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Live Your Style with adidas NEO

2013-03-17T09:11:00.000+08:00

How do you express your personality through your style?

Everyone has an own taste of Style. I used to wear black everyday not because this is my favorite color just because for me it represents all kinds of moods and everything.

As I remember on my collage time they used to called my "black man" perhaps we have a band and I'm the drummer my band mates always wear black shirt.

I did'nt believe that black is from evil, saddness, mourning, bitterness, emo and what so ever.

As long as I wear it properly I considered it "THIS IS MY STYLE"

Nuffnang and Adidas neo will be giving away The first 100 Nuffnangers (with at least 1 ad unit) to register their valid blog post entries will receive two (2) tickets to this exclusive screening of So Undercover. The winners will be announced and emailed individually on March 14 and must RSVP on/before March 18 (12 NOON). Failure to do so will result to forfeiture of slots.

But it doesn’t end here just yet! The five (5) most expressive and creative entries that reflect the adidas NEO spirit will win a pair of adidas NEO sneakers.

Embrace fun, spontaneity and the unexpected twists in fashion when the adidas NEO Label Spring 2013 collection hits stores in January to March.

Living a carefree journey that lets teens make their own style, NEO will capture attention with unique and innovative fashion and design twists on Spring merchandise. Products have multiple purposes or added value.

NEO will release a fresh product offering each month, spotlighting a fashion trend interpreted in a different way. In March patterns are the highlight, featuring vibrant waves of colour, with subtle patterns that appear to be one thing but on close inspection reveal another. These will include camouflage prints and edgy takes on adidas NEO slogans with a focus on windbreakers and shirts. Sporty, street and lifestyle footwear silhouettes with strong colour and graphic links create the look.

NEO footwear is available in SM and select Robinson’s Department Stores nationwide.

www.facebook.com/adidasPhilippines

Google shuts down Google Reader as part of its 'spring cleaning'

2013-03-14T12:38:00.001+08:00

source: gmanetwork.com

Google announced Wednesday (Thursday, PHL time) that it is shutting down its popular RSS reader Google Reader, among other web programs, as part of its "spring cleaning."

"We're living in a new kind of computing environment. Everyone has a deice, sometimes multiple devices….To make the most of these opportunities, we need to focus - otherwise we spread ourselves too thin and lack impact," the tech giant said on its official blog.

"We launched Google Reader in 2005 in an effort to make it easy for people to discover and keep tabs on their favorite websites. While the product has a loyal following, over the years usage has declined. So on, July 1, 2013, we will retire Google Reader."

Fans of Google Reader though will be able to export their data via Google Takeout, in order to ease the switch to other RSS readers.

Other programs that will get the axe include Google Building Maker, Google Cloud Connect, and the Google Voice app for Blackberry.

source: gmanetwork.com

The race to break the OS duopoly

2013-03-14T12:27:00.004+08:00

source: yugatech.com

During the course of the past six months, several companies have announced their new mobile platform hoping to break the Apple-Google duopoly. Today we’ll take a closer look at 5 of those operating systems and see which one has what it takes to be the next big thing in the OS wars.

Two of the candidates in this list (BlackBerry OS 10 and Windows Phone 8) are already out in the market, while three are still in the last phase of development and is scheduled to make its debut in the latter part of this year. Furthermore, the two OS out in the market are both closed source and the 3 upcoming platforms are all open source.

BlackBerry OS 10

Company: BlackBerry Ltd. (formerly known as Research In Motion)
Source Model: Closed source
OS Architecture: Real-time Microkernel (QNX)
Supported Programming Language: JavaScript, CSS, HTML
Supported App Framework: Qt/QML and HTML5
User Interface: BlackBerry 10 UI
Min. Hardware Requirements: Undisclosed
Announcement Date: January 30, 2013
Status: Available

Devices: Limited to BlackBerry handsets as of the moment
The BlackBerry OS 10, as well as the BlackBerry Tablet OS, is the product of the acquisition of QNX Software Systems, the company behind this Microkernel-based OS. As such, the platform shares some distinct features with its tablet counterpart just like the bezel-to-screen swipe gestures called Blackberry Flow and Peek for navigation and multitasking.

Apart from revamped UI, the BB OS 10 also boasts several new features including BlackBerry Hub, Balance, Time Shift Camera. Being known for providing one of the best keyboard in the industry, the on-screen keyboard of the BlackBerry Z10 has also seen a significantly improvement over the previous builds. The virtual keyboard bears the company’s renowned layout and is now capable of auto-predicting the next word that the user will type. The predicted word/s is displayed on top of a certain key and can be used by flicking upwards.

After a long period of silence, BlackBerry is starting to create a buzz in the mobile industry with the release of the highly anticipated mobile platform, the BlackBerry OS 10. The OS, along with the two new handsets (Z10 and Q10) that features it, has been regarded by many smartphone enthusiasts as the Canadian company’s last ditch effort to regain its place in the consumer and enterprise market. Now that the OS is out in the open, the key is for the company to back up their brainchild with aggressive marketing strategy.

Firefox OS

Company: Mozilla Foundation
Source Model: Open Source
OS Architecture: Monolithic (Linux Kernel)
Supported App Framework: HTML5
User Interface: Gaia
Min. Hardware Requirements:
Processor: 800MHz
RAM: 256MB RAM
Display: QVGA
Announcement Date: July 25, 2010 (Boot to Gecko), July 2012 (Firefox OS)
Status: In development, target launch on Q3 2013
Devices: Alcatel, LG Electronics, ZTE, Huawei, TCL Corporation, Sony
Deeply rooted in Mozilla’s core is the organization’s advocacy to promote openness, innovation and opportunity. This belief is reflected on almost everything that they do, including their latest endeavor the Firefox OS.

The goal is to build “a complete, standalone operating system for the open web.” In order to achieve this, Mozilla uses HTML5 in programming the platform and for developing applications. This allows developers to easily port their apps that are previously written for other platforms to the upcoming OS.

In the recently concluded MWC, the organization announced the companies that joined their cause. These companies include several telcos and a handful of device manufacturers. At the convention, Mozilla also showcased a pair of handsets (Alcatel One Touch Fire and ZTE Fire) that sports the OS.

Sailfish OS

Company: Jolla Ltd.
Source Model: Open Source
OS Architecture: Monolithic (Linux Kernel)
Supported App Framework: Qt/QML
User Interface: Jolla UI
Min. Hardware Requirements: TBA
Announcement Date: November 21, 2012
Status: In development, target launch on Q1 2013
Devices: TBA
Equipped with more than enough knowledge and expertise about mobile OS, Jolla Mobile, the team that brought us MeeGo and MaeMo is back with a vengeance and is looking to make another mark in the industry with their upcoming platform dubbed as Sailfish OS.

The concept behind the OS is rather simple; merge Mer (MeeGo Reconstructed) and MeeGo’s architecture and further develop it using Qt Quick, QML and HTML5. The result that the team is hoping for is platform that “brings and fosters innovation to offer unique differentiation and a competitive advantage for OEMs and ODMs, chipset providers, operators, application developers and retailers.”

Jolla Ltd. has yet to officially name a mobile manufacturer that would carry their OS. It’s been said that the design of the phone will come from the organization itself, but because of the platform’s versatility, Jolla is confident that the integration of the OS to other devices should be a breeze.

Ubuntu Touch

Company: Canonical Ltd.
Source Model: Open source
OS Architecture: Monolithic (Linux Kernel)
Supported App Framework: Qt/QML and HTML5
User Interface: Unity UI based on Ubuntu 10.10
Min. Hardware Requirements: 1GHz Cortex A9 processor, 512MB RAM
Announcement Date: January 2, 2013
Status: Slated for Q4 2013 launch
Devices: TBA

Ubuntu Touch hails from a long line of Open Source operating system developed by Canonical for desktop users. With a slogan of “One Device To Rule Them All”, Canonical is looking to capitalize on their expertise in the desktop ecosystem and apply those in their upcoming mobile platform.

