GLICH'S LIFE :: Blogging by Glenn Ong

"You Are God" - Cover by Glenn Ong

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn Ong) — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 16:42:00 +0000

It's the first time that I will be posting a cover song here in my blog. It's in fact a Christian song entitled "You Are God" written and sang by Jam Capistrano, a worshiper at Victory Christian Fellowship. Since I heard him sing this song, it instantly became a favorite of mine. The lyrics are simple and so true about God.

Do listen to the song and try to sing along. I know my rendition isn't perfect. I just did my own tweaks and twists to the song, but I hope you'd still like it. Let me know what you think.

Eversince I heard His name my life wasn’t the same

In me, there was a change

You broke the chains, Jesus you broke the chains

You are God, lives you restored

You are God healer of all

You are God faithful and true

I can always find rest in you

Crucified for you and me

Coz of love that we may see

By His blood we’ve been set free

You broke the chains, Jesus you broke the chains

You are God, lives you restored

You are God healer of all

You are God faithful and true

I can always find rest in you

Was It Photoshopped or Not?

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn Ong) — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 01:50:00 +0000

Gaining popularity as a powerful graphic design software, Adobe’s “Photoshop” has since become the single-word term for image adjustments and photo manipulation. Today, there have been several iterations of this word, such as “belo-shopped” or “body-shopped” and all sorts of similar terms used to point out the endorsers of a popular cosmetic doctor.

I Photoshop, you Photoshop, we all (or most of us have tried) Photoshop. This makes me curious – do you still trust the images you see? Do you still believe what the naked eye sees is the actual image that has been captured by cameras?

Editing images will not end anytime soon. In fact, I have had my share of shooting photos of people and trying to edit my shots to remove blemishes, pimples, and dark eyebags. I boost the brightness and decrease the contrast. I remove unwanted items in the photos to make it look cleaner. All these in the hope that someone comes along and says, “Look at my face back in 2010. My skin looks so vibrant and I managed to sleep well during those days.” When, in fact, it was full of unsightly ugliness that you wanted to hide.

This problem is actually not new. I believe we all remember the failed DPWH Photoshopped image that happened several months back. Their apologies didn’t seem clear to everyone, because it was as if photoshopping the images is really part of what they do, saying “it was not cleared yet before the staff posted it.” Whatever the case, how is clearing photos any different from Photoshopping?

Then we have those huge billboards and costly magazine covers that show flawless skin, perfect-shaped bodies and huge breasts of women. I remember seeing a picture of a popular celebrity with elongated fingers, and another, a before and after photo of a woman’s trimmed mid-section. Why oh why do they need to ride on the celebrities’ popularity then fool the public?

Back when there was still no Photoshop, people did not have to crop and insert elements, then polish the image using a healing brush tool. They did not have to use filters and brushes to create effects of olden times. It took more hard work and talents to shoot magnificent photos. That was all prior to Adobe Photoshop.

We can’t blame ourselves for using Photoshop, or them, the creators of Photoshop. All they had in mind was to help people to make their images look better. However, because of Photoshop, the credibility of images has fallen to an all-time low. In my opinion, no image can be trusted.

Thankfully, innovators have started to come up with software – we can consider it as a Photoshop CSI – which helps identify what aspects of a certain photograph have been altered. Through this, the public, especially young women, won’t have to result to excessive dieting causing eating disorders after seeing the highly edited and digitally Photoshopped celebrity icons in fashion magazines.

So, do you still trust the commercials and advertisements you see? Let me know. Email glichslife@glennong.com or Tweet @GlennOng.

This article is my 52^nd contribution to Manila Bulletin -- one of the Philippines' leading broadsheets -- published on January 09, 2012 (Monday) in the TechNews Section. You can view the PDF version here (lower left portion).

Crazy and Fun Time at Fuerza Bruta (Look Up)!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn Ong) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 11:48:00 +0000

Fuerza Bruta! Fuerza Bruta! Fuerza Bruta! What a crazy night of dancing, shouting, clapping, and wow-ing, filled with many surprises! I didn't have a Valentines date like most of the people were longing for, but I had an awesome time watching the premiere of Fuerza Bruta (Look Up) at the Manila Hotel Tent City. This has got to be the most unique show I've EVER watched in my entire life!

