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Traveling with the Moment Lens

Is the Moment lens a worthy travel buddy?

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Phone photos become our very own souvenirs whenever we travel. More than something we upload on social media, they’re pleasant memories we can flip through when we’re back to the reality and routine of our lives. As such, it pays to have beautiful shots of the landscapes and sights we visit.

Earlier in July, I went to Hokkaido, Japan. To help me achieve said beautiful shots, I had with me a Google Pixel 3 and an 18mm wide-angle lens from Moment. It was my first time using a Moment lens. If you’re not familiar with Moment, they make special phone cases that can be pimped up with lenses that help elevate the photos you take.

Is the Moment lens a worthy travel buddy? Yes and no.

It’s great for taking landscape shots

Any tourist attraction can be turned into desktop wallpaper with the wide lens.

You also get to see the bigger picture. There’s a certain splendor added to a façade when you capture it from a wider angle.

It’s handy for when there’s limited space

In one of the farms we went to, there was a veranda where we wanted to take photos. It was great for portraits but not for capturing my outfit. There was not much space for the person taking the photo to move back to, so we got help from the wide-angle lens to capture a wider perspective and a full body shot.

It’s a hassle 

While it’s easy to plug the lens onto the case, the extra step of looking for the lens inside the bag is a hassle, and ironically, takes you away from the moment you’re trying to capture. Imagine getting a stranger to take a group photo of you and your friends at a restaurant — everyone would be waiting for you to find the lens in your purse and attach it to the phone — it ruins the moment a little bit.

I can also do without the extra weight and the extra space it takes up in my tiny bag. A less rugged-looking case would also be nice.

The Moment lens does offer wonderful improvements to my vacation shots. If you’re particular about how artfully angled your shots are, you’ll find that a wide-angle lens is a great addition to your arsenal. However, if you’re like me who is content with what your camera phone has to offer, you may find the lens unnecessary. With the Google Pixel 3 and a little post-processing, I was actually able to get nice shots even without the Moment lens.

“Ironically, the Moment lens takes you away from the moment you’re trying to capture.”

Traveling means you have limited time to spend in a place. Make the most out of it with a device that has all the camera features you need. In 2019 there are already plenty of phones with built-in wide angle and telephoto features, from different price points that you might want to consider instead.

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Jabra launches PanaCast Room Kit for simpler hybrid meetings

The function room setup that doesn’t need an IT guy

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Jabra PanaCast Room Kit

Jabra is expanding its hybrid work ecosystem with the new PanaCast Room Kit.

It’s a video conferencing solution built for meeting rooms. But it skips the usual complexity. No tangled cables, no custom programming, and no need for IT on standby.

The kit is designed for teams of three to 15 people. Setup takes minutes: Connect the cameras, place the speakers and microphones, and link everything with a single cable.

That’s it. A standard room becomes a smart collaboration space without the usual friction.

Built for inclusive meetings

At the center of the experience is the PanaCast 55 VBS.

It uses a 180-degree multi-camera system powered by onboard AI. Jabra’s Virtual Director technology tracks speakers and reframes the view in real time.

Everyone stays visible. Even those seated at the far end of the table.

The goal is simple. Make remote participants feel like they’re in the room.

Audio keeps up with that promise. The PanaCast SpeakerMic extends coverage up to 11 meters. Every voice comes through clearly and at a consistent volume. No need to raise your voice just to be heard.

No-fuss by design

The system adds a Huddly L1 camera for a secondary angle. This gives meetings a more complete and inclusive view.

There’s also the Jabra Control IP touch controller. It handles meetings with simple, one-touch controls.

Everything works together with minimal input. No manual pan-tilt-zoom adjustments. No audio balancing. The AI handles it.

Enterprise-ready, plug-and-play simple

The PanaCast Room Kit is fully UC-certified. It works with Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and Google Meet.

It also runs on the Microsoft Device Ecosystem Platform (MDEP), bringing enterprise-grade security and reliability.

The idea is straightforward. High-end meeting tech shouldn’t be hard to use.

From small huddle spaces to larger boardrooms, the kit scales without added complexity. It removes the usual barriers to hybrid collaboration.

Whether it’s a quick team sync or a full boardroom discussion, the PanaCast Room Kit aims to give everyone a front-row seat.

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Sony announces open-back INZONE H6 Air

Deeper and tighter bass, more immersive gaming soundscape

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Gamers are set to get another immersive headphones from Sony with the launch of the INZONE H6 Air.

This latest offering features an open-back acoustic structure and custom drivers for deep and tight bass, thanks to back ducts integrated into the drivers.

The open-back structure also helps with a realistic immersive sound field, making gamers feel they are in the game space.

This design minimizes internal reflections by leaving the housing unobstructed. The result is accurate sound field reproduction exactly as game creators intended.

The Sony INZONE H6 Air also features precision-tuned driver units engineered with the same technology as Sony’s renowned MDR-MV1 open-back studio monitor headsets. It is specially adapted for this particular wearable.

Back ducts integrated into the driver unit help deliver deep and controlled bass reproduction, while maintaining clear separation of mids and lows. This detail is helpful especially for titles where rich sound detail matters.

Crafted with premium aluminum, the INZONE H6 Air is also one of Sony’s lightest gaming headsets at just 199 grams. The headset uses the same spring hinge headband design seen on the INZONE H9 II.

Furthermore, the headset features an “RPG/Adventure” equalizer profile as it is developed with sound engineers from PlayStation Studios.

This specific profile is optimized for RPG and adventure titles, recreating the acoustic experience of a sound studio and delivering an immersive listening experience.

An additional cardioid boom mic focuses on voice angled towards the user’s mouth, eliminating unnecessary side noise.

Fnatic Edition devices, INZONE Buds Glass Purple

In addition to the Sony INZONE H6 Air, Sony has launched the Fnatic Editions of the INZONE Mouse-A, INZONE Mat-F, and INZONE Mat-D.

This next step in the collaboration between Sony and Fnatic makes the professional esports club even more present in fans’ daily gaming experience.

Rounding out the new releases is the INZONE Buds in Glass Purple colorway. This joins the previous black and white options, giving owners plenty of choices to suit their styles.

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Bellroy expands in the Philippines with retailer partnerships

Products now available at Beyond the Box, Digital Walker

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Australian carry brand Bellroy has expanded its footprint in the Philippines, striking partnerships with retailers Beyond the Box and Digital Walker.

This shall enable Filipino customers to experience the brand’s award-winning, protective tech kits firsthand at select physical stores and even online.

Bellroy has befome a global favorite since its inception in 2010 for its design-led minimalism and commitment to sustainability.

Some of the brand’s featured products readily available in-store include MagSafe-compatible phone cases and the best-selling Desk Caddy and Tech kit.

The latter is designed to organize chargers and cables seamlessly.

Meanwhile, the Venture and Lite series bags are also available. These are crafted from durable, water-resistant fabrics made from 100% recycled PET plastic bottles.

Furthermore, exclusive editions featuring INNOVERA, a high-performance plant-based leather alternative with 80% renewable carbon content, are also on display.

Customers can visit select Digital Walker and Beyond the Box branches nationwide to check Bellroy’s offerings.

They are present at flagship locations in Bonifacio High Street, Uptown Mall, and Glorietta. Alternatively, customers can also shop online via digitalwalker.ph and beyondthebox.ph.

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