The Kat's Corner

Going Digital? Tips for first time digital camera buyers

noreply@blogger.com (Kat) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 00:45:00 +0000

The task of picking a new digital camera can be daunting for first time buyers. With the huge number of brands and models out in the market, one may be tempted to go and buy the first camera that'll catch their fancy. However, many consumers nowadays want not just the latest camera with nifty features, but rather the best camera where they can get their money's worth.

Before buying
Identify your need
It's easy to get swept away by the advertising glitz, the fads and the hype of cameras. Everyone is getting a digital camera, and many are switching from compact to DSLRs. However, you don't have to jump into the bandwagon. Are you planning to go professional one of these days and earn your keep as a photographer? Are you a hobbyist and want to take breathtaking and artistic shots to show off to your friends? Perhaps your need is simple: you just want a camera to document family gatherings or outings? Consider your reasons for getting a camera and take it from there.

Define your budget This probably goes hand-in-hand with the first tip, and is a practical one. How much are you willing to shell out for a camera that you will use in situations you identified before? It should be within a reasonable range, especially if you don't have anything set aside for such expense and plan to take it from your day-to-day expenses.

Know what's out there Visit the websites of known camera manufacturers and learn what models they have available. Take a look at the camera specifications. Most of them are pretty straightforward, although some information may be a bit technical. With that in mind, note down the ones you think sound like a decent camera for you. Note their make and model, and if available, the price. You can also write down the key features that caught your eye and made you pick the camera for consideration.

Do your homework Knowing what's available isn't enough. Again, one can easily be taken by the hype manufacturers place in their products. The Internet alone is a huge resource for information right at your fingertips. Here's what you can do:

Visit review sites - There's quite a lot out there on the Internet. Go to any search engine, type in the camera you want and you should get several review sites. Among the top favorites are DP Review and Steve's Digicams, both which provide in-depth reviews on various camera models, sample photos and videos too.

Log in to forums - It doesn't have to be a forum that's totally focused on digital cameras and photography. Many forums and online communities have sub-forums tackling technology and for sure, there's a thread about cameras. Do a search among the threads and posts to see if someone has posted a question about the model you want. If there's none, go ahead and post your question. You'll be surprised to see that there many who will respond to your query and give good feedback.

Check out blogs - compared to review sites, bloggers often don't hold back when they write about something. In some ways, that's a drawback because if a product is really bad, many bloggers would rant incessantly and you might not get anything decent. However, this is a rare case and it's great to hear an actual consumer's thoughts on a product: their experience with using it, especially.

Ask your friends - Definitely, you would have friends who own a digital camera. Ask them about their experience with what particular camera, especially if it is the same make and model of your desired camera. If not, ask them what they think of that particular manufacturer. As with blogs, hearing what an actual user has to say is often one of the best ways to know how good a product is. It is not foolproof, but it is very helpful.

Get your hands dirty
Once you have an idea of what you want, go visit an appliance or electronics store and ask if they carry the camera you want. If they do, ask the attendant if they can assist you in getting to know the camera first hand. Let them know that you're not yet going to buy one, but are weighing your options and would like to be a bit more familiar with your choices. Chances are, the staff will let you and even be able to answer some questions you have about the product.

Know the cost
Because you have a budget, it's best to know how much the camera costs in at least three stores. Product websites give you an estimate of how much the camera is, but some stores often sell it at a higher or lower price. As the store how much it is, what comes along with the standard box, and if there are freebies. Remember that the standard box should contain everything that the manufacturer ships to these shops. Freebies are the extra things that come separately from these boxes, and often do not cost extra. These are often camera cases, bigger memory cards or discount coupons to other accessories.

Warranty: A must
It is standard for cameras, much like other things, to come with a warranty. Factor this in when you're buying a camera. Some stores will include a limited warranty (6 months or even less), while others will give the full year or even more. Also ask if this is a manufacturer's warranty or a shop warranty: the latter is limited to the store and some repairs may cost you a lot. The former (manufacturer's warranty) would mean that the repairs will be done by whoever made the camera and often, parts replacements come free. Obviously, the manufacturer's warranty is the better deal.

It may sound a lot, but doing your homework beforehand ensures you'll be able to get a camera that's offers the best value for your money. You wouldn't want to buy one that everyone says is good, then later on regretting on buying it and wishing you got something else.

Getting a camera doesn't mean buying the snazziest or most high tech model around, but rather buying one that best fits your needs and lifestyle.

I wrote this article almost four years ago when I first got my Canon Ixus 80 IS for a pay-per-post site. However, I never knew if it got published, so I'm posting it here on my blog.

Help the Iligan Bloggers with a PayPal Issue

noreply@blogger.com (Kat) — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 14:05:00 +0000

Found this through Iligan Lodge No. 207. The Iligan Bloggers Association have been doing a lot of effort to help our countrymen affected by Typhoon Sendong. They've organized donation drives and received cash donations through PayPal. It's all been going well because they've raised so much. The problem now is that PayPal won't let them withdraw the money from their account. Here's the account which was posted in the Iligan Lodge No. 207 blog:

Brethren, In behalf of the Iligan Bloggers Society, Inc., a non-stock, non-profit organization to which I belong, I seek your very able assistance by way of asking PayPal either to release the amount donated to the organization to be use for the typhoon victims of Iligan City or immediately return it to all the donors. We have up to this minute, able to collect the amount of PhP301,000.00 which PayPal has denied our organization to access. The owner of the PayPal account that we are using, Mr. Alexander S. Singcol, Jr., is a member of the Iligan Bloggers Society, Inc. He has submitted all possible requirements that can be submitted to the institution for their consideration. With the plight of all the victims of the typhoon awaiting the vital relief that can be purchased with the release of the donations, freezing it after we have submitted copies of our Security and Exchange documents did not suffice. They have even deducted a certain amount of the stated figure above. Yesterday's figure is now 300,684.07. Brethren, brotherly love, RELIEF and Truth should be the substitute of the lost word in our case. Our organization did all our best to help our people in distress whether they are rich or poor, young or old, christians or muslims by distributing food, water, dry clothes to relieve them of their hunger and shivering cold during the night and publishing our activities so that the donors might see in full honesty where their donated, hard earned monies went. May I therefore cry for the needed help? If there are any updates relating to this request, please do not hesitate to contact me through this blog. F&S, Bro. Pat D. Noel Iligan Lodge No. 207

Short of writing a letter to PayPal, I can't think of any other way to help. Please spread the word and let's help them get the money out of the account so it can be handed over to those in need as soon as possible!

What's your Coca-Cola Dream Pack?

noreply@blogger.com (Kat) — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 14:03:00 +0000

Coca-Cola is pretty much a pop-cultural icon. It's hard not to recognize the red and white logo that's survived so many changes.

