Smart, Globe and Sun have each agreed to provide their subscribers in Tacloban City, Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Leyte, northern Cebu, and Samar with 25 free local and international text messages daily for five days.
The free 25 daily SMS bundles can be used to send text messages across all networks from November 13 to 17 and come with an allocation for international SMS.
For Smart and Sun subscribers, no registration is required; users will automatically receive the bundles daily, and a text notification will arrive once the bundles are sent. The offer is also available to Smart and Sun subscribers in Palawan.
Globe and TM subscribers, meanwhile, must text BangonPinoy to 8888 to avail of the free service.
“This is a time for Filipinos to come together and help our countrymen in their hour of great need. This joint effort will help Smart, Sun Cellular and Talk ‘N Text subscribers in the typhoon-struck areas to communicate with their loved ones at home and abroad,” said Charles A. Lim, executive vice president of Smart and chief operating officer of Digital Mobile Philippines.
Peter Bithos, Chief Operating Advisor for Globe Consumer Business Group, stated, “This free service is open to all Globe Postpaid, Globe Prepaid, and TM subs in these Eastern Visayas provinces. This is the company’s way of giving assistance to our customers who are suffering from the typhoon’s onslaught and who need to reach out to their family and friends in the country and abroad.”
Mr. Robert Lee, President of Wand Smart Entertainment System Inc., giving the press an overview of Wand.
Riding the tech trend of ‘smart’ technologies, the Wand Smart Multimedia Entertainment System officially joins the wave as it launches in the country today.
Touted as the world’s first multi-entertainment system, Wand converts your average television set into a more capable smart television. The quick setup only requires a little effort; just plug the device into the television set via the RCA or HDMI port and you instantly have an internet ready smart device.
“It’s a fun-loving product,” remarked Robert Lee, President of Wand Smart Entertainment System Inc. As a multi-entertainment system, the Wand comes packed with various features. It is internet ready, allowing users to browse the web and social media sites through a Wi-Fi or LAN connection. The Wand is also compatible with the Android OS and is pre-loaded with 22 apps. Apart from its connectivity feature, it is also a revolutionary media player capable of playing full HD media.
In addition, the multi-entertainment system also functions as a photo viewer and a music player with an automatic DJ mixer. There is a picture in picture mode and recording of live feed feature. A microphone with a karaoke function also comes with the device, with over 1,000 songs in mp3 format. The highlight of the karaoke function is that it allows users to expand the library of songs by downloading from any website and sorting the songs in a number listing. The Wand can also record videos and double as a CCTV via webcam.
The Wand smart multi-entertainment system is expandable up to 3-terabyte and allows the user to access, delete, copy and organize files on his/her USB, SD or external hard drive.
The Wand is available at select Anson’s, E-boutique, AV Surfer, and Avesco outlets at PHP 17,900.
At the Vision Petron awarding ceremonies, Roman Marcus Abad (center), one of the grand prize winners of the video-making category, with the judges (L-R): Petron Marketing AVP Mary Ann Neri, Raymund Red, Laurice Guillen, and Romy Vitug
Uplifting and inspirational depictions of personal triumphs and milestones marked the winning entries for the 2014 Vision Petron national student art competition, which were honored in awarding ceremonies held last 10 October 2013 at the Old Senate Hall of the National Museum.
In the momentous year of Petron’s 80th Anniversary, the theme Lakbay Tagumpay—A Journey of Triumphs and Milestones echoes the corporate slogan “Fuel Success”—shining the spotlight on journeys towards personal success and the essential values of passion, determination and hard work.
Interpreting this year’s theme, student artists from all over the country submitted a record-breaking 2,000+ entries in five competition categories, namely: painting (oil/acrylic and water-based media), photography, t-shirt art design, and vide0-making.
Petron President Lubin B. Nepomuceno remarked, “We believe that the youth plays an essential role in nation-building. Through Vision Petron, we engage them to give their thoughts on relevant issues, use their creativity, and through their art, become catalysts for positive change.” Vision Petron: Lakbay Tagumpay is a journey of success
Uplifting and inspirational depictions of personal triumphs and milestones marked the winning entries for the 2014 Vision Petron national student art competition, which were honored in awarding ceremonies held last 10 October 2013 at the Old Senate Hall of the National Museum.
