Thursday, April 30, 2009
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It is believed that by 2011, the automobile industry is about to be dominated by either 'hybrid' cars or 'battery/electricity' powered cars. It may be a premature statement, but with the growing popularity of hybrid cars, as bolstered by the green movement, there is no doubt that the trend could be seen in the next two or three years.

Toyota Prius is the king of the 'hybrid' market. Introduced in 2004, the Toyota Prius has set the standard in the hybrid technology. And now, Honda is about to take the challenge in unseating the almighty Prius. Honda actually is the first one to introduce INSIGHT and the hybrid technology in the US in 1999.



When I saw the INSIGHT, I felt the same fascination when I saw the 2009 Accord. It was edgy with simple beauty. The Honda's hybrid flag bearer is expected to eat Prius' share due to pricing. INSIGHT is $2000 cheaper than its tough competitor, but the Prius is still greener and more fuel-efficient.

Honda and Prius are both designed to capture the middle-class market. However, with the recession still hovering around, I think Honda got the necessary advantage.

Tuesday, April 28, 2009
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Sky Cable seems to be on a roll. After the 12 Mbps marketing-hype, the leading cable company in the Philippines is once again trying to make the first attempt in HD world.

Sky Cable recently entered the HD technology. The company launched two High-Definition programs in Cable TV that is set to deliver better viewing experience to its subscribers.

For now, the two channels in the HD line-up is Discovery Channel (164) and History Channel.

According to Malou Esparrago, Sky Cable's head of Postpaid marketing, this new technology targets households with LCD, Plasma or Projector TV sets.

The company shelled-out Php 6 Million in the deployment of this HD service.

Subscribers also need to be "digital-ready" SkyCable subscribers, or must own TVs with digital connections, to avail of the service so they can make the easy transition to HD. Programs will be beamed via satellite in both 1080i or 1080p formats, along with mpeg2 audio, basically giving a subscriber a clearer picture and superior sound.

The SkyCable HD box, which can only work with LCD or plasma screen TVs, as well as projector TVs, can carry both standard definition (SD) and high-definition (HD) programs. Subscribers will pay a one-time installation fee of P5,000 for the HD box (which can also play music from a USB flash drive) and P499 a month for the two HD programs. Additional TVs in the household each require a separate HD box, but HD programs for succeeding TVs will only cost P152 a month.

Households which have already purchased the SkyCable DigiBox, which offers digital content, will pay less if they swap their existing Digibox with an HD box.
Oh Men, first of all, my TV is not LCD and though I am a Sky Cable subscriber, my subscription is not "digital-ready"
Monday, April 27, 2009
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Microsoft is set to release the much-awaited Windows 7 next week. The newest OS of Microsoft is just a 'release candidate' version specifically deployed for developers.

The final commercial version is expected to be unveiled early July.

Just one question: Is there a Windows 6?



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I came across this post from Yahoo! I think we should take Swine Flu seriously.

How ready is the U.S. - and the world - to respond to a flu pandemic?

In some ways, the world is better prepared for a flu pandemic today than it has ever been. Thanks to concerns over H5N1 avian flu, the WHO, the U.S. and countries around the world have stockpiled millions of doses of antivirals that can help fight swine flu as well as other strains of influenza. The U.S. has a detailed pandemic preparation plan that was drafted under former President George W. Bush. Many other countries have similar plans. SARS and bird flu have given international health officials useful practice runs for dealing with a real pandemic. We can identify new viruses faster than ever before, and we have life-saving technologies - like artificial respirators and antivirals - that weren't available back in 1918. "I believe that the world is much, much better prepared than we have ever been for dealing with this kind of situation," said Fukuda.

