Glich's Life - Blogging by Glenn Ong

Singapore: Master Crab Seafood Restaurant, The Crab Specialist

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn Richmond Ong) — Sat, 26 May 2012 02:45:00 +0000

I was in Singapore a few weeks ago for an official business trip. I didn't like much of the food there, except for a very few dishes - yeah, I know many of you may wonder why. Anyway, I felt very fortunate that on our last dinner, our Project Manager (PM) treated us at Master Crab Seafood Restaurant located in Ghim Moh Road.

Master Crab has 10 branches, but this is the one familiar to our PM. Since it is quite far, we just took a cab from Novena to save our efforts and energies after a tiring day. However, if you want to take the train, you can opt to go down at the Buona Vista MRT station, then walk to the restaurant, which is about 0.57KM away.

Singapore is known for having several hawker-type of eateries. You'd see a common area for eating (tables and chairs are on a first come first served basis) and several stalls around selling different types of dishes. Order whatever you like and they'll bring it on your table.

Since all of us were first timers and didn't know what to order, the task was delegated to our PM. To make everything easier, he then decided to order from the set menu. Without further ado, presenting to you our dishes for the night...

The star of the night, Salted Egg Crabs. The sauce, colored golden-yellow from the egg's yolk, is very much rich and tasty. As the famous Filipino line goes, "sauce pa lang ulam na," this dish really had the praises of everyone. I love how the texture of the salted egg and the crab meat goes together so harmoniously, as if eating is singing.

You might wonder why we didn't get the usual chili crabs. Well, our PM said the salted egg variant is more delicious. He didn't disappoint. It was indeed yummy and fresh!

Stewed Abalone with Black Mushroom wasn't bad at all. The pieces of broccoli were cooked just right, stewed together with succulent, huge black mushrooms and topped with abalone. This resembles a popular Chinese food we usually order in Manila, sans the black hair and other vegetables.

Their Steamed Fish with Garlic and Ginger was a bit shocking in size. Lying on a light mix of soy sauce and mixed with garlic and ginger, this fish dish was a good ball breaker from all the other viands that had much stronger taste.

Several pieces of prawns were buried under this Cereal Prawns dish. It wasn't as yummy as that of Wee Nam Kee's popular prawn dish, but it wasn't that bad as well. Just okay!

Sauteed Asparagus with Scallops was one of my favorites for the night. To start with, I love asparagus and scallops, so mixing them together in one dish made me really happy. The scallops tasted very fresh even if we dined in at late night already. In addition, the asparagus was cooked to perfection, still a bit crunchy just the way I like it. It was more on the asparagus and less of the scallops in terms of pieces, but it's all good.

This is the so called Salad Fitters. I heard it has thinly chopped, mixed seafood formed into a cube or ball. But what? I didn't like it very much. I wasn't able to determine if it's pork, chicken, seafood or what. Blah! But I'd eat it anytime I feel terribly hungry. It's still food anyway, lah?

The Pork's Ribs dish had several pieces of pork cooked in tenderness. It comes with a special sauce that tastes a bit sweet. I find it a bit too oily though. Another just-okay dish.

We ended the meal with the menu's inclusive dessert, which I don't know the name. It was a mixture of sweet soup, longan fruit, and some brownish jelly. Some of my colleagues didn't like it, but I did. It resembles the taste of gulaman with additional flavors.

We were all smiles after dinner, because we really enjoyed the food! To recap, the set menu had 9 items all in all - all those I've mentioned above plus Seafood Fried Rice. The whole set is good for 10 pax, priced at 368 SGD (~Php12,581 or Php1,258/pax). We had to add a couple of bucks for the peanut appetizer and wet towels.

And oh, we added about 5 SGD for the Mantou, which we dipped onto the sauce of the Salted Egg Crabs. Yummy!

By the way, you can also order ala carte menu. Each dish usually comes in different sizes. The price range of all their menu items are from 6 SGD to 46 SGD, depending on the size and type of food. Meanwhile, crabs and fish prices may vary per day.

This is how our table looked life after dinner. Woooohooo! Thanks again to our PM for the treat at Master Crab Seafood Restaurant. It was definitely a worthwhile wait and a great cap off to the two-weeks business trip.

Master Crab Seafood Restaurant - Ghim Moh Road
Blk 19 Ghim Moh Road #01-229
Singapore 270019
Phone: 6314 1868
Business Hours: 3pm - 1:30am (Monday-Sunday)

Other Master Crab Branches:
Master Crab Seafood Restaurant - Punggol Field
108 Punggol Field #01-01
Singapore 820108
Phone: 6425 8079

Master Crab Seafood Restaurant - Punggol Dr
639 Punggol Drive #01-07
Singapore 820639
Phone: 6425 9435

Master Crab Seafood Restaurant - Compassvale Link
277C Compassvale Link #01-13
Singapore 544277
Phone: 6555 6515

Master Crab Seafood Restaurant - Choa Chu Kang
Blk 475 Choa Chu Kang Ave 3 #01-31
Singapore 680475
Phone: 6764 9487

Urbanears Tanto: Tantalizing Enough, A Review

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn Richmond Ong) — Wed, 23 May 2012 09:36:00 +0000

I’ll be honest with you – I’ve never really been a fan of the Urbanears brand. Ever since they came out on the market, I have always seen them as a colorful waste of money. I have gone through many a new product line of the same class and have been disappointed by the sound quality for the price I paid.

I won’t bother mentioning those brands here, but just to give you an idea of my biggest disappointment: I spent Php1,899 on a pair of headphones and used them exactly once. The sound quality was terrible – very little bass, no mid-tones to speak of, no highs to get me excited listening to my songs. It was like listening to a pair of headphones I could’ve easily purchased for PHP 500 or less. To this day, that pair is just rotting away in my room somewhere.

Coming into this review, I approached the package before me with an understandable apprehension. I wanted to challenge the brand to break my prejudice and make me believe they weren’t just another pretty face with an indulgent price tag. This is where the story of my experience with the Urbanears Tanto officially begins.

Design, Make and Package

Let me start with the main focus of the product – it’s simple yet eye-catching design. To be fair, the Urbanears line did pique my interest because of its colors. The bold range of colors they have is unheard of compared to the traditional blacks and whites that dominate the market.

Pictured below is the Urbanears Tanto with a color dubbed as Sage (sort of a greenish hue not too different from moss). The package stays consistent with the color of the headphones and feels like a lot of thought was put into it.

The Tanto line boasts to be “constructed for maximum mobility without the compromise of performance, adorned with a sleek and minimalistic look.” Maximum mobility here means that they tore away everything except the thin metal band that connects the two small ear cups on either side of your head.

They weren’t exaggerating about the pair being super lightweight, but I’m afraid that stripping the headphones down to its bare essentials makes it look very fragile. I’m a big guy and holding them in my hands makes me feel like I’d snap them if I moved the wrong way. The minimalist design is appealing though – there’s no screaming brand logo, no fancy design details or loud prints to distract you from the eye-catching simplicity it offers, but some may complain that it’s too minimalist.

The headphones come with a microphone and push-button control, which allows me to use them for calls or control the music. It also comes with a 120cm tangle-resistant fabric cord, which is of a fair length between my ears and the music player in my pocket.

The package also comes with a converter for larger audio ports and will allow you to plug in your headset to any music source. To round it off, the product comes with a warranty booklet, a full catalog of the Urbanears products, and a complimentary sticker that bears the company’s logo in the same color as the headphones, of course.

Sound Quality

At this point I’m thinking to myself, these are still your run-of-the-mill headphones. There’s nothing really special about the Urbanears Tanto to justify its price tag. It isn’t looking good for this pair – seems like my prejudice will still hold up after all. There was nothing left to do but to plug it in to my iPhone, scroll down to my staple test song “Drumming” by Florence and the Machine, hit play, and wear the thing. This is where I found myself eating my words.

I was literally not expecting this much sound to come from such a flimsy-looking pair. I don’t want to get too technical with you, but I could hear a full range of sounds in clear detail. The bass power wasn’t overwhelming, but you wouldn’t find it lacking either. The lows and mids were easily distinguishable and the artist’s words came across very clearly.

At only 70% volume, it was loud enough to drown out most ambient noise. Pushing the volume to 100% still made the sound comfortable enough to listen to with the same clear sound and no crackling whatsoever. It wasn’t noise-cancelling in any way as it still let the surrounding noise in, but I suppose this wasn’t really part of the product’s specifications.

The lightweight design really does come through once you wear them. I had them on for about 30 minutes and I hardly felt that they were there. The Urbanears Tanto is a pair you could wear for hours on end without feeling any discomfort.

Overall Experience

I was pleasantly surprised to hear such good quality from such a small pair of headphones, but I wouldn’t say the experience was perfect. My main complaint is that the earphones don’t fit snugly over my ears. The product boasts that the ear cups were made with a pivoting ball joint construction for optimized ergonomics, but it took me quite some time to adjust them to a comfortable position where I could hear the music clearly. I wasn’t allowed to do any vigorous movement either, because moving my head would offset the headphones and I’d have to adjust them again.

Overall, I would certainly say that the Urbanears Tanto headphones exceeded my initial expectations. It delivers good sound quality in an ultra-light weight, comfortable and sleek design – simple enough to be subtle, yet bold enough to get noticed. Has this changed my mind on the Ubranears brand? Yes, it certainly has.

The company lives up to its promise of quality without compromise and it certainly justifies its price tag. Would I recommend you to go out and buy it? In a nutshell: using them while studying in your room / working at your office desk / walking in the park? Yes, these headphones are for you. Exercising in the gym / running around a lot / a big guy like me? Perhaps you should consider its bigger brother, the Urbanears Plattan. No matter the case, Urbanears is definitely a brand I have added to my favorites list.