Arriving at the venue alone and early, I held my hopes high that I'd be able to see familiar faces. I guess not. The place was mostly filled with media and lifestyle bloggers, celebrities, models, and known personalities. So what was I doing there? I guess I just got lucky! :-p

Glad I gained a new friend, Valorie who happens to be a blogger and a jewelry maker too. Later on, I saw Vince and Hannah, as well as Patty with her fiance Patrick.

What is Fuerza Bruta?

Translated into English, it means "Brute Force." It's basically an interactive theatrical experience originally from Buenos Aires, Argentina. I say it's unique and one-of-a-kind, because the show features a non-stop collision of dynamic music, visceral emotion, and kinetic aerial imagery.

I actually didn't know what to expect before going to the show, so perhaps that made the watching even more fun!

We were all standing in a huge, dark hall for about 60-minutes, watching a completely non-verbal performance while looking up. Fuerza Bruta used dance, acrobatics, visual displays, and pumping beats. I actually didn't feel the long standing, because we were moving around as the show went on.

It's also not the typical sit-down, three-hour musical play where actors would tell a story. Fuerza Bruta forced our minds to create our own story out of the visual spectacle we were seeing right at that moment. Thinking aside, all I did was to just enjoy the show and have fun as the actors move around the hall.

Fuerza Bruta was like a surprise show that doubles as a dancing party. This heart-pounding celebration featured about nine performers running and tumbling across a vertical wall of Technicolor cloth. As well, there were flying dancers, a man bursting through moving walls, and dancers wading on a small puddle of water on a hanging pool, going very near our heads.

The show ended with a techno dance party, with some of the audience getting wet as they danced to the music mixes of the DJ. After the dancing was over inside the hall, most of the guests stayed for the After Party at the Fuerza Bruta Lounge to get some cockatils and drinks.

What do you think will the characters (pictured above) do?

I tell you -- you've gotta watch Fuertza Bruta (Look Up)! It will run everyday from February 14 to March 26, 2012 at the Manila Hotel Tent City. You can get more information and purchase tickets from Hoopla's website. Tickets range from Php2,000 to Php3,000. Enjoy as much as I did!

Watch the trailer here:

Twitter Could Be Our Best Friend

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn Ong) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 01:00:00 +0000

Twitter bird named Larry has been the best friend and confidante of many netizens since its birth in 2006, thanks to his creator Jack Dorsey. More and more people sign up to this 140 character, text-based social networking site every single day. Upon clicking the ‘sign up’ button, Larry instantly gets an additional friend.

If Larry were human, he might be crazy by now due to the billions of tweets being shared to him every single minute of the day. Fortunately, he was built that way – to be the friend who will never leave us until the system bugs down.

Unlike e-mail messages or Facebook updates, Twitter is mostly preferred by many for several reasons: (1) people are forced to think and be specific due to its 140 character limit; (2) tweets reaches an unknown audience, thus it easily gets shared to anyone; (3) responses to single or multiple persons are quick and easy to do; (4) convenience to take mobile photos and attach them to tweets are at hand; and (5) it is a new outlet for a variety of purposes in various industries and scenarios.

Just what does Larry hear and read every day?

Rants and Raves

Remember the time you tweeted how happy you are for winning a raffle, or the opposite, how disgusted you are that the weather has ruined your day’s plans? Many people – including myself – do this, because we want to let our emotions out. At times, the comforting (or the opposite) views of our Twitter followers are enough to get us going.

Personal Messages

Texting and calling are no longer the main communication mediums for some. At times, people use Twitter instead to tell someone a message that can be told faster if SMS or call were used. It’s such a cliché that some even just send tweets rather talking to a friend sitting on the side.

News, Reports and Announcements

Whether it’s the score updates of the DLSU-ADMU UAAP game, the reports of traffic conditions or the announcements of Philippine holidays, Twitter is the perfect avenue to get all those. Following the right accounts is key to getting very helpful information and data.