The mobile OS will sport a home grown, gesture-based UI called Unity UI which is inspired by the netbook-optimized version of Ubuntu. Unity UI bears some similarities with Blackberry OS 10’s UI, particularly in the navigation aspect, as both makes use of the every inch of the device’s display for basic operations. This eliminates the need for a physical button and makes it easier for users to navigate through various selections. The downside, however, is that it requires a lot of getting used to in order for the touch-based operation to feel natural.

Canonical’s goal is to provide users with the near-desktop experience on their mobile devices by integrating some of key components of the desktop version of the platform to the gesture-based UI. The company has yet to disclose the manufacturers who will use the Ubuntu Touch on their smartphones, but Mark Shuttleworth (Founder and CEO of Canonical, Ltd) mentioned that the first devices running on their Linux-Based OS is slated to debut on October of this year.

Windows Phone 8

Company: Microsoft
Source Model: Closed source
OS Architecture: Hybrid Windows NT Kernel
Supported App Framework: Microsoft XNA
User Interface: Windows 8 (Metro UI)
Min. Hardware Requirements:
Processor: Snapdragon S4 dual-core
RAM: 512MB (WVGA), 1GB for 720p
ROM: 4GB
Announcement Date: October 29 2012
Status: Out in the market
Devices: HTC, Huawei, Nokia and Samsung
For the majority of users, Windows Phone 8 may just seem like a major update to the last version of WP7.8 (Tango). This misconception may have sprung up due to the similarities that this OS and the previous generations share in common, especially in the user interface department. However, truth be told, there are more to Windows Phone 8 than meets the eye.

Probably the most significant improvement that WP8 has over previous builds is at its core. Instead of using a similar kernel as the pre-historic Windows CE, Microsoft utilized a Hybird (Monolithic – Microkernel) Windows NT kernel that is also being used on Windows 8. The use of this kernel has resulted to a significant improvement in the mobile platform’s ability to handle multi-core processors, higher screen resolution and storage expansion via Micro-SD card; three of the many things that users and journalists have been complaining since the debut of Windows Phone7.

However, one of the major drawbacks that WP8 has is the fact that it cannot be installed on devices running on WP7. Microsoft explains that this is due to the hardware limitations presented by the earlier devices running on an older version of their platform. When this news made the headlines, it sparked an uproar in the WP7 community which also proved crucial to the success of WP7-powered handsets in the market. In the end, users are left with a hard pill to swallow; be content with their current device’s OS or move on to WP8.

As of the time of writing, both BB OS 10 and WP8 have a clear advantage over the other candidates in our list. In the case of BlackBerry, it has already established a following in the past; they just need to get things back on track to reclaim their spot in the upper echelon of the OS wars with BlackBerry OS 10.

Windows Phone 8, on the other hand, is still on shaky grounds, but the single major edge it has over its competition is the fact that users can seamlessly transition from one Windows-powered device to the other since it also has a counterpart in the tablet and desktop scene.

As for the three upcoming open source OS, it’s still pretty early to tell whether these platforms will make it to the big leagues, let alone break the two-horse race between Android and iOS. Make no mistake though; each of these platforms presents a very interesting proposition for its potential users. So the effort is definitely there, the question is if it’s gonna be enough to be named as one of the greats in the industry.

source: yugatech.com

HTC One X+ Review

2013-01-02T10:18:00.002+08:00

source: yugatech.com

The first time we saw the One X was back in March of this year. It was the first quad-core smartphone that arrived in the Philippines. HTC released the One X+ to address a few of the shortcomings of the One X. Check out our full review of the HTC One X+after the break.

Before we proceed, we recommend that you go and read over our original review of the HTC One X to give you much better perspective.

HTC address some of the original issues that came along with the first generation One X to make the One X+ a much better and more compelling handset. This includes CPU performance (especially in benchmarks), storage capacity and battery life.

Design and Construction.

Since the first One X, this line-up remains to be one of the most well-built and sexiest smartphone in the market this year. The unibody design allows for better build quality, more solid fitting and a really sleek design.

The white One X+ will clearly show the attention to detail and the fluid design. It’s got all the curves at the right places that even the glass panel at the front is smooth, the contours that outline the slightly curved shape of the body fits perfectly in the palm of your hands and the combination of black against the white background makes it look very elegant and inspiring.

Of course, the unibody design has its shortcomings as well — like the non-removable battery and the absence of a micro-SD card slot. It’s a trade-off that HTC gambled with when they implemented this design.

Display.

We said it before and we’ll say it again, the Super LCD 2 display on the HTC One X+ is one of the best, if not the best, display screens in any handset this year.

The screen is very bright once you crank it up to the highest settings, the colors are vivid, well-saturated and even. Since the One X+ uses the latest Super LCD 2 display, the viewing angles are almost perfect and clear at 180-degrees. Outdoor visibility is also good and the screen can still be readable in the outdoors or under direct sunlight. It’s not that comfortable but glare is almost at the minimum.

OS, Apps & UI.

The HTC One X+ will run with Android Jellybean right out of the box. Not only does it run on the fastest Tegra 3 processor in the market, it will also benefit from the buttery smooth interface of Jellybean.

The HTC Sense UI is still among the nicest-looking and most comprehensive custom UI from any brand that has developed their devices with Android. All that eye-candy, animation and transitions add to the premium packaging of the One X+.

Since the handset runs on the popular Android ecosystem, you are ble to access hundreds of thousands of free and paid apps and games from the Google Play Store.

Multimedia and Camera.

The large 4.7-inch screen is great for viewing music videos and short TV series. We’ve also played a number of graphics heavy games from TegraZone and the screen did justice to that stunning graphics that’s optimized for NVidia chips.

The One X+ also separates itself from the old One X but adding red accents all around the unit — the soft buttons, the ring around the camera and the large Beats logo at the back.

Here are some of the sample photos taken with the 8MP camera of the One X+:

Notice the well-saturated colors of the flowers, the crisp images and well-exposed subjects. The camera takes really good photos and it takes them really, really fast that we didn’t notice any lags or delays in the shutter.

Here are some sample video clips taken with the camera, both on daylight and artificial light:

Looking at the clips, the One X+ performed well even on low-light conditions. There’s some delay in adjusting to exposure and the continuous focus but everything else looks really good.

HTC also incorporated Beats Audio into the handset which added to that great audio experience.

Performance and Benchmarks.

With the latest NVidia Tegra 3 processor, the HTC One X+ scored the highest in both Quadrant and Antutu Benchmarks that we’ve seen. With a score of 7,195 for Quadrant, this is the only handset we’ve reviewed that passed the 7k barrier (56% better than the old One X). Antutu Benchmark gave it a total score of 16,173, the highest we’ve seen so far (42% better than the One X).

Even the NenaMark 2 score is much better at 57.3fps, almost the same as any other flagship handset and an increase from the 47.7fps on the old One X. Overall, these are among the highest benchmarks scores we’ve seen in a handset and by far, the highest cumulative score for all three tests.

The One X+ performs really well, both with the usual apps and most especially with graphics intensive games (like Riptide GP and other TegraZone apps).

Battery Life and Call Quality.

Call quality is really good with the One X+. The audio is crisp and clear, no noticeable interference and signal strength is pretty decent. We didn’t experience any delays in receiving and sending SMS and have not encountered any erratic signal issues. Whatever minor issues we encountered can be probably attributed to the network and location rather than the handset itself.

HTC has now increased the battery capacity of the One X+ to 2100mAh, giving it more battery life on a single full charge. While the battery life would last you the whole day of moderate use (and a little more), we think it’s still up to the individual user and their usage pattern that will determine how long a full charge will last.

With 3G on all the time, a bit of Twitter, Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram, we are able to last around 18 to 20 hours. With 3G off and WiFi off, we managed to squeeze the battery to 2 days and 7 hours will a little bit of calls and mostly text messages.

Conclusion.

We can definitely say that the HTC had redeemed itself with the One X+. Much faster chip, better battery life, large storage capacity — all on the same great design. The huge 64GB storage alone amounts to about Php10,000 in value (if we based it oniPhone 5 price between 16GB and 64GB).

