Smart Home

JBL’s new speakers will ~literally~ turn your house into a club

Meet your next party essentials!

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JBL just turned up the volume (literally).

At the JBL Experience, the global audio brand unveiled its latest lineup of party speakers and portable essentials.

The launch event was a full-sensory celebration, with surprise appearances by Michael Sager and Jackie Gonzaga and a genre battle between DJs that had the crowd vibing all night.

It’s party time!

JBL launched its most powerful battery-powered speaker yet. The PartyBox 520 is built for large gatherings, featuring a splash-proof IPX4 design, a rugged handle, and sturdy wheels so you can roll the party anywhere.

It offers up to 15 hours of playtime, fast-charging, and replaceable batteries to keep the music going nonstop. With AI Sound Boost and Auracast, you get crystal-clear audio and the ability to sync with other JBL speakers wirelessly.

JBL also unveiled the PartyBox Encore 2 and Encore Essential 2, which pack powerful performance in a more portable form.

With Bluetooth 5.4, ergonomic handles, and long-lasting battery life, they’re made for music lovers who are always on the go. The Encore 2 even includes wireless mics for karaoke battles, while the Essential 2 brings dynamic lighting to every beat.

A quick 10-minute charge gives you up to 80 minutes of playtime.

The JBL PartyBox 520 retails for PhP 42,999. Meanwhile, the PartyBox Encore 2 is priced at PhP 24,999 while the Encore Essential 2 comes at a more accessible price tag at PhP 18,999.

Small size, huge sound

JBL has also unveiled the Flip 7. It has been upgraded with an interchangeable finger loop, carabiner hook, and IP68 water and dust resistance.

Expect deeper bass, clearer highs, and up to 16 hours of playtime with Playtime Boost. It also supports Auracast for multi-speaker pairing and is powered by Bluetooth 5.4 for smoother wireless streaming.

Then, there’s the Charge 6 that takes versatility up a notch. With a detachable handle strap, AI Sound Boost, an upgraded woofer, and Auracast pairing, this speaker means business.

It offers an incredible 28 hours of battery life, plus it doubles as a power bank to charge your phone while playing your favorite tracks. Ideal for all-day, all-night playlists.

The JBL Flip 7 retails for PhP 7,999 while the JBL Charge 6 retails for PhP 10,999. Both units comes in different colorways, such as Black, Blue, Funky Black, Pink, Purple, Red, Sand, Squad, and White.

Wake up better

One of the things that really piqued our interest is the JBL Horizon 3. More than an alarm clock, it helps optimize your sleep cycle and wake routine with ambient sunrise alarms, ocean wave soundscapes, and intuitive lighting.

It’s also a powerful Bluetooth speaker with JBL stereo sound, dual passive radiators, FM radio, and now works with the JBL One App for easier control over alarms, EQ settings, and light modes. Designed with minimalism in mind, it’s a sleek and smart addition to any nightstand.

The JBL Horizon 3 retails at PhP 7,699.

Accessories

2025 Black Friday Sale Gift Guide

Our Top Gift Picks With HUGE Savings!

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In the annual BLACK FRIDAY SALE, we’ve compiled and rounded-up our best picks with the best value you can get right now!


🧹 Get 50% off Dreame X50 Ultra on Amazon or click here on their website | Use code SAKITECH15 (5% off ’til Dec 1)

💧 Stay hydrated and get up to 30% off on the LARQ PureVis 2 here.

💡 Level up with Govee TV Backlight T2  or Govee Sync Box AI Kit 2.

> Samsung The Frame 65”

> Samsung The Frame Pro 75”

> Samsung The Frame Pro 85”

> Hisense C2 

> Hisense C2 Pro

> Hisense C2 Ultra

> M4 MacBook Air

> M4 Mac mini

> Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7

> Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra

> Nomad Universal Cable for Apple Watch

> Nomad Tracking Card

> Nomad Base One Max

> Statik TireHero

> Samsung T7 Shield Portable SSD

> Amazon Kindle Paperwhite 

> Coffee Check Matte Black 

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Entertainment

Hisense L9Q Review: The ultra short throw projector that feels like a TV

A 120″ home cinema

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Have you ever dreamed of watching a movie at home that actually feels like the cinema? A picture so bright, so detailed, so close — you forget it’s being projected onto your wall?