Marketing

Everyone can be marketers in their own rights. Aside from the brands that open up a Twitter account in order to promote their products and services to fellow Twitter users, bloggers for example help these companies to drive business by allowing them to hold contests and giveaways through the use of the social networking site.

Opinions, Feedback, and Issue Resolution

In the daily exchange of tweets, your knowledge will surely increase when you exchange views and opinions with fellow users. There’s no hard rule on providing feedback to companies and asking for help on an issue you’re encountering. Again, you need to follow the right people and at the same time have the right followers. You’d realize later on that you can get almost everything from Twitter.

Online Bayanihan

Twitter bird Larry has witnessed many Filipinos and the people of the world use the site for relief operations. Through Twitter, information and details of how, where, and when to send help to fellow countrymen hit by destructions and calamities easily gets spread worldwide.

This season of love, gift yourself with a Twitter account. Follow me @GlennOng.

This article is my 51^st contribution to Manila Bulletin -- one of the Philippines' leading broadsheets -- published on December 26, 2011 (Monday) in the TechNews Section. You can view the PDF version here (lower left portion).

Photo Credit: I Just Said That

Crumpler Limited Edition Messengers and Dot Print Camera Bags

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn Ong) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 09:31:00 +0000

It started with an old sewing machine, some truck tarp, and a desire to build a better, more durable bag. Now, nearly twenty years on, Crumpler is one of the most recognized brands in the world of bags. To commemorate and celebrate their roots, Crumpler has released a limited edition range based on their most popular messengers and camera bags.

First up we have the Splatter bags. Their bold designs are a tribute to the original messengers that carried the stencils and paint cans that were used to spread the Crumpler name throughout the streets of Australia back in the day. The Splatter series includes The Western Lawn, The Barney Rustle Blanket, and The Hoax. All of which feature the same tough qualities we love from a Crumpler bag.

The Western Lawn is the smallest of the three messengers, but is large enough to contain an A4 sized folder, an ultrabook or tablet, and a couple of other gadgets that are a part of my routine.

The Barney Rustle Blanket is a tad larger and can easily accommodate my ancient 15 inch laptop and its power brick, a change of clothes, as well as all of my work essentials.

The Hoax is the largest of the three messengers coming in at 19.3 x 11.2 x 6.3 inches. It can effortlessly house a 17 inch laptop, some gym clothes, my water bottle, and all the gadgets I use daily.

Here’s what I would do if I had all three lying around. I’d pick The Western Lawn as a daily, The Barney Rustle Blanket as my bug-out/gym bag, and The Hoax as a weekender.

Next, but certainly not lacking any character, are the Dot Print camera bags. They’re based on Crumpler’s wildly popular Million Dollar Home line and pay homage to the bright and exciting designs that initially caught everyone’s attention in Australia.

The 4 Million Dollar Home and 5 Million Dollar Home camera bags are constructed from anti-abrasive fabrics and surfaces that ensure your clothes don’t catch and that whatever equipment you have don’t scratch. They’re also quite flexible! With two adjustable padded nylon dividers, you can easily make adjustments to make your equipment fit as snugly as possible.

Big enough to carry a basic set of camera equipment, the 4 Million Dollar Home is perfect for aspiring amateurs or professionals hauling around a light setup.

Slightly larger than the 4 Million Dollar Home, the 5 Million Dollar Home offers space enough for a simple camera setup and an extra lens or two. It also has side accessory loops that allow instant access to whatever I wish to attach.

Whether I’m carrying around a point and shoot with extras or a DSLR with spare lenses and an external flash, both the 4 Million and 5 Million Dollar Home camera bags are flexible enough to accommodate the load. In addition, it’s durable enough to keep all my gadgets safe.

Indeed, Crumpler messengers and camera bags are clearly built to last and endure the test of time. From the dual injection molded Velcro fasteners, quick release compression straps, to the 300D Rip-Stop lining, and 1000D waterproof fabric, I’m pretty certain that these bags can keep my gadgets safe and still take a mighty beating from you and the elements. Needless to say, they look incredibly great too.