At the same time, the very nature of globalization puts us at greater risk. International air travel means that infections can spread very quickly. And while the WHO can prepare a new swine flu vaccine strain in fairly short order, we still use a laborious, decades-old process to manufacture vaccines, meaning it would take months before the pharmaceutical industry could produce its full capacity of doses - and even then, there wouldn't be enough for everyone on the planet. The U.S. could be particularly vulnerable; only one plant, in Stillwater, Penn., makes flu vaccine in America. In a pandemic, that could produce some ugly political debates. "Do you really think the E.U. is going to release pandemic vaccine to the U.S. when its own people need it?" asks Osterholm.

Sunday, April 26, 2009
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Seems like the dreaded Conficker is getting a lot of buzz lately and the virus is believed to be spreading already.

Some 3.5 million units are affected worldwide. Conficker has intelligently evaded detection tools. Reports are in, the Conficker virus is about to broadcast SPAM.

Get on your feet. Time to clean-up your PC.

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On the other note, Swine Flu is slowly becoming an international health issue.
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Social Networking sites are getting popular nowadays. Twitter is making a wave. And other networking sites are falling.

Remember Friendster? It went on as the most popular SN sites in the early 2000s, then came MySpace which is currently undergoing management troubles. We came across Hi5 but it didn't work well.

We met Multiply, but not so long since we are captured by Facebook and now Twitter is going to dominate the SN arena.

BAGHDAD - The founder and chairman of micro-blogging service Twitter said during a visit to Baghdad on Wednesday that the US election had convinced him to try and get more people "tweeting" in Iraq.

Jack Dorsey, among nine executives on a US State Department organised trip, held discussions with local mobile telephone companies and said he is determined to ensure that Iraqis could use Twitter on their handsets.

"We definitely have an intention to get it going here," he said, sat alongside bosses from top US IT giants Google and YouTube.

"I spoke to my business development person last night and said 'can we work with these people?'. We intend to do it."

Twitter, which allows users to pepper their followers with messages of a maximum 140 characters, known as updates or "tweets", can be used on mobile phones or through the Internet. (AFP)


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Nokia is loosing its grip in the European market.

The S. Korean firm triumphed in getting the lead in the Europe mobile phone market according to GfK Market Research. Samsung topped the list in countries such as Britain, Belgium, Italy and France, with Samsung F480 as the frontrunner.

Perhaps, what could be the obvious reason in Samsung's unprecedented achievement is 'price factor', with the European market getting more price-conscious than ever before. 

But still Nokia remains to be undefeated in the worldwide-sales arena but with Samsung intensifying their marketing efforts, Nokia is in danger.

I hope Nokia will finally think out-of-box and get rid of the Symbian OS. Nokia may be a practical choice in buying a cellphone, but the consumer I think is getting bored with Nokia's aesthetic. Nokia has to step-up and start being aggressive, not only in driving sales but in generating top-notch technology and cutting-edge innovations. Hear that, Noki?


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Apple apologized for the 'baby shaker' application that drew outrage among users worldwide.
"This application was deeply offensive and should not have been approved for distribution on the App Store,"
The application allows the user to shake his/her iPhone to make a baby stop crying.


Meanwhile, the almighty Apple celebrated their Billion-mark downloads from the application store.

Congratulations and great job in the baby-shaker incident.


Tuesday, April 21, 2009
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And they might even abandon their bid to win this year's championship.

With three consecutive loss, Ferrari scored nothing so far, their worst performance since 1981.

Even the McLaren team is faltering. But at least they have scored 8 points so far.
 
Ferrari may abandon development of their current car if their performance in Spain GP do not improve when a double- decker diffuser version is raced for the first time at May 10.

And of course F1 is full of drama and controversy. Brawn's unbelievable debut and maiden win is such a breakthrough in the Formula 1 history. Brawn is really a genius.

Ferrari is anxiously awaiting the outcome of a hearing in Paris on Tuesday into the legality of the controversial rear diffusers that have helped Brawn GP's Jenson Button win the opening two races (AP)

KERS or the 'Kinetic Energy Retention System' is also not working on the Scarlet car, they even abandoned it during their race in China.

