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Sony just doesn’t miss and the WH-1000XM5 is another testament to that. The aforementioned headphones is the latest in Sony’s cream-of-the-crop line of personal audio companions. The WH-1000XM series has consistently gotten rave reviews and the XM5 looks to continue the trend.

Noise cancellation king

WH-1000XM5

The XM5 — that’s what we’ll call it from here on out — is a travel must-have. Its noise cancellation is still king of the hill! Perfect for drowning out all sorts of sounds wherever you may be. One time, I was using this while my brother was in the same room. I didn’t even notice him move at all even though we were in such a cramped space.

Easy controls

WH-1000XM5

You can cover the right ear cup for quick conversations or change to adaptive sound for full awareness, with a single button press.  And most buttons and ports are within reach along the sides of the left ear cup. While the usual controls are still on the right. In this regard, not much has changed, so if you’re upgrading from the XM2 or XM3, you shouldn’t have too much trouble with the controls.

Travel buddy

Oh and it’ll stay powered on, even if you’re on a long haul flight. I used this almost non-stop, fully charged, on a 19-hour flight and we landed with it still having around 20 percent of battery left. That was probably the most intense scenario that I was ever in while using the WH-1000XM5. In the few weeks that followed where I didn’t use it as much, it took about two to three weeks before I came reaching for the power cable.

Superb sound

And the sound is the same high quality we’ve come to expect from Sony. Clean highs. Solid mids. And a bass that just hits the spot. The sound kind of dances in your head, making it extra immersive. Sony produces this really round and full sound that I haven’t quite experienced with any other headphones that I’ve tried. Which isn’t a lot. I’m keen on trying the AirPods Max as well as the ones from Sennheiser. From what I heard, those should present some real competition.

WH-1000XM5

You can also tweak it to your liking on the Sony headphones app. One setting you might want to toggle off is the Speak-to-Chat feature. That’s only because it works a little too well. Too many times I found myself just mumbling sounds like “eh,” or even just humming and the XM5 would cut-off what I’m listening to.

Should you upgrade to this?

This really depends on what pair you’re using at the moment. If you’ve always been a Sony headphones fan and are coming from the same line, it’s likely a worthy upgrade EXCEPT if you’re coming from the XM4. Why? The XM4 is the peak of that particular form-factor. That one’s more compact, requiring less space in your bag. The sound quality and features also don’t stray too far from the WH-1000XM5. In fact, that might be the more economical buy at the moment.

But if you have to have the absolute latest Sony WH-1000XM headphone, then you won’t regret getting your hands on the XM5. It’s great, it is still very light and tough. Plus all the noise cancellation and sound quality goodness you’ve come to expect are better than ever.

If you’re coming from any other headphones, I dare say, this is an instant upgrade. Can’t have it any better than this.

Of course, I’m saying this with the caveat that I have to personally try the AirPods Max which I’ve heard many good things about. That is especially true if you’re also tied into the whole Apple ecosystem.

Other than that, you can’t go wrong with the Sony WH-1000XM5.

 

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

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

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September 22, 2026

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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.

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Manila turns up the volume at COVE

Sony Philippines launched its ULT TOWER lineup at Beyond the Beat, with SB19 joining the ULT Squad.

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September 21, 2026

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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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Jackery Explorer 300D: Power and portability in one

Uninterrupted workflows for digital nomads, freelance creatives, more

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September 18, 2026

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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.

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