Unboxing Evil: Diablo 3 Preview

gianviterbo — Tue, 15 May 2012 13:22:25 +0000

So I stopped by Data Blitz this evening and bought THE most anticipated game of the decade, Diablo 3. I had to grab ome today as Datablitz and probably other game retailers are selling it for only PhP2,750.

I had to endure the long line to the cashier where I eventually paid and claimed the game, which I literally waited since 2002. I hurried back to my car, smelled the sealed box and unboxed it like a ninja.

The box contains the following:

Diablo 3 Game DVD (runs on Windows or Mac)

3 Guest Passes (which I can give to my friends and let them experience the gameplay – online or offline – until the Skeleton Key)

Quick Game Guide

1 Free Paper Pad

Dead Island 6-minutes Gameplay Preview

Audio-Technica ATH-WS55 Solid Bass Headphone Review

gianviterbo — Sat, 12 May 2012 03:58:51 +0000

The Audio-Technica ATH-WS55 undoubtedly lives up to its being as a solid bass headphone. With this baby, listening to my favorite dubstep songs on my iPhone is even more engaging. Thanks to the textured bass this headphone gives off.

The ATH-WS55 Solid Bass headphones deliver incredibly full and textured bass, along with the astonishing clarity and fidelity for which Audio-Technica is renowned. Audio-Technica’s sophisticated driver technology and superior components deliver exceptional power handling, maintaining clarity of sound throughout their extended range. The headphones feature 40 mm drivers for powerful sound and efficient signal transfer.

Solid Bass System with new double air chamber reproduces richer and deeper bass

Acoustically sealed oval earpads help prevent sound leakage

Smooth, easily adjustable headband slider ensures a comfortable fit

40 mm drivers reproduce powerful sound

Foldable headphones are easy to store and carry

Available in black (ATH-WS55BK) and red/black (ATH-WS55BRD)

Sound Quality

Audio-Technica is renowned for producing headphones that give off amazingly clear, rich and “oomphy” bassline. The headphone though does not completely surround my ear (yes, I have really big ears) thus external noise still pass through. My experience is, of course, very relative. If you’re looking for an affordable headphone with almost similar caliber that can outperform other expensive headphones, consider the Audio-Technica ATH-WS55.

Comfort

If you’re an aspiring DJ or a casual listener, the ATH-WS55 is perfect for you. The synthetic leather-covered ear cushions provides additional comfort; while the head band gives additional head support. The cable is tangle-free, thereby making it less annoying.

The ear cushion can also be twisted back so you can easily keep it without occupying too much space.

Design & Durability

At this point, I cannot separate design and durability. Over-all, the ATH-WS55 looks very sturdy and durable. The metal finish of the plate where the logo of Audio-Technica is placed adds glamor and luxury to this headphone.

Although some find this kind of headphone look dorky for the average Filipino, I still believe that function and necessity should always be utmost priorities when purchasing and using a headphone.

The Audio-Technica ATH-WS55 is available for PhP3,799. You can visit Astrovision/Plus stores and Egghead in Robinson if you wish to try it out..

For more information, you may visit Audio-Technica’s official Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/AUDIO-TECHNICA-PHILIPPINES/108873999153897

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Pre-Order the Nokia Lumia 800 from Globe for PhP1,499 A Month

gianviterbo — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 16:10:20 +0000

The Nokia Lumia 800 can now be officially pre-ordered from Globe for only PhP1,499 a month.

This Globe exclusive offering is bundled with Unli Surf Combo Plan 999 – unlimited mobile surfing. Go ahead and pre-order by clicking this link.

You may remember that we dubbed this phone as one of the most beautifully designed devices we’ve seen. Don’t forget to check out our exclusive review and pictures here.

Here’s a quick rundown of Nokia Lumia 800′s specs:

3.7-inch, curved glass, AMOLED touch screen
8-megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss lens
Windows® Mobile OS
Voice activated commands for calling, calendar, online search and text dictation
Office 365 featuring seamless access to your email, calendar, contacts and documents
Access to Windows Phone Marketplace for apps and Xbox LIVE games
Internet Explorer 9 with HTML5 support, Bing web search
SkyDrive storage and file sharing
Nokia Drive and Maps software supported by GPS, A-GPS and Wi-Fi positioning

Here’s a hands-on demo of the Nokia Lumia 800:

If you feel like owning this phone, go ahead and pre-order it. Didn’t I already say that? Oh well, what do you think of this phone and what can you say about Globe’s offer? Hit the comments below.

