News

Philippine TV Network introduces AI sportscasters

The first in the country

Published

September 23, 2023

Rodneil Quiteles

Photo from FB.com/GMANetwork

It’s happening. While debates continue to rage on about what role Artificial Intelligence or AI should play with its rapid advancement in recent years, a Philippine Television Network jumped the gun and decided to introduce AI sportscasters.

GMA Network, widely considered the second largest broadcasting network in the Philippines, proudly introduced on Saturday, September 23 are MAIA and MARCO — two AI-generated sportscasters. They will be reporting on NCAA Season 99, a collegiate sports association in the country, as well as other local and international sports news. They are expected to appear across the network’s broadcasting and social media platforms.

In their own introduction article, GMA Network said the two were generated by artificial intelligence using Image Generation, Text-to-Speech AI Voice Synthesis/Generation, and Deep Learning Face Animation Technology.

Unfavorable reactions

The Facebook post concerning this news was met with unfavorable reactions in the comments section.

Facebook user Aple Balagtas Bangaysiso commented: “As a communication student, it is very sad. A job of a real person replaced by AI. This is very alarming for media industry. The kind of innovation we never wished.”

Sh1n Boo also left a comment lamenting that “this gives a lot of wrong signals,” and added “I’m a big fan of AI tools but sadly this is very out of touch.”

Another commenter named Paul Emmanuel had this to say:
“There is no urgent need for AI sportscasters nor any caster there are. Why would we need these things when we have lots of skilled people that can do it better than them. I disagree with this.”

Many of the comments on the particular Facebook post shared the same sentiments

Conversations on AI, ChatGPT, and more

Discussions about AI surges when ChatGPT hit a scene. It’s an AI tool that can analyze billions of words and the relationship between them. It uses GPT-3.5, a specific language model created by OpenAI.

It’s been used to generate many things with many different sectors being alarmed of how it will be used. The education sector was one of the first to react, fearing that students will rely more on the tool instead of traditional research and writing methods.

SEE ALSO: ChatGPT Explained

Taking over jobs

Globally, there are many discussions happening in conferences, podcasts, and even informal settings about how AI can take away jobs. The ongoing writer strike has also touched on this matter.

Disney+ has already come under fire recently for admitting that the opening credits for the show Secret Invasion was made with AI. Meanwhile, YouTube channel Corridor Digital, known for their breakdowns, reactions and recreations of CGI effects, came under fire for producing an AI-generated “anime”. On TikTok, there are also several posts of AI-generated song covers of global and K-Pop artists.

Despite all these, Senior Vice President and Head of Integrated News, Regional TV, and Synergy Oliver Victor B. Amoroso notes that their AI sportscaster initiative ” promote[s] inclusivity in our reporting.”

Related Topics:AI Sportscasters GMA Network

Apps

GrabCar Group Ride now splits the fare automatically

Passengers stand to save up to 50% compared with booking a solo ride

Published

October 18, 2026

GadgetMatch

GrabCar Group Ride now splits the fare automatically among passengers, making it simpler to book such ride types.

Each rider can save up to 50% on fare as well when using a group ride, compared with booking a solo ride.

The ride type lets the ride host and up to two friends share one GrabCar, with up to three drop-off points along the way. The more people join, the more affordable the ride becomes for everyone.

Regular ride buddies can also be saved as a group, together with frequent pickup and drop-off pins. This way, repeat bookings take just a few taps.

Such a system is ideal for officemates headed the same way or friends coming home from a night out, as well as plenty of other scenarios.

To book a Group Ride, follow these steps:

Open the Grab app, tap GrabCar, then select Group Ride
Enter your pickup point and drop-off
Share the invite link with up to two friends
Your friends can add their own drop-off points
Confirm the booking to split the fare automatically

The GrabCar Group Ride feature is now available in all GrabCar cities nationwide.

