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Asus Eee Slate EP121-1A010M Tablet PC

2011-05-26T02:41:00.004+08:00

The ASUS Eee State EP121 is one product which keeps you entertained, productive and connected-anywhere. Let’s check out some important features:

12.1-inch capacitive pressure-sensing multi touch LED-backlit HD display for the brilliant HD entertainment and intuitive navigation.
Less than one inch thin and made with gorilla glass for easy portability and robust durability.
Digitizer pen with Windows 7 pen support for accurate writing and drawing accuracy.
Intel Core i5-470UM processor with Intel HD graphics for energy efficient multitasking performance and 1080p HD playback.
64GB solid state drive for quickly storing and accessing your treasured data.
Flash 10.1 support for video playback support from your favorite Web sites.
Wireless N and Bluetooth v3.0 for high –speed connectivity to the internet and Bluetooth-enabled devices.
Windows 7 Home Premium for a familiar and user-friendly interface that’s compatible with all your devices.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX?

ASUS Eee State EP121.
User manual.
Recovery DVD’s.
Power adapter with USB port changing function.
Warranty card.
Bluetooth keyboard ( batteries included).
Folio.
Wiping cloth.
Refill nibs (for digitizer).
Nib Remover.
Digitizer pen.

SPECIFICATIONS :-

Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit).
Display: 12.1- inch multi-touch pressure-sensing capacitive LED-backlit HD display (1280 x 800).
Processor: Intel Core i5-470UM processor .
Graphics: Intel HD graphics.
Wireless: 802.11 b/g/n (@2.4GHz), Bluetooth v3.0.
Memory: 4GB DDR3 (expandable to 4GB).
Storage: 64GB solid state drive.
Speakers: Internal speaker.
Microphone: Internal microphone.
Card Reader: 2-in-1 Card reader.
Battery Pack: 4 cell polymer battery.
Dimensions: 12.28 x 8.15 x 66 –inches ( W X D X H).
Weight: 2.53 lbs.

Nike Training Club By Nike, Inc.(IPhone)

2011-05-25T02:23:00.011+08:00

Description

Nike Training Club is a training app that gives you your own personal trainer, anytime, anywhere. Get lean, toned and strong with over 60 custom-built workouts featuring audio guidance and on-demand instruction from a Nike Professional Trainer while you earn NTC rewards like Lea Michele's exclusive workout.

Inspired by world-class athletes and developed by master trainers, this comprehensive training app combines years of Nike training research and expertise in one personalized experience. Dynamic drills build on the fundamentals of functional fitness training. Detailed instruction keeps your training on track. Set toyour own music and goals, Nike Training Club gives you the most efficient and effective workout to fast-track your results.

-      Complete redesign of the Nike Training Club application.

-      Full-body workouts for 30 or 45 minutes. Targeted workouts for 15 minutes. Set a favorite workout as your Quick-Start.

-      Exclusive rewards including workouts from Lea Michele, professional athletes, celebrity trainers and yoga instructors.

-      90+ multi-dimensional, multi-directional drills build on the fundamentals of strength, cardio, interval and core training.

-      Simple functionality optimizes every workout. Select your goal and fitness level, then choose from a list of workouts that meet your criteria.

-      Set your workout to albums and playlists from your own music library.

-      Audio guidance keeps you on track and motivated while working out.

-      Access step-by-step instructions and video demonstrations for every drill at any time.

-      Track details of your workout history and training progress.

-      Share workout and reward status on Facebook and Twitter.

Nike, Inc. Web Site Nike Training Club Support

What's New in Version 2.3

-      New reward content, including exclusive Lea Michele workout
-      Twitter share
-      Workout reminder to keep you on track
-      AirPlay support: stream music and workout audio to your hi-fi or TV
-      Reduced app size for faster download
-      Bug fixes

Version 2.1 included:
- Updated content
- UK English trainer voice added *
- Bug fixes
-      Retina display rendering improvements

Version 2.0 included:
-      Complete redesign of the Nike Training Club application suitable for men and women
-      Over 60 full-body and targeted workouts for 15, 30 and 45 minutes
-      Capability to set workouts to your own music
-      High-definition audio and instructional videos from a Nike Professional Trainer
-      Exclusive rewards including workouts from pro athletes, celebrity trainers and yoga instructors

NOTE
This app is approx. 490MB in size. We recommend that you download and install through iTunes on your computer.

*requires iPhone/iPod device language to be set to “British English” in Settings > General > International > Language

Download visit http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/nike-training-club/id301521403?mt=8#

Google Shopper for Android

2011-05-24T02:18:00.016+08:00

Description

New from Google: Find products with your camera phone and get prices fast.

Shopper recognizes products by cover art, barcode scanning, voice and text search. Find local and online prices, reviews, specs, and more. Star your favorites and share with friends.

Currently U.S. and U.K. prices only.

Permissions

THIS APPLICATION HAS ACCESS TO THE FOLLOWING:

YOUR ACCOUNTS
USE THE AUTHENTICATION CREDENTIALS OF AN ACCOUNT
Allows an application to request authentication tokens.
MANAGE THE ACCOUNTS LIST
Allows an application to perform operations like adding, and removing accounts and deleting their password.
HARDWARE CONTROLS
TAKE PICTURES AND VIDEOS
Allows application to take pictures and videos with the camera. This allows the application at any time to collect images the camera is seeing.
RECORD AUDIO
Allows application to access the audio record path.
YOUR LOCATION
COARSE (NETWORK-BASED) LOCATION
Access coarse location sources such as the cellular network database to determine an approximate device location, where available. Malicious applications can use this to determine approximately where you are.
NETWORK COMMUNICATION
FULL INTERNET ACCESS
Allows an application to create network sockets.

more info visit https://market.android.com/details?id=com.google.android.apps.shopper

HP Pavilion g4t

2011-05-23T02:39:00.000+08:00

The HP Pavilion g4t is a 14-inch notebook sporting a 2.4GHz Intel Core i3 processor with Intel HD Graphics and an LED boasting a 1,366 by 768 resolution. On top of that, the g4t packs 4GB of DDR3 RAM, a 500GB hard drive spinning at 5,400rpm and a 6-cell lithium-ion battery that is said to last up to 4.25 hours.

Design and Features
This HP laptop takes a cue from the more simply-designed models of today with a no-frills approach. The g4t takes on bold, solid colors including gray, pewter, sonoma red and pearl pink, which coat its back and around its compact chiclet keyboard. Above the HD LED you'll find an embedded HP webcam with integrated microphone. The included SuperMulti 8X DVD+/-R/RW optical drive with double layer support can be found on its right side. The Pavilion g4t also sports three USB ports and one HDMI output.

Inside, this mobile rig can handle 8GB of DDR3 RAM. Not to mention that its WiFi-ready with an 802.11 b/g/n network adapter, and is Bluetooth compatible. For the audiophiles, this HP laptop comes with SRS surround sound through Altec-Lansing speakers. And while the Pavilion g4t uses integrated graphics, courtesy of Intel's 2nd Generation Core processors, it has 1GB of video memory to back them up. All of these features come available through 64-bit Windows 7 Home Premium.

Specifications
Processor Name
Intel Core i3-370M
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium
Processor Speed
2.4 GHz
RAM
4 GB
Weight
4.68 lb
Screen Size
14 inches
Screen Size Type
widescreen
Graphics Card
Intel GMA HD
Storage Capacity (as Tested)
500 GB
Networking Options
802.11n
Primary Optical Drive
8x DVD-SuperMulti Double-Layer Drive

ASTRO File Manager for Android

2011-05-23T02:17:00.000+08:00

Description
ASTRO File Manager helps turns your phone from a toy to a tool.
Ver 2.5.2
This new permanent version includes mobile ads. The ad free version, ASTRO Pro is available below (see 'View more applications)
Features: File Manager, Backup, Image and text viewers, Networking, SMB, Bluetooth, SFTP, Zip Tar, downloader, thumbnails, search files, application manager, task manager, attachments

Permissions
THIS APPLICATION HAS ACCESS TO THE FOLLOWING:
NETWORK COMMUNICATION
FULL INTERNET ACCESS
Allows an application to create network sockets.
STORAGE
MODIFY/DELETE USB STORAGE CONTENTS MODIFY/DELETE SD CARD CONTENTS
Allows an application to write to the USB storage. Allows an application to write to the SD card.
SYSTEM TOOLS
PREVENT DEVICE FROM SLEEPING
Allows an application to prevent the device from going to sleep.
RETRIEVE RUNNING APPLICATIONS
Allows application to retrieve information about currently and recently running tasks. May allow malicious applications to discover private information about other applications.
MODIFY GLOBAL SYSTEM SETTINGS
Allows an application to modify the system's settings data. Malicious applications can corrupt your system's configuration.

more info visit https://market.android.com/details?id=com.metago.astro

Firefox Beta v5.0 for Android

2011-05-22T02:07:00.000+08:00

With Firefox Beta you can enjoy your favorite features like Sync, Add-ons and the Awesome Screen, while being one of the first to use brand new features and functionality that will be in the upcoming stable release of Firefox for mobile.

From the Welcome page in Firefox Beta, tap on "Give Feedback" to report issues or provide your ideas so that we can make Firefox for Android awesome.

Firefox Beta is compatible with a wide range of devices, however some older devices are currently not supported. Check http://mozilla.com/mobile/platforms/ for a list of supported devices.

ABOUT MOZILLA
Mozilla is a global, nonprofit organization dedicated to keeping users in control of their online experiences and shaping the future of the Web for the public good. For more information visit www.mozilla.org.

What's New:
Added Do Not Track option to Preferences, enabling you to tell sites if you prefer to opt-out of online behavioral tracking
Smoother panning and CSS3 Animations
Speed improvements, especially pertaining to page load and on 3G networks
Important bug fixes including compatibility with SwiftKey

CONTENT RATING:
Low Maturity

More Info:

https://market.android.com/details?id=org.mozilla.firefox_beta

Adobe Announces Adobe Tag Manager for the Online Marketing Suite

2011-05-22T01:19:00.000+08:00

For immediate release

Streamlines Deployment of Online Marketing Suite and Other Advertising and Marketing Technologies; Customers Can Utilize Existing Adobe SiteCatalyst Tags to Implement; Adobe Genesis Partners Can Use to Simplify Integrating Their Products with the Adobe Online Marketing Suite

LONDON, Adobe Omniture Summit EMEA 2011 —Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today announced Adobe® Tag Manager for the Adobe Online Marketing Suite, powered by Omniture®. This new solution provides a tag management framework for the entire Adobe Online Marketing Suite as well as for other digital marketing technologies.

Capturing anonymous audience data is typically done using a tag (a small piece of JavaScript or HTML image call) placed in a piece of content or on a Web page. Various applications for capturing and taking action on analytics data usually require their own tags. The process of implementing and maintaining separate tags on a Web page and across partners such as analytics providers, site and content optimization vendors, ad servers, ad networks, affiliate networks and audience measurement firms often requires significant technical skills to implement or change and can become costly, time consuming and error prone.

Adobe Tag Manager solves these industry problems with a tag management framework that serves as a tag container, housing the tags that an Adobe customer may require, including all Online Marketing Suite tags and third-party tags. While some customers may deploy a new standalone tag container, Adobe SiteCatalyst® customers can deploy the tag container without having to change their existing SiteCatalyst page tag. This simplicity accelerates time to deployment versus standalone tag management products, which require more significant changes and resources to implement.

