Accessories

Sony WH-1000XM2 hands-on: A new experience

Old tracks feel new when you listen on these headphones

Published

February 14, 2018

Using the Sony WH-1000XM2 is an experience I didn’t know I needed until I put them on. I felt a sort of transformation in myself and in the kind of headphones I look for.

Disclaimer checklist before we proceed:

I’m not an audio expert.
This isn’t a full review.
I’m just sharing the experience — which is really something else.

It was love both at first sight and sound. The Sony WH-1000XM2 is a sleek stunner, especially this particular unit we’re testing. It’s black all over with only the Sony logo and left and right ear indicators as the parts that are colored.

The power button and noise cancellation/ambient button, as well as the 3.5mm port, all have labels, too. Although I did wish there was some sort of highlight, a little colored part around these buttons and the port so they’re easier to find would’ve been great.

That aside, it looks great, but of course you want to know more about how it performs, right?

Noise Cancellation

I’m actually wearing the headphones as I write this. Not because I want to listen to music, but because it helps a lot in drowning out the background noise. It’s great for when you want to focus and don’t have immediate access to a quiet room.

Trying to look serious while writing

You don’t have to remove the headphones to turn off noise cancellation. You can either put your right hand over the right ear to allow ambient noise or press the noise cancellation/ambient button on the left side.

However, to truly appreciate what this baby can do, I strongly suggest listening to some pretty darn good tracks.

Familiar songs transform

I’m the type who enjoys an hour or two just sitting or lying down somewhere, quietly listening and really absorbing songs. If you’re like me, you will absolutely love the Sony WH-1000XM2.

That’s exactly what I did one night after I got these headphones. (And a few more nights, if I’m being completely honest.) It felt like experiencing the songs again for the first time. These headphones had me feeling so fly, I actually turned into a white guy. See photo below:

I put the headphones on and suddenly turn into this white dude

Suddenly, older tracks like “Summer Romance (Anti-Gravity Love Song)” by Incubus — which I have listened to countless times before — felt new again.

I turned up Craig David’s “7 Days” and my sexy meter suddenly went off the charts. So much so that I felt like I could ask anyone out and they would say yes! I did that. Didn’t go well, but that’s a story for another time.

Old tracks feel new

I wanted to know what more it could do to certain songs. I remembered listening to some that had the feel of the sound traveling from left to right, vice versa, and then just all around your head.

I crowdsourced on Facebook and Twitter for songs of this nature and my friends did not disappoint. I didn’t expect to get classic, old-school rock suggestions but those dominated the suggestions.

Tracks like “Black Dog” and “Stairway to Heaven” by Led Zeppelin, “Come Together” by The Beatles, and “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen straight up took me home. These are songs I often listened to as a child who had absolutely no clue what these people were singing about.

“Stairway to Heaven,” with the acoustic guitar intro starting off from your left ear and then just an echo of it from your right just before the mellotron flute comes in will touch you in ways you didn’t realize you could be touched.

Just me enjoying all these classic tracks

“Bohemian Rhapsody” was a strong recommendation by several friends. Apparently, it’s one of the best songs to listen to when you’re testing whatever audio device, so always have this on your phone. It didn’t disappoint. The song, listened to with the Sony WH-1000XM2, feels as powerful as ever.

When it gets to the “Galileo” part, that’s when it gets really interesting. Close your eyes and you’ll feel as if you’re surrounded by the band as they play the entire thing in all its glory.

If you decide to give these headphones a spin, I put the recommended songs in a playlist. It’s mostly rock and roll tracks but I put a few handpicked anime songs there if you’re into that.

You should also try this “Love is in the air” playlist, specially since it’s the love month and all.

Other bells and whistles

I forgot to mention that I felt all of that while listening via Bluetooth. The sound quality is insanely crispy — imagine if I had used the cable that came with it. My mind might have been blown in an instant.

The Sony WH-1000XM2 also comes with a carrying case. It neatly fits the headphones inside, as well as the cable.

A carrying case as neat as the headphones

The headphones also have non-visible controls on the right ear panel. Great idea, but it didn’t work as well as I had hoped. Often times when I was trying to skip to the next track, I would wonder why the music stopped playing. Turns out, it paused instead of skipping.

