Lifestyle
Samsung: 65 inches is the perfect size for a TV today
Will last at least ten years
While most of the tech world is focused on the ongoing Computex conference in Taiwan, Samsung is shaking things up back in the Philippines. The brand has unveiled new products and insights coming to the television and home entertainment industry. If you’re on the hunt for a new TV, check out Samsung’s latest AI and Micro LED TVs.
Presenting the Samsung Neo QLED 8K AI TV
The main attraction of the day was the new Neo QLED 8K AI TV. Though the display was already showcased previously during CES 2024, its innovations make it just as fresh for today’s consumers. The biggest draw is the 8K AI Upscaling Pro technology, which automatically improves image quality to the nearest 8K picture quality.
Further, the AI Motion Enhancer Pro makes movement much smoother on the display. Even fast-paced sports look fluid with the technology. Finally, the 2024 Q-Soundbar further amplifies the home theater capabilities of the headset.
Micro LED: The next evolution
Besides showing off its devices for regular consumers, Samsung also presented the future of displays: Micro LED. Touted as the best available display in the world today, Micro LED does a better job of reproducing colors and blacks. It was also a feat of brightness.
Unfortunately, the Micro LED set isn’t that accessible for regular consumers. While a 114-inch display is already available for purchase, Samsung is talking mostly with business clients for it. Price remains a barrier for most consumers today.
Which TV set is best for you?
In a more exclusive chat with Chris Almazan, Samsung Philippines head of audio and video, I asked for the best television size to maximize what you pay for. Instead of peddling the largest television with the most exorbitant price, Almazan says that the best size for regular consumers today is 65 inches.
Compared to prices years and years ago, new televisions have gotten more affordable, especially because of different financing options. Consumers don’t need to break their bank anymore. A premium 50-inch set today, for example, costs as much as a 30-inch flat screen more than a decade ago.
That said, though a 65-inch TV might cost a prettier penny, Almazan says that sets of that size will last at least eight to ten years. For a new television that costs as much as (or more than) a flagship smartphones, eight to ten years seems like more than a decent window.
Of course, an actual cycle before replacement might prove shorter in real life, especially because of rapidly advancing features. However, Almazan says that the hand-me-down market is still alive and well. Older sets find new life in other rooms of the house or with other users.
The message seems clear: It’s the perfect time to invest in a TV, and you don’t need the most expensive set to get the most bang out of your buck.
SEE ALSO: 2024 Samsung TV: Buyer’s Guide
Enterprise
Chimelong’s newest attraction might be the robots themselves
The future of travel is here, and it knows tai chi!
Imagine checking into a theme park and greeting a humanoid robot. A few hours later, you watch one perform tai chi. Another challenges you to table tennis. Yet another helps you navigate to the next attraction. By nightfall at your hotel, robots enhance the experience again.
This vision drives the latest collaboration between AGIBOT and Chimelong Group. Together, they brought over 300 robots to Chimelong Spaceship Park in Zhuhai, China.
This launch represents a massive real-world application of embodied AI in tourism. AGIBOT and Chimelong integrated these robots across entertainment, education, visitor services, retail, and hospitality. They act as active participants rather than remaining confined to a single demonstration area.
The timing celebrates a notable milestone, too. During the launch, Chimelong received the 20,000th robot to roll off AGIBOT’s production line.
Your next theme park companion could be a robot
At Chimelong Spaceship Park, robots act as part of the total visitor experience. Guests don’t just stop to watch them from afar.
Some take on entertainment roles by performing martial arts, gymnastics, and tai chi. Others interact directly with guests through table tennis and hands-on manipulation challenges.
Designers also created robots for the quieter moments of a park day. They answer questions, introduce exhibits, and guide visitors through designated areas.
In retail settings, robots assist shoppers with their purchases. Meanwhile, hotel deployments place them in guest-facing roles to welcome visitors and hold multi-turn conversations.
Consequently, your trip involves encountering robots in several different contexts. The journey stretches seamlessly from your park arrival to your hotel return.
When the robots become part of the show
Theatrical applications are perhaps the easiest to picture. AGIBOT and Chimelong incorporate robots into live performances alongside human actors, music, and lighting.
