I
Gusto ko ay magpaiwan
Kung ika’y magpapaiwan…
‘Yun Lang… (‘Yun lang)
Huwag ka nang magpaalam
‘Di nila kailangang malaman
Quiet lang… (Quiet lang)

Makita ka ay ayos na!
Lumilipad ang pakiramdam
Huwag ka sanang lumayo pa!
‘Yun lang ang aking paalala (woh!)
‘Yun Lang!

II
Gusto ko ay maging hari
Pero dahil sa iyo ako’y baliw… (Ako’y baliw)
Mawala sa iyong hardin,
Bango mo ay langhapin… giliw (Giliw)

Maamoy ka lang ayos na!
Nadedeliryo sa halimuyak mo… (woh-hoh!)
Dito ka lang sana!
Huwag ka na kasing magduda! (woooh!)
‘Yun lang!

Simple lang aking kailangan; simple lang aking hangarin (hooo… hooo)
Simple lang aking kailangan; simple lang aking hangarin (hooo… hooo)

Makita ka ay ayos na!
Lumilipad… Lumulutang…
Huwag ka sanang lumayo pa!
Huwag ka na kasing magduda!
‘Yun lang aking paalala! (woooh!)
‘Yun Lang!
‘Yun Lang!

‘Yun lang, ‘Yun lang, ‘Yun lang, ‘Yun lang….

Imagine, you can use BBM to send messages to your colleagues who are abroad, eliminating the high cost of sending SMS to a foreign-based mobile number — or even from a different telco.

A lot of Filipinos are now experiencing the beauty of BlackBerry — both the handheld units and the service — thanks to the promos and loyalty (retention) programs being offered by the two giant networks here in RP: GlobePH and Smart.

Share your experiences, problems, tips-and-tricks, etc. about the BlackBerry online at our homegrown online community BlackBerry Pinoys (http://www.blackberrypinoy.info). If you use BBM, simply scan my bar code above or add my PIN 21A55089.

Mabuhay ang Pinoy BlackBerry users!

ASUS Once Again Proves Its Uncanny Ability to Meld Form, Function and Fashion in an Elegant yet Understated Netbook

Since the introduction of the first Eee PC™, ASUS has inched high technology ever closer to high fashion. With the Eee PC™ Seashell Karim Rashid Collection (1008P), ASUS has taken a decisive leap onto the catwalk. Co-conceived by one of the world’s leading designers, the Eee PC™ Seashell Karim Rashid Collection is the realization of Karim’s vision of computing—one that is more sensual, more human, more hip. Completely contemporary and anathema to nostalgia, these netbooks are more daring, more intersecting, and are designed to appeal to young, mobile trendsetters while remaining an accessible luxury to everyone.

The Eee PC™ Seashell Karim Rashid Collection manifests ASUS’ commitment to designing products that appeal to the five human senses, with an emphasis on vision and touch. To achieve this, ASUS’ industrial designers have had to pioneer a plethora of material, production, and textural innovations, such as the combination of rubber paint, in mold roller (IMR), and metallic materials to create thoroughly unique finishes.

Making Waves with the Techno-chic Digi-Wave Design

Karim’s inspired touch is imbued in every inch of the Eee PC™ Seashell Karim Rashid Collection. It is encased from top to bottom in an organic Digi-Wave chassis that is as pragmatic as it is stylish—offering striking looks and robust protection. The rippling lines—which convey a sense of forward movement—adhere perfectly to the golden ratio, bearing testament to the extreme precision required to produce the subtle waves and retain color consistency across the peaks and troughs. The in mold cutting was measured and tested with unprecedented precision by ASUS’ designers, resulting in a gadget that boasts the prestige of a handcrafted product. The perfection of each wave can be perceived with the gentlest of touches.

Innovative Finishes Convey a Touch of Privilege

The Eee PC™ Seashell Karim Rashid Collection reflects Karim and ASUS’ view that function, material, form, performance, texture, color and ease-of-use are inseparable in any object of beauty. It is designed to stimulate all five human senses, including the sense of touch, which is often overlooked in the PC domain. The Eee PC™ Seashell Karim Rashid Collection thus sets itself apart from other netbooks through its innovative finishes that pamper users’ palms and fingertips. The Eee PC™ Seashell Karim Rashid Collection also stands out prominently through its colors—its specific hues, tints and saturations were carefully selected to appeal to tech fashionistas. It is available in bold, glossy Hot Pink or classic, matte Coffee Brown.

No Deficiency in Efficiency

The Eee PC™ Seashell Karim Rashid Collection features a breathtaking design that includes a 10.1″ frameless LED backlit display and an ergonomic chiclet keyboard. This beauty is matched by its computing prowess. It features the new power-saving Intel® Atom™ N450 CPU, which works in tandem with ASUS’ exclusive Super Hybrid Engine energy management technology to deliver 6 hours of battery life on a single charge. The Eee PC™ Seashell Karim Rashid Collection also offers near-instant access to the Internet thanks to the inclusion of Express Gate, an ancillary operating system that boots up in seconds. Express Gate allows users to make Skype calls, surf the web, browse photos, play online games, engage in instant messaging, and much more.