Standard Retail Price of Urbanears Tanto:

Cream - Php1,950
Grape - Php1,950
Sage - Php1,950

Urbanears is available at the following stores:

Beyond The Box
Digital Hub
Digital Walker
Listening Room – SM MegaMall
8 Telcom - Davao
GUI - Davao
Banana Telecom - Davao
iCenter – Cebu
Urban Athletics - Greenbelt 3
Complex
Toby’s Arena – Shangri-La Plaza Mall
Astrovision
Egghead – Robinsons Galleria
Astrovision
Egghead – Robinsons Galleria

Editor's Note: This article was written by Arbi Bautista, a special writer and contributor of Glich's Life. Arbi is an IT Consultant and Project Manager in one of the biggest IT companies of the world. He is a music and photography enthusiast, and a great public speaker. Revisions to this article were done by yours truly prior to posting. You can follow Arbi on Twitter (@sowhatifimmaria). - Glenn / Glich

RIM and Globe Launch BlackBerry 9220, 9320 with Affordable Plans

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn Richmond Ong) — Wed, 23 May 2012 04:07:00 +0000

Aiming to drive more sales and pushing the Philippines to be a "BlackBerry nation," RIM has partnered with Globe as they launch the latest BlackBerry Curve smartphones, the Curve 9220 and Curve 9320. With this partnership, Globe has the rights to be the first to market the said BlackBerry Curve smartphones, coupling them with their signature affordable plans.

From L-R: Divine Lee (Host), Peter Bithos (Globe Telecom Senior Advisor for Consumer Business), Cameron Vernest (Research in Motion Director of the Philippines), and Cliff Ho (Host)

The new BlackBerry Curve 9220 and 9320 are entry level phones that are great upgrades to the most popular BlackBerry Curve handset, the Curve 8520.

The BlackBerry Curve 9220 and 9320 are essentially the same in most of its features, except that the former is only 2G and the latter is 3G. Both models still have the usual well-loved social media communication tools and apps, a new dedicated BBM (BlackBerry Messenger) key on the side, and the most updated BlackBerry 7.1 OS. In addition, the 9220 and 9320 also features with a built-in FM radio and a battery life of up to 7 hours talk time or up to 28 hours of FM radio listening or music playback with headphones.

BlackBerry Curve 9220

The BlackBerry Curve 9220 borrows some of its looks from the Curve 8520 in terms of keypad and form factor. On the other hand, the call keys and control keys of the device have been designed like the ones in Bold 9790. It is slimmer by 1.2 mm and lighter by 4 grams than the BlackBerry Curve 8520.

The Curve 9220 is now available in Globe stores (and also online), FREE at a monthly subscription of Php598. With this plan, you get: Php499 consumable, unlimited BlackBerry Messenger use, and 2 choices of freebies (e.g., Globe-Globe/TM 10 mins calls and 200 SMS; Globe-Other Networks 5mins calls and 25 SMS; International call and text; 3 hours mobile surfing).

BlackBerry Curve 9220 Specifications

Dimension - 109 x 60 x 12.7 mm
Display Size - 320 x 240 pixels, 2.44 inches
Internal Memory - 512 MB ROM, 512 MB RAM
Card Slot - microSD, expandable up to 32 GB
Processor - 800 MHz
Data - GPRS, EDGE, WiFi, Bluetooth
Camera - 2 megapixels, fixed focus, 1600 x 1200 pixels, no flash
Video Recording - Capable of recording in VGA mode
Extra Features - Accelerometer, Proximity, Compass, Stereo FM radio

BlackBerry Curve 9320

The BlackBerry Curve 9320 comes with additional features including Mobile Hotspot support, which allows users to share the mobile data connection with up to 5 WiFi-enabled devices, including laptops and tablets.

This smartphone can be pre-ordered from Globe via http://blackberrycurve.globe.com.ph/ at a monthly subscription of Php999 (BlackBerry Unlisurf Combo). With that, you can get unlimited surf, BBM, Twitter, Facebook and Email; Php400 consumable, and 1 freebie (e.g., Globe-Globe/TM 10 mins calls and 200 SMS; Globe-Other Networks 5mins calls and 25 SMS; International call and text; Unlimited call and text to 1 Globe/TM number)

BlackBerry Curve 9320 Specifications

Dimension - 109 x 60 x 12.7 mm
Display Size - 320 x 240 pixels, 2.44 inches
Internal Memory - 512 MB ROM, 512 MB RAM
Card Slot - microSD, expandable up to 32 GB
Processor - 806 MHz
Data - GPRS, EDGE, HSDPA, WiFi, Bluetooth
Camera - 3.15 megapixels, fixed focus, 2048 x 1536 pixels, with LED flash
Video Recording - Capable of recording in VGA mode
Extra Features - Geo-tagging, Image stabilization, Accelerometer, Proximity, Compass, Stereo FM radio, A-GPS support

BlackBerry Messenger Dedicated Key

The BlackBerry Curve 9220 prepaid kits and/or unit only are priced around Php9,990, while the Curve 9320 is at Php11,990. To know more about these two new smartphone models, visit the BlackBerry Philippines website or log on to Globe's website.

How Friends Influence Our Purchases

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn Richmond Ong) — Tue, 22 May 2012 06:27:00 +0000

When several of your friends show you the same item again and again, do you feel influenced to buy it too? This generation’s purchases, electronic or not, are highly dictated by the circle of friends and connections we have.

Online Media

Digitally, we can say that online social networks play a big part in harnessing the information at hand and making it into relevant product sales.

I have asked several PR agencies about brands going digital. Apparently, the main reason why companies and brands turn to digital media nowadays is because of what we so call “online word of mouth.”

Whether the product is new or the brand just lacks popularity, agencies tap online writers, because they are influencers in their own rights. These writers are usually part of several social networking sites, therefore being able to promote the brand or product to a mass number of people in just one posting.

There are still events for actual product launches, but these one-time ‘parties’ may be forgotten right after the guests step out of the event venue. In addition, not everyone gets to attend events due to various reasons.

On the contrary, having articles and features published online reaches more people in a shorter span of time and in a more dynamic way. Entries posted in the cloud can be referenced repeatedly anywhere, anytime, and can last for a lifetime.

Social Connections

Outside the Internet and computers, our friends are also key influencers in our choice of products and services. Examine your choice of smartphone and mobile network. Most likely, your close friends use the same mobile network on the same brand of smartphone as you do.

Those who communicate together tend to adopt together. I was a loyal Nokia user before I switched to BlackBerry. It wasn’t because I didn’t like the Finnish phone brand anymore. Several of my close friends switched to the Canadian brand specifically for BBM, and so I did too.

When the iPad launched several years ago, I actually didn’t care at all. However, when I started seeing most of the people I look up to like the pastors, doctors, and businessmen carrying their iPad everywhere they go, it appeared to me that this piece of device could be useful to me too. It stirred my curiosity and led me to believe that the iPad is a must-have gadget.

Yes, there are exceptions to the rule, because not everybody conforms according to what the society says. But it’s undeniably true that social variables have a huge influential power in our purchases.

However, social connections aren’t everything. The qualities of whatever items spreading through a network still matters. Indeed, product adoption will spread like wildfire according to its quality, and not just basing wholly on the number of friends who already own it.

How many of your device purchases were influenced by the people around you? Tweet me at @GlennOng.

This article is my 62^nd contribution to Manila Bulletin -- one of the Philippines' leading broadsheets -- published on March 12, 2012 (Monday) in the TechNews Section. You can view the PDF version here (middle right portion).

Photo Credit: Google Images

What Happened at the Nokia Lumianation Party?

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn Richmond Ong) — Mon, 21 May 2012 08:29:00 +0000

Nokia Philippines threw in a grand party celebration last May 17 at the Amphitheater, Fort called "Lumianation" (Club Experience in a New Light). It was Nokia's way to market their beautifully designed Windows phones - Lumia 610, Lumia 710, the Lumia 800, and Lumia 900.

The rains didn't stop the people from partying all night. Music, lights, cocktails, and alcoholic beverages kept the people dancing and grooving all night. Booths of Nokia, Globe, and Smart were situated at the back for some phone demos, inquiries, and purchases.

Nokia's Lumianation party was hosted by VJ Kat Alano, standing in front of a huge, multi-stepper cubed stage lighted by LED screens.

After a brief event introduction, Kat called on Nokia Philippines General Manager Dharmesh Goshalia to say a few words about the Nokia Lumianation event and of course the Nokia Lumia smartphones.

It was followed by the introduction of Nokia Philippines' Corporate Communications Manager Nikka Abes, from whom the go signal to start the raffle came from. Nokia gave away a couple of Lumia 610, some Lumia 710, one Lumia 800, and another one Lumia 900.

Hiphop dancers jumped up and down the cubed stage as they dance to the club beats. They ended their jamming by gathering in one spot and pointing their arms towards the building on the right. That act led the people's attention to watch the surprise video shown to the audience. Watch it:

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think this is the first time it was done by Nokia here in the Philippines. The video mapping technique has been seen in other countries, but watching it live was surreal for me. I'm happy that Nokia Philippines thought of doing it here.

The first part of the video showed the "primitive" Nokia phones before the Nokia Lumia's came to life. Nice one!

Guest performer Jumpsmokers immediately went on to the stage to sing, rap, and entertain the audience. They came all the way from Chicago to celebrate with the people at the Lumianation party.