The tags within the container are managed through an administrative user interface where the customer can insert or remove tags (from Adobe or other partners) without making changes to a website. The ability to rapidly add and remove tags combined with common techniques to conditionally fire or timeout tags gives advertisers and publishers more control over their valuable data and helps manage pages for fast loading.

“With Adobe Tag Manager, digital marketers can more quickly deploy or experiment with new technologies and partners because we’ve removed the primary challenges of adding or removing tags from their Web pages,” said Brad Rencher, vice president and general manager, Omniture Business Unit, Adobe. “Our existing customers can adopt this new framework immediately by turning their SiteCatalyst tag into a container through which other tags can be managed. This level of simplicity and control will help our customers respond quickly to market changes and shifting customer needs, which can positively impact revenue.”

A recent report by Forrester Research Inc. encourages the use of tag management systems to reign in Web measurement chaos. “Customer Intelligence professionals have a tag management problem. JavaScript tags are omnipresent on websites, supporting a wide variety of analytics, marketing, and technical services. But implementing and maintaining tags is a constant battle, and in many cases the tags are winning, putting marketing, measurement, and site effectiveness at risk. Firms should conduct a website tag audit to determine whether tag management is a significant risk factor. In the case of complex websites or those with an extensive tag footprint, investing in a tag management system yields multiple benefits based on efficient processes and accurate tracking.” (Forrester Research, “How Tag Management Improves Web Intelligence”, Dec. 22, 2010)

Adobe customers can use Adobe Tag Manager in conjunction with Adobe DigitalPulse™ to further ensure that online analytics and reporting are complete and accurate. DigitalPulse scans a website and helps online marketing professionals identify missing or incorrectly configured tags and broken links. Without a solution like DigitalPulse, discovering tagging or link-level errors would be an especially time-consuming manual task.

Adobe Tag Manager also enhances Adobe Genesis™, which automates the integration of partner solutions with the Adobe Online Marketing Suite. Adobe Genesis partners will be able to leverage the tag management solution to deploy product integrations without complex or time-consuming page code updates, thus accelerating time-to-value for mutual customers.

The Adobe Tag Manager beta will be available in mid-June and additional features and capabilities will be introduced in the coming months. For more information, customers should contact their Adobe account manager.

About the Adobe Online Marketing Suite
The Adobe Online Marketing Suite, powered by Omniture, offers an integrated and open platform for online business optimization, a strategy for using customer insight to drive innovation throughout the business and enhance marketing efficiency. The Suite consists of integrated applications to collect and unleash the power of customer insight to optimize customer acquisition, conversion and retention efforts as well as the creation and distribution of content. For example, using the Suite, marketers can identify the most effective marketing strategies and ad placements as well as create relevant, personalized and consistent customer experiences across digital marketing channels, such as onsite, display, email, social, video and mobile. The Suite enables marketers to make quick adjustments, automate certain customer interactions and better maximize marketing ROI, which, ultimately, can positively impact the bottom line.

About Adobe Systems IncorporatedAdobe is changing the world through digital experiences. For more information, visit www.adobe.com.

Google Books now finds, defines, translates text

2011-05-21T01:56:00.000+08:00

E-book aficionados who use Google Books will find a few enhancements waiting for them the next time they open their favorite book.
As of yesterday, Google lets you search for any word that appears in the text of one of your books as well as letting you highlight text to ask for a definition or translation. You can access the new features by opening a book in your Google Books library through any desktop browser. Double-clicking on or dragging your mouse over any piece of text then opens a pop-up menu with a series of choices.
Selecting the Define option displays a brief definition of the word you chose. Clicking the More link brings you to a full dictionary page with in-depth definitions and even examples of the word used in context. The Define option is also supposed to offer an audio icon you can click to hear the word pronounced. However, the audio icon appeared only in Google Chrome and not in any other browser I checked.
Selecting the second option, Translate, lets you tap in to Google's own Translate tool to let you convert the word into any one of a number of different languages.
You can search for a word by selecting the Search Book option, which scours the book for more occurrences of your chosen word and displays a list of all the passages in which the word appears. You can easily select any of the instances and jump to that specific section in the book.
The Search Google option performs a standard Google search on your word, while the Search Wikipedia option will open the word's Wikipedia entry, if one exists.
To display these new features, you need to make sure your book appears in Flowing Text mode and not in Scanned Pages mode. To confirm the setting, click the Settings icon in the upper right (the one that appears as Aa) and make sure the Show option says Flowing Text. Google says that not all books are available in Flowing Text mode.
Finally, the new features seem to work only through a desktop browser on the Google Books Web page. I tried accessing the features on an iPad by browsing to the Google Books Web page via mobile Safari and by using the iOS app for Google Books. In both cases, I was unable to double-click or highlight any text in a book. I've contacted Google to confirm which platforms the new features will support.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX5

2011-05-21T01:17:00.000+08:00

Sony's Cyber-shot DSC-HX5 is the company's first truly pocketable super-zoom camera. Announced in January 2010 it features a 10x optical zoom with impressive wide-angle capabilities, Full HD video recording, very fast continuous shooting, a built-in GPS receiver which records your position, altitude, compass heading and local time onto images, and a 10 Megapixel CMOS sensor which claims great low light performance. Sony's earlier Cyber-shot DSC-H20 may have also sported a 10x zoom, but it wasn't anywhere near as small, nor did it share the HX5's impressive array of additional features.
The HX5's zoom offers an equivalent range of 25-250mm, taking you from seriously wide-angle to pretty powerful telephoto coverage in a compact body that'll squeeze into most pockets. This allows you to capture expansive landscapes, cramped interiors or big group-shots at one moment, before zooming-in to grab distant detail in the next. It's a powerful and compelling range to have at your disposal in a pocketable camera.

While most compacts seem happy to stick with 720p video, Sony's equipped the HX5 with nothing less than Full HD at 1080i, along with the ability to zoom while filming. There's also stereo sound, the choice of encoding formats and a dedicated record button.

GPS looks set to be a headline feature of 2010, and the HX5 actually becomes the first super-zoom camera to offer it built-in. The HX5 will record the latitude and longitude co-ordinates into the headers of your images, along with the altitude and compass heading, the latter also shown on-screen in real-time as you compose. Then when you get home you can plot your movements on mapping software.
Going far beyond the capabilities of most compacts, not to mention most DSLRs, the HX5 also boasts continuous shooing speeds of up to 10fps at the full 10 Megapixel resolution. It may only record ten frames in a burst, but this still allows you to capture action sequences which are traditionally out-of-reach for anything other than a professional DSLR.

It all adds-up to a very impressive package that's clearly targeted directly at Panasonic's enormously popular Travel Zoom series. But Panasonic hasn’t stood still and the company's latest Lumix TZ10 / ZS7, announced shortly after the HX5, also sports GPS capabilities along with HD video and a long optical zoom range. Canon's also now onto its second generation pocket super-zoom with its PowerShot SX210 IS, and Nikon's additionally joined the fray with its COOLPIX S8000. All are brand new 2010 models and after the same buyer who wants the convenience of a long optical zoom range in a pocketable camera.

Measuring 103x58x29mm and weighing 200g with battery and card, the Cyber-shot HX5 is on the chunky side of today's compacts, and therefore better-suited to trouser or coat pockets rather than one on the front of your shirt. But it's important to put this into perspective as unlike most compacts, the HX5 packs-in a 10x optical zoom and GPS receiver. It also manages to be 2mm shorter, 4mm thinner and 18g lighter than its arch rival, the Panasonic Lumix TZ10 / ZS7, although in your hands, both models look and feel roughly the same size.

Viewed from above, you'll notice the HX5's rounded right-end dips in ever-so-slightly, before joining the flat front surface. This discreet dip, which runs the full height of the camera, actually provides surprisingly good purchase for your middle finger, which coupled with another dip on the rear for your thumb, allows you to hold the camera fairly confidently with one hand. So while the surface of the camera is pretty slippery without any raised dots or rubber sections, Sony's design team have created a grip that's comfortable and secure to hold without spoiling the look. It's a smart-looking camera, and if you don't like the black finish pictured here, some regions will alternatively sell it in gold. As far as we understand though, there's no underwater housing available for the HX5.

Like many Sony compacts, the HX5 also doesn't like to spoil its exterior with any pesky doors for ports. Instead there's a single proprietary connector on the underside of the camera, positioned roughly in the middle. This connects to a variety of equally proprietary cables and adapters. The camera's supplied with one cable which ends with composite video, stereo audio and USB outputs, along with an adapter dongle which transforms the connector into an HDMI port. An optional cable provides component outputs for those with older HD displays lacking HDMI. It's certainly flexible and avoids having a door on the side of the camera, but this proprietary approach means you'll be forced to buy potentially expensive accessories from Sony alone. Ultimately we'd have preferred standard USB, TV and HDMI outputs, like its rival, the Panasonic TZ10 / ZS7.

It should also be noted the camera is forced to lie on its front or back when the cable or HDMI dongle are connected. The port may be positioned to work well with docking stations, but feels a little inconvenient when used with a cable alone. Its position in the middle of the body also forces the tripod thread to the far corner, and unlike the TZ10 / ZS7, we frequently found it hard to ensure the camera was 100% level when mounted on a tripod.

The Cyber-shot HX5 also supports Transfer Jet for short-range wireless data transfer between compatible devices, although we understand you'll also need a compatible Memory Stick. Unfortunately other Transfer Jet devices were not available in our location, so we were unable to test it.

On the opposite side of the camera you'll find the combined battery and memory card compartment. The HX5 is powered by an NP-BG1 battery, rated at 910mAh, and good for 310 shots under CIPA standards according to Sony. Bear in mind this doesn't include any movie recording or GPS reception though, so if you're using the full features of the camera, be prepared for it to deplete a great deal quicker. Battery life is indicated by a four-segment icon in the top left corner. It's not an Info Lithium model, so you won't see the actual minutes remaining, but it seemed fairly accurate in use.

Apple to tie up with China Mobile for 4G-compliant iPhones.

2011-05-21T01:08:00.000+08:00

Apple’s iPhone will support China Mobile's fourth generation (4G) network in the future which will raise Apple’s iconic status among 600 million customers, a report from the company said.

China Mobile's chairman Wang Jianzhou, in his report, said both China Mobile and Apple have reached a mutual understanding regarding the development of a Long-Term Evolution (LTE) which will primarily focus on the 4G technology that will allow mobile devices to exchange data faster. When the device will be released in China with a 4G support, it will also feature China Mobile’s version of the technology known as Time-Division Duplex (TDD).
Apple and China Mobile have been in discussion since 2007 but are yet to reach an agreement. Most of the discussion has highlighted the Chinese company’s 3G technology called Time Division Synchronous Code Division Multiple Access (TD-SCDMA). If Apple wants to sell an iPhone in the country for China Mobile, the company will have to rebuild the phones to make them applicable for the carrier’s TD-SCDMA 3G network.
China mobile is yet to offer an official iPhone in its Smartphone sector which has given its rival China Unicom an edge in the market. China Unicom has more than 170 million subscribers and is the only Chinese carrier to officially retail Apple’s iPhone.

