Lifestyle
Traveling with advanced eSIM
Better than local tourist SIM Cards?
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
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.
@gadgetmatch AI, Yoga, and Legion. Everything was in full display at #LenovoInnovate24 #Innovate24 #Lenovo @Lenovo @Lenovo Legion
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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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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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 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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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.
Features
Spotlight: HUAWEI WATCH GT Runner 2 Racing Legend Edition
A marathon coaching system wrapped in the lightest titanium running smartwatch.
@gadgetmatchEliud Kipchoge, the world’s greatest marathon runner, helped design this watch. The HUAWEI WATCH GT Runner 2 Racing Legend Edition is the lightest titanium smartwatch built for runners, featuring the most accurate GPS in its class. It packs an AI-powered marathon coaching system alongside comprehensive health and fitness tracking built right into your wrist. #HUAWEIWATCHGTRunner2RacingLegendEdition HUAWEI Online Store – https://tinyurl.com/479ee4zk Shopee – https://tinyurl.com/yex4dvp9 Lazada – https://tinyurl.com/yu47bktt TikTok – https://tinyurl.com/yxsjsyhw♬ original sound – GadgetMatch
Eliud Kipchoge ran a marathon in under two hours. That’s not a marketing line. It’s one of the most significant feats in the history of human endurance.
So when Huawei says the HUAWEI WATCH GT Runner 2 Racing Legend Edition was designed with his input, that detail deserves more than a passing mention. It shapes what this watch actually is, and more importantly, what it’s trying to do.
The GT Runner 2 isn’t a smartwatch that happens to track runs. It’s a running tool built from the ground up, wrapped in titanium, and finished in a colorway that carries Kipchoge’s energy in its gradient and clean lines.
Lightest titanium watch
The first thing you notice when you put the GT Runner 2 on is how little you notice it.
At 43.5 grams for the watch body, it’s Huawei’s lightest metal running watch to date. For reference, that’s roughly the weight of a small packet of sugar.
On paper that sounds like a marketing metric. On a long run, it’s the kind of thing you actually feel — or more accurately, the kind of thing you stop feeling, which is the point.
The case is aerospace-grade titanium alloy, the same material used in aircraft construction. It’s strong without adding bulk, and at 10.7mm thick, it slides under a long sleeve without a second thought.
The display is a 1.43-inch AMOLED panel with 3,000 nits of peak brightness, enough to read clearly under direct sunlight mid-run, which is where it needs to perform.
The Racing Legend Edition colorway is the visual anchor of the whole package. It doesn’t read as a sports watch in the traditional chunky sense.
The strap situation is thoughtful, too. The in-box AirDry woven strap is designed to breathe.
There’s also a Fluororubber quick-release strap included for race days when you want something more locked in against your wrist.
Accurate GPS
This is the centerpiece of the GT Runner 2, and Huawei has invested the most engineering effort here.
To understand why the GPS on this watch is different, you need to understand a basic problem with how most GPS watches work.
Satellites broadcast signals in a circular, spiral pattern. Most smartwatches are built to receive signals linearly, meaning they’re only catching part of what’s being sent. The result is data loss, and data loss means inaccurate tracking.
The GT Runner 2 addresses this at the hardware level with what Huawei calls a 3D Floating Antenna Architecture. The titanium bezel and metal middle frame of the watch itself function as external receivers, which expands the antenna surface area significantly.
More of the watch is actively listening for satellite signals, which means it captures more of those spiral broadcasts. Huawei positions this as a 50% improvement in antenna performance.
Then there’s the software layer, which is arguably more interesting for anyone running in an urban environment.
Anyone who’s tracked a city run knows the problem: you go under an overpass, cut through a tunnel, or run between towers, and your GPS trace goes straight. The watch gives up and draws a line where your route should be.
The GT Runner 2 has an AI system — Huawei calls it the XDR Inertial Navigation AI Algorithm — that fills that gap intelligently.
It learns your movement patterns: your stride length, your arm swing, your pace. When satellite signal drops out, it uses that accumulated knowledge to estimate your route accurately. When the signal returns, it stitches the two together seamlessly.
Marathon mode
The Marathon Mode on the GT Runner 2 was co-developed with Eliud Kipchoge’s team. That partnership matters because it means the feature set was shaped by people who actually race at the highest level, not just engineers working from data.
The system covers the full race cycle. Before your event, the watch builds you a personalized training plan and tracks your lactate threshold in real time, the point at which your body starts accumulating fatigue faster than it can clear it.
Knowing where that threshold sits is how serious runners train in the right zones and avoid hitting the wall during a race. The GT Runner 2 brings that metric to your wrist without requiring a lab visit or a coach.
During a race, the pace guidance isn’t a static target you set and follow. It adjusts in real time based on how you’re actually performing. The watch also sends smart refueling alerts — not based on a generic timer, but on your personal health data and international nutrition guidelines. So when it tells you to eat or drink, it’s working from your numbers, not a one-size-fits-all schedule.