Samsung Pushes the Official ICS Update for Galaxy Note to Q2 2012

gianviterbo — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 15:03:56 +0000

This could be bad news for Samsung Galaxy Note users like me. Samsung promised to release the official ICS update for Galaxy Note by 1st Quarter of this year. Unfortunately, Sammy’s pushing it a little bit later within April to June 2012.

The good news is that it won’t be a very simply upgrade from Gingerbread to Ice Cream Sandwich. The official update will feature a mega-update, which they call “Premium Suite” to Galaxy Note’s most celebrated program, the “S-Memo”. The update will also include enhancements and tools that could put its most famous appendage “S-pen” to further use. Check out the video below for more information.

Samsung promises “an entirely new look and feel to Android on Galaxy Note, with a more intuitive user interface that includes a redesigned App menu for easier multi-tasking. The upgrade also introduces innovations such as Face Unlock, Snapshot, Android Beam and others” with the update.

Currently, I’m testing the leaked Chinese version of the ICS for Samsung since January 2012. Unfortunately, I will have to push my review further to April 2012 if Samsung releases the official update within that month.

Photoshop CS6 Beta is a Free Download

gianviterbo — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 14:35:37 +0000

Did you know that the Beta Version of Photoshop CS6 Beta is now available for download. And you know what…. wait for it…. IT’S FREE.

Photoshop CS6 Highlights

Content-Aware Patch — Patch images with greater control using the newest member of the Content-Aware family of technologies. Choose the sample area you want to use to create your patch, and then watch Content-Aware Patch magically blend pixels for a stunning result.

Blazingly fast performance and a modern UI — Experience unprecedented performance with the Mercury Graphics Engine, which gives you near-instant results when you edit with key tools such as Liquify, Puppet Warp, and Crop.* Plus, a refined, fresh, and elegant Photoshop interface features dark background options that make your images pop.

New and re-engineered design tools — Create superior designs fast. Get consistent formatting with type styles, create and apply custom strokes and dashed lines to shapes, quickly search layers, and much more.

Download link here.

Nokia Lumia 800 Hands-On Review

gianviterbo — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 14:06:31 +0000

If there is one word that can describe this phone or probably a word that captures its essence, that would be ‘Beautiful’.

Ladies and gentlemen, you are about to read Gadget Pilipinas’ exclusive review of the Nokia Lumia 800, the first child of the marriage of Nokia and Microsoft – the first true Windows Phone.

What can I say – the Nokia Lumia 800 is a wonderful device. It may not be packed with powerful innards but this undoubtedly looks very professional just like its long lost brother, the Nokia N9, which we reviewed a month ago. Its operating system may not be that “open”, compared to Google’s Android, but its definitely one of the easiest to use and navigate.

The Nokia Lumia 800′s LOOK

This isn’t Deja Vu. What you are seeing is not the Nokia N9, but the Lumia 800. Yes, the latter borrowed 90% of its look from the Nokia N9. Nokia didn’t simply remove the Meego OS from the body of the N9 and fused it with Windows Phone 7.5 in it. They realized that the N9 still has some design imperfections, so they modified its body to make its functions even more convenient for the end user and to suit the operating system. That is actually redefining perfections to provide blissful experience for end-users; another way for Nokia to connect with ‘people’.

Gallery (Side by side comparison with the Nokia N9):

[Show as slideshow]

Notable differences from the Nokia N9 include the following:

1. Dedicated physical camera button.

2. Capacitive/Touch Sensitive buttons (These buttons basically made the Lumia 800′s screen smaller than the N9 by .2 inch or 5.08mm).

3. Lumia 800 lacks a front-facing camera.

4. The LED flash is placed directly above the Carl Zeiss lens.

Gallery:

[Show as slideshow]

The Windows Phone 7.5 Mango

Let me first discuss about the OS, then Lumia 800 with the OS.

Windows Phone 7.5 (Mango) embodies the new philosophy of Microsoft that concerns providing the best mobile phone experience. The overall design of the new mobile OS of Microsoft, to me, simply implies one thing – Touch is all that matters. Yeah, that reminds me of David Pomeranz’s song. Suddenly, with Windows Phone 7, seeing touch controls and tapping them felt like a different experience.

The latest iteration of the Microsoft’s mobile operating system heavily uses Live Tiles in its Metro User Interface (UI). This is the same UI that Windows 8 currently have. Simplicity and Zen are ever present in the Windows Phone 7 UI; a design philosophy that most people associate with Apple.

