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    Urbanears outs Slussen: an adapter + app that lets you mix tracks easily with your iPhone

    Gadgets Team
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    Urbanears outs Slussen: an adapter + app that lets you mix tracks easily with your iPhone

    Think you need a turntable to be a DJ? Urbanears sees things differently and claims that you can mix tracks with what you already have in your pocket—your smartphone! All you need is one wee accessory to make it happen—the Slussen. It is a pocket-sized adapter that comes with an app that enables you to mix your favorite tracks while you’re on the go.

    Hidden under a cap attached to a keyring, the Slussen hosts a 3.5mm jack that plugs into the audio port of your iOS gadget. Two audio ports rest on both ends of the U-shape—one that connects to your headphones or earphones, and one that connects to a speaker system.

    As mentioned, the device works with an app you must download on iTunes (it’s free!) that lets you mix tracks easily on your iPhone. The app even comes with an equalizer to make sure you get the perfect sound for your mix.

    Here are some videos to show you how the Slussen app works:

    Urbanears has announced on YouTube that an Android version of the Slussen app is currently in the works.

    Slussen comes in four colors—Pumpkin, Grape, Tomato and Petrol—and is available at the Podium, Astrovision, Automatic Center, Avant, Beyond The Box, Bratpack, Buzz, Complex, Digital Hub, Digital Walker, Egghead, Electroworld, Gadgets in Style, Gui, iCenter, iGig, iStudio, Mobile 1, Power Hub, Power Mac Center, Republik, ROX, Switch, Technoholics, Toby’s Arena and Urban Athletics.

    The LG Optimus G: an unboxing.

    Ren Alcantara
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    The LG Optimus G: an unboxing.

    Android phones have flooded the market of late, and really, since they all run the same OS, there is not a lot by which we can differentiate them, at least when we use them. Still, with the new year, manufacturers are separating themselves from each other by creating phones that look great and give a little better experience than most of the devices that we see on the shelves. LG’s Optimus G is one such product. We were very curious about the device here at the office when we first heard about it, and personally, I have to admit I have always been a fan of how LG phones look. They have had an understated simplicity with just enough detail to catch your attention, and a great feel in hand. Late last week, it arrived at the office, so for those of you who share this fascination with LG and their phones, is our unboxing and our first impressions on the device.

    The box it comes in is a fairly plain deal It’s pretty heavy, and immediately lets you know that there’s something pretty special inside. The top comes off to reveal the phone itself, resting on its little shelf. The device has some heft to it. It feels very solid in the hand and is quite flat, but with nicely curved edges. The finish is a very smooth glass both on the front and back of the device, with a nice, thin, shiny bezel along the outside of the face. It feels nice; LG has not pulled any punches in the looks department. It might actually be a little too slippery. I’s liable to slide right out of your hand if you aren’t pretty careful. The back has a very interesting textured pattern under some protective glass, and it immediately apparent that the battery is not user-accessible; there are no seams to tug at to reveal the inside of the Optimus G. The back is also home to  the 13-Megapixel camera and LED flash, as well as the loudspeaker.


    Controls are sparse, as is the case with most phones these days. There’s a power button on the right edge, when you look at the screen, a volume rocker on the left edge, a microUSB port at the bottom, and a headphone jack up top. There is also a front camera with a 1.3MP sensor for video calls.

    On powerup, you are greeted with a crisp 4.7-inch, 768×1280 HD-IPS screen with a crisp 318 ppi resolution and the familiar LG logo. The combination of Gorilla Glass 2 and sharp images lets you know the Optimus G means business. It runs a quad-core  1.5GHz Krait processor, standard for devices of this tier, and Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean. This is great news, as the device was originally planned to get JB through an update, if memory serves right.

    The box contains the standard accoutrements: AC-USB charger, microUSB cable, sim-poppy-out-thing and quite a nice pair of premium, flat-cabled headphones. I’m liking what I see so far, and if the experience is as nice as the looks of this phone, I think we’ll all be in for a treat. Hang on to your wallets, and stay tuned. We’ll be doing a full review in the April edition of our Gadgets Lab.

    Before we go, here’s one last look at the Optimus G, this time from the back, showing off that gorgeous glass and textured pattern underneath.

    Introducing the $10,000 smartphone, the Vertu TI

    Gadgets Team
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    Introducing the $10,000 smartphone, the Vertu TI

    If you’re fortunate enough to be born into royalty, be in the Forbes 500, or just have this impulse to have the expensive things in life, a $10,000 (Php 407,200) smartphone, the Vertu TI, could be one of those things you might have on your shopping list. Outrageously expensive gadgets have been around for quite some time—an $8 million gold-plated iPad 2, $4.7 million 18-karat gold speakers, and a $2 million personal submarine are just some of the devices that require (quite) a few more zeros tacked on to the amount on your paycheck.

