Accessories

realme Hair Dryer review: Quick, good blowouts

Key to a fabulous hair sans the high price tag

Published

November 17, 2021

MJ Jucutan

It takes a lot to have fabulous hair. I highly believe it’s your crown that you can’t take off easily. It’s the first thing people notice, and the way it’s styled sometimes dictates how you’ll feel throughout the day.

For years, I was always growing my hair to a certain length to make it easier to style. I can rule how it should look best before attending significant events and celebrations. And sometimes, I can decide how short should I cut it.

However, in the weeks where your hair grew long enough, it can be an inconvenience. When in a rush, you can’t put a helmet on unless you dry your hair quickly. Or you can’t sleep right after your shower because you’ll wet the pillow. These inconveniences led me to search for a hairdryer to address my woes.

So clean, so good

Before I started my search, I narrowed down my top three non-negotiables. First, it should look pretty to match my aesthetics. Second, it should be easy enough to understand especially for simpletons like yours truly. And lastly, it shouldn’t put a dent in my pocket. Enter realme’s Hair Dryer — an affordable, eye-candy hairdryer.

In case you’re confused, yes. The prominent technology company isn’t just producing smartphones anymore. They have a set of IoT devices focused on domestic living and personal care.

The company’s very own Hair Dryer sports a minimalist design that looks clean and simple. Somehow, it resembles Xiaomi’s very own Ionic hairdryer. Although, this one is painted with a colorway that anyone will surely be delighted to look at.

Speed and power

The realme Hair Dryer comes with a nozzle that you can easily attach. In case you’re new to this, the nozzle helps direct the airflow instead of blowing all your strands.

When you’re all set, just plug the Hair Dryer and move the power button. The realme Hair Dryer is easy to use with all these simple toggles and buttons.

Sliding the button upwards will toggle the Soft Wind option, which blows strongly yet isn’t as loud as you’d assume. For a more powerful blow, you can slide the button upwards one more time to utilize Power Wind. It blows forcefully and will make a loud noise that might wake your roomie — if you have one.

Despite that, I find the Power Wind option to be useful for my daily life. The realme Hair Dryer uses a high-performance fan motor that can dry your hair in just five minutes. For my hair length and thickness, I only needed three full minutes when using Soft Wind, and less than two minutes when using Power Wind.

Generally, you’d numb your arms if you hold on to the Hair Dryer longer mid-air, blowing for five full minutes. But that’s only when you have long hair.

Weighing only 545g and designed ergonomically, the realme Hair Dryer is easy to grip and comfortable to hold onto even for a few minutes. So much that even my seven-year-old niece was able to use it and quickly dry her long hair.

‘Cause you’re hot then you’re cold

You’re yes then you’re no? You’re in then you’re out, you’re up then you’re down? Kidding aside, the realme Hair Dryer has two options for those who can’t seem to choose between being hot and cool.

There’s a toggle that switches the air from warm to cold, whichever you prefer.

I personally like the cold air, especially when I’m already dressed up for a meeting. It allows me to style my hair easily and gives it a natural oomph.

Moreover, living in a tropical country isn’t ideal for someone who sweats a lot. But what can I do? I’m stuck in a country filled with corruption and beautiful palm trees. It’s like hell in here in terms of heat.

Blowing up warm air to your head can cause your body to sweat from the heat. That won’t’t look nice on your outfit. Especially when wearing blue dress shirts. Trust me, I’ve been there.

In contrast, warm air is ideal when you really need a quick blowout or if you want to alter your hair. But that’s a discussion for another day since it involves hair styling and managing your hair’s wellness.

Nevertheless, the two options are beneficial to your style, hair’s health, and preferences. For a more complex use case, you might need to set your eyes on the more expensive ones.

Safer blowouts

During the course of my blowouts, the realme Hair Dryer heats up a little only when using the Warm Air option. But it’s not heat that should worry you.

After all, realme used flame-retardant, high-grade materials for the device, and built thermal insulation that adheres to the industry’s standards.