Rather than treating a humanoid robot as a mere technological curiosity onstage, creators coordinate multiple robots into fluid routines.
Elsewhere, visitors engage with robots through games and educational activities. This creates a highly interactive, hands-on introduction to embodied AI.
Theme parks offer a perfectly fitting setting for this technology. Parks historically excel at making technology disappear into the magic. Engineers design animatronics, immersive environments, special effects, and automated rides to serve the story.
Humanoid robots push this idea into new territory. They communicate, navigate physical spaces, respond to people, and adapt to different settings with ease.
A robot-filled day does not stop at the park gates
The collaboration naturally extends into Chimelong’s hospitality operations.
Robots welcome hotel guests, hold complex conversations, and offer highly personalized interactions. This introduces an interesting possibility for resorts. Technology can now follow visitors beyond the main attraction and enhance the broader destination.
Travelers will soon experience trips where the boundaries between attraction, service, and technology blur entirely.
A robot might serve as your tour guide. Next, you could watch a robotic entertainment performance. Finally, a mechanical host could wait downstairs in your hotel lobby.
Potentially, the robot you meet in one area connects directly to the wider system operating backstage.
Making hundreds of robots work together
Deploying over 300 robots into a busy tourism destination requires massive coordination.
AGIBOT, Chimelong, and China Mobile established a dedicated 5G network. This ensures stable connectivity across high-traffic areas. The team uses centralized coordination to manage robots moving through various park and hotel environments.
Comprehensive operational systems also handle network security, privacy protection, charging, and fire safety.
Guests easily overlook this infrastructure while watching a robot perform tai chi. Yet, this backend framework remains one of the most fascinating aspects of the project. A theme park represents a highly complicated environment. Thousands of people constantly move through spaces shifting rapidly from one experience to another.
Making robots useful here means teaching them to embody the destination itself.
The beginning of a bigger experiment
AGIBOT and Chimelong are establishing a joint research institute for embodied AI in tourism.
This institute will explore new applications, operating models, and technologies. Researchers will draw directly from the experience of this massive deployment. The first project phase lays the groundwork to expand robot usage across all Chimelong properties.
For now, the appeal remains fairly simple. Creators build theme parks on the promise of making ordinary life feel extraordinary.
Chimelong bets that humanoid robots will increasingly spark that exact magic.
Automotive
The Kia EV3 brings gallery-worthy design in a compact electric form
The 2025 World Car of the Year turns daily driving into functional art.
The all-new Kia EV3 officially debuted against the architectural backdrop of the Ayala Museum.
Named the 2025 World Car of the Year, the compact electric SUV redefines daily driving as functional art. It also holds prestigious Red Dot “Best of the Best” and iF Design awards.
Sculpted like a modern piece of design
The EV3 shares the forward-thinking design philosophy of the acclaimed EV5 and EV9.
Its exterior features an evolved Digital Tiger Face paired with signature LED lighting. Sculpted geometric surfaces and flush door handles maintain a smooth silhouette.
A tailored rear spoiler, roof rails, and 17-inch alloy wheels complete the profile. The result looks composed and elegant, especially when parked outside a contemporary gallery.
Beneath its sculpted skin lies instant, whisper-quiet electric power. A front-mounted motor generates 204 PS and 283 Nm of torque.
A 58.3 kWh battery delivers up to 511 kilometers of range on a single charge (NEDC). Replenishing energy fits seamlessly into a busy lifestyle.
Standard 11 kW AC charging goes from 10 to 80 percent in roughly 5 hours and 20 minutes. Meanwhile, 350 kW DC Fast Charging restores the same charge in just 29 minutes.
A digital sanctuary, literally
Inside, the cabin opens into a clean, modern sanctuary.
A striking 30-inch Triple Panoramic Display centers the dashboard. It unifies the instrument cluster, climate settings, and infotainment beneath one sweeping glass surface.
Leather upholstery and an eight-way power driver’s seat prioritize comfort, and the power lumbar support ensures relaxed driving on longer journeys.
