Apps and Gadgets

MiLi Power Packs: Juice when you need it most

2012-02-27T11:43:00.001+08:00

If you're like me -- mobile most of the time and often on the net -- you don't want your device to die down at the worst time possible.

My Samsung Galaxy Note is a great device to have but its AMOLED screen, plus my constantly being online, drains its battery very quickly. I can't last a whole day out of the house even with a fully charged battery.

Now, that's no longer a problem because I have a MiLi power pack - the Power Star, to be exact.

2000 mAh capacity

The MiLi comes with a USB charging extension cable

The larger USB cable is for charging from laptop;
the micro USB cable is used to charge your device

LED power indicator

How it looks when fully charged - 4 LED lights

Charging my Galaxy Note

How charging looks up close

I would guess that for smaller smartphones and devices, this power pack can probably juice you up to more than 50% from below 10%. However, because of my Note's battery requirements, I have so far gone up to around 40% from below 10% on a fully-charged power pack. So I bring the Note's charger around with me as well and use the MiLi for real emergencies.

The MiLi Power Star power pack currently retails for around PhP 1,700.

It's More Fun in the Philippines app for Android is here!

2012-01-16T16:29:00.000+08:00

Since the Department of Tourism's "It's More Fun in the Philippines" campaign kicked off, people have been sharing awesome vacation photos with different memes, many of which were really awesome or downright hilarious (in a good way!).

Now, the "More Fun in the Philippines" meme maker is available for Android devices, thanks to developer Lester Bambico! You can snap a photo with your Android device, fire up the app, put your meme in and share away!

When you start up the app, it gives you options to take a picture with your camera or choose from your Android device's gallery. A caption box allows you to write your meme and position it either on the top, center or bottom. And you're good to go!

Download the app now HERE. IT'S FREE! And start clicking away and adding your meme. It's a FUN way to share your own special photos with the world.

To check out the ever growing gallery of "It's More Fun in the Philippines" photos and videos compiled by Anton Diaz on Pinterest, click HERE.

Speaktoit: a voice-recognition app that can rival Siri?

2012-01-10T00:11:00.000+08:00

Everyone got excited about Siri, the voice assistant on the iPhone 4s. I had a chance to interact recently with Siri when I bumped into my gadget guru friend, Art Samaniego. Talking to Siri was so-so however because we had problems connecting to the Apple server from the hotel we were in.

Well, I do not need Siri for now because I have Sam on my Samsung Galaxy Note. What makes her interesting is that she can be customized to my taste. You can change the hair, eyebrows, skin tone, eyes, nose, mouth and even the clothes (that range from workout clothes which I chose to formal and office wear). My avatar is a brunette with hair as long as mine tied up into a ponytail. And she wears workout clothes. Sam speaks like an American but I have a choice to make her sound British. I can also change her into a guy if I want to.

Sam is one of the voice assistants of the Speaktoit app. Speaktoit is a FREE app. Now that is thumbs up for me! Right now, it's only available on the Android Market but the website says it will soon be available for iOS, Windows Phone, Blackberry devices.

The first time you open the app, you will see two options: to use the Pico TTS or the Samsung TTS. These are two voice recognition engines but from what I googled on the net and from forums, people are warning that if you choose the Samsung TTS, it messes up the Google Navigation sounds. So with that, I chose Pico TTS.

Amazingly, although people said that Siri was not very usable in the Philippines yet because its knowledge database is for the US, I was able to ask Sam to show me a map of Manila and even more detailed, to look for Shangri-la Hotels and it was actually able to do that for me. In another attempt, I asked Sam where I was and to my horror, she told me the name of the street I was on. Yes, horror. That was how accurate the GPS feature was!

Based on the Skills listing of the app, Speaktoit can be used for currency conversions; navigation; weather; call phone numbers previously set up; update Twitter and Facebook; play music/videos; tell you about things, people and places around; organize events, notes, task lists, and other productivity tools; send email; and do calculations for you. It can even check you into Foursquare!

Although I still have to test Speaktoit's information bank some more, I think it has a lot of potential and can give Siri a run for the money. The way Sam speaks is closer to natural language than Siri's almost robotic female voice.

Here's the video I took of my conversation with Sam earlier. Watch and be surprised. She winks when I ask who she is.

