Cebuana Lhuillier has made their pawning service available online to ensure safer transactions

You can now pawn at the comfort of your home as Cebuana Lhuillier launches Cebuana From Home (CFH).

In the past year, we’ve seen how businesses have switched to digital platforms due to the community quarantine. Many have come up with innovative ways to ensure that they are able to provide their basic services to people at home. One of them is Cebuana Lhuillier, which is one of the most accessible pawnshops in the country with 2,500 branches nationwide. 

To further make themselves more accessible, they launched Cebuana From Home (CFH), a platform that gives clients 360-degree access to Cebuana Lhuillier’s services—from cash remittance to pawning. 

Here’s a quick rundown of CFH and how the platform can help the general public.

Pawn from Home

Cebuana Lhuillier has made their pawning service available online to ensure safer transactions. Pawn-from-Home allows clients to pawn jewelry online—they just need to accomplish an application form on the CFH site (https://www.cebuanafromhome.com). After it’s been reviewed, an appraiser from the nearest Cebuana Lhuillier branch will go to the client’s home to appraise the item, negotiate the value, and release the loan.

Other Pawn-from-Home perks include being able to pay for the pawn renewal service interest fee online and redemption of pawned items through the CFH platform.

Hassle-free bills payment and cash remittance

CFH has likewise made it easier to pay bills and send money without leaving the house. The online Bills Payment service provides access to more than 10 billers nationwide. Meanwhile, the remit-from-home feature allows users to send money online through Cebuana Lhuillier agents.

In addition,  one can also avail of Cebuana Lhuillier Insurance Broker’s (CLIB) roster of affordable and comprehensive packages, which include Personal Accident insurance, Medical Expenses insurance, and Doctor’s Consultation insurance.

Reliable express delivery

Because of the continued lockdown, delivery services for everyday needs have increased significantly from last year and Cebuana Lhuillier has made it possible for pawned items, to be sent or delivered, as well. 

With the Cebuana Lhuillier Express Delivery Service, clients from select pilot areas can have jewelry items and cash delivered right to their doorstep. The brand’s dedicated riders will ensure that items are secure and delivered on time. That way, there is no more need to go out and pick up the bought items, ensuring the safety of the whole family.

These Cebuana From Home services can be accessed at bit.ly/CebuanFromHome. A mobile app, as well as access points via Facebook Messenger and SMS, will be available to the public soon.

Giving your kids a better and safer online learning experience with WiFi technology

It appears that online learning is here to stay, at least until it’s safe once again to conduct face-to-face classroom sessions. Families are thriving with the online learning environment as the new norm and upgrading the home internet set-up has become imperative.  

 

The last thing you need are dead spots and weak signal areas in certain parts of your house, right? Many people might think their existing WiFi and router set-up is already good enough for their needs. What they don’t know is that equipping their household with a WiFi Mesh system takes their internet experience to a whole new level. As its name suggests, this system boosts internet connectivity and provides wider internet coverage without experiencing any of those troublesome dead spots practically anywhere in the house.

 

PLDT Home offers excellent benefits for this WiFi Mesh system, and here are the some of them.

 

One, setting it up is a breeze, your connection should be up and running in no time!

 

Two, thanks to its dual-band Wi-Fi technology, it automatically detects the best connectivity possible for any device. This means that whether you’re accessing basic internet applications – such as online surfing or research for daily study homework, attending online classes, and watching online videos for learning – it can identify the connection most applicable to your current use, allowing consistent and efficient connectivity. 

 

Three, its seamless roaming makes it possible to use only one Wi-Fi name in the house—room to room; in the lower floor or the upper floor—no need for multiple sign-ins! This allows you to conveniently set up or move your children’s learning spaces anytime and anywhere in the house without worrying about internet connectivity reaching the room, no matter how far it is from your internet’s main router. 

 

Four, connectivity management is made even easier, thanks to its mobile app where you can see all connected devices—from your smartphone or tablet—even while you’re on the go. 

