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    Review: Lenovo U300s

    Ultrabooks are set to become a huge item in the coming months, and has the possibility of becoming as big as netbooks were back in 2009. So it’s not surprising that manufacturers are readying their take on Intel’s newly established notebook category, with Acer, Asus and Lenovo unleashing their machines unto the public, with HP and Samsung following close behind. Today we’re taking a look at Lenovo’s interpretation of the ultrabook – the U300s. While certainly not the thinnest nor the flashiest ultrabook currently in the market today, its subdued design and solid specs give it a certain charm that we’re sure a lot of you will appreciate.

    Unlike the previously reviewed Asus UX21, the Lenovo U300s looks more sedate in its appearance. It doesn’t have crazy thin tapering lines like the UX21 did, opting instead for a more refined thickness of  15.24mm, tapering slightly to 14.9mm. The overall design of the U300s makes it look more like a closed book than a large, aluminum knife in the case of the Asus UX21. If ultrabooks were different phases of Lady Gaga’s career, the Asus UX21 would be her about 2 years ago, before the insane meat dress, while the U300s would be her when she was normal.

    And while it’s not as flashy, the U300s seems to be made out of the same material that most ultrabooks are – aluminum. The build construction is very, very good, and we couldn’t really find a single fault with the overall externals of the machine. Like the UX21, the battery compartment of the U300s is completely sealed off, so if you ever run into any kind of battery trouble, you’ll have to take it to Lenovo to get it fixed. The overall weight of the U300s just tips the scales at around 2.95 pounds or about 1.3 kilos.

    Opening the lid, you’ll be treated to a 13.3-inch HD display that’s capable of up to 1366 x 768 resolution. Aside from the island style keys that greet your fingers once you start typing, there isn’t much going on the U300’s chassis, aside from that spun power button near the upper left side of the device, and the unobtrusive power and charge indicators near the front of the device.

    The U300s also sports an all glass trackpad that clicks positively when you apply pressure.

    Like other ultrabooks, there isn’t much in the way of ports and plugs in the U300s. You get a total of 2 USB ports (with one being USB 3.0), full sized HDMI, 3.5mm jack and uh..that’s it. We can’t help but think that Lenovo could have stuck a few more USB ports in there, as well as a SD card reader – there’s certainly enough room in the chassis for it.

    Under the hood lies an Intel Core i5-2467M processor running at 1.6GHz, paired with 4GB of DDR3 memory. Our particular unit had a 120GB SSD drive installed in it, though you can get a higher, 256GB SSD version if you desire.

    Typing on the U300s is a pleasure, which shouldn’t be a surprise, considering the U300s’ pedigree. The keys have the right amount of travel, and though it doesn’t feature the curved keys on other Lenovo devices that make typing such a civilized affair, the U300s’ keys are still extremely nice to type on, a stark comparison to the mushy keys of the Asus UX21.

    Sound quality is decent, though it’s nowhere near the awesome quality that we experienced while using the Asus UX21.

    Weirdly enough, the U300s is also equipped with Intel’s Wireless Display technology, which allows you to stream hi-definition video to a similarly equipped TV or adapter sans wires.

    Performance wise, the U300s is fairly above average, and managed to score 3173 on PCMark 7. From what we’ve seen, the U300s is fairly capable of handling most mundane tasks like browsing the net and creating office documents as well a few, more intense number crunching efforts like light Photoshop and watching HD movies. Like other, SSD equipped ultrabooks, the U300s boots fast – clocking in at around 18 seconds from off to the Windows screen.

    Battery life is actually pretty good, and though it won’t last on a non-stop flight from Singapore to New York, it’ll manage to eek out about 5 hours on a single charge with WiFi on.