In the momentous year of Petron’s 80th Anniversary, the theme Lakbay Tagumpay—A Journey of Triumphs and Milestones echoes the corporate slogan “Fuel Success”—shining the spotlight on journeys towards personal success and the essential values of passion, determination and hard work.
Interpreting this year’s theme, student artists from all over the country submitted a record-breaking 2,000+ entries in five competition categories, namely: painting (oil/acrylic and water-based media), photography, t-shirt art design, and vide0-making.
Petron President Lubin B. Nepomuceno remarked, “We believe that the youth plays an essential role in nation-building. Through Vision Petron, we engage them to give their thoughts on relevant issues, use their creativity, and through their art, become catalysts for positive change.”
In his keynote speech, indie film pioneer Raymond Red lauded the inclusion of video-making as a new competition category, saying: “Film-making is the medium of the future. It has invaded all of media now. Everyone, regardless of background, is exposed to film.”
Holding the awarding ceremony at the National Museum, home of the country’s art treasures such as the magnificent Spoliarium by Juan Luna, was seen as a significant move linking a new generation of young Filipino artists to a rich, cultural heritage of Filipino masters who have made a mark in the global art scene.
Renowned luminaries joined Petron in judging the entries, thus making this one of the most prestigious national student art competitions. In the painting category, the board of judges included national artist Abdulmari Imao as chairman, and national artist Napoleon Abueva, Danilo Dalena, Elmer Borlongan, Alfred Esquillo Jr., and Raul Isidro as members.
The photography panel is headed by Wig Tysmans, one of the country’s top portraitists and commercial photographers, along with George Tapan, Edwin Tuyay, Sonny Yabao, Ernesto Enrique, and Denise Weldon.
The t-shirt art judges were led by Raul Isidro, a respected abstract painter specializing in lithography and printmaking. With him were BG Hernandez, Jay Aldeguer, Justin Nuyda, and Ramon Cruz.
For the new video-making category, the board of judges included FAMAS hall of famer Romy Vitug, Laurice Guillen, Raymond Red, Horacio Severino, and Mary Ann Neri who joined the painting and photography categories as well.
Fittingly, the Vision Petron program is itself a winner, having garnered the 2013 Anvil Awards Hall of Fame from the Public Relations Society of the Philippines (PRSP), as a communications tool that has won more than five awards of excellence through the years.
Vision Petron is a partnership between Petron Corporation and the youth, both sharing a common advocacy of preserving Philippine art and culture, values, traditions and skills. As a national student art competition, it is open to all talented students enrolled in a regular university or college course, or in tutorial art and photography classes. It is also a venue for filmmakers, musicians, performance artists, art enthusiasts, and all Filipinos to converge and be one through their shared love for Philippine art and culture.
Petron believes that everyone has his/her own unique perspective on things and that this uniqueness can be expressed in so many different ways. This is the inspiration behind Vision Petron — the belief that free artistic expression remains intrinsic to nation-building.
In his keynote speech, indie film pioneer Raymond Red lauded the inclusion of video-making as a new competition category, saying: “Film-making is the medium of the future. It has invaded all of media now. Everyone, regardless of background, is exposed to film.”
Holding the awarding ceremony at the National Museum, home of the country’s art treasures such as the magnificent Spoliarium by Juan Luna, was seen as a significant move linking a new generation of young Filipino artists to a rich, cultural heritage of Filipino masters who have made a mark in the global art scene.
Renowned luminaries joined Petron in judging the entries, thus making this one of the most prestigious national student art competitions. In the painting category, the board of judges included national artist Abdulmari Imao as chairman, and national artist Napoleon Abueva, Danilo Dalena, Elmer Borlongan, Alfred Esquillo Jr., and Raul Isidro as members.
The photography panel is headed by Wig Tysmans, one of the country’s top portraitists and commercial photographers, along with George Tapan, Edwin Tuyay, Sonny Yabao, Ernesto Enrique, and Denise Weldon.
The t-shirt art judges were led by Raul Isidro, a respected abstract painter specializing in lithography and printmaking. With him were BG Hernandez, Jay Aldeguer, Justin Nuyda, and Ramon Cruz.