 

Five, the WiFi Mesh system has powerful parental controls to keep your children safe while they’re online. You can set multiple user profiles on your network and assign timed usage and blocked content for each, making this feature perfect for that peace of mind every parent deserves.

 

PLDT Home offers an array of WiFi Mesh devices for as low as Php 298 per month for a starter kit, which already comes with two mesh units. Subscribers who need more internet coverage at home can also avail of an additional mesh device for as low as Php 149 per month.  

 

For more information on PLDT Home Wifi Mesh system, visit www.pldthome.com/wifimeshsystem.

 

Sony FX3 delivers a cinematic look and professional operability and reliability all in one device that answers the needs of young creators today

Sony officially announced today the FX3 (model ILME-FX3) camera that combines the best of Sony’s industry-leading digital cinema technology with advanced imaging features from Alpha mirrorless cameras to create the ultimate cinematic look. 

 

As the latest addition to Sony’s Cinema Line, the FX3 delivers a cinematic look and professional operability and reliability all in one device that answers the needs of young creators who are looking for new ways to express their creative vision. The new model provides outstanding image quality and usability for small scale and one-person shooting. The FX3 boasts first-class focus performance, optical image stabilization, handheld shooting design and advanced heat dissipation for extended recording times. All this in a compact, lightweight body that provides the performance and mobility to meet the growing demands of today’s content creators.

“The FX3 was designed to turn creative vision into reality,” said Ryo Ochi, General Manager, Digital Imaging Division, Sony Electronics Asia Pacific. “It allows creators to bring their visual expression into the world of cinema through immersive content. We will continue to support the world’s creators through Sony’s Cinema Line Series.”

 

Cinematic Look

The FX3 flaunts Sony’s industry-leading image sensor technology to achieve high processing speeds and outstanding image quality. The full-frame, back-illuminated Exmor R CMOS sensor full-frame 10.2-megapixel(approx. effective) count for movie recording (and 12.1 effective megapixels for stills) and the BIONZ XR image processing engine team up to ensure high sensitivity with low noise. The standard ISO range is 80 to 102,400 (expandable to 409,600 when shooting a movie), and dynamic range is an impressively wide 15+ stops².

In response to a growing need for a more expressive depth, the FX3, along with FX9 and FX6 Cinema Line cameras, allows users to create a cinematic look without post-production using S-Cinetone. Based on the color science inspired by Sony’s flagship VENICE camera, S-Cinetone delivers natural mid-tones, plus soft colors and smooth highlights that are essential to cinematic look. 

 

Create movies with in-camera 4K recording at up to 120 frames per second³. Extraordinarily smooth slow-motion imagery[i] (up to 5x) at QFHD (3840 x 2160) resolution with autofocus provides new expressive capability.

 

Designed for Comfortable Solo-Shooting

The most compact and lightweight Cinema Line camera is ideal for handheld shooting, gimbal and drone-mounted work. It weighs just 715 grams, including the battery and memory cards, and the body is 77.8 mm high, 129.7 mm wide and 84.5 mm deep – without protrusions. The camera grip has been carefully designed to provide optimum flexibility, stability and comfort for long shoots.

Designed for mobility and efficiency, the FX3’s body features five thread holes (1/4-20 UNC) to easily attach compatible accessories while remaining light enough for handheld shooting and making it easy to carry and set up. The supplied XLR handle unit securely attaches to the body via the Multi Interface Shoe without any special tools and provides three additional thread holes for accessories: two on the top and one on the end. External monitors, recorders, wireless microphone receivers, the accessory shoe kit (cold shoe plate), or other add-ons can be securely attached. 

 

To enable high quality audio, the XLR handle unit includes two XLR/TRS audio inputs to the FX3. With an optional XLR microphone, digital audio data can be directly transferred to the camera for outstanding audio quality.  Camera settings provide audio recording formats, including 4-channel 24-bit recording. Because the XLR adaptor is integrated into the handle and does not require any additional cables or batteries, it offers stress-free set up.