I am such a huge Ferrari fan, and I feel depressed everytime they lose in a Grand Prix. But I still have high hopes with the Scuderia Ferrari and hopefully things will get better in Europe and they will do better this time around. And I do agree with Stefano Domenicalli, to start the development of 2010 car as early as this month. But I think he must not abandon the development of the current car as well. Ferrari needs to fix their team and be ready for the challenge of Ross Brawn. Brawn still has his aces on his table, he used to be a Ferrari virtuoso.

I still not have given up with the Scarlet car yet. Ferrari have to licked-up their wounds and start all-over again.
Monday, April 20, 2009
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After IBM dropped its bid to buy the looming Sun Microsystems, Oracle, leading database software maker showed interest to Sun Microsystems - creator of the mobile and web applications Java. Hmmm, everybody is buying now.

Sun, which invented the Java programming language used to develop applications for Web sites and mobile phones, has been reluctant to sacrifice its independence, even as it reports big losses. Despite billions in sales — $13.3 billion over the last four quarters — the company has not been able to turn a consistent profit, losing $1.9 billion in the same period.
Redwood Shores, Calif.-based Oracle will buy Sun shares for $9.50 each in cash. The price represents a 42 percent premium to Sun's Friday closing stock price of $6.69. Net of Sun's cash and debt, the transaction is valued at $5.6 billion, Oracle said...The transaction has been approved by Sun's board of directors. Oracle expects to close the deal this summer. (Y! News)

Saturday, April 18, 2009
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In an effort to curb the impending doom of digital disaster, the United States government finally resolves to hire the hackers.

True to the testament "If you can't beat them, join/hire them", the US government has yet to reveal it's greatest weapon against the cyber-crime perpetrators - the hacker's themselves.

Faced with such cyber challenges, Obama ordered the 60-day review to examine how federal agencies manage and protect their massive amounts of data and what the government's role should be in guarding the vast networks that control the country's vital utilities and infrastructure.


Breaking the omnipotent IT infrastructure of the US Federal agencies could be the ultimate dream of an IT/Hacker wannabe. And unfortunately, America is not yet ready to give-up yet.

The U.S., administration officials say, has not kept pace with technological innovations needed to protect its computer networks against emerging threats from hackers, criminals or other nations looking for national security secrets.

U.S. computer networks, including those at the Pentagon and other federal agencies, are under persistent attack, ranging from nuisance hacking to more nefarious assaults, possibly from other nations, such as China. Industry leaders told Congress during a recent hearing that law enforcement and other protections are too outdated to fend off threats from criminals, terrorists and unfriendly foreign nations.

Source: AP (via Yahoo! Tech)

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For winning the ultimate Twitter Battle.

1,000,000 followers and counting, that is achievement. I added you Larrym don't worry. And hey, Ryan Seacrest too.

Twitter is a revolution. Facebook is dead. Wonder what Social Networking site will arrive next?
Friday, April 17, 2009
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Sweden - Considered as a "landmark verdict", four founders of the "The Pirate Bay" file-sharing website (P2P) were sentenced for one-year in jail. Frederik Neij, Gottfrid Svartholm Warg, Carl Lundstrom and Peter Sunde were found guilty of breaking copyright law, but the four men denied the charges arguing that the files are not hosted on their servers.

It resonates the recording studios attempt to put a stop to piracy. The message is clear, Warner Bros, Sony Music Entertainment, EMI, and Columbia Pictures is serious with their copyright laws.

The Pirate Bay is the world's most high profile file-sharing website and was set up in 2003 by anti-copyright organisation Piratbyran, but for the last five years it has been run by individuals.

Millions of files are exchanged in TPB everyday.The question is: Will this incident essentially stop the file sharing industry now that the recording companies are confident that there is a legal advantage for them after this verdict?

Thursday, April 16, 2009
Chance Encounters: VIEWZI

Featured Website of the Week:

 

One of the most stunning website discovery I found in the www this week.

Viewzi is a visual search engine, search results are displayed like a screenshots instead of the traditional text formats.





