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    Ericsson ConsumerLab shares consumer insights on smartphone and tablet usage in PH

    Gadgets Team
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    Ericsson ConsumerLab shares consumer insights on smartphone and tablet usage in PH

    Earlier today, ConsumerLab South East Asia and Oceania Afrizal Abdul Rahim, and President and Country Manager of Ericsson Philippines Elie Hanna shared with us the results of the worldwide study on mobile communications conducted by Ericsson ConsumerLab.

    According to ConsumerLab’s analysis in the Philippines, smartphone and tablet penetration are forecast to increase by 6% and 7%, respectively, by the end of the year. “The numbers look promising in the Philippines, and they can only get better,” said Rahim.

    Country Manager of Ericsson Philippines, Elie Hanna

    ConsumerLab conducted face-to-face interviews with 500 respondents of ages 16-60 in Metro Manila. The predictions of future markets are based on the consumers’ expressed interests.

    According to the research, among the emerging ICT sector in Southeast Asia—which includes the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam—the Philippines has the highest percentage of smartphone penetration with 29%. The study predicts that it can even increase to up to 35% despite the current dominance of the use of non-smartphones (55%) in the country.

    ConsumerLab South East Asia and Oceania, Afrizal Abdul Rahim

    ConsumerLab reports that the top three factors that drive consumers in the Philippines to purchase and use smartphones are the following:

    1. The desire to upgrade one’s current device
    2. Internet connectivity
    3. Mobility

    Another key factor, according to the research results, is the affordability of a smartphone as compared to a laptop or a tablet.

    Internet browsing, social networking, and instant messaging are reported to be the top three mobile phone activities next to voice calls and SMS.

    In terms of tablet penetration, the Philippines holds the greatest current market in the said sector with 6%, and is also forecast to increase by 7% by end 2012. The key drivers for tablet purchase and usage in the country are:

    1. Internet connectivity
    2. Access to features and apps
    3. Gaming

    Interestingly, peer pressure is also a key factor in purchasing and using a tablet. 21% of the respondents say that they buy and use tablets because “everyone else has one.”

    Additionally, Rahim shared some app usage figures in the country. The ConsumerLab study shows that the top three classifications of apps that are downloaded in the Philippines are gaming, TV/video, and entertainment. It’s also interesting to note that gaming apps are very dominant in the Philippine market.

    Even if worldwide smartphone usage is forecast to outnumber PC usage by 2017, PCs still dominate in terms of data consumption. This, accordingly, poses a challenge to telecommunications companies offering data packages for mobile devices. Rahim claims that, based on the results, the data packages in the country must be relevant, flexible, easy to use, and affordable.

    Rahim stresses that in the Philippines, prepaid users outnumber postpaid users because prepaid packages are more affordable than postpaid packages and are given more publicity. He claims that one solution to encourage more people to use mobile data is to offer more innovative and flexible mobile data packages that cater to the Filipinos’ prepaid lifestyle just to attract more subscribers. “You have to introduce smaller packages to cater to the different needs of the consumers,” said Rahim.

    LG Optimus Vu II official: 5-inch, 4:3 aspect ratio display, 1.5GHz dual-core Qualcomm processor, 2GB of RAM

    Gadgets Team
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    LG Optimus Vu II official: 5-inch, 4:3 aspect ratio display, 1.5GHz dual-core Qualcomm processor, 2GB of RAM

    LG’s weird 4:3 aspect ratio’d smartphone, the Optimus Vu has just been made obsolete by a newer, fancier version, aplty named the Optimus Vu II. The newer device retains the odd aspect ratio of the original, and adds a 1.5GHz dual-core Qualcomm processor, which is more than likely Qualcomm’s latest and greatest, the S4. Users will also be looking at 2GB of memory to go along with that mobile processor, as well as support for 4G. Like the previous device, the Optimus Vu II will be running Android, but it’s not yet clear if it’ll be running Android 4.0 or 4.1. One of the accessories that will be offered with the Optimus Vu II is a wireless charging pad, so it’s not clear if the device supports wireless charging out of the box or if it’s going to be offered through the accessory. No price or availability has been set yet.

    Intel reveals Clovertrail Reference tablet, promises 10 hours of Windows 8 use, 3 weeks of stand-by

    Gadgets Team
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    Intel reveals Clovertrail Reference tablet, promises 10 hours of Windows 8 use, 3 weeks of stand-by

    Intel has just revealed their Windows 8 reference tablet to the world. This time around, this reference design uses Intel’s newly announced dual-core Atom Z2760 processor, aka Clover Trail. Of particular note is Intel’s claim that their 1.8GHz chip with Imagination SGX545 graphics delivers the best Windows 8 experience in the tablet without sacrificing compatibility and support for traditional apps and peripherals. That particular statement is no doubt addressed to ARM-based tablets that’s not compatible with existing x86 software and hardware. Intel has promised that Clover Trail tablets will be extremely portable and will be under 1.5 pounds in weight, and will only be 8.5mm thick. Most importantly, the new tablet design will be extremely power efficient – Intel promises 10 hours of useful battery life, and 3 weeks worth of standby time.