The FX3 offers Fast Hybrid autofocus (AF) by using the 627 points[ii] focal plane phase-detection system during movie recording. The camera is further enhanced with Touch Tracking (Real-time Tracking) where simply touching the desired subject on the monitor screen initiates auto focus and tracking on that subject. Precise and smooth focus is maintained with Real-time Eye AF – technology that pinpoints eye even when subjects are looking down or up at steep angles. Additionally, other AF features have been included and refined in response to feedback from professional users, including AF Transition Speed, AF Subject Shift Sensitivity, intuitive control and AF support when focusing manually. These AF features have been implemented in the FX3 to ensure stable, flexible and precise focusing in any situation and are easy to operate for solo shoots. 

 

The FX3 features 5-axis optical in-body image stabilization - highly effective for handheld shooting. A high precision stabilization unit and gyro sensors have made it possible to provide an Active Mode⁴ that is dedicated to movie shooting in each format, including 4K. In-body image stabilization means that effective stabilization can be achieved with a wide range of lenses, including E-mount lenses that do not include stabilization of their own. In addition, the FX3 records image stabilization metadata that can be done more practical adjustment during post-production using Catalyst Browse/Prepare[iii]. 

 

Expandability and Operability for Content Creators

Operability 

No compromises have been made when designing the FX3 in terms of professional control and operability. The buttons frequently used in movie shooting such as ISO, iris, and white balance adjustment are located on the grip and on the top of the body. The design allows solo creators to control the buttons with one hand. In addition, 140 functions assignable to 15 custom keys allow for ultimate efficiency. 

 

The zoom lever located on the top of the grip not only controls compatible powered zoom lenses, but also allows Clear Image Zoom to be also used with unpowered zoom and prime lenses with less image degradation – reducing the number of lenses required for many projects. This lever also enables smooth zooming that is difficult for manual zoom-ring control. 

 

Recording lamps (tally) are provided on the upper front and rear of the camera, so that operator can easily distinguish when the camera is rolling. A side-opening vari-angle touch-panel LCD monitor allows for easy operation and is suitable for gimbal-mounted shots, complicated angles, handheld operation and more. Flexible Exposure Mode allows the FX3 to have a similar Auto/Manual switch operation as other FX series cameras for aperture (iris), shutter speed, and ISO, which can be set independently. A short press of the assigned custom buttons enables switching between locking the dial / Manual, and a long press on the custom buttons allows on-off switching of Auto setting.

 

Reliability 

Creators need more than just refined features and performance; they also need reliability and durability. The FX3 combines a fan for active cooling with effective heat dissipation resulting in uninterrupted 4K 60p recording without thermal shutdown⁵. The newly developed fan provides high-efficiency cooling.

The new camera also features a dust and moisture resistant design[iv] and durable magnesium alloy chassis. Moreover, USB PD (Power Delivery) supports fast charging[v] for uninterrupted recording.

 

Expandability

The FX3 is compatible with several recording functions including S-Log3 gamma with S-Gamut3.Cine color space to preserve rich color and gradation, that can record in a high dynamic range and wide color gamut. It also supports internal recording in XAVC S™ and XAVC S-I formats in 4K (QFHD) and FHD, and XAVC HS™ (MPEG-H HEVC/H.265, 4K only) format. 4K 60p video in 10-bit 4:2:2 or 16-bit RAW format can be output to an external device[vi] via the FX3 HDMI Type-A jack. 

 

The FX3 also offers fast, future-oriented media slots that contributes to unprecedented shooting freedom with two CFexpress Type A cards. The same data can be simultaneously recorded to both cards for backup, and a “relay” mode will automatically switch to the second media card when the first media card becomes full during recording.

 

The new camera has been developed with advanced connectivity features to better assist professional creators with high-speed wireless LAN functionality (2.4 GHz or 5 GHz band[vii]) and wired LAN connection via a compatible USB-to-Ethernet adaptor. This FX3 also supports remote shooting from PC by Imaging Edge Desktop™ application “Remote” via Wi-Fi, or Superspeed USB 5Gbps connection over USB Type-C® terminal.

 

About Cinema Line

Cinema Line is a series of cameras that have a filmic look - cultivated from Sony’s long experience in digital cinema production – plus, enhanced operability and reliability that respond to the wide variety of creators’ high demands.

