theoretically, yes. If you have enough of a following on a particular platform, you can make a profit through ad placements or branded content. Influencers and Youtube creators have done so, and podcasters share some of the same platforms as them.

But just like with social media and with Youtube, it’s not easy. Not everybody can just put up an account and make money off of it. It takes time, effort, and an understanding of your platform and the content you should be creating for it.

Ceej’s podcast Go Hard Girls is currently running a crowdfunding campaign to produce more shows. Click here if you would like to help out. A similar campaign is also ongoing for another show called Give A Hoot which is a series of conversations about stuff that excite or baffle communicators and social change agents.

Related Topics:Go Hard Girls Podcast PumaPodcast

Features

Can the REDMI Note 15 Pro+ 5G Survive?

REDMI Titan Durability Challenge!

Published

January 17, 2026

GadgetMatch and Michael Josh Villanueva

As someone who travels and is outdoors a lot, THE Michael Josh will be the first to admit that he is NOT gentle with his phones.

They live in his pockets, bags, hands. They get dropped, they get wet, and they get dusty.

So when REDMI asked him to test something they call “REDMI Titan Durability,” he figured the only fair way to do it was to put the REDMI Note 15 Pro+ 5G to the ultimate durability test.

Reviews

POCO M8 Pro review: Goin’ loco over this POCO

POCO starts 2026 with some bang

Published

January 15, 2026

Vincenz

Looking back at my first few months with GadgetMatch back in 2018 nostalgically evoked my Pocophone F1 core memory. It was touted as THE “flagship killer for less.”

Pre-pandemic, that “Pocophone” simply became “POCO” and became an “independent” kiddo who moved out of its parent’s house.

Almost eight years after that very first iteration, I’ve finally had my first (and long overdue) POCO-perience with the latest POCO M8 Pro.

Design: Repurposed with a purpose

While I have not held a POCO phone until very recently, I am still aware of the brand’s offerings over the years.

Seeing the POCO M8 Pro for the first time instantly reminded me of last year’s Redmi Note 14 Pro series. That’s not me saying POCO blatantly ripped the aesthetics as the POCO X7 also had the same design language.

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

Like a full circle moment, the aforementioned phones were launched back a year ago.

In all honesty, it still confuses me which direction Xiaomi is heading, especially with the non-stop rebadging of existing POCO and REDMI phones — just with scrambled internals and CMF (color, materials, finish).

Having said that, I still consider the M8 Pro a level up from the last M7 Pro. The former’s design felt like it was not given much importance.

The centered camera island with a squircle cutout seemed like a signature design element of Xiaomi’s newer midrange line moving forward.

I also love how the phone felt in my hands. Even with that plastic back, it felt grippy enough when held.

You have to be wary of fingerprint smudges though — especially if you rock the black colorway. Luckily, the green shade I have still looks clean despite those unwanted smears.

And, if you’re brave enough to clean it in running water, the POCO M8 Pro boasts not just one, not two, but quadruple IP ratings: IP66, IP68, IP69, and even IP69K. These used to be exclusive only among 2025 flagships.

Now Playing: IDOL I

Much like my fanaticism to anything tech, the same can be said with Korean Pop Stars. More known as “K-Pop Idols”, I have been a huge geek of K-Pop for 16 long years (and still counting).

Interestingly, after finishing a series that just ended in Netflix, IDOL I swiftly came by. Even if I am the type of viewer who values the drama’s synopsis more than the cast involved, this K-Drama instantly hit two birds in one.

For one, its starred by a true iconic idol herself: Choi Sooyoung — or one of the nine members of SNSD / Girls’ Generation a.k.a the ultimate 2nd generation K-Pop girl group I’ve been stanning since my youth.

Although Maeng Se-na here is a heartless and “selfish” lawyer, she is the opposite for being a huge (yet silent) fan of “Gold Boys” with Do Ra-ik as his “Ult” (or Ultimate Bias).

In a wild turn of events, the idol became a “murderer” overnight — blaming him for the sudden death of his co-member after waking up from their drinking session.

But, no matter how the general public looks at him as the prime suspect, finding faults against Ra-ik is difficult. That’s pointing out the fact that he was just sleeping in his bed while his former bandmate slash loyal friend got stabbed without clear answers.

I can pretty much say the same thing with the 6.83-inch screen of the POCO M8 Pro: I cannot see any fault at all.

For one, it’s an AMOLED display that made me enjoy binging the first four episodes non-stop. But, being able to display 68.7 billion Colors and 12-bit color depth aside from the usual HDR10+ and Dolby Vision support? That’s likely unusual for a phone in such price point.

And, with a 1.5K display resolution plus a pixel density of 447 ppi, it’s as crisp as it could get. Watching it outdoors is neither a problem with its mighty 3200 nits peak brightness.