The Hisense L9Q the kind of device that makes that possible.

The Ultimate Home Theater Upgrade

When you think of a projector, you probably picture a big box at the back of the room, throwing a beam of light you’re not supposed to walk through.

The Hisense L9Q flips that idea completely. It’s an ultra-short-throw projector, which means it sits just inches from the wall. So there are neither shadows nor cables stretching across the floor.

It’s clean, modern, and honestly, it looks like something from the future. It’s Hisense’s most advanced laser projector yet.

Setup only takes minutes: drop it in place, power it on, and auto fit and alignment can take care of the rest, or you can manually adjust it. You don’t need a technician to pull this off.

And the image? 80 inches all the way up to a massive 200 inches. Pair it with an ALR screen — short for ambient light rejection — and it looks even more unreal. The screen bounces the projector’s light straight toward you while blocking out the glare from lamps or windows.

Most people will think it’s a TV. Then you tell them it’s a projector and you can watch their faces light up.

Pure Cinema Standards

At 5,000 lumens, this is one of the brightest projectors in its class. It stays vivid even in daylight. That football match you like to watch with coffee on weekend mornings? It looks spectacular.

The scary movies you pretend to watch under a cozy blanket? Also SPOOK-tacular.

But brightness alone isn’t the star of the show. The secret is L9Q’s Triple Color Laser system. That means separate red, green, and blue lasers, each tuned for pure wavelength precision.

Most projectors use a single white laser or LED that filters through color wheels, which limits how many shades it can actually show. This one doesn’t.

It covers 110% of the BT.2020 color gamut, which is the widest color standard used in 4K production today. So you get richer reds, punchier greens, deeper blues — the kind of color that makes sunsets glow, neon lights shimmer, and movie worlds feel alive.

Just look at the Avatar films: those shimmering blues and layered greens that feel otherworldly. There’s also La La Land’s famous “Lovely Night” scene: those shifting blues and oranges that make it pure magic.

Even in Severance, you might remember that moment when Mr. Milchick gifts the innies their music dance experience. The reds and blues flood the frame without ever bleeding into each other.

Combine that wider color gamut with both Pantone and Pantone Skintone Validation and you get better color over all.

In White Lotus Season 3, for example, even with its warmer color grade, you can still see each cast member’s skin tone naturally. They’re not washed out nor overly orange.

Add 4K Ultra HD resolution and a 5,000 : 1 contrast ratio, and dark scenes pull you in while highlights burst with cinematic clarity, the kind of balance you expect in a real theater.

Just like the best theaters, the L9Q supports every major HDR standard: Dolby Vision, IMAX Enhanced, HDR10+, HDR10, and HLG. Visually, it’s stunning.

In Oppenheimer, the shadows stay detailed and lifelike. You’ll see every subtle expression on Cillian  Murphy’s face.

In Black Panther, the deep purples and golds of T’Challa’s ceremonial robe gleam against the vibrant landscapes of Wakanda.

Lastly, in Crazy Rich Asians, the wedding scene feels lush and alive — colors bloom, fabrics shimmer, and the lighting feels straight out of the theater.

Then, there’s the sound. The L9Q’s built-in Max 116W Devialet 6.2.2  audio system delivers clear highs, warm mids, and a surprisingly powerful low end.

Soft moments like Kina Grannis’ Can’t Help Falling in Love, sound intimate and emotional. When things get intense, like Kendrick Lamar’s Pray for Me during the Busan chase, the audio swells, crisp and controlled, matching the energy on screen.