Glossy Hot Pink

Hot Pink is the new black for fashion and a shock of punchy pink is just the thing to brighten any ensemble. This positive and very orgulous color clearly communicates the idea of immateriality, entropy and energy of a strong optimistic presence. The Hot Pink Eee PC™ 1008P—which recalls a fashionable woman strolling down New York’s Fifth Avenue—has a metallic silver bottom layer and a transparent Hot Pink IMR upper layer.

Matte Coffee Brown

Subtle, mature and understated yet elegant, Coffee Brown is timeless and classic—bringing to mind a gentleman sipping coffee at the Café de la Seine, enjoying a relaxing afternoon by reading John Wooden’s poetry. The Coffee Brown Eee PC™ 1008P has two layers: a Coffee Brown bottom layer sprinkled with gold glitter, and a soft-to-the-touch upper layer of translucent rubber paint.

A Duet of Style and Sonority Proves Once and for All Audio Needn’t Play Second Fiddle to Visuals in Notebook Computers

CeBIT 2010, HANNOVER, GERMANY (March 5, 2010) — Entertainment media continues to personalize, focusing on content catering to diverse tastes. Notebooks have been playing an increasing role in this, becoming media centers on which people watch movies, listen to music and play games. The crux of the issue is demand for quality multimedia on notebooks, something not easy to come by—until now.

No Longer an Afterthought

Graphics on PCs have improved across the board in recent years, but audio remains a secondary priority. Users are forced to contend with tinny, unsatisfying sound quality that’s left in the dust compared to video. ASUS has taken upon itself to change that with its exclusive SonicMaster technology, a new standard for notebooks guaranteeing aural enjoyment will never again be a pipe dream.

SonicMaster completely redraws notebook audio, the result of co-development by ASUS and Bang & Olufsen ICEpower®. It debuts on new ASUS N Series models, providing striking audio for people interested in affordable, unflinching quality. Top-line NX Series notebooks feature upgraded SonicMaster capabilities, replacing existing home entertainment hubs.

All enable personal enjoyment and expression, standing out from the notebook crowd with unsurpassed auditory acumen.

The Chords of Change

Leading the charge are NX models with SonicMaster Premium, followed by more mainstream N models. The latter are still miles ahead of anything else currently on the market. Behind the revolution are efforts by the ASUS Golden Ear team, who’ve assembled a harmony of hardware and software crafting SonicMaster. The old failings of notebook tunes have been addressed: oversized resonance chambers and specially-placed speakers eliminate vibration and distortion, while the software engine boosts finesse, ensuring consumers hear amazing vocals and surround elements as though in a live environment.

Styling a Shift

Working on the NX Series together with renowned designer David Lewis, ASUS has completely altered the perception of audio on notebooks. From forgotten it has become foremost, with tower speakers flanking the screen to deliver sound directly to the ear. The NX Series matches SonicMaster with superb looks sure to thrill the fashion savvy. Its polished aluminum body sends a clear message—the essence of style is leadership.

Meanwhile, the new N Series maintains the trademark wave motif but adds to its dynamism and elegance with a sound-enhancing speaker mesh and hairline aluminum cover.

Sounds Touching

Serious music buffs stand to appreciate further innovation espoused by new NX models, as hands-on involvement gains added depth. Dual touchpads and the Rotation Desktop interface combine to allow two handed DJ-like precision controls, affording not only super sounds, but also a unique personal touch. The Rotation Desktop makes managing and enjoying media files easy, interactive and fast, and its ergonomic design goes easy on hands.

Fast Things Ahead

Quality audio means big files, and as every PC user knows, waiting an eternity to share favorite music can really take one away from that special atmosphere. Once more ASUS comes in to make things right, endowing the N and NX Series with new USB 3.0—ten times the speed of incumbent USB 2.0.

Powerhouse Intel Core™ processors such as i3, i5 and i7 drive the N and NX Series, providing a performance leeway so sorely missing from other, compromised designs. This results in the stage being set for pure audio gratification, not technical frustration.

For more product information and in-depth stories, please visit http://techinstyle.tv.

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ASUS at CeBIT 2010
To find out more about our showcased products, please visit us at Hall 17, Stand H16 from March 2nd to 6th, 2010.

About ASUS
ASUS is a leading company in the new digital era, with a broad product portfolio that includes notebooks, netbooks, motherboards, graphics cards, displays, desktop PCs, servers, wireless solutions, mobile phones and networking devices. Driven by innovation and committed to quality, ASUS designs and manufactures products that perfectly meet the needs of today’s home and office users. ASUS won 3,268 awards in 2009, and is widely credited with revolutionizing the PC industry with the Eee PC™. With a global staff of more than 10,000 and a world-class R&D design team, the company’s revenue for 2009 was US$7.5 billion. ASUS ranks among BusinessWeek’s InfoTech 100, and has been on the listing for 12 consecutive years.

So, I decided to teach my students then a work-around that will somewhat enable them to FTP using a Windows XP-based machine: Network Places.

When Windows Vista, and later Windows 7, were introduced, Network Places was scrapped out. Then, I came across this nifty utility called Gladinet Cloud Desktop.