The One X+ is still short of perfect. Everyone you ask will say they need more battery life, option for removable battery, extended storage support and more. The HTC One X+ now retails for about Php27,900 in local stores (SRP was Php32,990).

HTC One X+ specs:
4.7″ Super LCD 2 display, 720×1280 pixels @ 312ppi
Corning Gorilla Glass 2
1.7GHz quad-core NVidia Tegra 3 processor
1GB RAM
64GB internal storage
HSPA+ 21Mbps
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
NFC
Bluetooth 4.0
8MP autofocus rear camera, 1080p
1.3MP front-facing camera, 720p
GPS w/ aGPS support
FM Radio Tuner
Beats Audio
2100mAh Li-Polymer battery
Android 4.1 Jellybean
134.4 x 68.9 x 8.9mm
130 grams

What we liked about it:
* Great performance, fast CPU and GPU
* Large storage capacity
* Impressive full HD camera
* Nice and huge HD display screen with Gorilla Glass 2
* Beautiful design and material
* Jellybean out of the box

What we didn’t like:
* Still on the pricey side
* No microSD card slot
* Non-removable battery
* A little late in the game

source: yugatech.com

Intel slashes outlook as PC demand weakens

2012-09-08T19:03:00.002+08:00

source: cnn.com

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Intel severely cut its third-quarter sales forecasts Friday as demand for personal computers has slowed beyond expectations.

The world's largest chipmaker said it now expects revenue of between $12.9 billion and $13.5 billion in the current quarter, down from its previous forecast of between $13.8 billion and $14.8 billion. Intel said corporations are ordering fewer PCs, consumers in emerging markets are sitting on the sidelines, and PC manufacturers are reducing their inventories to meet sinking demand.

Intel blamed a weakening global economy for slumping chip sales.

As a result, Intel said it would cut spending -- the company had expected to spend $12.1 billion to $12.9 billion in 2012, but Intel said capital expenditures will come in below that level by the end of the year.

Profits will take a hit too -- gross margins are now forecast to be between 61% and 63%, at the low end of the chipmaker's target range of between 61% and 65%.

Shares of Intel (INTC, Fortune 500) fell 3% in morning trading.

Intel had already warned in July that its outlook would be weaker than Wall Street analysts had expected, citing a challenging economic environment.

Yet the company had largely been able to avoid the worst of a slumping PC market. Though worldwide shipments of PCs fell by 0.1% in the second quarter, according to separate surveys by Gartner and IDC, Intel's PC chip sales actually rose by 4% last quarter. The economy now appears to be catching up to Intel.

Still, chief rival AMD (DOX) has fared much worse. Sales have tumbled, and the stock has matched it -- falling by more than 32% this year.

Some investors are holding out hope that the upcoming new Windows 8 operating system from Microsoft (MSFT, Fortune 500) will help rejuvenate the PC market. But shares of the two largest PC companies, Hewlett-Packard (HPQ, Fortune 500) and Dell (DELL, Fortune 500), have been hit hard this year as more consumers flock to tablets, most notablyApple's (AAPL, Fortune 500) iPad
source: cnn.com

iPhone 5 | What to Expect - Release Date, Price & Specifications

2012-08-17T14:59:00.003+08:00

source: dlvr.it

With my Blackberry Torch falling apart, I’m counting down the days until I’m eligible for an upgrade (64 to be precise). Like many people in my situation, there’s only one phone that I have in mind: the iPhone 5 – provided that’s what it’s called. After all, it could just as easily be called “the new iPhone”. Whatever Apple decides to call the sixth iteration of their popular handset, know this – its name is just a drop in the ocean as far as speculation goes.

When will it be released? What new features will it have? What will it look like? How much will it cost? These are just a handful of questions that many, including myself, have asked. Well, thanks to a few component leaks, some of these questions have already been answered.

If all the rumours line up, then we can expect Apple to reveal the next-gen iPhone next month (September 12th seems to be the rumoured date).

If history is anything to go by, then the market value for second-hand iPhone 4S’ will drop drastically as soon as Apple announce its successor. So, if you own an iPhone 4S, but know for certain that you will be upgrading to the iPhone 5 come September, sell your handset NOW – that is, if you can live without it until then.
According to those of who have examined its leaked components, the iPhone 5 will measure 123.83 x 58.57 x 7.6 mm, which means that it will be significantly taller than the iPhone 4S (115.2 x 58.6 x 9.3mm). This extra room will accomodate for a larger, 4-inch (diagonal) widescreen Multi-Touch display – a 0.5-inch increase from its predecessor! A larger screen will allow for a 5th row of apps.

What’s more, Apple will replace the proprietary 30-pin connector port, as seen on all previous handsets, for a smaller, 19-pin connector port. This is said to be due to the fact that the earphone jack will now feature at the bottom of the device, and therefore needs room.
Unlike the iPhone 4S, which had a rear glass panel, the iPhone 5’s rear cover will be made mostly from metal and will follow a two-tone colour scheme.

In terms of processing punch, the next-gen iPhone will have a quad-core A6 chip, and will thus succeed the 4S (dual-core A5 chip) as “The most powerful iPhone ever.” With more than double the power, one can only imagine how fast the iPhone 5 will perform under pressure. Say buh-bye to lag!

The iPhone 5 will come equipped with both a rear-facing and a front-facing camera, but as for resolution, no one (apart from Apple) really knows if there will be an increase from the 8 megapixels that’s found on the iPhone 4S. According to Appleinsider, however, the next-gen iPhone could feature a multi-point camera focusing system, which allows the user to select "two or more regions of interest on a live preview image by touch input”. An image processor will then be responsible for improving the sharpness and/or exposure of the photo in relation to those regions.
Technology website, T3.com, believe that the iPhone 5 “will simply replace the iPhone 4S in terms of price points and range of models with any 128GB storage option likely to hit the £799 price mark.” That definitely bodes well in regards to my upgrade.

Of course, all the aforementioned information could be nothing but hearsay. Either way, I cannot wait to see what’s in store for us this September.

[Image Credit: http://lmtl.es/MAq0h1]

source: dlvr.it

Samsung expert: Apple overstates its damages at trial

2012-08-17T14:39:00.003+08:00

source: reuters.com

(Reuters) - A financial expert said Apple Inc has overstated Samsung Electronics Co Ltd's profit margins for mobile products, an issue that goes to the heart of damages in the high profile patent trial between the two tech companies.

Michael Wagner, an accountant who testified on Thursday for Samsung, said Samsung's U.S. profits from the smartphones and tablets targeted in the case should be calculated at about 12 percent, or about $519 million.

Earlier in the trial, an Apple expert witness testified the U.S. margin was closer to 35.5 percent.

Additionally, two other Samsung financial experts contended that Apple should owe up to $421.8 million for violating a clutch of the South Korean company's patents.

Apple and Samsung are going toe-to-toe in a patents dispute that mirrors a bigger struggle for industry supremacy between the rivals that control more than half of worldwide smartphone sales.

Apple accuses Samsung of copying the design and some features of its iPad and iPhone, and is asking for a sales ban in addition to monetary damages. South Korea's Samsung, which is trying to expand in the United States, says Apple infringed several patents, including some for its key wireless technology.

Earlier this week, Apple expert Terry Musika said Samsung earned 35.5 percent margins from mid-2010 through March 2012, on $8.16 billion in U.S. revenue. Apple is seeking over $2.5 billion in damages.

However, Wagner testified on Thursday that Musika did not take into account many of Samsung's costs, including marketing. "Not a penny," Wagner said.

Wagner said his 12 percent figure assumes a period beginning in April 2011 for most of the mobile products.

The trial, now in its third week, is drawing towards a close.

U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh had given each side 25 hours to present evidence. Samsung began feeling the crunch on Thursday: its attorneys decided not to cross examine two of Apple's technical experts at all, citing time limitations.

More financial details about the famously secretive Apple were revealed on Thursday: The company has paid about $1.4 billion in patent royalties to at least 90 companies, according to testimony from Samsung financial expert Vince O'Brien.