Nokia Lumia Smartphones

From L-R: Nokia Lumia 710, Nokia Lumia 610, Nokia Lumia 900, Nokia Lumia 800

Nokia Lumia 610 - This is an affordable Windows phone for the younger audience. It provides instant access to social networks and brings all mobile, email, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn contacts into one place. The Lumia 610 features the Nokia Maps and Nokia Drive, alongside thousands of apps available for download via the Windows Phone Marketplace. This smartphone model is available in colors of white, cyan, magenta and black, and sells at the price of Php10,980.

Nokia Lumia 710 - Enjoy a colorful mobile experience with this trendy smartphone that features swappable covers and changeable homescreen colors. It has a "What's New" feature that gives updates in live integrated social feeds including Facebook, LinkedIn, twitter, and Windows Live. The Nokia Lumia 710 is exclusively available with Smart postpaid data plan 1,000.

Nokia Lumia 800 - Featuring an award-winning design, the Lumia 800 has a 3.7-inch AMOLED screen with sleek body that is great for everyday use. It has an instant-share camera experience based on leading Carl Zeiss optics. The smartphone's features include one-touch social network access; integrated communication threads that include Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Windows Live; 16GB internal user memory and 5GB of free SkyDrive storage. The Lumia 800 is sold at the price of Php23,500 in select Nokia retail stores. It is also available through Globe, free at Unli Surf Plan 1799.

Nokia Lumia 900 - The highest end of the Lumia series is the Lumia 900, which will be available in June 2012 at the price of Php27,990. It will an amazing experience of high performance, quick connections, real-time updates to social networks, and all day battery life. This smartphone lets you to balance work and play anytime and anywhere by being productive with the help of Microsoft Office programs and SkyDrive storage.

Fly all over the country for free with Nokia Lumia

Nokia and Microsoft have partnered with Philippine Airlines for an amazing promo! You can explore the country without having to worry about spending so much on airfare. Your ticket to this amazing experience? A Nokia Lumia smartphone.

Here's how you can get a chance to win:

Purchase a Nokia Lumia smartphone from May 18 to June 15, 2012 at any participating select Nokia, Globe, Smart Stores and retails outlets nationwide.
Once you have your Lumia, retrieve the IMEI number by typing #*06# on the homescreen. Then, text I CAN LUMIA <Full Name>/<Address>/<IMEI> and send to 2960 for Globe and Smart subscribers.
Raffle draw will be conducted on June 17, 2012, where 100 lucky Nokia Lumia users will win unlimited roundtrip PAL flights. Winners will be able to travel to top local destinations such as Legaspi, Kalibo, Cebu, Tagbilaran, Davao and Puerto Princesa for one month from July 1, 2012 to July 1, 2013.

For more information, visit www.nokia.com.ph or www.facebook.com/nokiaphilippines. Follow them on Twitter at www.twitter.com/NokiaPilipinas.

Globe Galaxy S3 Pre-Order Opens on May 23, Available in Fully-Customizable Unlimited Data Plans

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn Richmond Ong) — Thu, 17 May 2012 03:23:00 +0000

Globe has announced that it will be carrying the Samsung Galaxy S3, Samsung's newest flagship smartphone, with pre-orders opening on May 23, 2012. This serves as a continuation of the Galaxy S1 and S2 series, where Globe has served as the "home network" for the two models.

The Samsung Galaxy S3 may be availed through the Globe My Super Plan Unli Surf Combo, the country's only customizable unlimited data plan. Through this plan, we can mix and match unlimited mobile browsing, call and text services, and a choice of unli boosters.

As mentioned in my previous post, Globe is working on their infrastructure transformation in order to provide a better coverage and network performance to its subscribers. Couple that and their fully customizable plans, I think Globe is really showing its consumers that we can have it our way with Globe.

There's no specific mention on which postpaid brackets the Samsung Galaxy S3 will be bundled as a free handset, but let's expect it to be towards the high-end tail of the spectrum, say Php2000 and up. Globe didn't say a word about prepaid kits too, so let's hang on there for that information.

It looks like the consumers are in for another exciting smartphone launch in the Philippines, which is similar to that of the iPhone 4s in the past months.

Pre-orders from Globe will start on May 23 at www.globe.com.ph/galaxys3. Are you getting one?

Full Press Release below:

Globe Telecom announced that it is launching Samsung’s newest flagship smartphone, the Samsung Galaxy S3, under its suite of fully-customizable postpaid plans bundled with unlimited mobile internet.

Globe subscribers can avail of the Samsung Galaxy S3 under My Super Plan Unli Surf Combo, which comes with unlimited mobile browsing, bonus call and text services, and choice of unli boosters for the ultimate smartphone experience. With Globe My Super Plan Unli Surf Combo, the country’s only customizable unlimited data plan, Globe provides users with uninterrupted surfing, their gadget of choice, and freebies all in one subscription. This plan also helps maximize the features of the Samsung Galaxy S3.

Touted as the most human phone yet, the Samsung Galaxy S3 boasts of highly-intelligent features that are easy to use but exceptionally powerful. With the Direct Call feature, users can simply hold up the phone onto their ears when texting and the device will automatically call the person for them. Globe My Super Plan subscribers can enjoy this feature with the different call freebies of their choice such as free call minutes, free international call minutes or unlimited calls to a Globe or TM number.

The Samsung Galaxy S3 also comes with the Social Tag feature, which allows users to keep track of their loved ones easily. With its face recognition technology, family and friends are automatically tagged on the photos taken. The feature also enables users to view social networking statuses of the friends they tagged in the photos. Social Tag is best enjoyed with Globe SuperSurf, which gives unlimited mobile internet access for an entire month.

Multitasking also comes true to form with the device’s Pop-up Play feature, which enables users to play a movie and continuously run it floating on the screen while browsing the web or sending a text message or e-mail. Globe subscribers can watch videos all they want with Globe SuperSurf, while they can enjoy sending free text messages with a Globe My Super Plan freebie.

The Galaxy S3 is powered by Samsung’s own 1.4GHz Samsung Exynos 4 Quad processor, 4.8-inch Super HD AMOLED screen, 1GB RAM, an 8-megapixel rear camera and comes packed with the Ice Cream Sandwich version of Android’s operating system. Using a micro-SIM form factor, the combination of internal storage and expandable SD card storage sets the S3 with a maximum storage capacity of 128GB.

“As the first Philippine operator to bring Samsung Galaxy S1 and S2 to the Philippines, Globe is proud to be carrying the Samsung Galaxy S3 once again, powered by our portfolio of personalized and fully-customizable data plans and backed by a stronger and more reliable HSPA+ network which we continue to aggressively expand nationwide,” said Peter Bithos, Globe Senior Advisor for Consumer Business. “

Bithos added, “What better way to fully enjoy the exciting features of this amazing phone than to pair it with a Globe postpaid plan that you can customize based on your needs. And with the Globe Guarantee, subscribers are assured they will never experience bill shock ever again because they will never pay more than P999 as long as they are registered to any of our data plans. On top of that, we guarantee 24/7 access to all our customer service channels and after-sales support for the devices.”

Pre-orders for the Samsung Galaxy S3 will begin on May 23, 2012 via www.globe.com.ph/galaxys3. New subscribers can call the Globe Sales Hotline via toll-free number (02) 730-1010 or visit www.globe.com.ph/galaxys3 to place their orders. For Platinum subscribers, they can get in touch with their Relationship Managers for reservations.

Four Online Resume Tools to Make CV Building More Fun

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn Richmond Ong) — Wed, 16 May 2012 05:29:00 +0000

To all students who graduated this summer, welcome to the real world! As your university chapter closes, a new and exciting dimension is about to unfold.

Job hunting is fun – only if you have what it takes to be hired. Let’s start with your resume or formerly known as curriculum vitae (CV). I’m sure you would need some help in making sure it comes out as best as it can be, right?

Here are a couple of helpful sites that can help you.

JobSpice (www.jobspice.com)

Most senior students waste tons of time trying to fix the formatting and spacing of resumes in Microsoft Word. Good thing there’s JobSpice, resume building becomes an ease.

JobSpice is an intuitive online tool that makes creating and publishing a well-designed, custom resume easy and fun. You can build your resume in three steps – Compose: add or remove sections in your CV; Design: format the design of your CV; and, Preview: see how your CV looks like and download it as a PDF or as a Word file.

The website is simple, good, and most of all free.

LinkedIn Resume Builder (http://resume.linkedinlabs.com)

Apart from Twitter and Facebook, one important social networking site you need to be a member of is LinkedIn. Build your resume there and connect with head hunters. Who knows, your dream job is waiting for you.

But did you know that LinkedIn has a resume builder too? You can easily turn your LinkedIn profile into a beautiful resume in seconds. Simply pick a resume template, customize the content, and print and share the results to your friends and connections.

With LinkedIn, your effort in building your resume is maximized. You now get to save it online for viewing of fellow LinkedIn contacts, as well as generate a document copy for printing.

RezScore (www.rezscore.com)

Wonder how your resume fairs? RezScore helps you improve your CV by giving it a grade. It uses algorithms that read through your resume and analyze it on over a dozen metrics.

Apart from the overall grade of A to D, they also give your resume a score from 0-100 in three categories, namely brevity, impact, and depth. In addition, Rezcore lists down what you need to remove and change in order to give it more impact.

ResumUp (www.resumup.com)

Tired of the same old outlined, text version of a typical resume? Yours may be a standout if you use ResumUp. It gives your CV more attention, since you will be able to present it in a visual manner. You can easily link it up to Facebook and LinkedIn in order to import your basic data.

After finishing up your own ResumUp, you can download it as a PDF or text format, which you may use to send out to employers. It will come out as a one-pager CV with several colors and indicators, giving interviewers a faster way to see your information, education background, achievements, skills, and wanted salary, among others.

