Accessories

Huawei Freebuds Pro review: Everything you can ask for

Bang-for-buck “Pro” TWS

Published

January 26, 2021

All the major smartphone manufacturers now have their very own True Wireless (TWS) earphones with the “Pro” tag on it. Narrowing the choices down to the AirPods Pro, Galaxy Buds Pro, and Freebuds Pro, Huawei’s offering might be the easiest to recommend.

Let’s cut to the chase, at just PhP 7,999/ SG$ 238, it’s easily the most affordable among the three all while offering a similar set of features.

Nobody’s talking about Huawei’s audio products as one of the best for regular consumers out there. But as they have proven over the last two years, they’re quite a sleeper in this arena.

Huawei’s audio products are good. Full stop. And the Freebuds Pro just adds to that growing portfolio. One of the primary reasons is what they’ve done with active noise cancellation or ANC.

Doubling down on ANC

On paper, Huawei promises up to 40db of noise cancelled. That’s a few decibels better than the promised 30db on the Freebuds 3 which was the product that came before it.

Huawei achieved this through a combination of hardware ingenuity and design. The result — a noise cancellation that’s pretty darn evident straight out of the box.

And it’s not just any other ANC, it’s the kind that adapts to its surroundings. With mics pointing outward, it can readily tell if it needs to adjust the noise-cancelling level. This works even when you pair it with a non Huawei phone.

I’ve used the Freebuds Pro with an iPhone as I leisurely stroll around our compound just to get some “outside” time. I always just had ANC on but never had to worry that I wouldn’t know if a vehicle was behind me or not.

Need to be more religious about working out and having the Freebuds Pro on helps

When you do need that peace and quiet, it snuffs out the surrounding sound to make sure you can focus. This is typically what I do some afternoons when the neighbor’s kids are out in the hallway yelling like they’re trying to turn Super Saiyan. It’s annoying. But I plug the Freebuds Pro in my ears and suddenly I’m in TWICELAND listening to the voices of angels.

Rich, full sound

Despite having written more than a handful of these reviews, it never gets easy to really describe how good the sound coming from a product is. It’s really something that one needs to experience. But let me give it a try.

For music, I only really usually listen to TWICE, a bunch of anime tracks, and a handful of OPM songs. TWICE, more than anything, really. I just need that shot of happiness more than ever these days.

Anyway, the K-Pop girl group’s discography has grown even more diverse with their Eyes Wide Open album and the surprise gift for fans track “Cry For Me,” which makes their music a pretty good listen for earphones like this.

City pop tracks like “Up No More,” and “Say Something,” feel like a cold breeze on a warm summer night. The sound coming from the Freebuds Pro blends the vocals with the music in a way without one overpowering the other.

On more instrumental and rock-heavy tracks like “Stuck In My Head” from Fancy You, the Freebuds Pro is able to deliver the power from distorted guitars without muffling the audio. Instead, you get a sharp, electric feeling that makes you want to headbang air guitar to your heart’s content.

If you’re looking out for bass, tracks like “Turn It Up,” “Make Me Go,” and “Hell In Heaven,” have bass lines that are both slick and deliver a kind of shake that only a full, smooth bass can.

I play music to sway my mood a certain way. Listening with the Freebuds Pro delivers that music in the cleanest, most satisfying way possible that you’ll immediately hear the difference if you take them off.

This is me pretending to be in a video call with Son Chaeyoung, but the Freebuds Pro are actually great for calls too

Subtler design, easy controls

As you’ve seen on our Unboxing and First Impressions, Huawei did away with the extra long stem design for the Freebuds Pro. Here’s a look at the Freebuds 3, Freebuds 3i, and Freebuds Pro for comparison.

It’s now more subtle and will not be mistaken as AirPods by the informed and discerning eye. Plus this silver colorway is absolutely sexy AF.