Apple has sold $12.23 billion worth of iPhones in the U.S. since September 2010, and U.S. sales for the iPad are at $2.29 billion since the end of April 2011, Samsung financial expert David Teece said.

Other testimony on Thursday focused on how much Apple should pay if the jury finds that Apple violated Samsung's patents. O'Brien said a reasonable royalty for three of Samsung's feature patents -- including one for seamlessly emailing a photo -- was $22.8 million.

Asked why the amount was so small, O'Brien said: "They're one of many features on the phone."

Yet Teece said Samsung's wireless patents in the case were worth up to $399 million. Under questioning from Apple, Teece acknowledged that he had not seen any evidence that Samsung had ever received money for those patents from another company.

The case in U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, is Apple Inc v. Samsung Electronics Co Ltd et al, No. 11-1846.
source: reuters.com

Apple’s True Test

2012-06-18T11:41:00.002+08:00

source: mb.com.ph

There is a persistent question floating around, “Will the next iPhone have a bigger screen than its current 3.5 display size?” There is even a rumor that came out, saying that the late Steve Jobs killed the launching of the iPhone 5, since it was purported to have bigger display size which he did not agree with and believed would lead it to a deviation from the legacy of the iPhone and even cause fragmentation problems, as well as serious issues with developers.

There is certainly a convincing argument regarding a bigger sized display, as there is a compelling argument as well otherwise. But will the next iPhone just be a measure of display size or will it be more? Will it again surpass what naysayers are expecting?

If it were to be recalled, the first iPhone changed the way we see what a smartphone should be. It certainly changed mine, that I see other smartphones as a mimic of a truly successful device. But I only got to enjoy the experience with the iPhone 4 which is a successful derivative of the three previous generation and a better looking one, as well.

The introduction of the iPhone 5 will be a true test for Apple. What it will be and what it can do, for most of us mere mortals, are left to the imagination.

But there are obvious possible enhancements, like a faster processor, better camera, more intuitive touch panel, bigger memory, 4G LTE support, and even a stronger alloy to build it with – the liquidmetal.

In all accounts, it will be a complete model change as oppose to the marginal improvements made with the iPhone 4S.

Of all these possible improvements, what caught my attention is the possible use of the new alloy – liquidmetal or metallic glass in some circles. It is an alloy of titanium, zirconium, nickel, cooper and other metals (sadly my chemistry teacher did not touch on this in high school) that gives a look that is “as smooth like liquid”.

This change in the material can surely lead to a change in the chassis for the iPhone 5, something that will again differentiate it from other smartphones. A unibody is indeed a possibility. On a personal note, I do not think smartphones should be made out of plastic.

Aside from the possible aesthetic value of the liquidmetal, it is also reported to have higher elastic energy, which allows it to be more damage or wear resistant against scratching and even denting. A definite plus for careless me.

A metal back plus a unibody case can be at the works, and can be what the iPhone 5 can look like. Now match this up with all the possible trimmings, like the A6 processor, a higher megapixel camera, a new iOS, 1GB RAM and LTE connectivity; and what we have is the best iPhone yet.

So going back to the persistent question of display size, would it honestly matter in the end or what will matter is the total package that will be delivered hopefully soon.

Over and above, all the other curious questions surrounding the next iPhone, the bigger question for me is -- when will we be given the chance to be amazed once again?

In closing, I wish to share this article in three parts to all those who believe, “innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower”, quoted Steve Jobs.

For your comments and opinions, jun.velasco@me.com.
source: mb.com.ph

Microsoft Tells HTC To Stay Away From Windows 8 Party

2012-06-16T16:09:00.003+08:00

source: mb.com.ph

In a wired world, Internet access, especially the broadband variety (Is there any other kind of Internet access that matters?), helps determine a country’s have or have-not status.

While some readily dismiss it as an invention of the left-leaning, bleeding-heart liberals, the digital divide does exist. And it is something that handicaps the poor whether they are from the developed world or are residing in the world’s emerging or poorer countries.

Lack of reliable and affordable access to the World Wide Web seriously hampers the poor’s ability to equip themselves with tools that can help them pull themselves out of the socio-economic holes they are in. Online access, after all, is a great equalizer. It levels up the field, allowing everybody a fighting chance, a stab at making better his or her lot.

Providing consumers with broadband access to the Internet, hence, is not merely a source of revenue for our service providers. These companies, with their government-issued (that is, by the people or consumers themselves) licenses to operate as service providers and permits to use the airwaves, ideally, are empowering their customers by providing them with access to the Internet.

I hope that the leaders of our telcos and cable TV companies would always keep this in mind. They should strive to always provide their consumers with stable and reliable broadband service.

A balance between working for an ever increasing share of the market and providing the best service should be their top priority at all times. Too much emphasis on profit and beating the hell out of their competitors would ultimately bring no good to everyone concerned.

Not Invited

Microsoft has reportedly excluded HTC Corp. from its list of Windows 8/RT product development party. Citing HTC’s lack of experience in developing tablet computers and that the Taiwan hardware vendor is not selling enough devices, the software giant barred HTC from joining the high-tech industry’s latest jab at removing Apple from the top of the tablet totem pole.

Microsoft, however, has not ruled out HTC’s participation in the next rounds of Windows 8/RT product development.

Chrome in Windows 8

After much ado, Google’s Chrome Web browser is going to be added into Microsoft’s Windows 8 Metro.

Google is reportedly developing a Metro-capable version of the desktop browser, one that will run in both the Metro and desktop modes of Windows 8 on x86 computers.

Chrome, however, will not run in Windows RT (or Windows 8 designed to run on ARM processor-equipped devices).

Steve Jobs Who?

Best-selling author Malcolm Gladwell has committed the gravest affront possible against the cult of the Mac.

Gladwell, at an interview in Toronto, claimed that in 50 years, people will have no idea who Steve Jobs is. People, however, will be building statues for Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, who, according to the author will remain famous due to this philanthropy works.

That’s all for the meantime, folks. Join me again next time as we keep on watching IT. (Allan D. Francisco)

source: mb.com.ph

Sony Xperia U: The Sony's High-End Smartphones' Little Sister

2012-06-16T15:49:00.007+08:00

source: mb.com.ph

MANILA, Philippines — The Xperia U is supposed to be Sony’s low-end offering from its high-end smartphone range. But while its display and some innards may seem like downgrades from those of its bigger and pricier siblings, there is practically nothing with its design and performance that is remotely low-cost or cheap.

The phone can hold its own. And based on the several days I spent with the Sony smartphone, the Xperia U definitely can and does.

Features and Specs

Announced at the 2012 Mobile World Congress, this smartphone comes with an impressive although not trailblazing list of features, including a 1GHz dual-core processor. It has 512MB of RAM and carries a 5-megapixel camera, as well as a VGA front-facing camera for videocalling.

It ships with Android 2.3, but an upgrade to Android 4.0 is forthcoming, Sony was quick to add.

Sony claims this 110-gram, 112 x 54 x 12mm (4.4 x 2.1 x 0.5 inches) smartphone offers up to six hours and 36 minutes of talk time and 260 hours stand-by time when on GSM mode or five hours and 36 minutes of talk time and 472 hours of stand-by time when on 3G.

The Xperia U comes with 8GB of built-in storage; however, users can access only up to 4GB, with the rest being commandeered by the phone’s software and systems.

Also, it comes with a 3.5-inch TFT touchscreen display, and owners will be tickled pink to know that their smartphone comes with Sony’s Mobile BRAVIA Engine technology. The screen is protected by a scratch-resistant, anti-reflective coating on mineral glass.

Music Player

Sony will always be known as one of the world’s top-notch audio technology companies. Since the 1980s, its radios, audio players, and music players have been some of the most capable and best-designed music-playing gadgets and devices.

The Walkman, for example, is one of the world’s bestselling portable music players ever.

That audio-technology heritage is quite evident in the Xperia U. Although playing the role of the company’s most affordable smartphone, the lowly Xperia U does not disappoint audio wise. Aside from coming equipped with Sony’s superior audio technologies, such as the TrackID music recognition system and xLOUD Experience filtering technology, the Xperia U plays back music files with sound quality that other mobile gadgets might be hard pressed to approximate.