Now, Coca-Cola wants you to let your creative juices flow and tell them about your Coca-Cola Dream Pack. Simply answer these questions:

If you had a dream Coke pack/bottle, what would it look like? How would you make it portable? How many mL/oz.? What would you call it and why? (e.g. in the same way we call the small Coke bottle Coke “Sakto”).
It’s fun to make up nicknames. How would you call a new Coke pack/bottle if it had the following characteristics and why?

“It's a new handy and re-sealable bottle which I can drink to go with my snacks, anytime, anywhere, whenever the need strikes. It is convenient, instant refreshment whenever, and wherever I go: be it travel, trip to the mall, gimmick, or just simply when I'm on- the-go. Truly a great companion for my mobile lifestyle.”

Send your answers to to dreampack2011@gmail.com with the following information:

Subject: Coke Dream Pack Contest Entry
Your First and Last Name
Your Age
Your Contact No.
Your Email Address

Make sure you send them by February 28, 2011 to qualify. You can download the full contest mechanics from here.

And do you want to try your chances in winning a trip with accommodations for you and a friend to watch your favorite artist perform live, anywhere in the world? Then join Coca-Cola's "Any Concert, Anywhere" raffle promo! Best of luck!

Images source: Oddee

Nike presents The Black Mamba

noreply@blogger.com (Kat) — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 12:46:00 +0000

Kobe Bryant has his own movie! Wow. I never thought I'd see the day. Then again, I shouldn't be surprised considering MJ did Space Jam and Shaq not only had his turn in films, but also had a recording contract to boot. So why can't Kobe?

The Black Mamba is Kobe Bryant's alter ego in this movie. He stars with Kanye West, Danny Trejo and Bruce Willis. The movie is directed by Robert Rodriguez and produced by Nike.

I am somewhat of a skeptic, but the trailer had me laughing too, so I'm quite interested in seeing this film.

Should you fear The Black Mamba? If I were one of those crazy, muscled guys who want to destroy him, I'd say yes.

The Black Mamba will hit theaters on Saturday, February 19, 2011, 6:00 p.m. at the Ronac ART Center, Ortigas Avenue, Greenhills, San Juan. Gates open at 4:00 p.m. The event will also unveil the Nike Zoom Kobe VI, so that's something to look out for.

oDesk offers funds transfer directly to your Philippine bank account!

noreply@blogger.com (Kat) — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 10:51:00 +0000

Great news for all oDesk contractors in the Philippines! oDesk is now offering local funds transfer, where you can directly deposit your earnings into your Philippine bank account for a low, flat fee. This eliminates the need for a third party vendor, such as Payoneer or PayPal. Instead, all your money goes directly to your bank account (in pesos too!) through the local clearing system.

It takes 3 to 5 business days for your funds to be properly transferred. Local funds transfer in the Philippines is still in the beta stage, but oDesk assures contractors that the system is sound and their money is in good hands. It's in the beta stage because they know it can improve in the future.

Setting up the local funds transfer is a one-step activation process. You just need your bank's head office BRSTN code, your account number and information. While oDesk charges $1.99 for each transfer, you may incur other charges, such as incoming remittance fees. It's best to ask if your bank has other charges when receiving a BRSTN local funds transfer. oDesk did mention that due to their existing tie-ups with several local banks, these fees won't be very steep.

For a complete list of details, please view this post at the oDesk website. You can also check out the discussion thread. A lot of my questions have been answered just by reading through it.

I'm going to sign up for this. I'm currently using Payoneer and the fees are killing me. Imagine a $20 transfer will incur up to more than $5 in fees just to get the money to Payoneer. I think it's fast and convenient, but not worth it if you're only going to be transferring minimum amounts. I'm trying out Paypal which is somewhat cheaper (transfer from Paypal to local bank, charges may apply too).

This service is open to all Philippine oDesk contractors. Other countries have their own local funds transfer too. It sounds like a very easy solution for all our withdrawal woes (hoy, wag ka bastos! :p) I'm glad oDesk decided to bring this service to us. I can't wait to try it, especially since according to that post, BPI doesn't have any incoming remittance charges! :D

Have you tried this? Will you sign up for it? I'd love to hear about your experience if you have.

January 2012 Update: I was able to try this a few months after I posted this. When my account reached a little over PHP 10,000, I facilitated the transfer. It was pretty quick, and it took less than two days to get from my oDesk account to my BPI savings account. And yes, no remittance charges (compared to transferring from PayPal to BPI).

Dear Globe, it's me again

noreply@blogger.com (Kat) — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 11:47:00 +0000

My Globe DSL service bill for December-January just arrived in my mailbox and I was surprised to see that I still had a balance of P1,150+. I remember asking my brother to pay this balance on my behalf a couple of months ago. Plurk friends will remember it as the time when I ranted about having no service with Globe for nearly a week.

I called up customer service and asked for the updated balance. True enough, I did make the payment and my balance now is P0.93. Since the matter was settled, I was ready to end the call when the customer service rep informed me that I could sign up for paperless billing through the Globe website. I let her finish her spiel even though I was already familiar with the service. The kicker was this line:

"Ma'am, you can view your bill through our online facility and when you're ready to make the payment, i-print niyo nalang po yung bill."

Globe's current set-up with "paperless billing" is that you'll see a scan of the paper bill you receive every month. Unlike the online facility of banks, it doesn't reflect the actual balance of your bill but rather what was received by their system before the cut-off. This was the reason why I had more than a thousand pesos in my bill, as the payment was made after the cut-off period.

Now, I am not certain if customers are truly required to print the bill when paying. If you have a credit card or pay through BPI's online facility, it shouldn't matter. But what about those who can only pay through Globe or Bayad centers? I know I have been able to make over-the-counter payments for my DSL by just providing the correct information the attendant asked for, such as the account number and account holder's name, as well as verify some other details. I am also positive that I was able to make the payment through the machines some Globe centers have even without the stub from the bill.

If Globe does require a printout of the bill from customer who signed up for paperless billing, it totally defeats the purpose of the service in the first place. It doesn't make it more environmentally friendly, and maybe this is a rarity, but what of the customers who do not have printer access (either at home or at the office)?

My points?

Clarify the process for bills payment. If a customer uses the paperless billing, will s/he require a print-out, or not?
Update the system so that customers who do use the service will be able to view in real time their actual balance. A delay of 12 to 24 hours is acceptable. A discrepancy of 1 month is not.

I look forward seeing some improvement in your service, Globe.

The search for a new phone

noreply@blogger.com (Kat) — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 14:46:00 +0000

I've had my current mobile phone, a Sony Ericsson P800, since 2004. How's that for a long term relationship? I've lost the flip keys and the stylus. There's a crack by the camera buttons, the back cover lock's broken and the paint's chipping. Recently, I can't hear the message tone so I'm missing a lot of calls. It's also rather slow to respond sometimes, but I'm thinking it's because it has a lot of contents. Can your phone hold 1,200+ messages? Yeah maybe, but was it manufactured before 2005? >:D

See my phone in the background? It looks ready to give up.