Controls are different from previous Freebuds. To turn ANC on/off, you’ll need to squeeze on the tinier stem. Sounds hard on paper, but it’s surprisingly easy to pull off and you’ll immediately feel the sensation of squeezing the stem with a voice prompt confirming whether you’ve changed modes or not.

Doing the same on the right earbud controls pause/play, jump to the next track and jump to the previous track. For volume controls, simply slide up or down the stem of either earbud. The volume controls aren’t the best but that’s already better than most earbuds that don’t even offer the feature.

I get about four to five hours of continuous playback — that covers the hour-long stroll and the about two hours and a half of trying to drown out my neighbors’ children before I have to juice them up. Fully charging takes about a little over an hour.

Is the Freebuds Pro your GadgetMatch?

Yes. Yes it is. This is one TWS earbud with ANC that we can easily recommend to anyone. It’s the sweet spot in terms of price and features. You have a TWS earphone that can hang with the best in terms of features but won’t cripple your wallet. It’s just that good.

Accessories

70mai launches the A900 series with 4K front, rear recording

Two new 4K dual-channel dash cams, both with 4G

Published

September 22, 2026

MJ Jucutan

70mai has launched the A900 Series, led by the flagship 70mai Dash Cam 4K A900 Ultra, with the 70mai Dash Cam 4K A900 joining it in the lineup.

Both models record in 4K from the front and rear cameras, and both support 4G, so your footage stays reachable from your phone even when you’re away from the car.

4K recording from both cameras

The A900 Ultra uses dual Sony STARVIS 2 IMX678 sensors to capture clear 4K footage from both directions. As a result, details like license plates and road signs remain sharp.

Smart HDR balances bright and dark areas under shifting light. Users can also adjust color tones and contrast. To keep feeds synced, the rear camera uses LVDS digital transmission. This tech sends a lossless 4K feed with just 20ms of latency.

Handling changing light

Driving into a tunnel or under the shadow of a tall building changes the lighting quickly, and 70mai built three imaging technologies into the A900 Ultra to deal with it.

MaiColor Vivid+ Solution 2.0 is meant to give more natural colors and finer detail, along with smarter scene adaptation. Night Owl Vision 2.0 reduces noise and glare to help with nighttime clarity.

Lumi Vision is made for parking surveillance in near-total darkness, where it automatically adjusts exposure and gain and applies noise reduction. 70mai says this produces clear, full-color footage in extremely low light.

Parking mode and remote access

Smart Parking Guardian Mode 2.0 protects your vehicle while parked. It combines AI motion detection, dual-channel collision detection with pre-recording, and time-lapse options.

The system draws just 5mA on standby to prevent battery drain. For extended coverage, the optional 70mai Battery Pack Mini powers surveillance for up to 30 days.

In photo: A900

Pairing the camera with the 4G Hardwire Kit unlocks 70mai 4G Cloud+ 2.0 features on the app. Enhanced Buffered Emergency Recording saves up to 190 seconds before an incident and 30 seconds after.

It automatically uploads this footage to the cloud for immediate remote viewing.

The 70mai Dash Cam 4K A900

In photo: A900

The A900 sits alongside the Ultra as the more accessible option. It records True 4K HDR at 30FPS from both the front and rear cameras, and Smart HDR can be scheduled to turn on at set times.

Its f/1.55 aperture is meant to help in low light, and 4G Cloud+ 2.0 keeps the dash cam connected to the 70mai App. It’s the model for drivers who want dual-channel recording and 4G connectivity at a lower price.

The 70mai Dash Cam 4K A900 Ultra retails for US$ 300, available for pre-order at US$ 240. Meanwhile, the A900 is priced at US$ 200, currently 20% off at US$ 170.

Accessories

Manila turns up the volume at COVE

Sony Philippines launched its ULT TOWER lineup at Beyond the Beat, with SB19 joining the ULT Squad.

Published

September 21, 2026

MJ Jucutan

Sound and style shared the floor at COVE Manila in Okada Manila. Sony Philippines opened its doors for Beyond the Beat: The Next-Level ULT POWER SOUND Experience.

