Lifestyle

Traveling with advanced eSIM

Better than local tourist SIM Cards?

Published

May 31, 2024

Rodneil Quiteles and MJ Jucutan

eSIM technology being more widely available has opened up a new connectivity option for travelers. Frequent or otherwise. That’s where Advanced eSIM saw an opportunity.

Advanced eSIM says their mission is “to enable companies to deliver better connectivity solutions to telecommunications subscribers”

Right now, how their service works is you go to their website, select your country of destination, and purchase the eSIM plan that fits your needs. The plans range from 1GB for 7 days all the way up to 50GB for 30 days. Costs vary per plan, per country.

You can view the countries and plans here.

After purchasing your preferred eSIM bundle, you simply have to download the QR Code and scan it on the smartphone you’ll be using on your trip. Next step is installation.

Here is a quick guide on how to install Advanced eSIM:

Access eSIM Settings

On most smartphones, go to “Settings” > “Cellular” or “Mobile Data” > “Add Cellular Plan.”

Scan QR Code

Scan/upload the QR code provided with your eSIM information. Alternatively, you may need to enter the eSIM activation code manually.

Follow On-Screen Instructions

Depending on your device and carrier, you may need to follow on-screen instructions to complete the activation process. This typically involves confirming your plan and agreeing to terms and conditions.

Restart Your Device

After successfully adding the eSIM, restart your device to activate it.

Our experience

Two members of the GadgetMatch team were fortunate enough to have been provided with bundles during our work trips in March and April.

Below we detail our experience using Advanced eSIM.

Rodneil’s Bangkok Business Trip

Lenovo Innovate 2024

I initially wanted to use the Advanced eSIM on an Android Foldable. Specifically, the OPPO Find N3. However, I had issues installing and kept getting an error message saying that the phone is unable to detect the eSIM.

Don’t let that discourage you though, if you’re an Android user. I know of peers in the industry who have successfully used eSIMs on their Android smartphones. My issue may have been device specific.

With that initial install failing, I instead moved the eSIM to my iPhone 14 Pro Max. My iPhone has up to eight (8) eSIM slots but only one can be active at a time. That means I had to deactivate the one I use in my home country.

That said, getting the eSIM to work wasn’t instantaneous. It took the bus ride from the airport to the hotel before it started working. That’s roughly around two hours if memory serves right.

So, to get it to work you have to make sure that:

The eSIM is active.
It is the default SIM for Cellular Data.

Once it was active and working, everything was incredibly breezy. I used the eSIM like I would a tourist SIM card purchased at the airport.

Throughout the nearly week-long work trip, I went about my days like usual. I continued liaising with members of the GadgetMatch team to make sure things are running smoothly. With it, I also kept in touch with our partners and clients as much as I could while handling the coverage for the brand the flew us to Bangkok, Thailand.

I even resorted to using the eSIM instead of the provided Wi-Fi connection to upload photos and videos for post processing by our team. It was a quick turnaround that we were able to post the reel immediately.

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AI, Yoga, and Legion. Everything was in full display at #LenovoInnovate24 #Innovate24 #Lenovo @Lenovo @Lenovo Legion

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The advantage

One thing I didn’t have to worry about is that I could use the eSIM as the hotspot. There are other existing eSIM services which have this limitations. With Advanced eSIM, the data allocation is for you to use and abuse.

Just make sure you keep an eye on your consumption so you don’t exceed your limit. It’s best to keep tabs on what you usually use the data for when on the go so you have a good ballpark of how much data you use when out and about.

MJ’s Shenzen and Hong Kong Adventure

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A post shared by MJ (@hemjaye)

Even with the eSIM technology being around for over five years now, I still haven’t fully wrapped my head around its concept when traveling.

I still like the feeling of heading to a booth inside the airport to buy or pick-up my local SIM which I’ll use for the country I’m visiting.

There’s an exuberant joy in removing the SIM card tray from my smartphone, knowing that I’ll be connected to the Internet and then I’ll be able to share the sights I see to the world, err, folks who follow my social media accounts.

But when you’re in a country where you don’t know the language spoken, it’s best to come prepared.

Easy set up

Equipping my iPhone its first eSIM, I thought it would’ve been daunting compared to when I do it on an Android smartphone. But Advanced eSIM made it easy for someone with only three functioning brain cells.

When traveling, I don’t have enough bandwidth to think of other details since I’m already preoccupied with the itinerary. It was kind of a gift from the universe to have the connectivity part of my travel handled easily.