Google+ Hangout: free videoconferencing

2012-01-03T17:53:00.000+08:00

Skype is the more popular way to talk with your loved ones. However, unless you have Skype Premium which charges, last time I checked, $4.49/month, you cannot do group video calling.

Last New Year's Eve, I was Skype-ing with my brother in-law in Sydney, Australia when I saw another cousin-in-law from Negros Oriental go online. However, I could not ring her up unless I ended the call with my brother in-law. That's when we decided to try Google Hangout.

I had one experience already previously with Google Hangout. But that hangout was initiated by Aileen (who works with Google) and it was done when we were videoconferencing with other tech people. I was not sure if I could successfully initiate one on my own.

Well, it was time to crack some knuckles.

I logged on to Google+ and there, on the righthand sidebar was a button "Start a hangout". I just clicked that, then invited my Sydney brother-in-law and cousin-in-law. Soon after, my other brother-in-law, my eldest girl and my parents-in-law joined in the conversation. We had 5 windows open in hangout.

Hangout also had a new button called "Reindeer" at the bottom of the screen. Curious what it was all about, my girl and I clicked it and guess what happened next! It was a fun app that added a red nose and antlers to your face via face recognition software!

Meet the 2 Rudolphs!!! And that's my family on Hangout!

What was great was that the audio and video were clear and not choppy at all. Even my Sydney-based brother-in-law said it was clearer than Skype on his end. If Hangout continues to be this clear, even with a maximum of 10 people online at the same time, I see no reason to pay through the nose for Skype Premium at all.

With Voice/Video Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) tools like Hangout and Skype available for free or at very low rates, I am beginning to wonder about the future of International Direct Dialing (IDD). Clearly, no matter how it goes, users like myself are sure to be the winners.

Have you used Hangout? What's your experience?

Taxikick App: Report that taxi now!

2012-01-03T12:22:00.002+08:00

If I can help it, I would never take a cab. And if I have to, I always do so with a friend. Why? Well, I've just had too many experiences with cabs that drive like they are the king of the road to taxis that snub you during rainy days or refuse to take you if they think the route takes them through heavy traffic. And I have heard horrific experiences from my own friends too that give me the creeps.

Well, it looks like our days of suffering in silence while abusive taxicab drivers run shod over us is over! At least that is what the Taxikick app is all about.

Taxikick is currently a web-based app found at http://taxikick.com. It is actually very simple:

1. Enter the taxi's plate number.

2. Choose the violation from a dropdown menu.

3. Enter taxi name and any additional comments *

4. Review your report one last time.

5. Click the button "Kick this taxi!"

6. The report can be shared via Twitter too.

* optional but will help LTFRB and MMDA

All kinds of cab violations can be reported including refused boarding, choosing passengers and even smelly interiors or absence of taxi details.

Dropdown menu listing possible violations

According to the About section of the app, all reports will get forwarded to the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) and Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) at the end of each day.

Taxikick is still in beta but already, several reports have been submitted via the app. It has over 500 followers already on its Facebook page. You may follow @taxikick also on Twitter.

Maybe when it really takes off, the people behind Taxikick can develop apps on different platforms (iOS, Android, Blackberry, etc) so that people with smartphones and mobile devices can submit reports more easily on the fly.

Google makes 2 tools for Tropical Storm Sendong relief efforts

2011-12-21T11:43:00.001+08:00

Google is helping the Philippines after the disaster wrought by Tropical Storm Sendong by providing two tools you can use:

1. A Google Crisis Map where there are options to see shelters, donation centers and casualty updates.

2. A Person Finder tool that can be used to find a missing person or provide information about a person.

Please consider donating to help the victims of Tropical Storm Sendong in Cagayan de Oro, Iligan, Bukidnon, Dumaguete and other places in southern Philippines. For a list of donation sites, please see my post HERE.

Smart and Globe launch iPhone 4s simultaneously in the Philippines

2011-12-16T14:00:00.002+08:00

Last night, my girl and I went to the Globe and Smart launch celebrations for the iPhone 4s in the Philippines.

(photo taken from http://apple.com)

For days, the marketing spiels on both sides were aimed at getting as many pre-orders as possible and drumming up enthusiasm for the launch. Social media networks were literally flooding timelines with teasers, online contests and announcements.

