Accessories

Sony expands ULT POWER SOUND with three new speakers

Deeper bass for bigger parties.

Published

September 2, 2026

GadgetMatch

Sony has expanded its ULT POWER SOUND lineup with three new party speakers. They are the ULT TOWER MAX, ULT TOWER 7, and ULT TOWER 5. The new models focus on deeper bass, higher sound pressure, and features designed for parties, DJ setups, karaoke, and everyday listening.

The new ULT TOWER lineup was developed with input from hip-hop sound creators. Sony says the speakers were tuned based on feedback from Grammy-nominated producer Dot Da Genius, drummer and producer Daru Jones, producer and DJ Dready, and audio engineer and producer Dennis “ROC.am” Jones.

Three speakers for different setups

ULT Tower Max

The ULT TOWER MAX sits at the top of the new range. It uses three woofers, including two front-facing units and one at the rear, alongside a high-powered amplifier delivering up to 2,150W of output. Sony positions it as the most powerful bass speaker in the ULT POWER SOUND series yet.

The ULT TOWER 7 delivers up to 420W of output, while the more compact ULT TOWER 5 reaches up to 300W. Both are designed to be easier to move around, making them suitable for parties, karaoke, DJ setups, and everyday listening.

ULT Tower 7

All three models feature Sony’s ULT button with ULT1 and ULT2 modes. ULT1 enhances deep bass, while ULT2 pushes for even more powerful bass and sound pressure. New FLAT and LIVE modes are also available. FLAT aims for a true-to-source sound and LIVE recreates the feel of a live performance.

Built for parties

The ULT TOWER MAX and ULT TOWER 7 feature 360° Party Sound, which projects audio around the speakers for wider coverage. The MAX combines four tweeters, mid-range speakers, and its rear woofer to produce room-filling sound.

Sony has also added Enhanced Sound Field Optimization. The system analyzes speaker placement and surrounding noise before adjusting the sound balance across the frequency range. The speakers can also be positioned vertically or horizontally.

Connectivity includes XLR, RCA, and USB-C, giving the lineup options for both casual listening and more involved DJ setups. Compatible speakers can also be connected in stereo for wider sound coverage.

For karaoke, users can pair the speakers with Sony’s optional ULTMIC1 microphone. The new Party Chain feature also uses Auracast to connect multiple compatible Sony speakers and synchronize their music and lighting.

Lighting modes include BEAT, WAVE, and MELLOW, giving users different lighting patterns depending on the atmosphere they want.

Made to move

ULT Tower 5

Sony has equipped the new speakers with carry handles. They also improved the wheels on the ULT TOWER MAX and ULT TOWER 7 with wider treads. The ULT TOWER 7 and ULT TOWER 5 also carry an IPX4 rating when positioned vertically, making them suitable for outdoor use.

Battery life reaches up to 30 hours on the ULT TOWER 7 and up to 20 hours on the ULT TOWER 5, although actual battery life varies depending on volume, lighting, temperature, and usage.

Sony is also highlighting the environmental aspects of the lineup. Approximately 35 percent of the plastic used in the ULT TOWER MAX is recycled plastic. The ULT TOWER 7 and ULT TOWER 5 each use approximately 20 percent recycled plastic by weight.

The company is further supporting the dance community through a sponsorship of Red Bull Dance Your Style 2026, where Sony will serve as an official wireless speaker partner for events including the USA National Final in September and World Final in Switzerland in October.

Pricing and availability

The Sony ULT TOWER MAX, ULT TOWER 7, and ULT TOWER 5 will be available starting September 2026 in selected Asia Pacific markets.

In the Philippines, the ULT TOWER MAX (PHP 88,889), ULT TOWER 7 (PHP 38,889), and ULT TOWER 5 (PHP 22,229) are now available at Sony Centres and authorized dealers nationwide.

As part of the launch, customers can earn 120,000 MySony points by registering these new models for MySony and attaining Platinum membership until September 12. Members also gain access to “Beyond the Beat,” the ULT POWER SOUND launch event happening on September 19 at Okada Manila.

