TECHNOLOGY
How smart homes are changing our lives
By Chris Connell, Managing Director for Asia Pacific at Kaspersky
Smart home technologies have long ceased to be something new or surprising. Today, the idea of smart home appliances or switches isn’t from a cyberpunk scene, but rather an actively emerging reality.
For example, the report from Berg Insight revealed that the number of smart homes in Europe and North America reached 102.6 million in 2020.
What was once a collection of single and separate devices, smart homes are turning into fully-fledged smart systems that can supply coffee on time, adjust the temperature, and monitor the security of your house while you are away. All of this is possible thanks to the digitalization of an increasing number of devices. Kaspersky has developed a list of the most interesting benefits which the modern smart home can provide to become a fully-fledged personal assistant or protector.
Safety
Smart home technology can take the safety of your home to the next level. And we aren’t just talking about alarms. Modern cameras, motion sensors, and even smart door locks will help turn your home into a real fortress, and immediately send a message to your smartphone if something happens.
One of the most obvious examples is the installation of a home video surveillance system connected to the internet. Such cameras will work 24/7 and allow owners to look at what is happening anywhere in the house through an app on a smartphone. Sometimes such cameras have a motion sensor – if a camera sees something moving (be it a cat, a dog, or an intruder) it records the file and sends it to the server. Your device then receives a notification so that you can react as quickly as possible and perhaps prevent your property from being broken into.
The smart home has also made it possible to reinvent door locks. In order to secure your home as much as possible, the easiest option is to stop intruders from being able to get through the door. However, modern locks have moved on from being just a mechanism. Today, they can do much more than just prevent intruders from getting inside. For example, they can send you a notification when someone walks in and out, or create access codes for you or those who work in your home (nanny, housekeeper, gardener, etc.).
All of these solutions can turn your house into a high-tech home, but even smart defenses need protection. To ensure your defender has a shield, solutions have been created that help protects not only individual devices from being hacked but the entire IoT ecosystem.
Peace of mind
There are always numerous small things to worry about around the house – have I turned off the iron or closed the door? Who will water the flowers while I am on vacation? Even a small doubt is enough to ruin an evening out with friends or a short vacation with a loved one.
Smart devices can provide much-needed reassurance in such situations. Smart water leak detectors, for example, which react to contact with water, can help you to stay calm and relaxed. Sensors can be installed next to batteries, pipes in the bathroom and in the kitchen. The devices are not only able to monitor the water level, but also determine the level of humidity in the room: if you are suddenly flooded from above, you will know immediately even if you are not at home.
The same situation is true with smart smoke detectors, which can warn of danger before it is too late. If wiring suddenly lights up in the house or an open fire remains burning, the sensor will immediately react.
Another important assistant – a smart socket – will also warn you if you forgot to turn off the iron whilst in a rush. Seeing the notification on your smartphone, you can remotely disconnect the device from the power no matter where you are.
Comfort
The time has finally come when you can allow yourself to truly relax and leave some of your household duties in the hands of technology. By automating some types of furniture, we can take comfort and health care to a new level.
For example, Eight Sleep has developed a bed equipped with sensors capable of monitoring the user’s sleep quality based on 15 parameters, including the duration of REM and deep sleep phases, and heart rate patterns. This allows you to choose the optimal time for going to bed and waking up.
A smart bed will gently wake up the owner, catching the moment when the body is ready to rise, and create a pleasant morning environment, for example, turn on calm music or a light vibration, turn on the light or start the coffee machine via voice command.
Besides sleep comfort, a smart home can also make cooking much easier, enjoyable and fun. For example, the EYWA Kitchen Smart Screen is a small panel, no larger than a standard wall cabinet door. It easily fits into any kitchen, making it an indispensable helper. It can:
⦁ Find recipes for dishes online;
⦁ Make a list of required ingredients;
⦁ Independently purchase them online;
⦁ Order delivery at a specified time;
⦁ Turn on household appliances and set timers;
⦁ Distract children with a cartoon;
In order to safely use such smart solutions which are integrated into your daily activities (including cooking, shopping, choosing content), you need to ensure the safety of the devices themselves. Otherwise, attackers could get into your home network and gain access to personal data through convenient smart boards or switches.
