June 2008 Archives

While Sun Cellular still remains unmatched in their unlimited calls, that doesn’t mean you can’t make long phone calls without saving a buck or two on rival networks. For those not aware of it, Smart and Globe both have budget-call promos that offer long you conversations on your mobile phone at a more affordable price.

Smart recently launched their Low Hello promo that offers subscribers a P1 per minute rate in excess of the first 3-minutes which is charged the regularly. To avail of this, just dial *901+11-digit Smart number and you’re good to go. This promo will run until October 31, 2008. So, how much do you actually save? Let’s do the math. For a 15-minute call, you’ll end up spending P31.50 on this promo as opposed to a regular rate which will amount to P97.50. That’s a total of P66 in savings.

Globe, on the other hand, has two offerings. The first is for those quick calls that are usually less than a minute. Dial 232+10-digit Globe number and you will be charge P0.10 per second, a total of P6.00 in a minute. That’s P0.50 cheaper than the P6.50/minute regular charge, but more importantly, if you use up less time, you end up saving more. For longer conversations, you can dial 235+10-digit Globe number. Here, you will be charged P10 for the first 3-minutes and a regular rate for every minute in excess of. So, let’s go back to our 15-minute call computation. Using this promo, it’ll cost you P88 as opposed to P97.50 on the regular rate. You’ll end up saving P9.50 at the end of the day.

It’s clear that the new promo of Smart offers more savings for lengthier calls, while Globe gives you that option to be charged for your exact usage time. Enticing as they are, they do come with a catch. It's limited to Smart-Smart or Globe-Globe calls only. So the next time you make a call, don’t forget to append these few numbers so you can save more while talking more on your phone.

  Digital Hub, an Apple Premium Reseller and Gold Service Provider, recently had a grand opening of its latest branch in Robinson’s Place, Manila. Joining in the fun and celebration were the supportive gang of Philmug and Podcentral members who were treated to free food and drinks as well as a raffle of various gadget goodies. Digital Hub not only provides consumers with a wide variety of Apple products and 3rd party accessories to choose from, but also have equally competent and friendly personnel to assist you with your inquiries and technical questions. Now, Apple fanboys and those switching have more options available to them as to where they can purchase their system from, and as they say, comptetition breeds better service. Things can only get better for the local Mac community.   Digital Hub is owned and operated by Digits Trading. They're the same guys behind the successful Digital Walker chain of stores and the ones responsible for getting everyone hooked on Crumpler. This new branch is only the third for Digital Hub. The other two are located in the Theatre Mall, Greenhills in San Juan and Robinson’s Forum in Mandaluyong City.

Mozilla has finally released final public version of Firefox 3, the latest iteration of their internet browser. It’s said to provide faster page load time and better security features while eating up less memory. So for those loyal Firefox users who have been waiting for this latest installment, you can download it now. On a similar note, Portable Apps has come out with a mobile version of this browser as well. It’s an 8MB file that you can store on your USB flash drive so you can take it along with you inclusive of your favorite bookmarks and settings. This will also do away with any potential risk of you saving any personal info such as log-in name and passwords when you use the local internet café PC. It’s free to download, but do consider sending the hardworking folks at Portable Apps a donation so that they may continue to provide us with quality, portable software in the years to come.

  It’s been a while since we last heard anything from the rumored MotoZINE series of Motorola, but now, it’s finally official. The MotoZine ZN5 is the first model in this new line and features a Kodak 5-megapixel camera with autofocus and Xenon flash. Aside from the Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and the ModeShift interface (similar to the ROKR E8), the camera features are probably the biggest thing going for this new mobile phone. It’s not 3G-capable so don’t expect blazing speeds when you connect to the Kodak gallery when you upload your photos. Over-all, it looks like a pretty decent phone on its own, but with more feature-filled mobile devices such as the iPhone and the Sony Ericsson C905 making their way to our country soon, it seems a little bit lagging behind the competition.   Nevertheless, this new partnership with Kodak should be good news for Moto-fanboys who have been waiting for a decent camera phone from the beleaguered company. It’ll make its debut in China next month and is expected to go on tour in the rest of the world for the remainder of the year.

