Gadget Pilipinas

Globe launches inbound calls from Korea to Philippines

Ian Irving Bacungan — Wed, 22 May 2013 15:46:30 +0000

In the past months I have been using Globe Duo International. I mainly use it for business. I was doing consultancy to small and medium call centers here in the Philippines. I also manage a small call center in the heart of Metro Manila. In my line of work, communication is a very important tool. Most of the time, I need to be on the phone with our clients which are mainly based in the United States or I need to be in front of my computer waiting for their call. This kind of communication is really expensive and it is eating a lot of money from our revenue. Good thing there is Globe Duo International that helps me get in touch with my clients anytime of the day, or anywhere I may be. There is no need for me to stay for long hours in front of my computer just to wait for their calls. Our clients can call me anytime without them being charged with IDD rates. The good thing about this is that I have my own US number. What makes it even better is that it only cost $25 or Php999. Adding to these features is that my relatives in Chicago can call me anytime whenever they miss me. This is one of the best reasons why I love Globe.

Globe Duo International Korea

Starsky Park, Planning Department Head of Saehoon seals the agreement with Rizza Maniego-Eala, Globe Telecom’s Group Head for International Business. Looking on are Donnie Choi, Saehoon-Head of Strategic Business (left) and Richie Sison Globe-International Business Sales Head (right).

After being successful with Globe Duo International for US, Globe launches inbound calling offer for Koreans in the Philippines. In this promo, Globe is giving Korean tourists a peace of mind wherein they can receive inbound calls from Korea straight to their Globe SIM Cards. Just like the Globe Duo International US, Globe Duo International Korea allows a Globe or TM subscribers to have their own Korean phone number. This Korean phone number let them get in touch with their friends, family, or business back in Korea. People in Korea can contact them by dialing their local Korean number and receive the call to their mobile phones here in the Philippines without spending on IDD charges.

“Now, seamless and low-cost connectivity with Korea simply needs a Globe or TM SIM and a Globe DUO Korea subscription.”

“The best part is that subscribers no longer need to schedule receiving calls when they are home and have access to their internet-based landline services since calls are received through the mobile phone anytime, anywhere.”

Rizza Maniego-Eala, Group Head for Globe International Business.

“We are excited to partner with Globe, the most preferred telecom service provider of the Korean community in the Philippines, in offering Globe DUO Korea.”

“Our experience in selling international calling services together with Globe’s reliable service will be a powerful combination to ensure that customers’ calling needs are exceeded.”

John C. Kwon, CEO of INY

The Globe Duo International Korea is a product between the partnership of Globe Telecom and INY Communications.

Not only for Koreans but also for the Filipinos

Filipinos in Korea should be happy with this service because they can now reach their loved ones here in the Philippines without spending much on telephone bills. There are already 50,000 OFW working in Korea and with these OFW will surely love this new product from Globe. Just like how I enjoyed Globe Duo International US, they can enjoy talking with their families here as if their just a few kilometers away. They can call every day, or every hour if they wish to.

How to register?

Globe Prepaid and TM subscribers in the Philippines may also register to Globe DUO Korea via SMS for only Php999 for monthly package or Php399 for weekly package. Just text DUOKOREA 999 or DUOKOREA 399 and send to 8888.

Or via *143#

1. Dial *143# and press “Call” button

2. Select” 4 Int’l & Roaming”

3. Select “1 International Call and Text Promos”

4. Choose “9 Duo Int’l Korea”

For more information about Globe Duo International Korea, you check it here GLOBE Duo Korea FAQs.

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DTC Mobile Announces 4 Android Devices

Gianfranco Viterbo — Wed, 22 May 2013 09:00:57 +0000

We’ve never heard a new device from DTC this past few months. The last device that we reviewed was the DTC GT5 Astroid Plus. A few minutes earlier, DTC announces 4 new Android phones – all part of the Astroid line.