Saturday, April 11, 2009
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Image Courtesy of PCWorld


Let's take PC and MAC's competition to the next level. PC Representative the Delicious Dell Adamo.

Both boasting its ulta-thin feature. Macbook Air is definitely lighter than the competitor, some mentioning that Adamo is heavier among the thin-line of laptops.

I managed to researched technical specifications of both laptops courtesy of Technicist


Dell AdamoMacBook Air

ProcessorC2D ULV 1.4GHzC2D LV 1.8GHz

Memory4GB DDR22GB DDR2

Storage128GB SSD128GB SSD

GraphicsIntel GMA 4500nVidia 9400M

Screen13.4" LED13.3" LED

Resolution1366 x 7681280 x 800

DVD DriveExternal ($120)External ($99)

OSVista PremiumOS X

BroadbandYesNo

MaterialBrushed Alum.Anodized Alum.

Thickness0.65"0.16" - 0.76"

Weight4.0 lbs3.0 lbs

Price$2,699$2,499


Adamo is clearly a runaway winner in the memory side, making it run the 64-bit Windows Vista. Of course, better resolution too.

Both has an internal mic. That's a plus.

On the aesthetics side, I'm still having a confusion. I love both, I love Macbook's simplicity and the Adamo's edginess and boxy feel is sexy. See the picture below? That's what I am talking about.


So, I think Adamo is definitely giving more signs of winning, this Dell dude has a potential, but I have yet to see it's actual look on Monday. I'll do the verdict next time.

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Microsoft has unveiled their latest string of ad campaign. The "Laptop Hunters" series is right on the money. Microsoft has long been waiting for a right timing and I think they did it this time. For quite some time, Apple/Mac killed Microsoft popularity, fighting Microsoft head-on with bold ads and stereotypes.

Microsoft tried to get up and face Mac with a game-face. They did the 'I'm a PC' campaign which is not really successful.

The "Laptop Hunters" series is real and it focuses on PC's strongest assets. Value for Money. I think PC should definitely going to the right direction rather than trying to confront it's adversary in a second-rate kind of way.

In my opinion, these new series will try to pick-up Microsoft's core strength. Price, Computing Power, Variety and Customization and of course accessibility and compatibility.

Apple has long withstand the stigma of being "pricey" by shadowing it's brand with the almighty iPod and iPhone. But still, Macbooks are not bestsellers.

I still want to have a Mac. I believe it is more powerful and better than PC. But Microsoft should continue differentiating itself with Mac and continue targeting the right market segment

"They're going to have a harder time trying to justify those price points."

"I think Apple's going to have to deal with the issue at some point," McCutchin contends. "That's why Microsoft's strategy is so well-timed in making this more about price and value as opposed to some sort of coolness."

Thursday, April 9, 2009
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Sporting a 1.33 Ghz Intel Processor, 1.4 lbs (very light), up to 60 GB HD (128 GB SSD), up to 4-hour battery, and a 2 GB RAM.

No DVD ROM yet. And just get used to the resolution. The font face is too small for me. Difficult me for me to read the text.


Where are U?

Whatever happened to U Mobile? Let me know. Thanks!

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It could have been perfect, except for wrong voice over pronunciation of Kanye West "Live". This won't work for complicated names.

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Smartphones are considered to be business phones. It is likely to be seen on the hands of young professionals and executives with demands for mobile access and computing and organizing that a typical cellphone cannot do.

But apparently, the target market is no longer exclusive.

Since 2007, I have used three QWERTY phones, A1200, Treo and Moto Q. And everytime my friends and colleagues asked me if it is easier to use, I say - Yes.

The only downside of a smartphone is you can't text with just one hand. It is a multi-tasking killer. But still, my fascination and bias towards smartphones are undeniable.

While contemplating on this Maundy Thursday, I decided to collate all the front runners in the smartphone arena and judge who should I buy next. I am about to kill my Moto Q.