    Source: Engadget

    Globe officially launches LTE service Tattoo Black, prices start at Php 1799 [UPDATE]

    Gadgets Team
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    Globe officially launches LTE service Tattoo Black, prices start at Php 1799 [UPDATE]

    Globe’s LTE service, Tattoo Black, has officially been launched as of tonight. The plans are still the same when they announced it a couple of weeks ago – plan Php 1799 nabs you the Huawei LTE USB stick – also used by Smart’s LTE service – that nabs you up to 28 Mbps speeds. Pony up Php 2499 and you get the Tattoo Elite which gives you up to 42 Mbps a month. Tattoo Elite subscribers will also get a dedicated hotline for customer issues, priority handling in stores and a Globe personal relationship manager, complimentary tickets to Tattoo events and a 24/7 concierge service.  Unlike Smart’s initial offer, Globe is not placing a data cap on their LTE service which means it’s unlimited data until January 31 2013.

    Smart LTE

    We did a Speedtest on Globe’s LTE service, and it seems that their service is faster than Smart’s offering, at least for our location (Greenbelt 5, near Felix).

    Globe’s LTE

    Smart was able to log a speed of 24.24 Mbps, while Globe was able to log speeds of 59.07 Mbps. Like we said earlier, both Globe and Smart’s LTE sticks were provided by Huawei, and were both identical. Unlike Smart though, Globe’s initial roll-out of their LTE service will be around Makati at first, with other locations added gradually as the service matures. No timetable has yet been set, so if you’re looking to get Globe’s LTE service, you better live in or around the Makati area. You can still use it without LTE we suspect, and just like Smart’s service, it’ll just downgrade your speeds down to HSPA or HSPA+. We’ll be asking Globe for a demo stick so we can verify the speeds ourselves. Looks like we have an LTE competition on our hands, folks.

    [UPDATE #1] Globe’s Tattoo Black Elite Plan (Php 2499) users will get a 15GB cap per month after January 31, 2013. Regular Tattoo Black users will be getting 12GB caps after January 31, 2013.

    Google Street View now lets you see underwater panoramic images

    Gadgets Team
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    Google Street View now lets you see underwater panoramic images

    Google Maps continues to add more cool places to see on Street View, and—just recently—they have decided to include incredible underwater shots for you to explore. If you key in the location of the Great Barrier Reef on Google Maps, for example, the application now allows you to dive into the depths of the ocean and discover what lies beneath.

    Google has teamed up with The Caitlin Seaview Survey—a major scientific study of reefs around the world—to take photos underwater. Using a special camera called the Seaview SVII, the team was able to shoot 360-degree panoramic images of marine topology and sea life.

    Currently, the team has photographed only the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, the depths of Maui, Hawaii, and our very own Apo Island.

    Check it out for yourself, here!

    New lens could make smartphones as thin as a credit card

    Gadgets Team
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    New lens could make smartphones as thin as a credit card

    Smartphones as thin as a credit card? Sounds unlikely right now, as most smartphones are still a few millimeters thick (for example, the iPhone 5 is 7.6 mm thick). However, scientists say that over 1,500 of these lenses can fit within the thickness of a human hair (25.4 micrometers thick, around 0.0254 mm), which makes you wonder how much thinner smartphones will be getting in the years ahead.

    The lenses used to focus light in eyeglasses, microscopes and other products use the same basic technology dating back to the late 13th century, when spectacles were invented in Europe. However, existing lenses are not thin or flat enough to remove the various distortions that prevent the creation of the sharpest image possible. Solutions to correct those distortions are often complicated, such as adding multiple lenses that increase the weight and space that a device takes up. Federico Capasso and his colleagues sought to make a superthin and flat lens that would solve this problem, which could drastically reduce the weight and thickness of devices with lenses.

    This new superthin lens has a resolving power that actually approaches the theoretical limits set by the laws of optics. The lens surface is patterned with tiny metallic stripes which bend light differently as one moves away from the center, causing the beam to sharply focus without distorting the images. The current version of the lens works at a specific design wavelength, but the scientists say it can be redesigned for use with broad-band light.