Zimmer’s score in Oppenheimer hits just as hard: first silence, then the blast, shaking the room with that cinematic punch.

Of course, if you’re building a full home theater, you’ll probably connect your own surround setup. With the L9Q’s flexible connectivity, you can easily do so. But even on its own, this projector already sounds like it belongs in a cinema.

Visual Excellence

It’s not just for movie nights either. The L9Q handles fast-moving visuals like a champ . It’s got 240 Hz refresh rate that keeps motion fluid and sharp. Whether it’s live sports, chase scenes, or anything that moves fast, you won’t miss a beat.

It’s one of those details you don’t notice until you go back to something slower — then you can’t unsee it.

Whatever you like to watch at home, it’s also just a click away. The L9Q has Google TV built in, so all your favorite apps — Netflix, Disney Plus, YouTube — are ready to go.

No set-top boxes, no cables, just the remote, which, by the way, glows in the dark.

Elegant Centerpiece

The Hisense L9Q is a showpiece in itself. Unlike most TVs that are an eyesore when turned off, it’s designed to be seen, not hidden.

With its imperial copper gilt finish, diamond-cut edges, and micro-prism detailing, it’s already won prestigious design awards like the Red Dot 2024 and IF Design Award 2025.

Just like all Hisense projectors, it’s also built to last. With a 25,000-hour laser lifespan you’ll be enjoying your home theater for a really long time. I did that math and that’s at least 2 movies every day for the next 13 years.

The Future of Home Cinema

At US$5,999, it’s an investment for sure, but it’s the kind that transforms every movie, game, or cozy night in into something worth remembering. No bulky setup. No messy cables. No compromises. Just light, sound, and story — right where you live.

Check out Hisense L9Q Ultra Short Throw Projector on Best Buy or Amazon. It’s currently $500 off for Black Friday.

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News

EcoFlow launches PowerOcean in the Philippines

Solar battery system for secure, independent power solution

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EcoFlow has officially launched the EcoFlow PowerOcean (single-phase) solar battery system in the Philippines.

This marks the eco-friendly energy solutions provider’s entry to the market as it expands to Southeast Asia.

Leveraging its success in Europe and addressing the specific needs of the ASEAN market, the EcoFlow PowerOcean (single-phase) delivers reliable backup power, smart energy management, and cost-saving efficiency.

The system also addresses the problem of underutilized generated power from standalone panels, banking on its integrated solar-plus-storage type that is easy to install and capable of powering an entire home.

The EcoFlow PowerOcean’s inverter supports up to 12kW PV input and allows 95% depth of discharge. This ensures nearly all stored energy is put to use.

Meanwhile, the AI-driven TOU (time-of-use) scheduling system automatically decides when to charge, discharge, or feed energy back to the grid.

By factoring in real-time electricity prices, weather forecasts, and each household’s historical usage patterns, it charges during off-peak hours, prioritizes solar power during the day, and sells surplus energy when prices are high.

In addition, PowerOcean provides daily and monthly cost forecasts with over 90% accuracy. And it continuously refines its scheduling to capture every possible saving opportunity.

In Europe, households using PowerOcean have achieved up to 77.8% reductions in annual electricity bills.

Built to last

The EcoFlow PowerOcean’s plug-and-play system seamless integrates new and existing batteries to deliver scalable capacity and stable high-load performance.

Multiple appliances across the kitchen, living room, and home office can operate simultaneously without interruption. And the system can be expanded to 10 kWh or 15 kWh.

Plus, through its intuitive app, users can monitor real-time household power status, track generation and consumption trends, and control the system via voice commands.

That makes the PowerOcean an intelligent energy manager, aside from being a solar energy solution and storage technology.

Longevity is likewise assured. By using CATL’s battery cell with LFP battery chemistry, the PowerOcean offers a 6,000 life cycle, which means users can power their homes daily for more than 10 years. Furthermore, the system comes with an industry-leading 10-year warranty.

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