It can play music files in MP3, 3GPP, MP4, SMF, WAV, OTA, and Ogg vorbis formats. It records sound in 3GPP, MP4, and AMR formats.

Most importantly, however, it comes with a standard 3.5mm audio jack. All of your standard headphones are welcome to get paired with the Xperia U.

Worth the Money

Sony’s Xperia U comes with a suggested retail price of Php 13,999, which is significantly higher than the prices of several other entry-level Android and non-Android smartphones currently in the market today.

The Nokia Lumia 610, for example, comes at barely over Php 10,000; while other devices from HTC and local vendors MyPhone and Cherry Mobile come with SRPs even lower than that.

While its features and functions might be barely sufficient to create enough buzz in a highly competitive segment, there are factors that some smartphone users, especially fans of Sony, will find reasons enough to warm up to the Xperia U.

For example, it comes with a design and flavor uniquely its own, and is strongly built like most other Sony devices. It is not the iPhone, of course, but it sure is good at doing what it is supposed to do — being a wallet-friendly and highly capable phone.

source: mb.com.ph

More to love than lose in Nexus S

2011-05-21T11:45:00.002+08:00

Google Nexus S is a promising Android device with a nice set of features such as the noise cancellation software, a 5MP camera, WiFi capability, and a more than decent battery life. Being Google-branded means that it is leveraged mostly on Google applications, and will therefore be much appreciated by Google fans.

When we say a Google phone, it means that the phone was designed hands on by the Google Android team. What does this mean? We get the most out of Google and Android! Yay! I was so happy with how fast setup took -- only a minute. I just entered my Google account credentials and the phone is ready to go. Nexus S is definitely designed for a Google user with built-in applications like Google Mail, Google Calendar, Google Contacts and a lot more.

Aesthetically, Google’s Nexus S is different from Samsung’s Galaxy S series but they do look alike. It follows Samsung’s shiny, black plastic casing -- big change from Nexus One’s metal finish.

A lot of consumers think that the black plastic finish doesn’t do the phone justice and makes it look gauche, but I disagree. It makes the phone lighter and it complements the big screen of the phone. At 4.55 ounces and with dimensions of 63mmx123.9mmx10.88mm or no bigger than a ladies’ wallet, you have a portable phone!

I was definitely awed with the big screen and found myself enjoying the browsing experience on this device. The speed of the device ought to be mentioned, too and this most probably be because of the 1 GHz Hummingbird processor.

Nexus S’ greatest asset is that it is unlocked. This gives the consumer freedom to use any SIM card. Plus, it’s very convenient especially if you travel a lot.

Another awesome feature is Near Field Communication or NFC. Basically, NFC allows use in place of a credit card by simply tapping the phone against special sensors in retail stores. This is similar to the G-Pass at MRT stations. It also allows phones to swap data between each other via 3 methods: read, write, and exchange. Though it won’t have much impact now, it’ll surely be something great in the future.

Nexus S has WiFi, Bluetooth and GPS. I was disappointed with WiFi though. I tested Nexus S and another WiFi enabled smartphone side by side using the same WiFi network. Nexus S only has 1 bar of signal which is very poor while the other smartphone has 3 bars of signal. This is a deal breaker for me as I’m a huge user of WiFi.

I love how big the display is. With the 4-inch super AMOLED 480x800 resolution screen, I felt that I don’t need a bigger device for my view preferences.

The curved glass screen was definitely a welcome change in the Nexus phone! I heard though that the screen is flat but the glass is curved. No matter which is flat and which is curved, the design worked and I loved it!

Nexus S has a three-axis gyroscope, accelerometer, digital compass, proximity sensor and light sensor. The light sensor works really well. It adjusts pretty well under poor light conditions or even in extremely bright environment.

When it comes to hardware, the Nexus S is packs a punch with the 1 GHz Hummingbird processor. This definitely is the major reason why the device has great speed performance, being able to handle multiple running apps and background processes.

However, I am concerned about phone memory. It only has 16GB internal memory. While some may think it’s enough but for heavy smartphone user like me, it definitely is not. I believe applications alone can quickly fill 16GB memory, how much more music and videos? It’s also ironic that Google included moving apps to an external storage in their OS, yet it removed the expansion slot in Nexus S.

I’ve been using Nexus S heavily for a week. I had to charge it every night but it didn’t come to a point when I lost battery while I was out. Hence, I can say that Nexus S has a good battery life.

I also like the battery page in the Google device. You can see which application is using up most of the battery and some other information. This is especially useful if you’re still out and will need to conserve battery.

There are third party software that really stand out in my book. I love that they created it beautifully in Android OS.

The ones that I liked are Facebook, Foursquare, Angry Birds (it’s FREE!), Plurka, Nesoid Lite and of course, the Google apps.

The one that I dread, on the other hand, is Tweetdeck (geez, it really sucked!).

source: mb.com.ph

Facebook spam alert: 'Dislike' button add-on a fake

2011-05-21T11:40:00.003+08:00

Facebook seems to be a hotbed for scams of late.

First, spammers played on people’s curious natures by sending messages that claimed one can find out who viewed their profile after following certain steps; one of which asked them to invite friends to do the same.

Of course, once done, instead of getting the information they wanted, they have actually inadvertently ‘spammed’ their other friends as well.

And then there was one that asked users to verify their account. Thankfully, this wasn’t quite as popular since most users are already aware of the evils of sending personal info to suspicious parties.

Now, spammers are at it again. This time, they claim Facebook is adding a “Dislike” button to user’s pages.

Facebook users will receive an alert on their wall claiming, “Facebook now has a dislike button! Click 'Enable Dislike Button' to turn on the new feature!”

Looking ingeniously like a legitimate Facebook add-on, the ‘Enable Dislike Button’ is supposed to appear where the ‘Share’ button used to be.

Once a user clicks on it, the message will appear on their friends’ walls, thereby opening the door for more people to be scammed. And no, a ‘Dislike’ button will not appear on your wall.

Many Facebook users have been clamoring for the popular site to have a ‘Dislike’ button so this scam is likely to fool a lot of people (and, no, Facebook headquarters is saying they’re not planning on rolling out a ‘Dislike’ button).

Spread the word. Make sure your friends understand that they should be cautious of the messages and alerts put on their walls.

If you or anyone you know does receive this message, you can either hide it or mark it as spam. Marking it as spam may be better as you can then help Facebook improve its security in the future.

source: mb.com.ph

Microsoft buys Skype - Good or bad move?

2011-05-21T11:37:00.002+08:00

I was a bit surprised to hear that Microsoft has bought internet phone and video service Skype for $8.5 billion, simply because about a day before the announcement was made, I reported that Facebook and Google is negotiating for a tie-up with Skype, if not acquiring Skype as well.

Then the big bomb was dropped - Microsoft snatch Skype for $8.5 billion in cold cash. Skype will become a new business division within Microsoft, and Skype CEO Tony Bates will assume the title of president of the Microsoft Skype Division.

The initial public reaction was WHY? Why would Microsoft buy Skype considering the company incurred a net loss of $7 million last year on revenue of $860 million, althought its user base grew nearly 40 percent to 145 million. Investors started to question the move, most specially the acquisition cost. $8.5 billion is just too much is what they say as most analyst value Skype at around $4 billion based on the company's 2010 revenue.

Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer said Skype is a phenomenal service that is loved by millions of people around the world, and together both companies will create the future of real-time communications so people can easily stay connected to family, friends, clients and colleagues anywhere in the world.

One can see at once what Microsoft intends to do with Skype - to support Microsoft devices like Xbox and Kinect, Windows Phone and a wide array of Windows devices, and Microsoft will connect Skype users with Lync, Outlook, Xbox Live and other communities. The acquisition will automatically put Microsoft in line with Google, Apple and Facebook video chat services.