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A post shared by MJ (@hemjaye)

I was traveling to Shenzhen, China via Bus from Hong Kong, so when I departed Manila, I didn’t have any Internet connectivity. When I reached the border of Shenzhen and Hong Kong, that was when I automatically connected to the Internet since the Advanced eSIM coverage I have was only meant for China.

With 10GB of Data, I wasn’t sure if it would be enough to cover my one-week stay. The WiFi connection in China was extremely slow (for me, personally) to upload my social media content, especially when using VPN.

Using Advanced eSIM’s 5G connectivity, however, helped me upload real-time for my followers to see.

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A post shared by MJ (@hemjaye)

A welcome surprise

Five days later, I was exiting China through a Bus once more while heading to Hong Kong. I have prepared another eSim through my HONOR Magic6 Pro, since I know the coverage for my Advanced eSIM is only within China.

To my surprise, I had trouble connecting my eSIM on the Android smartphone and the Advanced eSIM still worked while in Hong Kong. This allowed me to enjoy being connected for two more days while exploring Ngong Ping Village and Hong Kong Disneyland.

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A post shared by MJ (@hemjaye)

The next day, I suddenly lost connectivity while on the way to the airport. Luckily, the airport has WiFi and my plane was departing in an hour, so I didn’t have to worry about connecting to the Internet.

I realized later on that I actually consumed the 10GB of mobile data. Still in disbelief that constantly watching on TikTok and Instagram Reels, and uploading videos for my stories took at least a week to fully consume the mobile data plan.

Nevertheless, the experience with Advanced eSIM was so convenient. I think I found the data plan that will help me with my travels, and I’m excited to use it when I travel across Southeast Asia soon.

Should you use Advanced eSIM?

Although both our members had trouble using an Android smartphone with the eSIM, we’re fairly confident these were device-specific things more than Advanced eSIM thing. That said, we will certainly test it and the future and update this article as needed to see if any more issues with Android smartphones persist.

All things considered, using Advanced eSIM was relatively easy and convenient. The cost varies per country, amount of data, and number of days covered. There are plenty to choose from so we’re confident you’ll find a plan that fits your trip’s needs. It’s so reliable that we’ve gone out of our way to recommend it to some of our clients and partners who frequently host overseas trips.

Entertainment

Crash Bandicoot is reportedly getting a Netflix adaptation

Netflix is all about adaptations now.

Published

October 28, 2025

Luigi Leonardo

Netflix’s strategy these days involves turning all our beloved franchise into, arguably, hit-or-miss adaptations. Though Arcane and One Piece are darlings in the adaptation space, there are also a bunch that Netflix had higher hopes for. Still, the success of the previous two titles have caused a wave of adaptation plans for the platform. Now, it’s possible that Crash Bandicoot is joining that list.

According to What’s on Netflix, the platform is quietly working on a series based on the wumpa-munching marsupial. The series is reportedly helmed by WildBrain Studios, a Canadian studio responsible for Sonic Prime, also on Netflix.

Speaking of, the success of the Sonic the Hedgehog films paves the way for an adaptation based on Crash Bandicoot. After all, if one adaptation about an anthropomorphic animal who constantly finds himself against a comical evil genius is a success, then another could be, too.

Crash Bandicoot’s resurgence is arguably dwindling. The Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy, which remasters the first three games, is still the best way to play the series, but it was released all the way back in 2017. In 2020, Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time came out but didn’t make that much of an impact on the series. A fifth entry was eventually cancelled.

However, this isn’t Crash’s first time entering the world of adaptations. The marsupial previously appeared in Skylanders Academy, also on Netflix.

Entertainment

Netflix is adapting Catan into films and shows

Asmodee is involved as well.

Published

October 22, 2025

Luigi Leonardo

Image source: Catan

While video game adaptations are booming, movies based on board games have had a less-than-stellar reputation. For example, 2012’s Battleship and the Jumanji reboots are straddling the edges of watchability. On the bright side, 2023’s Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves slowly opened the possibility of a good movie based on the tabletop experience. Now, Catan and Netflix are taking advantage of the crack opened by Dungeons & Dragons.

In tabletop parlance, Catan is the so-called gateway drug for other board games. It’s the default option for players who want to try something new outside of the boilerplate Monopoly or Cards Against Humanity. The eventual hope is to open the doorway to more complex games in the future.

Today, Netflix announced that it will adapt Catan into a series of films and shows. The platform is partnering with the game’s publisher Asmodee for the projects.