News

Sony unveils three premium Walkman music players

Three new premium Walkmans

Published

October 18, 2026

GadgetMatch

Sony Walkman NW_WM1AM3

Sony has unveiled three premium Walkman digital music players designed for audiophiles. The new lineup includes the flagship NW-WM1ZM3, NW-WM1AM3, and NW-ZX900, featuring upgraded audio components and technologies designed to deliver high-resolution sound.

The NW-WM1ZM3 and NW-WM1AM3 lead the lineup with premium copper components, upgraded power circuitry, and Sony’s S-Master HX digital amplifier technology. The NW-ZX900 also inherits select audio components from the flagship model.

Sony Walkman lineup emphasizes sound quality

The NW-WM1ZM3 features a gold-plated, oxygen-free copper chassis with 99.99% copper purity. Sony says its construction helps deliver powerful bass, a wider soundstage, and smoother high frequencies. It also uses KIMBER KABLE wiring to reduce noise and preserve audio signal quality.

The NW-WM1AM3 and NW-ZX900 combine aluminium-alloy main chassis designs with gold-plated copper rear chassis components. The WM1 models also feature upgraded power circuitry and larger copper coils to improve signal clarity and reduce distortion.

All three players support Sony’s S-Master HX digital amplifier technology, Native DSD audio, and balanced output. Their DSD Remastering Engine converts PCM audio into an 11.2MHz DSD stream. The updated implementation also works with music streamed over Wi-Fi, allowing listeners to use the feature without downloading their tracks.

Larger displays and longer battery life

The NW-WM1ZM3 and NW-WM1AM3 feature 5.5-inch displays, while the NW-ZX900 has a 5-inch screen. Sony says the larger displays improve navigation and make album artwork easier to view. Users can also customize the Walkman home screen.

Battery life reaches up to 35 hours of 128kbps MP3 playback on the WM1 models, with up to 31 hours of streaming playback. The NW-ZX900 offers up to 40 hours of MP3 playback or 35 hours when using streaming service apps.

Sony has also eliminated plastic from the packaging of all three models as part of its sustainability efforts.

Sony Walkman pricing and availability

The new Sony Walkman lineup will arrive in Singapore from November 2026. Suggested retail prices are as follows:

NW-WM1ZM3: SGD 6,999
NW-WM1AM3: SGD 3,599
NW-ZX900: SGD 2,399

Sony will also offer preorder promotions while stocks last. Buyers can get S$1,000 off the NW-WM1ZM3, S$400 off the NW-WM1AM3, or S$200 off the NW-ZX900. Each purchase also comes with a free IER-M500 worth S$139.

Customers can purchase the players through Sony Store online or visit Sony Stores and authorized dealers.

News

Samsung: Galaxy Z Fold8 demand rose because of iPhone Duo

Is it because of Apple?

Published

October 16, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Is it safe to say that the foldable wars are finally on? After Apple unveiled the iPhone Duo, more eyes are looking towards foldables, and Apple’s foldable isn’t even out yet. Despite still being in the iPhone Duo’s preorder phase, Samsung has already laid a bold claim over the market. According to the South Korean brand, demand for the Galaxy Z Fold8 family has increased since the debut of the Duo.

As reported by Forbes, Richard Chang, Corporate Vice President for the Mobile Division, said, “Customer demand for the Galaxy Z Fold8 family has increased 16 percent since launch, and with a 300 percent increase in active Google searches for Samsung foldables in the last month alone.”

To be fair, Chang did not attribute the recent spike to Apple. However, the timing is more than just a coincidence. A few weeks ago, Apple unveiled the iPhone Duo, the company’s first foray into the foldable market. Almost immediately, the Duo turned heads for its novel approach to its foldable interface. Unlike its competitors, it transitions seamlessly when folding between the two modes.

However, Apple’s efforts might not be enough, at least not before the Duo actually launches. Samsung is still on an upward trend, thanks to the more convenient passport-style form factor of the Galaxy Z Fold8. Still, regardless of which side of the fence you’re on, it’s a win for consumers that the two biggest names in the smartphone space are finally feuding over foldable supremacy. We might be in for a golden age of foldables in the next few years.