a-JAYS One In Ear Noise Isolating Earphones - Matt Black

a-JAYS One In Ear Noise Isolating Earphones - Matt Black

Saw this today, it's less than P2000, tempting to get it, not because of anything else, but because it's got such a nice packaging. Mind you, I still have a much functional Pioneer earbuds which i seldom use hehehehe

No more ePocrates in

No more ePocrates in WebOS devices....ePocrates the famous mobile drug database that started in Palm devices is now ending their support to WebOS citing "low interest levels" - http://goo.gl/bOeWW

found out a nifty fe

found out a nifty feature of Gmail in Android...send an application for Android thru Gmail (.apk) then open it up in your Android device, there will be an INSTALL button right there in the email

Download Swype at ht

Download Swype at http://htxt.it/WhrM

Want SWYPE? Get it f

Want SWYPE? Get it from here if you still don't have it in your phone. All you have to do is register, download and install. Swype is a revolutionary keyboard that recognizes the word you want to type by swiping your finger across the keyboard.

here it is, got the

here it is, got the new Android Market in the phone

LG Sale (again)! Don

LG Sale (again)! Don't know if it's a good thing or bad thing...but hey, it's still a sale right? - http://goo.gl/gPjXU

YouTube - The Fast and The Furious 5 (Official Trailer) HD

YouTube - The Fast and The Furious 5 (Official Trailer) HD: ""

I love this series...very interesting and fast-paced, not a boring moment and now the 5th installment...would be very nice in surround sound.

that 7 inch Archos A

that 7 inch Archos Android tablet is pretty sweet in its sub 10k pricepoint

The Cherry Mobile Android Sale

After the LG and Nokia sale, almost every mobile phone brand wants to have their own version, with Nokia even doing it twice. Now it's Cherry's turn. It's going to be on December 11 from 10am to 1pm only at selected Cherry Mobile concept stores. Let's see the charisma of Cherry on this.

very funny spoof of

very funny spoof of We Are the World, wonderful way to start the day, with a smile - http://htxt.it/zg7D

The Playstation Phone in video

Here it is, in clear video! The SE Playstation Phone....look how big it is!

Cheapest Android Pho

Cheapest Android Phone - The Samsung Galaxy 5, for the whole month of December is the Cheapest Android Phone locally at P7990, how can you beat that! - http://goo.gl/1euQ3

Get more info on the

Get more info on the December 4 Nokia Sale here http://goo.gl/vpBrR

Huawei Ideos U8150 A

Huawei Ideos U8150 Android Froyo phone At the moment will be the cheapest Android phone in the market at P8888 only

Nokia wants to get b

Nokia wants to get back it's mojo After it lost it from LG in the last same day sale they had...upto 70% off on selected phones in all Nokia stores nationwide on December 4, 2010...limited to 1 unit per person

SUN Cellular has sil

SUN Cellular has silently launched their Pocket MiFi device, it's a Huawei E5832 at P5100 Prepaid, it's an older model than what Huawei has officially launched last night the E5 which is almost the same price but unlocked (any SIM from all 3 telcos can be used), wonder if SUN will bring down the price

is looking for ways

is looking for ways to sync my notes from the BlackBerry to sync with the clouds then sync with the Android and iOS...need to remove Microsoft Outlook out of the equation

With the real-time t

With the real-time tweeting from @Technoodling at the Huawei event tonight, I started browsing for the company's latest Android devices w/c includes a smartphone & a tablet. I'm trying to "ask" myself if I really need one - http://goo.gl/iHgTF

wait wait!!!!! Chris

wait wait!!!!! Christine Reyes is here.....anyone need a health consultant?

is using the LG Andr

is using the LG Android as a wireless modem/router....pretty good speed.

Wow, DoubleTwists ve

Wow, DoubleTwists version of wireless sync the AirSync. Though you have to pay for the phone app itself. This saves us the hassle of too much cable clutter on the table http://goo.gl/88RT9

aaaand, Facebook is

aaaand, Facebook is back online with Hellotxt

Hellotxt seems to be

Hellotxt seems to be buggy...the Facebook plug-in now is not working...earlier it was the Twitter plugin

There found the 1st

There found the 1st problem w/ the HelloTxt iPhone app, can't see a reply button

just found out, usin

just found out, using Nexus live wallpaper in Android...when you touch part of the screen, colored lights will radiate frm that point, sort of active wallpaper

There's a rumor circ

There's a rumor circling that Apple will officially release the iPad locally, looks like Apple fanboys will be very very happy! - http://goo.gl/4GP6A

Ubuntu v10 (series)

Ubuntu v10 (series) is slowly introducing Linux into mainstream market...this plus the invasion of Android...lagot si Microsoft

testing now if Hello

testing now if Hellotxt Twitter integration is back

testing if Hellotxt

testing if Hellotxt for Android works.

Good thing I didn't

Good thing I didn't get the Xperia X8 even w/ d announced upgrade to Eclair - http://goo.gl/ELi3A

Cool, is re-visiting

Cool, is re-visiting Hellotxt once again, now to simultaneously update Twitter & Blogger

Got the LG Optimus One P500

Bought the LG Optimus One P500 last Saturday, November 13, 2010. Got it from the LG Store at SM North EDSA Annex. It was the same day LG launched it here in the Philippines. The same day where they had a one-hour sale. Was actually supposed to get it at half the price, but when I got the the place, when I saw the lines, I didn't bother to look for a place in that line anymore, cause I knew then that it's impossible for me to get in the sale with that long line. 

I decided to get the phone at regular price, I asked one of the LG staff if I could buy the unit earlier than 2pm at regular price, and sure enough, eh guided me inside the store and I was able to get one.

The design of the phone won't win any awards, it's got that capacitive touch screen which, after a while I noticed that it has some sort of screen protector already. And, to which I might blame some sort of sluggishness on the response of the touchscreen (though the slow 600Mhz processor can also be blamed). An earpiece on the top face, and "three" or four physical buttons at the bottom face. The reason I say this, is because, two of the icons (home and back) is in one button that rocks two ways. The layout of the buttons is not your usual Android button layout. There's a chrome highlight that wraps the whole phone. A regular 3.5mm headphone jack at the top (I tested it already using the radio app, on my Pioneer in-ear earbuds and sound quality for the radio is ok, I haven't installed any music in it yet). Two rocker buttons on the right side of the phone (haven't used it yet) for adjusting volume. And no buttons at all at the left side. At the bottom, a microUSB port for charging and syncing. The back is very simple, if not bland. It's all matt grayish black, with a 3MP camera with Autofocus (tried it outdoor and indoor with good natural light and the pictures came out pretty impressive), no flash included.

The LG UI, just like the physical design won't win any awards either, still the HTC Sense UI hands down for eye-candy. Don't know if it has the equivalent of the FriendStream of HTC and Sony Ericsson, a widget that collates all the messages, updates from SMS, email, Twitter and Facebook into one place. Though, as will all Android phones, there's that universal notification bar on top of the screen that you can pull down to check. By the way, this phone is already running Android 2.2 Froyo out of the box (though I'm not sure if this is future-proof, cause I heard Android 2.3 Gingerbread will need at least 1Ghz processor speed).