Coalition of Services of the Elderly

2011-05-19T01:37:00.001+08:00

About Us

A group of people representing government and non-government and people’s organization met in 1989 under the sponsorship of HelpAge International. Philippine culture has a tradition of both respecting older people to form Community Based Programs to confront important issues. The combination of the two has resulted in an organization and program that focuses on keeping older people in the community who continue to contribute to the life of their community.

Since that time COSE has supported the formation of Community Based Programs around the country

Programs

SOCIALS
An outsider experiencing a community based program of poor older people for the first time would immediately conclude the greatest needs to be economic and health care. Invariably if older people are asked what program is most meaningful they most likely will choose “social”. The fact is older people need another reference groups besides the family and enjoys one another company. Special occasions are beach parties, Flores de Mayo and the celebration of the “Ten Outstanding Elderly” awards – but even monthly celebrations of birthdays or group projects are enjoyable ‘socials’

ADVOCACY
The ability to speak for oneself and ones peer is a sure sign of growth. Both on the local and the national level older people have claimed their rights for health care, for social pension, for participation and most importantly to continue to grow.

GROUP HOMES
In cooperation with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) COSE has developed three Group Homes where abandoned older women can live together as a community supporting one another . The communities consist of 5 to 10 older capable women in Dela Costa Housing developments. Former President Gloria Macapagal issued E)104 to support development of group homes in every municipality of the country.

HOME CARE
In keeping with traditional Filipino values, abandoned and bed ridden older people can best be cared for the content of the community itself. Older people are trained in Home Care and like the responsibility to bathe, feed, monitor and clean both the bed ridden and their homes. The DSWD has issued national guidelines for the home care program.

PEER COUNSELING
Invariably, in common with all humanity, older people become depressed, angry, upset etc. Older people in community based programs are trained in non- directive counseling, helping older people to solve their problems. The peer counselors in many ways, paralleled the community organizing process in that, ultimately it is the people themselves who decide what to be done.

DISASTER PREPAREDNESS
The Philippine is one of the most disaster prone areas in the world and older people have much experience in confronting disaster. Drawing on the experience of older people, trainings prepare people for the myriad disaster that regularly visit the country.

FUND RAISING
Shortly after being organized, community based programs need to become financially stable and a number of techniques are employed in order to raise funds

visit and donate: http://www.cosephil.org/index.php?option=com_contact&Itemid=3

Intel Claims to Build 'Real PCs'. Does It?

2011-05-19T01:20:00.000+08:00

What's a 'real PC'? Not one that will run on ARM, Intel's chief executive said on Tuesday.
At its analyst meeting on Tuesday, Intel chief executive Paul Otellini talked dismissively of computers based on the ARM processor, that are scheduled to come out in conjunction with Windows 8. He also claimed that Microsoft would have four versions of Windows on ARM, without saying what they were.
Earlier on Tuesday, Intel had announced a strategy shift toward developing ultramobile chips, while later showing off Atom-based phones, tablets, and some cool new PC technologies. During the afternoon, the discussion shifted to software, where Intel executives talked confidently about the number of apps that the Intel X86 phone platform would have.
Windows on ARM represents a viable threat to the duopoly of "Wintel," where, as Intel co-founder Andy Grove described it, the two companies would come out with hardware and software designed to maximize the capabilities of the other's platform. If Intel came out with a new microprocessor, for example, the Microsoft operating system would be designed to maximize it, which would incent customers t o demand a faster chip from Intel.
With Windows on ARM, that spiral would then shift over to ARM and its licensees. And that would supposedly take a deep bite into Intel's profit margin, at least according to one analyst who queried Otellini at the analyst day.
Otellini, however, dismissed the claim. First off, he said, Intel was "very competitively priced with ARM-based products," at least where tablets and smartphones are concer ned. (Intel announced yet another delay to its X86 smartphone program on Tuesday, pushing X86 phones back into 2012.)
Arguments that Hewlett-Packard or other OEMs could somehow use ARM as a lever to differentiate themselves and design a cheaper but still profitable PC "don't understand the way this business works," Otellini said.
If HP ships an ARM-based PC, so will Lenovo, and the Taiwan ODMs , and all of the other manufacturers, Otellini said – a sinking tide, that, in effect, will beach all of the OEM's boats.
The real argument, Otellini said, was that the X86 PC was a "real PC". "What's a real PC? For the next 10 years, it's going to be one that has access to and can run legacy applications," he said.
Of course, that's the same line that Microsoft espoused in 2009, when ARM was making bold claims about "smartbooks" toppling the Wintel hegemony.
"We sort of learnt in the last year that if it looks like a PC and acts like a PC, people want the features and benefits of a PC," Steve Guggenheimer, Microsoft's corporate vice-president for original equipment manufacturers, told Reuters at the 2009 Computex show.
Since then, of course, Microsoft decided that the "the features and benefits of a PC" didn't necessarily require an Intel chip. Intel, for its part, has decided not to develop an ARM-based processor, Otellini said.
The real question, it seems, will be whether Microsoft includes an X86 "compatibility mode," in Windows 8, in much the same way Microsoft includes a Windows XP mode in Windows 7. Of course, such a mode couldn't run today's demanding software, but there's a whole number of less-powerful legacy apps that could run, albeit a bit more slowly.
And, of course, there are more and more cloud-based and Web-based apps that require a minimum of local processing and storage, including Microsoft's own cloud-based Office apps. If those predominate, the need for a powerful local processor will drop.
And then, of course, the value of a "real PC" would diminish considerably.

Child Protection in the Philippines

2011-05-18T03:01:00.000+08:00

This is a project supported by the Arci Cultura E Sviluppo, Save the Children (UK) Philippines, and UNICEF Manila with the participation of 8 more organizations. This undertaking aims to present to the world the situation of abused children and the roles of these organizations in addressing the issues through the World Wide Web.

If you are an organization or individual involved in the same field in the Philippines or even outside the Philippines but providing services to Filipino children, you definitely belong to this site! Be a contributor -- articles, data, studies, photos or literary pieces. We believe an official website is timely, or should we say long overdue. Please let this effort be the link in uniting individuals and organizations to help the Filipino child.

THE PROJECT. In mid 1997, several child-focused organizations in the Philippines began to independently consider the internet as a useful tool in research work, advocacy and networking. Several organizations felt that so much work had been done in the Philippines in the area of child protection, and that a collection of these initiatives may benefit a large group -- from direct service workers and child care workers to policy makers, funding institutions, government agencies, researchers and other interested individuals and groups.

Consultations were conducted among government and non-government organizations. A steering committee was eventually formed which was responsible for the conceptualization and the development of the web page and data base project. Members of the committee include The Advisory Board Foundation, Arci Cultura e Sviluppo, Ateneo Human Rights Center-Adhikain Para Sa Karapatang Pambata, Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Child Sexual Abuse, Council for the Welfare of Children, Department of Social Welfare and Development, ECPAT-Philippines, Child Protection Unit, Save the Children (UK) Philippines, UNICEF-Manila, and the UP Center for Integrative and Development Studies-Psychosocial Trauma & Human Rights Program.

The project provides a comprehensive view of the situation in the Philippines and the status of the program development work in addressing these issues. It features various programs and practices administered by both the government and non-government organizations. Secondly, it will collect volumes of research work that can be shared remotely by downloading via Internet and incidentally minimize duplication of research initiatives.

Participating Organizations

THE ADVISORY BOARD FOUNDATION

Mission Statement

The Advisory Board Foundation is a non-profit charitable organization established in 1993 as the private, family foundation of Katherine B. and David G. Bradley. We are dedicated to serving those who, in turn, serve those most in need. Our work in the United States, Russia, and the Philippine focuses on child health, child abuse, and homelessness.

Work in the Philippines

In the Philippines, the Advisory Board Foundation's goal is to combat child abuse and neglect through searching, training, and by assisting direct service providers. Our collaboration with the Philippine General Hospital Child Protection Unit is the centerpiece of our activities in Manila. Other programs in the Philippines include partnerships aimed at enhancing the medical and legal protection available to children who have been abused. We have also published various guides for physicians and other direct service providers, including the Children's Resource Guide, A Physician's Guide to Laws Concerning Child Abuse, and A Physician's Guide to Protecting Child Abuse Patient's Confidentiality.

LEADERSHIP

The Advisory Board Foundation is chaired by David G. Bradley. The Managing Director of the Advisory Board Foundation, Manila is Dr. Victoria L.M. Herrera. Jennifer Gilmore, the International Program Manager, is the Advisory Board Foundation's fulltime representative in Manila.

Contact Info

Suite 1803 Marbella II Condominiums, Roxas Boulevard,
Malate, Manila
Tel / Fax: (632) 526-1390; (632) 522-2829

ARCS (ARCI CULTURA E SVILUPPO)

ARCS was established in Manila in March 1997. It is a non-governmental organization and the international arm of ARCI, a large movement in Italy that came about in late 40's advocating for the human rights of various sectors particularly:

Women workers
Migrants
Religious/linguistic/ethnic groups
Children

"ARCS operation in the Philippines is in conformity with its Convention with the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs signed in Rome on January 3, 1995, for the implementation of the Project Upgrading of the Philippine General Hospital", as approved by the Directional Committee for the Italian Cooperation for Development.

VISION

Sustainable societies promoting development through children's rights.

MISSION

To address children's conditions focusing on the poor in the Asia-Pacific region within a comprehensive approach to child development.

GOALS

Implement early childhood development programs through the establishment of strong and reliable partnerships with NGO's and INGO's working in this field.
Support NGO's and other institutions to run child development programs through provision of technical, material or financial assistance.
Raise awareness of the Philippine public about children's rights by sharing ARCS' experience in child development.
Raise public awareness in Europe about development issues by sharing critical information from the Asia-Pacific Region.
To establish relationships with organizations at regional level in order to widen the scope of activities in the Asia-Pacific Region.
Enhance program implementation through the collaboration with the academe, government organizations and other institutions.

PROGRAM AREAS:

Supply of medical equipment to the PGH Pediatrics Department and provide training to staff who will deal with the transferred technologies.
Addresses the referral problems from the primary, secondary and tertiary levels of health care.
Maternal and Child Health - covers the issue of pregnancy, delivery and infancy.
Children in Especially Difficult Circumstances is supporting child care and struggle against abuse.

Contact Info

PHYSICAL / MAILING ADDRESS
1051 Don Pedro St.
Singalong, Manila
Telephone Number: (632) 307-1960
Facsimile Number: (632) 307-1960
Cellphone Number: 0918-8752188
E-MAIL arcs@vasia.com

ADHIKAIN PARA SA KARAPATANG PAMBATA

The Ateneo Human Rights Center is a university-based institution working for the protection and promotion of human rights. Created in October 1986, the Center is located in the School of Law of the Ateneo de Manila University.

The Center seeks to realize its mandate through programs which focus on the continuing formation of human rights advocates among lawyers, law students, and grassroots leaders, the monitoring of the human rights situation in the Philippines and abroad, research and publication, public education on peace, development and human rights, and legal assistance to indigent victims of human rights abuses.

THE ORGANIZATION

Adhikain Para sa Karapatang Pambata. In November 1993, the Center established the Adhikain para sa Karapatang Pambata (AKAP), the children's rights desk of the Center, in response to a growing demand for the legal protection of children. AKAP is a pioneer in the legal protection and promotion of Children's Rights in the Philippines. While there are many welfare organizations catering to the needs of the children, AKAP is one of the very few law groups in the country directly involved in and specializing in the area of legal protection.

