July 2006 Archives

from sysadminday.com:

Show your appreciation Friday, July 28th, 2006, is the 7th annual System Administrator Appreciation Day. On this special international day, give your System Administrator something that shows that you truly appreciate their hard work and dedication. Let's face it, System Administrators get no respect 364 days a year. This is the day that all fellow System Administrators across the globe, will be showered with expensive sports cars and large piles of cash in appreciation of their diligent work. But seriously, we are asking for a nice token gift and some public acknowledgement. It's the least you could do. Consider all the daunting tasks and long hours (weekends too.) Let's be honest, sometimes we don't know our System Administrators as well as they know us. Remember this is one day to recognize your System Administrator for their workplace contributions and to promote professional excellence. Thank them for all the things they do for you and your business.

So, what will you do for your Systems Administrator tomorrow? Disclaimer: the writer of this post is also a Systems Administrator and is looking for some appreciation at his place of work...

Planning on buying a new laptop or PC? Prices are dropping like flies in anticipation of Intel's new Core 2 Duo processors, which are now being launched globally (first week of August for us here). The big deal about Core 2 Duo is that these dual-core chips are priced surprisingly low while offering greater performance/power dynamics. New Core 2 Duo processors for laptops offer 20 percent more performance versus current Core Duo machines, while Core 2 Duo processors for desktops promise 40 percent more performance AND 40 percent less power consumption! All this means that dealers have to unload current inventory, and fast. Which is why we are now seeing brand new laptops at the unheard-of P25,000-peso price point! And AMD has to react to this onslaught too, so AMD processors are already set for really drastic price cuts as well. So get ready to do some serious bargain hunting, folks, if you are out to get a new laptop or PC. Now's the time to shop around. For those of you who have just recently bought a Core Duo laptop (like a certain Geekette who frequents this site), don't worry, the first generation of Core 2 Duo processors for laptops ("Merom" for you geeks) will be compatible with current Core Duo laptops, so if in case you feel like getting an added 20 percent or so performance kick, you can upgrade. And for those of you who'd rather wait for the next generation, sit around til the end of the year. Coming soon: quad core. Core 2 Quad perhaps?

We've finally moved to our new home. We apologize for the four day downtime. Don't fret, we're still here. We're doing many things on the backend to improve the site so if you see anything funny, don't hesitate to tell us. Thank you for your continued patience and enthusiasm with Mobile Philippines.

In no particular order, I'd like to thank Bernie, Art "I don't have a URL" Ilano, Noelle, Ron, and Neolex for additional info on free hotspots. Time for a new list I guess, as I also rediscovered a free hotspot last night in Quezon City. So here goes: 1) Shell Magallanes 2) ALL Robinson’s Malls 3) Petron Makati 4) Murphy’s, along Esteban Ave. 5) Old Swiss Inn, The Atrium, Makati 6) Podium - From Neolex 7) Libreria - Along Tomas Morato, From Noelle 8) Starbucks WalMart, Pasong Tamo - From Bernie 9) Shangri-La Makati - Confirmed by Art Ilano 10) Cafea - Found it near the ABS-CBN complex, besides Singles If I accidentally forgot a place you guys already mentioned to me, feel free to comment. :-)

Well, I haven't checked out Shangri-La Makati yet, but I've confirmed the existence of a hotspot, and remembered another one. A friend recounted going to Murphy's, an Irish pub along Esteban Ave. that serves Guinness, to watch a World Cup game. Free Wi-Fi was advertised, even though no laptops and PDAs were out (people were probably focussed on the game). Last month, I remember going to Old Swiss Inn with Jayvee and two other friends. The restaurant is located in the Atrium, a building on the corner of Makati Ave. and Paseo de Roxas. San Francisco Coffee was beside the establishment, and a big banner advertised Free Wi-Fi. Seeing another patron in Old Swiss Inn using a laptop, I assume the signal also reaches inside there; imagine surfing the net while sampling the cheese fondue! :-) On a final note, it turns ALL Robinson's malls are hotzones, though according to sources, signal strength isn't consistently strong throughout. So here is the list so far: 1) Shell Magallanes 2) ALL Robinson's Malls 3) Petron Makati 4) Murphy's, along Esteban Ave. 5) Old Swiss Inn, The Atrium, Makati

I wrote a month ago about difficulties with free Wi-Fi. You will remember that I listed: 1) Shell Magallanes 2) Areas of Robinson's Galleria as free hotspots/zones. Now add this: 3) Petron Makati That's right, the gas station on the corner of Ayala Ave. and Gil Puyat Ave. (though I still like calling it Buendia). I've heard rumors indicating Shangri-La Makati's lobby to be a hotspot, but I won't confirm until I check it out with Matus.