I do love this phone, else I wouldn't stick with it for this long. It's one of the first touchscreen smartphones ever released by any phone manufacturer. It's got a copy/paste function long before iPhone put it in iOS. I can load programs in it. It's also able to view documents, thanks to a program that came with the phone. I also had a Men in Black game and a few others (one of which my mother remembers with much fondness). Sure, it's camera's just VGA, but it was the one I used to take pictures of the Jars of Clay concert back in 2005.

I've finally decided to take the plunge and get a new phone. I've always wanted an iPhone, but it's the version 4 or not at all, and since it's too expensive, I've decided to go with an Android phone. As of last month and thanks to the countless reviews I've read, my choice was HTC Desire, but since they came out with HTC Desire HD, I'm wavering. Especially since there's only about four thousand pesos price difference. Go with the HD, right?

Now all I need now is to have the funds and I'm all set. Goal: Before my birthday. Wish me luck!

SoPhone: The Convincing iPhone Clone?

noreply@blogger.com (Kat) — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 10:44:00 +0000

Here's something you might need to watch out for the next time you browse the electronics tiangge: an iPhone 4 knockoff called "SoPhone". It looks and feels just like an iPhone 4, from the body's dimensions and even the software. Check it out.

As you can see, anyone who is not that familiar with the iPhone 4, or just has a passing knowledge about the product can easily take this as the real thing. The software here looks just like the iOS4.

There's some delay in the response of the software, and you can see that the "accelerometer" didn't properly adjust when the device's direction changed. The sound and display looks good though, but it's definitely not the Retina display the new 1Phone 4 boasts of. I don't think this will support the same apps as the real iOS will. Too bad the demonstration didn't include anything about the other apps like games or the camera.

The most glaring difference is in the device interior: it can be easily opened, the battery can be removed and the SIM card slot is for a regular sized one, rather than the mini one. The SoPhone has a 3.5-inch touch-screen, 4GB of flash storage (not sure if it's expandable), dual cameras, is Wi-Fi ready, and has Bluetooth.

I foresee issues with Apple on this, but I have to admit, it's pretty darn amusing to see this. Still, nothing can replace the iPhone 4. I still want one.

You've Been Stung!

noreply@blogger.com (Kat) — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 12:36:00 +0000

I wasn't yet born when The Green Hornet first aired as a radio series, nor when it became a TV series. I only got to watch it when a local channel (forgot which one) aired reruns during afternoons back in the 80s. Back then, I already thought Kato was cool (I consider him one of the reasons why I went into martial arts in the first place). When I found out he was played by Bruce Lee, Kato's cool factor went up several notches.

I didn't have high expectations with the movie when I first saw the trailer. The Britt Reid I knew was an intellectual and somewhat serious guy as opposed to the party-all-night playboy Seth Rogen portrayed him in this 2011 incarnation. I didn't expect much from Jay Chou either. I haven't seen any of his movies, but I have heard his music.

I was wrong. I liked Jay Chou as Kato. I love the homages to Bruce Lee (the sketchbook, the --- ok fine, I won't spoil it). I didn't quite care for Britt Reid, but Chadnofsky/Bloodnofsky is a hoot. The jokes between Kato and Britt made me wonder if Rogen and Evan Goldberg (the movie's scriptwriters) referred to the Bro Code when writing the script. There were definitely a lot of funny scenes that had me snickering all throughout.

You know what's another cool thing? The Mythbusters team up with Seth Rogen to prove (or disprove) scenes from the movie. So I won't spoil things for you, I shall keep mum about what they're going to do, except that the myths are titled "Explosive Escape" and "Elevator Car Cut". You have time to watch the movie before this Mythbusters episode airs on January 28 on Discovery Channel. Grab some of Krispy Kreme's Green Hornet doughnuts (called "Green Iced Sting") to sweeten the deal.

Adam Savage, Seth Rogen, Jamie Hyneman. Picture courtesy of Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific.

I look forward to seeing Buster in a suit.

Meet RockMelt

noreply@blogger.com (Kat) — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 15:12:00 +0000

I just installed RockMelt on my MacBook and I'm doing a test run. So far, so good, but since I've been on it for just a few minutes, I've barely just scratched the surface.

What is RockMelt? When I first heard about it, I thought it was a dessert of some sort, especially since it was Arpee who told me about it. A quick online search brought back this result from Wikipedia:

RockMelt is a proprietary social media web browser developed by Tim Howes and Eric Vishria. The project is backed by Netscape founder Marc Andreessen. RockMelt integrates a unique technique for surfing the web that focuses on Google Search and Social Media, in particular Facebook and Twitter. The browser launched in private beta on November 8, 2010; in order to download it, users are required to connect their facebook account to the website to receive an invitation email. Source

The article also states that the browser is based on Chromium, Google's open-source project on cross-platform browsers. Which is also the reason why upon launching RockMelt, it looks like Chrome with extras on the side.

Here's a list of a few things I experienced with RockMelt. It's very basic as I didn't play around with it much.

Initial launch of RockMelt will ask for your Facebook credentials. It will also ask if you want to import settings from Safari or make Rockmelt the default browser. Once done, it'll launch the browser. There is an option to log out of RockMelt and use just the browser.
Passwords saved on Chrome seem to be automatically copied to RockMelt. I loaded Photobucket and I was prompted to allow RockMelt to use the credentials stored in the browser. I chose "allow" and after I typed my email on the login screen, it immediately filled up the password form. Convenient, and a tad scary.
Totally random, but the chat function on RockMelt takes on the color scheme of my iChat.
The browser is also integrated with Growl that when a friend on Facebook or someone I'm following on Twitter updates, I see an alert on my screen. It can be a bit distracting if your friends update every few seconds (seriously, I have contacts who do).

Rockmelt is great to use if you're always on your social network sites, like Facebook and Twitter. You can easily update your status, share links and photos. Think of it a one big interactive browser.

As it's built on Chromium, the basic features and performance are the same as Chrome. I definitely recommend this browser if you want to be on top of what's going on with your friends. It also saves you from constantly moving from tab to tab for updates. Personally, I find the alerts distracting (thanks to the Growl integration), and with my small screen, the sidebars take up precious space. Still, it's a good browser alternative.

Rockmelt is currently available by invitation only. You can visit the site and sign up for early access.

Bistro Ravioli: My new favorite Italian place

noreply@blogger.com (Kat) — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 14:12:00 +0000

Every time I go for Italian food, I know that I'm going to be full. Even if I decide to order the smallest portion available, I'll always end up feeling that someone needs to roll me out of the restaurant after every meal.