 

Cinema Line includes the digital cinema camera VENICE, highly acclaimed in the feature and episodic production industry, the professional camera FX9, which is popular for documentary and drama production and the FX6, for grab and shoot action and content creation. With the addition of the new FX3, the most compact camera in the series, Sony offers a true line up of versatile creative tools for all types of visual storytellers.

 

Pricing and Availability

The FX3 will be available in the Philippines soon.

 

Exclusive stories about Cinema Line, FX3 and Sony's other imaging products can be found at https://www.sony.com.ph/electronics/cinema-line and https://www.sony.com.ph/alphauniverse/home - resources designed to educate and inspire all fans of Sony’s technology for content creation and photography.

 

Watch the live announcement at: https://www.sony.com.ph/alphauniverse/news/sony-cinema-line-watch-our-live-announcement

 

A product video on the new FX3 can be viewed at: https://youtu.be/2YXh88hwqnM.  

 

For detailed product information, please visit: https://www.sony.com.ph/electronics/interchangeable-lens-cameras/ilme-fx3.

 

---

[i] Post-production editing and S&Q mode recording required

[ii] Maximum AF points and area coverage. This varies according to the recording modes

[iii] Supported in Catalyst Browse/Prepare Version 2020.1 or later. Image stabilization metadata that can be used by Catalyst is generated when using a Sony E-mount lens with the camera’s optical image stabilization set to [OFF] or [Active].

[iv] Not guaranteed to be 100% dust and moisture proof. The XLR handle does not feature a dust and moisture resistant design

[v] USB charging and power delivery are only supported via the USB Type-C® terminal. A battery must be installed in the camera when supplying USB power. The internal battery may drain even if USB power is supplied, depending on the adapter used and camera operating conditions.

[vi] Compatible recorders to be announced.

[vii] 5 GHz communication may be restricted in some countries and regions

Acer announced the Asia Pacific (APAC) Predator League 2020/21 will be held from April 6-11, 2021

Acer announced the Asia Pacific (APAC) Predator League 2020/21 will be held from April 6-11, 2021. Fans who were left on the edge due to the 2020 league’s postponement have something to look forward to as teams across the Asia Pacific will finally battle it out in an online-only tournament.

 

“The decision to host the Asia Pacific Predator League fully online, instead of a cancellation, demonstrates Acer’s commitment to the gaming community,” said Andrew Hou, President of Acer Pan Asia Pacific Regional Operations. “With the ongoing COVID-19 situation, we made the decision to move the competition to Spring 2021 for the safety and best interests of the tournament’s competitors, fans, spectators and staff.”

The teams who qualified for APAC Predator League 2020 Grand Finals are the first ones to claim a slot for this year’s tournament, while the remaining will be filled by other teams invited by Acer. Altogether, these teams will battle head-to-head to take home the coveted APAC Predator League shield. 

 

This year, the league has been divided into four sub-tournaments. The teams will be pre-assigned based on their geographical location:

 

1. APAC Predator League 2020/21 Grand Final Dota 2 Asia
2. APAC Predator League 2020/21 Grand Final Dota 2 APAC
3. APAC Predator League 2020/21 Grand Final PUBG Asia
4. APAC Predator League 2020/21 Grand Final PUBG APAC

 

A sum of US$400,000 is pooled across the competitions of the APAC Predator League 2020/21.

 

All ticket holders of the postponed APAC Predator League 2020 Grand Finals will be compensated in full while VIP ticket buyers are guaranteed of Predator League souvenirs as a token of appreciation for their patience and support. Acer will soon release further details regarding the refund process.

 

The APAC Predator League 2020/21 will be broadcasted live on Acer Predator’s channels, Facebook and Twitch.

 

Follow the league’s official site, and Acer Predator’s social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for up-to-date tournament schedules and programs.

 

Shop smart and save big at Shopwise and The Marketplace!

Grocery shopping can sometimes be a stressful chore. Buyers face the challenge of picking healthy and fresh alternatives, while looking for good deals and sticking to a budget. 

