OPPO Enco 51 OPPO Enco 51

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OPPO Enco W51: Noise off, your world on

For when you like to zone out or focus

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Since the start of the pandemic, we have been shrouded with bad news and negativity. With daily updates of COVID-19 cases and deaths, national issues, controversies and bashing all over social media, you can’t help but wish you have a way to drown out all the noise and focus on the things and people that matter.

I thought living alone was enough to keep me on track of things I have to accomplish and personal goals I want to achieve. However, there were just really too many distractions.

Luckily, just before the long weekend of November, I got my hands on the perfect partner for focus and tranquility — the OPPO Enco W51 True Wireless Headphones.

OPPO Enco 51

Just the right fit

As someone who’s been in search for the best earbuds, I’ve always preferred ones that had similar aesthetics with the Apple AirPods. I would always try out the ones with black variants in stores such as the Joyroom JR-TO4S TWS Earbuds that exudes sleekness and elegance.

So when I acquired the OPPO Enco W51, its design was visually refreshing and I didn’t expect that it would also be just the right fit for me.

The W51 uses flat stems compared to the AirPods that used cylinders with a unibody construction. The inner surface of this pill-shaped earbud has a matte finish while its outer surface has a glossy look, adding a nice and sleek touch to its overall design.

OPPO Enco 51

The earbuds are lightweight and breathable and it uses silicone tips that doesn’t sit too deeply inside my ear, providing a comfortable wearing experience. I tried all the sizes of the tips and I figured the default medium size fit me best.

The earbuds don’t easily fall off my ears even when I wore it while doing HIIT workouts at home. I also didn’t have to worry when I sweat since the W51is structurally designed for IP54 dust and water resistance.

OPPO Enco 51

It’s even a bonus that these earbuds came in a pillow-shaped plastic case that has a glossy finish, making it easy to carry and slide in and out of my pocket when I had to go out for errands.

The perfect pair 

One thing that really worked to my advantage is that the W51 seamlessly paired with my device the moment I opened the case. As it supports Bluetooth 5.0 and adopts the newest Bluetooth low-latency binaural transmission standards, it also provides stable connection even when my phone is not beside me.

OPPO Enco 51

I didn’t experience any lags and delays with the audio when I listened to music via Spotify or watched videos on Youtube or Netflix.

I also thoroughly enjoyed my K-Drama marathons or sound trip sessions at night after work, since I was able to prove that I can really use the W51 for 3.5 to 4 hours straight without returning it back in its case.

OPPO Enco 51

Team Do San?

Drown out all the noise. Listen to what matters.

On certain days that I wanted to isolate myself from everything that’s happening around me and really need to focus on work or a side hustle, the W51 instantly became my best duo.

As OPPO’s first TWS earbuds to offer active noise cancellation as it is equipped with triple microphone noise reduction technology, it did a surprisingly good job at cutting out ambient sounds.

When Typhoon Rolly and Ulysses ravaged the metro, I was still able to finish my work presentations and read through my books without being distracted. I just had to double tap the left stem to enable active noise cancellation and it totally blocks out the sound of rain and howling winds.

I even tried listening to music on my phone while a Youtube video plays on my laptop and I was surprised that I could no longer hear the voice of the vlogger.

Moving to its microphone performance, the OPPO Enco W51 delivers remarkable call quality for both ends of calls.

I’ve been using these earbuds for team meetings, voice and video calls with friends and family for almost three weeks. When I ask if they can hear me clearly, they would say that my voice is loud and clear as if I’m just in front of them and they can’t even hear any ambient sounds.

Is this your GadgetMatch?

With features that are not so often seen in true wireless earbuds at this price, the OPPO Enco W51 is actually a good bargain. It’s a pretty great contender when compared to premium headphones from Sony or the Apple Airpods Pro with its seamless pairing, active noise cancellation, water and dust resistance, and excellent call quality.

If you’re someone who likes to zone out from time to time to time the OPPO Enco W51 could be your GadgetMatch. If you want to eliminate noise and unnecessary chatter when you’re doing something important like talking to someone who you’d really want to engage with or just want some relaxation by listening to your own world, this TWS pair does the job admirably.

It retails for PhP 3,690 in the Philippines and is available in floral white.

Accessories

England, Wales start banning Meta Glasses

The smart glasses are now banned in courtrooms.

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Earlier this year, New York became the first state to issue a blanket ban against smart glasses in courtrooms. The new regulation marks one of the first public spaces to prevent the contentious devices. Now, England and Wales are following suit in their courtrooms by banning Meta glasses inside.

As reported by The Guardian, courtrooms in both countries will confiscate Meta Glasses from those taking them into the building. Owners can retrieve them again upon exit.

Like the decision in New York, the English and Welsh bans are simple enough to follow. As it is everywhere, it’s forbidden to record video inside courtrooms in England and Wales. Because Meta Glasses have cameras (and are primarily used for their video capturing capabilities), they fall under prohibited items.

Notably, smartphones are not included on this list, despite having sizable cameras themselves. Although, to be fair, it’s much more difficult to discreetly record video using a smartphone. Smart glasses pride themselves with the ability to take videos seamlessly.

Meta Glasses are having such a moment today. Though some users, especially creators, are excited for them, a significant chunk of the population is concerned over their ability to take videos without subjects knowing they’re being recorded. Some users have even found ways to disable the built-in LED indicators which should, in theory, warn the public that the glasses are recording. It’s since turned into a privacy nightmare.