THE MISSION

Provide legal assistance to children or to persons acting on their behalf who have become victims of abuse, exploitation or abandonment, i.e., child labor and sexual abuse as well as to children who have come in conflict with the law.
Propose legislative measures and policies that are designed to further promote and protect the rights of the child;
Engage in policy advocacy;
Conduct paralegal seminars and lectures to various groups concerned with issues affecting the rights of the child properly equip them the information and skills necessary in handling cases of violations of children's rights;
Conduct information drives and campaigns on the current and vital issues affecting children; and
Coordinate and relate with other institutions, organizations and agencies in order to maximize support and action for the protection of children's rights.

PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES

SOCIAL CONSCIOUSNESS DEVELOPMENT
Aims to stir awareness sensitivity in each individual to recognize and take up his moral responsibility to stand up for children's rights. In pursuance thereof, AKAP has been continually undertaking the following activities:
- Publications;
- Organizational networking
- Development of library containing legal materials pertaining to the promotion and protection of the rights of the child;
- Information drives and service campaigns
LEGAL PROTECTION OF CHILDREN'S RIGHTS
This addresses the need to extend legal assistance to children who have become victims of abuse exploitation and abandonment, i.e., child labor and sexual abuse as well as to those who have become in conflict with the law. The following activities have been answering theses needs:
- Litigation;
- Law reform and policy advocacy;
- Paralegal education

Children's Rights Desk
Ateneo Human Rights Center
G/F Ateneo Professional Schools Building
Rockwell Drive, Rockwell Center
Makati City

Telephone Number: 729-6583 / 729-2003
Facsimile Number: 729-2009
e-mail: ahrc@acc.aiti.admu.edu.ph

CENTER FOR THE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE

The Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Child Sexual Abuse (CPTCSA) began its services in February 1995 to fill the gap in services concerning the sexual abuse of Filipino children. It also provides training for professionals involved with children, with focus on schools, social service agencies, and churches. The CPTCSA is licensed by the Department of Social Welfare and Development, recognized by the Department of Education, Culture, and Sport, and a member of The National Council of Social Development and International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect.

PURPOSE

increase awareness on child sexual abuse, its causes, victims, effects, and strategies for prevention within the Philippines;
create an understanding that child sexual abuse should be a national concern;
provide direct prevention and mental health services to children and/or victims and their families to avoid or minimize long term trauma and effects of sexual abuse

OBJECTIVES

the service will strengthen existing inhibitors by (a)increasing general awareness of child sexual abuse by printing and disseminating advocacy and prevention education materials and, (b) increasing access for victims to report abuse through already existing and strengthened systems
the service will create new inhibitors by (a) equipping parents with strategies to protect their children, (b) equipping professionals with strategies to protect children, and (c) empowering children through strategies of protection and reporting.
The service will increase mental health services to victims and families by (a) providing direct individual or group therapy, (b) training counselors to serve children, (c) equipping parents of victims with strategies to prevent further abuse and to cope with the abuse in order to avoid family disintegration, and (d) strengthening referral services for legal or other assistance when needed.

SERVICES

THERAPY (individual, group, family)
BRIEF COUNSELING
PREVENTION EDUCATION (personal safety)
PROFESSIONAL TRAINING
MATERIALS

150 Sct. Fuentebella,
1103 Quezon City
Philippines
Telefax: (632) 411-0136
E-mail: cptcsa@portalinc.com

Council for the Welfare of Children

Agency Background:

The Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC) is the central coordinating agency of the Philippine government for children's protection, welfare and development. Created through Presidential Decree No. 603, otherwise known as the Child and Youth Welfare Code, CWC is responsible in coordinating and monitoring the implementation of all laws and programs for children as well as in ensuring that these are implemented within the context of the Code and the Philippine Plan of Action for Children.

Since its creation in 1974, CWC, has been carrying out the mandate by developing and undertaking projects and activities encompassing all concerns on children towards:

Policy and plan formulation
Coordination and monitoring
Network expansion
Advocacy and mobilization

VISION :

Improved quality of life for Filipino children enabling them to develop their full potentials and participate in community life and nation-building.

MISSION:

To ensure protection of children against all forms of abuse and exploitationTo advocate for children's rights and promote their welfare and development To ensure that children are given priority attention at all levels both by government and civil society

Mailing Address
P.O. Box 2363, QCPO 1114

Physical Address
CWC Building, 10 Apo Street
Sta. Mesa Heights
Quezon City

Telephone Numbers: 743-8375 / 740-8863 / 781-1035 / 781-1033
Facsimile: 740-8863 / 743-8374
e-mail: cwc@info.com.ph

DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WELFARE AND DEVELOPMENT

Poverty alleviation and empowerment of disadvantaged families and communities with capability to improve their quality of life thru the provision of assistance to LGUs, NGOs, and other NGAs, POs and other members of civil society.

Mission

Enable Local Government Units (LGUs), Non-Government Organizations (NGOs), other National Government Agencies (NGAs), People's Organization (POs), and other members of civil society to implement programs, projects and services that will alleviate poverty and empower disadvantaged individuals, families and communities for an improved quality of life.

Address:
Batasan Complex, Constitution Hills
Quezon City
Telephone Numbers: 931-9143 / 931-7916 / 931-8068
Facsimile: 931-8149

E-mail: delfin@miss.dswd.gov.ph
URL: www.dswd.gov.ph

ECPAT (End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and the Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes)

ECPAT Philippines is a part of a global network that protects children against commercial sexual exploitation.

ECPAT Mission Statement

ECPAT is a global network of organizations and individuals working together for the elimination of child prostitution, child pornography and the the trafficking of children for sexual purposes.

It seeks to encourage the world community to ensure that children everywhere enjoy their fundamental rights free and secure from all forms of commercial sexual exploitation.

What does ECPAT do?

Information Drive. Disseminates information to the public and through the media in areas where commercial sex exploitation is highly prevalent.
Monitoring and casework. Monitors the activities of sex exploiters and helps facilitate their prosecution; facilitates legal assistance and the delivery of services to the child victims.
Support services to child care workers and caregivers. Facilitates training on psycho-social recovery/rehabilitation of child victims.
Young people's participation project. ECPAT highly regards and supports the involvement of children and young people themselves in seeking solutions to commercial sexual exploitation.
Networking and advocacy. Works closely with non-government organizations and international bodies and coordinates with government agencies in seeking ways and means for the elimination of child sexual exploitation; works with the tourism sector to ensure that changes on tourism policies will occur for the protection of children; serves as a watchdog of the Philippine government and other governments to strictly enforce laws and international instruments protecting children;
Research and Documentation. Conducts investigative and in-depth studies on the situation of commercial sexual exploitation of children; documents cases of child victims; maintains a library and database of information.

ECPAT Philippines has an office in Cebu. ECPAT-Cebu is a member of Stop Abuse of Minors Association (SAMA, Inc), a project supported by Terre des Hommes-Netherlands.

ECPAT-Philippines is located at:
123 V. Luna Road Extension
Sikatuna Village
1101 Quezon City, Philippines
Tel No. (632) 433-5527 / (632) 925-2804
Fax no. (632) 433-1150
E-mail: ecpatphi@pworld.net.ph

ECPAT-Cebu Desk
c/o Cebu Hope Center
Banilad, 6000 Cebu City
Tel. (032) 233-0470
Fax: (032) 233-0481

Save the Children (UK) Philippines

OUR VISION

We look forward to a world:

which respects and values each child

which listens to children and learns

where all children have hope and opportunity

OUR MISSION

Save the Children fights for children’s rights and delivers immediate and lasting improvements to children’s lives worldwide.

OUR VALUES

Our values reflect the way we strive to operate as we seek to fulfil our mission:

We are child-focused

Ambitious but practical

Independent

Open

Collaborative

Accountable

One team

GOALS FOR CHILDREN

Child-focused economic policies

Basic services enjoyed by all children

Children safeguarded in emergencies

Children protected and respected as citizens

PHILIPPINE PROGRAMME OBJECTIVES

- Increased awareness, commitment and capacities of children, families, communities and partner organisations to uphold children’s rights.

- Services and support systems are created at the community level to ensure the protection of children.

- Laws, policies and programmes on Child Protection are enforced and institutionalised in accordance with the UN CRC and Child Rights Programming principles.

- A favourable social environment for the wider promotion of children's rights is developed.

- Preparedness and protection of children in emergencies are integrated in the work of identified partners and communities, and mechanisms for sustaining these are ensured even after SC-UK’s phase-out from the Philippines.

- Partnerships that are based on shared learning, governance and accountability are developed between and among SC-UK and partner organisations. This will constitute the foundation for the establishment of a dynamic and effective social movement on child rights in the Philippines.

Contact Information

3/F FSS Building 1
89 Scout Castor Street, Quezon City
Telephone: (63-2) 372-3483
Facsimile: (63-2) 372-3484
E-mail: scf1@pacific.net.ph
URL: www.oneworld.org/scf

UNICEF

UNICEF is the only United Nations agency specifically devoted to the world's children. It was organized by the United Nations General Assembly on the 11 December 1946 to assist children victims of World War II, "on the basis of need without discrimination because race, creed, nationality, status, or political belief" (UN Executive Board, 1946).

In October 1953, the UN General Assembly broadened UNICEF's mandate to respond to the long-term needs of children in developing countries, where the effects of poverty were often most harsh on children.

Today, guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, UNICEF continues to promote the principles of non-discrimination and universality of rights. By the time UNICEF celebrated its 50th year in 1996, it was already working in 143 countries including the Philippines.

Officially organized on 20 November 1948, UNICEF Manila has been assisting Filipino children and their families. It provided milk, medicines, and other essential supplies. Together with the World Health Organization, UNICEF engaged in campaigns against diseases such as leprosy and tuberculosis. To this day, UNICEF works in collaboration with other United Nations and donor agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and governments to make the world a better place for children to live and grow up in.

Country programming begins

In 1979, UNICEF began the First Country Programme for Children in the Philippines (CPC V), 1999-2003. Through a combination of cash assistance, provision of supplies, and technical assistance, UNICEF helps key government and non-governmental agencies meet the needs and promote the rights of Filipino children.

The Mission of UNICEF

UNICEF is mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to advocate for the protection of children's rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential.

UNICEF is guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child and strives to establish children's rights as enduring ethical principles and international standards behaviour towards children.

UNICEF insists that the survival, protection and development of children are universal development imperatives that are integral to human progress.

UNICEF mobilizes political will and material resources to help countries, particularly developing countries, ensure a first call for children and to build their capacity to form appropriate policies and deliver services for children and their families.

UNICEF is committed to ensuring special protection for the most disadvantaged children victims of war, disasters, extreme poverty, all forms of violence and exploitation and those with disabilities.

UNICEF responds in emergencies to protect the rights of children. In coordination with the United Nations partners and humanitarian agencies, UNICEF makes its unique facilities for rapid response available to its partners to relieve the suffering of children and those who provide their care.

UNICEF is non-partisan and its cooperation is free of discrimination. In everything it does, the most disadvantaged children and the countries in greatest need have priority.