The controls and gestures might take a while to get used to but during my test, I never really gravitated towards using them. I would mostly adjust the volume or skip a track on my phone or laptop.

Video editing, podcasts, video games

I switched back to my normal self once I started using the headphones for work.

No longer a white dude, but still kinda cute. Violent reactions go straight to the comments section

The ear-opening, near-mind-boggling experience listening to music translates well to other tasks. I could clearly hear any unnatural sound from what I was editing which made applying changes easier for me.

I also played NBA 2K18 and Shadow of the Colossus with these headphones on. It was funny hearing the players’ voices better while on the court. Shadow of the Colossus is a pretty quiet game but has great scoring as it changes moods from when you’re just wandering to when you’re trying to take down a colossus. With the headphones on, you really feel the intensity of the battle and it helps get you on your toes and immerse you in what you’re playing.

Final thoughts

If I had my way, I would keep the Sony WH-1000XM2 all to myself. As someone who works with video and audio a lot, and someone who enjoys sitting back and just absorbing good music, this is the exact pair of headphones I would want.

No, I didn’t actually turn into a white guy, in case that’s something that got you confused

They sound great, look amazing, and battery power lasted long! I only had to charge once in about a week. That’s considering I used the headphones a lot for both work and play.

As far as wireless, noise-canceling headphones are concerned, the Sony WH-1000XM2 set the bar high for me.

Accessories

70mai launches the A900 series with 4K front, rear recording

Two new 4K dual-channel dash cams, both with 4G

Published

September 22, 2026

MJ Jucutan

70mai has launched the A900 Series, led by the flagship 70mai Dash Cam 4K A900 Ultra, with the 70mai Dash Cam 4K A900 joining it in the lineup.

Both models record in 4K from the front and rear cameras, and both support 4G, so your footage stays reachable from your phone even when you’re away from the car.

4K recording from both cameras

The A900 Ultra uses dual Sony STARVIS 2 IMX678 sensors to capture clear 4K footage from both directions. As a result, details like license plates and road signs remain sharp.

Smart HDR balances bright and dark areas under shifting light. Users can also adjust color tones and contrast. To keep feeds synced, the rear camera uses LVDS digital transmission. This tech sends a lossless 4K feed with just 20ms of latency.

Handling changing light

Driving into a tunnel or under the shadow of a tall building changes the lighting quickly, and 70mai built three imaging technologies into the A900 Ultra to deal with it.

MaiColor Vivid+ Solution 2.0 is meant to give more natural colors and finer detail, along with smarter scene adaptation. Night Owl Vision 2.0 reduces noise and glare to help with nighttime clarity.

Lumi Vision is made for parking surveillance in near-total darkness, where it automatically adjusts exposure and gain and applies noise reduction. 70mai says this produces clear, full-color footage in extremely low light.

Parking mode and remote access

Smart Parking Guardian Mode 2.0 protects your vehicle while parked. It combines AI motion detection, dual-channel collision detection with pre-recording, and time-lapse options.

The system draws just 5mA on standby to prevent battery drain. For extended coverage, the optional 70mai Battery Pack Mini powers surveillance for up to 30 days.

In photo: A900

Pairing the camera with the 4G Hardwire Kit unlocks 70mai 4G Cloud+ 2.0 features on the app. Enhanced Buffered Emergency Recording saves up to 190 seconds before an incident and 30 seconds after.

It automatically uploads this footage to the cloud for immediate remote viewing.

The 70mai Dash Cam 4K A900

In photo: A900

The A900 sits alongside the Ultra as the more accessible option. It records True 4K HDR at 30FPS from both the front and rear cameras, and Smart HDR can be scheduled to turn on at set times.

Its f/1.55 aperture is meant to help in low light, and 4G Cloud+ 2.0 keeps the dash cam connected to the 70mai App. It’s the model for drivers who want dual-channel recording and 4G connectivity at a lower price.

The 70mai Dash Cam 4K A900 Ultra retails for US$ 300, available for pre-order at US$ 240. Meanwhile, the A900 is priced at US$ 200, currently 20% off at US$ 170.

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.

Published

September 21, 2026

MJ Jucutan

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.

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.