Davao City: Philippine Eagle Center

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn Richmond Ong) — Sun, 13 May 2012 12:12:00 +0000

Davao City is the home of the Philippine Eagle Nature Center, which is approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour away from the heart of the city. This is one of the most visited tourist destinations in Davao, since this is where the symbolic national bird of the Philippines - Philippine Eagle - can be sighted.

Last March, I went to the center with fellow media men - Emmie, Alex, Ed, and Eric. Upon arrival, we were greeted with huge trees, old and tall but still very green and fresh. We had to pay Php5.00 (Php3.00 for 18 years old and below) to pass through the Water District Malagos Watershed before being able to walk to the stairway leading to the entrance of the Philippine Eagle Center.

There's an Eagle's Deck Cafe where visitors can order coffee and snacks prior to entering the Philippine Eagle Center or upon exit. Although there were a few seats available, not much people actually stays there, since it takes time to tour the center, considering also the time it will take to go back to the city.

Beside the cafe is a souvenir shop where you will also need to pay the entrance fee of Php50.00 (Php30.00 for 18 years old and below), which is used for the conservation of the facility. Aside from the entrance fees the center receives, the government also contributes Php500,000 quarterly for the expenses of the facility as well as for the implementation of programs.

We were quite time-conscious since we had to attend an event that night, so we immediately entered the center to finally see the eagles. But first, I noticed that the bricks we walked onto had names on them. Apparently, they were contributions of ~Php300 from visitors. Cool!

And another one I saw was this huge tree, which is a great shield from the sunlight, but without making it completely dark.

And then we saw the first eagle that afternoon. It took us a couple of shots before being able to capture this glorious creation of God. But it was worth it, because it looks lovely and extremely beautiful.

We saw more birds as we walked through the park. We saw Pag-asa, the first Philippine eagle taken in and bred in captivity. Then this mighty eagle perched on a vertically standing log posing for visitors to see and observe.

Luckily, we met a long-time caretaker named Mario, who toured us around the center. He took time to explain his background and other more information about the eagles. He allowed us to get a hold of this small eagle for a photo opportunity. The claws of the bird were too sharp - good thing I didn't get any scratches afterwards.

This is probably the closest encounter I had with a huge eagle spreading the wings very near my face. I actually felt the slight wind that brushed my face when the eagle opened up its flaps. Awesome experience indeed!

Apart from the eagles, there I heard there were monkeys and crocodiles around. But we only saw a crocodile. It was lonely on that side of the forest.

Overall, this short trip at the Philippine Eagle Center was so worth it! I had a unique experience of getting closer with eagles, which I haven't done in my entire life. It made me thank God for His wonderful creation of animals and birds.

How to get there

By Car: Bringing a private or rented van is the most convenient. Going to the center will take 45 minutes to 1 hour depending on traffic.

By Bus: Buses going to Calinan depart every 15 minutes from the Annil Terminal located at corner Quirino and San Pedro Extension. Bus fare is at Php30.00. From Calinan, take a pedicab going to the Philippine Eagle Center. The ride is about 10 minutes and will cost you P6.

By Taxi: If all else fails, riding a taxi is the best solution. Although take note that you might spend a lot for this. You can always haggle and negotiate.

Giveaway: Nivea for Men Face and Body Products

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn Richmond Ong) — Sun, 13 May 2012 10:23:00 +0000

I've been a long time user of Nivea for Men products. It's this men's brand that comes first to mind when I think about face and body products for men. Why? Because it was one of the first brands that offered products specifically for men (at least in my perspective). Aside from that, their products are awesome, and needless to say, the prices don't hurt the pocket much.

Some of the Nivea for Men products I use are the following:

Nivea for Men Revitalizing Body Lotion
Nivea for Men Cool Kick Arctic Freeze Wash and Shave Gel
Nivea for Men Lip Balm
Nivea for Men Multi-Effect 8 Moisture Gel
Nivea for Men Cool Kick Post Shave Balm
Nivea for Men Silver Protect

Listing all of the above made me realize I use a lot of Nivea products. But there's a lot more products available in the market out there.

I want to share some of the Nivea for Men products to one lucky winner! The lucky winner will bring the following home:

Nivea for Men Moisturizing Shaving Foam - This is great for men whose skin tends to dry out and is easily irritated from shaving.
Nivea for Men Oil Control Multi-Effect 8 Moisture Gel - A product for men who want to fight the eight main problems of oily skin. Read more about it here.
Nivea for Men Dry Impact, Anti-Perspirant Deodorant - It gives 24h effective regulation of perspiration with a light masculine scent. The product has minerals to keep underarms dry, but doesn't harm the skin due to the absence of alcohol and colorants.
Nivea for Men 2 in 1 Shower Gel (Body and Hair) - A shower gel having a very manly, fresh scent that invigorates the senses as it hydrates and cleanses our hair and body.

Giveaway Time!

Simply join by using the form below. Easier and faster for you and me. Some ground rules to be followed:

Giveaway is open to Manila residents who can claim the prizes personally in Taguig City or anyone in the Philippines who, upon winning, will shoulder the courier fee.
Open from May 13, 2012 to May 27, 2012.
Winner will be announced on May 28, 2012 and will be posted here.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Food Finds, Cook-Off and More at YUMMY EATS 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn Richmond Ong) — Wed, 09 May 2012 11:38:00 +0000

For all foodies around, I'm inviting you to come and join this year's Yummy Eats organized by our friends at Yummy Magazine. Now on its second year, Yummy Eats will be bigger and better with more food booths, yummy food finds, and an exciting cook-off!

Here's a video of Yummy Eats 2012, with voicing by yours truly *wink*

The event is happening on May 26, 2012 (Saturday) from 10AM to 9PM at the Rockwell Tent. Entrance to the eating and cooking fair is only Php150, but can go as low as Php100 if you bring a copy of Summit Media's very own Yummy Magazine May 2012 issue.

Be there or be square! Some of the food finds at Yummy Eats 2012 are yet to be sold in the market. And that means it's the perfect time to be one of the firsts to taste them. See you there!

For more information, visit Yummy's website, 'like' them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.

Why the Philippines is Far Behind Singapore

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn Richmond Ong) — Thu, 03 May 2012 09:39:00 +0000

Hello from Singapore! I'm currently here on a two-week business trip, my first ever official international trip working for HP. Having been here for five days, it has once again dawned on me how the Philippines is very much far from Singapore in many ways. And yes, it's saddening.

People

The people here are so disciplined. They do not throw trash just anywhere, but only in the waste cans located in the right areas. People cross roads in the correct pedestrian lanes (when there's one available) and not just where they want to. There are few crimes too, because the people are fearful of their government, their laws and the corresponding penalties.

In the Philippines, not only the Filipinos lack discipline, but the private sectors, government officials and the people in authority are so corrupt too. How can we improve this? We're so used to bypassing laws and doing what we want to do in our own way. Until there are people bribing, there will be corruption.

Elderly people still work for a living. I'm just amazed that a lot of senior citizens here in Singapore still work for their own money. Life is hard here, so people doesn't rely on other people for food and money. Work for your own is the game to play. No time for laziness.

Transportation

The transportation system here is outstanding. With the way the MRT lines are built, going from one area to another is such a breeze. They also utilize a single card, which can be used in several transportation means. Buses stop and go within a given time, thus not clogging the roads while waiting for passengers. Cabs are presentable, clean, and very much hi-tech with credit card payment system and GPS device available - may not be all, but at least majority.

City Planning

I love it how they have utilized their underground areas for the train system and passage ways. Most of the buildings I've been to in the recent days are connected to each other, so I was able to move around without getting wet even if it rained here. Malls are interconnected too - it's so cool!

Their roads are wide and clean, and there's not much traffic.

Cost of Living

It's a mixture of good and bad thing for me.

Good - Due to the high cost of living, the people here also receive high salary. Imagine, house helpers earn about 350 to 600 SGD or Php11,000 to Php20,000 ~~minimum Php30,000~~ here, so what more for corporate workers! From a friend, he told me that some part time jobs have a salary of 1500 SGD/month for 15 hours/week.

Bad - It's so expensive and hard to buy a car and a house here in Singapore. Foreigners may purchase houses, but they need to satisfy several requirements from salary to documents, etc. On to the food expenses, a basic meal would cost around 3 SGD already or Php100+. Trains cost around 0.73 SGD or around Php24.

I know these observations may just be basic and lame for some, but quite significant for me. I know it's sad, but for some reason I don't want to leave the Philippines - it still feels great to be in your home country together with people of the same culture and characteristics.

Different Types of Mobile Phones: Highlights and Lowlights

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn Richmond Ong) — Tue, 01 May 2012 10:35:00 +0000

Keypads are a thing of the past, while touchscreens are now the norm. Even before Steve Jobs’ popular devices, touchscreen phones have already been around. What really placed the iPhone several notches higher is its multi-touch capabilities.

Since then, more and more users switched to using touchscreen mobiles. For sure I’m not the only one, but believe it or not, even at a relatively young age, I choose not to go with the trend and remain faithful to the good old Standard keypads or QWERTY keypad.

In this article, we look at the highlights and lowlights of the different types of phones having just the keypads, only the touchscreen, and a combination of both.

Standard keypad or Candy bar

These phones are the devices we all first used. Typing on the standard keypads may be the best only if your primary use of having a phone is for casual texting and calling. If you text a lot and you start to feel that it’s causing you stress to press keypads a lot of times, you should try looking for another handset solution.