 

But with some guidelines and tips that are easy to follow, making healthy, smart selections can be more fun and convenient. 

 

Plan ahead 

The preparations start before leaving the home. Before you head to the supermarket, check your pantry, refrigerator, and cupboard to check the supplies that you still have and those that you need to repurchase. 

It also helps to plan out your menu for the week. List the dishes and the ingredients you need for each, checking which items you are missing and have to include in your shopping list.  

Go the extra mile and do your research before you go. Visit the websites and social media accounts of your favorite groceries and supermarkets to check for updates on their rewards programs or any new promos, so you know which ones have the best deals you can maximize.  

Eat before shopping 

Have filling snacks before you do the groceries, so you would not have to go around the aisles on an empty stomach and get tempted to make impulse purchases. There are also studies indicating that shopping for groceries while hungry can compel people into buying high-calorie or fatty products such as candy, salty snacks, soda, and instant food. Aside from being unhealthy, these items can also result in extra costs and impact your carefully thought-out budget. 

 

Shop with a purpose, priority 

When you get to the supermarket, focus on the basic and necessary items that are on your list—if it’s not there, resist the temptation to add it to your cart. 

 

To get bigger savings, you can also consider store-brand items. Because the supermarket’s name is on the package, it can assure buyers that the products are the best the store has to offer. 

Also make it a point to read labels, especially when purchasing new items or trying out new brands. This can help you compare products and go for the healthier, more nutritious alternative. 

Take advantage of deals, promos 

Follow your grocery store’s social media pages to stay updated on the latest deals, and sign up for its rewards program to earn points for the cash you spend. 

Supermarkets such as Shopwise have regular promos and discount offers. This month, they are running the Easy Peasy Fun shop and win promotion. You can win up to P500,000 worth of prizes for a minimum of P500 worth of items that includes P200 worth of participating brands. These include food items from Tulip, 555, Star Margarine, UFC, Arla, and Alaska, as well as cleaning and disinfecting products from Family Guard, Scotch Brite, Wizact 24, Del, Zim, Lysol, and Solbac. 

 

You can even enjoy free delivery when you purchase a minimum of PHP3,500 at Shopwise via GoRobinsons Online Grocery Delivery. 

To get even better deals, you can register and enroll in rewards programs such as Robinsons Rewards, which enables you to earn points for every purchase. At The Marketplace, members can use the app to avail themselves of exclusive discounts, freebies, and extra points. They can earn an additional 5 points when they include CDO Highlands Premium Beef Patties 452g, CDO Young Pork Bacon Smoked 400g, as well as Mars Chocolate Drink and Milky Way Chocolate Drink in their cart. Buyers of Old Spice Deodorant in Fresh and Pure Sport can get plus 50 points, while those who purchase the Similac Gain School 900g box and the 1.8kg pack can enjoy an additional 50 and 100 points, respectively. 

 

Signing up for the Robinsons Rewards program, or renewing one’s membership, is free. All you have to do is download the app via Google Play Store or Apple App Store, and quickly register online. For those who are already members of the program, they can use the app to track their points and avail of even more exclusive promos. Just simply link their card to the app by scanning the barcode found at the back. 

 

Shop smart and save big at Shopwise and The Marketplace! Get your daily essentials and enjoy great rewards with Robinsons Rewards, available for iOS and Android users. For more information, visit robinsonsrewards.com.ph. 

Karaf Coffee: Best Ready-to-Drink coffee in a tap

                             Everything Gets Better with Coffee

This is good news for all coffee lovers out there. You could bring your coffee anywhere and share it with friends. 

This is the best tasting ready-to-drink coffee that I have so far. I love that I can have it anytime of the day to perk me up, since I have been working from home. 

Karaf coffee come with two cartons of each flavor — For the Espresso loyalist, its the Clean Black - Karaf Coffee’s signature espresso blend made from locally sourced premium green coffee beans and imported Arabica beans.