Nokia - E75


I have never used Nokia for four years now. I have always been a Motorola user. But Nokia is still on top of my choice when it comes to phone;s usability and technology. But Nokia has lost its edge in the design and OS integration.

What is cool with E75 is the slider feel. It's practical and compact and I never had any slider phone before. I like the snap sound every time you open it up but I am not lovin it yet because of the Symbian OS.

Will I buy it: No

HTC: Touch Diamond 2

In my opinion, the best-looking smartphone on the line-up, however what's up with the 5 MP camera with no flash? Windows Mobile 6.1 OS, 512 Mb RAM and very expensive.

3GHSDPA, 7.2 Mbps; HSUPA, 2 Mbps
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 b/g

Verdict: Not now.

LG KM900 - Hot Item!

Many would think it's an iPhone rip-off. Who cares? iPhone is so overrated and I am not such a fan. I've heard a lot of good reviews already and I can't wait to get this.



Shall I? Probably, yes. I am still not crazy about it's all touchscreen features. I am looking for a keypad based smartphone.

Blackberry: Curve 8900

I can feel it this time. I know I can have a Blackberry already. I can hear myself moaning Blackberry like an incantation whenever someone ask me what my phone is.

But darn, way too expensive. Out of budget. But BC is all about push email. Blackberry is the ultimate email phone. Definitely good for business.



Shall I have it: Better think about it really hard.

For now, stick with my Q and get ready for Curve



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Correct me if I am wrong, I believe that our equivalent of US' Federal Commission on Communication (FCC) is the National Telecommunications Commission. I saw an interesting article in Yahoo! yesterday about FCC's efforts in improving the state of America's internet infrastructure.

As mandated by the US congress, the FCC, should develop key strategies until 2010 to address controversial issues as Internet openness, definitions of affordability and what speeds are fast enough.

The FCC now defines broadband speed at about 768 kilobits per second, slow by most standards, most experts agree.

Bold move by the American state and it is reminiscent of what I wrote a week ago. That the Philippine government, in the jurisdiction of NTC, should allow itself to be a catalyst of industrialization. It must present an interventionist role in the telecommunication players arena.

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Even the Australians are joining the Broadband Boost campaign.

The Australian government said on Tuesday that it would create a publicly owned company to build a national high-speed broadband network worth 43 billion Australian dollars, or $31 billion, in one of the largest state-sponsored Internet infrastructure upgrades in the world.

The plan is “the most ambitious, far-reaching and long-term nation-building infrastructure project ever undertaken by an Australian government,” Mr. Rudd told reporters.

The government’s announcement was a surprise rebuff to five private telecommunications firms, including Optus of Singapore and Axia NetMedia of Canada, which had been bidding to build a slower, less expensive network, with fiber optic cables reaching as far as local nodes, worth around 10 billion Australian dollars.
(Source: NY Times Online)

Cybernation: Now, that's a lot of money...
Monday, April 6, 2009
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I love to go the beach. And everytime I go outdoor, I know that I am out of my comfort zone. Summer is officially here and I have to consider the fact that I have to bring along my gadgets with me. That sounds easy, but the moment you arrived in the beach, you have a big question ahead of you. I want to swim....How will I bring my SLR?

Sand, Heat and Water. You have to protect your Gs from these three gadget breakers.

So I browsed the net and took some advice from this articles.

Keep your electronics out of the sun, because the cases don't protect from heat damage.

"It's still important you keep those devices in the shade when you're not using them," Boone said.

If you plan to relax poolside or near the surf, slip a piece of foam inside the case so your device will float if you drop it in the water, she said.

Any gadget with an open port, such as a headphone See headphones. jack or DVD DVD: see digital versatile disc.

The DVD represents the second generation of compact-disc (CD) technology.
drive, is vulnerable, so make sure to close port flaps to keep sand out, Boone said. Take extra care with camcorders, which are particularly susceptible because of their numerous ports and moving parts, she said.