Touchscreen phone

New to touchscreen phones? The first problem would be the lack of keypad. Yes, it will take a bit of time to adjust to its absence – this would mean a slower text input rate. On the brighter side, navigation would be faster since you will just have to swipe here and there. But again, navigation is not the main use of a mobile phone, rather still text input.

Whether the phone has capacitive or resistive touchscreen, inputting text can usually be time consuming and not user-friendly. You always have to make sure you hit the surface on the screen or touch the correct items on the spot. There’s a lot of room for errors.

In addition, touchscreen phones usually need to have larger screens, therefore meaning higher power consumption and repetitive charging.

Touchscreen with QWERTY Keypad

The combination of touchscreen and QWERTY keypad provides the best of both worlds. You can directly tap/swipe the screen for easier navigation and type relatively faster with the provision of QWERTY keys.

The usual lowlights of these devices are the size and bulkiness. In order to resolve this, manufacturers make either the screen size to be too big so QWERTY keys would suffer, or screen size to be smaller in favor of a nice QWERTY size and layout.

Standard screen with Full QWERTY

The full QWERTY keypad is a texter’s best friend. Messaging and social networking will be a breeze with the easy to type on QWERTY keys. Navigation could be a bit slow, but the availability of track ball and optical trackpad should solve this, at least in some handsets.

Aside from typing made faster and more comfortably, the weight of such phones is usually low and the size is comfortable to go dual-thumbing on the QWERTY. In addition, the missing touchscreen simply means reduced power consumption.

This article is my 61^st contribution to Manila Bulletin -- one of the Philippines' leading broadsheets -- published on February 27, 2012 (Monday) in the TechNews Section. You can view the PDF version here (lower left portion).

Photo Source: Techvorm

Who Rocks Your Digital Universe? Tatt Awards 2012 Now Open for Nominations!

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn Richmond Ong) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 08:55:00 +0000

With the tremendous success of last year's campaign, Globe Tattoo is once again recognizing the social media stars in the prestigious Tatt Awards, the first-ever awards platform for online personalities who have inspired, led, influenced, and sparked changes in the world in a positive way.

Officially launched to the public last April 25 at Buddha Bar, the Tatt Awards 2012 is now open for nominations until May 20. Let's all together honor the web bloggers, Youtube users, and anyone who has made his or her mark online - even yourself.

There are ten categories to choose from, such as fashion, sports, music, advocacy, technology, etc. Just make sure that the person you will be nominating (or yourself) is active in social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Wordpress, Tumblr, Youtube, etc. with original contents.

How to nominate? Simply visit www.tattawards.com and fill out the nomination form. You can nominate as many people as you want, but can only be in a maximum of two categories after the Tatt Council finalizes the people who's in for voting.

During the launch, Tatt Awards 2012 revealed its distinguished Tatt Council, a group of online thought-leaders who will collectively serve as judges to determine the winners in the different categories. They are as follows:

Dong Ronquillo, head of Globe Tattoo nomadic broadband business;
Maria Ressa, award-winning journalist and ABS-CBN News & Public Affairs social media pioneer;
Mikey Bustos, Filipino singer, comedian, and YouTube sensation;
Tim Yap, TV Personality-columnist and style guru;
Francis Brew, former music director for the rock station NU107.5 FM and a musician;
Loi Landicho (Professional Heckler), multi-awarded humor blogger and one of Tatt Awards 2011 winners;
Wig Tysmans, one of the most sought-after corporate, fashion and advertising photographers in the Philippines;
Raymond Gutierrez, TV Host, Editor, Columnist, Endorser and Actor;
Rovilson Fernandez, model, host, magazine editor and sports enthusiast;
Gio Tingson, Commissioner to the National Youth Commission and Outstanding student leader; and,
Pao Peña, Internet and Mobile Marketing Association of the Philippines (IMMAP) Vice President.

By the end of the nomination period, the Tatt Council will determine a number of nominated individuals will be selected based on three categories, namely Influence, Engagement, and Popularity. Voting will then be opened from June 13 - June 20. The grand awards night will be held on June 30, coinciding with the Philippine Social Media Day, where each winner from all ten categories will win a whopping Php100,000 each.

If you think you or someone you know deserves to be nominated and recognized for being an online rockstar, support him or her. Bring this year's Tatt Awards spotlight to your favorite online rock stars as Tattoo opens the curtain once again to give them their well-deserved Tatt awards.

For more information, visit www.tattawards.com.

Nokia Offers Free Charging in Malls and Select Partner Establishments

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn Richmond Ong) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 07:31:00 +0000

Losing battery life in the middle of a conversation with friend can be such a hassle. Luckily, Nokia Philippines has set up free charging stations for Nokia phone users.

Now, there's no need to panic when our Nokia phones run out of battery. Simply head to the nearest Nokia Store and select partner establishments nationwide to charge our phones for FREE. With this free service, we can stay constantly connected with our contacts all day, every day.

Among the partner establishments are:

Abenson
Ayala Cinemas
Eastwood
Medical City
Nokia Store
Shakey's
SM Malls
Smart
Sun
Waltermart
Wendy's

Note: Not all Wendy’s and Shakey’s restaurants would have the charging station. Same with SM Malls.

“We’ve just refurbished majority of our charging stations to allow Nokia users the convenience of charging their handsets for free at places they can trust and feel more secure in,” said Nikka Abes, Corporate Communications Manager, Nokia Philippines.

Nokia's move to provide free charging stations for Nokia users is a great help for those who always forget to bring a charger. In addition, having these stations in malls and usual go-to establishments make it so convenient during times of emergency.

Thanks for keeping your millions of users worry-free, Nokia!

Photo Source: CellBharat

O, WOW! Surprise from Oishi!

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn Richmond Ong) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 12:30:00 +0000

Funny surprise! Tonight, I was in a middle of a phone conversation when somebody rang the doorbell. After some time, our helper brought in this HUGE box with "O, Wow!" printed on it. My mom was like, "ano nanaman yang inorder mo?" (what did you order again?). And I said with a clueless face, "what?"

Then I saw this in front of me - "Open up for a surprise!" I started wondering what could be inside the box. Is it be a mannequin, a tiny little thing mixed within a bunch of other stuff, a new gadget? Then I opened up the red envelope that came with it. It's from Oishi. Sweet!

Oishi just remembered me and sent tons of snacks for me to devour and share. Maybe they knew I wanted to get bigger after losing 8lbs? Haha!

When I say HUGE, I mean it! You know, I stand 5'11" and yet this box is taller than me. It's packed, it's sort of heavy. I continue to wonder until I opened up the box and literally screamed "O, Wow! O, Wow! O, Wow!"

These are just some of the snacks that came out when I opened the flap. And there's still A LOT of 'em inside! Whew. I'll start distributing them to our house helper and to my officemates, so that they'd also experience the "O, Wow!" moment.

Just a little bit of trivia: the Oishi brand is from Liwayway Marketing Corporation, which started manufacturing yummy snack foods in 1974. I'm sure we all remember the Oishi Prawn Crackers and Kirei Shrimp Flakes. Did you know that "Oishi" (or "oishii") means delicious, while "kirei" means beautiful?

Over the years, there has been lots of other food and beverages that we learned to love. There's Bread Pan, Pillows, Potato Fries, Smart C+, and more! I'm sure there will be lots more delicious snacks and drinks coming our way in the near future. In the meantime, I'll enjoy a bag of popcorn first. Bye!

Startup Weekend 2012 to be held in Manila and Cebu

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn Richmond Ong) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 07:58:00 +0000

Now on its second year, Startup Weekend aims to generate breakthrough ideas from tech communities in key cities in the Philippines. Startup Weekend Manila will be held on April 27-29 at MINT College in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. Next in line is Cebu, which is scheduled on May 11-13, with other cities/events planned later in the year.

Telecommunications giant Globe Telecom, pioneering incubator Kickstart Ventures, Inc., web engineering firms Proudcloud and Dynamic Objx, and innovative educator MINT College are the main movers of Startup Weekend in Manila and Cebu.

What is Startup Weekend?

Startup Weekend is a 54-hour competition where developers, designers, marketers, technopreneurs, and venture capitalists come together to share ideas, form teams, build products, and launch startup businesses.

During this event, entrepreneurs interested in receiving feedback for an idea, looking for co-founders, or who want to learn a new skill, especially in the field of mobile and internet applications may just be able to achieve what they've been dreaming of.

The concept of Startup Weekend started in the US and has since become a global movement, taking digital start-up businesses from ideas to investment readiness through intensive mentoring from industry experts and access to markets and investors across Asia.

What will happen?

The start of the event will basically gather participants to pitch in startup concepts and form teams to help refine ideas and business plans. As the days progress, these teams will start building product prototypes with the help of the onsite mentors. By the night of the third day, participants will present what they have accomplished in a 4-minute pitch and demo.

For the schedule of Startup Weekend Manila, please visit this link.

Other info

Aside from the Philippines, Startup Weekends this year will also be held in France, Singapore, Argentina, Canada, USA, Norway, UK, Denmark, Mexico, Italy, Palestine, Senegal, Taiwan, Hungary, Australia, Lithuania, Algeria, Ireland, Switzerland, Martinique, Tunisia, and Spain, China, India, Brazil, Chile, Czech Republic, Belarus, Poland, Turkey, Uganda, Kosovo, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Germany, Peru, Moldova, Croatia, Cambodia, Egypt, Bolivia, and the Netherlands.

Parties interested in Startup Weekend Manila can register via http://manila.startupweekend.org until April 25, or while slots are available. To know more about Startup Weekend Manila, visit www.manila.startupweekend.org.