As with all of Netflix’s announcements for future projects, this one doesn’t have a clear storyline yet. To be fair, the world of Catan has its own lore told through expansions and other media. It’s just not a story that’s easily digestible by simply playing the game. And, if someone can make a story — albeit a middling one — out of Battleship, then so can Catan.

Catan, as a media project, will be produced by Asmodee’s Darren Kyman, Catan Studio’s Pete Fenlon, and the creator’s sons, Benjamin and Guido Teuber.

Automotive

Inside the BYD Di-Space Museum

I unearthed my inner science geek at BYD’s first new energy vehicle museum!

Published

October 21, 2025

MJ Jucutan

Going to Zhengzhou felt like slipping into the past version of me. The nerdy, excitable kid who used to memorize science books like bedtime stories. Except, I never looked like a nerd. I had no braces or oversized glasses.

I grew up looking like a himbo (still do, if you ask me), yet my brain has always been wired to understand the language of technology better than most.

So when ACMobility, the distributor of BYD cars in the Philippines, invited me to the BYD Di-Space Museum in Zhengzhou, it felt like a homecoming staged on glossy floors and wheels powered by the future.

It’s BYD’s first national new energy vehicle (NEV) science museum, designed to immerse visitors in the world of clean mobility, design, and technology.

For the first time in my life, I got ridiculously excited about a museum. Me? Geeking out? Maybe I’ve been hiding my true self all along.

First encounters

The museum sits in Zhengzhou’s Erqi District, about 30 minutes by bus from the InterContinental Zhengzhou Zhengdong, where I stayed like a king for nearly a week.

It sprawls across 15,000 square meters, with another 8,500 outside for supporting facilities. It’s divided by four floors, each one like a chapter of a novel about energy and innovation.

The first floor welcomed me with a story: the evolution of transportation energy. From fossil-fueled beginnings to the clean energy of electric vehicles, the narrative unfolded like a history lesson I didn’t want to skip.

Then came the rise of BYD Auto itself, tracing its journey from battery maker to global NEV leader.

Of course, no museum would be complete without a brand culture space. There were plenty of BYD merchandise and accessories to choose from.

And there’s a café where I could buy an Oatmilk Latte with AliPay via my GCash QR code. Though, when I asked Google Translate to decode the Chinese characters, it told me my drink was “poison milk.”

And you know what? Maybe it was right. Oatmilk is my poison, one I’ll gladly sip until my final breath.

The heart of innovation

The second and third floors were the real showstoppers. Here, BYD peeled back the curtain to reveal how design, engineering, and experimentation transform into actual cars.

It’s like watching haute couture get stitched together, except instead of gowns, you get vehicles meant to save the planet.

READ: 4 electric car myths, debunked

Every corner flaunted BYD’s core technologies. First was the Blade Battery. It’s a slim, elongated battery designed not just for power, but for safety. It’s called the Blade because of its shape and also its resilience.

Engineers literally put it through nail penetration tests and crush tests to prove it won’t explode. Although, I already saw this part when I visited the BYD Headquarters in Shenzhen, where the nail penetration test was full-on display.

Then came the E4 Platform. Think of it as BYD’s secret stage for performance. With motors on each wheel, the system allows precise control and hair-raising acceleration, making NEVs not only efficient but exhilarating.

On another side, there was the Yun Nian System. This is where BYD gets poetic. Yun Nian, meaning “cloud chariot,” is a suspension technology that reads the road like it’s fluent in empathy, smoothing out bumps and keeping rides graceful even on unforgiving terrain.

Then, there was the fifth-generation of DM Hybrid Technology. It’s BYD’s latest dual-mode hybrid tech that blends electric power with gasoline efficiency. It’s proof that clean energy doesn’t mean compromise, it just means extending choice and control.

On another wall, you will find the Patent Waterfall, a massive installation housing over 35,000 patents BYD has earned over the years. Yes! Thirty. Five. Thousand. Patents.

More than a museum

The Di-Space Museum isn’t just a shrine to BYD. It’s a stage for the public to fall in love with the future of mobility and to understand clean energy without needing an engineering degree. It’s a way to imagine what a green society could look like.

And here’s the part that got me a little sentimental: I wish we had something like this in Manila. A place where science feels cinematic, and where sustainability is presented not as sacrifice but as lifestyle. I want a place where kids — and grown-up kids like me — can dream.

Because this museum is more than a milestone for China’s NEV industry. It’s a promise. A powerful declaration that the future is electric, and it’s dazzling.

P.S. I filmed a full video tour using my favorite toys: the DJI Osmo Nano, Insta360 X5, and my iPhone 16 Pro. The future is green and it looks even better on screen.