Lifestyle

Living unapologetically with the Samsung Galaxy A54

This is what it means to be Awesome

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I used to live in validation. Maybe it’s because of too much exposure to social media and the little hearts that spark joy when you see them across your notification bars from those vibrant displays in your beloved gizmos.

But I’ve seen it from both generations — Millennials, Generation Z, and even Zillennials (Yes, we exist) — and how a lot of people are struggling with taking control of other people’s perceptions.

TikTok, and the past decade or so, changed the way people behave in social media. While there are still clout-chasers, a lot of people found their voices and their most authentic self. Living unapologetically seems to be the trend nowadays, and a trend that I’m willing to be part of.

In an age of flexing your status symbol, presenting a curated version of yourself, and keeping up with everyone — Samsung disrupts this era with its Awesome campaign rooting back in early 2020. (Right before the world shut down).

Now in its fourth year, Samsung brings out the Galaxy A54 5G, continuing its message that awesome is for everyone. And being awesome, of course, is living on your own terms, unapologetically.

To a new you

It takes a lot of detoxing, unlearning old and learning new beliefs, and creating healthier habits to live my truth.

Samsung’s newest phone is a reminder of what it means to be who you are. When the Galaxy A54 looked similar to its flagship Galaxy S series, I couldn’t fathom the thought of being unable to distinguish which is which, especially for the untrained eye.

But the South Korean company’s explanation, in a press briefing I attended a month ago, appeased my confusion. Like a performer making its way through the fog from a smoke machine.

The goal was to make sure that Samsung users — even if they’re using phones from midrange to flagship lines — have the same design language. Kinda like iPhones.

No matter the price, an iPhone is an iPhone. It evens the playing field and there is no shaming on whether you’re using an iPhone 7, XS, or the latest ones.

So many people are hung up on how their phones would fair against other people, that they forgot that it’s just a tool so you can live the life you want.

BRB, becoming myself

What I love about the Galaxy A54 is how it lets me live my life on my own terms. It’s not a flagship smartphone, of course, but flagship smartphones always made me feel like I’m not using them to their fullest potential.

Midrange smartphones, surprisingly, are enough. They come with powerful chipsets and internals that you can do anything you want.

I mean, come on, dude. I’ve been playing Ragnarok Origin on the A54 from morning until the battery drops dead. Okay, just kidding at the drop-dead part. I don’t do that with my smartphones.

I play at 8 in the morning while AFK leveling during work hours and come back to my phone with a 12 percent battery at 3 in the afternoon. It heats up, but not to the point where it’s blazingly hot that you can’t touch it.

Apart from that, I get to simultaneously use it for chatting with my friends from my sports team and measuring my statistics during training via Samsung Health and my Galaxy Watch4 Classic.

I also play my favorite tunes while connected to my Galaxy Buds2 Pro, use it as a hotspot whenever I’m working remotely at some coffee shop, and even multitask for work-related stuff.

You see, that’s what I like about the A54. I may not binge-scroll on TikTok or watch on Netflix until the wee hours but for whatever lifestyle you have, it’s equipped with enough power to get through your day and night.

Its features are so well-rounded, it doesn’t focus on just an aspect of your life. That’s what makes it awesome.

Record the way you like it

Some people just want to take selfies. Some want to capture their favorite moments during their night outs, travels, and everyday life.

And some would love to record videos and take amazing photographs. Whatever you want to do, the A54 is equipped with the right set of cameras so you can live your most unapologetic self.

Here are some of the snaps I took using the Galaxy A54 for a month.

Live unapologetically

The Galaxy A54, in some way and form, helps you stop caring about what other people think. It lets you embrace your authentic self and encourages you to change what doesn’t work for you.

It’s the quintessential mid-range smartphone; an important device to add to your arsenal as you take on life’s daily battles.

It’s powerful, long-lasting, and takes awesome photos — enough to keep up with you and your preferred lifestyle. Hands down, it’s the best midrange device for any kind of lifestyle. Samsung is true to its promise that Awesome is for everyone.

