I am testing out a trifecta of new gadgets. In accordance with the theme that good things come in three’s, I’ve been using these three new devices in tandem for my workflow. One is a hybrid camera from Canon, the other is the first “wild” unit of the over-ear JBL Tour One M3, and the last is Lenovo’s Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition laptop.
I’ll be writing more in-depth features at PhilSTAR Tech in the coming days but I wanted to give some initial thoughts here on the blog.
Canon R50 V with RF-S 14-30mm lens
The Canon R50V is Canon’s follow up to the R50, their “vlogging camera” that puts a huge focus on video, while still being a more than decent camera for stills. The dial on the upper right of the body shows this direction, with seven of the eight dial modes dedicated to video: only one is for photo.
All things considered I thoroughly enjoyed shooting with this RF series camera. It came with the kit 14-30mm lens, which is, in my opinion perfect for content creators who shoot up close with some wide angles. I was able to take some video footage with the short time I have with the unit for testing. I’m amazed at what this compact camera can deliver: I was able to shoot cinema quality 4K video with this kit. It is worth noting that the R50 V body does not come with IBIS, but the kit lens does, making this pair an excellent combo if you choose to buy it.
Have a look at this sample video I shot with the Canon R50 V and 14-30mm lens. Everything shot in auto with white balance set to shade.
JBL Tour One M3
I own the JBL Tour Pro 3, an in-ear version of the cans pictured below. As I travel often, I always wanted a similar audio experience, especially on the plane, but with over-ear headphones instead of a TWS system.
This is exactly what the Tour One M3 is: a premium set of cans that comes with a wireless Tx so you have the option to connect via Bluetooth or via USB C or 3.5mm source. This means that the Tx module can connect to an airplane’s 3.5mm jack to directly transmit audio to your headphones. No need to use the crappy airplane disposable headphones!
As of this writing, this accessory will be available soon.
Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition
Finally, an Aura Edition laptop in the flesh! The last time I encountered this was back in February 2025 at a media trip to Yokohama, Japan. This was the R&D headquarters of Lenovo.
When we refer to “Aura Edition” we mean a next-generation Intel-powered chipset with the latest in AI features. To be honest, the hype around AI might be too much, so I am going to distill as to why I was blown away with particular device. For one, as it is Intel’s next-gen ultra i7 device, it means that we are able to get a thin and lightweight laptop but with the power to do mid-range gaming. I was able to run Doom: The Dark Ages on mid settings as well as Wuthering Waves thanks to the Intel Arc 140V integrated graphics card. This is, for me, the first time I’ve experienced an integrated graphics card from Intel that can push gaming to new heights. This is also the same graphics card found in the MSI Claw, which really reframes the whole narrative that a light and portable laptop isn’t a gaming laptop.
At the end of the day we get the best of both worlds: a powerful device that can do middle to light gaming, good battery life performance, absolutely brilliant heat management, all in one light and portable device. I’m quite surprised that this 15-inch laptop is even lighter than my 14-inch Zenbook that I bought just last year.
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