Further blurring the lines that divide digital compact cameras and camera phones, Sony Ericsson has come out with the 8.1-megapixel C905. As part of the Cyber-shot camera phone family, you can expect a more-than-the-average feature set on this baby. This slider comes with a Xenon flash and technologies such as auto-focus face detection, smart contrast and image stabilizer to give you the best shot possible. The large 2.4-inch scratch-resistant glass display allows you to view all your captures easily while the integrated GPS helps in navigation and provides geo-tagging services to all your photos so you’ll never forget where they were taken. The bigger megapixel count will mean more space will be consumed by your photos, but not to worry. They’ve also decided to include a 2GB Memory Stick Micro (M2) as part of the sales package. Veering away from the camera functionality, it also packs in a media player, FM radio,Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 3G, and a host of others. You can choose from Night Black, Ice Silver and Copper Gold once it becomes available towards the end of this year (read: 4th Quarter of 2008). If it does make it on time, this'll surely make for a pretty fine present once the Christmas season begins.

Axis Distribution, a local Apple reseller, is taking a novel approach in bringing Mac products to the greater tech-savvy community, the students. The De La Salle-College of St. Benilde is the first campus to host the Switch Creative Center in their School of Design and Arts building which hopes to better expose students to the world of the Mac. In this short video interview provided by Inquirer.net VDO, Benjamin Loo, president of Axis Distribution, explains what Switch is all about and their future plans with the store. Through these campus-based stores, students get to try out Mac products in a more familiar environment as opposed to mall-based outlets where suspicious and somewhat intimidating sales personnel hound curious on-lookers. Greater exposure will hopefully result in better sales. It’s quite unique and a first in the Philippines, but Apple has been known to be a supporter of the educational system. In the US, they give discounts to schools, teachers and students who purchase their products. Locally, Ynzal is doing the same thing. Switch also has plans to implement a similar scheme in the future. Another Switch Center is opening soon in the UP North Science and Technology Center which is currently still being developed at this time. As more students get the chance to become more familiar and accustomed to Mac products, Apple might just win the hearts of the future generation. Now, if only the prices were a bit more affordable, switching wouldn’t be so difficult.

Without a doubt, Apple has found the winning formula in the all-in-one desktop solution market with a couple a wannabes falling desperately short of the high standard it has set. Nevertheless, this doesn’t mean that the PC empire will just surrender the battle. As a matter of fact, HP has a decent looking candidate in their hands. The TouchSmart 2 not only provides consumers with a space-saving computer that’s equipped with a more-than-adequate 22-inch widescreen display, but it also comes with a touch screen interface rarely found in a desktop. No, it’s not multi-touch like the iPhone or other popular mobile devices, but the UI, nonetheless, looks impressive. This actually isn’t the first time HP has come up with such a product, and we have to say, this new iteration is a great improvement from its predecessor. This TouchSmart 2 PC is only 2.6-inches thick and will come in two variant: the IQ504 (PC) and the IQ506 (PC with TV-tuner). Basic specs include an Intel Core 2 Duo 2.0GHz processor, 4GB RAM, 320GB SATA HDD, Intel GMA X3100 with 128MB dedicated memory, gigabit LAN, Wifi (b/g/n), integrated webcam, card-reader, FireWire port, and a slot-load SuperMulti DVD burner to name a few. It’s accompanied with an equally beautiful wireless keyboard and mouse. It’s set to launch in 17 countries next month, but unfortunately, the Philippines isn’t one of them. Combining innovative technology with superb design, the HP TouchSmart 2 may have just what it takes to battle it out with the iMac giants. If there's such a thing as a mobile desktop computer, this is probably it.