    The Vertu TI comes with a sapphire crystal screen that makes Gorilla Glass look like porcelain. One of its stress tests include dropping a 110g ball bearing onto the screen itself from an unspecified height. Despite its extremely strong build, the Vertu TI’s screen in terms of pixels per inch is rather average compared to the relatively less expensive iPhone 5 (5 inches, 640×1136 resolution at 326 ppi) and HTC One (4.7 inches, 1080×1920 resolution at 468 ppi)—a mere 3.7 inches and a 800×480 screen at 252 ppi. The Vertu TI has a titanium alloy body on the outside and a 6000 series aluminum alloy on the inside, so it practically puts the durability of any other smartphone on the market to shame. Another factor justifying its $10,000 price tag? It happens to be crafted by hand and not mass produced like most smartphones are.

    The rest of the physical specs follow that of most smartphones out on the market—a 1.7 GHz dual-core CPU, 1 GB of RAM, 64 GB of storage (expandable via microSD), an 8 megapixel back camera and a 1.3 megapixel front camera, and your usual connectivity options—Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi, and microUSB, all packaged into the relatively older Android 4.0.4 (Ice Cream Sandwich) OS. But what makes the Vertu TI worth its price tag is some of the other apps that are exclusive to the phone. Vertu Life curates articles and exclusive event suggestions based on the user’s passions and location, which can possibly have you rubbing shoulders with the more elite members of society. Vertu Concierge is a 24/7 independent personal assistance service, or in essence, a butler that is available via smartphone. The basic level is free for the first year, and $2,800 (Php 114,016) per year afterwards. Vertu Certainty is a host of security-related services and provides remote technical assistance.

    It also happens to be the company’s first Android offering, making a jump from the Symbian OS. “Vertu Ti is the most rounded product that we have ever designed. The new Android platform and elegant physical presence combined with Vertu’s renowned curated benefits and services deliver a unique and exceptional proposition,” Massimiliano Pogliani, Vertu’s Global Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, said.

    For those who inexplicably still have money to burn, there is also the Titanium Red Gold Mixed Metals edition for $20,000 (Php 814,440).

    Source: International Business Times

    A small lock screen security flaw in the Samsung Galaxy Note II

    Ren Alcantara
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    A small lock screen security flaw in the Samsung Galaxy Note II

    The Samsung Galaxy Note II is a pretty awesome device. You get a comfortably large screen, the S-Pen, loads of connectivity, and the latest version of Android. A little lock screen trick has been discovered though, and while not terribly earth-shattering, is something that Note II owners should be aware of. Basically, from a locked screen, one can access the “emergency call” function, then hit the “emergency contacts” button, and then the “Home” hardkey. This exposes the home screen for a quick while, and allows the user to launch any items while the home screen icons are visible. The phablet will still revert back to the locked state, so interaction with the home screen is limited to launching an app, but, say you have a favorite contact pinned to the home screen, that could be tapped and called, no problem. Like we said, it’s not really a gaping security hole, but it’s something to take note of, particularly if you have sensitive apps pinned to your home screen. For those of you who want to see the trick in action, YouTube user Terence Eden has a video HERE. It’s an exploit present on the Galaxy Note II running 4.1.2 Jelly Bean, and can be done regardless of what lock method you use. The owner of whichever Galaxy Note II you try this on will, of course, reserve the right to punch you in the face for trying, so maybe ask permission first. You have been warned.

    The Pirate Bay moves to North Korea

    Gadgets Team
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    The Pirate Bay moves to North Korea

    The reclusive nation has invited quite a few guests recently. Google’s executive chairman Eric Schmidt visited last year, and former Chicago Bulls star Dennis Rodman visited just last week. However, fleeing litigation in other countries for allowing people to share files and programs on the Internet, The Pirate Bay is now operating out of North Korea. “We’ve been in talks with them for about two weeks, since they opened access for foreigners to use 3G in the country,” a Pirate Bay insider told us. “TPB has been invited just like Eric Schmidt and Dennis Rodman. We’ve declined up until now.”

    Although The Pirate Bay won’t have a physical presence in North Korea, they are using the country’s network to connect to the outside world. “This is truly an ironic situation. We have been fighting for a free world, and our opponents are mostly huge corporations from the United States of America, a place where freedom and freedom of speech is said to be held high.”

    “At the same time, companies from that country are chasing a competitor from other countries, bribing police and lawmakers, threatening political parties and physically hunting people from our crew. And to our help comes a government famous in our part of the world for locking people up for their thoughts and forbidding access to information,” they add.

    TPB hopes that the North Korean government will also allow North Korean citizens to use their service. Access to the Internet is still heavily regulated and censored—North Korea even has their own Linux-based operating system for computers and their own national Intranet. “We believe that being offered our virtual asylum in [North] Korea is a first step of this country’s changing view of access to information. It’s a country opening up and one thing is sure, they do not care about threats like others do. In that way, TPB and [North] Korea might have a special bond.”