After the race, it gives you dynamic recovery guidance and exports your full session automatically to Strava and Komoot.
Health tracking that actually goes beyond the basics
The GT Runner 2 tracks your health around the clock, and a few of its features stand apart from what most smartwatches offer.
Heart rate accuracy is rated at 98%. For a wrist-worn device, that’s a serious number. The watch achieves this through Huawei’s TruSense system, which uses an upgraded NPU and advanced algorithms to pull more precise readings from the sensor.
The ECG monitoring is CE-certified, which means it meets the regulatory standard for detecting early signs of irregular heart rhythms.
More importantly, the GT Runner 2 does this in the background — passively, while you’re awake or asleep — without requiring you to manually activate a check.
Sleep tracking includes breathing awareness to flag potential signs of sleep apnea.
HRV — heart rate variability, one of the most reliable indicators of how recovered your body actually is — gets tracked across 24 hours.
There’s also a stress and emotional wellbeing tracker that categorizes your state in real time. When you’re deep in a training block and everything feels harder than it should, this is the kind of data that tells you something concrete rather than just confirming that you’re tired.
Battery life that doesn’t ask you to compromise
Running watches live or die by their battery, and the GT Runner 2 doesn’t disappoint here.
Continuous GPS tracking lasts 32 hours. To put that in running terms, that’s enough to cover five to six full marathons without stopping to charge. Enable Trail Run mode and that extends to 35 hours. Under normal daily use, you’re looking at up to 14 days on a single charge. When it does need power, it charges wirelessly.
Storage comes in at 64GB, which holds thousands of offline songs and heavy map data simultaneously. You can leave your phone behind on a long run and still have music and navigation on your wrist. It works with both Android and iOS, and syncs automatically to Strava and Komoot after every session.
For users in the Philippines, there’s one more practical addition worth calling out: GCash Watch Pay. You can pay at any GCash QR terminal directly from your wrist. For anyone who stops mid-run to refuel, this removes the friction of digging through a bag or pocket to complete a transaction.
Is the HUAWEI WATCH GT Runner 2 Racing Legend Edition your GadgetMatch?
The HUAWEI WATCH GT Runner 2 Racing Legend Edition was built around one clear premise: give runners access to the kind of data and guidance that previously lived inside expensive coaching programs and professional setups, and put it on a wrist that doesn’t feel like it’s carrying anything.
The titanium build, the GPS architecture, the Marathon Mode co-developed with the world’s greatest marathon runner — none of these are incidental features. They’re the point. And the way the watch surfaces all of that information keeps it accessible.
Every purchase comes with a complimentary three-month HUAWEI Health+ membership, which unlocks professional coaching videos, custom sleep music, and personalized nutrition and training plans.
The HUAWEI WATCH GT Runner 2 is available at HUAWEI Experience Stores nationwide, the HUAWEI Online Store, and Huawei’s official stores on Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok Shop.
Purchases made from June 30 onwards come with an exclusive bundle worth up to PhP 11,384 — including a free fluoroelastomer strap, a free pair of HUAWEI FreeArc earphones (on a first-come, first-served basis), the three-month Health+ membership, and a two-year warranty with accidental damage protection.
There’s also a PhP 2,000 trade-in token for buyers coming from an older device.
This feature is a collaboration between GadgetMatch and Huawei Philippines.
Entertainment
Crunchyroll: Sports anime to watch during the FIFA World Cup
Get pumped up even during World Cup downtime
The FIFA World Cup has officially taken over the planet, causing chronic sleep deprivation, spontaneous living-room screaming matches, and an sudden urge to wear jerseys to formal events.
But what are you supposed to do during those agonizing hours between match kick-offs? Stare at a blank TV screen? Absolutely not.
While the world’s best footballers battle it out on the pitch, Crunchyroll has a bench full of elite sports anime ready to keep your adrenaline levels dangerously high.
From ego-driven strikers to lightning-fast running backs, grab your snacks and settle in for a marathon of victories, setbacks, and comebacks worthy of the world stage.
Who knows, it might inspire you to begin your sports journey too.
BLUE LOCK
Following a disappointing World Cup exit, the Japanese Football Association decides they’ve had enough of “teamwork” and launches a brutal, hyper-isolated training camp called Blue Lock.
The goal? Throw 300 of the country’s best high school forwards into a cutthroat battle royale to breed the ultimate, entirely selfish, world-class striker.
Only one will survive to lead Japan to glory.
Haikyu!!
Shoyo Hinata is pint-sized but possesses an insane vertical leap. After his middle school team gets absolutely demolished by the genius “King of the Court” Tobio Kageyama, Hinata vows revenge.
He enrolls at Karasuno High School to finally crush his rival, only to walk into the gym and find out Kageyama just enrolled there, too.
Now, the sworn enemies have to weaponize their freakish chemistry to bring a fallen powerhouse school back to the national stage.
