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InnoFest 2018: LG envisions a connected home and here’s how it’ll work

Fresh from LG InnoFest 2018

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The year is 2018 and smart technology has transcended beyond your smartphone. As you were busy wasting your life scrolling away on social media, a revolution has been happening: Smart tech has slowly and surely crept into our home lives.

LG envisions the connected home, and artificial intelligence has been called in for reinforcement. True to their promise of “innovation for a better life,” the Korean tech company showcased what their new appliances can do.

At this year’s InnoFest (the brand’s annual innovation event), LG highlighted ThinQ, which is what the company calls their AI, and it paints a pretty picture of what could be your place.

Things your smart home can do

These smart devices can do so much. Take Cloi, for example. Aside from the great gift of cuteness with those wide virtual eyes, Cloi responds to voice and touch; you can actually pet it and it will respond. But, Cloi’s main function isn’t to be cute (though it does a very good job at that). It acts as a hub in your home that connects your appliances. Through voice commands, it can control everything — from lights, to air conditioning, to speakers, and even the refrigerator. It can even recognize your face and adjust home settings depending on your preference.

Meet Cloi. That’s the LG Hom bot on the carpet, and yes, Cloi can control it too using your voice commands

LG’s ThinQ-capable TV can respond to voice commands and it learns context which makes for better and more accurate answers. You can ask about the weather, programs, or even ask it to show you photos you’ve saved from that vacation ten years ago. Not to mention: The new W8 TV isn’t only smarter, it has better picture quality, too.

Better picture quality is because of the new A9 Intelligent Processor which allows for the perfect blacks, and in turn, the perfect color

The LG InstaView refrigerator has been my favorite from the whole LG roster ever since I laid my eyes on it at last year’s InnoFest. Yes, it’s still smart. Yes, it still answers to voice commands. Yes, you can still knock on it to show what’s inside. Yes, it will still tell you what’s about to go bad in the fridge and what possible recipes you can make. And also: This InstaView panel comes to more refrigerators, including LG’s multi-door refrigerators.

The best part? It can communicate to other appliances in the kitchen. You can literally send information from the fridge to the oven so that the oven knows what it’s cooking, what settings it needs, and when it should turn off. You will never go hungry again!

A quick knock and that screen becomes see-through!

This may look like your typical bathroom, but it’s definitely not. In a feat of engineering tech marvel, the toilet seat lifts automatically as you enter this room because it can detect people come in — no more toilet seat lifting, ever! Even the lights on the bathroom mirror know when you’re walking in, and it adjusts brightness based on that. There are sensors that check the humidity in the room and automatically adjust the temperature.

The bathroom of the future!

Of course, this is just the tip of the iceberg: There are automatic air filters, washing machines that know your laundry settings, and air conditioners that respond. The possibilities are endless.

Think about it…

This could be your connected life

On a Friday night, you’re exhausted from the work week but fulfilled by what has been accomplished. You look forward to a relaxing weekend at home. Before driving out, you tell your phone — an LG V30S ThinQ — to turn up your air conditioner. You arrive home and it’s nice and cool, you ask Cloi, LG’s home hub robot, to turn on the light and play music from your chill Friday Spotify playlist. Destiny’s Child’s “Bootylicious” starts playing on all speakers in your house — not exactly what you had in mind for this chill evening, but it’s enough to get you pumped as you get your place ready for guests. You tell your phone to start cleaning up and the LG Hom Bot (yep, that self-maneuvering vacuum) whizzes past you as you knock on your LG SmartInstaView fridge and its window becomes transparent to allow you to check what food you have left to feed the friends who are coming over. All pretty cool, yeah?

Did I mention, that smart apartment could look this chic and comfortable?

I’m telling you, AI and connected homes are the future. And, it’s looking like the future is here.

SEE ALSO: Lessons from household appliances

Her GadgetMatch

What your smartphone color choice reveals about you

Eight colors, eight personalities. Here’s how to pick.

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Your phone color says more than you think. With the Pixel 11 series, Google’s giving you eight ways to make that statement, and there’s genuinely one for every kind of person.