There’s also a sliding central console tray that creates an adaptable workspace on the go. On another note, connectivity remains effortless throughout the interior space. The system supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Additionally, dual wireless charging pads, five USB-C ports, and six speakers keep devices powered and entertained. For weekend getaways, 60:40 split-folding rear seats easily expand cargo capacity.
Intuitive safety
Intelligent peace of mind comes standard through the Kia DriveWise suite.
Active features include Advanced Smart Cruise Control and Forward Collision Avoidance with Autonomous Emergency Braking.
Lane Keeping Assist, Lane Following Assist, Blindspot Safety Warning, and Rear Cross Traffic Safety assist at every turn.
Seven airbags protect the front, side, and curtain areas. Electronic Stability Control, Hill-Start Assist, parking sensors, and a rear-view camera complete the protective core.
Price, availability
The Kia EV3 starts at PhP 1,898,000, inclusive of a home wall charger. An introductory offer reduces the price to PhP 1,868,000, saving early buyers PhP 30,000. Reservations also include five years of free Preventive Maintenance Service.
Kia provides a five-year or 160,000-kilometer vehicle warranty. The high-voltage battery carries an eight-year or 160,000-kilometer warranty.
The EV3 comes in seven curated exterior colors. Options include Aventurine Green, Snow White Pearl, Aurora Black, Terra Cotta, Frost Blue, Shale Grey, and Ivory Silver.
Accessories
Manila turns up the volume at COVE
Sony Philippines launched its ULT TOWER lineup at Beyond the Beat, with SB19 joining the ULT Squad.
Sound and style shared the floor at COVE Manila in Okada Manila. Sony Philippines opened its doors for Beyond the Beat: The Next-Level ULT POWER SOUND Experience.
The event marked the company’s biggest ULT POWER SOUND launch in the country, and Sony paced the program like an exclusive night out.
Stacked ULT Towers filled the space. Guests styled themselves with designer pieces from Alser Lumawag, and SB19 closed the evening as the newest Sony ULT Squad members.
MySony members from every tier joined industry guests while the new ULT TOWER lineup set the tempo.
The towers take center stage
Shuhei Sugihara, Sony Philippines’ President and Managing Director, opened the program.
Product Marketing Specialist Keira Ambubuyog then introduced the newest additions to the lineup.
Arbie Bandiling of Personal Audio Systems unveiled the latest ULT Squad video. The clip introduced the artists and personalities fronting the campaign.
The lineup features the ULT TOWER 5, ULT TOWER 7, and ULT TOWER MAX. The new series pairs large circular woofers and high-capacity cabinets with ULT DUCT technology.
This design delivers stronger low-frequency bass than earlier models. The ULT TOWER MAX leads the series, described as Sony’s most powerful bass speaker yet.
On another note, Sony pitches the ULT TOWER 7 as stage-worthy sound in a portable frame. Meanwhile, the compact ULT TOWER 5 targets smaller gatherings and features karaoke and DJ capabilities.
Experiential zones bring the sound to life
Guests explored the lineup across several interactive event zones. Step into the Beat paired an arcade-inspired setup with stacked ULT Towers and a dance pad. ULT Selfie Club handled photo ops.
Nearby, ULT Cover Star let guests style ULT Field speakers alongside designer pieces from Alser Lumawag. Here, the speakers served as chic fashion accessories.
The Bass District gave VIPs and influencers a private, nightlife-inspired lounge. Karaoke Lounges invited everyone else to grab a mic and test the party-ready towers firsthand.
The ULT Squad shows up
Fashion influencer and ULT Squad member Angelique Manto-Guison hosted the night.
A-Team opened the show with a high-energy routine before Carlos Serrano III took the stage. David Guison and Jacqueline Jala walked the stage with ULT Models in elevated fashion, and Jeremy G followed with a dynamic musical performance.
KAIA brought a youthful pop sound, while Maki delivered a set in his signature style.
SB19 closed the night, making their debut as the newest Sony ULT Squad members. Sony pairs its sound technology with the group’s influence in Filipino music. This collaboration positions the Squad as a platform for artists shaping contemporary music culture.
The ULT TOWER MAX, ULT TOWER 7, and ULT TOWER 5 are now available at Sony Centres and authorized dealers nationwide.
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