With social networking getting more and more popular and devices embracing the internet more, Microsoft will really try to put Skype in all Windows powered devices and perhaps will strike deals to incorporate Skype in innovative products like Smart TVs and more. But with this in mind, should Microsoft really need to buy Skype or should Microsoft just strike a licensing deal with Skype and would have achieve the same objective at a much cheaper price.

The common public reaction was Microsoft paid too much to acquire Skype. And being one of the biggest software company, analyst are saying - with the talent and technology Microsoft has under its arsenal, the company could have built their own video chat application rather spending that much.

How can Microsoft make money out of Skype? Microsoft will try to convince corporate users of Skype to subscribe to Skype once Microsoft would be able to integrate Skype into Outlook and other Microsoft business apps. And lastly, Microsoft might put some ads into Skype just to cover Skype's operating expense. But Microsoft should realize that one of the reasons why Skype has been successful is because it has not been plastered with ads. Making Skype an ad-loaded client might drive users away from Skype.

This is my take on this development - Microsoft will definitely incorporate Skype into the future versions of Windows (perhaps starting with Windows 8). Microsoft will incorporate Skype into Windows Phone devices - imagine a Windows powered phone with Skype embedded, that's a cool application. But will users pay for it or will the fees be included with the cost of Windows Phone software? With the popularity of tablets, having Skype in it will be a welcome development. And lastly, Microsoft can enter into various partnership to allow other developers and companies to include Skype into their offerings.

Microsoft and Steve Ballmer must have something up its sleeve that we don't and cannot see as of now that's why they decided to acquire Skype for $8.5 billion. Is it a good or a bad move?

source: mb.com.ph

What makes Pacquiao a big ticket to the Philippines? Now, what makes PLDT myDSL Big Ticket to awesomeness?

2011-05-02T11:00:00.006+08:00

YOU'RE NOT A boxing fan? Doesn't matter. We're all fans, hardwired to seek and behold it and Manny Pacquiao is the best human being to betide boxing, and perhaps even all of sport, in a generation.

Manny Pacquiao, he will never make filipino disappointed, I know that Pacman can make it to the Top.

He will take home the WBO Welterweight World Title. Thank you PLDT watch because of this i will clearly watch the Pacquiao and Mosley Fight.

pldtwatchpad.com/PacmanMosley

Verizon waffles on BlackBerry PlayBook despite RIM promise

2011-04-21T20:18:00.001+08:00

Verizon spokeswoman Brenda Raney raised concern about the BlackBerry PlayBook's long-term prospects after saying the carrier hadn't yet decided to carry the tablet. It was "still evaluating" the design and left the possibility that it might not arrive at all, she said. RIM hadn't commented on the remarks.

The statement gave reason for alarm since RIM had explicitly named Verizon as one of the carriers it expected to carry the PlayBook once 3G and 4G versions were available. Sprint has vowed support through a WiMAX-based 4G version in the summer but hasn't been matched as directly by other US networks. It's implied by the comment that RIM may have assumed it would get support and made the declaration without a complete deal in place.

RIM's entry into the carrier-backed tablet market may be tough in the current climate. Verizon has had strong sales of its iPad 2 variant and was also the initial partner for Android 3.0 when it picked up the Motorola Xoom. The carrier has been conspicuously downplaying the BlackBerry as it becomes more and more dependent on Android and iOS, epitomized by its late 2009 decision to knowingly undermine the BlackBerry Storm2 by launching the Motorola Droid at the same time but with much more intense publicity.

Along with market pressure, Verizon may also be concerned at the lack of built-in e-mail, messaging, and calendaring, all of which should come in an update within 60 days but give the PlayBook an inherent if temporary disadvantage compared to virtually every other tablet.

source: electronista.com

Nokia and Microsoft sign definitive agreement, bring Windows Phone handsets closer to realization

2011-04-21T20:15:00.002+08:00

Microsoft and Nokia's industry-altering announcement of a strategic alliance back in February has today been bolstered with the signing of a definitive agreement between the two companies.

In announcing the inking of the paperwork, the Microkia crew point out that they're already hard at work developing "a portfolio" of Nokia Windows Phone devices, which will be shipping "in volume" in 2012, but there's still a twinkling hope that they can get something out on the market in 2011.

Nokia devs have started porting key applications and services to Windows Phone, with mapping and navigation getting a highlight mention, while there will indeed be a "Nokia-branded global application store that leverages the Windows Marketplace infrastructure." Notably, this is described as a single portal where devs can serve their apps to users of Windows Phone, Symbian and Series 40 devices -- it'll be interesting to see how they work out the details of that.

There's also confirmation that Microsoft will pay Nokia multiple billions of dollars as part of the agreement, some of which will be spent on completing an intellectual property-sharing agreement between the two teams. So yes, the third ecosystem is well and truly on its way.

source: engadget.com

ECOtality announces Blink Mobile EV charging app

2011-04-21T20:10:00.002+08:00

It's fast becoming apparent that no electric vehicle is complete without an accompanying smartphone app to help you find places to charge it, and it looks like ECOtality isn't about to let that trend pass it by.

It's just announced its new Blink Mobile app for iOS, Android and BlackBerry devices, which will let folks locate Blink charging stations, check up on the charger's status, and receive various alerts (like when your car is finished charging at home).

Unfortunately, you can't download it just yet, but ECOtality says it will be available sometime this summer, with the iOS and Android apps likely to come out a bit ahead of the BlackBerry app -- a web-based app is also in development. Head on past the break for the complete press release.

source: engadget.com

Apple crushes forecasts again, iPad backlogged

2011-04-21T20:08:00.001+08:00

SAN FRANCISCO - Apple Inc's results smashed Wall Street's expectations after iPhone and Mac sales scaled new heights while iPad supplies could not keep up with roaring global demand.

Shares of the world's most valuable technology corporation rose 3 percent after it said a record 18.65 million units of the category-defining iPhone -- its flagship product -- moved in the March quarter, outpacing the 16 million or so expected.

Apple sold just 4.69 million iPads -- which command an 80 percent share of a burgeoning tablet market in which Motorola Inc and Samsung Electronics also compete -- but investors argued that would not detract from strong long-term demand.

But investors largely ignored the lower-than-expected sales for iPads during the quarter as company executives said they were scrambling to meet "staggering" demand and were heavily backlogged for now.

"I'm not going to predict when supply and demand will come into balance," Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook said. "I can only be confident on supply side."

Apple's iPad 2 dominated the nascent market for tablets with competing products like Research In Motion's PlayBook receiving poor reviews from customers and experts.

The stellar results on Wednesday came as concern is growing over how component supply constraints after Japan's earthquake and tsunami would squeeze margins and restrain iPhone and iPad sales in the coming months.

"Dynamite numbers across the board. The only hiccup is lower than expected iPad numbers," said Capital Advisors Growth Fund portfolio manager Channing Smith.

"We can attribute some of the weakness to stocking issues at some of the retail outlets and obviously the supply chain issue in Japan. Unfortunately, the supply chain issue will likely persist for the coming months but once we get past summer and the supply chain issues are resolved it's all systems go again for Apple."

Apple executives told analysts on a conference call they foresaw a hit to revenue this quarter of about $200 million -- less than 1 percent of projected global quarterly sales -- but expected no cost impact.

The company, known for its tight relationship with Asian suppliers, stands at the head of the queue for electronics components even if the supply crunch continues. Japan accounts for an estimated 6 percent of overall revenue.

"We source hundreds, literally hundreds, of items from Japan, and they range from components such as LCDs, optical drives, NAND flash and DRAM, to base materials such as resins, coatings," Cook said.

Apple did see some revenue impact from the crisis during the second quarter but it was not material to the results, Cook said, adding that he does not see any unsolvable problems related to the disaster.

On rising prices for memory chips, Cook said he felt "good" for the third quarter as the company does not typically buy in the spot market.

"Beyond Q3, I'm saying I'm not sure because it's tough to see that far," he said.

iPad sales miss targets

The March quarterly report was Apple's first under the stewardship of Cook after Chief Executive Steve Jobs went on his third medical leave in January.