For more serious beachgoers, electronics designed for more rugged conditions are available, such as underwater cameras, said David Carnoy, an executive editor at the technology Web site CNet.com.

Some audio system manufacturers offer speakers made especially for the beach, but it's still a good idea to keep your equipment out of the sun, he said.

"You might almost buy a little umbrella for your audio gear to protect it in the shade," Carnoy said.

Store all of your devices in one place, like a cooler with no ice, to protect them from the elements _ not to mention curious children or oblivious volleyball players, he said.

Wipe your hands clean of sunblock sunblock Public health An opaque substance, usually formulated from zinc or titanium oxides, designed to completely prevent solar radiation from reaching the skin. See SPF rating. Cf Sunscreen. or tanning lotion before handling your electronics, especially those with rubberized skins that can become discolored.

After your fun in the sun winds down, allow your devices to reach room temperature before using them again; bringing warm gadgets into an air-conditioned room can create condensation, Boone said.

Also blast them with a can of compressed air compressed air, air whose volume has been decreased by the application of pressure. Air is compressed by various devices, including the simple hand pump and the reciprocating, rotary, centrifugal, and axial-flow compressors. to clean out any sand particles, she said.

If your gadgets do get dirty, soaked or fried, don't count on a refund or replacement _ most warrantees don't include damage from heat, sun and sand, Carnoy said.

"Unless it's a product that is already geared to provide some kind of protection, the warranty is not going to cover it," he said.

By following a few precautions, however, you can enjoy a summer full of surfside surf·side
adj.
Situated or sited at or near the seashore: surfside parties; a surfside road.
tunes, photos and gab sessions.

"As long as you take proper steps to protect your devices, take them anywhere," Boone said.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
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I can smell the envy and anguish of Smart Marketing team.

Finally, a wireless landline in your cellphone. That is how you kill the market of Bayantel and PLDT LL Plus - Differentiate! For almost one-year, Bayantel has established a wireless landline market that enable the competitors to follow suit.

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DUO allows you Unlimited Calling to and from any landline number as well as Unlimited Calling to and from any DUO postpaid mobile subscriber!

With DUO's Unlimited Calling, you can:

  • Gossip with friends about the hottest events!
  • Call far-away family and friends without worrying about the length of the call!
  • Collaborate with business partners to efficiently coordinate a project!
  • Chat with your special someone for as long as you want!

Hurry, subscribe now by going to the nearest Globe Business Center or register by sending DUOINFO to 8888! Promo period is from April 5 - July 3, 2009 only!


How it Works

  1. Subscription to DUO Service is P399.00/30days on top of a Globe Plan.
  2. Once you are subscribed to Duo, you will be given your Duo Landline number. Now, your mobile phone and SIM will have two (2) numbers: your current mobile number (i.e. 0917-XXX-XXXX) and your Duo Landline number (i.e. 02-XXX-XXXX).
  3. Upon activation, the following calls are rendered free of charge: DUO to any Landline calls, any Landline to DUO calls, and DUO to DUO calls. Calls made to other mobile numbers are charged regular mobile rates.
  4. Everytime you call, no need for a keyword or special prefix:
    1. To call any landline just dial the area code and the landline number
    2. To call another DUO number just dial the DUO number of the person you are calling
    3. For any landline to call you, a person will just dial your DUO landline number
  5. Service is initially available in NCR and Cebu only. All other calls outside the area code (02 for NCR or 32 for Cebu) will be charged regular mobile NDD rates.

How to Avail

  1. Promo is open to all Globe Postpaid subscribers.
  2. Subscriber can avail of the service through the Business Centers or Register via SMS (with required SMS acceptance of Terms and Conditions). Simply text DUOINFO to 8888.
  3. There will be an initial 90-day holding period for new activations, subject to pre-termination fee of P1,200.00.
  4. You can only avail of one (1) active DUO landline number for every active Globe line, at any one time.
  5. After the holding period, subscription is auto-renewed on a monthly basis unless otherwise requested by the subscriber.
  6. In cases of fraud, Globe reserves the right to discontinue the DUO service, and any of the subscriptions. DUO is not available for International Service Resale.
  7. Duo is currently not available for prepaid or corporate accounts.
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Listen rich kids. Care to put your money where your lawn is? Try the underground elevator garage. What a grateful way to spend your money?