I already applied for an unlimited data plan, cause yeah, it sure hogs a lot of bandwidth transmissions. I'm still not a fan of virtual keyboards, that's why I have such a hard time typing on this one, I end up using the typical candybar phone layout. I haven't figured out how to changed keyboard layout, by default, applications are using the LG keyboard, I want to use the Android keyboard and see if it'll help.

The battery is 1500mAh, with all radios on, it lasts for around half a day, but looks like the HSDPA and cell radio is the culprit. I'm enjoying the unit as a GPS Navigation System, installed apps like Waze, Navigator, GPS Essentials and My Tracks. Used it everytime I'm on the road. Impressive machine and software to boot. Then there's Twitter, the homescreen layout is, I guess built for touchscreen, because of the large icons used. Of course Facebook. Then all the Google integrations with Gmail, Google Calendar, Latitude. Google Goggles (eventually, tried it to scan a QR code of Engadget and it led me to downloading the Engadget app). I noticed though that the email app is not integrated with Gmail, I had to set it up separately. I guess I'm just used to the messaging integration of the BlackBerry. 

Oh and the unit gets hot, especially when there's an app running and you forgot to close it. The phone interface is nice and pretty, don't know if it's an LG UI or plain Android but I liked it. The speaker phone is also great. I think I won't be needing any handsfree device with it while driving. 

I tried once the mobile hotspot function that's in Froyo, well, the iPod Touch got a wireless signal from it but can't seem to go to the internet, I'm just not sure if it's the telco, will wait til I get news on my unlimited data plan before I totally test it. 

Overall I like the phone, not a disappointment. May not be as pretty as any HTC handheld, but I guess, it's serving it's purpose and by that, I give it two thumbs up. 

Android 2.3 Gingerbread to be released on November 11, 2010? | Pinoy Tech Blog - The Philippines' Longest-running Technology Blog

Now this is a complication. If I am able to get the LG Optima One P500 on saturday...it won't be future proof as Android 2.3 Gingerbread will need at least a 1GHz processor, which the LG doesn't have. tsk

The New LG Optima One P500 Android

I'm looking for a new, slightly feature-packed phone for my Sun Cellular line. Wasn't really eyeing anything above P10k, but most sub 10k phones are so hohum that wouldn't be considered as an upgrade. Well, the Nokia C3 was an option, but after my bad experience with it, it was immediately scratched off the list. Then the Android Phones came in, initially it was the Samsung Galaxy 5, then the Galaxy 3, then the HTC Wildfire...but this thing came up...the LG Optima One P500! And they'll be selling it at P12,995 SRP. But a sweeter deal cropped up. On Saturday November 13, 2010 at selected LG concept stores, for one hour, we can get this phone at half the SRP! That means, it'll only be P6495!!!! Ain't that a deal?!?

The design won't win any awards of course. HTC Sense UI is still the best among these Android phones. But then again...who cares...at that price, heck I can get two of it! I just don't know if I can really get that phone. I bet the lines will be very very very long!

3.2″ capacitive display @ 320×480 pixels
600 MHz Processor
512MB RAM
170MB internal storage
up to 32GB via microSD
HSDPA 7.2Mbps
WiFi 802.11 b/g
Bluetooth 2.1
3.15MP autofocus camera
Stereo FM Radio
GPS w/ aGPS support
1500mAh Li-Ion battery
Android 2.2 Froyo

Upgrading my SUN Cellular Line

lately i felt that the Samsung phone I'm using for my Sun Cellular line has become too old and bland. I guess, it's not the SUN line that really bothers me, but the phone i'm using it with.

So I decided to check around and ended up decided to upgrade the phone. So temporarily, I ditched the Samsung dumbphone and used the SUN SIM on my old Sony Ericsson M600i. Problem is, the Sony Ericsson turned out to be an old phone as well.

Thus, I decided to check out the phones in the market and boiled down to Android phones. But I'm a cheapskate...I don't want to spend P20,000 just for a phone.

At first I was eyeing SUN's promo, which gives out a Samsung Galaxy 3 smartphone...but it's a hassle to apply for a new one. That's why I decided to get an HTC Wildfire or Desire (what ever my funds can afford), and just get an add-on unlimited mobile internet on my SUN line.

Now, since the SUN is not my primary line...Globe is (on an unlimited BlackBerry Internet Service), I'm thinking of upgrading the BlackBerry too! Hehehe perhaps, the new BlackBerry Curve 3G?

Automaker Logos

Automaker Logos

Of the other car logos, Aston Martin's, BMW and Alfa Romeo didn't change much over the years...

OTECH F1 handset holds four SIM cards, enables you to live a quadruple life -- Engadget

OTECH F1 handset holds four SIM cards, enables you to live a quadruple life -- Engadget

I wonder who would be using 4 SIM cards all at the same time? But this is very interesting!

BlackBerry Style Officially Announced! New Full Qwerty Flip

This thing is UGLY!!!

The iBook refresh part 1 (RAM upgrade)

After so many years, decided decided to upgrade the iBook.

Found a store that sells brand new but old DDR SODIMM RAM, bought 512MB only, but will increase the iBook's RAM to 1GB. Will be asking tomorrow how much will it cost to upgrade the HDD. At the moment, the iBook still has it's stock 40GB HDD. Then will be waiting for the replacement battery from the US.

Nokia C3-00 a lemon

Last September 25, I bought a brand new Nokia C3-00 from a Nokia store at Trinoma. A few hours after, I went back to have it replaced because there was this terrible static coming out from the earpiece and from the other line's speakers. Well, the Nokia store replaced the unit without a fuss.

A littel over 3 weeks of good use (though I found out that it's not MS Exchange Server compatible, so I can't use Google Sync with it), that static was back (though this was a different unit from the 1st one, remember, they replaced the unit with a brand new one).

Brought it to Nokia Store in Greenbelt 1 (which was the worst Nokia store I've been to, it's musty and stinking old scent), while talking with the support personel, a guy approached me and asked what I was complaining about, and told me that we have the same problem with our brand new Nokia C3-00.

I was told it will take 5-7 working days before the phone can be replaced, and 5 days has passed and when I called, the phone is not yet ready, the part is not yet available though the lady said, it will be available on monday or tuesday the most.

The Nokia C3-00 has a beautiful and sturdy design, too sturdy for it's price range. Though I was a bit disappointed with the software, less tech savy individuals that will jump into the QWERTY keypad bandwagon would definitely like the phone.

But I guess, Nokia knows about the problem and they're just keeping mum about it. Well, this is the same reason I don't like Nokia phones...they're very well known to break down. I've been a Sony Ericsson guy, but unfortunately, SE hasn't been churning out enough innovations on design and features with their new phones. Perhaps this will be my last Nokia phone.....sayang, the N8 looks nice though.

