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
HUAWEI’s 4-in-1 flagship tablet, HUAWEI MatePad Pro Max: Pre-order now to enjoy P39,595 worth of freebies
7:11 a.m. August 18, 2026
As the no. 1 tablet brand in the Philippines, HUAWEI empowers Filipino creators and professionals with the launch of the HUAWEI MatePad Pro Max. Users nationwide can pre-order the thinnest, lightest 13-inch+, PC-level productivity tablet and secure massive premium freebies until August 19.
The HUAWEI MatePad Pro Max minimizes limits so users can define every moment of mobile productivity and artistic creation. It brings together top-tier industrial design, an immersive display, and AI assistant capabilities to push the boundaries of what large-screen tablets can achieve.
4-in-1 PC-Level Portability and AI-Powered Productivity
The HUAWEI MatePad Pro Max delivers the ultimate 4-in-1 PC-like experience, designed to adapt effortlessly to everyday situations across work, entertainment, study, and creative pursuits. It simplifies daily tasks with the upgraded PC-Level WPS Office and the new WPS AI suite, which intelligently suggests topics, refines text, and extracts key points to create presentations. The software also uses real-time multi-device collaboration, allowing teams to edit and sync files instantly using shared links and multi-level permissions.
Showcasing top-tier portable industrial design, the HUAWEI MatePad Pro Max features the HUAWEI Cloud Falcon Architecture integrated into a full-metal unibody. This structure enables an ultra-slim profile at just 4.7 mm, while keeping the device ultra-light at just 499 g. The tablet is designed to improve overall bending resistance by 60%, earning it the industry’s first TÜV Rheinland Ultra-Thin Bending Resistance Certification. Performance is driven by a 10,400 mAh battery that delivers up to 14.5 hours of video playback, alongside the 40 W reverse SuperCharge and Live Multitask features that can run three apps simultaneously.
Complementing this is the 439 g high-strength alloy HUAWEI Glide Keyboard that folds and connects to the tablet like a laptop. Designed with a magnetic flexible hinge, the keyboard opens effortlessly in a single motion, while an integrated hidden slot stores and charges the stylus. It also features second-generation keycaps with three times greater resistance against wear and stains.
The HUAWEI MatePad Pro Max is available in a sleek Blue variant that draws inspiration from the interplay of light on sunlit water. Its luminous finish uses a nano-scale coating that creates dynamic, rippled visual effects across the metallic surface. The exclusive PaperMatte Edition weighs 509 g, making it the thinnest and lightest 13-inch+ tablet available.
Eye-Comforting, Immersive, and Flexible PaperMatte Display
The HUAWEI MatePad Pro Max features a 13.2-inch 3K flexible OLED display with a peak brightness of 1,600 nits, maintaining clarity under bright lighting. The screen supports a 144 Hz refresh rate that renders fast motion and accurate colors smoothly. The exclusive PaperMatte Edition applies a nano-level etching process that improves clarity by 20%, earning it the TÜV Rheinland Full Care Display 5.0 Certification. To maximize the viewing area, the tablet’s top-tier industrial design has a 94% screen-to-body ratio and narrow 3.55 mm bezels.
TECHNOLOGY
Sophos announces partnership with OpenAI to bring Frontier AI to the Channel
9:19 a.m. August 14, 2026
Sophos, a global cybersecurity leader, announced a partnership with OpenAI to bring OpenAI frontier models to managed service providers (MSPs) through Sophos Fusion, the industry’s most complete AI-native Cybersecurity Defense System.
Through this partnership, Sophos intends to give partners a new way to deliver frontier AI security as one connected defense system, and to build recurring services on top of it.
Sophos Fusion is built on a single, open architecture where every control point operates as one, whether native to Sophos or a third-party integration. The partnership will extend that open model, with a focus on bringing OpenAI frontier models into a cyber defense system that already connects endpoint, network, email, cloud, identity, and security operations, and compounds intelligence from every threat it encounters. For MSPs, that means frontier AI arrives inside the defense system they already run, not as another tool to wire in themselves.
In addition to applying frontier AI to strengthen defense, Sophos is also defending the AI that organizations increasingly adopt. Through Sophos AI Defense, available for early access in August 2026, Sophos gives organizations visibility into how AI and shadow AI is used across their environment, enforces policy on that usage, and helps govern how sensitive data is used across AI models and tools. Sophos intends to expand this protection with OpenAI, securing the AI workloads, data, and usage that organizations increasingly depend on as part of one connected defense system.
The partnership builds on an established relationship between Sophos and OpenAI through the OpenAI Daybreak Cyber Partner Program. Through Daybreak, OpenAI works with leading cybersecurity companies to develop practical, governed solutions for defenders, building new workflows, integrating frontier capabilities, and helping security teams identify, validate and remediate threats faster. This partnership deepens that work with a dedicated focus on the MSPs that deliver security to organizations worldwide, and reflects Sophos’ commitment to an open architecture that brings best-of-breed technologies into one defense system.