    “We will do our best to influence the [North] Korean leaders to also let their own population use our service, and to make sure that we can help improve the situation in any way we can. When someone is reaching out to make things better, it’s also ones duty to grab their hand,” TPB concludes.

    Source: TorrentFreak

    Samsung unveils the first S4 teaser

    Ren Alcantara
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    Samsung unveils the first S4 teaser

    With just days before the magical Samsung Galaxy S4 release, the Korean giant has let loose a teaser for the device. The launch, slated to happen on the 14th of this month at Times Square in New York City, is bound to be one of the biggest events in Samsung’s calendar, and it’s no surprise that they are doing their part in generating buzz for their upcoming flagship device. The teaser follows Jeremy, the secret messenger for Samsung Unpacked 2013, and gets the job done in that it leaves the viewer just a little bit confused, but expectant, with a little Pulp Fiction thrown in for good measure. It looks to be a series over the next few days leading to the launch, so wait for more videos before the 14th. We know you are probably not reading this writeup anymore, so head over to this link HERE and see it for yourself.

    Google Kicks off A-Pop Star week, serves all the J-, K- and C-pop you could ever want

    Ren Alcantara
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    Google Kicks off A-Pop Star week, serves all the J-, K- and C-pop you could ever want

    If you’re a K-pop, J-Pop or C-Pop fanboy or girl, you had best take a seat. Google is giving A-Pop fans everywhere a chance to interact directly with their favorite stars through Google+, as well as the YouTube A-Pop Channel, which serves as a hub for music videos and Live-streams from Asian artists. The A-Pop Star Week starts on the 8th of March, with the following schedule:

    3/8       Shinee (K-Pop) #apopshinee

    3/9       王力宏Wang Lee Hom (C-Pop) #apopleehom

    3/10      Super Junior (K-Pop) #apopsuperjunior

    3/11      きゃりーぱみゅぱみゅKyaryPamyuPamyu (J-Pop) #apopkyary

    3/12      flumpool (J-Pop) #apopflumpool

    3/13      2PM(K-Pop) #apop2pm

                3/14      五月天Mayday (C-Pop) #apopmayday

    Fans also get a chance to ask questions of their favorite stars directly by logging in to Google+ and attaching the appropriate band’s hashtag to their questions. The stars will be picking five lucky fans for each of the hangouts, so make your question as creative as possible to stand out from the crowd. If you need more info, head over to these hangouts and learn more:

    J-Pop (in Japanese, Chinese, Korean, English):

    plus.google.com/+JPop/

    C-Pop (in Chinese, Japanese, Korean, English):

    plus.google.com/+CPop/

    K-Pop (in Korean, Chinese, Japanese, Bahasa Indonesian, Thai, and English):

    plus.google.com/+KPop/

    You can also watch the hangout happening live by heading over to the YouTube A-Pop Channel which, apart from streaming live concerts, is also your best source for Top 20 videos by your favorite A-Pop stars. If you want to know more, check the Google+ Philippines Page HERE.

    Music Corner: Color It Red in Session

    Ren Alcantara
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    Music Corner: Color It Red in Session

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    Last year, when local creative funding platform ArtisteConnect called out for pledges to give birth to celebrated local alternative band Color It Reds fifth studio album, fans and fellow artists all over the country expressed their support. Since then, the band has raised enough contributions to finally proceed with the recording of their fifth studio album-a project that has long been anticipated by supporters of the band for nearly seven years.

    Luckily, Color It Red let us tag along during one of their recording sessions to get an exclusive look at the work they’re doing for their comeback record.

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    5:00PM Upon arriving at the Sound Creation Studio, Cooky was already laying in vocal tracks. Bopip and Jayvee turned to greet us when they heard the door open.

    Gaijin’s Shinji Tanaka, who owns the studio, was on deck, taking charge of the recording.

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    7:00PM Bopip, Kwanchi and Ariel set up their guitars and jammed some riffs as Jayvee and Shinji set up the drumset in an isolated studio. Bopip told us that they were about to lay in the drum tracks for the second half of the album. We asked him how the funding at ArtisteConnect is going. II Nakakuha na ‘yung project ng mahigit PHP 260,000, which is more than enough;’ he replied. Cooky then added, II Ang fund para sa recording kumpleto na. Pero kasi pag nakita mo ‘yung breakdown sa ArtisteConnect, mayroon pang allocated fund para sa promotion, distribution, at iba pa.”

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    7:30PM By 7:30, they began recording another song-a Gary Granada-penned track, according to Cooky. Jayvee pounded on the drums in his isolated studio while Shinji laid in his drum tracks. The other band members stayed with us in the room and played along to guide Jayvee.