The first and simplest step may be to change the default device password to a more complex one – but resist the temptation to copy the password from other accounts. If you have lots of devices and are finding it difficult to remember all the passwords, you can use a special solution to protect the ecosystem of the smart home. This will not only keep passwords safe, but also warn you if the password has already been compromised.
Pet help
In addition to caring for the safety and comfort of home owners, the IoT market seeks to make life easier and better for pets. According to research, the size of the PetTech market in the United States has reached $5.5 billion – this includes connected collars, smart doors, feeders, fences, toys etc.
Some of the most popular smart pet devices are for drinks and feeders. They help to not only control nutrition and prevent overeating, but also allow you to leave pets for a while at home alone, without worrying that your cat is hungry or has knocked over a bowl of water. Of course, in some extreme situations cats can also turn on survival mode – for example, a cat was recently discovered eating cardboard and drinking from a leaking tap for 52 days. However, no owner would like to repeat this scenario for their pet.
If everything is covered with feeding and drinking, what else can manufacturers of smart devices develop to support pet care? How about chatting with your dog?
Start-up FluentPet, has come up with a device for human-dog communication. The device is a panel with buttons labeled with different symbols. With its help, the company seeks to test the hypothesis that animals can express their emotions and desires by clicking on pictures.
Another example is smart animal houses which are designed to improve comfort for pets. They are equipped with intelligent temperature control and environmental sensors that regulate the temperature inside depending on the number of degrees outside. In addition, the houses can monitor the health of the animal, tracking and recording pet activity and sleep data. All of this information can be read from the app in the smartphone in order to timely monitor the health of your pet.
Eco-friendly living
Besides comfort and safety, smart home technologies help make our lives more environmentally friendly by using resources more smartly – for example, using water and electricity in a more rational way.
For example, sensors can turn lights on and off in a room, depending on whether there are people there or not. Another option is smart heating, which will allow you to maintain certain microclimate parameters in each room. For example, if everyone leaves for school and work in the morning, the system can reduce energy consumption and increase it later in the day when everyone is back.
However, in addition to controlling energy consumption, modern smart homes are also able to produce energy. For this, systems for the production of alternative energy are built in – such as solar panels, wind turbines or geothermal installations.
Depending on the location of the building, in some cases, even the energy of water – currents or tides – can be used. As a result, the smart home control center can not only control energy consumption but also monitor its production, as well as rational distribution.
Modern smart homes built from scratch include energy-saving technologies. Heat leakage and CO2 emissions from such buildings are minimal. Smart walls, roofs, and other building elements can inform the owner about their problems: the appearance of moisture or heat leaks. This allows you to promptly correct the defect that has appeared.
In general, the market for smart devices is actively growing and manufacturers of such systems are striving to digitize more and more elements of the house. This not only improves safety and comfort but also benefits the environment. As a result, smart homes are being transformed from a cluster of single, simple devices into true multi-layered digital ecosystems, which also require an appropriate level of protection.
TECHNOLOGY
Never miss a beat: Why you need a failsafe internet backup at home
6:02 p.m. June 7, 2025
Imagine you’re on an important work call while your kids are researching online for a school project when suddenly, the connection drops. Your co-workers’ video freezes, and you hear your kids complaining about the internet. At this point, there is nothing you can do but wait for the connection to be fixed. If you don’t want to be caught in this situation, having a reliable backup is a must. And if you need more reasons why your home needs an “always-on” connection, here are three big ones.
1. Keep Your Productivity on Track
Today, we rely on the internet for almost everything, including our livelihoods. If you work from home, you know that a stable internet connection is non-negotiable. You can’t afford to miss online meetings and important emails or be offline during work hours.
And it’s not just you. If your kids are still studying, they need a reliable connection to finish their schoolwork. We can’t have them scrambling for a hotspot, especially at night. A failsafe backup, like a secondary LTE connection, ensures that everyone stays online by kicking in automatically when your primary line fails. It may not be as fast as your primary connection, but it will keep you connected. This brings us to the second reason…
2. Stay Connected, Especially During Emergencies
We live in an era where being connected is more important than ever—especially during emergencies. Need to contact emergency services? Attending a Telehealth appointment soon? Checking in on a loved one at the hospital for updates? Noticing unusual behavior in your pet and need to research symptoms online? Away from home and want to check your security cameras?