The £40,000 (~$59,000) parking spots can be hidden beneath a flowerbed, lawn, or even another parking space.Owners simply press a button on a keyring to raise they car out of the ground much like the rocket launching apparatus in Thunderbirds. There is already a four month waiting list to get the sci-fi style parking space installed.

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Denmark and Sweden once again lead the rankings of The Global Information Technology Report 2008-2009, released for the eighth consecutive year by the World Economic Forum. The United States follows suit, up one position from last year, thus confirming its pre-eminence in networked readiness in the current times of economic slowdown. Singapore (4), Switzerland (5) and the other Nordic countries together with the Netherlands and Canada complete the top 10.

he Networked Readiness Index (NRI), featured in the Report, examines how prepared countries are to use ICT effectively on three dimensions: the general business, regulatory and infrastructure environment for ICT; the readiness of the three key stakeholder groups; individuals, businesses and governments; to use and benefit from ICT; and their actual usage of the latest information and communication technologies available.

Out of the 134 countries, the Philippines ranked 85th with a score of 3.60.

The following Asian countries scored: South Korea (5.37). Hongkong (5.30), Taiwan (5.30), Japan (5.19), Thailand (4.14), Malaysia (4.76), China (4.15), Brunei (3.87), Kazakhstan (3.79), Vietnam (3.79), Sri Lanka (3.79), Indonesia (3.62), Mongolia (3.43), Pakistan (3.31). Cambodia (2.89) Nepal (2.85), and Bangladesh (2.70).

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Not really good for us because we ranked 61 last 2007. China scored relatively low maybe because of it's regulatory state.

I agree with the three dimensions as a pre-requisite, the general business, regulatory and infrastructure. But permit me to add, that market should also be considered viable in developing a country's network infrastructure.




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Globe Telecom Inc. targets to double its broadband subscribers from 234,000 last year to almost half a million by end of 2009, said company President and CEO Ernest L. Cu.


Earlier, he has identified that broadband, the next major growth area for the telecommunications industry, is where Globe can take a lead. With just 8 percent of Filipino households having broadband connections todate, the new President seems much room for growth.


The entire Philippine broadband market shot up 67 per cent in 2008, registering a total of over 1.3 million subscribers with both data devices and pre-paid broadband subscription becoming more affordable to the masses.

Already, Globe has registered a tenfold growth in its broadband subscribers from 24,000 in 2005 to 234,000 in 2008. Fully mobile broadband subscribers have almost quadrupled, from just 6 percent, or 7,680 of the total of 128,000 subscribers in 2007 to 25 percent, or 58,500 last year.


In addition, Cu believes that net books laptop computers designed for wireless communication and internet access, “will be the key to propagating broadband use in the Philippines once the price barrier is broken.” At present, the 10 inch device still range from USD$300-400. Yet, “Net book prices are coming down and it will be interesting to see the development in this area,” he remarked.


The new Globe President pins his hopes on computer penetration skyrocketing in the country, the way wireless cellular phones did.


At present, the domestic market has 70 million Subscriber Identification Modules (SIMs) for a population of 90 million Filipinos. Eventually, “I won’t be surprised if we’ll have one computer per home,” Cu concluded.


EMMIE V. ABADILLA (Manila Bulletin)

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We are totally in love on how technology can make our life easier. Imagine having no hassle in paying bills, you just text the amount through mobile banking and voila, instant payment center. All in the convenience of one mobile phone.

Read this article and find out how texting killed an innocent lady. Sadness. Notice: Never ever pay bills through mobile phones while driving. It is a mortal sin.