Gladinet Cloud Desktop allows you to map a cloud storage (that includes Google Docs & Windows Live SkyDrive) or any FTP location as a virtual network drive. Using Gladinet Cloud Desktop doesn’t require for a separate FTP client software to be installed in your machine, since you can tap the features of Windows Explorer to cut, copy, and paste files and folders from your PC to a remote location/server storage.

Being a techie person, I had subjected my BlackBerry Bold 9700 to several tests and trials. One of which was testing different video formats and encoding to see if they will play in the device — take note that the files were saved in the microSD card (media card). As a matter of practice, after the tests were done, I usually delete the file(s) from the device. However, I had noticed that the files I had deleted previously are still listed inside the Media section of the BlackBerry Bold 9700. Kinda weird, but my research paved the way for a solution.

BlackBerry Storm 9000 owners were faced with the same problem — deleted media items in the microSD card still appears in the Media list of the device. The normal work-around is to pull the BlackBerry’s battery out then restart the unit. In my case, it didn’t worked. Another work-around is to pull the microSD out of its hatch then re-insert it prior to restarting the device. It worked, but such a hassle to do it whenever I delete a media item.

Then, I came across a BlackBerry user’s forum, the solution posted was simple:

In the BlackBerry Bold 9700, go to Options -> Memory. Press the menu button and choose Remove Media Card. Then, press the menu button one more time and choose Install Media Card.

This method will show you the updated list of media items in your BlackBerry Bold 9700’s microSD card.

On to the review:

The BlackBerry 9700 was announced last October 2009, and this is RIM’s second handset (next to the Curve 8520) that will sport a touch-sensitive optical trackpad instead of the problematic trackball. A very welcome move from RIM. Compared with the BlackBerry Bold 9000, the Bold 9700’s camera is upgraded to 3.15MP (from just 2.0MP) with Image Stabilization; weight is reduced to just 122g from 133g; the Bold 9700 supports GSM 850/900/1800/1900, HSDPA 850/1900/2100, & HSDPA 1700/2100/900 — up to 3.6Mbps. Like the Bold 9000, Bold 9700 is also WiFi (802.11 b/g, UMA) enabled.

On the downside, internal storage for the Bold 9700 was reduced to just 256MB from Bold 9000’s 1GB. But, the Bold 9700 supports up to 16GB microSD expandable storage, while the Bold 9000 can only accommodate up to 8GB. The screen size got a little bit smaller at 2.44 inches, compared to the Bold 9000’s 2.6 inches.

GlobePH currently sells the BlackBerry Bold 9700 at PHP28,995 as a prepaid phonekit.

Last night, we decided to embark on a road trip all the way from Manila to Angeles City, Pampanga – via Victory Liner. We decided to leave the car home, getting rid of the traffic and driving fatigue hassles along the way. The last bus that will pass through the Angeles Exit left Pasay City at 1700H of Saturday. Two hours after, we reached our destination: Marquee Mall, Angeles City.

The beautiful people of Marque Mall (an Ayala mall; our thank you’s go to Trisha Narciso) and Rogue Digital (another set of thank you’s go to Jojo Saddul) were kind enough to give my family passes (mine is an All Access Pass) to the 15th Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta at the Clark Airfield.

Since Thursday, I was trying to book for a hotel room, but since our stay falls on the eve of Valentine’s day, all of the hotels were already fully booked since Monday, 08 Feb 2010. Upon reaching Angeles City, the first thing that we did was to look for the nearest inn so that we may leave our stuff before having our dinner at the Marquee Mall. The tricycle driver we got was very efficient, he brought us to Miyabe Court, which is less than 500 meters away from the mall. After our dinner at Chowking Marquee Mall, we went to buy some snacks to be brought to the Clark Airfield the next morning at Metro Supermarket, which is inside the mall.

Hours later, at around 0430H, all of us three were already up and ready to go. Good thing that we were advised that Marquee Mall provided a FREE shuttle service from the mall to the Hot Air Balloon grounds. I tell you, it was the first time I saw traffic that heavy at past 0500H — worst than EDSA rush hour. Another good thing was that the driver of the shuttle van was clever enough to use another route to the Clark Airfield. We reached the gate of the Hot Air Balloon Fiesta grounds just minutes past 0530H.

Click here for our pictures during the 15th Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta.

Just before lunch, the shuttle van brought us back to the Marquee Mall. We dined at Ikabud Restaurant — their specialty was, of course, Kapampangan cuisine. You must try their “salpicado” (beef in oyster sauce). About the mall, it’s like being in Glorietta/Greenbelt while you’re at Angeles City, Pampanga.

Two hours later, the bus heading to Pasay left Angeles City and we were back to Manila just in time to hear the 1800H mass.

Truly, one Valentine weekend that I will never forget — the very first time we celebrated Valentine’s day as a family.

My first impressions of the device was: “the big brother of the iPhone and iPod Touch.”

With a price tag of (starting at) US$499, this will definitely land in my wish list for tech gadgets this year. As I said earlier today, this toy (este gadget) is a “must” for professors and students alike.