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    7:30PM By 7:30, they began recording another song-a Gary Granada-penned track, according to Cooky. Jayvee pounded on the drums in his isolated studio while Shinji laid in his drum tracks. The other band members stayed with us in the room and played along to guide Jayvee.

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    8:00PM We took a short pizza break. Cooky shared that the plan was to have at least 1 0 songs in the album, and six of these tracks are nearly complete. ‘”Yung iba nasulat na namin dati, pero ang gusto kasi namin hinog muna sila bago isala sa recording. ‘Yung ibang kanta hindi pa namin masyadong natutugtog, kaya hindi pa masyadong hinog. Medyo mahirap pa.”

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    8:30PM Jayvee resumed recording another song-one that reminds us of the signature Color It Red sound in the 90s. We asked Cooky which track is her favorite.” Marami;’ she swiftly answered. II Kapag bagong kanta naman, paborito ko. ‘Di pa kasi sawa,11 she joked.

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    9:00PM It was Bopip’s turn to record his instrument. He plugged in his bass and played along to Jayvee’s recorded drum tracks. Bopip finished laying in two full songs.

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    10:00 PM Kwanchi and Ariel laid in their guitar tracks for just one song. The band told us that they are aiming to release the album early this year.

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    10:30 PM We happily bid our good byes to the band, thanked them, and showed ourselves out of the studio.

    Music Corner: Getting Connected

    Ren Alcantara
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    Music Corner: Getting Connected

    Your artillery of stomp boxes is finally complete! You now have a nice collection of drive, compression, modulation and time-based pedals. The only problem now is that you haven’t the slightest clue how to build a rig using all your state-of-the-art (and possibly pricey) effects pedals. This month, we run through the basics in using and connecting multiple effects pedals and how you can take your rig on the road.

    HOOKING THEM UP

    Essentially, by hooking up your effects pedals, you create a path for the audio signal that you want to send from instrument to your amplifier. Notice that effects pedals have two ports-one typically labeled as “input’~ and one as “output:’

    You take a cable wire and stick one end into the instrument, and the other end goes into the input port of the first pedal in your chain. Then, you take another and plug one end into the output ofthe first pedal, and the other plugged into the input of the next pedal-and the next, and the next. This is done until all the pedals are wired together. A final cable is connected to the last pedal in the effects chain on one end, and to the amplifier on the other.

    WHAT GOES WHERE

    You’re free to experiment on which pedal comes before what as there is no fixed sequence of pedals. Here, however, is one way to arrange them. The beginning of the chain can be your tuner pedal, then your compression pedal. Modulation-Chorus, Flanger or Phaser-pedals can be placed next in line. Then, you can hook up the time-based pedals, namely Delay and Reverb. It’s a good idea to place the drive pedals-Overdrive, Distortion, and other gain-boosting effects-later in the line so as to give the other effects a clean signal. Remember: as each effect flows from one to the next, the result is added or integrated into the next effect down the line.Capture

     

     

    PACKING UP

    It may seem like a one-time effort if your setup stays at home, but it’s an entirely different story if you plan to take your gear on the road. Luckily, portable cases called pedal boards exist to enable you to transport your rig without the hassle of assembling and disassembling it every time you take it outside.

    A pedal board serves as a container or a hub for your effects units. It is usually a hard-shell case that has a removable lid and foam padding on the inside to protect your gear. Some pedal boards also have handles and wheels, thus making transporting your gear from one place to another much, much easier. There are different kinds of pedal boards; some are store-bought and some are custom-made (professional musicians often prefer the latter). There are even instructions online for do-it-yourself (DIY) pedal boards. A pedal board can also sport built-in transformers and power cables, thereby providing a power supply for your effects.

     

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    THE DIGITAL WAY

    Lugging around an entire pedal board may seem impractical. The primary purpose, after all, of the pedal board is for gigging. Thankfully, the digital age has given us guitar effects modeling software that enable you to build your own digital rig. One application, called AmpliTube by IK Multimedia, lets you assemble a digital pedal board on your computer, iPad or iPhone. Just as how you collect effects units in the real world, you can build your setup one pedal at a time. IK Multimedia also offers a gadget called the iRig portable guitar interface, which allows you to hook up your guitar to your computer or iOS device. AmpliTube can work as a 64 bit plug-in for digital audio workstations (DAW) such as Pro Tools, Logic, GarageBand, Cubase, Live, and Reaper. However, it can also be used as a standalone program in Mac OS X and Windows. The standalone version additionally offers a built-in four-track recorder. Axe men such as Slash, Malcolm Young (AC/DC) and Serj Tankian (System of a Down) have been known to use AmpliTube.

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    Does building a rig sound complicated (and expensive)? Good news, my lazy and tightfisted buddies! A single electronic device called a multi-effects pedal allows users access to different guitar effects in just one machine. Multi-FX pedals let you select from an array of combinations or presets, but you can create and store a mix of your own.