My lunch at Bistro Ravioli was no exception. I had a bite or two of each dish that was ordered, and since there were about eight or so items ordered, that was already a lot. I have a habit of scarfing down what I like and not waiting for what comes next. I'm so glad I paced myself that day.

Bistro Ravioli first started as a booth at the Robinson's Galleria food court. Princess Pilarta, managing director of Bistro Ravioli, related how the mall management was skeptical about the venture, after all, Bistro Ravioli seemed a different from the other food stalls, and Filipinos weren't too familiar with ravioli. However, these fears proved to be unfounded, and Bistro Ravioli grew to expand to two full-service restaurants in SM Mall of Asia and Robinson's Place Manila, where we had our delicious meal.

Now, what you must know with Bistro Ravioli is that their breads and pastas are freshly made. A batch of pasta will be made for the lunch crowd, and then again for the dinner crowd. Pizza dough is also made within the restaurant premises, the process of which guests can see through a big glass window by the entrance of the restaurant.

We started our meal off with two antipasti dishes: Grilled Foccacia with Spinach Dip (P125) and Pizza Frita with Boursin Dip (P145). I'm a big cheese lover, so both dips are winners for me. I even had some saved and ate it with the garlic bread that came with the pasta dishes. The breads were delicious, the foccacia with just the right blend of herbs that complemented the spinach dip (oh the cheese!) and the pizza frita set off the smooth mix of the creamy boursin dip (did I mention cheese?).

Pizza Frita with Boursin Dip (P145)

Grilled Foccacia with Spinach Dip (P125)

More pictures to make you hungry after the jump.

Two ravioli dishes were also served: Italian Sausage Ravioli in Romesco Sauce (P190) and Corned Beef Ravioli (P190). The only time I ever had ravioli was in Buon Giorno in Tagaytay, and that was pretty expensive. The Italian sausage was spicy, giving a little kick to the dish. The corned beef is a surprise, because it isn't a filling that you'd normally find in ravioli. Take your time in enjoying each piece.

Italian Sausage Ravioli in Romesco Sauce (P190)

Corned Beef Ravioli (P190)

We were served Garlic Seafood Spagetti (solo, P165) and Molto Meatball Spaghetti (solo, P180).

Garlic Seafood Spagetti (solo, P165)

Molto Meatball Spaghetti (solo, P180)

If you want more than pasta, you can order Diablo Wings (P245) or Rosticciana (P350). The Diablo Wings is not as hot as I expected, which makes it a winner for me.

Diablo Wings (P245)

Rosticciana (P350)

Pizza, baked in wood-fired brick oven, is also available (for both restaurants, although not in the Robinson’s Galleria food court). We had Margherita (12", P250) and Shrimp & Basil Pesto (P300). I loved the latter, and I wasn’t full, I’d have more than a slice.

Margherita (12", P250)

Shrimp & Basil Pesto (P300)

For dessert, I had Panna Cotta w/ strawberry (P95), but you can also chose to have Tiramisu (P125) or Choco Lava (P125). The panna cotta was a big improvement over the last one I had, and it went perfectly with the fresh strawberries with syrup. The tiramisu slice is big enough to share, and the choco lava is great with coffee… or vanilla ice cream.

Tiramisu (P125)

Panna Cotta w/ strawberry (P95), Choco Lava (P125) and brewed coffee.

Bistro Ravioli has a lot of great selling points. The menu is limited, but varied. Prices are very reasonable for the serving size and the taste. It's affordable for the working professional, and students from the nearby schools can also afford to have a dish or two.

What I also loved about Bistro Ravioli is that it's got a very homey feel to it. Lunch was a fun affair because it was shared with familiar faces, Princess and Abby Tomas, and we had a great staff who attended to our needs. They understood how their guests needed to shoot first and eat later, and gamely offered their assistance when the photographers needed it. They also happily posed for pictures when asked. The meal reminded me of how my family gets together: great food, fun conversation and awesome company.

Happy and busog bloggers with Princess Pilarta and Abby Tomas

The very awesome staff of Bistro Ravioli Robinson's Place Manila. These two photos are by Russel of Digital Light Scribe.

Downside? Both restaurants are too far from me. I can live with the Robinson's Galleria branch, but for the full experience, it's must to go to either MoA or Rob's Place.

Edit: (Jan. 25, 2012) There's a Bistro Ravioli branch in Glorietta 3.

Bistro Ravioli is now my favorite Italian place for good eats.

The Ayala Triangle Gardens Experience

noreply@blogger.com (Kat) — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 15:23:00 +0000

I always thought that there's not enough places in the city you can go to that is not a mall or inside a building. It's refreshing, however, to see efforts by developers to make more places people can go to for some rest and recreation.

Ayala Triangle Gardens is one such place in the middle of the busy city. Located just behind the Makati Stock Exchange, it's a lovely spot with a wide open space where kids can run around and benches under sprawling trees that you can sit on. I remember this space as a closed off area that's rather dark at night and scary to pass by. Now, it's a really nice place for people to go to.

Late 2010, Restaurants at Ayala Triangle Gardens opened. Visitors to the park, as well as those who are working in nearby offices now have a wider range of restaurants to pick from for their lunch or dinner. Many of the restaurants are small and can accommodate only a few people inside. Diners are encouraged to enjoy their meal al fresco, and it definitely is an experience.

Enjoying meals outdoors.

I was able to try three different restaurants in the Ayala Triangle Gardens: Amici, Bon Chon Chicken and Golden Spoon. Of the three, Bon Chon is the only one I haven't tried before. It's a South Korean based fried chicken restaurant. The difference of Bon Chon's chicken is that it's twice fried, making it more crunchy and less greasy. The chicken was very tasty and comes in either garlic or super hot.

Hot & spicy on the left, garlic soy on the right. Both are delicious!

Amici is well known as the Italian restaurant that had its roots in Don Bosco, Makati. The new owners continued the tradition after acquiring the chain, keeping in line with the restaurant's original vision with a homey, cafeteria-like atmosphere. The Ayala Triangle branch is the first of the Amici chain that features a sit-down dining area, as opposed to self-service in the other branches. The kitchen is open and diners can clearly see the big stone oven or pugon that the restaurant uses to cook the pizza.

Diners can also partake of Amici's delicious dessert line, Caramia. Pick from any one of their creamy gelato, or have a slice of delicious gelato cakes.

If gelato isn't your thing, no worries. The more health conscious eater can opt to have dessert at Golden Spoon. Choose from their flavored yogurts, then pick your favorite topping. You can also have it without them, and it tastes just as good.

The Ayala Triangle Gardens is a great place for the professionals working in the area to grab a bite to eat and have a relaxing break from the rigors of the work day. Weekends, it's a wonderful place for the family to go to and have fun. Stop by and indulge!