REDDING, Calif. – A woman who crashed into a line of stopped vehicles while text-messaging on her cell phone has been sentenced to six years in a California prison for killing a woman in one of the vehicles.

Deborah Matis-Engle was sentenced Friday by a judge in Redding, Calif.

Investigators said Deborah Matis-Engle was speeding and text messaging when she slammed into the vehicles stopped at a construction zone in August 2007.

Shasta County prosecutor Stephanie Bridgett said the 49-year-old woman had paid several bills by cell phone in the moments before the crash.

She was in the middle of one of those transactions when she struck a vehicle that burst into flames, killing 46-year-old Petra Winn.

Defense attorney Jeffrey Stotter said he will appeal.

Saturday, April 4, 2009
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The Broadband is getting more and more accessible this time. Dial-up Internet is so yesterday. As of 2008, 14 Million Filipinos internet-users are estimated. As we continue to see the battle between Globe and Smart in giving us the best Broadband deal, are we consumers get the best out of it?

As a salesman working in a Telco, I have a chance to meet my clients and share some thoughts on the highlights and drawbacks of the Philippine Internet Landscape. I happened to meet the Ambassador of Chile to the Philippines to listen to his frustrations with our country's internet infrastructure.

He mentioned that in other parts of the world, Internet is cheap and the average bandwidth is 4 Mbps for a residential line. Of course I cannot refute him, nor respond otherwise, besides I can see his sincerity with his remarks. Looking into that, I take a quick glimpse of the current pace of our internet technology.

Adding to my realization is Singtel. Singtel has one of the most dynamic and advanced telecommunications company in Asia-Pacific. Our sales team was introduced to one of Singtel Philippines' Business Devt. Manager to cascade their products to us - one of which is BGAN or Broadband Global Area Network via Inmarsat.

Broadband Global Area Network (BGAN) SingTel Satellite's Broadband Global Area Network (BGAN) via Inmarsat is the world's first mobile communications service service of any kind to provide both voice and broadband data simultaneously through a single, truly portable device globally. It offers guaranteed data rates of up to 492kbps over shared channels.

Imagine that? While we are fascinated by Globe's latest USB modem, at the other side of the world, leading telcos are utilizing the benefits of satellites to provide mobile internet access wherever you are, whatever you are doing. I hope Singtel wouldn't mind tinkering with their network diagram (I got it from their website so I am not sure if this is supposed to be confidential)

So will Globe succeed in their latest endeavor? Definitely, for there is no higher technology out there. The market is here, but the technology has not yet arrived. Props for Globe for pushing the envelope further, but I hope they push it more and wow us with their innovation.


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I remember the Love Bug. It was year 2000 and the IT world is crazy about the worldwide fiasco this minute worm had caused to millions of computer around the globe. Funny as it may seem, the 'Love Bug' was believed to have originated from the Philippines.

The FBI have opened a criminal investigation. Reports suggest the virus may have originated in the Philippines. ISP Sky Internet Inc. in the Philippines are reported by ZDNet News to be hunting for a code writer who signed the virus code "Spyder, Manila, Philippines" and added the comment: "I hate go to school." (BBC.co.uk News)

This year, we are warned against the impending threat of the dreaded 'Conficker Virus' that is believed to unleash its effect on April Fool's Day. Around one to two million computers worldwide are expected to be affected by the virus.

The worm, a self-replicating program, takes advantage of networks or computers that haven't kept up to date with security patches for Windows RPC Server Service.

It can infect machines from the Internet or by hiding on USB memory sticks carrying data from one computer to another. (Inquirer.net)


Around one to two million computers worldwide are expected to be affected by the virus.

April Fool's is over, but many experts believed that the Conflicker virus has yet to release its potential threat. To prevent your system to be affected, make sure that your PC is updated.

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Dear All,

Cybernation Live is officially open.

Regards,

GP
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Wait for a few minutes and Cybernation is Live