Nokia first tried to come out with a gaming-mobile phone with the release of the N-Gage unit a few years back. It wasn’t as successful as many hoped it would be probably due to its awkward functionality as a phone, but it seems that Finnish company learned from their prior mistakes with the much improved N81. Now, Sony Ericsson tries their hand at this venture with the first-of-its-kind Motion Gaming-enabled phone, the F305. Similar to how the Wii works, you play certain games by moving (or swinging) the phone accordingly. I don’t exactly know how the gaming community will accept this considering that the controller and display are all located on the same device, but the news of such a device is nonethless exciting. You can likewise play games the traditional way thanks to the control buttons found on each end of the phone similar to how a typical game console is configured. Unfortunately, the display leaves much to be desired being just 2-inches in size with a resolution of 176x220, but I guess this is pretty safe for a mobile phone.   An FM radio, 2-Megapixel camera, Bluetooth, 10MB internal memory, Memory Stick Micro expansion slot and EDGE connectivity round up the set of features on the F305. Yup, no 3G on this baby, but I guess that’ll also mean that it won’t be that expensive either. If a Wii, PSP and mobile phone had a tryst; the F305 would probably be their lovechild. It'll come in Polar White and Mystic Black color variations, and hit select markets in the 3rd quarter of this year. Is it the ultimate gaming-mobile phone? I don't think so, but it's headed towards the right direction.

It’s that time of the year again gadget-lovers! If you have money left from the recent payday; you might want to visit the Microwarehouse Mid-Year Sale where you can get the best gadgets in town at low, low prices. Cash and credit card payments will be accepted, but no reservations will be entertained. If you’re already decided and want to check this out, do come early as most of the good stuff fly off the shelves pretty quickly. It's still several months to go before Christmas, but it's never too early to reward yourself for the great job you've done for the 1st half of 2008. For more updates and the pricelist, you can check MWH’s Mid-Year Sale page.

The name Polaroid used to be synonymous with pictures developed in an instant, but that was back in the day way before the digital scene. However, Polaroid isn’t about to let that distinction just slip away. Enter into the picture the PoGo. This ultra-compact portable photo printer is probably one of the smallest we’ve ever seen since the portable photo printer was introduced by Canon way back in the day. It’s capable of printing 2”x3” pictures by connecting mobile devices via USB or wirelessly through Bluetooth. What’s even more intriguing about this device is that it’s completely inkless. Gizmodo even has a quick review of this latest mobile printer. How does it work? It makes use of a special paper which contains colorless dye crystals in CMY layer that will only be activated by heat. So in essence, the printer is like a blow dryer that heats the paper at various levels to produce the image, which in turn means you’ll never have to worry about replacing the ink cartridge because there is none. The printed picture is also waterproof, tear and fade resistant and comes with an adhesive backing so you can turn them into stickers for your friends or young relatives. While the technology and size is indeed appealing, its usability in real world application is quite limited. Add the fact that it makes use of a new technology; it makes it less practical since availability of such photo paper is quite limited. However, the idea of an inkless printer is nevertheless good news, but I’m willing to wait until the next variation comes out in the market (and becomes locally available).