YouTube - BlackBerry PlayBook - Preview

This is the much-awaited BlackBerry tablet. From the press-release from RIM, the PlayBook is one "heavy" tablet. Heavy meaning it's packed with features and the internals are not flimsy either.

Was already eyeing the Android powered Samsung Galazy tab, but the PlayBook has the bonus of being able to access the native apps in the BlackBerry (in case the user also owns one). Hmmmmm and the best thing about it, well, it'll come out by the time I am fully "capable" of getting one wahahahaha

Problems with Windows 7 and MS Office 2010

Did an upgrade on the desktop this month, Windows 7 from Vista, MS Office 2010 from 2008. So far problem encountered is when printing on the SAMSUNG ML-1610 laser printer, multiple printouts doesn't push thru, don't know if re-installing the driver will correct the problem.

Technology and Transportation together

Bought a Nokia C3-00 yesterday (our 2nd Nokia) at the Nokia store in Trinoma. The store is a little bit off from where the people are. Had a bit of a hard time to look for it.Though I saw a store that sells the unit cheaper than the official Nokia store was offering, I opted to get the unit from the Nokia store because of the no fuss warranty that the unit comes with.

About midway home, when we tested the phone, there was this very loud static coming out from both the recipient and the caller.  So I called the store, asked if I could bring it to the Nokia store in Bonifacio High Street, but was told that the store in BHS doesn't have a tech support, so I asked if the Nokia store in Mall of Asia is a better option, was told that the best thing to do still is to bring back the phone to Nokia Trinoma. If we do that, it would take years to get there and back. 

So we decided to park the car in Parksquare One in Makati, took the MRT to Trinoma. Nokia store there replaced the C3 without fuss and we were back in Makati in less than an hour. 

Am thankful for the presence of MRT.

The New Ford F-150 SuperCrew Raptor

I never liked F-150s before, they're big and gas guzzlers. Oh and the design is like always wanting. But this one, I got to ooooh and ahhh at it. Very nice and big and hopefully will have a very good off-road performance.

An Office in the Forest: The Workspaces of SelgasCano

An Office in the Forest: The Workspaces of SelgasCano

these kinds of architecture that I like, minimalist with a touch of modern art...(very nerdy hehehehe)

The New Apple TV

This is the new Apple TV, yup it's small, and it's because, it doesn't have a hard drive in it. It's purely a streaming device. You can watch movies from Netflix and iTunes Store (which both is not available locally). You can't even plug in a USB hard drive and watch music from there.

Hmmmm maybe I'll stick with my Popcorn Hour, or perhaps ask a relative to give it to me as a gift (it's only $99). Then perhaps I'll just use it to stream my iTunes music to my AV receiver....hmmmm.

The New iPod Touch

This is the new iPod Touch...they say, it's an iPhone 4 without the phone.

It's a lot thinner and smaller than the iPhone though the screen size is the same. It's also thinner than it's predecessor. What's new is, the Retina Display, HD video recording, Facetime, Dual Cameras.

Will I get one, maybe...we'll see

This is the NEW iPod NANO

More like it's a novelty toy than a serious thing. I don't like the form factor...but I might say, I love the screen, though small...but then again, they've experimented on the size and screen before with the 3rd Gen Nano (square-ish design) but that was a flop.

But I guess the size will be a hit with the athletes...no need for a case, it's got it's own clip, a screen capable of multi-touch (though no pinch and zoom), with FM radio and Nike +.

The New iPod Shuffle

These are the new iPod Shuffle...looks familiar? Yup! Cause they look exactly like the 2nd Gen Shuffles...except that they're tinier. It's cute but doesn't really give me that "I want one" feeling. I like the 3rd Gen Shuffle better.

My New SAPIDO Mobile Hotspot Router

After being transferred out of our old quarters, it has become very difficult for me to get online. The IT people cannot put LAN cables in every room that we have...my decision then was to subscribe to a mobile broadband and that's when I got the SUN Broadband Wireless 350 Lite

The next problem I encountered was the memory/processes the USB modem has been huggin in my ageing Apple iBook G4, than'e when I decided to get this, the SAPIDO Mobile Hotspot Router, that's the solution I got to free the RAM of my lappie. Well, it's doing fairly well, but some quirks I have with it are: supposedly it can be powede thru a 5v USB outlet but did not in my car and I can't seem to update the firmware with the one from their website.

So far so good, though the browsing speed is not at its best (probably from the ISPs side)...will still test the thing.
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless handheld

Sony Ericsson M1i Aspen

While I was surfing the net tonight, came across this phone, it's the Sony Ericsson M1i Aspen...well I thought that this was just a concept phone, but then again, I guess SE decided to bring it out into the open market because it's now out there being sold at around P11k, it's running Windows Mobile 6.2 and has all the bells and whistles of connectivity such as HSDPA and WiFi. 

I'm an avid SE fan but lately, Sony Ericsson has not been showing any energy churning out new phones...well the Xperia X10 was supposed to be exciting but I was unimpressed. Though this M1i is running on an old OS, I can surely be sold on the design, very chic and elegant, is sure going to be a head-turner. But I'm still not to excited with the ageing OS that is known for it's hanging issues. But still...I like the looks.

SUN Broadband Wireless Plan 350 Lite

Applied for this one and today is the first day that I'm going to use it! 

SUN Broadband Wireless is my preferred mobile broadband ISP in Metro Manila...much much better than Smart and Globe tattoo (though I can't say the same for the provinces because of it's Metro Manila only coverage). The speed is consistent and signals are very good in places where I go to.

I have been using it for some time now, perhaps a year or so...I bought one same time last year (prepaid) to satisfy my internet needs whenever there is none around. It was my rotation at Ospital ng Maynila actually that led me to buy one. 

Been satisfied with it in general, the only problem I've encountered is reloading it. I know someone who can reload my account, but on times that I really need it reload, it takes some time before she responds to my SMS'. And with the recent events, this now led me to dump the prepaid and get this plan.

I thought of this a lot of times before finally deciding to get one...it's going to be another bill to add to my thickening monthly bills...but since it's not that big and I don't really need another "unlimited" broadband account (I have a 2Mbps DSL connection at home courtesy of Globelines), I decided to get this with only 45hrs free attached to it.

I would just be using it when I'm in the hospital quarters and perhaps in Starbucks...not a fan of their paid Wifi, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf has a much better alternative to going on-line.

the new Melrose Place

My new favorite show. Damn...check out the chics! Lauren is way too hot and Ella's legs are to die for! Arg!

BBC - BBC One Programmes - Sherlock

BBC - BBC One Programmes - Sherlock

This is what I'm into now, SHERLOCK, a mini-series from BBC. It's set in the 21st Century (present time), with the same persons, except that it's happening today. He's even using text messaging. And Dr. Watson is an Afghanistan veteran. Very funny and interesting. They even used the same fast paced scoring from the SHERLOCK HOLMES movie of Robert Downey Jr.