UNICEF aims, through its country programmes, to promote the equal rights of women and girls and to support their full participation in the political, social and economic development of their communities.

UNICEF works with all its partners towards the attainment of the sustainable human development goals adopted by the world community and the realization of the vision of peace and social progress enshrined in the charter of the United Nations.

Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 1076, Makati Central
Post Office, 1250 Makati City

Physical Address:
6/F NEDA sa Makati Building
106 Amorsolo Street, Makati City

Telephone Number: 892-0611 to 25 / 810-1453
Facsimile: 816-4061 / 810-1453

Email: manila@unicef.org
URL: http://www.unicef.org/philippines

Representative: Dr. Terrel Hill

PSYCHOSOCIAL TRAUMA AND HUMAN RIGHTS PROGRAM
University of the Philippines-Center for Integrative & Development Studies
(UP CIDS-PST)

BACKGROUND

The Psychosocial Trauma and Human Rights Program (PST) was established in 1993 as a subprogram under the Peace, Conflict Resolution and Human Rights Program of the Center for Integrative and Development Studies of the University of the Philippines (UP CIDS). The creation of PST, which was inspired by the Lisl and Leo Eitinger Award for Human Rights conferred by Norway's University of Oslo on its founding directors (Ms. June Pagaduan Lopez, M.D. and Ms. Elizabeth Protacio-Marcelino, Ph.D), paved the way for the mainstreaming and institutionalization of psychosocial trauma and human rights concerns in the academe. The PST became a full program of the UP CIDS in 1996.

The initial thrust of the program was on psychosocial trauma resulting from political violence, or particularly the armed conflict situation. As a result of PST's continuing dialogue and discussion with advocates, scholars and practitioners from the academe, government, and non-government communities, PST expanded its mandate to include psychosocial trauma as experienced by individuals, families, and communities in various contexts of violence. More specialized research to document and analyze psychosocial trauma as experienced by women and by children were undertaken.

Today, the research, networking, and information activities of PST are conveniently divided and managed into three areas, namely, childhood and child rights, torture prevention and rehabilitation, and violence against women.

OBJECTIVES

To undertake police-relevant research on the effects of psychosocial trauma related to violence at the level of direct victims, survivors and caregivers, as well as communities exposed to, or recovering from the psychosocial consequences of violence;
To apply theories and methodologies derived from research in reviewing and the curricula of relevant disciples;
To explore and assess arrange of alternative forms of intervention for caregivers, communities and individual survivors of violence;
To publish reports on psychosocial trauma and human rights in the Philippines;
To organize conferences, workshops, and roundtable discussions on issues and policies pertinent to research and treatment of psychosocial trauma and human rights; and
To facilitate collection of, and access to, information on psychosocial trauma and human rights through effective and appropriate methods and techniques of information handling.

ACTIVITIES

Research. Research is aimed at satisfying the need for integration of theory and practice, thinking and action by both the academe and field practitioners. As such, the research undertaken by the program is integrative and holistic, taking into account the social political, historical, and economic perspectives. For this reason, research is policy-oriented, interdiscipinary and participatory.

Networking. The program is committed to strengthen networking in its effort to sustain and institutionalize human rights concerns in the academe. It is directed towards disseminating research results, developing research expertise, and promoting exchange of resources through conferences and symposia.

Documentation/Publication. The program provides a specialized information service through the Library of Psychosocial Trauma. It maintains an extensive collection on childhood and child rights, and on torture prevention and rehabilitation. The program also provides training and consultation services for the upgrading of documentation and information work of individuals and organizations within its network.

CONTACT INFO

Convenor: Elizabeth P. Protacio
Co-Convenor: June Pagaduan Lopez
Program Officer: Agnes Zenaida V. Camacho

Psychosocial Trauma and Human Rights Program
Center for Integrative and Development Studies
University of the Philippines
Ang Bahay ng Alumni, Magsaysay Avenue
UP Campus, Diliman, Quezon City

Tel. Nos.: (632) 4356890; (632) 929-3540 local 20
Fax nos.: (632) 928-9691
Email: pstcids@edsamail.com.ph

UP-CM PGH Child Protection Unit

DESCRIPTION

Committed to the highest clinical standards of care for abused children, this is a collaborative program of the Philippine General Hospital and the University of the Philippines Manila with financial and operational support from the Advisory Board Foundation.

OBJECTIVES

Provide round-the-clock diagnosis and intervention for abused children consistent with the highest standards of medical practice.

Establish a model unit composed of key medical and professional disciplines linked through effective working partnerships with government agencies and non-governmental organizations.

Design and implement a training program and curriculum on child abuse.

Create an infrastructure for clinical research on child abuse to develop strategies for intervention, program evaluation and prevention.

STRATEGIES & SCOPE OF SERVICES

Medical & Psychosocial Intervention
- Direct Medical Care
- Rapid Diagnosis & Evaluation
- Mental Health Services
- Continuing Case Coordination
Network Partnerships
- Network Partner Relationships
- Network-Wide Tertiary Referral Center
- Best Practices Initiatives
Training & Education
- Development of Child Abuse Curriculum
- Specialized Skills Training
- Ongoing Professional Seminars
- Consultation to Other Programs
Research & Development
- Formulation of Research Objectives
- Development of Information Systems
- Creation of Library
- Local Publication
- Strategic Analysis of Infrastructure needs

Contact Info

Physical Address
Department of Pediatrics
Philippine General Hospital
Taft Avenue, Ermita
Manila, Philippines 1000

Telephone Numbers
(632) 526-8418
(632) 521-8450 local 2214

Facsimile
(632) 524-0712

E-mail: cpu@advisory.ngo.ph

HP revamps consumer desktop lineup

2011-05-17T02:12:00.000+08:00

HP unveiled three new towers for its consumer desktop line this morning. The Pavilion, slim tower Slimline, and higher-end Pavilion Elite series all received new external designs. HP wasn't overly specific regarding the new hardware specifications in the new systems, but we do know HP is bringing Intel's second-generation Core (aka Sandy Bridge) CPUs to certain models in all three new systems.

HP's new Pavilion desktop chassis.

(Credit: HP)

Compare the new Pavilion p7 series design with that of the p6 series and you'll see that the p7's new look is really more like a straightening up. The glossy black front panel is a little smaller than before, and HP moved the power button down from the top of the chassis, but otherwise the Pavilion looks very similar between generations.

We don't mind the incremental aesthetic tweaks, especially for a workhorse system like HP's Pavilion. Pricing for the new p7 models will start at $299 when they launch online on May 18th. In addition to the new Intel chips, HP will offer AMD CPU options as well.

The new HP Slimline s5 design also looks a lot like the previous model.

(Credit: HP)

We're ambivalent about the bread-and-butter Pavilion, but we confess some disappointment in the new Slimline s5 design. It too looks like a cleaner version of the previous model, but with smaller systems like Apple's Mac Mini, and Dell's Zino Inspiron HD performing capably in the living room, we'd hoped HP might trim down the Slimline's measurements. It's still also larger than Gateway's SX slim tower series, which has traditionally offered all of the configurability of the Slimline series, but with a significantly smaller chassis. We like the new front panel well enough, but based on the preview we saw a few months ago, the new Slimline is unnecessarily large.

The Slimline s5 will hit HP's Web site a bit later than the Pavilion, appearing online June 15. Prices start at $329, with both AMD and Intel CPU options.

HP seems to have poured most of its design effort into its Pavilion Elite h8 chassis. Compared with the previous Pavilion Elite, which mostly seemed like a tricked out standard Pavilion, the new higher-end chassis features sharper angles and a more streamlined front panel.

The red line across the front of the system indicates the Beats Audio-boosted audio jacks. This is also the only model in the new line-up for which HP specifically calls out discrete graphics cards from AMD and Nvidia, as well as dual-monitor support.

The Pavilion Elite will debut on HP's Web site alongside the regular Pavilion on May 18. Pricing starts at $599.

In addition to the new desktops, HP is also announcing a new feature available on all three systems called HP LinkUp. Essentially a local network file sharing service, LinkUp will let you draw down files from an HP desktop to a laptop on the same wireless network.

CHROMEBOOK, The Next Generation Laptops!

2011-05-16T02:22:00.000+08:00

Nothing but the web.
Chromebooks are built and optimized for the web, where you already spend most of your computing time. So you get a faster, simpler and more secure experience without all the headaches of ordinary computers.

Features:

Instant Web
Chromebooks boot in 8 seconds and resume instantly. Your favorite websites load quickly and run smoothly, with full support for the latest web standards and Adobe® Flash®. In fact, Chromebooks are designed to get faster over time as updates are released.

Always Connected
It's easy to get connected anytime and anywhere with built-in Wi-Fi and 3G. As your Chromebook boots up, it quickly connects to your favorite wireless network so you're on the web right from the start. 3G models include a free 100 MB per month of mobile data from Verizon Wireless so you can keep working around home and on the go. Learn more about 3G.

Same Experience Everywhere
Your apps, documents, and settings are stored safely in the cloud. So even if you lose your computer, you can just log in to another Chromebook and get right back to work.

Amazing Web Apps
Every Chromebook runs millions of web apps, from games to spreadsheets to photo editors. Thanks to the power of HTML5, many apps keep working even in those rare moments when you're not connected. Visit the Chrome Web Store to try the latest apps, or just type in a URL. No CDs required.

Friends let Friends Log in
Chromebooks are easy to share with family and friends. They can log in to experience all of their own Chrome settings, apps, and extensions, or use Guest Mode to browse privately. Either way, no one else using your Chromebook will have access to your email and personal data.

Forever Fresh.
Your Chromebook gets better and better over time, unlike a traditional PC. When you turn it on, it updates itself. Automatically. All of your apps stay up-to-date, and you get the latest and greatest version of the operating system without having to think about it. Annoying update prompts not included.

Security Built in
Chromebooks run the first consumer operating system designed from the ground up to defend against the ongoing threat of malware and viruses. They employ the principle of "defense in depth" to provide multiple layers of protection, including sandboxing, data encryption, and verified boot.

12.1" (1280x800) 300 nit Display

3.26 lbs / 1.48 kg
8.5 hours of continuous usage ¹
Intel® Atom^TM Dual-Core Processor
Built in dual-band Wi-Fi and World-mode 3G (optional)
HD Webcam with noise cancelling microphone
2 USB 2.0 ports
4-in-1 memory card slot
Mini-VGA port
Fullsize Chrome keyboard
Oversize fully-clickable trackpad

11.6" HD Widescreen CineCrystal^TM
LED-backlit LCD
3.19 lbs | 1.45 kg
6 hours of continuous usage ¹
Intel® Atom^TM Dual-Core Processor
Built in dual-band Wi-Fi and World-mode 3G (optional)
HD Webcam with noise cancelling microphone
High-Definition Audio Support
2 USB 2.0 ports
4-in-1 memory card slot
HDMI port
Fullsize Chrome keyboard
Oversize fully-clickable trackpad

Sony Bravia Internet Video Tv

2011-05-15T03:19:00.000+08:00

Sony revealed more details of its Bravia Internet Video service today, which is available through its latest web-connected Blu-ray players.
The service is Sony's push into bringing web content to your TV, with the company trying to make it as easy as possible for you to enjoy internet content from your television set.
TechRadar were given a demo of the service and were impressed with what we saw. As it uses Sony's now-familiar XMB – well, familiar if you are a PS3 user – there's a sense of simplicity to how you access content.
All you need to do is flick to the Video section of the XMB and a number of feeds will be available to view.