Apart from the possible heat issue, you don’t have to worry about your hair getting caught while doing a blowout. The realme Hair Dryer uses a triple-layer protective mesh to block your hair strands and prevent them from getting entangled.

Is the realme Hair Dryer your GadgetMatch?

There are a lot of benefits to using a hairdryer. You can moisturize the hair and scalp, improve your hair’s health, and even reduce frizz.

Not a lot of men bother with using a personal care device, but if you have a thick or long hairstyle, the realme Hair Dryer can be easily your GadgetMatch. Especially if you haven’t personally owned a hairdryer before and are iffy to get one because of staggering price tags.

If you don’t have complicated hair, you probably should start caring about your hair’s health instead. For only PhP 1,690, it’s a small price to pay to keep and/or maintain healthy hair and scalp.

Personally, I like the realme Hair Dryer. It ticks all the right boxes I’m looking for out of a hairdryer: affordable, good-looking, and simply functional.

It’s a tool that will give you good blowouts and might even help skyrocket your confidence. Remember: Your hair is your crown. Don’t ever take it off.

Accessories

Sony WF-1000XM6 was accidentally leaked online

The design suggests some interesting changes.

Published

February 3, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Despite how small they are, the unannounced Sony WF-1000XM6 has just made a huge appearance, albeit accidentally, in an online retail store. Though the leak doesn’t reveal all the technical details about the device, the scant photos and specs are enough to paint an interesting picture about Sony’s next earbuds.

Via The Walkman Blog, an online retailer called Power Buy accidentally released a store page for the WF-1000XM6. The page contains extensive photos and a few specs for the device. Now, the specs don’t reveal much. As we can already ascertain based on previous releases, the earbuds will have Active Noise Cancelation and IPX4-rated water resistance.

The photos, however, are telling. For one, the WF-1000XM6 will return to a completely matte texture after a brief switch to a glossy texture for the current generation. The overall design is more elongated or pill-shaped, too. Previous earbuds feature a more circular or compact design.

Conversely, the charging case switches from a pill-shaped design to a more angular one, featuring flat bases. The flatter design should make the case stabler while on a surface but might make it clunkier when inside a pocket.

The leak caps it all off by including a price: THB 11,990 (or roughly US$ 381), which is a lot higher than the current generation. Either Sony went crazy with the price increase, or this is just a placeholder price. Only time (and an official launch) will tell. The leak, unfortunately, doesn’t reveal a launch date, so it might still be quite a wait.

Accessories

OBSBOT launches AI-powered 4K Tiny 3 series webcams

Professional-grade audiovisual features in compact bodies

Published

January 28, 2026

GadgetMatch

OBSBOT has announced the global launch of two new AI-powered 4K webcams: the Tiny 3 and Tiny 3 Lite.

Designed for content creators, streamers, podcasters, remote professionals, educators, and more, the Tiny 3 series sets a new benchmark for professional webcams.

The products combine studio-grade spatial audio, flagship-level imaging, and industry-leading AI intelligence.

The two variants also come in ultra-compact aluminum-alloy bodies while delivering premium sight and sound.

Both the Tiny 3 and Tiny 3 Lite feature industry-leading triple silicon MEMS microphone array. This system combines one omnidirectional and two directional microphones powered by Sisonic MEMS technology.

The architecture is commonly found in premium TWS earbuds and professional audio equipment. Such technology enables:

ultra-low distortion up to 130 dB SPL
exceptional 69dB signal-to-noise ratio
full spectrum 50Hz-20kHz frequency response
consistent unit-to-unit studio quality

This way, users can expect immersive sound that rivals dedicated microphones without the need to buy an extra product.

In addition, the Tiny 3 series features five dedicated audio profiles so users can tailor fit the webcams for various needs:

Pure Audio Mode — zero processing, studio-grade capture
Spatial Audio Mode — enhanced left-right stereo separation for vlogs, storytelling with soundscape
Smart Omni Mode — AI-powered 360-degree pickup with balanced vocals, ambient sound
Directional Mode — focuses on voice in front while cutting surrounding noise
Dual-Directional Mode — clear audio capture from front and rear while rejecting side noise

Moreover, the Tiny 3 series comes with Voice Locator. This feature lets the product find users, smoothly rotating the gimbal and tracking them automatically.