For the new video-making category, the board of judges included FAMAS hall of famer Romy Vitug, Laurice Guillen, Raymond Red, Horacio Severino, and Mary Ann Neri who joined the painting and photography categories as well.
Fittingly, the Vision Petron program is itself a winner, having garnered the 2013 Anvil Awards Hall of Fame from the Public Relations Society of the Philippines (PRSP), as a communications tool that has won more than five awards of excellence through the years.
Vision Petron is a partnership between Petron Corporation and the youth, both sharing a common advocacy of preserving Philippine art and culture, values, traditions and skills. As a national student art competition, it is open to all talented students enrolled in a regular university or college course, or in tutorial art and photography classes. It is also a venue for filmmakers, musicians, performance artists, art enthusiasts, and all Filipinos to converge and be one through their shared love for Philippine art and culture.
Petron believes that everyone has his/her own unique perspective on things and that this uniqueness can be expressed in so many different ways. This is the inspiration behind Vision Petron — the belief that free artistic expression remains intrinsic to nation-building.
In the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda), the storm that razed several areas in the Visayas, Viber urges Filipino users to call their families and let them know how they’re holding up by opening a temporary service which allows them to call non-Viber numbers outside the Philippines for free.
To call someone using the service, users can select a contact in Viber and tap any of the numbers listed next to “Viber Out”.
Supported destinations
Landline and Mobile (all numbers):
USA & Canada
UK
China
Hong Kong
India
Indonesia
Korea
Malaysia
Singapore
Thailand
Landline Only (no mobile phones):
Argentina
Australia
Brazil
Croatia
Cyprus
Denmark
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Mexico
Netherlands
New Zealand
Norway
Peru
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Russia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Venezuela
Many of my friends, including some of the nerds from our office, have joined the bandwagon and have been flooding my timeline with their cartoon-ized selves.
While I have to admit that some posts are absolutely hilarious, most of them are your run-of-the-mill TMI posts that nobody really cares about.
So instead of posting this,
why not just get your self something to eat instead of wasting your time and energy making and posting the stip? But anyway, thats just me.
Luckily, like any other Facebook app, there are ways to banish these little annoyances from our timeline.
Hiding
The easiest way to to not-see the graphics is to click the toggle button at the upper right corner of the post to reveal the drop down menu.
If you just want to hide inane posts of certain people but still see the posts by others, click on Hide all from <name of friend> and repeat with all the other friends you wish to hide. However, if you really don’t want to see any at all, go ahead and click Hide all from Bitstrips and you won’t see your cartoon friends anymore. Laugh maniacally and pet your cat.
Blocking
The other way to do it is to go to the app’s page and click Block.
After the initial click, a pop-up ask you to confirm that you really want to block the app (Yes, you really do!), and that’s it, pancit! As much fun as it would be, doing this process more than once won’t really change anything, but if your anger for Bitstrips has not been satiated, feel free do repeat this as many times as you would like.
AdBlock
Alternately, if you’re running Chrome, you can also use an extension called AdBlock. While it isn’t an intended purpose, AdBlock is a powerful extension that can block any content from a specific URL. It’s also nice enough to walk you through the blocking process, so it should be a pain-free experience.
After doing one or all of these steps (depending on how much Bitstrip annoys you), your timeline should now be free of these crazy cartoons. Congratulations!
Brace yourselves, shoppers. A flash sale is coming up!
ZALORA Philippines, online fashion store, along with LAZADA and other e-commerce sites such as A-deals, is launching the Online Revolution. The Online Revolution is a month-long promotional campaign that aims to increase the presence of online shopping in the country.
“With the holiday season upon us, The Online Revolution campaign is a great opportunity for increasing the awareness and convenience of shopping online. We hope that this campaign can highlight the convenience and benefits of online shopping by motivating shoppers to try the online experience, especially for the gift-giving season,” expresses Paulo Campos, Managing Director at ZALORA Philippines.
To start off the 11/11 Online Revolution, at 11am today, ZALORA Philippines is coming up with a 60-minute, 11% off flash sale!