Guiding us through Bravia Internet video was Ed Uzzell, Proposition Development Manager Services and Revenue Development at Sony, who explained a number of the features we can expect to find.
"One of our big partners is LoveFilm," explained Uzzell.
"While the films are only available in standard def at the moment, you can start streaming them straight away."
Streaming will be a main part of the service as there isn't actually any way to keep the content you are looking at. Unlike, say a PVR, as the service is on Blu-ray player – there's no hard drive inside for archiving.
We asked Uzzell why Sony chose LoveFilm and hadn't just gone with its own on-demand service Qirocity (which is out in the US). He noted that while Qirocity is coming to Europe ("timeline TBC"), the movies on it will be somewhat different.

The quality of the stream was more than passable, something which Sony is priding itself on.
"Although the original source size picture is quite small, Sony's Bravia Engine 3 kicks in and scales it up to whatever size your TV is," explains Uzzell.
Bravia Internet Video isn't just about content you can already find on your television, though.
Sony is looking to bring in shows from which may not have mass appeal. One which we were shown was the Digital Concert Hall, which features music and visuals from the Berlin orchestra.
Some of this content will be free but there will be subscription elements to it. It seems that Sony is happy to be a provider of content for niche markets but only if it's of a good quality.

The Bravia Internet Video service could cater for more niche content. For instance we have the TED Talks for the tech geeks. But we don't want every man and his dog on the service.
"We need to get the right content and the right strategy behind it."
One of the ways to do this is to offer subscription-based services. Something Sony is doing but keeping to a minimum.
"The Bravia Internet Service is not about erecting a massive pay-wall," notes Uzzell. "90 per cent of the content will be available for free, with some subscription deals in place.
"There will be RSS feeds you can subscribe to and unsubscribe too, so you can make the service your own."

Bravia Internet Video is definitely a step in the right direction for bringing web content to TVs.

XPERIA PLAY

2011-05-15T02:59:00.000+08:00

XPERIA PLAY

Need a super efficient, full-featured smartphone with Facebook inside Xperia? And what if it also had real game controls? You got it. The Xperia™ PLAY. A PlayStation™ certified Android™ smartphone that lets you immerse yourself in the games you want.

The latest Google™ apps on your Android mobile
Never get lost again. Explore cities and sights with 3D maps. Use Google Voice Search™ to call, text and more. With your Xperia™ PLAY Android mobile, there's no need to type. Just speak. Want more? Get the apps you need from Android Market™

So, is this the PlayStation™ phone?
Once a fantasy. Now a reality. The first PlayStation™ Certified Android smartphone gives you incredible graphics, great sound and real game controller. This phone is not actually named "the PlayStation™ phone" though - we call it Xperia™ PLAY.

Xperia™ PLAY - geared up for immersive gaming
What's your thrill? Slide out the controls of your Xperia™ PLAY and get behind the wheel of a race car. Or jump into a street fight. Challenge your friends: Xperia™ PLAY supports multi-player gaming. In addition to the pre-loaded games, you'll find an ever-growing selection of additional titles available for download.

Real game controller
Feel the action with real console controls - dedicated gaming keys, shoulder buttons and an analogue touch joystick. And to make the gaming experience complete, Xperia™ PLAY provides superb stereo sound and support for multi-player gaming.

PlayStation™ Certified
The Xperia™ PLAY is the first PlayStation™ Certified Android™ smartphone. It's built on the gaming expertise of Sony Computer Entertainment.

Powered by Android (Gingerbread)
Multi-tasking. Wi-Fi. A refreshed user interface and keyboard improvements. Your Xperia™ PLAY is powered by Android (Gingerbread), the fastest Android version to date.

More than 150,000 apps for download
Sports, anyone? Or ready to get down to business? Get the latest Google apps from Android Market™

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3

2011-05-14T02:33:00.000+08:00

The G3 is Panasonic's latest and smallest interchangeable lens camera (ILC), succeeding the G2. While it's targeted towards users who are looking for a compact alternative to a digital SLR, this camera looks like a mutated cousin of the GF2 and the G2, thanks to the half-grip.

It's also the first of the G-series cameras to pack a 16-megapixel Live MOS sensor, a considerable resolution bump from the previous 12-megapixel variants. Carrying over from the G2, it also has an articulating touchscreen at the back and shoots in 1080i HD video, AVCHD format. Continuous shooting is 4 frames per second, increased to 20 when a reduced 4-megapixel resolution mode is activated. The G3 also has an electronic viewfinder and a pop-up flash.

Unfortunately, the screen hasn't seen a significant bump in resolution (it's 460,000-dots) though there's been work on refining the touch AF system used on the G2. This includes a new mode called Pinpoint AF, which gives even more precise focusing ability; the example that Panasonic gives is being able to select focus in a pupil of an eye. There's the usual face-detection modes and touch-to-focus modes, too.

Specifications:

Body type SLR-style mirrorless

SENSOR:
Max resolution 4592 x 3448
Image ratio w:h 1:1, 4:3, 3:2, 16:9
Effective pixels 15.8 megapixels
Sensor photo detectors 16.6 megapixels
Sensor size Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm)
Sensor type CMOS ?
Processor Venus Engine HD II

IMAGE:
ISO Auto, Intelligent ISO, 160, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200, 6400
White balance presets 5
Custom white balance Yes (2)
Image stabilization Optical
Uncompressed format RAW
JPEG quality levels Fine, Standard

Optics & Focus:
Autofocus Contrast Detect (sensor), Multi-area, Selective single-point, Tracking, Single, Continuous, Touch, Face Detection, Live View
Digital zoom Yes (4x)
Manual focus Yes
Lens mount Micro 4/3 Lens Mount
Focal length multiplier 2×

Screen / viewfinder:
Articulated LCD Fully articulated
Screen size 3"
Screen dots 460,000
Touch screen Yes
Live view Yes
Viewfinder type Electronic
Viewfinder coverage 100 %
Viewfinder magnification 1.4×

Photography features:
Minimum shutter speed 60 sec
Maximum shutter speed 1/4000 sec
Aperture priority Yes
Shutter priority Yes
Manual exposure mode Yes
Subject / scene modes Yes
Built-in flash Yes (Pop-up)
Flash range 11 m
External flash Yes (Hot-shoe)
Flash modes Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Slow Sync
Continuous drive Yes (4, 3 or 2 fps) ?
Self-timer Yes (2 or 10 sec)
Metering modes Multi, Center-weighted, Spot
Exposure compensation ±5 EV (at 1/3 EV steps)
AE Bracketing ±2 (3, 5, 7 frames at 1/3 EV, 2/3 EV steps)
WB Bracketing Yes (3 frames in either blue/amber or magenta/green axis)

Videography features:
Format AVCHD
Audio channels Stereo
Clips Yes (1920 x 1080 (60fps) 1280 x 720 (60, 30 fps), 640 x 480 (30fps), 320 x 240 (30fps)))
HD Modes 1920 x 1080 (60fps) 1280 x 720 (60, 30 fps), 640 x 480 (30fps), 320 x 240 (30fps))
FPS 1920 x 1080 (60fps) 1280 x 720 (60, 30 fps), 640 x 480 (30fps), 320 x 240 (30fps))

Storage:
Storage types SD/SDHC/SDXC
Storage included None

Connectivity:
USB USB 2.0 (480Mbit/sec)
HDMI Yes (Mini HDMI Type C)
Wireless None ?
Remote control Yes (Optional DMW-RSL1)

Physical:
Environmentally sealed No
Battery Battery Pack
Battery description Lithium-Ion rechargeable battery & charger
Weight (inc. batteries) 544 g (1.20 lb / 19.19 oz)
Dimensions 115 x 84 x 47 mm (4.53 x 3.31 x 1.85")

Other features:
Orientation sensor Yes
Timelapse recording No
GPS None
Notes Weight inc. 14-42mm lens

Kodak wins key battle in Apple patent case

2011-05-14T02:10:00.000+08:00

An International Trade Commission judge has sided with Eastman Kodak in the company's ongoing patent battle with Apple.
Judge Robert Rogers yesterday rejected Apple's claims that two of its patents on digital photography were being violated by Kodak. In a statement to CNET today, Kodak said that it was "pleased by this ruling."
Apple filed its patent-infringement claim against Kodak last year. The company cited patent 6,031,964, a "system and method for using a unified memory architecture to implement a digital camera device." It charged that Kodak also infringed patent RE38,911, a "modular digital image processing via an image processing chain with modifiable parameter controls."
However, Apple wasn't the first company to fire a shot. In January of last year, Kodak cited both Apple and RIM in a claim with the ITC, saying that the companies' use of image previews in the iPhone and BlackBerry devices infringed its digital-imaging patents.
In January of this year, an ITC judge ruled that the technology used in the iPhone and BlackBerry models did not, in fact, violate Kodak's patents. In March, the ITC agreed to hold a hearing with its six commissioners to make a final determination on the case, which is expected in late June.
Kodak's infringement claims against Apple and RIM came soon after the company signed royalty deals with LG and Samsung after it filed similar complaints against those firms. According to a Bloomberg report from earlier this year, Kodak generated $838 million in patent royalties in 2010 alone.
Apple's patent-infringement claims aren't necessarily dead yet. The six-member ITC commission will review the ruling and make its own determination on the case in September.
Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Intel's Z68 Chipset and SSD Caching Reviewed

2011-05-12T02:29:00.000+08:00

Last week, we noted that Apple's new iMac models utilize Intel's latest Z68 chipset, a component that Intel had yet to even publicly introduce at the time of the iMac's debut. The chipset has been highly anticipated for its ability to support SSD caching, a software technology that pairs a small solid state drive (SSD) with a conventional hard drive to significantly improve performance in a manner virtually invisible to the user.

While Apple's new Z68-based iMac does not currently support SSD caching, now officially known as Smart Response Technology (SRT), it actually goes further in offering the option of a secondary 240 GB SSD to directly host the user's operating system and applications, leaving the conventional hard drive for media and other data. But with reports just prior to the most recent MacBook Pro refresh in late February incorrectly claiming that the updated models would offer the option of a small secondary SSD to essentially perform SRT functionality, there has been significant interest in the possibility of Apple adopting Intel's solution.

With Intel's embargo on Z68 information having lifted earlier today, AnandTech has posted a thorough review of the chipset and the SSD caching feature. On a basic level, the report notes that Z68 is the chipset Intel should have launched for its Sandy Bridge platform earlier this year, overcoming a number of limitations related to overclocking and graphics options.
Intel's Z68 should have been the one and only high end launch chipset offered with Sandy Bridge. It enables all of the configurations we could possibly want with Sandy Bridge and does so without making any sacrifices. Users should be able to overclock their CPU and use integrated graphics if they'd like. While Z68 gives us pretty much exactly what we asked for, it is troubling that we even had to ask for it in the first place.

But the most anticipated feature of Z68 is its support for Intel's SRT SSD caching, and AnandTech takes a close look at the technology. With support currently available for Windows 7, it allows users to dedicate up to 64 GB of SSD space for caching purposes.
With Intel's RST 10.5 drivers and a spare SSD installed (from any manufacturer) you can choose to use up to 64GB of the SSD as a cache for all accesses to the hard drive. Any space above 64GB is left untouched for you to use as a separate drive letter.