“Frontier AI only protects organizations at scale when you have the architecture to operationalize it and the reach to deliver it,” said John Peterson, chief technology officer, Sophos. “Sophos Fusion will give OpenAI models a defense system to work inside: connected control points, shared context, and human accountability. Our channel gives them reach through a global network of more than 25,000 partners, including over 7,000 MSPs. For those partners, it opens a new class of AI security services to build a business on. That is how frontier AI reaches the organizations that need it most.”
MSPs are uniquely positioned to turn frontier cyber capabilities into practical security outcomes because they understand their customers’ environments and already operate the workflows organizations rely on. Sophos Fusion supports that work by connecting endpoint, network, email, cloud, identity and security operations in one coordinated defense system. By pairing that foundation with OpenAI’s frontier capabilities, Sophos plans to help approved partners enhance detection, investigation, and response and develop new services tailored to their customers’ needs.
TECHNOLOGY
TECNO MEGAPAD 2 Launches in PH: An 11-inch 2.5K Eye-Care AI tablet for learning and productivity
12:57 p.m. August 2, 2026
TECNO, an AI-powered innovative technology brand, announced today the official launch of the TECNO MEGAPAD 2 in the Philippines. Unveiled globally at MWC 2026, the new tablet combines an 11-inch 2.5K eye-care display, practical AI tools, seamless cross-device connectivity, and a slim metal design in one versatile device.
Designed as a tablet that users can start learning and working on immediately after bringing it home, MEGAPAD 2 delivers an out-of-the-box experience without requiring separately purchased accessories. Its thin and lightweight design, internet connectivity, typing capability, and intelligent productivity features help students and young users turn fragmented moments into meaningful study and task-completion time.
Every MEGAPAD 2 purchase in the Philippines comes with one free Bluetooth keyboard, making it ready for learning, note-taking, content creation, and everyday productivity from day one.
Eye-Care Display in Slim Design
TECNO MEGAPAD 2 features an 11-inch 2.5K display with a 90Hz refresh rate and has obtained TÜV Rheinland Flicker-Free and Low Blue Light certification. It delivers clear visuals and eye comfort for long study sessions, reading, and entertainment. Packaged in a 6.6mm ultra-slim body, it is lightweight, easy to grip, and highly portable.
AI for Smarter Learning and Daily Convenience
For learning and education, the study hub in MEGAPAD 2 is designed to support different study needs across ages and scenarios. Children can explore LearnUp Massive Free Learning Resources, gaining access to a wide range of educational and interest-based content. Meanwhile, parents can customize parental controls that help create a safer online environment for children. When students encounter difficult questions, Photo-based Problem Solving can identify problems and encourage their independent thinking.
In everyday life, MEGAPAD 2 serves as a smart companion for multiple uses. With AI SnapMemo & MindHub, users can quickly capture and organize useful information into a personalized knowledge hub. AI Drawing Board turns simple sketches into vivid images, bringing ideas to life instantly. For entertainment, AI Captions provide clear subtitle support across apps, helping users enjoy content in different languages. With AI Translation, users can translate photos, selected text, social media content, and face-to-face conversations in up to 160 languages.
Seamless Connectivity and Collaboration
As the first tablet launched following the update of TECNO’s OneLeap platform, MEGAPAD 2 can easily connect with other products in TECNO ecosystem by drag-and-drop or one-tap pairing. MEGAPAD 2 supports file sharing, photo sharing, and triple-screen collaboration among TECNO smartphones, laptops, and the tablet. It can also connect to a TECNO smartphone or laptop as an extended screen for a larger workspace. When paired with a smartphone, phone calls, messages, and notifications can be synced to the tablet, allowing users to answer calls directly without reaching for the phone.
Reliable Performance
In terms of performance, TECNO MEGAPAD 2 is powered by a MediaTek Helio 8-Core Processor, delivering an excellent balance between power and efficiency. Available with 12GB (6GB+6GB) or 16GB (8GB+8GB) of RAM and 128GB or 256GB of storage, it also supports microSD expansion up to 2TB. Running HiOS 16, MEGAPAD 2 delivers a smarter interface and a responsive experience for everyday applications and multitasking, while also offering comprehensive protection for privacy, account security, and safer payments.
Puregold marks 28 years of retail growth, gives back to loyal customers
Paolo and Miguel from Ben&Ben join Toyota Motor Asia’s ‘Move Your World Beat’ Campaign, bringing Filipino Music to a regional stage
BFAR co-hosts SAFET 2026 as 370 delegates from 28 countries convene in Cebu