Cook, who is known as an operations and supply chain maven, said his boss -- who has undergone a liver transplant and survived a rare form of pancreatic cancer -- still played an active role in important decisions.

"He is still on medical leave but we do see him on a regular basis. He continues to be involved in major strategic decisions. I know he wants to be back full time as soon as he can," Cook told analysts.

Apple's iPad sales in the quarter fell well short of Wall Street's expectations: some analysts had projected shipments of closer to or even more than 6 million for the tablet computer launched on March 11.

But the lower-than-expected number could be attributed to the fact that Apple recognizes revenue from its stores when its customers receive the products. The initial wait time for the iPad 2 was four to five weeks.

"We sold every iPad 2 we could make and the demand was stunning," Apple Chief Financial Officer Peter Oppenheimer told Reuters in an interview.

Apple's results come as it prepares to build the next iPhone model with a faster processor, which will begin shipping in September, three people with direct knowledge of the company's supply chain said on Wednesday.

Cook declined to comment on launch plans for the next iPhone.

It reported a net profit of $5.99 billion, or $6.40 a share, while revenue surged 83 percent to $24.67 billion. That surpassed expectations for $5.37 in earnings and $23.4 billion of revenue.

A large spike in sales of Mac computers, driven by the refreshed MacBook Pro, beefed up March-quarter earnings. Apple said it sold 3.76 million Macs, up 28 percent from a year ago.

Gross margins in the fiscal second quarter came to 41.4 percent, above Wall Street's average forecast of 39.03 percent.

Apple, which generally provides an ultra-conservative forecast, said it expected June quarter earnings of $5.03 a share on revenue of about $23 billion.

"IPad shipments were significantly lower than my estimates I think because of supply constraints," said Gabelli & Co analyst Hendi Susanto. "What impressed me was the gross margin."

Shares of Apple rose 3 percent to $353.67 after hours, from a regular session close of $342.41 on Nasdaq. They had fallen about 3 percent since Japan's quake.

The company's stock -- which is trading at roughly 18 times forward earnings, versus 19 times for Google and 10 times for Microsoft -- is considered a must-have in any technology portfolio. - Reuters

source: gmanews.tv

Obama pokes fun at Zuckerberg

2011-04-21T20:07:00.001+08:00

Palo Alto, California (CNN) -- Barack Obama began his "town hall" event at Facebook's offices on Wednesday with an anecdote.

"I hate to tell stories about Mark," Obama said, referring to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg who was moderating the session.
Like old friends, Obama launched into a brief retelling of a dinner party he had in February with the 26-year-old computer whiz and about a dozen other tech-industry elites in February. There, Zuckerberg sat to the president's immediate right.

"I'm the guy who got Mark to wear a jacket and tie," Obama said, referring to Zuckerberg forgoing his usual T-shirt and hoodie ensemble. "Halfway through dinner, he's starting to sweat a bit. It's really uncomfortable for him. I helped him out of his jacket. In fact, if you want Mark, we can take our jackets off."

And so, like Obama has often done during less formal speeches, the president removed his coat, and Zuckerberg followed, revealing a dress shirt and black tie. (Though, he did wear sneakers.)
"Yeah, you're a lot better at this than me," Zuckerberg joked.
That kicked off a very cordial hour-long conversation and seemed to loosen up the sometimes chilly technology prodigy. Zuckerberg stumbled during his opening remarks. "Sorry, I'm kind of nervous," he said after a flub in his introduction.
For Obama, Wednesday was a chance to connect with both Silicon Valley influencers and young people in one poke. Throughout his answers, Obama related his typical talking points -- federal deficit, education, healthcare and immigration -- to those two groups.

To the technorati, Obama promoted education in math and sciences, highlighted the especially acute real-estate market in the affluent area here, and talked up immigration reform. "We don't want them starting Intel in China, or starting Intel in France. We want them here," he said.

To the youth, he provided advice and stirred his familiar call for change. "Historically, part of what makes for a healthy democracy, what is a good politics, is when you have citizens who are informed, who are engaged. And what Facebook allows us to do is make sure this isn't just a one-way conversation," Obama said.
For Facebook, the meeting was an opportunity to validate itself in the eyes of Washington, where it's ramped up lobbying efforts recently. That's important for most companies growing at the rate and size Facebook is.

Zuckerberg has already proven himself to 500 million people who use the service and to wealthy investors. The Facebook founder is worth $13.5 billion, according to data from Forbes.
That fact provided an opening for another ribbing from Obama, when discussing the president's proposal for ending tax cuts for the wealthy.
"People like me and you, Mark, (should be) paying a little more in taxes," Obama said. "I know you're OK with that."

Despite the president's plan to take more of Zuckerberg's money, the young billionaire praised Obama's efforts in education reform.

"I think that the Race to the Top stuff that you guys have done is one of the most under-appreciated and most important things that your administration has done," Zuckerberg told the president.
For his part, Zuckerberg announced in September that he would donate $100 million to Newark, New Jersey, public schools.

Obama has commended Facebook in past speeches, including in his State of the Union address in January. He placed Zuckerberg's creation in a pantheon of great American ingenuity success stories, beside the inventors of the light bulb and the airplane.
"We're the nation that put cars in driveways and computers in offices; the nation of Edison and the Wright brothers; of Google and Facebook," Obama said in that speech. "In America, innovation doesn't just change our lives. It is how we make our living."
Facebook indicated in statements leading up to Wednesday's event that this was not an endorsement for the president. Likewise, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney told reporters on the flight over here that the event was not meant to be a promotion for Facebook.

"This is not about endorsing a specific company," Carney said. "It's about accepting an invitation for a forum to speak to the American people."
People traveling on Air Force One watched "The Social Network," the controversial movie about the founding of Facebook, Carney said.

Facebook did, however, offer a gift to Obama at the end of the affair. It was a sweatshirt with the website's logo stamped on the front -- "in case, for some reason, you want to dress like me," Zuckerberg said.

source: cnn

Apple suppliers begin making white iPhones: sources

2011-04-18T16:19:00.002+08:00

HONG KONG - Suppliers to Apple Inc have begun production of white iPhones after a delay of almost 10 months, pointing to a launch date of within a month, two people familiar with the situation said on Thursday.

Hon Hai Precision Industry Co Ltd, flagship of Taiwan's Foxconn Technology Group, would assemble the iPhone, one of the people said. They declined to be named because the information was not public.

An Apple spokeswoman was not immediately available for comment, while calls to a Hon Hai spokesman went unanswered.

Apple Senior Vice-President of Marketing Phil Schiller first said in a Twitter post in March that the white iPhone would be available for sale by Spring, which ends in May in the northern hemisphere.

The white iPhone would be available from AT&T Inc and Verizon Communications Inc by the end of April, Bloomberg News reported on its website, citing a person familiar with the matter.

Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs first unveiled the white version of the smartphone when the iPhone 4 was launched in June last year, but it has been delayed because of a manufacturing issue that the company has not elaborated on.

Many telecommunications operators have been eager to sell the iPhone, hoping that the feature-jammed device will help boost data network use and increase revenue. For example, China Mobile Ltd, the world's biggest mobile operator, has been in talks with Apple for more than a year on distribution rights for the handset.

More than 16 million iPhones were sold in the last quarter of 2010, accounting for more than a third of Apple's sales in those three months.

source: abs-cbnnews.com

White iPhone 4 will be out in weeks

2011-04-18T16:15:00.003+08:00

So, it might be a while before Apple fans can get their hands on the iPhone 5. But the elusive white iPhone 4 might finally be on the way.

Bloomberg BusinessWeek is quoting three unnamed sources "with knowledge of the plans" who say the long-delayed white phone will go on sale in the next few weeks.

The new model will be available on both AT&T and Verizon networks and in stores by the last week in April, Bloomberg quotes one of the sources as saying. The business news wire says the source asked not to be identified because the plan hasn't been made public.

The iPhone 4 was released last June. Since then, Apple has said that unspecified production problems have delayed the release of a white version of the phone, which is available only in black.