Happy New Year! Welcome 2011!

noreply@blogger.com (Kat) — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 11:01:00 +0000

I'd like to share this quote from Neil Gaiman. I find it very fitting for me, and it seems like something that would work with everyone. I took the photo a few days ago, and did this graphic with the quote.

Thank you for visiting my blog. I hope to see you more in 2011.

Season's Greetings!

noreply@blogger.com (Kat) — Sat, 25 Dec 2010 03:23:00 +0000

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!

Darren Criss in Manila

noreply@blogger.com (Kat) — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 01:03:00 +0000

A few months back, my friend Anne and I discovered little gem of a YouTube musical called "A Very Potter Musical". In our group of friends, we were the only fans, not just of the guy who played Harry but of the entire cast. We raved, we shared photos, we praised them. We sang their songs on the bus to Zambales, we searched for their other shows and we waited impatiently for the sequel, "A Very Potter Sequel". Still, it was just the two of us who went really crazy over the Starkids.

Fast foward to two months or so ago, Glee (which I had long stopped watching) introduced a new character named Blaine, who happened to be played by the same guy who played Harry in AVPM/AVPS. Immediately his popularity skyrocketed. Suddenly, everyone is a fan of Darren.

With Joiz & Ryan, we trooped to Trinoma to watch him. I'm terribly happy that he sang a lot of Starkid songs and to my surprise, a lot of people in the crowd knew the songs. It may have been called "Have a Gleeful Christmas", but that night, the Starkids ruled. It was totally awesome, and I really less than three Darren Criss.

For the song list and the links to the videos (which I'm still not finished uploading), please visit this page. :)

Philippine Peso bills redesigned

noreply@blogger.com (Kat) — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 05:33:00 +0000

The country was abuzz with the news yesterday that the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas released the newly redesigned Philippine Peso bills. It's been years since the current designs have been out, and while there were no changes since, we've been adding some denominations to it. I remember the time when the biggest bill was P100, then they came out with the P500, then the P1000 and lastly the P200.

I also remember the P5 bill with Emilio Aguinaldo. Did you guys ever played with it and make him look like Randy Santiago? The P10 bill was the one that had a redesign before it was eventually pulled out. I wonder how these two bills would look like if they were redesigned now?

The new designs look great. I can't wait to get my hands on them. Next payday, perhaps? :)

Joseph & Jaemark's Family Grill

noreply@blogger.com (Kat) — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 15:05:00 +0000

I'm quite ashamed to say that I've never eaten at Joseph & Jaemark's Family Grill. For a restaurant that has a very long history, and for someone like me who loves to eat, that's quite unusual. So when I had the chance to try their food last December 2, I didn't hesitate.

Joseph & Jaemark's has been around for 17 years, starting out as a small hole-in-the-wall place in Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay. Over the years its moved locations around the metro, and it's current home is at Sgt. Esguerra St. in Quezon City. Moving around hasn't stopped its patrons from coming in and ordering their favorites.

While this new location is open for business, Joseph & Jaemark's hasn't had a formal and grand opening just yet. It's easily accessible from Timog, and has a friendly, homey atmosphere that's perfect for family get-togethers. As the night wears on, the place is transformed into a hangout where the crowd can enjoy good music, good food and maybe a beer or two at the al fresco space behind the dining area. Function rooms are also in the process of being built.

Dinner started off with a plate of Catfish Salad. Catfish, or hito, is commonly cooked on a grill and hardly even associated with salad. This dish, however, was a very pleasant surprise. Bits of catfish friend to a crunchy mass and placed atop a mix of burong mangga made for a very delicious appetizer. The tastes clash in a pleasant way and leaves you wanting more.

Catfish Salad, P200

Most stuffed vegetables are filled with pork or beef. Joseph & Jaemark's uses tinapa as their stuffing, and it bursts with a wonderful smokey flavor when you bite it.

Stuffed Pechay, P160

If there's one thing I noticed with many grilled foods, is that it tends to become dry the more it's cooked. This is especially true for fish. Joseph & Jaemarks's Grilled Tuna Belly is not. When it's served, it actually looks like a slab of grilled beef or pork and it has a sweet coating that is similar to the ones used in those meats. However, you will immediately notice that it is not beef or pork. It's really good.

Grilled Tuna Belly, P270 (small)

Most coco prawn recipes have the prawns cooked in coco sauce. This Coco Prawns are not only cooked that way, but it also includes bits of coconut meat. It adds flavor and texture to an already rich dish. It's also served in a carved out coconut.

Coco Prawns, P450

I grew up eating genuine Bicol Express, so I wasn't really expecting much with this. It's not as spicy as the ones my grandmother used to cook, which is a good thing for me, personally. It has a slightly sweet taste that balances it all out. It goes great with the meat dishes in the menu as it's got a lot of vegetables, although it feels really more like pakbet rather than Bicol Express for me.

Bicol Express

Somehow, this dish would've paled in comparison to the previous dishes, as it was meat and it wasn't that big. But for it's very unassuming look, the barbecued pork spare ribs is a winner in my book. The meat is very tender and easily breaks with just a gentle pressure from your silverware. It's sauce is sweet and penetrates deep into the meat. The thin layer of fat is delicious when eaten with some of the meat. Highly recommended.

BBQ Pork Spare Ribs

This was certainly the star of the night. Most grill places offer crispy pata as their main dish, but Joseph & Jaemark's has Crispy Buntot, and it tastes just as good, if not better. You can eat to your heart's content and won't worry about the cholesterol and fat. There's two sauces, butter sauce and spicy toyo. Both complement the crispy buntot very well, but you can also eat it without the sauces.

Crispy Buntot, P315 (medium), P415 (large)

Here's something that isn't on the menu just yet, so we felt pretty lucky to have tried this new recipe. It's chicken balls, but it's quite unlike the regular ones you'd eat, thanks to an ingredient one might not probably even think of adding to ground meat: ginger.

Chicken balls

This dessert is not on the menu either, but the lychee gulaman is delicious and a refreshing end to a very heavy and yummy dinner.

Everything I ate was a winner. If I had space in my stomach I'd go for another round of serving, but sadly, I didn't. Still, it was a very delicious dinner. My favorites were the Crispy Buntot, Grilled Tuna and BBQ Pork Spareribs.

Joseph & Jaemark's Family Grill
#5 Sgt. Esguerra, Diliman, Quezon City
410-TUNA (8862)

Samsung Galaxy Tab test photos

noreply@blogger.com (Kat) — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 14:11:00 +0000

Here are some pictures I took using the Samsung Galaxy Tab that was lent to the bloggers during the launch tour last November 28. They're not the full sized versions though. Picasa resizes them.