Taken from MSDN:

The Application Tile is the Tile created when a user pins an application to Start by pressing and holding the application’s icon in the Applications List. Tapping a pinned Application Tile navigates the user to the application’s opening page.

A secondary Tile is created programmatically by an application based on interaction from the user. Typical uses for a secondary Tile include a weather application that pins a Tile to Start for each city that the user wants a weather report for, or a news application that pins a Tile to Start for each type of news that the user would like to see – World, Local, Sports, and so on. The application’s code provides the Tile with launch parameters to customize the navigation destination of the Tile. For example, tapping on a secondary Tile pinned from a weather application might open the details page for a particular city. That Tile might also have weather details for that city displayed and updated live on the Tile.

Combine this OS with the beauty of Nokia Lumia 800, then we would have a simple yet beautiful tactile phone experience. This is the main reason why this Lumy is indeed the first true Windows phone. My experience with this phone incomparable compared to using iOS and Android devices. Everthing seems to be so accessible in a jiffy.

What’s even more exciting about this OS and this phone is the integration of Xbox Live. This means that if the Live account you initially associated with this phone is connected with your Xbox Live account, the OS will pull all your Xbox Live data – friends, requests, game achievements, profile and even your avatar. If you downloaded a game from the Marketplace, you can only find the downloaded games inside Xbox Live. I thought that it’s a neat and convenient way to separate the experience of getting entertained by your games from other experience you can gain from other applications.

Xbox Live on Lumia 800

Kinectimals on Lumia 800

The Messaging feature of this phone reminds me of Nokia N9′s and N900′s Conversations integrated application. More over, with the ‘Me’ Live Tile feature, you can check in, update your status and post a message to all your linked Social Networking accounts without having to go through switching from one app to another.

Gallery (Windows Phone 7.5 Mango):

[Show as slideshow]

Not everything is great on this phone though. I find the battery of this phone kinda sucks because it died out in less than 24 hours with moderate usage, occasional 3G and Wifi connection, sms exchanges and 10 minutes total call time.

Also, even if this phone is packed with an 8 megapixel Carl Zeiss lens, the actual output are mediocre compared to the photos taken by my Samsung Galaxy Note. Take a look at some sample shots below.

Sample Shots:

Will You Buy One?

In December 2011, I bought a Samsung Galaxy Note. I love it and so far; it’s one of the best phones I’ve used next to the iPhone 4s. I told myself, “I’d never sell this baby until the iPhone 5 becomes available.” Things changed when I got my Nokia Lumia 800 in February 2012. Suddenly, the Lumia 800 becomes “far superior” than my Galaxy Note – even though reality dictates otherwise. How twisted is that for Nokia and Microsoft to change my outlook so easily!

The overall experience that the Lumia 800 gives is something worth keeping. The operating system is so engaging and enabling – it somehow tells me to get hold of my phone all the time and use it. Yes, the phone has bearable imperfections and occasional jitters but that’s how technology works – imperfect, not impervious to flaws. That’s why software and hardware companies always push fixes and updates.

Change is hard, I know. You’re now probably comfortable with Android and iOS, and the phones associated with the mentioned OSes. However, isn’t it that “fear, uncertainty and discomfort are your compasses toward growth”? You decide.

Do the QWERTY dance and win a new Nokia Asha 302

gianviterbo — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 09:07:58 +0000

Forget about doing the hustle, DO THE QWERTY DANCE instead and get your chance to win a new Nokia Asha 302.

Joining this promo is super simply – simply make your own version of the “Do the QWERTY” Dance as shown in the Nokia TVC!

Click here to view the embedded video.

This contest is open to all Nokianatics with a Facebook account. Just make a short of video of yourself (yes, that’s possible) or your friends showing your own Do the QWERTY dance based on the TVC. Just dance, add some flair, with simple or extravagant production (it doesn’t matter), edit and upload your video on https://facebook.com/nokiaphilippines. Take note that your video should be 30 to 90 seconds long only and must be in MP4, AVI, MOV, WMV, or 3GP format.

Entries will be judged according to:

Creativity – 30%

Originality – 40%

Energy, fun and humor – 30%.

Deadline of submission of entries is on March 30, 2012 at exactly 11:59 p.m.

Three entries with the craziest, funniest and most creatively choreographed QWERTY Dance will be picked as winners. Winners will be announced on the Nokia Philippines Facebook Page on April 4, 2012. The three lucky winners will each receive the latest Nokia Asha 302. Check out our post about the Nokia Asha 302 for more information.