Accessories

Jackery Explorer 300D: Power and portability in one

Uninterrupted workflows for digital nomads, freelance creatives, more

Published

September 18, 2026

Manila Connoisseur

For digital nomads, freelance creatives, and even work-from-home professionals, staying productive on the move means carrying around multiple gadgets, cords, adapters, and power banks to survive the day.

Having to carry such weight, quite literally, is vital for maintaining workflow continuity.

For a more seamless experience and to have just one extra portable device to power all working parts, there’s the Jackery Explorer 300D.

Launched just last month, this grab-and-go offering from Jackery is designed for the modern lifestyle.

It moves away from Jackery’s traditional aesthetic with a sleek, speaker-like form factor. It weighs just 2.5 kilograms and is 64% smaller than standard 300W units in the market.

This ultra-compact size was made possible by a smart engineering choice of swapping bulky traditional AC wall outlets for highly efficient DC-only and USB-C ports — which also helps eliminate idle power loss.

With a 288Wh capacity, the Jackery Explorer 300D holds enough juice for up to nine power banks.

It can keep a Type-C fast-charging laptop for up to three to four full cycles, a Wi-Fi router alive for hours, and recharge cameras or drone batteries up to five times for a lengthy production day.

For smaller gadgets like smartphones and portable fans, the power station can juice them up for up to 22 times.

It can even charge five devices simultaneously with a total of three USB-C ports, a USB-A port, and a DC 12V car charger port.

All these ensure users are never disconnected, wherever they may set up their mobile office.

Another brilliant touch is the two-in-one shoulder strap that easily unclips to double as a heavy-duty 140W USB-C charging cable.

The everyday carry is available via Lazada and Shopee, and at the official Jackery kiosk in SM Fairview, as well as other partner stores.

Accessories

Apple is reportedly working on its own gaming controllers

It might launch under the Beats brand.

Published

September 14, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Last week, the iPhone Duo changed how you look at the ubiquitous smartphone. Foldables are in, and Apple is right there with it. But the company isn’t stopping with the foldable segment. Apple is reportedly working on its own branded game controllers.

According to Bloomberg, Apple has been working on a controller since last year. Further, a piece of code linked to macOS 27.4, spotted by MacRumors, includes references to two unknown gaming controllers.

Because Apple just concluded its huge event this month, it will likely be a while before we see confirmation of this controller. And it could be anything. Of course, because the Duo is fresh on our minds, the easiest answer is a mobile controller than can maximize the foldable’s ability to stand by itself. It could also use Apple’s larger screens like the iPad, the MacBook, or the Mac. Some even speculate that this could be Apple’s stronger push into the gaming market.

Outside of the actual hardware, the reports are also claiming that the controller will arrive by way of Beats, rather than from Apple itself. At first, the branding comes off as a surprise, but then again, Beats hasn’t really evolved past an audio brand in a long, long time. Is it time to revitalize Beats as something more than just a peddler of headphones?

SEE ALSO: First Look: Apple iPhone Duo

Accessories

New AGON gaming monitor features up to 1000Hz refresh rate

New level of speed, flexibility for competitive gaming

Published

September 10, 2026

GadgetMatch

AGON by AOC has released the new AGON Pro AGP277QK dual-mode gaming monitor for the competitive segment.

This new offering features up to 1000Hz refresh rate at HD and 540Hz at QHD so gamers have the flexibility to prioritize either clarity or speed.

The 27-inch IPS gaming monitor comes with NVIDIA G-SYNC, synchronizing the monitor’s refresh rate with the GPU to help minimize screen tearing, stuttering, and input lag.

This is combined with 0.3ms MPRT and 1ms GtG response times for fast-moving action that is sharp and responsive, giving competitive players a clear visual advantage.

Moreover, the AGON Pro AGP277QK features VESA DisplayHDR 400 certification for enhanced contrast and more vivid, lifelike visuals.

Delta E < 1 color accuracy also provides precise color reproduction not just for gaming but even other scenarios like content creation.

For even smoother high frame-rate gameplay, MBR Sync combines motion blur reduction with variable refresh rate (VRR) technology. This helps maintain clarity during rapid movements.

The monitor also includes Low Input Lag, customizable Light FX ambient RGB lighting, Gaming Mode presets, and Shadow Control.

The display comes with HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 2.1 connectivity, along with a height-adjustable stand and G-Menu support.