The event marked the company’s biggest ULT POWER SOUND launch in the country, and Sony paced the program like an exclusive night out.

Stacked ULT Towers filled the space. Guests styled themselves with designer pieces from Alser Lumawag, and SB19 closed the evening as the newest Sony ULT Squad members.

MySony members from every tier joined industry guests while the new ULT TOWER lineup set the tempo.

The towers take center stage

Shuhei Sugihara, Sony Philippines’ President and Managing Director, opened the program.

Product Marketing Specialist Keira Ambubuyog then introduced the newest additions to the lineup.

Arbie Bandiling of Personal Audio Systems unveiled the latest ULT Squad video. The clip introduced the artists and personalities fronting the campaign.

The lineup features the ULT TOWER 5, ULT TOWER 7, and ULT TOWER MAX. The new series pairs large circular woofers and high-capacity cabinets with ULT DUCT technology.

This design delivers stronger low-frequency bass than earlier models. The ULT TOWER MAX leads the series, described as Sony’s most powerful bass speaker yet.

On another note, Sony pitches the ULT TOWER 7 as stage-worthy sound in a portable frame. Meanwhile, the compact ULT TOWER 5 targets smaller gatherings and features karaoke and DJ capabilities.

Experiential zones bring the sound to life

Guests explored the lineup across several interactive event zones. Step into the Beat paired an arcade-inspired setup with stacked ULT Towers and a dance pad. ULT Selfie Club handled photo ops.

Nearby, ULT Cover Star let guests style ULT Field speakers alongside designer pieces from Alser Lumawag. Here, the speakers served as chic fashion accessories.

The Bass District gave VIPs and influencers a private, nightlife-inspired lounge. Karaoke Lounges invited everyone else to grab a mic and test the party-ready towers firsthand.

The ULT Squad shows up

Fashion influencer and ULT Squad member Angelique Manto-Guison hosted the night.

A-Team opened the show with a high-energy routine before Carlos Serrano III took the stage. David Guison and Jacqueline Jala walked the stage with ULT Models in elevated fashion, and Jeremy G followed with a dynamic musical performance.

KAIA brought a youthful pop sound, while Maki delivered a set in his signature style.

SB19 closed the night, making their debut as the newest Sony ULT Squad members. Sony pairs its sound technology with the group’s influence in Filipino music. This collaboration positions the Squad as a platform for artists shaping contemporary music culture.

The ULT TOWER MAX, ULT TOWER 7, and ULT TOWER 5 are now available at Sony Centres and authorized dealers nationwide.

Accessories

Jackery Explorer 300D: Power and portability in one

Uninterrupted workflows for digital nomads, freelance creatives, more

Published

September 18, 2026

Manila Connoisseur

For digital nomads, freelance creatives, and even work-from-home professionals, staying productive on the move means carrying around multiple gadgets, cords, adapters, and power banks to survive the day.

Having to carry such weight, quite literally, is vital for maintaining workflow continuity.

For a more seamless experience and to have just one extra portable device to power all working parts, there’s the Jackery Explorer 300D.

Launched just last month, this grab-and-go offering from Jackery is designed for the modern lifestyle.

It moves away from Jackery’s traditional aesthetic with a sleek, speaker-like form factor. It weighs just 2.5 kilograms and is 64% smaller than standard 300W units in the market.

This ultra-compact size was made possible by a smart engineering choice of swapping bulky traditional AC wall outlets for highly efficient DC-only and USB-C ports — which also helps eliminate idle power loss.

With a 288Wh capacity, the Jackery Explorer 300D holds enough juice for up to nine power banks.

It can keep a Type-C fast-charging laptop for up to three to four full cycles, a Wi-Fi router alive for hours, and recharge cameras or drone batteries up to five times for a lengthy production day.

For smaller gadgets like smartphones and portable fans, the power station can juice them up for up to 22 times.