Phones announced are the GT6 Astroid Jack, GT7 Astroid Max, GT8 Astroid Bit and GT9 Astroid Pump. The GT6 and GT7 are running on Gingerbread and the last 2 are running on Ice Cream Sandwich.

DTC Mobile hasn’t given us the full detail of these new phones. So, watch out for an update from us soon.

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Arc Mobile Enters the Android Phone Competition, Offers Affordable Quad Core phone

Gianfranco Viterbo — Wed, 22 May 2013 06:10:17 +0000

Last May 16, 2013, a new player in the Android cellphones and tablets competition has emerged – Arc Mobile. You probably never heard this name but let’s give them a chance to market their devices. Actually, this Arc Mobile’s first time to enter into the Android powered-phone devices competition in the Philippine Market.

Arc Mobile aims to dominate the world of tablets and cellphones here in the Philippines. A quick history of Arc Mobile: apparently, Arc Mobile was put up by Iridium Distribution Co., which specializes on the distribution of Samsung and Blackberry devices.

Arc Mobile released 3 different models: Nitro, Prime and Tab. Their Nitro Series offers the best specs; Prime Series offers a medium specs; and the Tab Series has also tablet line with the best specs (3G capability and Analog TV). All of these devices you can get without busting your pocket.

Nitro 400D

The Arc Mobile Nitro 400D has a Dual Sim capabality with 3G connectivity. It is also powered by a Dual Core A9 processor with a GPU of PowerVR SGX531. Its display is a 4.0″ WVGA Capacitive Screen. A 5 megapixel camera is located at the back of the 400D with 0.3 megapixel camera at the front. It has a 512MB RAM with a built-in memory of 4GB. A 1450 mAh Li-on battery powers the device with the an OS of Android Jellybean 4.1.2.

You are all wondering what does the 400D means. Arc Mobile explained to us that 400 means it has 4.0 inch-display and D stands for Dual Core. It is a good idea for naming a device. Good job, Arc Mobile! The 400D is now available for a price of Php3,999.

Nitro 500D

Now, this gets interesting. The Nitro 500D also has a Dual Sim capability with 3G connectivity. It is powered by 1Ghz Dual Core A9 processor with a GPU of PowerVR SGX531, which is also the same with the 400D but with 5.0″ WVGA Capacitive Screen. The only difference is that the camera of 500D is 5.0 megapixel with BSI Sensor and 1 megapixel camera located at the front of the device. Packed with 2000 mAh Li-on battery with an OS of Android Jellybean 4.1.2.

Again, the 500 means that it has 5 inch-display and D is for Dual Core. In this way, we could understand better when we first heard the name of the device. The 500D has a price of Php4,795.

Nitro 450QD

Lastly, the top of the line of the Nitro Series, Nitro 450QD. Let’s see what this monster can provide us:

The Nitro 450QD, 450 means 4.5 qHD capacitive screen and QD means it has a 1.2 GHz Quad Core A7 processor with a GPU of PowerVR SGX544MP. It also has a Dual Sim capability and 3g connectivity, with a 5.0 megapixel camera and .3 at the front. It has 512 MB RAM, a little lower for a Quad Core device, and 4 GB of memory. It has a 1800 mAh Li-on battery and with an updated stock Android Jellybean 4.2.1. It will retail for less than Php6,200.

There you have it, the Nitro Series. Packed with amazing specifications but with super cheap price.

Arc Mobile Prime Series

The Arc Mobile Prime 350 offers the consumers the medium specs but with much cheaper price than the Nitro Series. The Prime 350 also has Dual Sim Capability but with only 2G connectivity. It has 1 Ghz Single Core processor with a GPU of Mali-300 GPU. It has a 3.5″ HVGA display with a camera of 1.3 megapixel at the back and .3 at the front. WiFi connectivity is also present. With its speed, a 256MB RAM and 512MB memory is included in the device. A 4GB Transcend MicroSD is included at the package. A 2000 mAh Li-on battery powers the device that has an Analog TV and powered by Android Gingerbread 2.3.5.