Malate Church

Fritz :)

Luneta

Carlos Celdran

My historical and high tech Manila tour

noreply@blogger.com (Kat) — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 13:39:00 +0000

Last Sunday, I joined several bloggers on a Manila tour with Carlos Celdran, thanks again to the invite extended by Arpee. While many have already taken a tour with Carlos before, this was a special trip.

The tour centers around the photographs of Teodulo Protomartir, who is considered as the Father of Philippine photography and credited as the man who brought the 35 mm format to the country. A series of photographs from his collection of post-war Manila. I first heard about this man and these photographs through Rain, who is a film photographer enthusiast. The tour was based on these pictures, where Carlos took us around Manila, showing us the pictures of old places and buildings, and what they look like now.

It was truly an educational tour. Even though those buildings and places were familiar to me, having seen them for as long as I can remember, hearing the history and learning what the buildings have gone through makes it all the more awe-inspiring.

What made the tour more fun was the use of the Samsung Galaxy Tab. This device is a very portable tablet that has a 7" TFT-LCD display and weighs only 380g. While we were on the bus heading towards Manila, Carlos plugged his Tab to the onboard TV, loaded a PowerPoint presentation and proceeded give us a quick history lesson in Philippine history, specifically, Manila.

Carlos loads up the PowerPoint presentation on the TV

I look at it through the Tab that I have

Taking a picture of the Tab while taking a picture of the Church.

We just didn't marvel at the coolness of the Galaxy Tab while Carlos did his spiel. Samsung was generous to let us get a feel of it ourselves. They handed out several units so while we were walking around Manila, we could update our Facebook status, take pictures, shoot videos and even do Google searches for information on the places we're seeing.

I had a marvelous time playing around the Samsung Galaxy Tab. I was able to hold the Tab the most among our little group (Fritz, Chris and Jane), and while walking, I managed to take pictures and update my social networking accounts (Plurk, Facebook and Twitter) letting the world know that, hey, I'm using a Samsung Galaxy Tab! Carlos even showed me some cool features with the Tab that I couldn't figure out how to do in the first place. Awesome.

Showing us what the building looked like before.

Lecture in the middle of the street.

Carlos is also a fun and engaging guide. While walking, he was stopped by several people, most of whom were your everyday Juans. Street kids would point and say "Si Damaso!" Students and tourists would ask to have their pictures with him, while one taxi driver even leaned out of his car to say hello. "I know I've made it when taxi drivers would wave at me," Carlos jokingly tells us.

He also crosses the street with no care, making all of us scramble at his wake (nightmare for someone like me who is scared of crossing the street). In Luneta Park, security stopped him and asked what he was going to do at the park. Maybe they think he'll create a scene? Hurray for a student ID that saved us.

At the Rizal monument

"You are standing at where the Quirino grandstand originally was."

Manila hotel

We ended our tour at the Manila Hotel, where we had buffet brunch. It was my first time to enter the historical building and it was far more impressive inside than out.

While resting, I had my chance to really play with the Samsung Galaxy Tab. I had it the most while we were walking, but there's only so much you can do without worrying about getting hit by a bus or another pedestrian. I read the newspaper, I checked my email and oh my lord, I read e-books. That was one of the biggest draws for me. The screen made the e-books as big as an actual pocketbook, so my eyes weren't strained. It makes digital reading a viable option to printed books.

The Tab isn't as big as it's competitor. It's about 40% less in size, it isn't bulky and I can easily handle it with one hand. The camera's picture quality is quite excellent and the lens has a rather wide range. ~~Too bad I wasn't able to get some of the pictures I took off the camera :(~~ Pictures arrived late, thanks to some delay with the 3GS provider my Tab was using.

Galaxy Tab meets Pinky:St.

Fritz showed us how Swype works, and we did a quick test on how it would look if someone called you on the Tab. Calls are automatically on speaker, as it would probably look really silly if you put it against your ear like a regular cellphone, so a headset is a must.

I'm not so sure about the battery life, as I didn't know how much was the power when the Tab was handed to me. However, the Tab survived the four hour tour*, with us taking photos, browsing, taking videos etc. Not bad, I should say.

While it's a bit on the big side as a replacement phone, it scores high points from me for being able to do the things I want a tablet to do. It's also much cheaper than it's biggest competitor, and it's storage is expandable with a MicroSD. Do I want a Samsung Galaxy Tab? Yes, definitely! It was so hard to give it back after the event, but I had to. It's on my wishlist for Christmas this year.

Flippin' for Flip Video!

noreply@blogger.com (Kat) — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 15:27:00 +0000

Last night, I had the privilege of attending the Philippine launch of the Cisco's Flip Video MinoHD. Cisco, in partnership with SM Cinemas, hosted the launch at SM Megamall Cinema 6. The place was jam-packed, and well attended by bloggers, media, celebrities and your everyday Juan.

While I'm no stranger to Flip cameras, it was definitely exciting to be part of the crowd who'll be the first to experience the new line that Cisco was launching. I've been blogging since 2003, but I'm fairly new to the events scene, so pardon the uber excited vibe I may be exuding.

Cisco launched three new cameras during this event: The Flip MinoHD 1HR, Flip MinoHD 2HR and the UltraHD. These cameras are small, stylish and easy to operate, standards set by the previous releases of the Flip Video. They're also ready to operate straight out of the box. A no-fuss video camera that takes high resolution footage? Sign me up!

Photo by Ryan

A screening of several short films shot using the Flip Video MinoHD was presented to the guests. Before that, cocktails were served while guests mingled. I had a grand time hanging out with friends Arpee and Ryan, and meeting new ones as well. It was also a thrill to finally see the faces of people I know only through their blogs. *waves hello*

Among those whose films were shown using the Flip MinoHD were Tessa Prieto-Valdes, Mitch Dulce, Dimples Romana, director Topel Lee and blogger Jayvee Fernandez.

Probably the much awaited moment of the night was the raffle for the Flip MinoHD. Guests were asked to fill in a raffle stub at the registration tables earlier in the event. I didn't expect to win, but imagine my elation when my name was called. Plurk friend Fritz Tentativa also won a camera.

While I haven't really played around much with the camera, in an oddly positive way, there's not much look at. Being simple is the camera's biggest selling point, among others.

You don't have to be technical to use the camera as there are no confusing controls to worry about when you want to shoot.
The camera is small and very lightweight, probably weighs as much as an iPod classic (or even less).
It powers up fairly fast. I can be up and shooting videos in two seconds.
There are no messy and confusing wires to worry about. The Flip Video MinoHD has a built-in USB arm that flips out of the body and attaches easily to any USB port for fast and easy file transfer.
There's a pre-packaged software called FlipShare that's compatible to both PC and Mac, which you can use to organize, edit and share your videos.