Gear Up For A Fresh Start with the Nokia Asha 302

gianviterbo — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 08:34:13 +0000

Nokia Philippines has finally announced the availability of the Nokia Asha 302, a touch-and-type phone designed for everyone at a very affordable price. It looks so fine and beautiful, you wouldn’t think that this phone just lest than 6,000 PHP!

For young professionals and budding entrepreneurs, gear up for a fresh or new start at work with the Nokia Asha 302, a premium quality QWERTY phone that offers great functionality and powerful performance at a price that’s accessible to all. By great functionality, we mean the many features that you can get from this phone:

Support for Mail for Exchange (best for entrepreneurs and professionals)

Access to popular social networks and enables chatting through Whatsapp and other IM services (best for fresh grads and yupppies)

Nokia Browser that provides faster, better and more affordable access to the Internet. This browser compresses
data traffic up to 90 percent, meaning faster page downloads and cost reductions for you and the operators. This means that you’ll save a lot if you’re using this browser.

3.2 megapixel camera

Of course, my personal favorite – Full QWERTY Physical Keyboard for great key typing experience without sacrificing accuracy

By powerful performance, we simply mean the 1Ghz processor in this phone and the WiFi and 3G connectivity. What else can you ask for from this phone? It has everything you need to make things happen for just PhP5,290. It is available in stylish Dark Grey, White, Plum Red and Mid Blue colors.

It’s also preloaded with Angry Birds Lite so you’re always entertained even on the go. With quick access to the web, you can choose from thousands of apps available on Nokia Store. All these great features in one sleek stainless steel casing that boasts of precision crafting and design.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The New iPad – Everything You Need to Know

gianviterbo — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 13:47:53 +0000

The 1st iPad was revolutionary. The 2nd one was awesome. The New iPad is Resolutionary [or something that has purpose and attitude leading to positive and fair outcomes]. Apple didn’t invent that word. And yesterday, during the official launch of the 3rd iteration of the iPad, put deeper meaning to it being a resolutionary device.

Last March 2, I fearlessly predicted how it would look like, perform and be called. I had fun writing that article and even thought that maybe, 60-70% of what I wrote would come true once its finally launched. Just this morning (2:30 A.M here in the Philippines), Apple proved most of my predictions wrong. I got an average batting ratio of 40%.

Surprisingly, the new iPad is called ‘The New iPad’; not iPad 3, iPad 2s or iPad HD as many had predicted. Many thought that the reason for not putting a ’3′ on the new iPad is to position the device similar to Macbook Air and Macbook Pro. Post-PC Era, hello! You haven’t seen Apple market the 2nd Generation Macbook Air as Macbook Air 2, right?

When Phil Schiller, senior vice president of worldwide marketing at Apple Inc., was questioned about the lack of dedicated name and the reasons why at the end of the presentation, he simply replied “because we don’t want to be predictable”.

Now, let’s have a full round up.

The New iPad’s LOOK

The New iPad looks similar to the iPad2. This reminds me of the iPhone 4s compared the iPhone 4. If you look closer though, the new iPad has more depth (by .6mm) and it’s heavier (by 51g). I personally did not expect this but when I realized that the extra thickness and weight mean that this baby is packed with more power. In this case, with more power comes greater weight. This confirms the leaked video by M.I.C. Gadget, the next iPad 3 appears to be slightly thicker. Contrary to rumors, the physical home button (sorry, no capacitive home button yet) still reside on its usual location.

Compared to my iPad 3 Forecast: I said, “The next iPad though would be far superior to the iPad 2; superior not in terms of thinness but in terms of lightness. It will be lighter by 35 grams compared to the iPad 2. This means that the next iPad is just 566 grams, thanks to its lighter and more slender battery. It is just lighter by 150 grams than your Sony Bravia TV Remote.” I sucked at predicting.

I, however, aced my prediction that the size of the next iPad will be similar to that of the iPad 2’s. Height and width will still be 241.2mm by 185.7mm. As pointed out earlier, depth (or kapal) will still be 8.8mm. It will still have a 9.7-inch display.

The New iPad still uses an IPS display, just like the iPad 2. Not IGZO display, EBOY or WAKOWAKO. But, this time, the display is twice the pixel resolution and pixels per inch of the iPad 2 at 2048-by-1536 at 264 ppi. Yes, the new iPad has the High Resolution Retina Display. Text look clearer and pictures look more vivid. Play your favorite games at higher resolution to your heart’s content.