Hibiscus

You’re never the quiet one in the room. Hibiscus doesn’t ask for attention; it just takes it, and if that sounds like you, you’re probably not planning to start hiding now. This is the pick for anyone who’d rather stand out than blend in.

Pistachio

You’re the one who remembers everyone’s coffee order. Pistachio is soft and easy; the one whom people gravitate toward without quite knowing why. It doesn’t try hard to be liked. It just is.

Frost

You like things a little too organized. Frost means clean lines and a clear head, the color equivalent of a camera roll with zero mess in it. If your notes app has color-coded folders, this one’s calling your name.

Obsidian

You let the work speak for itself. No flash needed, because when you show up, the room adjusts anyway. Obsidian is the classic choice, the one that’s never trying too hard because it doesn’t have to.

Canyon

You’re the one who suggests the sunset drive. Canyon is warm and a little restless, always chasing golden hour whether or not anyone else is up for it. Available on the Pro and Pro XL, it’s built for people who treat every evening like it might be a good one.

Olive

You’re outdoorsy, but you’ll still show up looking put together. Olive is low-key and grounded, the one who doesn’t try too hard because it’s already comfortable in its own skin. Another Pro and Pro XL exclusive.

Fog

You’re hard to read, and you like it that way. Fog is understated on purpose, a Pro and Pro XL colorway for anyone who’d rather keep people guessing.

So, which one’s you?

Eight colors, three phones, one very personal decision. Pixel 11, Pixel 11 Pro, and Pixel 11 Pro XL goes on sale starting August 20 — with Pistachio, Hibiscus, Frost, and Obsidian on the base model; and Canyon, Fog, Olive, and Obsidian on the Pro line.

Which one’s calling your name?

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TECNO and Angélica Dass team up for a global portrait project

Dass aims to photograph 100 people across five countries using the TECNO CAMON 50 Ultra

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TECNO has partnered with Brazilian photographer Angélica Dass in launching 100 Portraits of Becoming.”

It is a two-year global initiative that explores identity, representation, and how AI sees people.

The project officially kicked off in Nairobi, Kenya — where Dass began photographing participants using the latest TECNO CAMON 50 Ultra.

Who’s Angélica Dass?

Angélica Dass is best known for exploring identity and self-expression through portrait photography.

Her award-winning “Humanæ” project challenged conventional ideas of race and skin color by highlighting the diversity of human skin tones.

ICYMI, Dass and her project gained much recognition from:

  • TED
  • World Economic Forum
  • UNESCO
  • American Museum of Natural History
  • Vogue
  • National Geographic

Portraits beyond appearances

With this portrait project, Dass teams up with TECNO to photograph 100 people across five countries.

Rather than simply documenting faces, 100 Portraits of Becoming aims to tell the stories behind each participant. Every portrait is paired with a personal narrative about growth, identity, and life experiences. Creating what TECNO calls a “Living Archive.”

Participants are photographed in natural light, without filters, and while wearing clothing of their own choice to better reflect their authentic selves.

The collaboration also explores how AI can go beyond simply recognizing faces. Asking instead how technology can better reflect the complexity of human identity and give people more control over how they choose to be seen.

Powered by TECNO’s Universal Tone imaging

All portraits are shot using the TECNO CAMON 50 Ultra, which features the company’s Universal Tone imaging technology.

Introduced in 2023, Universal Tone is designed to improve how smartphone cameras capture different skin tones. According to TECNO, the system is built on a database covering hundreds of skin tone samples, allowing photos to produce more natural and accurate results across a wider range of complexions.

The company says the technology aligns with the project’s goal of promoting more authentic and inclusive representation in photography, especially as AI-powered imaging becomes increasingly common nowadays.

From Kenya to the world

As previously mentioned, Kenya serves as the project’s first stop. With TECNO citing the country’s growing technology ecosystem and young population as reasons for beginning there.

Over the next two years, the initiative will travel to the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, and Brazil. The first collection of portraits and stories expected to go live online in August.

As of writing, TECNO is currently accepting participants from the Philippines where Dass is expected to take part from August 16 until August 22, 2026.

Through 100 Portraits of Becoming, TECNO hopes to spark conversations around identity, diversity, and how technology can better reflect the people it captures—not just visually, but through their stories as well.

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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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