On the downside, battery life seems a tad too short for a camera that can shoot two hour footage. The storage, even for the 8 GB, isn't ideal if you want to shoot long footage, like weddings or other events, especially if you don't have a computer handy to connect to. The fact that the memory isn't expandable may be a problem for some. Also, the USB plug is awkward because it cannot support the camera's weight when it's plugged in but Fritz's suggestion to get those USB extension cables works around this concern well.

Those aside, it shouldn't stop you from getting one. The cameras are very handy and easy to operate. Having a dedicated camera for video now frees up your still camera for what it's originally made for.

The Flip Video MinoHD is available locally in various electronics and gadget stores like Ansons Appliance, Digital Walker, selected outlets of Human (yes, the clothing shop), Power Mac Center, Robinsons Appliance Stores and of course, SM Department Stores and Appliance centers.

Arpee, me and Jo Bonsol. Photo by Ryan

Thanks to Arpee of Pinoy Life At Large for extending the invite!

Linaw Beach Resort

noreply@blogger.com (Kat) — Sun, 24 Oct 2010 03:20:00 +0000

One of the nicest resorts I've been to is Linaw Beach Resort in Panglao Island, Bohol. I'm not a big fan of resorts, as they're often crowded and noisy. The only other resort I had a wonderful time in was in Sariaya, Quezon (but that was because we were there on a weekday, thus had the place to ourselves).

It was Joiz who found Linaw Beach Resort online, and it got our vote not only because it looked great, but because she received a prompt and thorough reply to her query. Plus, the price for the rooms were quite affordable, especially since we split it between the five of us.

We booked three days and two nights, and the resort even had a service pick us up from the airport in Tagbilaran. It arrived a little late due to some mix up with the van driver, but we forgot about thanks to our excitement.

Linaw Beach Resort is about thirty minutes away from the airport. The scenery along Panglao is very provincial and peaceful, a contrast to the hustle and bustle of Tagbilaran.

When we arrived at the resort, we were greeted by the staff who offered us tall, cold glasses of iced tea. From the road, it looked like a modest sized house, with some construction going on outside. Still, it was a beautiful place and we couldn't help but go "Oh my God" over and over.

Once entering our rooms, we started rhapsodizing about the awesomeness of the place all over again. Our rooms were on the first floor of the adjacent building from where we checked in. A connecting door allowed us to pass through the rooms. They opened directly out to the restaurant and pool area, which was open to the majestic view of the white sand beach.

We decided then and there that we wanted to live in Linaw.

The rooms are big, with a bed that can fit two, if not three, people. Additional fold-out beds can be requested (for P500 each), at a maximum to two more for each room. Ideally, the room is for four people. Any more than that, I suggest you get another room.

Linaw has a restaurant, a bar and a pool. Wi-Fi is free, and rooms are fully air-conditioned with an entertainment system and cable TV in each room. The amenities are top notch, and the atmosphere is very relaxing (so relaxing we all managed to nap in various places at one time or another).

One downside is Linaw doesn't offer breakfast with your stay*. For the price, you would've expected it. Their restaurant serves great food, however, and the price range is pretty affordable. It's open to the public, so you'd be sharing the dining area not just with the resort's guests, but also from other resorts in the area.

They also offer various services and activities like massage and manicure, boat and motorcycle rentals, tours and travel assistance.

Overall, Linaw Beach Resort is an excellent place to stay in when you're considering a trip to Bohol. Price is affordable, location is great, the view is top-notch. You'll definitely get the R&R you need here.

All photos by me.
*Note that the resort's policies, services offered and prices may change from the publication date of this post. I am not responsible for any updates regarding this. Please contact the resort for up-to-date information.

Linaw Beach Resort and Restaurant
9999 Daorong, Danao
Panglao, Bohol
Phone: +6338 502-9345
Cell: +63922 855 6239
Fax: +6338 502-8156
info@linawbeachresort.com

Professor Layton VS. Ace Attorney on the Nintendo 3DS

noreply@blogger.com (Kat) — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 00:34:00 +0000

I am a big Professor Layton fan, although it was quite by accident. I borrowed a friend's Nintendo DS mostly to play Final Fantasy. One boring afternoon, I took a break from FF and decided to check out "Professor Layton and the Curious Village".

I was hooked. My sister was hooked, and so was my mom. I played that and "The Diabolical Box" and wanted more. Since I can't understand Japanese, I have to wait for the English releases, and boy, sometimes it is a long wait.

Today, I heard the news that Level 5, the company that created Professor Layton, is working with Capcom (yes, that CAPCOM) to bring a crossover puzzle/crime mystery game to the Nintendo 3DS. It's called Professor Layton VS Gyakuten saiban (Professor Layton VS Ace Attorney).

Yes. Layton AND Ace Attorney.

Ace Attorney creator Shu Takumi will helm the writing team for the game. This ought to be good. In the meantime, I will go scour the internet for an Ace Attorney Revoltech, and save up for a 3DS.

Thanks to MarkPoa for the heads up. Joystiq and Siliconera for the details and photos.

My feedback: Nokia 2730

noreply@blogger.com (Kat) — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 05:44:00 +0000

My parents recently renewed their contract with Smart Bro and received a Nokia 2730 classic for free. It looks like a younger sibling of the Nokia 6730 classic that I had the chance of using before, if somewhat lighter and a bit more flimsy.

The Nokia 2730

I'm not going into a full review because one, I don't really do that and two, you can find more in depth reviews online. I'll just list the things that I like with the phone and what I can do with it.

1. Camera - a lot of the reviews I've read complain about the quality of the camera. I'd be inclined to agree, but then again, my previous (and still working) phone was a Sony Ericsson P800. While it was remarkable when it was first released, it's pretty much a dinosaur now compared to many phones that have a higher resolution camera. I briefly had a Nokia N92 but my sister now uses it, but I like the camera there. But compared to my long time phone, a 2 MP phone camera is something I am not complaining about. Besides, if I wanted a better picture, I'd use my camera.

2. Ebooks - With the P800, I could only read text files with the built-in viewer, while the N92 had the more handy MobiPocket. I was lucky enough to find out that the 2730 runs Java files, and luckier still to find a stash of ebooks converted to run as .jar files. The choice of books are quite limited though, but since I don't plan on using the phone as my main ebook reader, it still passes muster. The files I found are also customizable (font and background color change) and I can bookmark the place I last read. Not bad at all.

eBooks

3. Music player - The phone comes with a 1 GB SD card, which is more than enough for me. I've added the songs that I'm listening to now. Sound quality is decent too. I'm glad that the earphone jack is the standard 3.5 mm that many mobile phones now sport, which allows me to use other headsets aside from the one provided by Nokia. The radio is also a plus, but not so much since I barely listen to it nowadays.

4. Applications - The calendar, notes and to-do list are all convenient and welcome applications. Both the calendar and to-do list allow you to set an alarm for the notes you create. The note itself doesn't have that option, but that shouldn't be a problem. I also love the calculator, but then again, that should be a standard app. I was also able to send a note from the P800 to the 2730, so that's another plus.