SEE ALSO: New York becomes first state to ban smart glasses

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Peak Design’s new City Line combines minimalism and color

Less padding, more personality

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Known for its camera-friendly bags with generous padding to protect photography gear, Peak Design is taking a different approach with the City Line.

The new collection prioritizes lightweight construction and everyday functionality, stripping away unnecessary bulk while still delivering the thoughtful organization the brand is known for.

The new collection includes the City Backpack in 15L and 22L sizes, the 15L City Tote, the City Crescent in 6L and 12L options, and the compact 2L City Sling. While each bag serves a different purpose, they all share the same minimalist aesthetics and intuitive organization.

To achieve that lighter design is Peak Design’s new weather-resistant MonoShell material, along with a seam-reduced construction that cuts down on unnecessary bulk.

It also comes with Peak Design’s built-in BagLev hook, allowing you to hang your bag from a table instead of placing it on the floor.

Beyond the neutral and muted finishes we’ve seen in the past, Peak Design is also introducing brighter options that add more personality to the collection.

The vibrant Lapis blue, in particular, stands out as a fun alternative for anyone looking to move beyond the usual black everyday bag.

The City Line is now available through peakdesign.com and authorized retailers worldwide.

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DJI Osmo Mobile 8P: From a videographer’s perspective

Better tracking, fewer buttons

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DJI’s smartphone gimbals have always chased one goal: delivering cinema-smooth footage without forcing you to carry a heavy rig.

The Osmo Mobile 8P (OM 8P) makes its priorities clear right out of the box. This is not a simple refresh. DJI rebuilt how you control the gimbal, and that decision shapes the entire shooting experience.

Freedom behind the lens

The biggest change is the FrameTap remote, and it’s the kind of upgrade that fixes a problem you didn’t realize was slowing you down until it’s gone.

On the standard OM 8, adjusting your framing meant reaching for your phone every time, which broke the flow of shooting and pulled you out of the moment.

FrameTap puts that control back in your hand. You can reframe shots and manage the gimbal without touching your phone at all, and for anyone shooting solo, that alone changes how usable the whole setup feels. Tracking has taken a real step forward too.

ActiveTrack 8.0, paired with Module 2, held onto its subject even after they stepped out of frame for a moment, then picked them back up without much fuss.

It also lets you sit off-center in the shot instead of forcing you into the middle every time, which gives you more room to compose something that doesn’t look like every other gimbal video.

None of that would matter much if the gimbal itself wasn’t solid, and it still is. The OM 8P holds onto the same foldable design, magnetic phone clamp, and built-in tripod that made the OM 8 easy to live with.

And it remains one of the better compact options for stabilization, tracking, and portability in one package.

The tripod legs are a touch wider this time, and that extra width does make a noticeable difference on uneven ground.

The trade-offs in touch

The trade-off for all that new remote functionality is a control scheme that takes more getting used to. More of the gimbal’s functions now live on the FrameTap touchscreen, the joystick is smaller, and switching between shooting modes takes a few extra taps compared to the OM 8. It’s not a dealbreaker, but it’s a learning curve you’ll need to budget time for.

DJI also removed the zoom and focus wheel, so if you leaned on that dial for quick adjustments, you’ll feel its absence here. Module 2 no longer lets you plug a DJI wireless mic in directly either.

You’ll need to connect it to your phone instead, which adds a step to a setup that used to be simpler. Phone compatibility is still a limiting factor as well. DJI lists support for phones up to around 300g and 11mm thick, so bigger phones or ones in chunky cases may not clamp in properly.

Finding your ideal workflow

The OM 8P makes the most sense for solo creators who want dependable tracking and the freedom of remote framing without stepping up to a dedicated camera like the DJI Osmo Pocket.

If you’re already shooting on a phone with a solid camera, this fills the gap nicely. It’s a tougher sell if you prefer physical buttons over touchscreen menus, or if your phone runs on the larger and heavier side, since fitting it onto the clamp might be a problem before you even get to shooting.

Price, availability

DJI is offering the OM 8P in three combos, so how much you pay depends on how much of the ecosystem you actually need.

  • Standard Combo (PhP 7,499): the gimbal itself, with 8th-gen stabilization and the detachable FrameTap remote included.
  • Advanced Tracking Combo (PhP 9,199): adds the Multifunctional Module 2 for the improved subject tracking we tested.
  • Creator Combo (PhP 11,099): the full kit, built for creators who want everything DJI bundles in from the start.

Is the DJI Osmo Mobile 8P your GadgetMatch?

The DJI Osmo Mobile 8P asks you to relearn a few habits in exchange for a gimbal that finally lets go of your phone. If hands-free framing and steadier tracking matter more to you than a dedicated zoom dial, this is worth the adjustment.

If you’d rather keep things exactly as they were on the OM 8, that learning curve might be the deciding factor.

Swipe right if you shoot alone often and have been waiting for a gimbal remote that actually works. The FrameTap remote alone justifies the upgrade if reaching for your phone mid-shot has been slowing you down.

Consider this if reliable tracking matters to you, especially if you’ve had a subject wander out of frame and stay lost on older gimbals.

And of course, get this if you already own a capable phone under the weight and thickness limits, and you’d rather invest in a smartphone rig than jump to a dedicated camera like the Osmo Pocket.

Swipe left if you lean on physical dials for zoom and focus, and moving those functions to a touchscreen sounds like a downgrade rather than an upgrade.

This is not for you if you use a DJI wireless mic and want it plugged directly into the module without routing through your phone first. Or, your phone runs heavier or bulkier than DJI’s limits allow, since no amount of enthusiasm fixes a clamp that won’t close.

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