The Dirty White - A combination of Karaf Coffee’s Dirty Black and specially crafted non-dairy milk. Perfect for Latte lovers. This is my favorite so far, if you want your coffee smooth with non-dairy milk and less sugar, then this one's for you. Do yourself a favor and pour it over ice. It tastes sooo good. 

Everybody loves a good cup of cafe-quality premium coffee. If there is one thing that can be better than it, it’s to have it just within reach — like water on tap. Coffee on tap is a concept usually identified with cafes or restaurants, but did you know that you can now have it at home, too?

KARAF COFFEE  is the Philippines’ FIRST and ONLY ready-to-drink, boxed coffee on tap. It offers a unique and healthy espresso-based blend that’s made from partly locally sourced premium green coffee beans and choice Arabica. Have good-tasting coffee anytime of day and enjoy great conversations with Karaf Coffee’s convenient “bag in a box with tap” packaging that helps keep it fresher for longer.

For the love of coffee

Born out of a mutual love for coffee, partners Jil Torio and Kathy Lim formally launched Karaf Coffee this year, after developing the product at the height of the pandemic in 2020. Coming from different backgrounds — Jil was in sales and Kathy is a practicing interior designer formerly based in Singapore — their passion for coffee has led them to their best moments in life. “Coffee has been like our ‘go-to’ for everything, whether through celebrations or comfort for defeats. We just always find a reason to have coffee together. It's been like that for the past 13 years of being together,” says Jil.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by lou sv (@mama_lousv)

“We both have shared a lot of happy conversations and made a lot of interesting discoveries about each other. Throughout those years, coffee has been in the middle of it all. It has given us opportunities to encourage one another and also to take time and slow down together. Especially in times when we both didn't feel like everything's going as planned, we’ve always had our coffee and conversations to cheer us up,” says Kathy.

Realizing how much coffee has influenced their relationship and their lives (Jil used to work part-time at a well-known coffee shop in Manila, where Kathy would sit in to do her plates for college), Jil and Kathy aspired to pay the love forward to fellow coffee-lovers. When the pandemic forced everyone to stay at home, little comforts and conveniences like having coffee in your favorite cafe, whether alone or with friends, suddenly became an extraordinary activity. “We sure know that there are individuals who badly need a tap right now as we speak,” Jil said, understanding how this simple act could actually mean a lot to someone who finds joy and energy from a humble little cup. And thus, Karaf Coffee was born. 

A little seed that grew

The idea behind Karaf Coffee is to solve a common problem that all iced coffee lovers have: “Don’t we all just hate paying P130 to P150 for iced coffee, which tastes so good in the first few sips only to become bland and watery after the ice has melted down?” 

The Karaf Coffee boxes help retain the iced coffee’s flavor consistent and intact allowing it to keep up with long conversations. Inside the boxes, which Kathy herself designed, are bags made out of high-technology VMPET/PE/NY (vapor metalized polyethylene terephthalate/polyethylene/nylon) sheets, which all contribute to sustaining the freshness of coffee and keeping both low and high temperatures of coffee for hours in a given typical indoor setting. 

It is also environment-friendly as the boxes can be recycled or repurposed into other things. “We are currently working on a partnership with a local manufacturer who would help us turn our used Karaf Coffee boxes and bags into well-designed furniture for homes. But in the meantime, we encourage our customers to use their creativity to turn their Karaf Coffee boxes into plant boxes or other useful things,” says Jil.

Enjoy sweeter conversations with Karaf Coffee

The first-of-its-kind in the country, Karaf Coffee is the only boxed espresso-based drink that’s big enough to be enjoyed by the whole gang. It comes in 1-Liter and 3-Liter sizes and two unique variants: 

Clean Black - Karaf Coffee’s signature espresso blend made from locally sourced premium green coffee beans and imported Arabica beans. Great choice for fans of the Americano. (P499/1-Liter | P1,199/3-Liter)

Dirty White - A combination of Karaf Coffee’s Dirty Black and specially crafted non-dairy milk. Perfect for Latte lovers. (P649/1-Liter | P1,599/3-Liter)

To order, go to http://www.karafcoffee.com. 

Like and follow @karafcoffee on Facebook and Instagram to learn more.