Listerine launches Natural Green Tea mouthwash variant in the Philippines

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn Richmond Ong) — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 04:44:00 +0000

Hail the a newest Listerine mouthwash variant recently launched here in the Philippines called the Listerine Natural Green Tea. It is the first and only mouthwash from Listerine that contains natural green tea extract and two times more fluoride, for a natural way to fight tooth decay.

There are already eight (8) Listerine variants presently offered to the public, but why add another one? Well, Listerine wanted to give Filipinos a lot of options to suit our needs and taste.

Fluoride and green tea are the two key ingredients of the Listerine Natural Green Tea. Fluoride is very important for our teeth due to its proven ability to strengthen the enamel. In fact, dentists recommend having a fluoride treatment regularly - I just had one a few weeks ago. Green tea, on the other hand, is not just a typical healthy drink. Here are some of the benefits:

Green tea is a natural source of tannins, which help prevent the build up of plaque and other oral problems;
Green tea is a natural source of fluoride, which is know to strengthen teeth against tooth decay;
Green tea has a natural way to flight tooth decay; and,
Green tea contains catechins, an antioxidant that inhibits the activity of cavity-causing bacteria.

As with any Listerine mouthwash, the new Listerine Natural Green Tea works in two ways to fight tooth decay. First, it effectively kills 99.9% of the germs that cause tooth decay. Second, it helps shield teeth to prevent the onset of new tooth decay.

I've tried gargling the new Listerine Natural Green Tea last night and found out that it's not too strong as with the likes of the Listerine Total Care. So for those of you who find it too intense of a sting whenever you gargle, you might want to try this variant. It leaves a taste of lemon slash green tea flavor in your mouth too!

Wanna try it? Here's the proper way:

Brush your teeth gently. Make sure the direction of your brushing is the same how your gums are formed. (e.g. for the upper front teeth, only brush downwards - not up and down as most of us do - so that your gums won't recede.)
Use floss. Brushing alone only does half the job. Some of the dirt in between the teeth doesn't get removed, because the bristles of your toothbrush cannot reach them. Do it gently. If your gums bleed, it means you don't have a healthy oral care.
Gargle with Listerine Natural Green Tea mouthwash. Do this after Steps 1&2 every morning and night for about 30 seconds each time. After you expel the mouthwash, do not gargle with water anymore, so that the fluoride stays in your teeth.

The new Listerine Natural Green Tea is now available in leading supermarkets, drugstores, and department stores for SRP of Php70.25 (80ml) and Php166.50 (250ml).

If you want to check out how and why I became a convert of Listerine, check out my previous posts:

Giveaway: The Big Summer Outlet Sale 2012 Tickets

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn Richmond Ong) — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 02:20:00 +0000

Hey, hey, you shopaholics! It's that time of the year for one the grandest sale events in Manila - The Big Summer Outlet Sale 2012 - organized by Malibu Enterprises in partnership with BPI Express Credit Edge and The Philippine Daily Inquirer.

This summer, get some of your wanted items from different brands at up to 80% off! Just look at those brands down there - a lot of 'em! I've been attending The Big Outlet Sale for several times and I always go home with at least a thing with me (take note of "at least")!

The Big Summer Outlet Sale 2012 happens on April 27-29, 2012 (Friday-Sunday) from 10AM to 9PM at the SMX Convention Center, Hall 1, Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City.

Entrance is absolutely FREE only to all BPI Cardholders (that includes credit cards, ATM cards, express cash cards). Just present your BPI card and a valid ID upon entrance. If you're not a BPI cardholder, you can still enter for a minimum fee of Php50.00.

But wait! Why pay when you can enter for free?

Join the Glich's Life giveaway of FREE entrance tickets for you and your friend! Here's how:

The first 50 commenters will get 2 tickets each to enter for free! Please join only once.
You can join in two ways, but only choose ONE.

'Like' the Facebook Pages of Glich's Life and The Big Outlet Sale.

Simply click on the SHARE button above or below this entry and post the link onto your Facebook Wall with this - It's shopping time again at @The Big Outlet Sale by Malibu Enterprise! Wanna enter for FREE? Join the ticket giveaway of @Glich's Life. Now na! http://bit.ly/J0oO0y
Please make sure your privacy settings are set to Public, the link to this post is included or clickable, and you tag The Big Outlet Sale and Glich's Life Facebook Pages.

Follow @GlennOng on Twitter.

Simply click on the TWEET button above or below this entry and tweet - The Big Summer Outlet Sale happens on April 27-29! Wanna enter for FREE? Join the #GlichsLife giveaway of @GlennOng. http://bit.ly/J0oO0y
Please make sure your privacy settings are set to Public.

Comment below with your Full Name (as seen in a valid ID), E-mail Address, Direct Link to either your Facebook Wall Post OR Twitter Update.
Giveaway is open from today until 11:59PM of April 25, 2012. Please don't join if you don't intend to go, so slots will not be wasted.

Eight Social Media Tools to Visit and Use

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn Richmond Ong) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 08:46:00 +0000

Facebook, Twitter, and Foursquare – these three social media sites are flying high in colors for having so many users day after day. Whether you’re mad for Twitter, cautious with Facebook or addicted to Foursquare, these sites can help in one way or another.

Generatus (http://generatus.com)

Let’s face it. Not everyone is witty and creative enough to come up with a one liner that can spike up curiosity from its readers. Fret not because this website generates random ideas that will definitely give your next status update a second read. For the ‘imaginatively challenged’ folks, go to Generatus and keep those likes and retweets coming.

Top Twitter Trends (www.toptwittertrends.com)

Want to be in the know of what’s trending worldwide and immediately see the feed of tweets coming in? The Top Twitter Trends site shows the top 10 most popular Twitter hashtags in the world in real-time. Visiting the site may solve your curiosity to know what people are actually tweeting, which makes the hashtag trend.

TweetMeme (www.tweetmeme.com)

The hottest links of Twitter all posted in one website. These are actually the stories people are currently sharing and linking to. Topics are divided into categories, which makes it easier to browse and retweet. By being active on this website, you would seem to always be updated of everything.

When Will I Be Mayor (www.whenwillibemayor.com)

For Foursquare users who are so much into fulfilling their virtual dream to be a mayor of a certain venue, this website can help you make it into a reality. The site basically searches for your Foursquare history to find out how many more times you need to check-in before getting that coveted Mayorship.

Unofficial Facebook Blog (http://fbknol.com)

Tired reading your network’s status updates, links, and photos? Head on to this website to get to know more about the developments on latest Facebook features. It also has a good mix of how-to guides, tips on how to enable and disable certain configurations, as well as other interesting trivia about Facebook.

Sick Facebook (http://sickfacebook.com)

If you’re sick and tired of Facebook, the SickFacebook site will be your best friend. It keeps a number of anti-Facebook blog posts, which talk about all the negative and annoying things about Zuckerberg’s creation. On the other hand, those who are not really haters may still visit the site to read up on some darker aspects of Facebook.

Hootsuite (www.hootsuite.com)

This web-based application is a great way to manage multiple social media sites in one. The advantage of using Hootsuite is that you no longer have to open several browser tabs or download a number of applications in order to log in and keep yourself updated with notifications. What’s more, it also allows the scheduling of messages (i.e. tweets and Facebook posts), which makes it very convenient.

Delete Your Account (http://deleteyouraccount.com)

Good things always come to an end. If social media has taken its toll on you by giving fatigue, you might want to pull the plug and check Delete Your Account. The site is full of documentations on how to delete accounts in pretty much any social networking service available. That way, you can get your life back.

This article is my 60^th contribution to Manila Bulletin -- one of the Philippines' leading broadsheets -- published on February 13, 2012 (Monday) in the TechNews Section. You can view the PDF version here (lower left portion).

Of Crossfit Manila, Juju Cleanse, HCG, Cohen Diet, and HSBC Starbucks Rewards Program

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn Richmond Ong) — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 14:22:00 +0000

I was invited to the 4th HSBC Coffee Talk earlier today and went there without much knowledge of what's gonna happen. Little did I know that I was in for an experiential sharing of this summer's hot topics - health, diet, and fitness.

Apart from the free Starbucks drinks readily available at the room, the buffet table had a "happy" side and a "healthy" side... so I figured out why it's called a "coffee talk" and guessed what the topic is all about. An hour past lunch time, the short talk started.

From L-R: JL Martinez, Kat Azanza, Rescina Bhagwani, Johanna Garcia, Lala Agregado, Art Mendoza, and Jessica Zafra at the HSBC Coffee Talk held at Makati Shangri-la Hotel

HSBC's SVP for Communications Johanna Garcia welcomed Jessica Zafra, columnist, writer, and talk show host, Kat Azanza, co-owner of Juju Cleanse, and four more guests who underwent different kinds of diet and exercise to achieve a healthier lifestyle today. Are you ready to be WOW-ed?

Remember who he is? Yes, it's Art Mendoza from the Biggest Loser Philippines. During the competition, Art pushed himself by constantly working out and eating only vegetables and fish. The result? An Art Mendoza 100 pounds lighter.

Having gone through an intense diet and fitness program, Art highlighted that dieting is just the first step; the real challenge is how to maintain the body and how to be able to control the daily food intake.

JL Martinez has a food business, but still had the push to be thinner and healthier. He uses hormones for hunger suppression called as the Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) diet. This kind of diet restricts the food consumption to just 500 calories and also uses HCG hormone drops or injections that claim to suppress hunger and trigger the body’s use for fat fuel.

During the first three days, JL had to stay home because it was a sudden change for him. Later on, he reaped the fruits of his labor and is now 120 pounds lighter after the HCG diet.

You wouldn't think Lala Agregado carried bulges and fats before when you see her sexiness today. Brought by her mom's pressure, who at 50s still has abs, Lala has tried almost all kinds of diet - Bangkok pills, Xenical, etc. - you name it!