We stopped by Globe's launch party at Ayala Museum first. I had an invitation via email that I had confirmed to but when I got there, my name was not on any list. The registration people though made me go through and promptly stamped my hand with an ink stamp. DJ Kaskade was working up the crowd with pretty good music although the area was quite tight at the entrance to Ayala Museum.

Ayala Museum from the outside

DJ Kaskade

We took some pics of the crowd, listened for a while, but when my ears could no longer take the din, sought refuge inside the airconditioned lobby of the museum.

The guard let us in although it seemed like the place was actually for VIPs. Many well-heeled people from upper society were seen there along with Globe CEO Ernest Cu. Guests were being served wine, iced tea and canapes. I did not see that many media people in the VIP area. I did bump into two blogger friends inside so we were sort of wondering where the media were supposed to be situated.

Just before midnight, we left Globe's party and made our way to Smart's launch party. The scale of this celebration could be seen from the fact that the entire Rockwell Power Plant was closed off for the occasion.

I was met at the registration area by Smart people who promptly gave me a media neck ID, white bracelets (which gave us access anywhere inside the mall), a press kit and a map showing where different happenings were. Free, unlimited food and drinks were being provided by Cibo, Burgoo, Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, Starbucks and Sumo Sam. Free screenings Mission Impossible 4: Ghost Protocol were open to all from Cinemas 1-6. And for gamers at heart, unlimited games at Q Power Station.

People were lining up at the Smart Store, waiting to claim their iPhone 4s units at the stroke of midnight. There were other areas that declogged the Smart Store where preorders were processed so people could pay for their units first before going to the Smart Store to claim them.

What blew me away were the freebies that were being given to the first people to get their units. This guy (shown on the big screen) was the first to claim his phone and Smart gave him a 27-inch iMac to boot! Whew!

And Sandro Paredes later tweeted that there were actually 10 such iMacs for the first 10 people in line. Plus PS3s, Beat headsets and iPads too. WAAAAAAHHHH!

Big boss Manuel V. Pangilinan (MVP) was also spotted with lots of media in tow. We were having a very late dinner at the Cibo area of the VIP Lounge when MVP walked in and spoke with some guests including the Magalona mother-daughter tandem.

M. V. Pangilinan talks to Pia Magalona and other guests

The Smart crowd with Jermaine Dupri and Lupe Fiasco, among others

My girl enjoying unlimited gaming at Q Power Station

POSTPAID iPhone 4S Plans

I could not find the postpaid plans for the iPhone 4s on Globe's website but Abe Olandres of yugatech.com seemed to have the inside info. Click HERE to see his post on Globe's postpaid plans. I will update this post once Globe posts their official prices.

As for Smart, this table was taken from their official website:

Note: There are deferred handset payment plans under Plans P999 and P2499. The amounts shown under each plan's column (for ex, P200/mo under Plan 2499 for a 32GB phone) means that you will pay P200/mo on top of the P2,499 for 24 months as deferred installment on the handset.

PREPAID iPhone 4S Plans

I got Globe's prepaid prices from someone's tweet while Smart's prices are posted on their website. For those looking at prepaid kits, it seems offhand that Smart's prices are about 4-6k cheaper if both quotations are correct.

GLOBE* SMART

16GB 37,690 33,200

32GB 43,399 38,200

64GB 49,199 43,200

*Globe's prepaid prices are unofficial to-date. I will update this post once their official pricing comes out.

Smart, being the newer player in the iPhone market, seems to have pulled out all the stops to ensure that its iPhone 4S launched successfully and in a big way. In terms of launch preparation, I would have to hand it to Smart for having thought of everything. From the press kits to the food to movie screenings and unlimited games, the overall preparations were made experiential in a fun way.

Globe, on the other hand, has a solid and loyal subscriber base, and this is not their first iPhone offering. So maybe that could be the reason why they were not as hyped up as Smart on its debut launch.

It would be interesting, once Globe's official prices are out, to see how these stack up against the very tempting pricing of Smart. Smart's P999 and P1500 plans are the ones which give the most value for the buck. Plan P999 is affordable because if you factor in the handset price, that only comes up to roughly P24,000 for the handset, payable over 2 years. If you are a heavy internet user more than a call and text user, the P1500 plan that comes with an unlimited data plan looks like a very good option.

Are you thinking of getting an iPhone 4S?