Globe - WIMAX Prepaid

Globe - WIMAX Prepaid

I don't see any official page for this, just this one, which is the portal for Prepaid Users, but none of those info pages. Interesting, but no details as of now.

Motorola Flipout

Another phone that I want to see locally. Very cute and would definitely appeal to youngsters (if the price is right)

Pinoy Tech Blog - they're back online

Pinoy Tech Blog - The Philippines' Longest-running Technology Blog

They're back, after a couple of days of being off-line (out of subscription from their host)

Oops, there goes Google Wave

Google Wave was a nifty idea, but looks like there's too many Instant Messaging apps out there that ordinary people are hesitant to dive into a new one. Well, at least there's proof of concept and hopefully they could just integrate it into Google's more "popular" products.

PS3 firmware 3.41 updated, hard drive upgrade problems exterminated -- Engadget

PS3 firmware 3.41 updated, hard drive upgrade problems exterminated -- Engadget

Now's the time to hit the download button...tonight's the night for my PS3.

Clearwire's 4G iSpot brings wireless broadband to Apple devices... and anything else with a WiFi pulse -- Engadget

Clearwire's 4G iSpot brings wireless broadband to Apple devices... and anything else with a WiFi pulse -- Engadget

I still go for the Huawei version...it's more...uhmmm sexy!

BlackBerry Torch is official, launching August 12th on AT&T for $200 -- Engadget

BlackBerry Torch is official, launching August 12th on AT&T for $200 -- Engadget

When I got hooked into the BlackBerry I thought to myself, how or what will I be using or upgrading to when I'm done with my current Curve 8520, then this thing arrived and now I know what my next handset will be.

RIM launches BlackBerry 6 platform -- Engadget

RIM launches BlackBerry 6 platform -- Engadget

This is what I am talking about, the new BlackBerry 6 (without the OS). It's more at par with the existing smartphone OS'

BlackBerry Torch first hands-on! (update: video) -- Engadget

BlackBerry Torch first hands-on! (update: video) -- Engadget

I'm still adamant on the way this toy would handle, i doubt the center of gravity that might affect how it can be used. But the design is interesting and it's more of the OS that is waiting to be excited about.

Huawei's E583C mobile hotspot: looks so good, you'll wish it weren't portable -- Engadget

Huawei's E583C mobile hotspot: looks so good, you'll wish it weren't portable -- Engadget

I am an advocate of technology and of consistent connection. The USB Broadband modem has made it easy for people like me to be independent of WiFi access in coffee shops that charge exuberant fees. Now these things come out...how connected can one get...just plug in a SIM card from any telco and you will have your own wireless access to the internet. Perhaps a little more patience before getting one, since these things are still way too expensive.

Classic Design of a New Yamaha motorcycle

Saw this at the hospital parking lot, thought it was an old restored scooter, but turned out to be a new design from Yamaha
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless handheld

Ford Taurus locally

This is the first time I saw one locally. I like the back end (it's the only thing I saw of it). Very nice!

Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless handheld

Text Scam in Globe

Yesterday, I received a message on my phone...from a number that I didn't know telling me that they have a new number and it's a roaming number and if it's alright, send them at least P150 load...definitely a scam!

I follow Globe tech support in Twitter (@talk2globe) and told them about it, just for a test if I'll get results. I informed them about the text together with the phone number of the sender...they then asked me if I could send the whole message, the date and time the message was sent. Good thing this was thru Twitter and I am on an "unlimited data" plan on my BlackBerry, otherwise they would get a double whammy from me!

I was infuriated after sending them all the info, they tell me that they can't help me and instead gave me the contact details of the NTC (National Telecommunications Commission) because the number in question is not theirs....can't that be the most stupidest answer one can give?!? They should have told me that before they asked for the questions! Arg!

Sometimes I wonder what's the use of these hotlines?!

Text Scam in Globe

Yesterday, I received a message on my phone...from a number that I didn't know telling me that they have a new number and it's a roaming number and if it's alright, send them at least P150 load...definitely a scam!

I follow Globe tech support in Twitter (@talk2globe) and told them about it, just for a test if I'll get results. I informed them about the text together with the phone number of the sender...they then asked me if I could send the whole message, the date and time the message was sent. Good thing this was thru Twitter and I am on an "unlimited data" plan on my BlackBerry, otherwise they would get a double whammy from me!

I was infuriated after sending them all the info, they tell me that they can't help me and instead gave me the contact details of the NTC (National Telecommunications Commission) because the number in question is not theirs....can't that be the most stupidest answer one can give?!? They should have told me that before they asked for the questions! Arg!

Sometimes I wonder what's the use of these hotlines?!

The New Globe Store at Greenbelt

So this is the new Globe store that was officially opened yesterday (June 17, 2010). It's small, cramped and nothing really new...wonder how long they could keep it as like this? Hmmm
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless handheld

Welcome Back

Hmmmm was taken at Glorietta (what's left with it). Don't know what's in for us the consumers, the Ayala group is not giving any clues (except for the writing on these walls), on what is in store for us. Thus, the wait is on!
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless handheld

Globe Disconnection

I am not a very good subscriber, cause there are times that I don't pay my dues in time.

Anyways, Globe has been reminding me thru SMS to pay my outstanding dues or suffer disconnection. Well, that was today, suddenly the EDGE indicator on my BlackBerry suddenly became small letters (which indicate that my BIS subscription is either down, or in my case, was disconnected). So I tried to call my SUN number and undoubtedly, a voice prompt was at the other line telling me that all outgoing voice and data has been suspended until I pay my overdue bill. But I can still receive SMS and calls.

Now, this prompted me to go to the bank and pay what ever overdue payment i have. Then I called Globe, to which I waited for around 30 minutes before I was able to talk to someone at the other end. And, it took us another 10 mins before he was able to get my payment details.

I know it was my fault why my line was disconnected, but Globe has been very consistent with their hotlines....one has to wait (I mean really wait) for a long time before their concerns are acted on.

The 4th Gen iPhone

I wonder how peeps at Apple are frantic at this time, GIZMODO got them with their pants down...1st Apple lost a prototype phone that was supposed to be the next iPhone version...then GIZMODO was able to get it's hands on the device...of course, GIZMODO didn't know what the device was...Apple remotely wiped the OS off from the phone before GIZMODO was able to tinker with it. Then, Apple called the tech site and was asking for the phone...cleverly, GIZMODO asked Apple to send a demand/request letter, asking for the phone...to which Apple gave...but unfortunately, confirmed the existence of the device and how it looks like....VERY GOOD GIZMODO

SE Xperia X10 Impressions

Yesterday I was able to play with Sony Ericsson's flagship Android Phone the Xperia X10. It's running Android 1.6 (Android has so many versions), and at first glance was that it was huge! It's bigger than the BlackBerry Storm2 though thinner. The screen was big! Well, this is the reason why the phone is big, because of the large screen real-estate. 