    So is the U300s the be-all and end-all of ultrabooks? Not exactly. Lenovo omitted quite a few things from the whole design that they could’ve been accomodated easily, like the aforementioned SD card slot, and a higher display resolution. Another item that Lenovo omitted from the U300s is one of those things that you think you don’t need until you actually DO need it – an Ethernet port. Asus managed to squeeze one in via a Ethernet to USB solution on their ultrabooks, unfortunately the same can’t be said about the U300s.

    Is the Lenovo U300s THE ultrabook to get? Like most things in life, it’s a compromise – the U300s is the most boring one of the bunch we’ve managed to see so far, and nowhere as visually stunning as the UX21. Then again, the U300s delivers a fantastic typing experience and solid performance backed with a 5 hour battery endurance. Again like we said, it all goes boils down to your priorities and what you want to get out of a notebook. The Lenovo U300s starts at Php 55,995.

     

    What’s Hot:

    Excellent keyboard

    Good trackpad

    Fast boot time

    Solid construction, well made

     

    What’s Not:

    Design is safe and a bit boring

    No Ethernet connection

    No SD card reader

     

    Bottomline:

    While the Lenovo U300s surely won’t turn any heads when you take it out of your bag, it’s certainly a pleasurable device to take along with you on long jaunts and trips. Certainly an ultrabook to consider if you’re in a market for one.

    Buymeter: 8.9

    Tech Specs:

    • Screen Size: 13.3-inch HD, 1366 x 768 resolution
    • Memory: 4GB DDR3
    • CPU and chipset:  Intel Core i5 2467M Processor (1.6GHz)
    • Physical Dimensions: 324 x 216 x 14.9 mm
    • Warranty: 1 year on parts and labor

     

     

     

    Globe: the first PH telco to achieve MEF Certifications

    MEF President Nan Chen (middle) presents the MEF 9 and 14 certifications of Globe Telecom to Jimmy Alcala, Globe Business Head for Core Data Services and William Radovan, Globe Business Head for Data Network Planning and Engineering, at the MEF Quarterly Members Meeting in Singapore.

    …..

    The Metro Ethernet Forum (MEF) recently gave recognition to Globe Telecom as the first telecommunication company to achieve MEF certifications in the Philippines. The certification establishes that Globe is capable of delivering E-Line and E-LAN services that meet the most stringent global standards.

    MEF is the defining body for Carrier Ethernet, which aims to accelerate its adoption globally. The program verifies compliance of vendor equipment and service provider services to MEF technical specifications through a rigorous series of tests based on MEF approved Test Suites. Globe was the first Philippine carrier to join MEF back in 2009, joining a roster of 150 members that includes the world’s top service providers and major equipment vendors.

    To establish a solid foundation for its Carrier Ethernet services, Globe had to pass over 600 compliance tests to achieve MEF 9 and 14 certifications for its E-Line, E-LAN and E-VPL services. The MEF-9 and MEF-14 certifications assure that the Globe network can deliver standardized Carrier Ethernet services and provide its business customers  with carrier-class EVCs (Ethernet virtual connections) that measure up to international standards. These also demonstrate the commitment of Globe to MEF’s mission to promote Carrier Ethernet interoperability and deployment worldwide.

    “Globe has been known as a pioneer in the telco industry and true to form we are proud to have initiated MEF certification in Carrier Ethernet offerings in the Philippines. We have embraced MEF standards to deliver reliable, high quality and technically consistent Ethernet services to our customer base,” said Jesus Romero, Head of Globe Business. 

    Apart from the company’s MEF 9 and 14 certifications, Globe is also the first local telco to have MEF Carrier Ethernet Certified Professionals (MEF CECPs) in the Philippines.  To date, there are only 104 MEF CECPs worldwide. The title is awarded to individuals that successfully pass the exam to become MEF Certified Professionals. It validates the professional’s knowledge of Carrier Ethernet technologies, standards, services and applications. Individuals who pass the exam have the knowledge and skills required to support and promote Carrier Ethernet solutions, and ultimately accelerate its worldwide adoption.