    Although this is just in the experimental stages, it is interesting to keep tabs on, especially as smartphones and tablets compete to get thinner and thinner than their previous editions.

    Anonymous hits 7 government websites: Twitter reactions

    Gadgets Team
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    Anonymous hits 7 government websites: Twitter reactions

    If you haven’t heard, hacker collective anonymous has just hit and defaced 7 government websites in a span of hours (and as of writing, the story is still developing) to protest the recently passed Anti-Cybercrime law. We were curious what the normal citizenry thought about the attacks, so we took to Twitter to check out people’s sentiments. Surprisingly, a lot of Pinoy netizens are for Anonymous, and feel that the group is fighting on their behalf for the freedom of expression. Here’s what the crowd has had to say about Anon’s antics so far:

     

     

     

     

    What are your thoughts on Anon’s actions against our government?

    Anonymous hits Banko Sentral ng Pilipinas and MWSS website, not pleased with Anti-Cybercrime law [UPDATE: new websites added]

    Gadgets Team
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    Anonymous hits Banko Sentral ng Pilipinas and MWSS website, not pleased with Anti-Cybercrime law [UPDATE: new websites added]

    There’s a lot of negative reactions to the recently passed Anti-Cybercrime law, and the citizenry has expressed their outrage through social networks and private blogs about the implications of said law. Some netizens however, are expressing their anger through different means – the Philippine wing of the hacker collective Anonymous has just brought down and defaced not one, but two government websites (as of press time): Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewage Systems (MWSS). The hackers are particularly angry at the libel clause included in the bill, which infringes on free speech online. Here’s the full text of their statement:

    The Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 is the most notorious act ever witnessed in the cyber-history of the Philippines, and the language of the bill is cunningly designed to make you think it only applies to individuals who are deep in cyber-technology and doesn’t apply to everyone, but some part of the bill basically says it can imprison anyone who commits libel either by written messages, comments, blogs, or posts in sites such as Facebook, Twitter, or any other comment-spaces of other social media in the Internet.

    New technologies give us new opportunities to connect with a lot of people not only in this country but all over the world. They can also provide us with a medium through which our political, public and even private views can have an immediate and direct impact on individuals, communities and even countries. It is just so disappointing that our government, in adopting our 80-year-old antiquated libel laws to the Cybercrime Law, again seems to have retarded our march with the rest of the world with respect to giving full force to the people’s freedom of expression. We ask for a revision of the said bill for the betterment of the Filipino denizens.

    If you remember, the MWSS website was hacked earlier this month by the same group which wanted to expose the corruption in the said government sector. Seems like the webmasters of both government sites will be in for a rough night.

    [UPDATE #1] And another one bites the dust. The American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines has also been hacked and replaced by the image you see on the BSP and MWSS websites. (Via Neil Ross Goco)

    [UPDATE #2] And another one is hit. This time it’s the Pilipinas Anti-Piracy Team.

     [UPDATE #3] The DOH’s Anti-Smoking website has also been taken down.

    [UPDATE #4] The Institute for Development and Econometric Analysis (IDEA) is also down for the count.


    [UPDATE #5] The DENR website for Region 3 has also been hit. Anon has been busy tonight, we see.

    Google Play hits 25 billion app download milestone

    Gadgets Team
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    Google Play hits 25 billion app download milestone

    While Google’s Play Store hasn’t had the same numbers as Apple’s offering, it’s steadily growing. The Android one-stop-shop has celebrated an important milestone today, and has managed to reach 25 billion app downloads. That number is set to increase even further, as the company is going to be offering massive discounts on selected content on Google Play in the next five days which include games, music, books and more. Jamie Rosenberg, Director, Digital Content said in an official blog post that “you’ll be able to choose from a collection of apps from some of the world’s top developers including Gameloft, Electronic Arts, Rovio, runtastic, Full Fat and more. And all for just 25 cents. We’ll also be offering some special collections like 25 movies you must own, 25 banned books, 25 albums that changed the world and our 25 top selling magazines, all at special prices. Visit Google Play a little later today to check them out.” It’s best that you keep your eye on the Google Play store for the next five days – you never know what they’ll be offering for you.

    Source: Google

    Hyundai launches nationwide art contest

    Gadgets Team
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    Hyundai launches nationwide art contest

    Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc. (HARI) launches the Hyundai POP (Pride of the Philippines) Art contest, which aims to bring together aspiring Filipino artists as part of the firm’s advocacy to promote young, home-grown talent and showcase the uniqueness of Filipino Art.

    Joining is simple, as there are only two requirements:

    1.     The digital art work must feature any Hyundai car model, fused with elements drawn from Filipino tribal and popular art.