It has 3 hardware buttons in the front and the rest is the touch-sensitive screen. It's got one button on top, together with the USB charging port and the headphone jack. It's got the camera button on the right side and volume rocker keys (i guess) on the same side. At the back, it's got an 8MP camera that sits beside an LED light to which I found out that it doesn't function as a flash, but just....yeah....a light! They call it PhotoLight...well yeah, just a light.

Going straight to the OS part....well, I was not impressed. It was sluggish! The slide-to-unlock screen was so slow, and when I got into the home screen, well, I didn't find anything exciting in it! Yeah, it's got games and apps, but nothing that impressed me. Though I think setting it up to get settings automatically from the network was fairly easy. The TimeScape, SE's own version of integrated messaging, was fancy, but then again, not impressive. It's a customized UI, very similar to Motorola's MotoBlur, that integrates updates and messages from SMS, to email, to Social Networking Sites like Twitter and Facebook. 

Then there's moving around the menu, don't know if it's the touch-screen or what, but I hate how it's late in reacting to my gestures. Nonetheless, the Sony Ericsson Xperia 10 is one capable handset...maybe I'm just not into Android Phones as it offers nothing new and exciting that's worth getting one. But I can't say if you share the same sentiments....have fun!

Globe - Prepping for Android Phones

http://site.globe.com.ph/personal;jsessionid=bh77nhj0uxdi?sid=S7x8-MuxpRYAACfvUsEAAAAEe - judging this site...Globe is preparing itself for some rush of Android devices for the Philippine market. This Android Developer challenge will result a more variable availability of applications for our local setting. A wait and see attitude perhaps will do for the mean time.

Globe is prepping for a rush of Android Phones

http://site.globe.com.ph/personal;jsessionid=bh77nhj0uxdi?sid=S7x8-MuxpRYAACfvUsEAAAAEe - judging this site...Globe is preparing itself for some rush of Android devices for the Philippine market. This Android Developer challenge will result a more variable availability of applications for our local setting. A wait and see attitude perhaps will do for the mean time.

Globe's SIM Replacement

A month ago, all of a sudden, right in the middle of the day, on a weekend, my phone's display suddenly was displaying "Invalid SIM" instead of the Operator name. I'm not getting any signal. I called Globe Hotline and I was told I had to go to a Business center to have the SIM replaced. Without further arguments I conceded and waited for my duty to be over (that's around 24 hrs of me not having a phone).

So the afternoon of the next day, went to Globe Greenbelt Business Center, I told them about what happened and they agreed that the SIM really needs replacing...but I have to pay P300 as a SIM replacement fee. So I asked the girl in the counter the reason why a subscriber has to pay such fees when it's not his fault that the SIM broke and I also asked why will a SIM card break when it has no moving parts. She said it's because of wear and tear...hmmmm that sounds fishy, from what I know, a SIM can only be worn out if one keeps on removing and re-inserting the SIM, in my case i don't, I don't replace my handsets that often, the most frequent time I've changed handset (and thus touching the SIM) was 1 year. So I questioned the girls claims, I also said that there is no provision in the contract that subscribers have to pay for replacement SIMs. With this, I guess she felt I was becoming agitated and she called her direct supervisor (i think) for help. 

I was told by the supervisor of the same things (good thing I've read earlier about SIMs being mailed by Globe to subscribers to change their 64k SIMs to 128k SIMs), again, I've raised my point. And another thing came up, the wife's SIM was as old as mine though it hasn't conked out yet. So I told her that if she's going to replace my SIM, might as well replace her SIM as well, since we're already there to avoid us being more inconvenieced then the time comes that her SIM breaks down. At first she resisted replacing my SIM for free and replacing the wife's SIM at that moment...but I stool my ground and finally our SIM cards were replaced.

I was wondering why subscribers are asked to pay for replacement SIMs and at that price! Heck they're virtually giving SIMs away in the prepaid market and now Globe is asking us to pay for the SIM which broke down for unknown reason. Tsk tsk not a good way to show your subscribers how you take care of them Globe! Tsk tsk tsk 

Apple iPad

So this is the revolutionary new thingamajig from Apple? It's a glorified iPod! It's a huge iPod that can't even do multitasking. It's a nice design and concept, heck, but it's not a new concept. HP was able to upped them on this earlier, but since it's Apple that we're talking about, then people would buy it just because...

Anyways, this thing, though not so feature-packed will definitely change handheld computing. I was planning to get one to replace my ageing iBook G4 (I didn't get any of the newer MacBooks or MB Pros because they're all huge!), but this sorts of disappoints me. Nonetheless, if knowing Apple, they will use this device to test the waters and for sure, in a few months time, they will come up with a newer variation that will have the feature I want...a way for it to he hooked up to a projector so I could use it for presentations.

Also, it should have a solution for physical input other than the onscreen keyboard (or at least improve it), the keyboard accessory is not impressive as well.

End point, it's a nice concept, bigger screen, but it's really just an iPod. It needs more...multitasking, connects to peripherals, better input management.

Let's see on the next versions...

Colleine's Gift

Colleine made a big come back this 2nd and 3rd quarter, she said earlier that she will make sure she gets back either at 2nd honor or 1st to the very least hehehe, I can never say those things even up to now. 

I always wanted to show no bias between Sean and Colleine, but sometimes, Sean being the youngest, turns out to be a baby and other people loves him for that, and with it comes gifts, specifically, cool toys. 

With Colleine, they think she's all grown up and everything, but she will always be a baby, forced to act maturely because of trishia and sean. Now I think she needs a great gift for this achievement and I'm thinking of getting her a Nintendo DS which she has been wishing for already for sometime.

I don't like to give them game consoles because it might affect their study habits. But I've seen how Colleine works, when she got her mom's cellphone, she never brought it to school. So I guess, this will test her discipline once more. 

Initially, I was thinking of getting her a cellphone for Christmas, but the cheaper ones have crappy screens, and the one that she has right now has a lot better screen resolution albeit a hand-me-down from her mom. Then I thought, perhaps, now is a good time to get her a phone, but then again, I'm thinking of giving her mom a phone for her birthday...so perhaps, the phone will just come in on Colleine's birthday this coming March.

Now I've looked around and thought of a Nintendo DS, but the dilemma right now is, whether to get her a DS lite or a DSi. The DSi is of course more expensive than the DS lite (which is a lot more prettier), hmmmm thinking, but the DSi is the newest and has much more features.....  

My BlackBerry Curve 8520

Just two more weeks and it's already been a month since I got my very
first BlackBerry, and so far, I'm enjoying it. So much that I've
"influenced" a couple of my workmates to get one for themselves and by
the looks of it, more of them to follow suit.

Though I'm not too excited about the keypad, especially since I get to
discover my old SE M600i whom for that matter, for me, has must better
keypads than my Palm Centro and this BlackBerry.

The OS is wonderful, it's really more of a communication device thru
data and voice. Though proprietary and a bit expensive, the BIS is one
hell of a system. All messaging information are lumped into one
application, be it from an SMS, Email, Facebook, Yahoo! Messenger and
BB Messenger, I don't have to dig into all these applications, all I
have to do is to open one app on the desktop and it's already there
waiting for me. But I guess the downside is, there's so much data
traffice that if I don't get an unlimited plan for the BB, I would
perhaps be paying a lot for the data alone.