    Phishing email targets Apple users

     

    The Mac Security Blog reports that a a sophisticated phishing attack has recently been launched, luring Apple users with the tagline: “Update Your Billing Information”

    How to destroy your career and company in a few emails [And why you need to treat every customer as a god]

    Doing PR isn’t as simple as it looks. It certainly takes a special kind of individual to talk and service both members of the press and potential customers, especially when those customers are rabid, outspoken hardcore gamers. Unfortunately, not everyone has what it takes to do good PR, something that Paul Christoforo from Ocean Marketing found out recently. Paul’s company used to represent (and you’ll find out why in a bit) a company called NCONTROL, the makers of the Avenger controller add-on for PS3 controllers that gives gamers an extra edge when playing FPS games.

    The problem arose when one of the people who pre-ordered the Avenger, Dave, emailed Ocean Marketing to try and get a solid shipping date from them for two devices that he ordered. You can read the entire email exchange from the website Penny Arcade (which Dave had looped in when it became apparent that Paul was a complete and utter douche), but we’ve lifted a few choice email quotes here:

    From: Ocean Marketing
    To: Dave
    Dec 26, 2011 2:19 PM

    LOL Thanks for the Free PR I know the Editor N Chief of Kotaku , IGN , Engadget I’ll be meeting them at CES .The noise complaint was for people high up on the food chain in a corporate world of real estate you have no clue about.  Thanks for the Rice Rocket Compliment too love me some motorcycle . Send that over to Engadget you look like a complete moron swearing and sending your customer service complaints to a magazine as if they will post it or even pay attention do you think you’re the first or the last what are they going to do demand us to tell you were your shipment is or ask for a refund on your behalf … Really … Welcome to the Internet ? Son Im 38 I wwebsite as on the internet when you were a sperm in your daddys balls and before it was the internet, thanks for the welcome to message wurd up.  Grow up you look like a complete child bro. I Don’t have my controller so im gonna cry to the world … Really ?? Hey take that free time and do something more productive. All you had to do was check the like everyone else , people have inquired but you’re the douchiest of them all J

    To all our pre-order customers looking for information on the status of their orders after a busy couple of months The PS3 Avengers are on their way from our Manufacturing plant overseas. We are aware that everyone is anticipating having their Avengers under their Christmas Tree and were doing our best to get these orders shipped out as fast as possible. We appreciate you as loyal customers and for supporting our company. Customers will start receiving their products this week before Christmas and After Christmas and into the New Year. As a token of our appreciation we are offering all our pre-order customers and new customers 10$ off your next order with us just enter Avenger1001 at Checkout. Thank you and Happy Holidays!

    Oh and FYI When a street date gets pushed by a publisher on a video game you pre ordered do you cry to them too ?

    You just got told bitch … welcome to the real internet check kotaku in 2 weeks when they are reviewing free PS3 Avengers we send them as well as G4 and all the other majors hell yeah , don’t forget to check Amazon, gamestop.com, play n trade , Myers , Frys and a ton of other local stores coming your way you think you speak for billions son your just a kid you speak for yourself no one cares what you think that’s why were growing and moving 20-50 thousand controllers a month. We do value our customers but sometimes we get children like you we just have to put you in the corner with your im stupid hat on. See you at CES , E3 , Pax East ….? Oh wait you have to ask mom and pa dukes your not an industry professional and you have no money on snap you just got told.

    There is absolutely no reason for anyone to talk to another person like this, especially in an official capacity and especially to one of your customers. Really? Calling one of your customers bitch? That’s his idea of PR? Needless to say, Dave was not happy, and neither was Mike Krahulik, one of the creators of Penny Arcade, an extremely popular (which is an understatement, really) webcomic that also runs Penny Arcade Expo (PAX), a massive weekend long gaming festival that that literally has thousands of attendees. Even after Mike told Paul who he was, he was still trying to intimidate and bully everyone involved:

    From: Ocean Marketing
    To: Mike Krahulik
    Dec 26, 2011 at 9:33 PM

    OK Mike whatever you say lol , are you sure hour not in Boston I spoke to the person who ran the show in Boston last year. If you let some little kid influence you over a pre order then we don’t want to be a your show ,Ill be on the floor anyway so come find me , I’m born and raised in Boston I know the people who run the city inside and out watch the way you talk to people you never know who they know it’s a small industry and everyone knows everyone. Your acting like a douchbag not that it matters pax east pax west , e3 , CES , Gamer Con , SSXW ,Comic Con, Germany I’m all over the place. If we want to be there we will be there with industry badges or with a booth you think I can’t team up with turtle beach , Callibur or Koy Christmas , I can’t get Kevin Kelly to pull some strings or G4 , Paul Eibler Ex CEO of take 2 ,  Rich Larocco Konami , Cliff Blizinski Epic who were working with on a gears version , Activision who were working with on a MW3 and Spider man Bundle , The Convention Center Owners themselves , Mayor of Boston come on Bud you run a show that’s all you do and lease a center in Cities you have no pull in its all about who you know not what you do.  I’ll see space where ever I want , with who I want when I want and where I want so many ways around you and so many connections in this industry its silly. Anyway , I have no issue with you Sean Buckley Engadget, Scott Lowe IGN and the list goes on and on. Little kids unhappy with a PRE ORDER starting trouble and you email that to us , he’s a customer unless you’re his boyfriend then you should side with the company not the customer. Be Careful

    It’s probably around this time when the major organizations he managed to name drop found out about his little email rampage and led them to denounce their association with him through Twitter. IGN’s Scott Lowe tweeted “Please refrain from referring to me or IGN as support for you, your company or your clients. You do not have it,” to Ocean Marketing’s twitter account. Kevin Kelly from G4 says the same, as well as Engadget and Kotaku. That, and the understandable fury of netizens on Reddit reached one foreseeable outcome: the eventual sacking of Paul and his company from handling NCONTROL. A tweet from NCONTROL’s Business Development Director says that Paul no longer represents NCONTROL.

    To his credit, Paul did apologize to Dave and to Mike about the whole debacle. Unfortunately, it was too late for apologies – the damage has been done, and no company in their right minds will ever do business with his company ever again.

    This whole episode is one, big cautionary tale of how NOT to treat your customers. The moral of this story? Treat every customer like God, as one of them may have the capacity to burn your career and everything you’ve ever made to the ground.

    Source: Reddit, Penny-Arcade

     


     

    Samsung’s tablet treat for the holidays

    Samsung, in the spirit of Christmas, gave people a special treat this year by making the the Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus available just in time for the holidays.

    B4Usurf.org: Promote Cyber Security and Intellectual Property Rights to Youth

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    It is often said that “the best things in life are free.” In today’s digital world, so much knowledge and data are available at the click of a button, but freedom does not mean one is free to steal the private property of others – freedom ends where the rights of others to their properties – whether material or intellectual – begins.

    Intellectual property or IP, however, is something that many people especially the youth cannot easily appreciate or accept. This is because IP refers to something intangible, something that is a creation of the mind: inventions, literary and artistic works, symbols, names and designs used in commerce.

    Intellectual property rights or IPR are the rights that an inventor of intellectual property earns as soon as he creates his work of IP, which entitles him to protection for his work from being stolen or misused. These rights are protected by the law through copyright, trademark, patent, industrial design rights and trade secrets in some jurisdictions.

    Often when downloading from the internet, we are tempted to take advantage of what the internet offers. What we must remember in these situations is that what we are downloading is the product of somebody’s hard work. This is considered illegal downloading and gives ways to what is fast becoming an epidemic in the cyber world today—software piracy through the Internet.

    Software piracy is the unauthorized copying, distributing or downloading of copyrighted works. It is punishable by law and if convicted, software pirates can serve a sentence of up to 9 years in prison and pay a fine of up to 1.5 million pesos.