    2.     Car images may be original photographs or sketches of the participant, downloaded from the Hyundai Digital Art Facebook App, or digitally rendered, vectorized, and/or manipulated.

    The deadline for the submission of entries is October 15, 2012, and the voting period is from October 16 to 27.

    Among the pool of entries, only 12 winners will be picked to receive a cash prize of PHP 50,000 and Hyundai merchandise. Facebook votes will constitute 20% of the judging criteria. Winning works of art will also have the chance to be featured in the 2013 Hyundai calendar, as well as other merchandise.

    For those who want to register and submit entries to the competition, simply visit the Hyundai Digital Art Facebook App at the Hyundai Philippines Facebook page.

     

    Nokia expands entry level smartphone line, unveils Asha 308 and 309

    Gadgets Team
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    Nokia expands entry level smartphone line, unveils Asha 308 and 309

    While Nokia has rocked the world of hi-end smartphones with the announcement of the Lumia 920 and 820, they haven’t forgotten to address the needs of the other end of the market. Meet the Asha 308 and 309, Nokia’s latest budget smartphones. These two devices are the end result of Nokia’s tireless endeavors to enable internet access for the next billion. Both devices sport capacitive screens, and utilize Nokia’s Xpress Browser, which enables up to 90% more efficient mobile browsing and faster access to rich web applications compared to conventional browsers. Both devices use a 3.0-inch WQVGA display, and are almost identical save for SIM capacities – the 309 is a single SIM variant with WiFi, while the Asha 308 is a dual-SIM device. Nokia expects the devices to drop with a price tag of $99 or less (about Php 4100) though there have been no official word on the actual prices of the devices.

    Boracay Beach Management Program key to “Best Island” award

    Press Release
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    Boracay Beach Management Program key to “Best Island” award

    Boracay Island was recently named the “World’s Best Island” for 2012 by Travel + Leisure magazine, beating hall-0f-famers such as Bali (Indonesia), Galapagos, the Great Barrier Reef Islands (Australia), Santorini (Italy), and the Hawaiian Islands of Maui, Kuai and the Big Island. Readers were asked to rate the following characteristics for the Islands category: Natural attractions, activities/sights, restaurants/food, people, value, and romance (optional).  Tourism figures have been similarly impressive: for the first half of 2012, foreign tourists to the island have reached 700,000, representing a 41% surge over previous year statistics.

    One of the key factors for the international acclaim that Boracay is now reaping is the two-year old Boracay Beach Management Program (BBMP), a multi-sectoral initiative for the protection, sustainability and enhancement of the island’s coastal and marine resources. Malay Mayor John P. Yap, who recognized the importance of pursuing a comprehensive strategy among various stakeholders, launched the BBMP in September 2010. This is embodied in the rallying cry: “Para Sa Boracay Ako! For Boracay I Will…”

    Now set to celebrate its 2nd year anniversary on Saturday, 29 September 2012, the BBMP is also celebrating major milestones in its seven priority areas:

    Local Governance.  With strong leadership and political will, Malay Mayor John P. Yap has pushed for legislation to ensure beach cleanliness. Visitors and residents are reminded to observe municipal ordinances against littering, smoking, extracting sand and pebbles, etc. At the start of 2012, Mayor Yap led various LGU officers in a planning alignment workshop to formulate a program that will further enhance the “Boracay Experience” for tourists and locals alike.

    Coastal Resources. Volunteer groups continue to perform regular beach and underwater cleanup drives. Artificial reef domes are being deployed and monitored in strategic areas to revitalize marine and aquatic life along Boracay’s waters. New coral growth from the coastal nurseries are being transplanted to degraded reef areas, while mangrove swamps continue to be protected.

    Watershed. Under the National Greening Program, Boracay’s CENRO (Community Environment & Natural Resources Office) is committed to planting an additional 120-hectares in the watershed areas to prevent soil erosion and improve water yield for safe and potable water on the island. This is in addition to the 428-hectares of forest plantations that have been established since 2008.

    Water and Waste Water.  Boracay’s water is certified to be safe for drinking straight from the tap, with meticulous testing to ensure that it is 100% compliant with the Philippine National Standards for Drinking Water (PNSDW). It has also recently upgraded its sewage treatment facilities, where wastewater is treated to be safe for marine life and suitable for recreation activities upon discharge, complying with the Class SB Standard of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

    Solid Waste. Boracay now has three new dump trucks for more effective garbage collection, while the materials recovery facility continues to improve the processing of residual waste. A sanitary landfill is being built as a more long-term solution to solid waste management.