  The new 3G iPhone may seem cheaper at the onset, but the catch here is the bundled plan that goes along with it. Gizmodo has come up with a comparative table of what the new iPhone will really cost you on an AT&T plan. Surpisingly (or not), it’s actually more expensive than the first one albeit just being a hundred or so despite having a lower unit selling price. On the local front, although nothing’s certain yet, Yugatech via a reliable source has come up with the possible pricing scheme for the iPhone. It comes as no surprise that a 2-year lock-in period is required and higher end plans will have the privilege of getting the Apple mobile phone at a cheaper price (if not free), but the kicker here is that it’s only the 8GB model being discussed here. G-Max 3500 iPhone 3G Initial Fee: Php9,995 Monthly Fee: Php3,500 Free Text: 650 Free Calls: 750 mins. Globe to Globe: Php3.50/minute Globe to Non-Globe: Php4.50/minute Excess SMS Rates: Php0.50/text Globe Platinum 5000 iPhone 3G Initial Fee: FREE Monthly Fee: Php5,000 Free Text: 650 Free Calls: 1,100 mins. Globe to Globe: Php3.50/minute Globe to Non-Globe: Php4.50/minute Excess SMS Rates: Php0.50/text  If you do the math, you’ll actually be spending P 93,995.00 for an 8GB iPhone on the G-Max 3500 plan, and P 120,000.00 on the Platinum spread over two years.  The prepaid kit isn't looking too enticing either as Vodafone's unit-only price of the iPhone gives us a hint into the possible price range in the local market. Unfortunately, Apple is also implementing a new mandatory in-store activation policy which means you'd have to go to authorized telco distributors to have it activated. This greatly reduces the chances of getting an iPhone in the black market at a cheaper price. Sheesh! The 3G iPhone is starting to look more less-affordable by the minute. September is the supposed roll-out date of these new iPhone-based plans so by then, we can probably get a clearer picture of what it’ll really cost us. The iPhone is undeniably a hot commodity, but I’m hoping (probably against all odds) that Globe or any telco for that manner will not use it to  bait consumers into getting plans that just aren’t worth it. After all, current plans put a premium on SMS and calls while the biggest asset the iPhone its data usage. Telcos should offer a more impressive data plans that not only is consumer-friendly, but reliable and sound as well. With the entry of the iPhone into the local market, now is the perfect opportunity to push for data plans which has taken a back seat to cheaper call and text rates primarily due to the lack of a device that can truly maximize the usage of such a service. This, in turn, will be an added source of revenue considering how under-used it has been for the last couple of years. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that Globe officials will realize this and make a concerted effort to improve on the existing 3G/data usage scheme and make the iPhone more affordable, not just for the well-off crowd, but more so for the greater majority. After all, isn’t it Steve’s dream to have everyone use the iPhone? UPDATE: The official prices are out already. Read more here.

If Nokia is known for releasing the most number of mobile phones models in a particular time span, Canon can probably pass as Nokia’s counterpart in the digital SLR market. With an already extensive line of cameras ranging from the entry level to the hard-core professional imaging machines, Canon has decided to add yet another one in the form of the Rebel XS/1000D. Inheriting most of the features of the XSi/450D and replacing the XTi/400D as the baby of the family, the trimmed down XS is Canon’s offering for the budget-conscious newbie without sacrificing much in terms of performance. Sure, it seems lowly with just a 10.1-megapixels and a 7-point AF area as opposed to its siblings that offer 12.2-megapixels and a 9-point AF area, but those little differences are almost negligible if you consider the greater context of things.  It comes equipped with the new Digic III image processor found in the XSi albeit being lower at 12-bits instead of 14-bits. Current specs also indicate that it will ship with an 18-55mm IS lens. Specific availability dates and pricing are yet to be known.   Putting all the minor differences aside, what you get from the XS is a more affordable version of the XSi. It’s not as powerful, but it’s not as expensive as well. It’s a mighty fine choice for those on a limited budget or those looking for more bang for their buck.

Technology these days is simply amazing once you stop and just think how things were a couple of years back. Who knew that eventually almost anyone can easily set-up a wireless network at home and enjoy broadband connections to surf the net. Thanks to technological wonders such as these, and the Eye-Fi SD card, Reuters reports how a tourist was able to recover her stolen camera and nab the culprits as well. While enjoying her vacation in Florida,  Alison DeLauzon suddenly realized that her camera was missing and along with it, all the snapshots and videos of her son. Fortunately for her, she was using the Eye-Fi SD card as storage on her Canon camera; and to her surprise, once she got home, all the pictures from her vacation were sent to her computer including snap shots of the thieves. Apparently, there was an unsecure network that matched the settings of her home network which the Eye-Fi card detected. The card then sent all the content to her computer via the internet. It not only managed to salvage all her vacation pictures, but also helped catch those guilty of the crime. This is just another example of how technology can work for you. Of course, taking extra care of your belongings is always a better and safer route because luck won't always be on your side. The Eye-Fi SD card is avialable locally at Ynzal.