It will be released later this May and will retail at a price of less than Php2,600.

Now let’s go to the Arc Mobile Tab Series. I find it necessary to remind you that two of their tablets are with call and text functions.

First is the Tab 700M.

The 700M also has Dual Sim slot which is very unusual in a tablet and apparently, there’s a different tablet that offers a 3G connectivity. It has 1Ghz Single Core A9 processor with PowerVR SGX531 GPU. The 700M has a beautiful 7.0″ WVGA Capacitive screen. A dual camera is also present on this tablet – 2.0 megapixel at the back and .3 megapixel at the front. It is powered by a 3000 mAh Li-on battery with an OS of Android Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0.4. The great thing here is that this tablet has a Mobile Analog TV. Its retail price is Php3,999 and it is now available!

Finally, the Arc Mobile Tab 720M 3G. The specifications of the 720M is pretty much the same with the 700M. The only difference is that the 720M does not have a Mobile Analog TV but has 3G connectivity. No price tag yet but will keep you posted about that matter.

There you have it, the Arc Mobile Nitro, Prime and Tab Series. I’m pretty sure that the Arc Mobile will continue to update their devices, hardware wise or software wise. Go out there and buy their devices because this is surely worth to try! The devices are now available nationwide but with selected stores only. These are the retailers: Memo Xpress, Technomobile, BSD International, Sandztel, SDL, CyberWidget, Mobilizer, IntoGadgets, MMR Dynamic, MediaBox, M2 Mobile, Eazy Text, 5th Avenue, Inbox Mobile, GSN Wireless, Telefonetics, and at Lazada Philippines.

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Microsoft Finally Reveals the Xbox One

Giancarlo Viterbo — Wed, 22 May 2013 05:25:07 +0000

Microsoft has finally revealed the next iteration of Xbox with a fitting moniker – the Xbox One. Aimed as an all-in-one device, the Xbox One is set to revolutionize the home entertainment landscape, thanks to its fully upgraded hardware.

Here are the specs provided by DigitalTrends and directly from Microsoft Xbox One page for your reference:

Obviously, the Xbox One is one hell of an upgrade compared to Xbox 360. Technically 8 times better in terms of graphic performance, this is unequivocally still a gaming console but it can do a lot more – a culmination of Microsoft’s vision to conquer living rooms.

I personally thought that Microsoft did a good job in revealing how this boxy new Xbox looks like. Contrary to some negative comments on how boxy it is, I believe that Microsoft is just being true to its new design that easily blends with its UI/UX design philosophy (metro) – unified design across all devices. Yes, the Xbox is boxier than ever.

I’m personally excited for Microsoft’s plans for the Xbox One. Choosing Xbox One over Playstation is still not an option though as Sony hasn’t fully revealed the Playstation 4. How about you? What’s your reaction on this?

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MMDA Launches Traffic Channel

Giancarlo Viterbo — Mon, 20 May 2013 05:26:36 +0000

One of the government agencies that’s keen in utilizing technology and social media, MMDA, has recently launched Traffic Channel.

Powered by NowPlanet.TV, the said channel is utilizing Nowplanet Live Stream services. NowPlanet.TV is a digital media brand of the publicly listed Information Capital Technology Ventures, Inc. (ICTV). With the combined resources of MMDA – traffic monitoring cameras – and ICTV, the Traffic web channel is the best reference for Filipino commuters and motorists about the traffic situations of Manila’s major thoroughfares.

The Traffic Channel can be viewed by going to this website - http://mmda.nowplanet.tv/. The site can be accessed for free 24 hours a day using internet connected PC/Mac, Tablets and mobile phones (iOS/Android/Windows Phone).

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O+ Starts Firesale of 34 Devices

Giancarlo Viterbo — Fri, 17 May 2013 14:35:41 +0000

One of our favorite mobile phone companies, O+, recently started its 1st warehouse sale at Whitespace today. With discount ranging from 15% to 24%, O+ is expected to cut off the prices of its 30+ devices including 8.12, 8.6 and 8.9. Missing on the list are the crowd-favorite, 8.52; and the recently launched quad-core flagship phone, 8.15.