    The digital lifestyle of today is anchored to the advancements in software. It is because of this that software has become an important part of most Filipino’s lives but unfortunately, it is also being taken for granted. As of today, 69% of software users in the Philippines are using pirated software.

    The global software industry is a multi-billion dollar market. However, with the Philippines’ average track record in intellectual property protection, we are not able to capitalize on the potential revenues that the software industry brings.

    The high software piracy rate is largely due to the fact that most people don’t realize that downloading and using unlicensed software is a crime. It is because of this that unsuspecting young people are becoming the most common software pirates.

    To help the youth in becoming responsible Internet users, the Business Software Alliance created B4USurf (www.b4usurf.org), a free educational website that provides information about copyright awareness and software protection. This site offers tips on how to enjoy the internet to the fullest without putting yourself at risk of cyber threats that arise from using pirated software, such as, viruses and malware, identity theft, and financial risks.

    You can learn more tips about cyber-ethics and cyber-safety by visiting www.b4usurf.org. This cool resource website also includes quizzes and games that you and your friends can enjoy. Make it a habit to surf the Internet safely and responsibly with B4USurf. Happy Surfing!

    Smartphones: the future camera of choice?

    The NPD Group has recently conducted a study, revealing that more people are turning to their smartphone’s camera to preserve spontaneous moments, marking a 10% increase of usage from last year.

    Pentagon Approves version of Android for Department of Defense use, iOS sadly looks on

    The US government doesn’t just allow any device to be used by personnel in sensitive jobs. It takes a special kind of device to be approved for use by Department of Defense officials, and it seems that the Pentagon has approved the use of an Android device to compliment all the BlackBerries they’ve been carrying around. DoD personnel can now use Dell made Android devices running Android version 2.2, which naturally makes the Dell Venue the smartphone of choice for the US government.

    The DoD stuck with Android primarily because of one trait: Android is open source.  “Android, developed byGoogle and other companies, is open source software meaning it can be easily configured by uses – including DOD tech whizzes who want to install security measures,” a report from Stars and Stripes said. Here’s to hoping that we see US President Obama running an Android smartphone along with his BlackBerry.

    Source: Muktware

    Asus to ship 3-6M tablets in 2012, double of what they sold this year

    Buoyed by the public’s warm reception of their Eee Pad Transformer Prime (WiFi issues notwithstanding), Asus head honcho Jonney Shih said that he expects his company to ship 3-6 million tablets this coming year, a huge leap from their expected 1.8 million shipments this year. The enigmatic CEO says that consumers find the Transformer Prime better than the iPad because it offers a hardware keyboard, something that the iPad doesn’t have, at least on retail. Shih also confirmed that his company will ship Windows 8 tablets next year when the new OS is finally available, and believes that the new platform will change the way people use tablets, allowing them to consume and create content on the go.

    Source: BGR

    Samsung acquires Sony’s shares in LCD joint venture

    It’s no secret that Sony has been struggling in the television market lately, a niche that they once dominated. In a bold move, the company has sold its stake in its LCD joint venture with Samsung, for a total of almost $1 billion.

    Avoid bill shock with Globe’s Php999 bill cap on data plans


    Globe Postpaid subscribers may have gone online greeting happy, not realizing all the love they’ve been spreading via their mobile phones will shock ’em back to reality come the 2012 bill. But don’t fret. Globe just gave you one heck of a Christmas gift.

    Globe Telecom recently made its Postpaid PowerSurf plans even better with the implementation of a Php 999 bill cap to help users to avoid bill shock. With the new billing policy, postpaid subscribers registered to any of the PowerSurf plans need not worry about exceeding their allocated megabytes (MBs) because charging stops at Php 999.

    Postpaid PowerSurf is a mobile internet plan that gives Globe Postpaid subscribers MBs of mobile data, consumable per kilobyte (kb) and valid for 30 days. The plan is available in three variants: PowerSurf 99 (50MB), PowerSurf 299 (300MB) and PowerSurf 499 (1 GB). With the Php 999 bill cap, subscribers will not be charged above Php 999 each month for excess usage regardless of their PowerSurf plan subscription.