     

    Green: WWF Goes big on Digital

    Ren Alcantara
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    Green: WWF Goes big on Digital

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Saving the earth just went digital. Gadgets had a chance to peek into what WWF Philippines is working on in preparation for Earth Hour 2013, and we uncovered some awesome goodies that you tech heads will surely love!

     

     

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    EARTH HOUR PHILIPPINES ONLINE PORTAL

    Earth Hour Philippines is going to happen on March 23, 2013. Numerous homes and establishments throughout the country will turn off their lights from 8:30pm to 9:30pm as a sign of solidarity in maintaining a more energy efficient environment for a sustainable planet in the years to come. The Philippines has been the number one participating country in four years, and this year, WWF hopes to score five in a row.

    WWF Philippines has decided to pool most of their resources to create a new website solely dedicated to being an online portal for all things pertaining to Earth Hour Philippines. The portal can be accessed at wwf.org.ph/earthhour. The look of the site is mostly based on the global Earth Hour website. The Earth Hour Philippines site contains stories and news about Earth Hour Philippines, downloadable content, and pledges. The Earth Hour Philippines website serves as a repository for all Earth Hour activities in the country, so that everyone can know what they can do to participate in building a more energy efficient Earth.

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    ENVIROPOP

    As part of its commitment to going fully digital, WWF Philippines is proud to introduce its first app in the form of a game called EnviroPop. Created in cooperation with local mobile and web app development company Applabs Digital Studios, EnviroPop is a game for iOS that lets you virtually rescue endangered marine creatures that are known to be found in the Philippines.

    EnviroPop offers a fun way of learning about the threats to endangered sea life. Players get to save Clara the Clownfish, Dolly the Dolphin, Patty the Pawikan, Doogie the Dugong, Bobby the Butanding and Gary the Grouper. The object of the game is to protect them from the treacherous hazardsCyanide, Dynamite, Trawl Net, Oil and the PET Bottle.

    The rules ofthe game are simple: Tap three hazards of the same kind and swipe the screen to eliminate them. The more hazards you eliminate within the 60-second time limit, the higher the score. Your score is multiplied five times ifWWF’s furry mascot, Chi-Chi the Panda, is beside a hazard chain.

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    THE I WILL IF YOU WILL CAMPAIGN

    The I Will If You Will (IWIYW) social media campaign dares you to ask yourself, “What am I willing to do to save the environment?”You can pledge to do a certain thing-anything you want, even something crazy-then, you can challenge someone else, a certain group or a population of netizens to do something in return. WWF Philippines ambassador Marc Nelson, for instance, pledged to scuba dive in a panda suit whilst munching on a carrot if 5000 people committed to use reusable shopping bags, and because of the positive response he received from people all over the country who pledged not to use plastic bags, Marc fulfilled his promise and took a video of it. With this campaign, you can encourage a large number of people in the social media sphere to help save the planet just by promising to do something wacky, or something beneficial to the environment.

    These new digital treats from WWF show that through the power of tech, we can encourage each other to create a positive outcome for our environment.

    EVerything Apple: APPLE AND THE ACTIVE LIFESTYLE

    Ren Alcantara
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    EVerything Apple: APPLE AND THE ACTIVE LIFESTYLE

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    We buy gadgets for convenience; they are supposed to make life easier and make the routine things we do a bit more exciting-it is all about the user experience. This is the reason why manufacturers pack in all the features they think consumers want just to have an edge over their competition.

    In the last decade, Apple has had the most success both in predicting what consumers want and delivering the best user experience. This has been proven again and again every time a new device or model is launched, and by the ever increasing numbers of Apple users.

    If you ask any Apple user why they chose to buy an Apple device, given that for the most part, Apple devices are much more expensive, they will give you a lot of reasons, but it really boils down to the fact that they know that they can enjoy their Apple device in any situation, at any occasion, and for whatever lifestyle or activity they want to indulge in.

    No one can dispute the Apple cachet. Take the case ofthe iPhone.lt is not just another smartphone. Of course it can do everything other smartphones can do, like keep track of your Words by Presy Alba appointments, tasks and lists, but in addition, you can use it to take meeting notes and even make audio-visual presentations when you connect it to a projector.

    At home, your iPhone can work as your entertainment system: plug it into your TV using a connector that you can buy from the iS tore and watch videos on a larger screen, and enjoy high quality audio via your home theater speakers.

    Your iPhone can work as an exercise and health monitor as well. To keep fit, we have to do some sort of physical activity, whether we love to do it or not. Your iPhone can be a handy tool that keeps you motivated while making the activity itself more exciting. There is a wide selection of workout apps that you can download for free from the App Store. If you want to commit to a specific regimen, be it yoga, Pilates, Zumba, abs training, weight-training, jogging, or running, you will find an app that will make your exercise routine more fun and efficient.