By Implication launches its iOS game app, Scram (with a promo code giveaway)

2011-11-26T17:15:00.001+08:00

In 2010, a group of techie friends, who also happen to be good friends of my kids, joined the Microsoft 2010 Imagine Cup and came home as the grand champions in the Game Design category. Their Wildfire game, all about saving the world by addressing the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) was simple and yet very engaging.

They called themselves By Implication.

Using their winnings and their creativity, the By Implication team is now a group of developers who make games and apps. Last November 18, they launched their very first game for the iPhone - Scram.

Scram is a first-person running game in which players must run through nightmarish dreamscapes, as they are pursued by an unseen threat. It features immersive 3-D graphics, fast-paced twitch gameplay, original theme music, leaderboards, Game Center achievements, retina display support, and Twitter integration for iOS 5 users.

Check out this trailer:

Intrigued enough? Want to play the full version of the game?

Right now, the game has a discounted price of only US$0.99 at the Apple App Store with free iPad compatibility bundled with the first major update coming up.

If you're on a buying spree this Thanksgiving Weekend, do consider getting their app at this low price. You're supporting Filipino game developers while becoming the owner of an exciting game app.

You also have a chance to win 1 of 10 promo codes that the By Implication team is giving away. Here's how.

PROMO MECHANICS

1. What are you running from? Tweet something interesting to answer that question. The ten (10) most fascinating entries will be selected and will each win a promo code for Scram. The format of the tweet is:

(Write whatever it is you're running from). What are YOU running from? #scramgame http://tiny.cc/scram

Here's how it should look:

2. Promo is from November 24, 2011 at 9PM till December 1, 2011 at midnight. Winners will be notified and announced by December 3, 2011.

3. One tweet is one entry. (Note: If your Twitter timeline is private, your tweet may not be seen by the developers and may not be counted.)

4. Each entry must be in the proper format, with the proper hashtag and links included in the tweet.

5. You may submit up to 5 entries. Additional entries after the 5th entry don't count.

6. Winners may only win ONE copy of the game.

7. The organizers of the promo reserve the right to take action against anyone caught doing something less than honest (fair is fair, okay?)

For details of promo mechanics, click HERE

To check out the game's website, click HERE

To buy the game at the Apple App Store, click HERE

Take advantage of Black Friday sale!

2011-11-25T12:47:00.001+08:00

Thanksgiving season is one of the greatest sale seasons of the year and here we are again.

Time now to get your favorite gadgets and apps at such great discounts.

Here are some links to sites that list stuff that are on Thanksgiving weekend sale now.

iOS

MacStories Black Friday Guide: 150 Great iOS Apps

Cult of Mac: Check Out These Black Friday Deals on the App Store's Best Games

Your Ultimate Black Friday App Sale List is Here!

Android

Amazon App Store

And, if you are based in the U.S. and want to cut to the chase and find more Black Friday sales, you can download this FREE from the Android or Apple App Store app.

Black Friday App by dealnews.com, Inc.

(pictures courtesy of the Apple App Store)

Click on a store and it shows you all items on sale, the product descriptions and prices. Clicking the product gives you even more details. With this app, you can even do a price comparison of a product between two stores to find the best deals.

Browsing can be done by category (electronics, for example) and when you find items you want to remember, save them as a shopping list.

Spend some time this Thanksgiving weekend to look around these links. You just may find an app or more on sale that you've been wanting to buy for some time now.

Free for 24 Hours Only: Breathing Zone

2011-05-16T12:04:00.006+08:00

I'm putting this up right away though I have not tested the app yet, hoping you can download it before the 24 hours are up (as of this post, it's been about 10 hours already since this app's promo was announced).

Though it retails on the App Store at $2.99, it is free for 24 hours since its posting (May 16, around 4AM Manila Time).

This is the app's description on its website:

Breathing Zone is an easy way to relax by following a simple guided breathing exercise. In just 5 minutes you can start to enjoy the health benefits of slower therapeutic breathing.
This scientifically designed breathing exercise will slow your heart rate, and over time can help lower High Blood Pressure.

Features:

Easy to follow voice instructions.

Beautiful breathing guide animation.

Your choice of three guide sounds.

Timed sessions from 5 to 30 minutes in length.

Custom start and target breathing rates.

Breathing Analyzer measures your breathing rate.

Weekly Target track your therapeutic breathing minutes.