This is just the beginning. ZALORA, along with other participants including A-Deals powered by Ayala Malls and LAZADA will be rolling out a series of deals during the whole campaign. This means special deals will be up for grabs for the whole month! And on the 11th of December, watch out as eCommerce Revolution day caps off the campaign.
Just after the devastating effects of typhoon Yolanda cut Tacloban off, Globe immediately picked up the slack and put up a cell site in the area to restore critical communications. The temporary site, located near Hotel Alejandro, along Paterno St., in Tacloban helped provide much-needed communications to the many families and rescuers in the area. According to many reports from social media and various news outlets, it is apparent that the city was among the hardest-hit in all of the Philippines.
Globe said that restoration efforts are being accelerated in the Visayas region with the assistance of government units like the Phil. Air Force and the Phil. Navy who lent assistance in providing transport requirements for heavy network equipment that are being airlifted or shipped to critical sites including Tacloban. Almost 30 sites from Calbayog, Samar to Northern Samar have also been brought back online, bringing 30% the total 471 affected sites back and ready to handle traffic.
Along with the efforts to bring the cell sites back to life, Libreng Tawag stations have also been set up in Iloilo at the following areas: 1) OWWA Office 3F Robinson Mall; 2) Western Visayas Cyberlink Inc. HUB Shoppers Avenue; 3) Globe Telecom JM Basa St. Iloilo. Globe has also put up free charging stations in areas currently disconnected from the grid.
Calling all techies! There’s still time to improve your Christmas shopping list. Go ahead, re-do that list and consider giving yourself a little pre-Christmas gift from the MSI-ECS Warehouse Sale. There will big discounts of up to 30% on notebooks and desktops and up to 80% off on accessories and peripherals. Visit the MSI-CES Building on November 16-22 and catch the biggest and grandest I.T Warehouse Sale this 2013.
Yes, you read the heading right, but no, Samsung has not yet unveiled the Galaxy S5. But according to reports the company has spoken about a new camera technology that the flagship line has yet to don.
Reports say, on November 6, the company told around 350 analysts at a conference in Seoul that throughout 2014 and 2015, Samsung’s flagship handsets will be equipped with a 16-megapixel ISOCELL camera sensor.
The ISOCELL sensor is Samsung’s new innovation in mobile cameras. The Korean tech giant further added, it improves picture quality by physically isolating individual pixels.
With the expected launch of the Samsung Galaxy S5 and Galaxy Note 4 next year, it may indeed sport the new camera technology. What can you say about it? Comment on the section below.
Debuting in a fuel-efficient package, Ford’s multi-award-winning green technology 1.0-liter Ecoboost engine can now be found under the hood of the new Ford Fiesta.
Redefining the small car segment, the new Ford Fiesta was unveiled in the Philippines at the 2013 Auto Focus Motor Show at the SM Mall of Asia last November 7.
More with Less
Ford didn’t stop at its exciting bold design, top-notch fuel economy, safety features, and smart technologies, the new Fiesta continues to impress as it is now equipped with 1.0-liter EcoBoost.
The smallest engine in its class, Ford’s patented three-cylinder EcoBoost engine will be big on power, torque and refinement. Projected to produce 125 PS of power and peak torque of 170 NM, the quiet and smooth-running engine will deliver power and engine performance that rivals a traditional 1.6-liter petrol engine. With 25 percent fewer moving parts, the 1.0-liter EcoBoost is able to deliver higher fuel economy and lower emissions.
“The new Ford Fiesta continues to raise the bar for small cars in the Philippines. With the introduction of our latest 1.0L EcoBoost engine, we offer customers great fuel economy without sacrificing power and torque”, says Kay Hart, managing director, Ford Philippines.
The little engine that can
The 1.0-liter EcoBoost is the company’s first three-cylinder engine and also has the highest power density of any Ford production engine.
The 1.0-liter EcoBoost also debuts many technologies never before seen in a Ford vehicle:
The super-small and extremely responsive turbocharger delivers power quickly when the throttle is open from low RPM. The turbocharger’s ability to reach nearly 248,000 RPM results in virtually no turbo lag, making the new Fiesta quick and fun to drive.
The exhaust manifold is cast into the cylinder head so the exhaust gases can be water-cooled to enable optimum fuel-to-air ratio across a wider rev band.