Intel limited the maximum cache size to 64GB as it saw little benefit in internal tests to making the cache larger than that. Admittedly after a certain size you're better off just keeping your frequently used applications on the SSD itself and manually storing everything else on a hard drive.

That latter scenario is of course what Apple has chosen to do in the iMac with the secondary 256 GB SSD, although the company could certainly seek to utilize SRT on future systems as an alternative to the $600 price premium the larger SSD requires.

For its part, Intel has released a new "SSD 311" drive checking in at 20 GB and codenamed "Larson Creek". The SSD 311 is specifically designed as a caching SSD for Z68, utilizing high-performance and long-lasting single-level cell (SLC) flash memory and expected to be priced at around $110.

AnandTech goes on to explain the difference between the more secure "enhanced" and faster "maximized" modes for Intel's SSD caching and offers a number of benchmarks for booting and application launching. Overall, SSD caching offers much of the performance improvement of a full SSD solution, but at a fraction of the cost. Consistency is an issue, however, as the technology obviously requires that information be cached in the first place before speed enhancements can be seen. This limits speed improvements for application installation and first-time runs of applications, but frequently-used tasks quickly see significant speed increases.
Intel's Smart Response Technology (SRT) is an interesting addition to the mix. For starters, it's not going to make your high end SSD obsolete. You'll still get better overall performance by grabbing a large (80 - 160GB+) SSD, putting your OS + applications on it, and manually moving all of your large media files to a separate hard drive. What SRT does offer however is a stepping stone to a full blown SSD + HDD setup and a solution that doesn't require end user management. You don't get the same performance as a large dedicated SSD, but you can turn any hard drive into a much higher performing storage device. Paired with a 20GB SLC SSD cache, I could turn a 4-year-old 1TB hard drive into something that was 41% faster than a VelociRaptor.

It of course remains to be seen if Apple will even adopt SSD caching technology as an alternative to pricier standard SSD options, but the company's embracing of the Z68 chipset at least opens the door to the possibility at some point down the road.

Additional pay hike unlikely in Metro

2011-05-12T02:11:00.000+08:00

MANILA, Philippines - Workers in Metro Manila are unlikely to get additional pay.

Ciriaco Lagunzad III, National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC) executive director, yesterday said they usually dismiss a petition to reverse a wage board’s ruling.

“On several occasions, the commission received appeals on wage orders, but the boards render the best decision on this matter and any appeal is usually dismissed,” he said.

He said the wage boards follow certain processes before making a clear and reasonable decision.

“It is very rare for the NWPC to overturn or revise the decision of the wage board because the Commission gives the boards autonomy to make this kind of decision,” he said.

Lagunzad said employers are required to post a bond equivalent to the total increase in the region if they decide to appeal a decision to stop implementation of a wage order.

“And as a practice and in accordance with the rules, the appeal will not stop the enforcement of the wage order,” he said.

Organized labor led by the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) has been pushing for a P75 across-the-board increase in the daily pay of workers in Metro Manila.

However, most employers are only willing to provide a P13 adjustment.

Dismayed by the wage board’s decision, the Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) urged the government to reverse the ruling during a rally at the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in Manila yesterday.

PM chairman Renato Magtubo said that President Aquino should have asked the members of the Metro Manila wage board to grant a salary increase not just an emergency cost of living allowance (ECOLA).

“Once more the wage boards have betrayed the workers,” he said.

“The P22 ECOLA is symbolic of the wage boards’ 22 years of service to the capitalists rather than the workers.”

The wage boards have outlived their usefulness and should be replaced by a Wage Commission, Magtubo said.

‘No one wins’

No one wins with the P22 increase in the cost of living allowance (COLA) of minimum wage earners in Metro Manila, the Health Alliance for Democracy (HEAD) said yesterday.

Dr. Genevie Rivera, HEAD executive director, said the P22 cannot even make a dent on the inflation rate.

“No one wins here, not the workers and not the employers or the businessmen,” she said.

HEAD is pushing for a P125 increase in daily salary to enable workers to level off with the inflation rate.

Rivera said petitions for such amount have been pending since 1998 when the minimum transport fare was only P4.

“Now, it’s already P8, so P125 is not enough to cope with the rising cost of living,” she said.

“But it is much better than P22 COLA.”

Rivera said with such COLA, the capacity of Metro Manila workers to buy is still very weak.

“So in the end, even the businessmen lost,” she said.

“I hope the government will seriously look into the plight of workers. It’s about time that they do something to improve their life.”

Wage boards asked to hike COLA further

Senate President Pro-Tempore Jinggoy Estrada and Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri yesterday urged the tripartite wage boards to raise further the P22 approved hike in the COLA for minimum wage earners in Metro Manila.

Estrada said the amount is not enough and that deliberations on the proposed actual wage increase should continue.

“I share the workers’ sentiment that this COLA is very measly, especially in face of the unabated jacking up of prices of petroleum as well as food products and basic commodities,” he said.

Estrada, concurrent chairman of the Senate committee on labor, employment and human resources development, and the joint Congressional Oversight Committee on Labor and Employment, said employers in the country could provide a reasonably higher additional pay to their workers.

“But more than that, what we should work for is actual increase in their wages, which would be included in the overall computation of their compensation,” he said.

The DOLE and the different wage boards should continue deliberations on the calls for actual wage hikes, adding his committee is likewise doing its share in finding the real “win-win solution” in the issue of wage and benefits for the workers, Estrada said.

Zubiri said the P22 increase can hardly buy a kilo of rice and thus, was like a slap in the face.

“That’s for palay, not rice. They should increase the P22, make it P50 at the very least.”

Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III said he would support moves for a legislated wage increase.

Sen. Edgardo Angara said said a subsidy should be given to every household for cooking oil, cooking gas and the cost of rice.

What the Microsoft-Skype deal means for Skype users

2011-05-12T02:01:00.000+08:00

In a giant deal to buy Internet phone company Skype, Microsoft finally got what it has long sought: a consumer brand so powerful that it's a verb.

Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer has tried to turn its search brand Bing into a verb, like Google, but it hasn't caught on. Investors have turned up their noses at Microsoft's stock because the company has had a hard time romancing consumers who want iPads and Facebook, even though it makes billions of dollars selling software to businesses.

For the price of $8.5 billion, Microsoft now has that consumer brand.

"The Skype brand has become a verb, nearly synonymous with video and voice communications," Ballmer said Tuesday at a news conference in San Francisco.

The acquisition, the largest in Microsoft's history, will net Microsoft more than 170 million monthly Skype customers who use the service to stay in touch with friends in different countries, see their grandchildren grow up via video calls and send text messages, all free or at a fraction of the cost of landline and wireless calls.

Skype is one of the few companies that actually has lived up to the Web's promise of bringing people closer together. Many users now wonder how long the free ride will continue or, more bluntly, whether Microsoft will screw it up.

While Microsoft offers many free services, such as Bing and Hotmail, it also has a history of buying companies that never live up to the initial promise.

Asked specifically whether Skype would remain free, Microsoft said it is not commenting on how the product or features will change.

The acquisition signals Microsoft is stepping up its game and aggressively going after consumers with mobile phones, tablets and cloud computing.

"At Microsoft, we see enormous opportunity that brings together what people want — data, voice, video, IM [instant messaging], all on a single screen — whether it's a smartphone, a PC, a slate or the TV," Ballmer said. "Microsoft and Skype together will define this future and what it really, really looks like."

The company sees a future where Skype will connect the home, office and in between via Xbox, Windows, Office and Windows Phones.

Michael Cusumano, a professor at the MIT Sloan School of Management who just wrote about Microsoft in his book "Staying Power," said he was worried that the company had lost its edge.

"We used to use the phrase they would 'go for jugular,' " he said.

Over the past 10 years, he added, "They seem to be just a little bit too slow in reacting to things. ... Buying Skype is the kind of aggressive move I had hoped they would make."

The acquisition surpasses the $6 billion Microsoft spent in 2007 on aQuantive, a Seattle online advertising company.

Microsoft offered to buy Yahoo for $44.6 billion in 2008, but talks fell apart and the two companies now have a search partnership.

One reason for Skype's popularity is that it's used in a wide range of platforms, including Macs, iPhones, Android phones, BlackBerrys, televisions and Blu-ray players. Microsoft indicated it will continue to support Skype software built for competitors.

"Our vision is that products and services that Skype users know and love today will simply grow and be enhanced," Ballmer said."Part of that commitment is to continue investing and supporting Skype on non-Microsoft client platforms."

Observers say the deal makes strategic, rather than technological, sense for Microsoft.

Several Microsoft products do what Skype does — Windows Live Messenger instant-messaging software; Lync, its unified communication software for businesses; and the Xbox Live video-game network.

Microsoft plans to integrate Skype with those services, as well as its email-related offerings Outlook and Hotmail. Analysts see potential in building Bing into Skype applications and to selling online advertising on Skype.

Microsoft has a checkered history with acquisitions of companies with strong consumer success, such as mobile-device maker Danger, which made the Sidekick, a smartphone especially popular with teenagers.

The fruit of that merger, the Kin phone, emerged last year, only to be pulled from the market two months later.

And Microsoft had difficulty integrating aQuantive into its sprawling organization, eventually selling the most profitable piece, Razorfish, for $530 million, a fraction of the $6 billion Microsoft paid for the parent.

Skype, started in 2003, is still a fresh-faced tech darling that gives most of its software and services away, growing mostly by word-of-mouth and viral marketing.

The vast majority of people use Skype for its free service to make voice and video calls to other Skype users. The company makes money from SkypeOut, a subscription or prepaid service used to place calls from a Skype application to landline or mobile phones.

Only 6 percent, or 8.8 million, of Skype's 145 million users in December paid for services, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The company recently added the ability to sell advertising on Skype software, but the filing says it is uncertain how much revenue it will see from ad sales.

In 2010, Skype lost $7 million on $860 million in sales. In 2009, which included 11 months when it operated as an eBay subsidiary, Skype lost $369 million on $719 million in sales.

Skype CEO Tony Bates calls it a member of the "100-100 club."

"We have over 100 million users who use us each and every month, 170 [million] at last count," he said. "But we also have a very, very engaged user base. Our user base on average uses 100 minutes per user, per month."

Bates will become president of a new Skype division at Microsoft and report directly to Ballmer.

Now based in Luxembourg, Skype was bought by eBay in October 2005.

An investor group bought the company from eBay for $2.7 billion in November 2009.

The company had been planning an initial public offering when Microsoft made an unsolicited offer.

With the sale, Skype's value has more than tripled in 18 months, prompting some people to question whether Microsoft overpaid.

"Strategically makes sense. Not sure about the price tag," said Sid Parakh, analyst at McAdams Wright Ragen in Seattle.

Yun Kim, an analyst at Gleacher & Co., was less concerned about price.

"I don't think it's necessarily the valuation that matters because they [Microsoft] have a lot of cash and financial resources," Kim said. "It's more important they make the right strategic move to continue to migrate their solution from the PC era to the post-PC era."

Microsoft is seeking regulatory approval for the deal from U.S. and European regulators, and hopes the merger will close by the end of the year.