ITEM DESCRIPTION	REGULAR SRP (Php)	SALE (Php)	% OFF
O+ 1.3 MUSIC BLACK	899	633	30%
O+ 1.3 MUSIC RED	899	633	30%
O+ 1.5 MUSIC BLACK/RED	999	739	26%
O+ 1.7 MUSIC BLACK/SILVER	999	633	37%
O+ 1.7 MUSIC WHITE/GOLD	999	633	37%
O+ 1.9 MUSIC BLUE	999	850	15%
O+ 2.1 MUSIC SILVER	1795	1100	39%
O+ 2.1 MUSIC WHITE	1795	1100	39%
O+ 3.2 MUSIC BLUE/WHITE	1995	1400	30%
O+ 3.2 MUSIC GRAY	1995	1400	30%
O+ 3.2 MUSIC PINK/WHITE	1995	1400	30%
O+ 5.3 MUSIC BLACK	1895	1266	33%
O+ 5.3 MUSIC BLUE	1895	1266	33%
O+ 5.3 MUSIC PINK	1895	1266	33%
O+ 5.3 MUSIC WHITE	1895	1266	33%
O+ 5.7 MUSIC BLACK/SILVER	2195	1599	27%
O+ 6.3 WIFI BLUE	2995	2110	30%
O+ 6.3 WIFI BROWN	2995	2110	30%
O+ 6.8 WIFI BLACK	3295	2210	33%
O+ 6.8 WIFI BLACK/WHITE	3295	2210	33%
O+ 7.1 TAB BLACK	6500	4220	35%
O+ 7.2 WIFI BLACK/WHITE	2795	1625	42%
O+ 8.12 ANDROID WHITE	11995	7595	37%
O+ 8.2 ANDROID BLACK/ORANGE	3795	3200	16%
O+ 8.5 ANDROID BLACK	5995	4500	25%
O+ 8.7 ANDROID BLACK/SILVER	3795	2500	34%
O+ 8.75 ANDROID BLACK	3995	2600	35%
O+ 8.9 ANDROID BLACK	8995	6595	27%
O+ 8.9 ANDROID WHITE	8995	6595	27%
O+ 9.7 TAB	9995	8000	20%
O+ 8.6 ANDROID WHITE	7995	6495	19%
O+ 8.9 ANDROID WHITE/BLACK	8995	6995	22%
O+ 8.12 ANDROID WHITE/BLACK	11995	8995	25%
O+ 9.76 TAB	11995	9995	17%

The said warehouse sale is happening until Sunday at White Space 2314 Chino Roces Ave., Ext., Makati City. Be sure to check out the map below if you’re interested!

View Larger Map

What do you think about this firesale? Would you spend your weekend scouting for a cool mobile phone? Or you’d rather stay at home and wait for Christmas?

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Unboxing: Alcatel One Touch Tab 7 HD

Ian Irving Bacungan — Mon, 13 May 2013 08:26:58 +0000

“HD made portable”—this is the promotional line that you will see on the box of Alcatel One Touch Tab 7 HD. We are going to put its name to the test in a few days, but now we’ll just see the unboxing of this device.

The box dimension is 28cm (length); 16cm (width); and 2.8cm (height). The photo of the unit is in front of the box with a picture of a lady on the right part. At the bottom of the box has the words “Choose your Style”, and “Alcatel One Touch” of top of the box. The back is the specifications of the unit and a brief description of the unit written in different languages. The box can be opened from the bottom part.

The Box contains the following:

Alcatel One Touch Tab 7 HD unit
Charger
Micro USB Cable
User Guide

The device looks like any ordinary tablet. It has the same thickness with other 7 inch android tablets that are currently out in the market. It has a 1.6 Ghz Dual Core processor, 2MP rear camera and .3MP front camera. Running on Android 4.1, supports WiFi, and Bluetooth 2.1.; and the best part is it has a High Definition screen.