The unique cast iron block warms the engine quicker than a conventional aluminum block, cutting the amount of “warm-up” energy required by 50 percent and increasing fuel economy.
The “split-cooling” system that has separate thermostats for the cylinder head and block allow quick warm-up.
Two main engine drive belts are immersed in oil to deliver a quieter, more efficient engine while the variable oil pump ensures optimal oil pressure across the full speed range.
Praised around the world
Earning a roster of global acclaims, the 1.0-liter EcoBoost engine was recently voted as the International Engine of The Year by a jury of 87 journalists from 35 countries, winning by the largest voting margin in the award’s history for two consecutive years.
It also bagged the Breakthrough Award from Popular Mechanic’s magazine in the U.S., the prominent Dewar Trophy from the Royal Automobile Club in Great Britain, and the esteemed International Paul Pietsch Award 2013 for technological innovation in Germany. The 1.0-liter EcoBoost has also proven that small does not mean slow. Last June, it set 16 land speed records at a racetrack in France.
“The 1.0-liter EcoBoost indeed packs a big punch, proving that size does not matter with this multi-awarded engine,” said Hart. “The new Fiesta with 1.0L EcoBoost delivers what customers truly want – a vehicle with no compromise.”
The new 5-door Ford Fiesta Sport+ with the 1.0L EcoBoost engine will be available at Ford showrooms nationwide starting next month at PhP 898,000. It is available in six exciting colors, including Arctic White, Black Mica, Highlight Silver, Chili Orange, Phantom Purple and Celestial Blue.
In the driving activity called “Toughness, Refined and Redefined with the All-New Isuzu D-MAX,” Isuzu Philippines highlighted the other side of the D-Max, which is that of being comfortable and luxurious, across a route in the Visayan island of Panay.
Seven all-new Isuzu D-Max units were shipped from Manila to Iloilo, and from there, participants drove over 260 kilometers to the Caticlan Jetty Port, where they took the ferry to Boracay Island.
“Toughness is a key strength for any pickup truck as this guarantees its ability to carry heavy payloads and conquer rough terrain,” said Isuzu Philippines Corporation (IPC) President Nobuo Izumina. “But along with toughness a pickup truck should also provide modern comfort and luxury features. In this regard the All-New Isuzu D-MAX delivers, making it not just an ideal workhorse but also a perfect companion in recreational activities.”
The all-newew Isuzu D-Max, formally launched in the Philippines on September 18, is available in seven exciting variants; LS 4×4 A/T, LS 4×4 M/T, LS 4×2 A/T, LS 4×2 M/T, LT 4×4 M/T, LT 4×2 M/T and single cab 4×2 M/T. It comes in Cosmic Black, Garnet Red, Ash Beige, Titanium Silver and Splash White colors. Like the bestselling model it replaced, it will be built at IPC’s world-class manufacturing plant at the Laguna Technopark in Biñan, with assembly to start in the next few months.
For more details about the all-new Isuzu D-Max, click here.
Hyundai Motorsport has reiterated its bold approach to the World Rally Championship by confirming rising WRC star Thierry Neuville as its lead driver starting from the 2014 season.
25-year-old Neuville, who is playing a key role in this year’s championship, has signed a multi-year agreement with Hyundai Motorsport that represents a serious commitment by both parties to build towards long-term success in the competitive WRC series.
Neuville, along with his co-driver Nicolas Gilsoul, will join Hyundai Motorsport behind the wheel of the new i20 WRC rally car in all 13 WRC events in 2014, beginning with the team’s debut at the Monte-Carlo Rally in January, signalling the start of the Belgian driver’s third consecutive WRC season.
Neuville’s experience will be invaluable to Hyundai Motorsport as the manufacturer begins its first fully-fledged championship WRC campaign with a team and car that have been developed from scratch, impressively in under a year. Neuville’s eye-catching performances this season have challenged the established competitors in WRC and have resulted in his reputation as one of the most exciting, young and dynamic drivers coming up through the WRC ranks.
Planned obsolescence is something with which we all have to deal. The thing is, knowing it is going to happen doesn’t make it any easier on the soul or the wallet. Globe has you covered though. With their new iPhone Forever promo, you can always get your hands on the newest iPhone without having to pre-terminate an existing plan and sign up for a new one each time a new iPhone hits the market.