But thanks to Juju Cleanse and Crossfit Manila, Lala is now bikini ready. She works out four times a week at Crossfit and also does running during her rest days. Occasionally, she orders Juju Cleanse drinks, which help cleanse the body's toxins and leave a lighter feeling plus softer skin, among other good effects.

Here's Rescina Bhagwani who lost 65 pounds on the Cohen diet. The Cohen diet uses the blood profile as the blueprint for crafting a personal weight loss plan ~~for about 40 days~~. It has several restrictions that you need to follow - I say quite hard, but really beneficial if you do.

This diet is rather expensive at Php55,000, but Rescina's healthier and sexier body is worth gazillions more than what she paid for. To date, she is still completing her Cohen diet and intends to lose a couple more pounds before doing the "re-feeding" program (reintroducing of any food little by little with moderation).

Wow! The HSBC Coffee Talk has proven educational for me. I've gained new knowledge and inspiration on how to properly do my diet - whatever way I choose to. And perhaps these different diets have gotten you interested too, huh? You and your friends would probably still want to continue this conversation at a coffee shop.

HSBC's Free Starbucks is Back!
You can continue to have your great coffee and great conversations on HSBC with the new HSBC Starbucks Rewards Program. Spend at least Php2,500 from March 22 to May 31, 2012 and keep your charge slips until the redemption period.

Simply present your credit card and the charge slip at any Starbucks outlet nationwide from April 1 to July 31, 2012, and exchange it for instant 250 or 500 bonus points redemption and a Tall handcrafted Starbucks beverage of your choice or a 3-pack Starbucks VIA. (For easier understanding, it means that the cardholder presents the charge slips and credit card, then redeems a Tall drink. HSBC will then deduct the bonus points from the cardholder's account. The cardholder doesn't have to do anything, but enjoy and have a fun conversation with friends.)

For more details on the HSBC Starbucks Rewards Program, do visit www.hsbc.com.ph.

Hi-Tech Underwater Scooter For Summer

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn Richmond Ong) — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 05:59:00 +0000

The scorching heat of summer is here, and one thing calls us – a beach getaway! I myself am not a swimmer or a diver, but this recent hi-tech discovery of mine will surely win the hearts of aqua masters. It’s called the Bladefish Underwater Scooter.

I’m sure most of you will agree that scuba equipment is hard to store at home when not in use, precisely because of its huge size. Not to mention the weight of the item, bringing it to diving trips makes it very cumbersome and costly (say, airport fees).

The Bladefish Seajet Underwater Scooter is a total opposite. It has a completely wonderful design and concept. At first glance, you’d quite give a doubt that something of its size, dimension, and weight would be able to pull a diver through the water. But it does!

A specific model called Bladefish 5000 runs at a power of 240 watts with a battery of Lithium Ion 18V. It is capable of turning a whopping maximum of 550 revolutions per minute, which allows towing of the diver through the water at a maximum speed of 5.25km/h of up to 40 meters in depth.

With its speed and power, you would think that the battery could easily die down. But no, this lightweight gadget at 4.9kg can last between 45 to 120 minutes, depending on usage. Its built-in battery indicator gives an ample time to safely go up from the dive before it dies down. It’s also amazing that such a powerful device can get fully charged after only a short 3.5 hours, which is just enough to take a break from the first dive.

Another advantage of Bladefish is its usage of Lithium Ion battery. Such batteries can be designed to fit most dimensions. It deviates from old scooters designed with a power supply, which means that there’s no longer a need to endure bulky, heavy, and extremely poor batteries.

In addition, Lithium Ion batteries does not have a “memory” charging, therefore allowing divers to charge it any time without having it fully discharged first.

The Bladefish Underwater Scooter is very much ready for packing and travelling. With a dimension of approximately 38 cm x 36 cm x16 cm, it could easily be packed in a carry-on bag. It is very much ideal not only for divers, but also for kids playing at the beach, lake or pool.

For a non-swimmer like me, Bladefish has done a fantastic job of taking the underwater propulsion vehicles to a notch higher, making every diver thrilled to include it as one of the diving gears. Surely, this summer would be extra techie with an underwater scooter such as this.

Bladefish 5000 sells for about $698 to $820.

This article is my 59^th contribution to Manila Bulletin -- one of the Philippines' leading broadsheets -- published on March 30, 2012 (Friday) in the special quarterly supplement of TechNews entitled 'Digital Generation.' You can view the PDF version here.

Travelers Pod in Cagayan De Oro: Budget Friendly and Great Location

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn Richmond Ong) — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 11:53:00 +0000

Traveling to Cagayan De Oro with my events group, Digicon, we stayed at the Travelers Pod located at the foot of the Limketkai Gateway Tower inside the Limketkai Complex. It is a budget-friendly traveler's lounge for backpackers, transients or just about any kind of traveler. They offer both Nightly Rates and Hourly Rates, which will surely suit whatever schedule you have.

The location of the Travelers Pod is very nice! Upon exit of the hotel, there's a convenience store on the right and a Jollibee branch on the left. Teriyaki Boy and Figaro are also some of the establishments nearby. In addition, it is just a short walking distance away to the Limketkai Mall, where several restaurants are available for lunch or dinner.

Upon entrance of the Travelers Pod, my eyes were immediately caught by the simple interiors and nice ambiance that the hotel offers. There's a small area with couches for waiting customers near the door and a couple of tables and chairs for those who want to order some cookies and coffee.

This is the reception area where you'd see the rates of the hotel, their mini-snack bar, as well as the cashier where you'd pay for your bill afterwards. Look, it's very neat and organized. Directly beside it is the staircase going to the second floor, where more rooms are located.

The whole hotel has a centralized air conditioner, so even the hallways will keep you cool. The mattresses and pillows are comfortable and the blanket is not too thin nor too thick - just enough to keep warm at night.

Single Pods at the first floor of Travelers Pod

Travelers Pod offers four different types of accommodation called as "pods" thus the name of the hotel. First is the Single Pod (Php350/night or Php100/hour). Single Pods are for single occupancy traveling on a tight budget or just want to try something different. These are mostly located at the hallways and are divided by curtains.

Single Pods at the second floor of Travelers Pod

When staying at a Single Pod and you have big luggage and bags, you can easily deposit it at the lobby and they'll store it inside a secured area. That way, all you have to do is to bring your sleeping essentials when you get to your pod.

Ask about the toilet and shower room, Single Pods share ample common shower rooms. Travelers Pod also provide liquid soap and shampoo, so what more can a traveler ask for?

If you're too light of a sleeper and would easily be awaken by little noises, I suggest you get the Standard Pods (Php1000/night or Php150/hour). These Standard Pods are contemporary in style with a sensible price, offering comfort and privacy. Inside a room, you can sleep peacefully on a full size bed or twin single beds, with the provision of a centralized cable TV as well. Shower rooms will be shared commonly with those occupying the Single Pods.

Deluxe Pod at the second floor of Travelers Pod

The third type of accommodation are called the Deluxe Pods (Php1500/night). Basically, it has a similar look as with a Standard Pod, also with either cozy twin beds or a double bed and a cable TV, but this time with a private hot and cold shower room.

The last type are the Premiere Pods (Php2000/night for 3 pax, additional Php350/head in excess of 3). When traveling with the family or with a group of friends, the Premiere Pod is the ideal room to stay. The room could accommodate a group of 3 to 6. It also has a 32” digital cable TV, as well as a hot and cold shower facility.

The Travelers Pod is really a nice place to stay at. I highly recommend it to everyone looking into saving money on hotel accommodations in order to maximize the budget for Cagayan De Oro adventures and food trips.

Visit the Travelers Pod website in order to get directions on how to get there, as well as to make your reservations. Enjoy your stay as much as I did!

Samsung Galaxy Y Duos GT-S6102 Smartphone Review

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn Richmond Ong) — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 14:14:00 +0000

Samsung has been known to be carrying dual-SIM phones several years ago, even before its competitor brands introduced theirs here in the Philippines. A few months back, Samsung has introduced another dual-SIM phone with a full touchscreen interface called Samsung Galaxy Y Duos GT-S6012. It is priced at Php8,990, pretty reasonable for a smartphone.

Samsung Galaxy Y Duos GT-S602 Specifications

Dual-SIM (dual stand-by)
109.8 x 60 x 12 mm
3.14 inches capacitive touchscreen, 240 x 320 pixels resolution
160 MB internal memory, supports up to 32GB microSD card
832 MHz processor, 512 MB ROM, 290 MB RAM
3.15 megapixels camera, 2048 x 1536 pixels
Video Recording QVGA@24fps
3.5 mm jack, Stereo FM radio
Supports HSDPA, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Accelerometer, A-GPS Support

Design, Build, and Looks

The Samsung Galaxy Y Duos looks very simple. With its price, who am I to complain for its 3.14 inches screen? Surrounding the touchscreen is a glossy black surface with two touch-based labels (menu on the left and revert/escape on the right), plus a physical button at the center. The sides have a silver accent that extends towards the lower part of the the front surface. Using the phone easily attracts finger prints and smudges.

On top of the phone (pictured left) is the 3.5 mm jack used to attach earphones or headset to listen to radio or used for hands-free calling. The small section at the center is also there to aid in opening the back cover of the phone. At the bottom part (pictured right) is the microUSB slot used for charging and connecting the phone to the computer.

Used to having the volume controls of a smartphone on the right side, the Samsung Galaxy Y Duos gave me an unusual look when I saw the controls on the left side. Without any looking, at first I was trying to increase the volume using my pointer finger - only to find out I should now use my thumb in adjusting the volume of this phone.