Standard Retail Price:

Western Lawn Red & Yellow Splatter – Php3,250.00
Barney Rustle Blanket Red & Yellow Splatter – Php3,250.00
Hoax Red & Yellow Splatter – Php5,950.00
4MilDollarHome Olive Dot/Snot Green/Blk – Php3,250.00
4MilDollarHome IT Blue Dot/Orange/Red – Php3,250.00
5MilDollarHome Olive Dot/Snot Green/Blk – Php3,450.00
5MilDollarHome IT Blue Dot/Orange/Red – Php3,450.00

Available at the following stores:

Crumpler Bonifacio Highstreet
Crumpler Trinoma
Crumpler Megamall
Crumpler Robinsons Ermita

Editor's Note: This article was written by Juan Carlos Ella, a special writer and contributor of Glich's Life. JC is an IT Professional working for one of the leading IT services providers in the Philippines. Revisions were done by yours truly prior to posting. You can follow JC on Twitter (@jc_ella). - Glenn / Glich

J.POPS Baby Donuts from J.CO Donuts and Coffee... Soon!

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn Ong) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 15:18:00 +0000

About two months ago, I blogged about a popular Indonesian donut brand that's soon to invade Manila by storm. Since then, I have always craved for their Tiramisu-flavored donut. Behold, only a few weeks left before the first branch of J.CO Donuts and Coffee opens at SM Megamall on March 15, 2012.

I like J.CO's donuts because they're not too sweet and the flavors are unique. However, I'd like to be honest by saying not all of their flavors are delectable to me. First, I don't like chocolates. Second, I stay away from peanuts and peanut butter for some weird reasons I don't know how to explain. Third, I'm never a green tea person. Still, I know people simply love all those that I dislike, right?

My previous post showed J.CO's regular-sized donuts, which are the same sizes as the ones from other brands. And now, they sent me these cute baby donuts called J.POPS! The box has a ribbon design printed already, so this could possibly be a great gift item for friends, straight from the store.

These bite-sized donuts are so colorful. Each box contains 24 pieces of assorted flavors, but I'm sure that we can also order one with just a single flavor of what our favorite is. These donuts are best eaten right after buying from the store or after reheating for a few seconds.

After tasting the non-chocolate flavors, I have added two more favorites aside from Tiramisu (left-most, 2nd row) -- one is Heaven Berry (left-most, 3rd row) and another is Oreology (right-most, 3rd row). Imagine, I finished all 6 pieces in two minutes or less! I LOVE IT!

I brought a box to church for snacks during my band rehearsal. The girls loved Don Mochino (right-most, 6th row) and Why Nut (left-most, 5th row), while the boys sided with me on Tiramisu and Choconuttzy (right-most, 5th row).

Don't miss the opening of the J.CO Donuts and Coffee flagship store at the Ground Floor of MegaStrip B, SM Megamall (right in between of Seattle's Best Coffee and Mang Inasal) on March 15, 2012. The first 200 customers to visit the store at 9AM get a special treat.

J.CO Donuts and Coffee will also open in SM Mall of Asia, Greenbelt 3, Alabang Town Center, and TriNoma shortly after the launch in SM Megamall. Aside from delicious donuts, they also offer Italian Roasted Arabica coffee and yogurt delights. Contemporain Foods, Inc. (CFI) is the franchiser of J.CO Donuts and Coffee.

Affordable Sun Cellular Prepaid Offers (Giveaway Awaits!)

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn Ong) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 13:35:00 +0000

How many years has it been since we heard of unlimited text and call? Thanks to Sun Cellular, perhaps we wouldn't be enjoying unlimited-anything today if not for them who started it and pushed the competition for other telcos to do the same.

My cousin SC has always been a fan of Sun Cellular, because it's more affordable for prepaid users like her. She tells me that it fits her budget and becomes very handy especially that most of her block mates are on Sun, too.