A primary connection with a reliable backup ensures that you’re always online when it matters the most. No need to worry about internet outages when you need access to crucial information or services.
3. Keep the Fun Going
After a long day, you deserve to unwind without frustration. A failsafe setup means that even during an outage, your household can still stream movies, play games, or stay in touch with family and friends.
While productivity and connectivity are top priorities, uninterrupted entertainment ensures that you can relax with confidence. It’s not just about fun—it’s about knowing that your downtime won’t be derailed.
Stay Connected with PLDT Home Always On
A failsafe internet backup isn’t just about avoiding headaches—it’s about being ready for anything. PLDT Home Always On features a built-in backup LTE that activates automatically when Fiber service becomes unavailable due to unexpected fiber cuts. These could be caused by events like cable theft or damage from road digging, tree trimming, extreme weather, and even rodent chewing. It also comes with a new WiFi 6 modem that supports up to 1Gbps on Fiber and UNLI LTE. Plus, it automatically notifies the repair team and creates a service repair ticket for you after 15 minutes.
With this kind of system, you’re future-proofing your home for a more productive, connected, and stress-free life. Don’t wait for the next outage to realize how much you need it. Get PLDT Home Always On today and stay online when it matters most.
TECHNOLOGY
Next generation of LG AI TVs is here
7:11 p.m. June 6, 2025
The next evolution in home entertainment is here. Continuing its 12-year legacy of OLED innovation, LG Electronics introduces its 2025 TV lineup, packed with powerful AI, immersive displays, and smart features designed to fit your lifestyle.
With next-level AI performance, intuitive controls, advanced display technology, and a refined user interface powered by enhanced processing, LG’s latest TVs deliver a major leap forward in performance, personalization, and everyday convenience.
Leading the Way in Display Technology: OLED evo and QNED evo
Marking 12 years of OLED excellence, LG continues to raise the bar in home entertainment with its 2025 OLED TV lineup. The latest LG OLED AI B5 delivers lifelike colors and richer hues for a more natural viewing experience, while the LG OLED evo AI C5 enhances brightness with its new Brightness Booster for clearer, more vibrant scenes. At the top of the range, the LG OLED evo AI G5 offers exceptional clarity and immersive visuals in a sleek, premium design—perfect for any modern space.
Pushing boundaries beyond OLED, the LG QNED evo AI impresses with Dynamic QNED Color that brings every scene to life. With a new 100” screen size option, ultra-slim design, and advanced color technology, LG’s QNED evo series redefines what’s possible for these TVs.
Smarter Performance with α-Series AI Processors
LG’s 2025 TVs are powered by the latest lineup of α-series AI processors: α11 AI Processor Gen2, α9 AI Processor Gen8, and α8 AI Processor Gen2, each designed to deliver a smarter, more immersive viewing experience. The α11 AI Processor Gen2 brings the most powerful performance for fast-paced content and premium entertainment. The α9 AI Processor Gen8 delivers incredibly clear and lifelike picture quality. The α8 AI Processor Gen2 ensures smooth and reliable everyday viewing.
With intelligent upscaling, adaptive sound, and content recommendations, LG’s AI processors help create a viewing experience that feels effortless, personal, and elevated.
A Viewing Experience Designed for You
LG’s 2025 OLED TV models learn and adapt to you. With a simple press of the AI button, the screen greets you with a personalized welcome and suggests relevant keywords based on your habits and environment. These TVs enable real-time learning, voice recognition, and accurate content recommendations that evolve over time.
The new Voice ID feature enhances personalization by instantly recognizing individual users without the need for manual profile switching. Just say, “Show me action movies,” and the TV curates content tailored to your viewing preferences. With support for user profiles, customizable Quick Cards, app prioritization, and the intuitive AI Concierge, LG’s 2025 lineup transforms the home screen into a smart, dynamic space that responds to your lifestyle.