  Yup, the 3G iPhone has finally been unveiled after almost a gazillion rumored photos surfaced around the net prior to the event. While I applaud the inclusion of some of the much needed technologies to make it more competitive specification-wise, this second iteration is indeed better but could still use some improvement.  Yeah, the 3G connectivity is good, but with other Wi-Fi enabled product already supporting 802.11n, the iPhone still remains only b/g. The camera is still the same, which isn’t so bad, but with others offering more megapixels and features, Apple could have done was introduced something new to the plate such as face-detection or something similar. It also now has A-GPS and geotagging for photos which is enticing for a certain segment of the market, but probably not the greater majority.  The redesigned exterior makes it look more plush and fashionable, but the curved back (similar to the Treo) also means that it won’t lie still once you put it down on the table. Enterprise solutionsare also part of the package, but storage capacities remain status quo at 8GB and 16GB. However, putting all my little nitpickings aside, it does come with a more reasonable price tag ($299 for the 16GB) and is expected to ship worldwide including the Philippines. Globe will make the 3G iPhone available for both postpaid and prepaid subscribers before the year ends. It will come in two variants: Black or White. Those who were lucky enough to attend the launch, such as the guys at Gizmodo and Laptop Mag, managed to get a brief intimate moment with the new phone and come up with a quick hands-on review. They're pretty happy with the changes and personally, so am I. The subtle (if you can call it that) improvements are worth it considering that the good greatly outweighs the bad.

  We’ve heard and seen supposed spy shots of this upcoming mobile phone, but now Samsung has made the i900 Omnia official. GSM Arena reports that it will make its debut in Singapore on June 17, but all the details regarding its specifications are already public. It’s another touch screen-enabled mobile phone that aims at providing consumers with an alternative to the pioneering iPhone. It runs on Windows Mobile 6.1 Pro and has a brilliant 3.2-inch Wide QVGA (240x400 pixels) display. It also manages to incorporate a 5-megapixel camera with autofocus and face and smile detection which makes this device a cut above the rest of the current pack. It's a relatively well connected device with 3.5G capabilities and Wi-Fi support. Entertainment features include a built-in FM radio, multimedia player and stereo Bluetooth. Storage wise, it’s quite hefty with 8GB and 16GB models scheduled to be released. All these can be found in a very slender 12.5mm thin body. The target market availability is this month though no specifics were given as to where it will make its first appearance. Coincidentally (or not), Apple is also expected to unveil version 2.0 of the iPhone today and it seems that Samsung wants to upstage the Jobs empire. We’re hoping that the new iPhone will be as enticing as the i900 if not better, but I highly doubt that it will come with a 5.0-megpixel camera.

  Taking advantage of the Nintendo DS’s touch screen interface, the Colors app turns your Dual-Screen game console into a Digital Sketchbook for your closet-artists out there. You will need an R4 Revolution Flash cartridge to make this little app work, but I’m pretty sure, most of you already have this as part of your gaming arsenal at home. The lower screen acts as your canvas, while the upper screen is the preview screen of your finished masterpiece. Just look at these marvelous renditions all done through this little wonder from Nintendo and the Colors program. Full instructions on how to install it can be found at Wired’s How-To Wiki. The software is still in a development phase so look for further innovations down the road. It's not as powerful and feature-filled as Photoshop, but it, nevertheless, is a pretty entertaining and useful program that let’s you enjoy your DS to the hilt.

Almost everyone seems to have jumped into the ultra-portable bandwagon these days, and though some have released very impressive units that boast of high end specs, price-wise, the Eee PC still reigns supreme.   That was until Acer decided to join the fray. The Acer Aspire One rumored to just cost around $ 399 (Linux OS) which is way lower than the Eee PC making this the most affordable ultra-portable that comes from a known PC manufacturer. Those who attended Computex 2008 had an opportunity to see this thing of beauty first hand. Engadget even has a quick hands-on review on it based on the unit displayed at the showroom floor.   So what does $ 399 get you? You get a compact laptop that looks somewhat like a cross between an Eee and a Mini-Note. The keyboard layout albeit being a tad smaller is similar to the HP 2133, but spec-wise, it leans more toward the Eee. It's got a 1.6GHz Intel Atom processor, 512MB RAM, 8GB SSD, Wi-Fi (b/g), 8.9-inch screen, 1.3-megapixel camera, card reader and a Linpus Linux OS. A Windows version will also be made available at a higher cost with a 80GB HDD. It will become available in various colored editions that include red, blue and pink. Specifics as to its availability have yet to be disclosed.   It looks like the competition is indeed stepping up, but we’ll reserve our judgment on the Aspire One once we get a full hands-on review on this nifty lappie.