I recently checked out Sun Cellular promos and found out that their offerings are indeed affordable. If most of your contacts are on Sun, you gotta listen to this! For a Php450 prepaid card, you can get ALL of the following by either electronic reload or by texting CTU 450 to 247:

Unlimited Sun calls
Unlimited Sun texts
FREE 500 texts to other networks
FREE Php50 regular Sun load, which can be used for all transactions – calling and texting all network providers, mobile internet following P10.00/30 minutes rate, downloading contents like ringtones, wallpapers, games, as well as making IDD calls, landline calls, etc.
FREE 90 minutes mobile internet valid for 5 days

"WOW!" That's my first reaction upon hearing this. No wonder my cousin prefers Sun Cellular more than any other networks.

They also have CTU 25 for 1 day unlimited Sun call and texts + FREE 30 minutes of mobile internet + 50 texts to other networks. For CTU 50, you'd get 2 days unlimited Sun call and texts + FREE 30 minutes of mobile internet + 150 texts to other networks. If you get CTU 100, you can enjoy 5 days of unlimited Sun calls and texts + FREE 30 minutes of mobile internet + 200 texts to other networks. In addition, on CTU 150 you get 7 days unlimited Sun calls and texts + Php25 FREE regular load + FREE 30 minutes of mobile internet + 250 texts to other networks.

Depending on what your needs are, the above-mentioned Sun Cellular options really give flexibility to prepaid users. This actually is an advantage for SMEs and yuppies who need to stay in touch with a lot of people in different networks (i.e. their suppliers, contacts, employees, and co-workers). As well, it's great for call-heavy mobile consumers who discuss a lot of items over-the-phone. It's also an alternative for people who do not have the requirements needed to get a Postpaid line due to lack of requirements... simply buy a call card and load up.

I need to inform my mom about this, so we can take advantage of Sun Cellular's offers perfect for our drivers and workers. Now it will never be a reason for them to tell us "wala po kaming load" (we have no credits), because it's always unlimited calls and texts with Sun Cellular.

For more information, visit the The Sun Shop or Sun retailer, or you may also call the Sun Hotline 200 using a Sun-powered handset or (02) 395-8000 from any landline phone. I also invite you to log on to www.suncellular.com.ph or visit the Facebook page www.facebook.com/suncellprepaid. Follow Sun Cellular on Twitter via www.twitter.com/suncelltweets for updates.

It's Giveaway Time!

Thanks to our friends from Sun Cellular, I'm throwing out a couple of Sun prepaid SIM and call cards for our lucky winners!

What two of our winners can win?

One winner gets one (1) Php450 Sun Prepaid Card + two (2) Super Loaded SIM + one (1) brand new Sun broadband dongle with Sun broadband prepaid data SIM.
Another winner gets one (1) Php450 Sun Prepaid Card + three (3) Super Loaded SIM.

How to join?

You need to be a follower of Glich's Life to be eligible to win. Click "Join this site" in the right panel of this site labeled with Follow This Blog.
Do one of the following (or both will be better): Hit 'Like' on the Glich's Life Facebook Page (http://www.facebook.com/GlichsLife) or push that 'Follow' button on the GlennOng Twitter account (http://twitter.com/GlennOng).
To join via Facebook, click on Share button (located above) and say “I want my FREE Sun Cellular Prepaid Kit and Broadband Dongle with prepaid data SIM from @Glich's Life! http://www.glennong.com/2012/02/affordable-sun-cellular-prepaid-offers.html" MAKE SURE you tag Glich's Life, add the link in your post, and make your post Public.
To join via Twitter, click on Tweet button (located above) and say "Yay! Another #GlichsLife giveaway! I want my FREE @suncelltweets goodies from @GlennOng! Join here http://bit.ly/yvGAwR" MAKE SURE you tag @suncelltweets and @GlennOng, add the link in your tweet, and make your account non-protected.
Last but MOST IMPORTANT, Comment below with the following details:

Full Name:
Email Address:
Google Friend Connect Name (name you used in bullet number 1 above):
Link to your Facebook post and/or Twitter post:

Contest runs until 12NN of February 26, 2012. Winners will be drawn via Random.org, posted in this site, and will receive an email from me. Only Metro Manila Residents are eligible to join.

Free Coke Day… Truly Successful!

