I sometimes admittedly fall into the trap of having some good ideas in my head but never actually writing them down.

And specially in this era where you can easily be distracted by the pace of life, the external stimuli, and pretty much just stressful moments, it pays to have a companion to help you become organized.

Otherwise, those thoughts I mentioned about would just fly above my head.

That’s where the Boya Notra Neo comes in. It’s a pretty straightforward portable AI recorder. As its slogan suggests, it’s for meetings, calls, and ideas.

It’s Boya’s more accessible, more affordable answer to the earlier Boya Notra.

Everyday AI note-taking made accessible

The Neo is incredibly lightweight and something you can sneak into your pocket easily.

I’ve been only able to use it a couple of times in casual settings, when ideas start to flow naturally in the middle of conversations.

Honestly, it’s great to have a companion device for such scenarios.

Although by default, your initial thought when such ideas arise is “Write that down”, sometimes, we are either pre-occupied or distracted by what’s in front of us.

The Boya Notra Neo makes sure we don’t miss note-taking. One tap and it will automatically record audio.

This convenience translates to school group meetings and projects to even more professional settings.

Then, there are journalists like me who occasionally have to interview resource persons and attend press conferences, so this recorder comes in handy.

There are three recording modes to suit real-time needs: Ambient, Phone Call, and Bluetooth.

Post-handling of audio recordings are likewise a breeze. Through the Boya OS app, you can connect the device via Bluetooth to sync previous recordings.

If you’re not initially connected to the internet, the device will still be able to record a considerable length with its built-in 8GB memory.

Then, you can just sync the recordings to your device. You can then transcribe the recording on the app with its easy-to-understand interface.

You can even choose from over 140 languages, the style of the transcription from 60 professional templates, and the AI model to help you with generating the text.

Beyond that, you can generate a summary or a mind map to quickly review what has been discussed, be it a meeting, a quick call, or a brainstorming session. You can likewise do an AI search across the recording to find more important notes or quotes and their timestamps.

Boya Notra Neo now available for pre-orders

The Boya Notra Neo is now available for pre-orders, ahead of its September 4 launch at IFA 2026.

Pre-ordering now entitles customers to a discount, so they can get the recorder for just US$ 69.99 (SRP: US$ 79.99).

Customers can purchase here.

What’s good about the Notra Neo is its ample free recording minutes per month, as it is meant for everyday casual recording to begin with.

This allowance resets every month, so you can start using the device for free.

Subscriptions, on the other hand, are available for those needing more minutes and access to other features.

And oh, there are four colors to choose from to match your smartphone and fashion sense.

Jackery has expanded its Explorer Series, introducing three new models: the Explorer 300D, Explorer 500 V2, and Explorer 2000 V2.

These new portable power station models join the earlier Explorer 100 Plus, 300 Plus, and 1000 V2 releases earlier in the year.

Each is built for different needs, from brief power interruptions to outdoor adventures and prolonged outages.

The Jackery Explorer 300D is a grab-and-go variant for unexpected power cuts. It is a compact power station weighing just about 2.5 kilograms and is 64% smaller than standard 300Wh units.

With a speaker-like form factor, 288Wh capacity, and 300W total DC output, it is the ideal power station for content creators, remote workers, and outdoor enthusiasts who live life on the move.

It can juice up a fast-charging Type-C laptop three to four times, smartphones up to 22 times, and drone batteries four to five times.

The Explorer 300D comes with unique DC-only design to eliminate idle power loss. It also has a 2-in-1 shoulder strap that unclips to double as a heavy-duty 140W USB-C charging cable.

Meanwhile, the Jackery Explorer 500 V2 packs a 512Wh capacity and 500W max output into a sleek frame.

It has an Uninterruptible Power Supply switchover time of under 10 milliseconds, ensuring devices such as Wi-Fi routers or laptops will not drop connection. It can also power up a desk fan for about 8.5 hours.

For easy storage, it has a fold-down handle. This makes the power station also portable to carry with you wherever you need it.

Lastly, the heavy-duty Jackery Explorer 2000 V2 features a massive 2,042Wh capacity and 2,200W inverter.

Weighing just 17.9 kilograms, it is about 41% lighter and 34% smaller than standard generators in the 2kWh category.

It can power a standard inverter refrigerator for up to 14 hours, run a 1.0 HP air conditioner for up to 3.5 hours, or power multiple electric fans for up to 28 hours.

It can also power kitchen essentials like rice cookers, small water heaters or coffee makers, and microwaves, in case hunger strikes amidst a power interruption.

The Explorer 2000 V2 also features an EV-grade LiFePO4 battery engineered for over 10 years of daily use.

The entire Jackery lineup is available on Lazada, Shopee, the Jackery kiosk at SM Fairview, and other partner stores.

PlayStation is expanding its audio lineup with the Pulse Elevate wireless speakers, its first wireless speakers developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. The speakers will launch in Southeast Asia starting November 12, 2026, with pre-orders opening September 2.

The Pulse Elevate speakers are designed for desktop gaming on PS5, PC, and Mac, while also supporting portable use with the PlayStation Portal remote player and smartphones. They combine planar magnetic drivers, built-in woofers, and PlayStation Link wireless connectivity for low-latency, lossless audio.

Each speaker uses a studio-inspired planar magnetic driver to deliver sound across the audible spectrum. Built-in woofers add richer bass, while the speakers can enhance positional audio in PS5 games that support Tempest 3D AudioTech.

The right speaker also has a built-in microphone with AI-enhanced noise rejection. This allows users to handle voice chat without wearing a headset while helping filter out unwanted background noise.

Designed for gaming and beyond

Pulse Elevate uses PlayStation Link for ultra-low-latency wireless audio with compatible devices, including the PS5, PC, Mac, and PlayStation Portal. The speakers also support Bluetooth, allowing users to listen to audio from a Bluetooth device while using PlayStation Link for another connected device.

A PlayStation Link USB adapter is included and works with USB-C ports. The speakers also feature built-in rechargeable batteries, letting users take them on the go. Charging docks are included for returning to a desktop setup.

Users can adjust the speakers’ volume directly and position them horizontally or vertically. PS5 and PC users can also customize EQ, sidetone, volume, and microphone mute settings through system menus.

Pulse Elevate will be available in Midnight Black and White.

Price and availability

Pulse Elevate wireless speakers will launch starting November 12, 2026. Pre-orders begin September 2 at local retailers. Availability may vary by market and retailer.

The recommended retail prices are:

• Singapore: SGD 319
• Malaysia: MYR 1,099
• Thailand: THB 8,499
• Philippines: PHP 14,709
• Vietnam: VND 6,999,000

The Pulse Elevate marks Sony Interactive Entertainment’s first entry into wireless speakers, extending the PlayStation audio ecosystem beyond the Pulse Elite headset and Pulse Explore earbuds.