Build

The Alcatel One Touch Tab 7 HD has a unibody design just like the other android in the market today. It is lighter and thinner than other android tablets of its size and of its price.

Left: Alcatel One Touch Tab 7HD Right: Huawei Media Pad
You will notice that the Alcatel Tab 7 HD is thinner and better looking than the other tablet.

Top: 3.5 Headset Jack, Micro USB port

Bottom: Nothing in this side

Left: Nothing on this side

Right: Power/Sleep Button, Volume Buttons

Back: Camera, Speakers

Back: You have to remove the cover of the camera to see the Memory Card Slot

Full Specifications

Size:191 x 125 x 9.1 mm
Weight:350g
Screen:7 inch, WXGA
Display:IPS display, 1280 x 800
Operating System : Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean)
Application Processor : Rockchip RK3066
CPU : 1.6 GHz ARM Cortex A9, Dual Core
System Memory : 1GB RAM DDR3
Storage Capacity : 4GB NAND Flash
Wi-Fi : 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth : Bluetooth 2.0
Audio & Video Play : Built-in audio chip, 1080P HD playback
External Interface : Micro USB, Micro SD
Battery : 3.7V Lithium battery, about 3300mAh
Camera : Front camera 0.3 Mpxl; Rear camera 2.0 Mpxl

Price: P7,490

Alcatel One Touch Tab 7 HD has the specs of any other tablets but the thing is this is already on HD. Also, there may be other android tablets in the market right now offering a higher specifications but there is no assurance when it comes to durability. I will put this tablet to a test for a few days and will provide you a review about its performance.

Other Unboxing Pictures

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Google Translate in Cebuano

Ian Irving Bacungan — Sun, 12 May 2013 16:33:49 +0000

I was thinking of a name for our planned business. I am using Google Translate to check on the translation of some words that I want for our business because I am thinking of having our business name in Latin or Spanish, or any language that would really sound good. Then I noticed a new change, there is Google Translate in Cebuano.

Since I was amazed I immediately tried it. The translation is not that accurate but at least you will have an idea of the meaning in Cebuano especially if you do not really know anything about the dialect. Cebuanos, be proud! Among hundreds of languages and dialects, the internet search engine giant included your dialect in Google Translate.

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Unboxing and First Impressions: Alcatel One Touch Glory 2

Ian Irving Bacungan — Sun, 12 May 2013 13:26:45 +0000

After my awesome encounter with Alcatel’s One Touch Idol Ultra and One Touch Scribe HD, another smartphone I’ve got is the Alcatel One Touch Glory 2. Just like its predecessor, the Alcatel Glory 2 is both smart and pocket friendly entry-level smartphone. So, if you want a budget wise smartphone Alcatel Glory 2 is for you.

Unboxing

The box of the Glory 2 is the same as the packaging of the Idol Ultra and Scribe HD. The front of the box has the picture of the phone and the model on the upper part and the name of the brand on the lower right part of the box. At the back are the specifications of the phone and on the left side is bar code color of the unit. It also has the logo of Tour de France which says that Alcatel is an official partner.

The Box Contains

One Touch Glory 2 handset
Back Cover
Mirco USB Cable
Charger
3.5mm Headset
1400 mAh Battery
Warranty Certificate
User Guide
Screen Protector

Built and Specifications

The Alcatel One Touch Glory really fits in my hand. It is small and sexy and I can easily use it with one hand operation. It is quite thicker than Idol Ultra and Scribe HD. It has a smooth finish at the back giving me a good grip while holding it. This is already beautiful for an entry-level smartphone. I haven’t tried it features yet but I will give you an update once I have put the unit on a very good spin.