The prevailing theory, based on comments from other tech companies and observers, is that the white coloring was interfering with a sensor in the phone.

An April release date would match up with a comment last month from Apple executive Philip Schiller. On Twitter, Schiller said the phone "will be available this spring (and it is a beauty!)."

One Apple icon *might* have been toting one of the phones around as early as December. During an interview with CNN, co-founder Steve Wozniak flashed what he called "my white iPhone."

In a follow-up email he suggested, but didn't quite come right out and say, that the phone was modified with a kit that a Chinese teenager was selling briefly before Apple shut him down.

"Could be stickers?" Wozniak wrote in an email. "It's modded -- which introduces defects -- so I carry a black one also."

Other recent Apple gadgets have come in both black and white versions. The earlier iPhone 3GS was available in white; so is the iPad 2, which went on sale last month.

Thursday's news could be salve to the wounds of some diehard Apple-philes disappointed that a new phone appears off-schedule. Since the iPhone was introduced in 2007, Apple has announced a new one at each of its early summer developers' conference.

This year, Apple has made it clear that the June conference will focus on new software. Insiders say it would be a major surprise if anything is announced about a new phone -- meaning that a white iPhone 5, if there is one, may be at least months away.

source: cnn.com

RIM studies bid for Nortel wireless patents: report

2011-04-18T16:11:00.002+08:00

Research In Motion may attempt to top Google Inc's $900 million bid for Nortel Networks Corp.'s wireless technology patents, according to a Bloomberg report citing two people familiar with the plans.

Nortel, which filed for bankruptcy protection in January 2009, was a pioneer in wired and wireless network technology and the assets include some 6,000 patents and patent applications for wireless, data and optical networking, voice, Internet, semiconductors and other technologies.

Google established itself as a "stalking horse" for a suite of its patents with a $900 million bid earlier this month.

Google, which runs the world's most popular search engine, wants the Nortel patents to help it fight a growing wireless patent war against well-armed mobile superpowers. The company has pushed its Android mobile phone software to the top of the wireless heap, attracting litigation in the process.

Interest in the Nortel patents has been robust, but a deal has been delayed as Nortel's liquidators and potential buyers haggle over price.

Analysts have said other expected bidders could include Chinese telecom network company ZTE, Ericsson, which bought most of Nortel's wireless operations, and RPX, which licenses patents on behalf of member clients for a fee.

RIM was not immediately available for comment on the Bloomberg report.

source: reuters.com

Computer demand shrinks amid tablet craze

2011-04-18T16:08:00.002+08:00

Figures released on Wednesday showed that the personal computer market shrank for the first time in more than a year due to frugality and a tablet computer craze led by Apple's hot-selling iPads.

Global personal computer (PC) shipments declined 3.2 percent during the first three months of the year in the first slip since the recession ended some 18 months ago, according to industry tracker International Data Corporation.

Worldwide PC shipments totaled 84.3 million units during the quarter in a 1.1 percent drop from the same three months last year, according to figures gathered by research group Gartner.

Weak demand for consumer PCs was the biggest drag on the market, according to Gartner principal analyst Mikako Kitagawa.

"Low prices for consumer PCs, which had long stimulated growth, no longer attracted buyers," Kitagawa said.

"Instead, consumers turned their attention to media tablets and other consumer electronics."

After Apple's second-generation iPad was released in February, many consumers either switched allegiances or simply held back from buying PCs, according to the analyst.

Spikes in commodity and fuel prices, along with disruptions caused by the disaster in Japan, contributed to the break in momentum for the computer market, according to IDC.

"While it's tempting to blame the decline completely on the growth of media tablets, we believe other factors, including extended PC lifetimes and the lack of compelling new PC experiences, played equally significant roles," said IDC vice president Bob O'Donnell.

With "good enough" computing becoming a reality in the form of mini-laptops and tablet computers, PC makers will need to give consumers new reasons to pay for "the added horsepower," said IDC analyst Jay Chou.

PC sales were expected to remain mired through the current quarter but pick up in the second half of the year.

source: mb.com.ph

PC Just Got Sexy

2011-04-18T16:02:00.002+08:00

It was hot in the city on a sexy night chosen by Samsung to unveil a sizzler that is the Samsung Notebook Series 9. That night, everything was beautiful.

Present to underscore this magical moment were three of the most established and highly respected fashion designers in the country -- Rajo Laurel, Randy Ortiz and Rhett Eala.

In creating their latest designs, the three designers acquired inspiration from the latest technological breakthrough from Samsung.

The Samsung Notebook Series 9 is Samsung’s thinnest -- measuring only 16.3mm (0.64 inches) in depth, and with a screen size of 13 inches; Samsung’s lightest with a weight of only 1.31 kg (2,88lbs.), and; Samsung’s brightest -- using only Samsung’s LED technology: ‘SuperBright Plus’ display (400nit) with 16 million color reproduction 80% brighter than other notebooks, all encased in the most advanced duralumin metal alloy only used in specialized aircrafts, making it durable yet stylish and ultra light.

The sophisticated beauty of the flowing line on the side of the Notebook 9 Series is a key design concept. The flowing line gives the Notebook 9 Series an aerodynamic and sleek style much like a premium sports car.

The aerodynamic style and refined line express controlled power, while the Notebook 9 Series’ naturally flowing arch fits comfortably in the hand.

The notebook’s SuperBright Plus display with 400nit brightness, which is two times brighter than conventional displays, as well as its vibrant Color reproduction (16 million colors) and Super Contrast ratio (1,300:1), makes it one of the most beautiful notebook displays on the market.

Utilizing ambient light sensors, the Auto Display Brightness controls measure light levels in the vicinity of the notebook and automatically adjusts the brightness of the display to ensure an optimized user experience, all the while conserving battery life.

This innovative feature is complemented by an automatically adjusting backlit keyboard that adapts to darker light conditions with greater illumination.

Equipped with Microsoft Windows 7 and the 2nd generation Intel Core i5/i7 Processor* with up to 8GB memory, the Notebook 9 Series accelerates performance by dynamically allocating processing power where it’s needed most, using Intel’s intelligent Turbo Boost technology 2.0, so users can do things smarter and faster while conserving energy.

Samsung’s Fast Start instant-on feature allows users to start working within 12 seconds and become immersed in a truly mobile lifestyle. A 128/256GB solid state drive (SSD) provides more than enough space for personal and professional life; with no moving parts, the Notebook 9 Series delivers 60 percent faster booting than a hard disk drive (HDD) notebook.
The Notebook 9 Series also has increased durability and minimized noise and heat. Samsung’s Fast Start technology powers on the device in just three seconds from sleep mode.

Users will never have to wait to experience the latest in design and performance perfection.

source: mb.com.ph

Apple suppliers begin making white iPhones

2011-04-15T18:28:00.002+08:00

Suppliers to Apple Inc have begun production of white iPhones after a delay of almost 10 months, pointing to a launch date of within a month, two people familiar with the situation said on Thursday.

Hon Hai Precision Industry Co Ltd, flagship of Taiwan's Foxconn Technology Group, would assemble the iPhone, one of the people said. They declined to be named because the information was not public.

An Apple spokeswoman was not immediately available for comment, while calls to a Hon Hai spokesman went unanswered.

Apple Senior Vice-President of Marketing Phil Schiller first said in a Twitter post in March that the white iPhone would be available for sale by Spring, which ends in May in the northern hemisphere.

The white iPhone would be available from AT&T Inc and Verizon Communications Inc by the end of April, Bloomberg News reported on its website, citing a person familiar with the matter.

Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs first unveiled the white version of the smartphone when the iPhone 4 was launched in June last year, but it has been delayed because of a manufacturing issue that the company has not elaborated on.

Many telecommunications operators have been eager to sell the iPhone, hoping that the feature-jammed device will help boost data network use and increase revenue. For example, China Mobile Ltd, the world's biggest mobile operator, has been in talks with Apple for more than a year on distribution rights for the handset.

More than 16 million iPhones were sold in the last quarter of 2010, accounting for more than a third of Apple's sales in those three months.

source: reuters.com