Another problem I have is the case, there's no store that I know of
that sells BlackBerry accessories locally for the Curve 8520. Although
Digital Walker has expressed suit that they will be bringing in more
accessories for the models that are locally distributed.

Oh and I've yet to get a new Bluetooth headset. Enjoy the pics

My New Blackberry Curve 8520

Finally took the dive and got myself a Blackberry, I got a Curve 8520, though Carrier-locked to Globe, but at that price who could resist. Got it for a little less than P15T, and this price was funny because I was told that they've increased the price of the prepaid kit to P15800.00 from P14995.00 but the new price includes a one month use of Super Surf, their version of unlimited data usage. But when I got the charge slip, I was only charged P14995, cool!

Anyways, I am clueless as how the Blackberry works, though I have friends that use Blackberrys I don't "interrogate" them as to how the thing works. Well, a Blackberry is just like any other phone, only, it's more focused to messaging of all sorts. Blackberry's before were intended for corporate clients, and it's just recently that the consumer market started adopting them. 

I was so excited to get the phone, it's because my aging Palm Centro is becoming boring everyday. I was planning to get this phone since I heard of the "affordable" price from Globe. Then I started to look around and snoop for information about the usage and all. Then finally, I decided to get into the BB bandwagon. Went to Globe SM Mall of Asia and was told that they have one unit left, thinking that it's the Christmas season and I may not be the only one that thinks that they're offering a very good deal, I took the unit.

The box was minimalistic black, and the phone is shiny hehehe. Couldn't resist it so I inserted the SIM that came with the kit, plugged it in the car charger and started playing with the phone. Good thing about the one month free data use, I was able to do the startup settings including email set ups and some apps download right at that moment. 

Questions that came to me were, how to use the BB messenger (well, my friends told me I have to get their PINs), it's not that different as any IM app, but it's proprietary to RIM. If the one month free data usage is up, and I have to insert my postpaid SIM, will I have to re-enroll the phone again? Then there's the automatic switching from EDGE to GPRS to WiFi. 

I was easily able to connect to my home wireless network, but the signal was choppy and the phone kept on switching from WiFi to GPRS/EDGE. Then I started to appreciate the integration of contacts and messaging on the phone. It integrated my SMS, email, Facebook, BB Messenger and Yahoo! messenger into one application and notifications come in as one. My next dilemma is whether to subscribe to a BB plan after a month and to which plan. 

The whole phone was beautiful, although I have some problem with the hard-to-press QWERTY keypad, though I'm hoping I'll get the hang of it in the future. The kit came with a 2GB microSD card, so when I installed the Blackberry Desktop Software, I was able to sync songs into the phone thru iTunes, hmm that's very convenient for me. Another thing that gave me more convenience was the synchronization of my contacts and calendar details from Google. 

Will be coming back in the next days to update on the use of this new toy of mine....

Reviving Old CPUs

During my 2 years in Residency, I was able to revive an old PC gathering dust in the female resident's quarters...I installed Ubuntu in it and from then on, we've been using it to surf the net and some occasional document creation. Just last week, I bought a new Keyboard and an optical mouse for this Ubuntu box, and with Karmic Koala installed, it feels snappier. I also replaced the monitor with a bigger one which came from another old CPU.

Speaking of this another old CPU, well, it so happen that it already go Windows XP installed...just tonight I bought another set of Keyboard and Mouse and will probably dress up that PC so it could be use for document creation and web surfing....

Prepaid Mobile Internet

I think the Filipinos are lucky when it comes to mobile broadband. It's cheap...compared to the US and the neighboring countries. I am very proud of it...well even the prepaid service gives one the best buck for the money. 

One good example is SUN Broadband Wireless...I'm an avid fan. Even if the coverage is Metro Manila-wide only, well, it gives the best result and speed compared with Globe's Tattoo and Smart Bro.

Now, in response to the more expensive plans of both Globe and Smart, SUN has given their subscribers better value for their money. Just by loading Sun's special mobile broadband prepaid card, the P50 worth prepaid card can now give one a day's full of unlimited internet...now don't you think that's a very good deal? Well I do!

Gizmo5 now owned by Google

Gizmo5 has been acquired by Google and will be integrated to Google Voice in the future. Gizmo5 engineers have now transferred to Google. Current users can still use the service but new sign-ups has been suspended.

Let's go wait and see...

Globe's SuperDuo and SuperSurf

Today, Globe launched a new service...the SuperSurf...for P2000 on
top of one's Monthly Service Fee...the subscriber gets unlimited
surfing power on their phones...though I don't know yet if it can
also be used when the phone is tethered to a laptop/notebook.

Globe's SuperDuo is a spin-off or a evolution of their Duo service
but this time is not limited to Landline alone, this time, the
SuperDuo subscriber can call with no time limit any Globe subscriber
where ever he/she is in the country. I have subscribed to this and so
far, it's not a 100% good service, but it's ok...perhaps I'm just an
understanding subscriber.... since I subscribed, I've experienced a
lot of difficult instances where I can't dial out of my phone or the
caller can't right away call me. But it has more advantages than
disadvantages.

With the SupeSurf...at P2000 I don't think I'll be getting one. I
already have both Globe's Tattoo prepaid mobile broadband (and so
far, has not used it for a while) and SUN's Wireless Broadband, also
prepaid (which I use most of the time if I don't have access to a
free wifi access point). But most of the time, with the places I
frequently go to, I get access to the internet, at home, the hospital
and coffee shops.

Most of the malls today offer free wifi access, so what's the point
(well, that's my opinion). But at least, now, telcos are making these
services available to the public.

The Trip Thru the Storm

Going home to bicol regularly has been deferred since I started
residency training, which means road trips are also postponed.

But this week came in as one of those days. We had the go to Daet for
the burial of the father of the wife. Though impromptu, it has to be
planned and thought of properly.

We scheduled it on a friday so that class schedules of the kids will
not be affected. Good thing I was able to convince a friend to come
with us, or else it would be just me and the two kids which is going
to be very very stressful. And on the day of the trip, good thing my
uncle decided to come with us too, so that's 5 of us in the car.

We left house at 645pm, it was a Friday, I took the wheel and expected
heavy traffic, sure enough we lost around 2hrs in traffic.

All the way, it was raining, but the rain wasn't too strong to hamper
our speed, but what slowed us down was the slippery road. About 45mins
from our destination, there was this bridge under construction, the
truck in front of us told us to back up, it gave me a bad feeling,
then we found out that cars, heck even trucks can't cross through
because of the strong current. Ok, now, there's a problem, it's either
we wait there 'till people in charge deccide to open the bridge or go
back and use the long way to the destination which will delay us for
around 6 hours. And to top it of, there was no cellphone signal and I
can't get anyone in the VHF radio. We decided to drive back perhaps
until we get a good cellphone signal. Good thing going back, we met
this car, and the driver asked us to go back to the bridge and hope
that we can pressure the person in charge to open the bridge. So we
went back, after about 45mins of convincing, we were able to cross the
river using the new, unfinished bridge.