    If you walk to keep fit and you want to keep track of how many steps you make in a day or if you want to measure how far you walk around the track or a specific route, download the free Walk Star app and it will reward you with a star for every 1 000 steps you make, and you don’t even need to have GPS to make it work. For people who have more ambitious goals than just fitness, your iPhone can work as a training assistant if you plan to run a marathon or aim to join a triathlon. What’s more, many of the training resources for these activities are downloadable for free.

    Staying motivated to carry on with an exercise regimen can be a challenge. Studies have shown that listening to music while exercising helps. The iPhone can multi-task and play your favorite exercise music while you’re monitoring the apps that keep track of the other other aspects of your workout.

    Moderation in all things is key, so it is important that you monitor your heart rate and breathing to ensure that you’re not over-exerting and doing more damage than good. There’s a plethora of health-related apps that you can download to keep track of your health and well-being, and most keep a data history, which your doctor will find useful on your next physical check up.

    Words by Presy Alba

    First published in Gadgets Magazine March 2013

    Visual Space: Fuse Tattoo

    Ren Alcantara
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    Visual Space: Fuse Tattoo

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    Waiting for us at the studio were the people behind Fuse. Owners Ozmund, Freuland, and I an were there along with artist Gen and their apprentice Jon, to give us a brief background on the store, and a few things a tattoo virgin has to consider before going under the needle. These were the people who got together and decided to put up a tattoo studio. When I asked them how they got around to putting up a studio, they explained that they were just a bunch of classmates who happened to get tattoos, and one day figured, since they enjoyed it so much, to make a little business of it. It took them a year of planning, but once things started to roll, things speeded up, and just last December 15, Fuse Tattoo Studio opened its doors to the public. They themselves don’t come from artistic backgrounds; they leave the art to their artists; and as their portfolio shows, the artists they do have are top-notch.

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    One of the biggest questions people looking to get ink done revolves around the pattern they should have done. The guys from Fuse offered simple advice: “You have to get something that has meaning to you; something that you really find interesting:’ It is something that is going to be there forever, as long as you are concerned, so it had better be relevant. They do, however, go out of their way to say that it’s no problem if you want to get something done just because you think it looks cool. It’s a piece of art, and if you enjoy looking at it, then that’s a pretty good reason to get it done. They have had clients who want a tattoo, but have no pattern in mind. The artists are very willing and more than capable of helping you pick a design and tweak it until it looks exactly the way you want it. As far as the design goes, there really isn’t any limit as to how detailed, large or intricate it is; at least on paper. The limiting factor becomes the pain when the needle starts hitting the skin, particularly when blending colors. The artist will have to make several passes on some areas in order to get the shading and colors just right. This means that areas that have already been wounded will get hit again, and as the minutes pass, it gets more and more tender. If you’re a first timer, it might be a good idea to stay away from joints, ribs and the neck, and even if you’ve had ink done before, the hands and feet won’t be much fun. Other than those, it’s very likely you’ve had a scrape or bruise far more painful than a tattoo artist’s needle. They did warn me of two things: first, a tattoo will inevitably need retouching. Colored tattoos in particular will need a retouch after about three years; longer if you take care to avoid sun exposure, or protect it with sun block. Black and gray ones will last about twice as long if cared for. Second: tattoos are addictive. Very few people stop at just one.

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    Tattoos have had a pretty negative rap in the recent past, but lately, it has started to get acceptance. The guys all agreed that mainstream media, pop artists and actors getting tattoos has brought the art into the mainstream, and have turned it into a fashion thing more than what conservatives think is a gang mark or badge. “As a matter of fact;’ Oz said,”very many of our clients are just under 30. They know what they want and have had time to think about it, as well as the means to get it done:’ The negative mentality that used to surround tattoos is slowly fading. There was a time though, not long ago, that tattooing wasn’t the easiest thing to do. As recently as the late 90s, tattoo artists had to rely on home-made equipment and raw talent to get the job done. Back then, there was no regulation, and hygiene codes were little more than a quick wipe of alcohol.

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    Now though, the entire scene is regulated. There is a Tattoo Artist’s Guild here in the Philippines that serves as a way to constantly update skills and knowledge, as well as closely monitor the health and safety of the clients. Membership to the guild is achieved through a very strict set of criteria, not the least of which is a talent test that is judged by the eagle eyes of highly competent guild members. The tools are also purpose-built, and make up a particularly large investment on the side of the artist and shop. Shops are also regulated, and must comply to Department of Health standards in order to gain accreditation. You no longer have to go to a shady tattoo studio in the dangerous part of the city to get your tattoo; Fuse even has an internet connection and a few shows you can watch to help you find just the design you are looking for. Shops like Fuse, which comply with all the health and safety standards set by the government, are another reason behind steady acceptance of the art in society today. Another effect of the acceptance of tattoos is price.