Next-Level Picture and Sound, Powered by AI
Elevate your viewing experience with LG’s AI Picture Pro technology that maps each scene in three dimensions, fine-tuning contrast and detail for incredibly lifelike visuals. At the same time, LG’s AI Sound Pro adapts audio in real time, surrounding you with rich, immersive sound that makes every moment feel cinematic.
Remote Control, Reinvented for You
The AI Magic Remote, redesigned for your smart life, comes standard with the 2025 LG OLED lineup. The AI button has been moved front and center for easier access, replacing the previous mic button. Meanwhile, the new Home button replaces the usual Input button, providing quick access to the Home Hub for effortless management of all your connected devices.
Refreshed in design, the remote retains the familiar point, click, and scroll functions, making navigation simple and smooth. Engineered to unify your smart ecosystem, the AI Magic Remote streamlines control across all your devices.
Troubleshooting Made Easy
With LG’s built-in AI Chatbot, assistance is always at your fingertips. First introduced in 2024 and now even smarter, it can easily distinguish between content requests and technical issues. Just long-press the AI button and describe a problem such as “My TV turns on by itself,” and the system quickly scans relevant settings to provide real-time troubleshooting tips, making solutions effortless and quick.
LG’s latest OLED TVs don’t just innovate—they connect with you on a whole new level. With smart technology that adapts to your preferences, every moment at home becomes more immersive, intuitive, and truly yours. Designed to inspire optimism, these TVs help you appreciate the good in today while opening doors to tomorrow’s possibilities through meaningful, connected experiences, because life’s good when your TV feels like it knows you.
Life isn’t just about having the latest technology—it’s about the meaningful experiences it creates and the impact it brings to our everyday lives. Discover more at www.lg.com/ph/tv-soundbars/ and stay connected by following LG Philippines (@lgphilippines) on www.facebook.com/LGPhilippines/, www.instagram.com/lgphilippines/ and www.tiktok.com/@lgphilippines.
TECHNOLOGY
Equinix completes acquisition to bolster digital innovation in the Philippines
8:11 p.m. June 3, 2025
Equinix, Inc. (Nasdaq: EQIX), the world’s digital infrastructure company®, recently announced the completion of the acquisition of three data centers in Manila, the Philippines, from Total Information Management (“TIM”), a leading technology solutions provider.
In 2024, the Philippines’ digital economy reached US$45 billion (PhP 2.5 trillion), accounting for 8.5% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product.[1] This encompasses a wide range of digital transactions, including digital-enabling infrastructure, e-commerce, and digital media/content. The growing digital population, advancements in cloud development, and government initiatives—such as the National Broadband Plan and the Digital Philippines Campaign—are also accelerating the nation’s demand for high-performance digital infrastructure and advanced technology like AI.
Equinix hosts more than 2,000 networks globally and has a nearly 40% market share of the on-ramps to the major cloud service providers in the markets in which it operates. These newly acquired data centers also host leading network service providers with four of the main internet exchanges (IXs) in Manila. This robust network ecosystem offers a wide array of connectivity options for businesses that have a presence in the Philippines. With strategic partnerships with AI industry leaders like NVIDIA and HPE, Equinix’s entry into the Philippines will empower local organizations to connect with more than 10,000 companies within Equinix’s extensive global ecosystems, addressing growing demands for digital infrastructure and fostering AI innovation within the nation.
ASEAN has emerged as a premier destination for global businesses, drawing unprecedented foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows of US$230 billion in 2023, despite a 10% decline in global FDI.[2] With a robust data center network spanning Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore, Equinix’s facilities in the Philippines will provide global customers and partners the opportunity to build their digital infrastructure in this vibrant market and throughout the wider region.
Cyrus Adaggra, President, Asia-Pacific, Equinix, said: “This expansion is instrumental in fostering interconnection, enabling our customers and partners to scale seamlessly and securely within one of the region’s most dynamic digital economies. By broadening our footprint in the Southeast Asia region, we are not only expanding our digital platform but also supporting the development of cutting-edge AI services and technology, aligning with the governments’ digital ambitions. This move reaffirms our commitment to empowering Philippines with innovative, world-class infrastructure to thrive in an increasingly interconnected world.”
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