The Galaxy A54 isn’t just a smartphone anymore, it’s a life companion for a few years or so. (It will have four major OS upgrades and five years of security patches.)


The Galaxy A54 5G starts at PhP 24,990 for the 128GB variant and PhP 26,990 for the 256GB variant. It comes in three colors: Awesome Lime, Awesome Black, and an online-exclusive Awesome Violet.

SEE ALSO: Samsung Galaxy A34 review: Awesome, trustworthy all-rounder

Entertainment

One Piece: Into the Grand Line unveils final trailer ahead of premiere

All 8 episodes dropping on Netflix this March 10

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Courtesy: Netflix

Netflix has revealed the final trailer for One Piece: Into the Grand Line, exactly one week before its March 10 premiere.

The clip opens with a monologue from Monkey D. Luffy, reminding the Straw Hat crew of how far they’ve come to make it to the gates of the legendary Grand Line.

He mentions that it is time for the pirates to see what’s in store for them in the legendary stretch of sea.

Of course, that’s the treasure they’re seeking albeit encountering bizarre islands, new enemies, and unpredictable danger.

The clip then again features the larger-than-life scale of Season 2, including the towering Red Line, giant whale Laboon, Little Garden’s dinosaurs, and the giant, Brogy.

For a brief moment, the protagonist is also shown in an encounter with Smoker. Tony Tony Chopper, shown in the official trailer, once again made a quick appearance.

Just as action-packed as previous trailers, this 1:44 clip then culminates with more combat. There’s Zoro defending the crew at Whisky Peak.

Wapol and his metal-transforming Munch-Munch powers was shown in the end against Monkey D. Luffy.

The entire trailer is also set to an upbeat remix of “Come Sail Away” in the background, continuing the excitement from Season 1.

All eight episodes of One Piece: Into the Grand Line will be made available by March 10.

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Entertainment

ITZY’s YUNA is Infinix’s first ever global brand ambassador

Infinix is in with YUNA in the scene

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Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

Infinix is entering a new era — and the brand is bringing one of K-Pop’s most sought-after stars along the ride.

A first for Infinix

In line with the launch of the latest NOTE 60 series, Infinix has also named YUNA of ITZY as its very first Global Brand Ambassador. The company calls this a bold step forward for both innovation and style.

For the record, this is the first time Infinix has tapped a global ambassador — and the choice makes sense. YUNA is known for her confidence, vibrant energy, and unapologetic self-expression. These qualities align closely with Infinix’s “Joy Tech, Beyond Limits” philosophy.

In a statement, YUNA shared her excitement about the partnership. She said she’s looking forward to connecting with fans in a new way and creating meaningful stories together with the brand.

For Infinix, this collaboration is more than just a celebrity endorsement. It signals a shift in how the company wants to position itself globally — not just as a smartphone maker, but as a lifestyle tech brand for expressive, tech-savvy youth.

The more, the merrier

The partnership goes along the debut of the NOTE 60 Series, further fueling Infinix’s move toward a more premium smartphone experience.

Like YUNA, the NOTE 60 line also brings notable names in the table:

  • Powered by Snapdragon from Qualcomm
  • Design collaboration with Pininfarina
  • Audio tuned with JBL

It’s a clear attempt that Infinix wanted to elevate both performance and design by blending in flagship-level specs, more refined aesthetics, and immersive sound altogether.

Infinix says this launch also marks its expansion into more premium international markets.

With YUNA as the face of the brand, the company hopes to strengthen its appeal among younger users who want both powerful hardware and a device that matches their personality.

Rather than focusing purely on specs, Infinix is leaning into storytelling — highlighting how technology can spark creativity, joy, and individuality.

With the NOTE 60 Series and YUNA front and center, Infinix appears ready to redefine its brand identity on a global scale.