The next day we were shocked to learn how devastating the storm was
here in the metropolis.

Sent from my iPod Touch

My New iPod Touch part 2

I love it, especially the internet device function, but I guess I can't have it all, Sean and Colleine are fighting over it for the games...hmmmm

My New iPod Touch

It's been 2 days and I'm still enjoying this new toy of mine. I use it
more as an MID (Mobile Internet Device) than a PMP (Portable Media
Player).

I've set-up all my Google accounts (Gmail, Google Calendar, and Google
contacts), and even added my Yahoo! Mail and Hotmail. Setting up all
these was very easy. All i had to do was to put in my email address
and the corresponding passwords.

Since the hospital is mostly wireless enabled, I didn't have any
problems keeping the connection and push notification is a wonder in
this device, even social networking sites such as facebook and Twitter
gives me push notification. That's why updating my status is a breeze.

Some of the qualms I have with it, well, the predictive text is
sometimes annoying, but one can get used to it. Also, it's very thin,
holding it the wrong way can give one some discomfort during prolonged
use. It's day 3 of this device and I still haven't bought it a case.
Also the scree and the stainless back is one big fingerprint magnet.

Watching Youtube is also a wonder (as long as you have a fast
connection). I like this device because in coffee shops, and in the
malls, I don't have to bring my laptop just to update my status in

Facebook hehehe.

There's still some quirks with editing and viewing Word and Excel documents, but what excited me was the syncing of notes from my Outlook.

Will post more information about my use of this wonderful device.

Sent from my iPod Touch

Mobile Prepaid Service in Malolos Bulacan

I'm here at Malolos Bulacan today, tested if SUN's mobile broadband
will have a good signal, unfortunately, NOT!!!! Didn't get any 3G
signal.

Then I tried Globe Visibility using the ZTE modem, hmmm, got a good
3G signal and the speed is ok. I'm actually posting this using
Globe's Visibility

Nothing New in the Telecom Industry

No new exciting news on the Telecom Front, even Globe’s WiMax announcement has become passé. Even Smart has not announced anything new on their side. Sun Cellular is still crappy (although I have an account with them). Bayantel, well, they have a new poster, but nothing really new.

Mobile Internet in the Philippines

Thanks to competition, the major Telecoms players, Globe, Smart,
Digitel and Bayantel are giving consumers the best choices to connect
to the internet.

Globe, Smart and Digitel all has their own versions of mobile
broadband with Bayantel rumored to be coming out with their own in
the coming months.

The major 3 all uses 3.5G with Globe and Sun now using mainly HUAWEI
USB Modem Sticks and Smart with their ZTE models.

These modems have become cheap over the years. They all started above
P2000 per stick with now priced a little less than P2000 and the per-
minute charging is very competitive too!

Most of those who will buy these mobile modems are laptop owners, who
will opt to buy a P100 load, at 3.5G speeds (comparable to entry-
level DSL speeds), than shell out P100 for an hour in Starbucks.

Although major malls now are offering free WiFi access (Mall of Asia,
Rockwell, Greenbelt 5, Robinsons, and Eastwood Malls), having one or
three (one for every major carrier) would offer much convenience for
the consumer.

These USB modem sticks can also be used by subscribers who doesn't
have DSL lines at home (perhaps they are not covered by the telcos
service areas). It's a good way to spread the power of the net to the
provinces. SMART will definitely lead this one because they have the
most number of cell sites all spread out in the country. The only
question there is, are these cell sites all at least 3G capable, or
else, the subscriber will crawl on 2G speeds (GPRS/EDGE).

It's very easy to get and use. One only has to purchase one of these
sticks (or two or three), and just plug it in one of any available
USB ports and, as long as it has load in it, it's off to the interweb.

Reloading is very easy too! One just have to go to their suking
tindahan (if available), just give manang the phone number of the
modem (the modem is actually a phone with a SIM card inside it
without a keypad and a screed) and it's ready.

The price is very affordable at P20 per hour, it definitely beats the
P100 per hour in a coffee shop. This separates us from our US
counterparts, although they have a very good subscriber penetration,
their broadband is very expensive compared to ours. What we're
lacking is mostly penetration. As this technology is dependent on
cell site towers.

I suggest students who are living in apartment and dorms, who cannot
get a wired broadband line (maybe because their stay is just
temporary), get one of these (depending on which has a better signal
in the area).

DTH TV in RP

I have cable TV at home, the problem I have with it is that, I don't
get clear channels on them, specifically Cartoon Network. And
watching Standard Def on an HDTV is something like the old times.

I thought of changing to DTH (direct-to-home) Satellite TV. They say
it's a lot clearer because of the digital nature of the channels.
Hmmm sounds promising. Dream Satellite TV was the mainstream pioneer
of consumer DTH Sat TV in the country. And by the looks of their
recent actions, they're getting ready for HD.

The problem I have with DTH or Dream was the expandability. Each TV
will need their separate set-top box to access content. Unlike
regular cable, one would only need a cable splitter and each TV will
be able to choose their own channel liking.

Now comes Cignal TV, it's from MediaQuest, a subsidiary of PLDT, and
has big potential of growing and offering affordable rates, just look
at SMART. Right now, rates are, well, competitive, but the problem,
aside from not being able to share the signal to other TV sets in the
house, is the lack of channels. Understandably, they're just
starting. But it's really tempting. Maybe I will just wait for a
while for their channel line up start to increase.

SUN Wireless Broadband Prepaid

Today I got myself a SUN Wireless Broadband Prepaid (I would like to give SUN a chance on the data side, because their voice service is not so advisable). 

Got it at the SM Mall of Asia SUN shop. I was supposed to get one yesterday, at the SM Bacoor SUN Shop (it's close to our place), but they didn't have the stock. Then I was supposed to get the SMART Bro prepaid stick (also at SM Bacoor), but it too was out of stock.

I already have two (2) USB wireless broadband sticks, both from Globe (a Huawei E160 and a ZTE), but Globe has no 3G signal here at Ospital ng Maynila, and I saw a Junior Intern with a SUN wireless modem and the speed was impressive. And the signal was strong. That made me decide to get a SUN (and to shell out P1850). I can't stand not being connected to the internet in a day (talk about an addict!!!!). 

Anyways, the new USB stick is a HUAWEI e155 or e1550 (as written on the box). And the box is smaller than their previous modem. The box too was funny, there's a typographical error on the description at the back. It goes "Sun Broadband Wirelss has the Most Advanced Mobile Broadband internet technology. Utilizing 3.5G High-Speed Packet Access technology on an All-IP network. Sun Broadband Wireless gives you superior mobile broadband experience. And because it's backed by EDGE/GPRS technology, you can access the internet even in areas where 3.5G is now yet available." 