Top: Power/Sleep Button

Bottom: Micro USB Port

Left Side: Volume Buttons

Right Side: Camera Button

Back: SIM Card Slots, Memory Card Slot

Full Specifications

DIMENSIONS	115 x 61.2 x 12.2mm
DISPLAY	3.5″ HVGA (320×480). Capacitive. Single touch with gesturing
OS	Android 4.1
BANDS	Standard SIMGSM 850/900/1800/1900UMTS 900/2100HSDPA 7.2 DL / 5.76 UL
CPU	1GHz
CONNECTIVITY	Wi-Fi (802.11b/g/n, Wi-Fi direct), GPS with A-GPS, BT4.0 A2DP
CAMERAS	3.2Mpxl, front camera VGA, video VGA@30fps
MEMORY	Internal: 4GB EMMC / 512MB RAMEnd user: 2GB data storageMicro SD up to 32GB
BATTERY	1400 mAhStand by time 400h (2G) / 300h (3G)Talk time 12h(2G) / 6.5h (3G)
CHIPSET	MT6575M
APPS	Catalogue of pre-embedded apps, Facebook native
OTHERS	G-Sensor, proximity sensor, EAP SIM, light sensor, Stereo FM RDS, HD voice (optional), Dual SIM (optional).

“We brought colour to this dark entry segment of the smartphone market, which has long been focused on blacks and greys and simple nondescript phones… That not only means colour in the real sense, but also colour in the sense of variety and customization.” – Dan Dery, Chief Marketing Officer at ALCATEL ONE TOUCH

Being small and sexy, Glory is already packed with a 1Ghz CPU. It is very easy to use. It is running on Android Jelly Bean 4.1 but earlier I just had an update to Jelly Bean 4.1.1. It has 3.2MP camera that lets it users capture random photos. This may not be a good as the Idol Ultra and Scribe HD but I can say that it has a lot to offer when competing with other entry-level smartphones from its competitors.

The ALCATEL ONE TOUCH GLORY 2 is available for only P3,999.

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O+ 8.52 Review from a Consumer’s Perspective

Kris Ngitngit — Sun, 12 May 2013 08:15:18 +0000

Look and Capacity – these two words for me clearly depicts O+ 8.52 amidst the countless android Smartphones that are hitting the market nowadays.

Your Php5,999 could get you this good-looking device that is packed with efficient features and performs up to snuff.

Here are some insights on O+ 8.52 from a consumer’s perspective.

LOOK

At a glance, the device has a classy look for its price. It is mainly touch-screen and has only 3 capacitive buttons which gives more space for visual display.
Back cover is matte finished so it’s free from scratches and can remain neatly.
I find it handy as well, just enough width that can be grasped easily by one hand.

CAPACITY

Performance wise, this phone is a clever device for the standard uses of a Smartphone.
Common games such as Candy Crush run well, even those with tilting requirements like Temple Run.
I tried to play YouTube videos via wifi connection and it played smoothly.
It has dual-camera, of which the back captures 5MP photos, has auto-focus and flash features.
I did video recording too, and the output was polished although a little bit grainy.
The phone has a dual-sim capability, which can be a plus for those keeping two numbers.
Also, O+ 8.52 has a special feature of air shuffle, which provides a lesser effort for users should they want to take pictures by themselves or change songs when listening to music.
I should say too that this handset has a good standard connectivity for an affordable mobile phone.
Although its battery life is not so much for gaming, it is good enough for standard use.

The O+ 8.52 box comes complete with the contents below. It even comes with a memory card, all ready to give you a fun mobile experience.

Handset
battery
micro USB adapter
charger adapter
earphones
manual
warranty card
Free 4GB micro SD

This surely is a competitive device considering its price. Here are its specifications for your better scrutiny.

Dual Core 1GHz Cortex A9
Android 4.1.1 (Jellybean)
4” capacitive touch screen camera
Air Shuffle FM, Music, Photos, Camera
Front camera (VGA)
Back camera (5MP autofocus, LED flash)
Download unlimited apps via Andorid Play Store
Quad band GSM
3G connectivity
With voice command navigation over GPS/AGPS
512 MB RAM
4gb internal memory and up to 32gb expandable memory card
Easy file sharing via Bluetooth

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