The iRiver Spinn made its first appearance in CES this year, but it’s been a while since anyone has heard news about it ever since. However, Crave at CNET has some good news for those residing in the UK as the release date of this unit has been slated on August of this year.   What’s impressive about this unit, aside from its touch screen interface, is that it incorporates some of the more salient features missing in the iPod Touch such as Bluetooth and Adobe Flash support. The Spinn will also come with a 3D acceleration chip which will no doubt improve its graphic interface. Unfortunately, the top of the line model maxes out at 16GB which Apple has bested by releasing a 32GB Touch version. Another sad bit of info is that there is no sign of an Asian release anytime soon. iRiver has been around in the Philippines for quite some time now but has since taken a back seat to the resurgent Creative. The Spinn would have been a nice addition to the local portable media player (PMP) scene as this looks like a worthy adversary to the Touch.

Asus has finally unveiled the hotly rumored and highly anticipated next-generation models of their successful ultra-portable Eee PC line at Computex in Taiwan. Both the Eee PC 901 and 1000 come equipped with Intel Atom processors, a 1.3-megapixel webcam, and a new 6-cell battery that’s supposed to last for about 7.5-hours or so. Connectivity is also improved with the inclusion of the much faster 802.11n and Bluetooth.   The 901 comes with 1GB of RAM and comes with SSD storage options that include 12GB for the Windows XP version and 20GB for the Linux variant. The 1000 comes with 2GB RAM and offers an SSD and a traditional hard disk model (1000H). The SSD unit comes with 40GB and runs on Linux while the H version will come 80GB with Windows XP preinstalled.   Size-wise, it looks like the 1000 is going to be as big as it's going to get as rumors have it that officials have no intention of pursuing a larger variant for this line. If you want to see a size comparison of the first to the latest variant, Engadget has just the thing for you to see the evolution of the mighty mini Eee. With more to offer in terms of options, has the Eee PC now have what it takes to tickle your gadget fancy or are you still lusting after the HP Mini-Note?

The much awaited HP 2133 Mini-Note has finally arrived in the Philippines. This new ultraportable from HP is the next in line to try and steal some of the thunder from the Eee PC. Unlike those that came before it, the Mini Note looks poised in making a successful debut locally with impressive specs that include a minimum of 1GB of RAM, 120GB hard drive, Wi-Fi, card reader, webcam and a close-to-regular size keypad. OS options include a Linux variant or the more popular Windows Vista is available in either Basic or Business edition. SRP for the basic model which comes with 1GB RAM, 120GB HDD and SuSe Linux is P24950. It’s definitely more expensive than the Eee, but it’s more feature-packed as well. The Windows Vista Basic model comes with more RAM at 2GB is worth P29950 while the Business Edition that features a 2GB RAM and a 160GB HDD goes for P34950. Personally, I find that the basic model is price just right, but the high end model is quite expensive which, in all honesty, costs almost as much as a full-sized regular laptop that runs on an Intel processor. Nevertheless, I’m willing to bet those who truly want a full-fledged portable device won’t even think twice in getting the Mini Note whichever variant it may be especially those who have the extra cash to splurge on such gadgets.

Some of you have probably heard about them, but for those still lagging behind in the latest mobile news, let me introduce once again the latest mobile network here in the Philippines, üMobile. While the whole company is officially a subsidiary of Smart Telecommunications, their operations are completely independent and there strategy in garnering support is truly unique. They don’t sell SIM cards at dirt cheap prices; they give them away for free. That is if you’ve been referred to them by someone who is already a üMobile user, and with regards to the load, you can do it like the rest or you can get it online. Free P .50 load is also given to subscribers per ad they listen to that’s routed to their number. It’s a small amount, but listening to an ad is such a small price to pay for free load. For a limited time only, they’re also giving away free invites to interested parties. How successful will üMobile be in the long run is anybody’s guess, but as most telco companies have remained traditional in their marketing scheme, it’s refreshing to have a new player in town with a completely new strategy to bring to the game.