They can also leverage voice commands or the OBSBOT Vox SE wireless lavalier for cable-free audio.

Flagship imaging

Picture wise, the Tiny 3 features 4K@30fps video and up to 120fps high-frame rate capture. The system also uses advanced DCG HDR for balanced highlights and shadows, as well as ultra-fast dual all-pixel PDAF autofocus.

And powered by OBSBOT’s AI algorithms, the series introduces AI Tracking 2.0. Key capabilities include:

accurate tracking of subjects like individuals, groups, hands, objects, and more via Only Me mode
auto zoom, customizable composition lines, Face Framing
Voice Tracking
Multiple AI modes, including dedicated Desk Mode, Whiteboard Mode
Intuitive gesture and voice controls

For further control, users can use the OBSBOT Center and OBSBOT live for creative controls. These cover exposure and gamma curve adjustments, manual white balance tuning, and more.

Furthermore, the Tiny 3 products support remote interaction and VR features powered by the OBSBOT Toolkit.

They also integrate effortlessly with the OBSBOT ecosystem for livestreams, gaming handheld capabilities, and more.

Price, availability

The Tiny 3 starts at US$ 349 while the Tiny 3 Lite starts at US$ 199. The Vox SE, meanwhile, retails for US$ 59.

Accessories

Soundtrack for the city: HIDDEN.NY x AIAIAI TMA-2 headphones

Published

January 28, 2026

Alex Matinkhah

Living in a big city like New York makes you want to have music on a lot: on the subway, walking between meetings, sitting in a café with your laptop, zoning out on a long walk home, or romanticizing the smallest things. Headphones have become an essential part of my life.

That’s why the HIDDEN.NY x AIAIAI collaboration makes sense. The TMA-2 HIDDEN Edition headphones are reminiscent of early-2000s tech. It’s nostalgic but with New York City character, at least the kind that I encounter and not the one you see in movies.

If you follow either brand, the partnership feels natural. HIDDEN.NY started as an Instagram mood board and grew into a full lifestyle platform rooted in street culture and design. AIAIAI is a Danish company that’s long been part of music culture, known for modular gear that artists use.

The first thing you notice is the colorway. The transparent design with green highlights is subtle. It’s not loud but still stands out.

You can see the structure of the headphones, which makes them feel more like an accessory than just another piece of black plastic tech. Bonus points that they are a conversation starter, too.

In daily use, the headphones are easy to live with. They are light and comfortable, which is important when you’re wearing them for long stretches. They don’t clamp too hard nor do they feel bulky.

Sound-wise, they’re clean and balanced. While it doesn’t have active noise cancellation, it works well for all the ways people actually listen in a big city. I like that you don’t have to think about the sound much.

It’s just good in a way that doesn’t get in your way, whatever mood I’m in wherever I am in the city, these headphones are great company.

AIAIAI’s modular approach also means these aren’t built to be tossed when something wears out. The speaker, headband, earpads, and cable are all replaceable.

So much of the tech we use should grow with us, even if they get outdated. So AIAIAI builds systems that can be upgraded over time. That’s part of why artists and DJs use them.

Especially because it’s a collectible, it feels like a piece you’ll want to keep. As someone who uses his prized possessions for a really long time, I love this about these headphones.

In a city where everything moves fast and feels temporary, it’s nice to have gear that doesn’t feel disposable.

The campaign, shot by photographer Gunner Stahl, probably looks familiar if you’re attuned to hiphop culture. What sets his work apart is his portraits feel more raw and relaxed instead of posed and polished. It aligns with HIDDEN.NY’s aesthetic, the kind of everyday style that feels genuine.

At the end of the day, the HIDDEN.NY x AIAIAI TMA-2 Bluetooth headphones make sense for people who live in cities like New York, where music is part of how you move, work, and think.

They sound good, they look interesting and different. They fit into real life without trying too hard.

The TMA-2 Hidden Edition headphones retail for US$220 and is available on aiaiai.audio.