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    Because there are more shops, prices start to get more competitive. Another reason Fuse was put up was because they wanted to offer their services at a reasonable price to anyone interested. A 2×3″ black and gray tattoo at their studio will cost PHP 1,500, while a colored one ofthe same size will set you back PHP 2,500. While they cannot stray too far from the average price due to guild agreements, it’s great value. They do, however, rather let their portfolio do the talking for them. Their main artist, Papa Dhong, has a very impressive gallery of portraits and other highly realistic designs, while Gen also does portraits and is their go-to guy for oriental tattoos.

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    So is it time for you to get some art work done on your body? Unfortunately, we can’t give you the answer to that question. If you do decide to get it done, at least you now have a better idea about what you’re doing.

    If you’re curious about tattoos or want to take a look at what they can do for you, check Fuse Tattoo Studio out at www.facebook.com/fusetattoo, or give them a call at 484-0217.

    Words by Ren Alcantara

    First published in Gadgets Magazine, March 2013

    Marlon Stockinger to test-drive a Lotus F1 car, will participate in Lotus F1 Roadshow in Manila

    Gadgets Team
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    Marlon Stockinger to test-drive a Lotus F1 car, will participate in Lotus F1 Roadshow in Manila

    (L to R) Stockinger’s parents, Thomas and Egin; Marlon Stockinger; and Globe Communication Channels Head Bunny Aguilar

    Filipino-Swiss race car champ and Globe Tattoo endorser Marlon Stockinger announced today in a press conference at the Salon De Ning that he will be test-driving a Formula 1 car on April 2 in Europe, and that he will be participating in the Lotus F1 Roadshow in Manila.

    On April 2, Stockinger will have the chance to sit behind the wheel of an actual Lotus F1 car and test-drive it for 350km with four changes of tires. He also announced the he will soon fly off to Europe to have a seat-fitting for the car that he will be testing.

    Two Lotus F1 cars will be flown into the country for the Lotus F1 Roadshow on May 4 and 5 in the city of Manila. Stockinger will have the privilege of driving one of the cars, and since one is a two-seater, lucky individuals will get the chance to be his passenger.

    Stockinger reigned as champion in the GP3 Series in Monaco last year, and has also bagged first place in several international races spanning from 2006 to 2012. He is the first Southeast Asian racer to join the Lotus F1 Team as a junior driver, alongside Marco Sorensen (Denmark). This year, he will be competing in the Formula Renault 3.5 Series.

    Stockinger is currently an endorser for Globe Tattoo. “Globe Tattoo is one of the first big Philippine brands to come onboard my motor sports career. At the same time, they will be an official partner for the Lotus F1 Roadshow, which I am honored to be a part of,” he said.

     

     

     

    Kaspersky Lab identifies MiniDuke malware

    Gadgets Team
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    Kaspersky Lab identifies MiniDuke malware

    Kaspersky Lab’s team of experts have published a research report that analyzed a series of security incidents involving the PDF exploit in Adobe Reader (CVE-2013-6040) and the highly customized malware program known as MiniDuke.

    MiniDuke has been used as a backdoor to attack multiple government entities and institutions worldwide during the past week. Kaspersky Lab has partnered with CrySys Lab to analyze the attacks in detail and published their findings. According to their analysis, several high profile targets have been compromised already, including several European government entities in the Ukraine, Belgium, Portugal, Romania, the Czech Republic and the Republic of Ireland. Several other targets were also compromised, including a research institute, two think tanks and a healthcare provider in the United States, and a prominent research foundation based out of Hungary.

    “This is a very unusual cyberattack,” said Eugene Kaspersky, Founder and CEO of Kaspersky Lab. “I remember this style of malicious programming from the end of the 1990s and the beginning of the 2000s. I wonder if these types of malware writers, who have been in hibernation for more than a decade, have suddenly awoken and joined the sophisticated group of threat actors active in the cyberworld. These elite, ‘old school’ malware writers were extremely effective in the past at creating highly complex viruses, and are now combining these skills with the newly advanced sandbox-evading exploits to target government entities or research institutions in several countries.”

    “MiniDuke’s highly customized backdoor was written in Assembler and is very small in size, being only 20 KB,” added Kaspersky. “The combination of experienced old school malware writers using newly discovered exploits and clever social engineering to compromise high profile targets is extremely dangerous.”

    The attackers behind MiniDuke are still active, and have created new malware in addition to MiniDuke. The attackers have sent PDF documents to their targets which were infected with malware. The PDFs are well-written, having content that is of interest to their targets, and are rigged with exploits that attack Adobe Reader 9, 10 and 11, bypassing the sandbox. A toolkit was also used to create these exploits, and it appears to also be the same toolkit that was used in the recent attack reported by FireEye. However, the exploits used in the MiniDuke attacks were for different purposes and had their own customized malware.