While my eyes aren’t very sensitive to light and flicker, its 3840Hz PWM dimming and TÜV Rheinland Flicker-Free and Low Blue Light certifications are still worth mentioning — especially if you stay up all night binge-watching hours worth of titles like yours truly.

On Queue: Apink’s RE:LOVE + Chuu’s XO, My Cyberlove

Pumping up the volume by 60%, it’s expected that the POCO M8 Pro possesses a louder than ever sound output. However, my audio assessment doesn’t end just there.

Just like POCO starting the year with a bang, the K-Pop scene in January 2026 has already exploded with real hit bangers.

First and foremost, Apink finally gathered again to released their 11th Mini Album (their previous Mini Album dates back to 2020). As per usual, I used Apple Music to take full advantage of that Lossless format.

Their title track “Love Me More” not only brought a lot of the group’s nostalgic intro and dance break instrumental during their early days in the industry, it also reminded me of the pre-millennium K-Pop era back in the early 90s.

Pair that with b-sides such as “Sunshine” that sounded pure and soulful, this latest mini album will truly make Pink Pandas’ hearts flutter.

In addition, Chuu (LOONA) finally releases her 1st Full Album titled “XO, My Cyberlove.” It is a complete opposite of her first ever solo song “Heart Attack” almost a decade ago which highlighted her cutesy, innocent charms.

The comeback track of the same title is as quirky and whimsical as it gets. Not only does it highlight Chuu’s light yet ethereal vocals, but it shows her newer, more mature side.

Furthermore, lyrics that evoke unexpected budding love in this digital era where everyone enjoys making connections through the cyber world.

With POCO M8 Pro’s speakers, I fully enjoyed playing the entirety of her freshly-baked album while I was writing this piece. Teeny Tiny Heart and Love Potion are currently my fave b-sides from this release.

Such music fulfillment was possible with the Dolby Atmos stereo speaker setup and Hi-Res Audio support of the M8 Pro. Not only its proudly loud, the audio produced is full and immaculate with clear line between its highs, mids, and lows.

Performance: Adequate for most

On paper, the POCO M8 Pro runs Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 SoC based on a 4nm process. As confusing as it seems, this is different from the more powerful Snapdragon 7 Gen 4.

That being told, game settings will vary depending on how demanding one is.

For instance, CoDM (Call of Duty: Mobile) runs in Very High and Max settings upon first set-up.

Meanwhile, Racing Master (based on NVIDIA’s PhysX engine) can run Ultra settings at 60fps.

However, it throttles during the first two ranked races.

Fortunately, the game detects if it gets sluggish — suggesting lowering down the settings altogether.

Lastly, playing Zenless Zone Zero is doable but, at the lowest graphics by default.

You wouldn’t dare to go past it as Combat Mode will literally feel like combatting the phone itself due to how heavy the game is.

The only “remedy” for these hardware limitations? It’s none other than the Game Turbo mode that boosts graphics performance and input through Xiaomi’s software advancements. And it sort of helped make the gameplay smoother, but not fully.

For the rest of apps that are not graphics-intensive, the M8 Pro can breeze through various apps without hiccups, do split-screens, or multitasking along floating windows with ease.

I can truthfully say that the only thing dragging the POCO M8 Pro down is the software as a whole.

After experiencing the beauty of vivo’s OriginOS 6 and HONOR’s MagicOS 10, Xiaomi’s HyperOS still feels like an after-thought. While it can keep up with the modern-day Android features, its stability and optimizations simply don’t make the cut.

Besides, its built-in AI tools, device ecosystem, as well as cross-compatibility functionality aren’t as polished as what you get on other Chinese brands. Let alone, a rip-off from everyone’s fruit rival without much feature improvements.

Seriously, Xiaomi?

Worst thing? Maybe the ad slash bloatware infestation found not just on the lock screen. Even transferring personal files through Xiaomi’s native File Manager app plays an unskippable ad.

Battery: Eat it up! Eat it, eat it up! 🍝🎶

At 8.31mm, the POCO M8 Pro is as slender as it can get. How they were able to fit a 6500mAh battery inside its chassis is a true feat of engineering.

For the record, this is the first POCO M-series smartphone to have such a ginormous battery. It joins the same league as the POCO F8 Ultra, F7, and the X7 Pro (in India).

For added context, the M7 Pro, as well as the X7 with a similar form factor, only had a 5110mAh battery. But, numbers are just part of the story.

In day-to-day scenarios with light to moderate usage, the POCO M8 Pro can last you a full day — even more when you hit the bed with around 30% to spare.

As one would expect though, the biggest hogging can be felt when playing games.

During my gameplay stress test, downloading resources in Racing Master for about 30 minutes already consumed 5% charge (92% down to 87%). An hour of racing ate up 11 percent — from 87% down to 76%.

Letting it rest on my desk for 18 hours, the phone depleted to 51%.