UNICEF Philippines

2011-05-11T02:21:00.000+08:00

What we do
UNICEF is supporting the Sixth Country Programme for Children (CPC 6) with the national government and the involvement of all sectors of society to provide the best quality of life for every Filipino child through programmes that help them survive and flourish.

Children in Need of Special Protection
Issue:
More children in the Philippines are becoming victims of abuse, violence and exploitation. Nearly 1.7 million children do not have birth documents. Having no birth documents deprives children of basic health, educational and protection services, therefore making them increasingly vulnerable to different forms of abuse and exploitation. The country lacks a national child protection monitoring and reporting system to determine the exact number of children in need of special protection, such as victims of abuse, violence and exploitation.

Despite recent economic gains, 36.8 per cent of the population still live below the national poverty line, with 47.5 per cent of the population living on less than US$ 2 per day. Poverty has pushed many children to work to fend for their families, which usually places them in situations of abuse and exploitation.

Children affected by armed conflict remains a concern. From 2001-2005, records show a total of 1,025,426 internally displaced persons nationwide. In the past four years, 30,000-50,000 of children are displaced every year as a result of armed conflict. Basic services in most conflict-affected communities are often either absent or severely deficient. The lack of basic services and opportunities in these communities has driven children to become involved with armed groups. The lack of access to education and other basic services has been associated with increased participation of children in armed groups.

Nevertheless, significant breakthroughs have been made for the protection of children in the Philippines. For example, the historic passage of the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act raised the age of criminal liability from 9 to 15 years old and ensures children are not placed in adult jails. More networks and alliances for child protection are continuously being established, ensuring a more protective environment for children in need, even in hard-to-reach areas.

Action:

UNICEF works to provide a safe and protective environment for children identified as vulnerable and to victims of abuse, exploitation and violence, by educating families to prevent abuse, violence and exploitation, and enabling children-at-risk to protect themselves through rescue, healing and recovery services.

UNICEF supports the development and strengthening of child protection networks at community, local and national levels. We also support the establishment of more Child Protection Units, child-friendly investigation studios and specialised courts to help victims of child abuse and exploitation.

UNICEF supported massive advocacy and lobbying activities that contributed to the passage of the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act and the issuance of its Implementing Rules and Regulations. We are watching the proper implementation of the law and are orienting the public about its implications.

We help increase access to preventive and protective services for children at risk as well as children victims of abuse, exploitation and trafficking. These services range from access to educational opportunities, life skills training, vocational training, and HIV and AIDS prevention education, to health services and psychosocial interventions. UNICEF also helps build the capacity of professionals working with and for children.

For children in conflict areas, we work to provide basic social, health and psychological services. We organize youth groups to be peace advocates and provide opportunities for them to express themselves.

We also support assessments and studies on child protection issues and help strengthen data collection, monitoring and reporting systems.

Impact

Legal protection and juvenile justice

Passage of the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act Bill into law
Passage of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003
By 2006, all children jailed in Metro Manila and Cebu province were taken out of adult prison cells.
Police, court officials and jail officers were trained to properly handle cases involving children.
The Supreme Court has adopted child-sensitive rules and procedures including video-conferencing in courts to spare children the trauma of testifying and coming face to face with their abusers.
The National Police has included into its detective management course the module on child-sensitive investigation.
Children and armed conflict

The President issued an executive order that mandated the inclusion of peace education in basic education.
Trained teachers, school principals and supervisors on peace education exemplars
Reached 64 conflict-affected villages and provided a variety of services for more than 20,000 children including basic health, early childhood care, vocational education, youth organizing, rights advocacy and disaster management.
Organized dialogues with different non-state armed groups on child rights and peace
Street children, trafficking and sexual exploitation

Increased community awareness on child trafficking in 471 communities identified as key sending or transit areas of children and women
Educational assistance to 6,816 elementary and high school children at-risk and life skills education and vocational training to 1,200 others
Implemented “Internet Safety for Kids” in over 600 Internet cafés nationwide
Two major studies produced on trafficking of Filipino children and children in armed conflict
Local action plans to address child pornography have been developed by 24 UNICEF-assisted focus areas

Donate now!

Helping children survive and thrive is a team effort. That is why UNICEF Philippines counts on corporate and individual donations to continue its work for children all over the archipelago. Any amount goes a long way in delivering commitments for children and ensuring that they grow up to become healthy, happy and productive Filipinos.

Help us bring a brighter tomorrow for all children through your heartfelt donation.

Donate now to support our work for children

VISIT http://www.unicef.org/philippines/supportunicef.html

Microsoft betting Skype keeps it ahead of Google, Apple

2011-05-11T01:11:00.001+08:00

Here's why Microsoft's $8.5 billion acquisition of Skype makes sense: Microsoft, still a laggard on the Internet, has landed one of the most popular brands on the Web with a deeply engaged base of users. And it can bake Skype's widely used technology into its communications products, making them better.

At least, that's the bet. Microsoft says Skype has more than 170 million connected users. According to a regulatory filing, Skype claims its users made 207 billion minutes of voice and video calls last year. Microsoft wants to capitalize on that loyalty, putting Skype technology into various products, hoping that it can spin Skype's users into other Microsoft products.

Microsoft's Steve Ballmer and Skype's Tony Bates announce Microsoft's $8.5 billion acquisition of Skype at a San Francisco press conference.

(Credit: Jay Greene/CNET)

"The Skype brand is a verb," Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said at a press event in San Francisco this morning, several hours after the acquisition plans were announced. (And just as the keynote address at the Google I/O developer conference was about to get started just a few blocks away.)

There are plenty of questions about whether paying $8.5 billion makes sense. But for Microsoft, which at the end of the most recent quarter reported that it was sitting on $50 billion in cash, it's not really the right question. Microsoft has poured billions of dollars into businesses over the years to find new markets. Some are starting to pay off, such as its Xbox video game business. And others are still a long way away from making money, such as its online services division.

For Microsoft, the question is whether Skype allows it to get ahead of rivals, particularly Google and Apple, in key consumer market. Skype offers that potential.

"Today's announcement underscores who we are as a company," Ballmer said in an e-mail to employees. "We are ambitious and forward looking. We have big goals and aspirations. And when we look into the world and see opportunities to do more with technology, we'll drive toward them and keep pushing."

That regulatory filing, which Skype sent to the Securities and Exchange Commission in advance of an initial public offering that won't happen now, said the company lost $7 million on $850 million in net revenue in 2010. And earnings before interest and taxes, a measure growing companies use to view profits, was $246 million for the year. In just the most recent quarter, Microsoft posted $5.7 billion in operating income.

Skype dreams

Does Skype make sense for Microsoft?

Yes indeed.

I'll withhold judgment for now.

No way.

VOTEView results

But Microsoft doesn't have to turn Skype into a standalone profit center. It has businesses that can be improved by baking Skype technology into them. At least, that's the bet. Microsoft can add Skype to a portfolio of real-time communications products, that include Outlook, Messenger, Hotmail, Xbox Live and Lync. And it can add Skype into Windows Phone.

"We dream about building experiences that aren't limited by distance and device," Ballmer said at the San Francisco event, speaking about things like distance learning and family gatherings via video. "Microsoft and Skype together will define this future and what it looks like."

Ballmer talked about a recent conference at his son's school, where he battled traffic to get there in time. As he was racing there, he thought about the camera that was inevitably on a computer in the school and its wireless network. He could have done the meeting from his office. "There's a better way to do these things," Ballmer said.

Just as important, it can try to sell Skype users on other Microsoft products, connecting them to one-another through products such as Outlook. It has the potential of making Microsoft's existing communications products more valuable. It also gives those customers less reason to use rival technology from Google and Apple.

Microsoft plans to bake Skype's technology into a variety of products - everything from its Lync unified communications software to its Kinect motion-sensing device for the Xbox. As widely used as Skype is, Microsoft thinks it can build an even bigger base of customers. Microsoft can help push Skype into everything from business meetings to distance learning. It can enable digital family gathering. "We want to extend the reach of Skype," Ballmer said.

And it has a bit of history weaving acquired technology into existing businesses. In 2007, Microsoft acquired speech recognition company Tellme Networks for $800 million. It currently uses that technology to let users search the Web with Bing by speaking a query into their mobile phone. Kinect uses Tellme technology to let gamers control their Xbox with voice commands.

That's why Ballmer gushed that the deal is "much more than the sum of it's parts."

That's why Microsoft is willing to shell out more than it's ever paid for an acquisition. (It's $6 billion deal for Aquantive is now ranked number two.) Unlike Skype's previous owner, eBay, Microsoft actually has some synergy with the company. Its real challenge won't be making money from Skype. It will be figuring out how to use Skype to make Microsoft's products better.

Apple usurps Google's place as world’s most valuable brand

2011-05-10T02:26:00.002+08:00

LONDON (Reuters) - Apple has overtaken Google as the world's most valuable brand, ending a four-year reign by the Internet search leader, according to a new study by global brands agency Millward Brown.

The iPhone and iPad maker's brand is now worth $153 billion, almost half Apple's market capitalization, says the annual BrandZ study of the world's top 100 brands.

Apple's portfolio of coveted consumer goods propelled it past Microsoft to become the world's most valuable technology company last year.

Peter Walshe, global brands director of Millward Brown, says Apple's meticulous attention to detail, along with an increasing presence of its gadgets in corporate environments, have allowed it to behave differently from other consumer-electronics makers.

"Apple is breaking the rules in terms of its pricing model," he told Reuters by telephone. "It's doing what luxury brands do, where the higher price the brand is, the more it seems to underpin and reinforce the desire."

"Obviously, it has to be allied to great products and a great experience, and Apple has nurtured that."

By contrast, one of the brands most threatened by Apple's rising popularity in offices took a big hit in the survey.

Research In Motion's BlackBerry brand lost a fifth of its brand value. Among technology companies, only Nokia's 28 percent decline was steeper.

Of the top 10 brands in Monday's report, six were technology and telecoms companies: Google at number two, IBM at number three, Microsoft at number five, AT&T at number seven and China Mobile at number nine.

McDonald's rose two places to number four, as fast food became the fastest-growing category, Coca-Cola slipped one place to number six, Marlboro was also down one to number eight, and General Electric was number 10.

Walshe said demand from China was a major factor in the rise of fast-food brands. "The Chinese have been discovering fast food and it's such a vast market -- Starbucks, McDonald's... and pizza has hit China," he said.

"The way McDonald's has reinvented itself, adapted its menus, added healthy options, expanding the times of day it can be visited, for example oatmeal for breakfast... that allied with growth in developing markets has really helped that brand."

Nineteen of the top 100 brands came from emerging markets, up from 13 last year.

Facebook entered the top 100 at number 35 with a brand valued at $19.1 billion, while Chinese search engine Baidu rose to number 29 from 46.

Toyota reclaimed its position as the world's most valuable car brand, as it recovered from a bungled 2010 product recall. The survey was carried out before the March earthquake that caused massive disruption to Japanese supply chains.

The total value of the top 100 brands rose by 17 percent to $2.4 trillion, as the global economy shifted to growth.

Millward Brown takes as a starting point the value that companies put on their own main brands as intangibles in their earnings reports.

It combines that with the perceptions of more than 2 million consumers in relevant markets around the world whom it surveys over the course of the year, and then applies a multiple derived from the company's short-term future growth prospects.