Bummer. The Senseg E-Sense Technology that, According to The Guardian, “appears to give texture to a touchscreen” is absent on this device. I’m not disappointed though.

The New iPad’s PERFORMANCE

Contrary to my wild forecast 6 days ago, the new iPad doesn’t have the A6 processor but the A5x processor. The A5x is a dual core processor (clocked at 800 MHz to 1 GHz ) with low-power system-on-a-chip with quad-core graphics. Graphics performance wise, the A5x outsmarts Nvidia Tegra 3 (in Asus Transformer Prime) by 4x. It’s definitely an upgrade from its cuz (A5 processor) since the A5x is 2x faster. This all boils down to one fact: the New iPad is SUPER fast!

As for the RAM, there is no confirmed report that the new iPad indeed has 1GB. However, as I pointed out in my last article, the RAM upgrade from 512mb to 1Gb is a significant upgrade especially now that site loading, applications and games are getting more demanding. It is important to note that RAM is relevant when reloading web pages, switching from one tab to another and multi-tasking application and games (continue using an application from a dumped-stated or paused-state).

The iSight, Facetime Camera and Voice Dictation

With the new iPad, the Front and Back camera are renamed iSight and Facetime Camera. Don’t get me wrong though as Apple didn’t just simply rename them – they also improved them.

5-megapixel iSight camera
Autofocus
Tap to focus
Face detection in still images
Video recording, HD (1080p) up to 30 frames per second with audio
Video stabilization
FaceTime camera with VGA-quality photos and video at up to 30 frames per second
Photo and video geotagging

The technology that Apple conveniently put on the iPhone 4s is now inside the new iPad. Pictures taken are more vivid and videos look more real.

You won’t find Siri in this iPad. Instead, you’ll find a microphone beside the spacebar, which basically opens voice dictation once tapped. The voice dictation is an awesome feature but it would have been more awesome had they integrated Siri.

Will You Buy One?

Of course, the New iPad is a wonderful device; a device that made the words ‘Tablet’ and ‘Pad’ relevant again. Still, the great question remains? Is it time to replace your iPad 1 or iPad 2?

With all the great features that the guys from Apple put and improved on this new device, I believe that this is the best time for you to sell your iPad 1 for a bargain and buy this one. If you own an iPad 2, however, replacing it with the new iPad shouldn’t be a priority. If the Retina Display, faster processor, better camera and the enjoyment of owning yet another Apple device matter to you you, then, by all means, buy this.

iPad will be sold in the US through the Apple Store® (www.apple.com), Apple’s retail stores, and select Apple Authorized Resellers. iPad will also be available in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Puerto Rico, Singapore, Switzerland, UK and the US Virgin Islands on Friday, March 16. Customers can begin pre-ordering their new iPad today, and the incredible iPad 2 is now offered at a more affordable price of $399 (US) for the 16GB Wi-Fi model and just $529 (US) for the 16GB Wi-Fi + 3G model.

Click to Magnify

Watch out for our exclusive review of the new iPad in the 1st week of April 2012.

GCASH mobile app for Apple iPhone to hit App Store in March 2012

gianviterbo — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 13:32:51 +0000

If you’re an iPhone and Globe Gcash user, you’re probably unhappy with how you navigate your way to the GCASH SIM Application. This month, you won’t have to that again.

Philippine telecommunications giant Globe Telecom, through its internationally acclaimed mobile commerce service GCASH, announces a first in the industry with the launch of the GCASH mobile app for Apple iPhones by March 2012. The GCASH iPhone app will be available for download at the iTunes App Store for free.

The iPhone app makes Gcash transactions like sending money, buying airtime load, and paying bills conveniently and without the need to memorize keywords or access numbers.

With the all-new GCASH mobile app for iPhone, all transactions can be viewed instantly.

In addition, the app boasts of a new feature enabling users to send money not only to people in their phonebook but also to their e-mail and Facebook contacts.

“The new GCASH mobile app for iPhones will make our customers enjoy doing their GCASH transactions,” said Paolo Baltao, President of G-Xchange, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Globe and operator of GCASH, “We are setting a new standard for customer experience in the field of financial services.”

When a subscriber launches the GCASH mobile app, he just needs to type in his mobile number and Mobile PIN (MPIN) to log in. He will be greeted with his “moneybook” which lists down all his GCASH transactions for the month in real-time. Clean and intuitively-designed screens will guide the subscriber in doing his GCASH transactions.

New feature allows users to send money to phonebook, e-mail, and Facebook contacts.