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Entertainment

Now Playing: Iron Lung

The premise will leave you wanting for more.

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I’m starting to think that cosmic horror is near-impossible to adapt to the big screen. Often, the point of this subgenre of horror is to showcase the unfathomable, a horror so unknowable that it’s impossible to describe. Now, for a medium that thrives on “show, don’t tell,” a full-length movie doesn’t seem like the best format for this type of horror. I’ve seen so many cosmic horror films, and a majority of them fail to land the satisfaction of a more traditional horror film.

Iron Lung, directed by and starring Markiplier, takes a stab at this elusively complex genre.

After the sudden disappearance of stars and planets in the universe, a lone space station explores a nearby moon to search for a way to save humanity. The catch is that the entire moon is covered in an ocean of blood. A convict, played by Markiplier, is tasked with exploring the moon in a one-man submersible, in exchange for his freedom.

Naturally, an ocean of blood isn’t the best place to be. The moon’s ocean hides mysteries and monsters beneath all the gore.

On the impossibility of cosmic horror

Though a movie is all about showing and not telling, Iron Lung navigates through these intricacies by not showing anything.

Because everything is just blood outside, the submarine needs a special camera that takes only grainy photos directly in front of the submersible. There’s always a sense of claustrophobic dread. What’s outside the submarine? What were those sounds? Did the camera really take a photo of something alive?

The film’s premise alone is a perfect source of horror. This is where cosmic horror thrives: on the questions, on the tiny sneak peeks of a monster lurking around the corner.

But, then again, this is also where the subgenre can paint itself into a corner. Eventually, audiences ask for more. They need to see and know the beast for real. Think Cloverfield, when the massive alien finally shows its face, or The Nun with… well, The Nun.

It’s an unwritten rule in horror films that the monster must make an appearance. It becomes a paradox for cosmic horror because the beast must also be unknowable.

When the beast finally shows up in Iron Lung, the audience never learns an understandable reason why it’s stalking the submarine. It’s not hungry, it doesn’t want revenge, and it doesn’t want to take over the world. It just is.

Is that a satisfying enough conclusion? If you’re a fan of cosmic horror, then it’s par for the course. However, if you’re more used to the more traditional horror film, it might leave you wanting more.

On madness

A mysterious monster isn’t the only thing that cosmic horror is known for. It’s also about madness and how the protagonist goes insane after seeing the unknown.

It’s apropos, then, that the convict starts hallucinating right after seeing a glimpse of the ocean’s beast. He starts to lose track of what’s real and what’s not.

In other movies, madness is an effective tool in subverting expectations and amplifying the horror. For example, in The Lighthouse, Winslow, the protagonist, also loses his sanity and questions reality. The film is all about this descent into madness and the questionable actions as a result from it. In Shutter Island, madness is a punchline, a plot twist that invites the audience to revisit the entire film and question their own perception.

Iron Lung, however, is neither a complete descent nor a plot twist. Rather, it’s a clear third act stemming from the convict’s encounter with the monster.

Since it’s clearly delineated in the third act, it’s hard to empathize with the convict’s plight. There’s a sense of vertigo moving from a creature feature into, in the convict’s own words, “alien shit” where you’re not sure of what’s real. Likewise, it’s not a plot twist either. You don’t reevaluate whether the entire movie was a hallucination.

Madness is understandably a major plot point of the original game that the movie is based on. However, its translation into film isn’t the smoothest. It’s both too short and too long.

But is it a good film?

Despite its struggle with the format, Iron Lung is still a spirited attempt at a one-room horror film. Markiplier melds into his role and doesn’t just showcase his on-screen YouTube personality.

The premise is, at once, frightening. It’s eerie and creepy. There is always a pervasive need to figure out what comes next. That’s pretty much what you want from a movie anyway. Yes, the ending might be polarizing, especially to those more used to the usual horror film, but the journey is still worth the price of admission.

And, at the very least, the film got me interested in watching Mark’s original playthroughs.

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