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn Ong) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:00:00 +0000

Chug, chug, chug… burp! Ahhh, Coca-Cola. Free flowing happiness has been served!

The Coca-Cola President for Happiness Caloy has just been elected recently, and yet he already made his first act to make the Filipinos happy. Last February 4, 2012, Caloy led a nationwide FREE COKE DAY for three hours at participating stores nationwide. All we needed to do was just to fall in line and get a free Coke to drink. Truly refreshing!

The FREE COKE DAY was successful and has in fact made a mark not only in real life, but also in the world wide web. Tons of people were tweeting about their Coke happiness, which is why “Free Coke” trended worldwide on Twitter. In addition, a lot of people posted their pictures holding their cup of Coca-Cola on Facebook.

Caloy’s first act will surely be remembered by Filipinos, since this is uniquely Coke. I don’t think any other beverage brand has done this kind of giveaway. I wish there would be more days of free Coke to get us all refreshed.

Indeed, what a great way to begin the 100 years celebration of Coca-Cola. Expect more from the President for Happiness. Don’t forget to ‘Like’ the Facebook page of President Caloy, as well as follow him on Twitter.

Close Up Pyromusical Makes Saturdays More Fun in Manila!

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn Ong) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 07:51:00 +0000

February is known to be the "love month" in celebration of the ever popular February 14 Valentine's Day. This is the month when guys spend so much to please their girl; the month when singles get together to avoid depression and celebrate the singles' awareness day instead.

I'm sure we all remember Lovapalooza held in the previous years. That was one of, if not the biggest Valentine's event by Close Up. However, that was more for couples, right? This year, Close Up came up with a new idea that will cater to everyone -- partnered or not. Hurray!

This season of love, Close Up, the toothpaste that gives us the confidence to get closer with whiter teeth and long-lasting fresh breath, brings The Close Up Pyromusical, happening every Saturday, from February 11 to March 17 at the SM Mall of Asia.

What will happen on the 1st Week (February 11)?

Close Up is kicking off the first weekend with NOT ONLY a pyromusical show featuring the timeless classic Closer You and I and other BUT ALSO a grand Valentine's event called the Close Up Pyropalooza. It will be on February 11, 2012 at the Music Hall of SM Mall of Asia.

Bring your loved ones and your friends to the Close Up Pyropalooza to watch American Idol star David Archuleta, soulful singer Zia Quizon, pop rock bands Indios and Never the Strangers, plus a special appearance from Youtube sensation and real-life couple, JAMICH.

What will happen in All Weeks (Feb 11-Mar17)?

There will be fun booths and activities designed to get everyone closer to each other. In addition, roving photographers will also be all over the venue to capture and make our Close Up moments even more memorable.

Close Up booth plus fireworks in the background plus you and your friends. More fun in the Philippines.

What will happen in the Last Week (March 17)?

With a grand opening comes an outstanding ending as well. On March 17, Close Up will end the Close Up Pyromusical with a bang by announcing the grand winner of the pyromusical competition, a special fireworks exhibition from the Philippines, as well as musical performances by up and coming artists.

How to enter the Close Up Pyromusical?

Simply exchange Php100 proof of purchase of any Close Up product (Close Up Red hot toothpaste, Menthol Chill, Peppermint Splash, Icylicious Blue, Fire-Freeze, Crystal Frost Ganules, White Now) for a FREE ticket worth Php100, or 50% discount on Php300 or Php500 tickets at the SM MOA Booths. Proofs of purchase to be accepted are those made starting January 1, 2012 onwards only.

Note: We can redeem a maximum of three free Php100 tickets for every single purchase receipt (e.g. Php400 single receipt purchase = 3 free Php100 tickets only). However, there's no limit as to the number of discounted tickets if we have several receipts (e.g. Five receipts with Php400 each = 15 free Php100 tickets).

However we celebrate it, I believe that Valentine's Day or the "love month" shouldn't just be for couples and partners. Love is a precious gift that we need to celebrate every day and every second of our lives. But since our culture has dictated us to celebrate it the way it is today, let's just ride on it and party along!

To Reply To All or Not?