5. Quick Access - Like with other Nokia handsets, the buttons can be customized. I set mine as "Go To" for the left for my most commonly accessed programs, and the camera for the right. IThe navigation buttons are programmed too: Up for calendar, right for calculator, down for contacts and right for new message.

With the love comes the hate. Well, that's probably too strong a word but here are some of the things that could use some improvement.

Keypad - I've used my P800's touchscreen exclusively for a while now, and I find it easy to type with the onscreen Qwerty keyboard. The 2730's keypad is rather stiff, coupled with my difficulty in typing with just the thumb makes it a bit more difficult to enter data.

Bluetooth - I tried connecting the phone to my MacBook so I can browse it for the files, but I keep getting an error that it can't connect. Previously, I had sent a file from my P800 to the 2730, so I wonder if it's a phone issue or a laptop issue. Thankfully, the memory card is easily accessible from the side, so I use a card reader to get the files. Edit: It seems that it won't work with the laptop's Bluetooth manager. I have to install the Ovi suite or something.

3G - The Nokia 2730 is the one of the cheapest phones in the market that has 3G access. However, the performance is still highly dependent on the network provider. I tried using it over the weekend and so far, I had no trouble accessing Facebook, but other sites took a long time to load (to the point that one won't even load at all, much less allow me to log in).

Alarm - A feature in the P800 that I really love is that the phone allows you to set three different times for alarm, and you can even set them the days when they'll sound. Most Nokia phones, this one not excluded, will allow you to set only one time for an alarm (but it does have a repeat function). With the Symbian OS you can download third party apps, but I'm not so sure with this phone.

The phone also doesn't support wi-fi, but I guess that's something I can live without. If I wanted to browse the Internet and not just update my Facebook status, I'd go use a laptop.

Overall, the Nokia 2730 classic is a great buy for people who just need the basics for a phone. Call and text are standard, and you can also access your email with the phone. It's a nifty entertaiment device, especially if you just need it for a temporary distraction (like when waiting in line). It is also a good organizer on the go. The construction of the keypad may not be for everyone (as mentioned, it's rather stiff and sometimes I feel like it can break at any time), but you'll get used to it after a while. As of last check, the price ranges from P2,500 to P4,000.

Bidding wars

noreply@blogger.com (Kat) — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 00:24:00 +0000

I started working at oDesk with an hourly rate of $3. I increased it to $5 but sadly, I get a lot of "bid is too high" responses. I acknowledge that while don't fully understand the dynamics of how buyers get their funds to pay for the work they need, it is still rather annoying and disheartening to receive such notices when I know that one, my rate is not high compared to other providers, and two, what I am charging is still affordable enough for great quality work.

What many buyers might not consider is the worth of the dollar to the person who is looking for work. A dollar is worth about forty to fifty pesos in the Philippines, depending on the market, but it usually falls around in that range. It may sound big --- if you tend to think that what fifty bucks can buy is the same as what you can get with a dollar.

In most cases it is not. In order for someone to live substantially here, you have to at least earn P500 a day. That's about $10 (again, depending on the exchange rate), and that's only for the daily expenses. In other countries, a person earning $10 an hour is standard. Ten dollars a day is not enough, especially if a person has to pay his bills and sustain a family.

Some writers accept a low paying work because they accept other work as well. Totaling what they earn for all that would most likely net them a substantial amount. Then again, it would be undermining their talents and skills, and sometimes, getting bulk work compromises the quality of the articles.

I also noticed that many buyers prefer to get people from non-US countries because they will take a dollar per article rate. Browsing through some writing forums, I've learned that many writers consider a $10 per article rate the bare minimum, as it's the rate many US writers charge.

In many instances, it's a strike against me to have the Philippines listed as my location. Buyers immediately think I'll be willing to accept a very low rate for my work. While I do want to get a job, I too have my standards. I have a university degree and more than ten years of writing experience in various fields under my belt. I speak and write English as well as anyone who is from an English speaking country. In fact, I learned how to speak it alongside the vernacular language. English is not a second language for me, but one of my primary languages.

Still think the bid is too high? Here are some suggestions you can look into to help you decide what to do next.

1. Check the provider's work. Make a portfolio a requirement for applicants. Do they write in the way that you want your articles to come out? Are they up to your standards of "perfect English grammar"? Is their work original and pass Copyscape? These are common requirements I see in many job postings.

Even without asking, I include links to my blog so that the buyer will be able to look at how I write. I try to keep my blog as updated as possible, and write in a variety of styles. I am confident that my work is worth more than my current oDesk bid. I've seen some writing samples of people who bid around a dollar or so for their work and honestly, it is worth even less.

2. If you think the rate is too high even after you've checked the provider's work, don't cancel the bid just yet. Ask the provider if they would be willing to negotiate their rate to meet your budget. While many would not consider doing so, there would be others who would be willing to. If by chance they cannot lower it to the exact amount that you need, try to see if you can compromise to an amount that would be satisfactory to both of you.

3. Consider the kind of job you want them to do. Seriously, a 500 word article is not easy to write. If you could do it quickly, then I'm sure you wouldn't be looking for a writer now, right? Think of all the work that goes into it: research, writing the draft, the cycle of editing and rewriting until you get it right. I've looked into freelance forums and writing forums and many agree that a dollar for one article that includes research and editing is a very low rate. Even if the data has been provided, it still is a low rate.

4. Look into the writer's feedback, history and testimonials, if they are any (usually for sites like oDesk there would be). Is it good? Does it meet your standards? Or are you seeing low scores and ratings? I'd personally pick a writer who charges $10 per article (or hour, depending) if I am confident that they can meet my demands, versus someone charging a dollar but has issues with deadlines and quality.

5. In relation to the previous items, check the writer's credentials. With the Internet, there has been a proliferation of people who call themselves writers, mostly because they get their works published in a blog or an online publication. As previously mentioned, you can ask for work samples and use them as a measuring stick. My research showed that many prefer to look for seasoned writers over people who just blog, unless their entries are truly good.

I hope that buyers would see that sometimes, just because it's cheap, doesn't mean it's good. There are some things that are worth spending money for, and if you truly want great value for your dollar, well, you will get what you pay for.

Week 2 of "Nokia: My Life Promo" from Manila Family Blogs

noreply@blogger.com (Kat) — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 02:57:00 +0000

Manila Family Blogs Network and Nokia.com.ph is now on it's second week of giving away cool new Nokia cellphones.

Manila Shopaholic is giving away a Nokia C5, a snazzy mobile phone that conveniently allows you to be connected not just through call and text, but also through your social media networks like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. You can even share your pictures and videos through Nokia's Ovi.

For details about the contest, visit Manila Shopaholic and join now!