At around 9 in the evening, I then started playing HoYoverse’s Zenless Zone Zero for exactly an hour. Battery charge went down further to 36%. Then, a 1.5-hour game in CoDM resulted to a 28% battery percentage. And, as of writing, the POCO M8 Pro still had a 3 percent charge left in its massive tank.

That said, the POCO M8 Pro comes with Xiaomi’s 100W wired HyperCharge speeds — adapter still bundled in the box.

By default, the battery charging speed is set in regular with the prompt / option to enable boosting.

In my GadgetMatch Charge Test results, it can be seen that the difference isn’t too far off.

	*Boosted HyperCharge*	*Regular HyperCharge*	*PPS Charging* (UGREEN 100W Nexode)
*START TIME* *From 0%*	1:11AM	3:10PM	4:06PM
3 minutes	10%	8%	1%
5 minutes	17%	11%	4%
*10 minutes*	25%	18%	13%
15 minutes	40%	23%	21%
20 minutes	46%	32%	28%
*30 minutes*	70%	50%	46%
45 minutes	88%	71%	67%
*1 hour*	99%	91%	84%
1 hour 15 minutes	–	99%	96%
*END TIME* *100%*	2:14AM 1 hour 3 minutes	4:27PM 1 hour 17 minutes	5:30PM 1 hour 24 minutes

PPS Charging is also possible. Although the device only showed “Quick Charge” while being filled up, it’s safe to say that it performs as fast as Xiaomi’s regular HyperCharge with a super close margin of only seven minutes.

Cameras: Surprisingly Satisfying

Prospective buyers of the M8 Pro wouldn’t have a hard time dealing with its conventional camera configuration: a 50MP f/1.6 main (wide) camera based on Light Fusion 800’s 1/1.55-inch sensor. That’s paired with a less outstanding 8MP f/2.2 UWA (ultra-wide angle) camera.

For the most part, the main camera does its job very well considering this type of device.

With the satisfactory 1x image sensor, 2x zoom is also possible, thanks to in-sensor cropping.

I honestly used the 2x mode more than I thought — especially when capturing my cats and food I devour.

You can go beyond the bounds. But, with obvious hardware limitations, the camera processing can only do so much.

Once that natural light disappears, it will be tricky to take low-light shots as this has NO dedicated Night Mode feature. No luck if you are using them indoors with artificial light around.

Instead, regular Photo Mode automatically detects a low-light subject and toggles Night Mode processing by itself.

While most results are satisfying, it’s also a testament that its cameras are far from being flawless.

Good thing, the flash exists for a funkier look in subjects that suit it — food specifically.

Portraits weren’t missed. Although it only relies on some software-based processing, it still gets the job done of separating the subject away from the background — humans and pets alike.

Personally, the aperture function was a bit of a nuisance.

For context, these shots were set to a low “f/1.8 aperture.” But, the M8 Pro rendered DoF (Depth of Field) that isn’t as shallow as what it’s supposed to show.

My frustration continues as the setting defaults back to f/4.5 after quitting and re-opening the camera app. That’s not even the standard lens opening when taking portrait photos.

And while we’re already here, selfies taken with its front-facing shooter.

Is the POCO M8 Pro your GadgetMatch?

While this isn’t the “flagship killer” most expect from a POCO phone, it’s hard not to go loco over how well-rounded yet wallet-friendly this POCO phone is — especially in the year 2026 where inflation is still unstoppable alongside the almost instantaneous and ridiculous RAM price hike.

ICYMI, the POCO M8 Pro has a starting price of GBP 299 / SG$ 389 / RM 1199 / PhP 16,999 (around US$ 279) for the 8+256GB configuration.

Meanwhile, the 12+512GB variant that I handle is priced at GBP 349 / SG$ 449 / RM 1499 / PhP 19,999 (approx. US$ 359).

Its closest rival is none other than the HONOR X9d. Coincidental or not, it was launched just a day after the unveiling of the M8 Pro.

Frankly, the only thing you’ll let go from HONOR’s sweet treat are its monstrous 8300mAh battery and more polished OS. This POCO-ffering blows it out of the water with a greater chipset, faster wired charging, bigger and better display, capable cameras, durability never forgotten.

Although it wasn’t totally highlighted, the POCO M8 Pro is undoubtedly a rebadged REDMI Note 15 Pro+ — Xiaomi’s upcoming midranger that heavily markets its “Titan Durability” capabilities.

The POCO M8 Pro has them all: from its sturdy aluminum frame, four IP ratings, even the fully-shielded front glass care of Corning’s Gorilla Glass Victus 2. The biggest disparity? REDMI has a 200MP main camera over POCO’s 50MP shooter.

Despite some inconsistencies, the POCO M8 Pro is still an all-around midranger that will satisfy most users who want to purchase a shiny new smartphone without burning holes in your pockets.

It is a Swipe Right, Super Swipe, and a worthy recipient of the GadgetMatch Seal of Approval.