Shoot! Goal to the Future
Kakegawa High School used to be a legendary name in high school soccer. But these days, the team is a shell of its former self.
Enter Atsushi Kamiya, a former Kakegawa captain turned international soccer star, who returns to coach the struggling squad.
His biggest hurdle? Hideto Tsuji, a profoundly talented player who has completely given up on the sport.
It’s a race against the clock to spark the team’s passion before the whistle blows on their season.
Kuroko’s Basketball
Seirin High just recruited Taiga Kagami, a powerhouse player fresh out of America, alongside Tetsuya Kuroko, a boy so aggressively ordinary he practically blends into the background.
Kagami is horrified to find out Kuroko is terrible at shooting and dribbling until he sees him play. Kuroko’s utter lack of presence allows him to act as an invisible passing ghost, revealing himself as the secret “Sixth Man” of the legendary Middle School Generation of Miracles.
Together, they aim to take down Kuroko’s former teammates one by one.
Eyeshield 21
Sena Kobayakawa is a timid kid who has spent his entire life running away from bullies. Decades of acting as an errand boy have accidentally gifted him with superhuman speed and an uncanny ability to navigate tight spaces.
When the terrifying, submachine-gun-toting captain of the school’s American football team spots Sena’s agility, he forcefully drafts him into the squad.
To hide his identity from rival schools, Sena is forced to don a tinted visor and take the gridiron under the legendary alias: “Eyeshield 21.”
Yuri!!! on ICE
After a crushing, rock-bottom defeat at the Grand Prix Final, Japan’s top figure skater, Yuri Katsuki, heads home with zero confidence and every intention of retiring.
His career seems entirely iced over until a video of him mimicking a routine goes viral, catching the eye of five-time reigning world champion Victor Nikiforov.
In a shocking move, Victor flies to Japan and offers to become Yuri’s coach, sparking a beautiful, high-stakes journey back to the world stage.
MF GHOST
It’s the 202X decade, and Japan has fully embraced self-driving electric vehicles. Traditional cars are all but extinct.
However, internal combustion gets a roaring second life thanks to MFG, a dangerous street-racing circuit held on public motorways.
Kanata Rivington, a brilliant 19-year-old trained by a legendary racer in the UK, arrives in Japan to compete in the MFG with a humble Toyota 86. In the process, he tracks down clues about his missing father.
Her GadgetMatch
TECNO and Angélica Dass team up for a global portrait project
Dass aims to photograph 100 people across five countries using the TECNO CAMON 50 Ultra
TECNO has partnered with Brazilian photographer Angélica Dass in launching “100 Portraits of Becoming.”
It is a two-year global initiative that explores identity, representation, and how AI sees people.
The project officially kicked off in Nairobi, Kenya — where Dass began photographing participants using the latest TECNO CAMON 50 Ultra.
Who’s Angélica Dass?
Angélica Dass is best known for exploring identity and self-expression through portrait photography.
Her award-winning “Humanæ” project challenged conventional ideas of race and skin color by highlighting the diversity of human skin tones.
ICYMI, Dass and her project gained much recognition from:
- TED
- World Economic Forum
- UNESCO
- American Museum of Natural History
- Vogue
- National Geographic
Portraits beyond appearances
With this portrait project, Dass teams up with TECNO to photograph 100 people across five countries.
Rather than simply documenting faces, 100 Portraits of Becoming aims to tell the stories behind each participant. Every portrait is paired with a personal narrative about growth, identity, and life experiences. Creating what TECNO calls a “Living Archive.”
Participants are photographed in natural light, without filters, and while wearing clothing of their own choice to better reflect their authentic selves.
The collaboration also explores how AI can go beyond simply recognizing faces. Asking instead how technology can better reflect the complexity of human identity and give people more control over how they choose to be seen.
Powered by TECNO’s Universal Tone imaging
All portraits are shot using the TECNO CAMON 50 Ultra, which features the company’s Universal Tone imaging technology.
Introduced in 2023, Universal Tone is designed to improve how smartphone cameras capture different skin tones. According to TECNO, the system is built on a database covering hundreds of skin tone samples, allowing photos to produce more natural and accurate results across a wider range of complexions.
The company says the technology aligns with the project’s goal of promoting more authentic and inclusive representation in photography, especially as AI-powered imaging becomes increasingly common nowadays.
From Kenya to the world
As previously mentioned, Kenya serves as the project’s first stop. With TECNO citing the country’s growing technology ecosystem and young population as reasons for beginning there.
Over the next two years, the initiative will travel to the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, and Brazil. The first collection of portraits and stories expected to go live online in August.
As of writing, TECNO is currently accepting participants from the Philippines where Dass is expected to take part from August 16 until August 22, 2026.
Through 100 Portraits of Becoming, TECNO hopes to spark conversations around identity, diversity, and how technology can better reflect the people it captures—not just visually, but through their stories as well.
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