First, the prospective subscriber has to pick one of five iPhone plans ranging from 1599 all the way to 6999. Each has a consumable monetary amount, free SMS allowance and fee calls, as well as LTE browsing.
Next, they swap an existing gadget of theirs, the idea being that you swap out last year’s iPhone for the new one. While this is meant to keep you in the iPhone loop, other gadgets are also accepted based on a tier system provided by Globe. You could also just jump right in with a PHP12,999 cash-out if you would rather keep your device. The current pricing tiers are below in a handy table!
This means your current lock-in period keeps running, and if a new iPhone comes in while you’re within the 24-month lock-in, your clock just keeps going, whereas if you applied for a new plan, you’d be locked in for a new 24-month period. Just swap in your previous generation iPhone. While this practically guarantees that you’re set for the new iPhones as they come in, signing up for the promo isn’t going to be around forever. You can avail of the plans from 15 November until 31 December of this year, after which, it’s back to the same pre-terminate and re-application system of old. If you absolutely, positively have to have the newest iPhone each and every time, this is probably the simplest way to go about it.
The newest iPhones have been in the market for some time now, and there is little doubt some of you already have your own. For the rest of us, the official roll-out has finally reached our shores. Smart, one of the leaders in Philippine telecommunications, has released the pricing and plans for Apple’s new wonderchildren.
The 5c will be made available starting at an easy PHP 1499 monthly, while the 5s can be yours beginning at PHP1799. Reservations for each can be made at the Smart website at http://www.smart.com.ph/iPhone, with availability starting on the 15th of November. These plans give subscribers flexible postpaid options and great deals on LTE browsing.
“Our subscribers have been keenly anticipating our iPhone plans. The good news is we’re offering a wide range of choices so they can select the plan that will best suit their lifestyle and let them experience the full capabilities of their phone – whether they need fast web browsing, extensive multimedia streaming or frequent use of data-driven applications.” said Kathy Carag, head of Smart’s postpaid business group.
Subscribers can get any color of the iPhone 5c (16 GB) for only PHP1,499 a month with the iPhone Plan 999 (PHP 999 monthly service fee plus PHP500 device amortization via credit card). iPhone Plan 999 already comes with 40 free call minutes, 100 free SMS and an unlimited data connection.
Meanwhile, those interested in the iPhone 5s can get the 16GB model for only PHP1,799 a month with the iPhone Plan 999 (PHP 999 monthly service fee plus PHP 800 device amortization via credit card).
Smart is also offering both phones on other plans with adjusted cash-outs and other monthly fees. It’s a fairly complicated list, so here it is in a handy table!
Existing subscribers can even availe of the wipe out program that allows them to pre-terminate an existing contract in order to sign up for an iPhone by texting WIPEOUT to 2928 for free. These aren’t bad deals, do if you’re itching for your Apple fix, head over to the Smart website now!
Globe Telecom partners with LG Mobile to bring to you it’s newest flagship smartphone, the LG G2, through its suite of fully-customizable postpaid plans.
The LG G2, dubbed by the Stuff Magazine as the “new king of Android”, is available for free at Plan 1799 over a 24-month contract period. The postpaid plan bundle comes with unlimited LTE surfing, a monthly consumable amount for calls and text, and a one-month free subscription to Globe Gadgets Care, Globe’s newest mobile phone protection program that guarantees a worry-free experience against theft and accidental damage.
“We are honored to be the first Philippine telco to offer LG Mobile’s latest smartphone innovation in the country on the back of our undisputed postpaid leadership and device expertise,” shared Raul Macatangay, Head of Globe Postpaid. “The LG G2 and its amazing features are best paired with the Best-Ever mySUPERPLAN, the first fully-customizable and most flexible postpaid plan in the country that empowers subscribers to create a plan that fits their needs, budget, and lifestyle.”
To learn more about the LG G2 from Globe, visit www.globe.com.ph/postpaid and www.lgmobile.com. For regular updates, like LG Mobile Philippines on Facebook and follow @LGPhilippines on Twitter.