Veering towards the right side, the Galaxy Y Duos decided to put the power button on the upper section. The button is also covered with glossy black texture, which is good as compared to making use of rubber - since it easily gets destroyed. Surprisingly, there's no camera button on the same side.

The back section of the Galaxy Y Duos is covered by the same glossy black texture as with its whole body. As such, fingerprints and smudges are easily attracted as well. Opening up the lid sees slots of two SIM cards and another for the microSD card (on the top-left). The battery is actually thin and light, so it doesn't actually add so much weight to 109 grams of total phone weight.

Performance, Usability, and Functionality (Dual SIM, Camera, Apps, Battery Life, Music and Volume, etc.)

The Samsung Galaxy Y Duos runs on Gingerbread 2.3 and works with certain limitations given it being a dual-SIM phone. As an example, I chose SIM1 as my main number for texting and calling, while SIM2 as the source of my data connection. Since it's on dual standby, I can still receive incoming calls and texts on SIM2 even if SIM1 is my main number. However, when I do outgoing calls and texts, SIM1 will be the number used by the phone - it doesn't give an option of which one to use for what task.

Once the phone loads fully, the first screen I saw had the default widgets like the search bar, time and date, as well as frequently used basic applications. However, I can customize it up to three home screens by swiping to the left and right, so I can easily go to a particular application or immediately call a favorite contact without opening the menu.

With an 832MHz processor, the Galaxy Y Duos performs quite okay. It's not one of those blazing fast phones, neither those that are very slow. Making use of the phone gives a pretty smooth flow while swiping here and there, but do expect a one to three seconds lag from time to time. It's normal.

Messaging - whether your fingers are big or small, toggling from portrait or landscape can give you the flexibility of choosing which one works for you. In my case, using the landscape QWERTY is better, since the keys become a bit bigger therefore lessening the errors I make.

Samsung Galaxy Y Duos has applications similar to that of other Android devices. Pictured above, for example, is for the setting up of multiple accounts such as Facebook, Twitter, MS Exchange, Google, and the very own Samsung account. It works like a one stop shop for all my accounts.

Applications - I tried searching for certain applications, but failed to find them. So I came into conclusion that Google Play (Android Market) has filtered those that don't work for the Galaxy Y Duos. But don't worry, popular games such as Angry Birds, Fruit Ninja, etc. are available for download and can be played smoothly on the phone.

Just a note though, unless there's a microSD card inserted to the phone, there's no way we can download any application, save files nor capture any images.

This phone uses the normal music player that most Samsung phones have. It categorizes and arranges the audio files by Artists, Songs, Playlist, and Albums. Putting the volume to the highest level doesn't give so much clarity to the audio being played anymore. There's still room for improvement in terms of how high the volume can get, since it can hardly be heard when the background becomes a bit noisy.

The browser of the Samsung Galaxy Y Duos is fast to load when coupled with a steady internet connection. It automatically detected the mobile version of Glich's Life and redirected me to the Youtube app when I clicked an embedded video in one of the pages of the site. In addition, the pinch to zoom feature aided me to read through texts with ease, especially since this phone does not come with very high resolution.

Even with a not-so-expensive price, the Galaxy Y Duos still has the tethering feature, which I absolutely love. When connected to the computer, I can enable the 'USB tethering' option, which allows me to share my internet connection to my laptop and surf. If not, I can turn on the 'Portable Wi-Fi Hotspot' feature (as pictured above), so other devices like my BlackBerry 9700 (pictured on the left) can use the internet connection for surfing.

As for the battery life, I find the Galaxy Y Duos' a superb one. Imagine, I've done a lot of surfing, calling, and texting the whole day and the battery still had about 40% of life. The next day, I tried using it at a minimum by doing only calls and texts, and it still lasted to more than half a day. Wow!

The Galaxy Y Duos has a 3.15 megapixels camera, but is very disappointing. If you click on the photo to enlarge it, you'd see that all the shots are grainy, not sharp, and not vibrant in colors. The camera feature of this smartphone needs to be improved big time, since it does not have autofocus nor a zoom function. However, if there's one thing positive about the camera, it's definitely the fast shutter speed.

Verdict and Recommendation

For the price of a little bit lower than Php10,000, one will obviously buy this phone not primarily for its specifications but for its dual-SIM capability. It is very useful for business owners who often use more than one number to service the different networks of the clients.

Yes, this phone is affordable, but not so much for those who are budget-conscious. If you don't really need the dual-SIM feature, I suggest you get the Samsung Galaxy Y for only Php5,990 instead. If you're also not keen on using the touchscreen due to big fingers, you'd probably be better off with another smartphone that has a physical keyboard.

Apart from the very underwhelming camera, overall the Samsung Galaxy Y Duos GT-S6102 smartphone is worth the price, especially if you're looking into jumping to the Android OS bandwagon. However, don't limit yourself to this model as other brands may offer you a cheaper price with the same dual-SIM capability.

Catch Cirque Mother Africa this April 19-22 at Resorts World Manila

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn Richmond Ong) — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 02:35:00 +0000

Be dazzled by 40 amazing artists from nine African countries - Ethiopia, South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Ivory Coast, Benin, Zimbabwe, and Guinea - as they perform in Cirque Mother (Circus Mama) Africa this April 19 to 22, 2012 at the Newport Performing Arts Theatre in Resorts World Manila.

Presented by Establish Events in cooperation with Media Central, Cirque Mother Africa has a similar concept as with Cirque Du Soleil, but with its own unique, different vibe. The innovative two hour show combines African music, dance and performance, and pulsates with the heartbeat of Africa.

All artists of Cirque Mother Africa are dancers, singers or musicians and quite often a combination of all three. They have toured and performed sold out shows in Germany, Italy, Romania, Russia, Netherlands, Australia, Belgium and Spain, and will be visiting Singapore before trouping to Manila.

Most of our perception of the word “circus” illustrates images of a big top, a ringmaster in a black top hat and tumbling clowns with white painted faces and round red noses. However, Cirque Mother Africa brings in a new-millennium meaning to it. The show will ultimately delight the senses with items spinning through the air, human contortionists who form mind-boggling shapes with their bodies, while percussionists beat African rhythms on drums. Masks, drums, beads, and amazing costumes all add to the authentic African atmosphere. Some of the highlights of the show include foot juggling, magic and illusions, bounce juggling and contortionists.

Aside from the entertainment that the audience will get from watching Cirque Mother Africa, Mama Africa's team wants to help in a more lasting way. Part of the income from the tickets sold during the forthcoming Mama Africa Tour will go towards development projects in Africa, for example, Karl-Heinz Böhm's Ethiopian aid project People for People which has been in existence for thirty years.

For tickets to Cirque Mama Africa, please visit: www.ticketworld.com.ph or call 891-9999. For Group Bookings, please call Peeya at 0915 9275747.

Show Dates and Time are as follows:

April 19, 2012 - 8:00PM
April 20, 2012 - 8:00PM
April 21, 2012 - 3:00PM
April 21, 2012 - 8:00PM
April 22, 2012 - 8:00PM

Cirque Mother (CircusMama) Africa Sections and Prices from the TicketWorld Website:

Php6,095 - VIP and Premiere Center
Php5,090 - Premiere Left and Premiere Right
Php4,065 - Deluxe Left, Deluxe Right and Deluxe Center (first 4 rows in the middle)
Php3,025 - Balcony Left, Balcony Right, and Balcony Center (last 4 rows in the middle)
Php1,500 - Upper Balcony (last row)

Importance of Having a Fluoride Treatment

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn Richmond Ong) — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 14:34:00 +0000

Green Tea... this seems to be one of the components of the newest Listerine variant here in the Philippines. Why did I say so? Well, I got a few items (green toothbrush holder, green small cork board, and green tea bags) from Johnson & Johnson Philippines, the importer of the said mouthwash, and that signals it.

In my previous post, I've told my story of why I trust and love Listerine ever since I started using it. If you haven't read it, please go ahead here.

Meanwhile, let me tell you about the Fluoride Treatment, which I recently had as a complementary oral care from Listerine. Basically, Fluoride Treatments are mostly given to kids in order to strengthen the teeth. However, recent studies show that adults also benefit from such dental care treatment.

I asked Dr. Maritess Villarico about the importance of Fluoride Treatment and how often does one need it. Watch this:

In almost all discussions related to tooth decay, fluoride takes center stage and is often credited for being the solution to all the world’s tooth decay problems. Toothpastes are formulated with fluoride, floss is laced with fluoride, and even public water supplies have been fluoride-fortified in first world and some developing countries. Admittedly, fluoride has proven its efficacy in preventing tooth decay, and so its credit is well-deserved.

Pictured above is Dr. Tess and myself with fluoride paste on my teeth. It tasted a bit of a bubble gum flavor, since I mentioned above that it's really meant for kids. We waited for only about 4 minutes after application before I was asked to spit out the excess fluoride. After that, I was told not to eat nor drink for 30 minutes to an hour for the "nutrients" to be fully absorbed by my teeth.

Asking Dr. Villarico on how my mouth's assessment is, she answered that I'm on the low caries-risk (meaning low percentage of tooth decays) group. Watch this:

I give credit to Listerine, because I have been using it everyday. It's really effective!

Now back to the green tea component - it's actually a tooth decay-fighting agent and so much more. I'll give you more updates on the newest Listerine variant as soon as it launches. Keep in touch and make sure you not only brush your teeth, but also use a mouthwash to complete your daily oral care.

Dr. Maritess Villarico
Unit 202, Medical Towers Makati
V.A. Rufino, Legazpi Village, Makati City

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