It comes with a SIM card and that's it. No USB extension cables, no frills. I had a problem confirming how the loading system works, even the girl on the counter was not sure on the validity of the loads goes.

The USB stick comes with 5 hours of free load, that means, I don't have to load to get me thru the night and the whole day tomorrow.

When I got back, I immediately plugged the USB modem into my mac and here I am now, a couple of hours later, enjoying the speed and connectivity this little wonder has given me.

So why did I choose SUN? Well, my primary choice was Globe (since I have the modems already), but was disappointed to find out that only 2G signal was available here at the hospital. I was also supposed to get SMART Bro when the SUN shop at our place didn't have the stocks of their modems. I thought that it would be nice to have a SMART Bro Modem too so I can use it when we go to the province. Admittedly, SMART has a wider coverage than Globe or SUN. But that will be for another year or so, because I still don't have plans to go to the province anytime soon. 

Within the Metropolis, I guess having both SUN and Globe's mobile internet modems at hand will give me seamless connectivity. 

So far, so good with SUN here at the Ospital ng Maynila, I don't know in other places. Some of my friends recommend SUN, and others say, it's not doing good. But I say, it's always about the location. If I get a poor signal with SUN then there's always Globe, who has a very good coverage here in the city.

Transformers Revenge of the Fallen

Saw the movie last night, I was as excited as my son Sean when the movie started, when I saw Sideswipe transform, when I saw that Backhoe crane transform and when that Audi R8 started to move. But there were mixed feelings on the movie itself. 

Before the movie, I heard that someone was going to die, and was anticipating every scene in the movie, and when we got to that point, I was optimistic that it's just going to be temporary, heck even Megatron was brought back to life right? And if they would really kill him, then what's the point of doing another movie without him right? 

Anyways, ok the movie was exciting, may be because I am a really big fan of the Transformers but the plot was thin and confusing, perhaps that's how they made the movie, so that there will be lots of places where they can connect to for the next movie.

The disappointing and corny parts were, the Micro-Transformers, the kitchen appliances that turned into robots where reminiscent of the gremlins or goolies of the 80's. That Bumblebee started to shed loads of tears when Sam told him he's leaving him. Oh and the human never leaves the Autobot behind. And what the hell was the character of the twins and wheelie about? Why give them such a cartoonish character? Wheelie humping like a dog? Hmmmm not so appealing, take note that a lot of kids are going to see this movie. And parents will have a hard time explaining what the funny thing about the scene is all about. And robots are not suppose to leak out secretions, in all the fight scenes, the robots would spit out fluid like blood, oh come on! They were even spitting on Sam! Naman! And the alien concept thing, where's Sigourney Weaver? Now they turned organic? Having Jetfire in the movie and how he bares the Decepticon mark but has long been with the Autobots was another fun idea, but he was too cartoonish and outright incomprehensible. Devestator was a disappointment, what is he? Rotating neck? hmmmm ugly! one cannot even distinguish the different constructicons in him. 

Then there's Megan Fox's lips, my! They have grown! What gives? She's not too hot yet? Tsk tsk

Oh well, next stop, GI Joe the movie

SMART offers “ultimate unlimited” calling to 38M subscribers

Smart Communications Inc. (SMART), the country's leading wireless services provider, launched today a new service that enables SMART Buddy and SMART Gold subscribers to make unlimited calls to over 38 million mobile phone users on the SMART network.

Called Smartalk, the new service will be available starting June 26, does not require any changes in SIM or cell phone number, and can be enjoyed by SMART Buddy and SMART Gold subscribers.
                                                                                     
SMART subscribers will be able to avail of the service by purchasing loads for unlimited calls which come in two denominations. The first is "Smartalk 100" which for P100 offers 5 days of unlimited calls to any subscriber on the SMART network anywhere in the country, at any time of the day.

Another variant, "Smartalk 500", offers 30 days of unlimited calls to any subscriber on the SMART network for only P500 – effectively reducing the cost to as low as P17 for a whole day of unlimited calling to any number within the country's largest mobile subscriber base.

"With this new service, SMART subscribers all over the country need only one phone, one SIM, and one number, to be able to make unlimited, crystal-clear calls to over 38 million SMART numbers anytime, anywhere," said Orlando B. Vea, Chief Wireless Advisor of SMART, and also one of its founders.

"This is our way of helping out our subscribers in these difficult times and is our response to the government's call for more affordable telecommunications services," added Vea.

"This is the ultimate unlimited. Smartalk re-writes the rules in the way 'unlimited' mobile services are made available to Filipinos -- no other service offering provides unlimited, nationwide calling to a subscriber base as large as SMART's, while assuring callers of crystal-clear signal quality anywhere in the country," said Danilo Mojica, head of SMART's wireless consumer division.

SMART Buddy prepaid subscribers may avail of Smartalk through registration. A subscriber just needs to send Talk100 to 6400 for a Smartalk 100 package, or Talk500 to 6400 for a Smartalk 500 load. The payment for the package bought will be automatically deducted from subscriber's prepaid load, and they just need to have a P1 maintaining balance.

They can also buy these Smartalk packages as a load from any of over a million SMART Load retailers all over the country.

When making a call using the Smartalk unlimited package, SMART Buddy subscribers just need to dial *6400 plus the 11-digit subscriber number being called, eg., *640009181234567.

Subscribers of SMART Gold, the telco's pioneering postpaid brand, may also stretch their monthly budget for mobile services by availing of Smartalk.

All SMART Gold subscribers from Plan 800 and up may avail of 30 days of unlimited calls to any number within the SMART network, with Smartalk 500. They just need to send Talk500 to 6400 to purchase the package, and the 500-peso charge will be billed on top of their monthly service fee (MSF).

SMART Gold subscribers can also purchase Smartalk 100 or Smartalk 500, from any of over a million SMART Load retailers all over the country. This is best for post-paid subscribers who prefer to stay within their MSF cap yet need to avail of unlimited calling service through the convenience of a prepaid package.

SMART is widely credited for having made mobile phone services much more affordable and accessible, when it introduced sachet-size packets of prepaid airtime through Smart Load. The electronic load platform has also enabled SMART to offer a wide variety of call and text packages that are specially designed to be affordable, and made available through a wide network of retailers present in every corner of the country.

"Over the years we have progressively lowered the costs of our services and designed our offers to truly meet the varying needs and purchasing power of our subscribers. By offering Smartalk -- a service that's easy to understand, ubiquitous, and affordable – SMART once again transforms the playing field and offers real value to mobile subscribers," Vea said.

Smartalk will be offered nationwide until September 30, 2009. For more information, visithttp://www.smart.com.ph/.

HTC Magic

Looks like there's something going on with the official launching of HTC Magic locally (Philippines). Globe made an earlier announcement in their website about releasing the smartphone locally, but only on a specific Business Center. 

Then Smart claims they have the exclusivity on the said handset. By the way things are, looks like Smart was surprised by Globe's move, since the local distributor of HTC was only in talks with Smart.

There are speculations that Globe got hold of the smartphone thru it's partner, SingTel.