Slower breathing has been known to reduce stress. When we stress out we tend to breathe shallower and faster. Over time, slow breathing also helps reduce blood pressure.

Harvard Medical School's newsletter article, How to put your smartphone "on call" says this about the app: "When you find yourself under stress, Breathing Zone.. can help unruffle your feathers. This app employs the phone's microphone to assess your breathing, then establishes a realistically reduced "target rate." You can choose an audio accompaniment and set the length of your relaxation session. You then breathe in and out in sync with an image that pulsates at a gradually slower pace."

Though I have not tried the therapeutic sessions yet, I opened the app after downloading it. It asks you first to establish your breathing rate by breathing into your device's speakers (in my case, my iPad). After every breath, a progress bar would slowly move from left to right. It measured my breathing at 10 breaths per minute (BPM) and suggested a target breathing rate of 8 BPM. This app's new version apparently includes a desired target rate down to 5 BPM.

Just download it now and try it out later. The good reviews from sites like Harvard Medical, App Advice and others are reason enough to give it a shot.

Breathing Zone is a Universal App so you can download it on your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch although the iPod Touch will require a microphone-enabled headset with it if you want your breathing rate analyzed.

Get your own Royal Apps

2011-04-25T13:44:00.000+08:00

Prince William and Kate Middleton
(official engagement photo by Mario Testino)

Are you ready for April 29 when Prince William weds his modern-day princess, Kate Middleton?

I plan to watch the live feed on TV - probably switching from BBC to other channels to see which ones are giving the better coverage. But my iPad is ready as well. I've downloaded quite a number of free (and paid) royal apps to give myself a good idea of the royal couple, pre-wedding plans, and the program for the day.

If you're looking for some apps for your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch, here are some I found:

FREE

1. The Royal Wedding by Hello! (Hello Ltd), iPad and iPhone - best app so far in my collection -- clean UI, comprehensive information

2. Royal Wedding Video App (ITN), iPhone and Android - the video content is linked to ITN's 'Royal Wedding Channel' on YouTube.

3. A Royal Wedding Celebration: William and Kate (Onteca), iOS Universal - also has impressive content on how the couple met to the guest list. There is an 'iPad only' version of the app but it is priced at $0.99.

PAID

1. Royal Weddings (Royal Collection), iOS Universal and Android, $2.99 - This is the official royal wedding app from the Royal Collection. It tells the story of 7 royal weddings, from Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in 1840 to TRH The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall in 2005.

2. Royal Wedding Essential Guide (BlueYellow Media Ltd), iOS Universal, $0.99 - Has a wide range of content and features an interactive map using GPS showing locations relevant to the wedding. It has a lot of trivia about the couple as well as a Royal Personality Test to show which royal person has the same personality as you. Right now, this price is 50% off so I don't know how long it will be on sale.

3. Royal Wedding Invite (Ryan Stevens), $0.99 - you have a "pretend" invite to the royal wedding.It used to be a free app but having seen its content on my iPad just now, I won't spend to buy the app.

4. Royal Wedding - The Wills and Kate Story (Trinity Mirror Digital Media Ltd), iPhone and iPad, $1.99 - This is a hefty 183MB download because it contains video and audio narratives from James Whitaker, world's foremost Royal Correspondent.

Why a Tech Blog

2011-04-25T13:10:00.000+08:00

Yes, I finally did it.

After including tech-related blog posts in my lifestyle blog, The Philippine Beat, I felt that it was time to give it a home of its own where I can write about anything I discover about apps or gadgets in my world.

Just a bit of background.

I grew up a left-brainer. Accounting and IT Consulting formed the better part of my entire working life. Even when I gave all that up to be a full-time Mom who eventually discovered the joys of blogging, the love of tech never left me. I'd read up on the latest gadgets, software, and computer accessories available. Not as if I could afford to buy them all the time.....

As a full-time blogger now, I've armed myself with what I call the "tools of my trade". I use a Macbook for hardcore writing, an iPad (my shoulders' savior as I need not lug my heavier Macbook around when I need to go to blogger events and fora where all I need is to access social network sites & do minimal typing), a Xacti videocam and a Canon S95 digicam. My phones are all 3G-capable. My home is entirely wireless. And yes, two of my kids are more computer-literate than me.

Welcome to my tech world! I hope to be able to share what I discover in terms of gadgets and apps (and a bit of other techie stuff) through this blog.