    Once the system has been exploited, a small downloader is dropped onto the victim’s disc that is only 20 KB in size. This downloader is unique for each system it affects and contains a customized backdoor written in Assembler. When it is loaded when a system is booted, the downloader uses a set of mathematical calculations to determine the computer’s unique fingerprint, and uses this data to uniquely encrypt its communications at a later date.

    Anti-virus programs also have a hard time catching MiniDuke, because it is programmed to avoid analysis by a hard-coded set of tools in certain environments such as Vmware. If it is detected by any anti-virus software, it will go idle instead of moving to another stage. If it moves to another stage, it will expose its functionality by decrypting itself further. The malware writers are well aware of the steps the anti-virus and IT security professionals are doing to analyze and identify MiniDuke.

    MiniDuke will also use Twitter and start looking for specific tweets from pre-made accounts, which were made by MiniDuke’s Command and Control (C2) operators, and the tweets maintain specific tags labeling encrypted URLs for the backdoors. These URLs provide access to the C2s, which will then provide potential commands and encrypted transfers of more backdoors onto the system via GIF files. It also appears that MiniDuke’s creators have also made a dynamic backup system that can also avoid detection by anti-virus software. MiniDuke can also make use of Google Search to find the encrypted strings. This model is flexible and can enable the MiniDuke operators to change how their backdoors retrieve further commands or malicious code. It will also obfuscate itself within GIF files and pose as pictures on the victim’s machine, and when it is downloaded onto the victim’s machine, a larger backdoor can also carry out actions such as copying, moving, and removing files, making new directories, killing processes, and, of course, download and execute new malware.

    To read the full research report by Kaspersky Lab and the recommendations for protecting against MiniDuke attacks, please visit Securelist.

    To read CrySys Lab’s report, please visit the following page.

    Mobility: Car Awards Group, Inc elects board, Forms Executive Commitee

    Ren Alcantara
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    Mobility: Car Awards Group, Inc elects board, Forms Executive Commitee

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    The Car Awards Group, Inc. (CAGI), the Philippine’s automotive awards giving body composed of motoring journalists, elected a new set of officers and Board Members during their first general meeting and annual elections on 26 January 2013.

    Showing confidence in the leadership of CAGI, members re-elected Ferman Lao (Kotse.com, TopGear Philippines), Bam Olivares (Daily Tribune), Bess Zamora (AQ Magazine), and Christopher Kho (Kotse.com) as board members. Mikko David (TopGear Philippines) is the sole newcomer to the group.

    “The last few years have come with numerous challenges, but with such a solid and respected group of motoring journalists with us, CAGI forges ahead to determine the best cars in the country; said CAGI President Ferman Lao, who continues his post after a unanimous vote.

    Olivarez, Zamora, and Kho retain their posts as Vice President-Internal, Treasurer and Secretary, respectively, while David assumes the position of Vice President-External.

    After the leadership posts were filled, the CAGI board established and chose amongst members the chairpersons for the different aspects of CAGI’s operations from tests, awards nights, communications, and more. liiigo S. Roces (PowerWhee/s, Manila Bulletin) assumes the post as chairperson for test tests while Ronald Delos Reyes (AutoReview) now heads the awards night committee. Vince Pornelos (Autolndustriya.com, PowerWheels) and Mika Fernandez-David (Gadgets Magazine) share the duties as co-chairs of CAGI’s communications and PR committee, while board member Bess Zamora (AQ Magazine) is the chairperson for the ways & means committee. Ronnie Trinidad (Sprocket.ph) takes up the post as the lead for membership, while Neil Pagulayan (TVS) along with Vince Pornelos both assume posts as co-chairpersons for special projects. “We are very excited and look forward to working with our new team, each individual bringing unique strengths to the table for CAGI,” commented Lao. “With a growing and dedicated membership base, CAGI will truly reach new heights in the coming years.”

    Composed of highly experienced and respected automotive journalists from various media outfits, CAGI conducts annual testing, both qualitative and instrumented, to determine the Philippines’ Car of the Year (PCOTY).

    CAGI recently concluded the series of qualitative tests and is now preparing for the quantitative instrumented testing to be conducted at the Clark International Speedway. The 2012-2013 Car of the Year Philippines Awards Night will be held at the 2013 Manila International Auto Show. The 2012- 2013 Car OfThe Year Philippines awards is presented by the Manila International Auto Show and is supported by the Clark International Speedway, Caltex with Techron, Eton Centris Walk, Standard Insurance, BOSCH, RCBC Savings Auto Loans, Victoria Court, Dole Juice Drinks, Krispy Kreme Doughnuts & Coffee, MG Madrid & Co., Red Rock Travel, Winner Graphics, Automobie Association Philippines and Speed Lab

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