    Hazard Protection.  Young and dynamic volunteers man the Boracay chapter of the Philippine National Red Cross. Trained personnel, new sea patrol craft, and upgraded communications equipment all ensure that the island has sufficient capabilities to respond to emergencies and assist in disaster relief.

    Information, Education & Communication.  Workshops, seminars and training programs have been designed for the local government units to improve quality services among all tourism frontliners and ensure that tourists have a memorable “Boracay Experience.”  Social media is also being used to reach out to a wider audience through the Facebook page: www.facebook.com/ForBoracay. Recently the BBMP Communications Group was also formed to publish a regular newsletter that will provide regular updates about BBMP activities.

    With its previous experience in the United Nations Development Programme’s Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) framework, Petron played a key role in facilitating the formation of the BBMP.  Starting out with a handful of members from the local government units, national government agencies, community organizations, youth groups and the private sector, the Boracay Beach Management Council (BBMC) now counts about 30 proponents.

    The BBMP, in a span of only two years, has become a transformative force on the island of Boracay. It is a perfect example of how a dynamic public-private partnership has worked together to create the “World’s Best Island” through environmental excellence and sustainable development.

    The BBMP proponents include:  The Municipality of Malay, Aklan; San Miguel Corporation; Petron Corporation; Petron Foundation Inc.; Provincial Government of Aklan; Department of Environment & Natural Resources; Boracay Foundation Inc.; Akelco Boracay; Aklan Provincial Tourism Council; Barangays Balabag, Caticlan, Kabulihan, Manoc-Manoc & Yapak; Boracay Association of Sucba Diving Schools; Boracay Island Hopping Association; Boracay Island Water Company; Boracay Island Special Fire Protection Unit; Boracay Land Transportation Multi-Purpose Cooperative; Boracay Solid Waste Management Team; Boracay Special Tourist Police Office; Boracay Yuppies; Coast Guard Detachment-Boracay; Department of Tourism-Boracay; Islander Boracay; Kiwanis Club of Boracay; Lifeguard Boracay; Malay Auxiliary Police; Malay Farm-C; Philippine Chamber of Commerce & Industry (PCCI)-Boracay; Rotary Club of Boracay; YES FM 91.1; 605th MARPSTA (Maritime Police); and 61st 1B 31D PA Task Force Boracay.

    Zac Efron is Globe’s first iPhone 5 user

    Gadgets Team
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    Zac Efron is Globe’s first iPhone 5 user

    Well, it seems like the race to release the iPhone 5 here in the Philippines has been won by Globe, as the local telco has given their first ever iPhone 5 to none other than global celebrity Zac Efron. This particular move is a bit puzzling, as our friends from Yugatech point out, this is the first time the local telco has gone ahead and done a promotional move without ever launching the device first. This is probably a strategic move by the telco to one-up bitter rival Smart, as the rival telco has yet to release a similar promotional move for the iPhone 5. Zac Efron will be heading to Manila for Penshoppe’s FanCon later this week, where he’ll probably get to use the device to phone home. The appearance of the iPhone 5 in a somewhat official capacity also probably means that the telco already has stocks for the device here on our shores, and an announcement for it is imminent.

    Source: Twitter via Yugatech

    Sony asks us if we can’t wait to touch, are they launching the VAIO Duo 11 locally on October 4?

    Gadgets Team
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    Sony asks us if we can’t wait to touch, are they launching the VAIO Duo 11 locally on October 4?

    We just got an invite from Sony Philippines for an intimate launch of a VAIO product. Which one? Well, we don’t exactly what it is yet, but that updated Windows logo on the invite might just clue us in which one, especially Sony’s choice of words for the said invitation. We’re guessing this is going to be the local launch of the VAIO Duo 11, that Windows 8 notebook/tablet that has a sliding keyboard on the bottom of the device. Of course, until we actually see the unit ourselves, all of that is just speculation but we’d be very surprised if it was something else. We’ll all know by October 4.

     

    We’re giving away tickets to Steve Aoki! Catch the hottest party live on October 4!

    Gadgets Team
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    We’re giving away tickets to Steve Aoki! Catch the hottest party live on October 4!

     

    Gadgets Giveaway is back, and this time we are giving away 2 pairs of tickets to the hottest party in town! We’re giving away 2 pairs of tickets to see electro house master Steve Aoki live in Manila that’s going to happen next week, October 4 at the Republiq Club, Resorts World Manila. It’s extremely simple to join, here’s how:

    Like our Facebook page

    Like, share and comment on the Steve Aoki poster that’s stickied on the top of our Facebook page on why you want to win the tickets

    That’s it pansit! Contest will run till October 1st, and we will be picking the lucky winners using Random.org from the people who followed the two instructions above. So, what are you waiting for? Get to it!

     

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