    This means that for as long as a postpaid subscriber is registered to any PowerSurf plan, they don’t need to monitor their usage strictly because they can be confident that they will never pay more than Php 999 for data use even if they exceed their respective plan’s MB limit.

    “Bill shock has always been a concern for most of our postpaid subscribers using smartphones, especially those who use data. Our new worry-free plans, headlined by the Php 999 bill cap, show that Globe truly values superior customer experience by proactively addressing bill shock and helping subscribers cope with their data usage,” said Joanna Africa, Head for Portfolio Management of Globe. “With the bill cap on PowerSurf in place, we give our postpaid subscribers peace of mind when they surf on their handsets – may it be an iPhone, Android or BlackBerry. For as long as they are registered to any of our PowerSurf plans, they can enjoy mobile browsing without racking up an expensive bill.”

    Activate Globe Postpaid PowerSurf by visiting any Globe Store, calling the Globe Hotline at 730-1000 or texting POWERSURF 99/POWERSURF 299/POWERSURF 499 to 8888. For more information on Globe Mobile Internet, text SURF to 8888 or visit surf.globe.ph.

    Samsung releases the Series 7 Chronos

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    With all the talk about ultrabooks, people tend to forget that regular notebooks are still in huge demand here and abroad. Samsung’s latest, the Series 7 Chronos, is the culmination of the company’s efforts to combine an insanely powerful processor and GPU to a sleek and svelte frame and we got to admit, we’re liking the result.

    The Chronos isn’t the thinnest notebook out in the market today but boy, is it a looker. The bare aluminum lid catches your eye almost immediately, and you’ll definitely be surprised at how damn sexy the whole thing is. The backlit keyboard is spacious and is easy to type on, with the whole unit tipping the scales at around 2.15 kilos. The Series 7 Chronos packs a 15-inch, HD LED, 300 nit 1600 x 900 screen that the engineers at Samsung managed to stuff into a bezel that’s usually reserved for 14-inch displays. Nice innit?  Internally, the Series 7 Chronos definitely packs a punch, as number crunching is handled by an Intel Core i5 2430M chip (running @2.4GHz) paired with an AMD Radeon HD6750M 1GB GDDR5. 6GB of DDR3 and 750GB worth of storage caps off the whole package.

    Possibly the only thing that’ll stop you from picking one up is the price – at around Php 59,990, it’s not cheap. Then again, the finer things in life always come with high price tags, right?

     

    Becoming a star has never been this easy with YouTube.


    With the growing popularity of YouTube — a platform where people can share anything from the amusing antics of their pets to their amazing performance skills — agents around the world are now scouring the website to look for new and exciting talents they can develop, manage, and groom into the next superstars.

    To help all the aspiring artists out there create the best audition video and stand out from the rest of the pack, here are eight simple tips on how to improve your YouTube videos.

    1. Sign up for your very own YouTube account and channel: You can’t upload videos without a YouTube account, so either create a new account or sign in with your username at the top right of the YouTube screen.

    2. Capture videos directly from webcams: Not all audition videos need to be professionally produced. A stable video that
    captures your best take can do the trick just as well. The Record from Webcam feature (http://www.youtube.com/my_webcam)
    lets you record a quick video without hauling out the camera.

    3. Upload in ultra-high definition and beyond: Low resolution is great for mobile phones, but for maximum cinematic impact, videos should be viewed on large screens with the highest resolution possible.

    4. Streamline your uploads: Uploading a set of videos one by one is time-consuming and, so just head to Advanced Video Upload (http://upload.youtube.com/my_videos_upload) and start uploading videos in batches.

    5. Edit videos in YouTube: Just use YouTube’s free online Video Editor (http://www.youtube.com/editor) to splice and trim your footage — without downloading any software.

    6. Update your followers automatically: Share your latest videos with your Facebook and Twitter followers immediately with
    Autoshare. The feature allows you to automatically share your YouTube activity with friends on social networks and aggregator sites like Google Reader. To turn on Autoshare, go to the “Activate Sharing” section of the “Account” page (http://www.youtube.com/account_sharing) and start linking to your accounts on other sites.

    7. Learn about your audience: Successful video creators on YouTube know their audience well, and the best place to learn more
    about who is watching your videos is YouTube Insight (http://www.youtube.com/t/advertising_insight) — a free tool which gives you detailed statistics about your videos and helps establish when and where your videos are popular.

    8. Learn production straight from the pros: For more ideas and production tips, check out YouTube Creator’s Corner (http://www.youtube.com/t/creators_corner), which is ideal for aspiring videographers with big dreams and small budgets.
    Here you’ll find tips and tools for editing your footage, creating animations, optimizing your video and even project ideas.

    YouTube is a platform that evens the playing field so that anyone can be discovered and become a global sensation.

     

    Citibank lets you do your banking anywhere, anytime.

    Citibank gives you the convenience of accessing your credit card and bank accounts right in the comfort of your own home or office, in fact anywhere and anytime. Avoid the holiday rush by doing your transactions and banking needs through Citibank Online, or the Mobile Banking Application for Android phones or Citi Mobile Payments.

    Keep track of your accounts, pay your bills, transfer funds, view electronic statements and experience superior online banking services without having to go to the bank through Citibank Online.

    Citibank’s Mobile Banking Application or App for Android phones will also allow banking flexibility to transact anytime and anywhere, plus show you shopping and dining offers exclusively for Citibank customers wherever you may be. Simply download from the Marketplace application in your Android phone to get started on knowing the best dining deals in preferred locations, or check out the local partner retail stores for special offers, find out the latest promotions just for Citibank customers, search for the nearest Citibank ATM or branch, and claim your rewards all through Citibank’s Mobile Banking service. Search for Citibank Philippines and from the results list click Citibank PH then download. Once successful, the Citi Mobile icon will appear on your homescreen.

    Staying clear of the holiday season’s hustle and bustle has never been this easy. No worries on the traffic because you can have food delivered to you with Citi Mobile Payments. You can also charge your utility bills through this facility and even purchase load credits for your mobile phone and broadband service. Send your donations this Christmas to your favourite charities too through Citi Mobile.

    Last but not the least, if you want to monitor your holiday spend, get your statement of accounts early through Citibank’s e-Statements. Enjoy the speed and convenience of viewing your credit card statements soon as ready so no need to wait for the seven to 14 days postal delivery. You get your statements in your email within five days as a password-protected PDF file, making it a safe and secure method of receiving your statements. What’s even good about it is you get updated on the latest Citibank promos and offers, too.

    “Citibank anticipates what clients need during the holidays. They can skip the traffic and avoid the queues through our 24/7 self-service channels such as Citibank Online for a stress-free banking experience at any time,” added Villareal.

    Enjoy the holidays and experience banking convenience to the fullest with Citibank. For more information, visit www.citibank.com.ph.

    Track Santa’s path down your chimney (or what passes for it) with Google and NORAD

    North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), the American agency tasked to track nuclear launches back in the cold war is bringing some non-ballistic tidings of good cheer to people everywhere. Together with Google, NORAD is tracking a different kind of projectile through the skies -Santa. Children and families all over the world can now track Santa Claus as he makes his way from the North Pole to the homes of kids everywhere, thanks to NORAD Tracks Santa. NORAD starts tracking Santa at 3:00pm on December 24 (or 2:00am EST, December 24) with animated stop-overs in Calumpit, Manila and Zamboanga. You can follow along using Google Maps, and Google Earth. You can even track Santa on the 24th using your mobile device via Google Maps on Mobile and searching for [santa] on the anointed date.