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn Ong) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 04:35:00 +0000

Being connected to the Internet and having the capability of sending emails as often as we can are such normal things to do these days. However, it surprises me that many people are still unaware of the proper email etiquettes – especially when to use ‘Reply All’ and the BCC, CC fields.

A certain IT company sent an email to more than 800 employees requesting for RSVP to their upcoming Christmas party last December. Such action was required for attendees to be included in their raffle, where several expensive, huge prizes were at stake.

Naturally, almost everyone wanted to join. In desperate mode after not being able to find the voting buttons, several employees hit the ‘Reply All’ and questioned all 800 employees on how they can send a response.

One email led to more emails. Somebody replied to everyone to say not to reply to all. Another person then emailed ‘Like!’ as a response to the previous email. It did not stop there! Several more people still sent their inquiries to everyone. What the heck?!

In this scenario, both the sender and the respondents were wrong. The sender should have used BCC, so that recipients won’t be able to bug everyone. They should learn the right way of using the email fields and features.

When to use Reply All?

It is necessary to use Reply All if your response will create value for the original sender and all (or the majority) of the other people copied in the email. This is the sole purpose of this feature – to keep everyone informed.

When NOT to use Reply All?

Assess your response and see if it is needed to be read by everyone in the thread. Sending replies such as ‘Thank You’ and ‘Noted’ should only be sent to the Sender.

At times, you would receive emails where your name is not in either the TO: or CC: fields. You should know that the email was sent to you with your name BCCed, because the sender did not want to let other recipients know that you were also being sent a copy. Doing a Reply All would immediately defeat the purpose of the sender.

When only a few people need to see your thoughts, simply just use Reply and add only other recipients who need to receive the message.

And when you want to comment or embarrass, scold or correct the sender, it is absolutely necessary for you to just use the Reply rather than a Reply All. Otherwise, you could easily send negative vibes and start a nasty chain of emails.

Remember to watch your words on each email you send. Know the right way to respond or else you’d be like the Recruitment Executive Gary Chaplin who lost his post after mistakenly sending a nasty email to 4,000 recipients as a reply to a job seeker he didn’t like.

This article is my 50^th contribution to Manila Bulletin -- one of the Philippines' leading broadsheets -- published on December 19, 2011 (Monday) in the TechNews Section. You can view the PDF version here (lower left portion).

Photo Credit: It'sNGenius

Sunday Breakfast at TORCH Restaurant

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn Ong) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 16:19:00 +0000

Exactly a week ago on an easy breezy Sunday morning, my friend HC and I had breakfast at Torch Restaurant in Connecticut Street, Greenhills. Having been a frequent customer of Torch, HC recommended that we try their new menu, which includes a new set of breakfast items.

I enjoyed my first ever Sunday breakfast with friends late last year, so I thought having another one would be a great idea. And so we decided to meet at 9AM.

I didn't have any problems finding Torch Restaurant even if I was not familiar with the street. It is basically tucked on the left side of Connecticut Street heading towards EDSA.

Although there were few parking spaces outside the restaurant (across the street), I decided to park my car at the basement of the furniture store beside it for a minimal fee of Php35.

The restaurant has a very attractive sign board and a spacious, inviting entrance. When I saw HC coming out of the parking, we immediately entered Torch. I was excited to see how the place looks like inside and if the food will be worth the early morning rise.

In fairness, the place looks so sanitized and well organized. The simple white tables and black chairs were stationed far away from each other, giving enough space for diners to move around. The interiors are pretty simple and straight forward, but I like how they used those green sticks to diversify the look and colors of the restaurant.

Behind the green sticks are more tables and chairs, and a long couch for those who wanted softer cushion. There's also a plasma television, which they turn on when there are customers on this side of the resto.

Beside the bar is an open kitchen window, where once would see how the chefs prepare the food. As a diner, I usually feel more secured that the food being cooked is clean and orderly whenever I see such kitchens. There's sort of transparency between the restaurant and the customer. Do you also feel the same?

Well anyway, enough of the structure and on to the food tasting. First on our order list is their Salpicao Tenders (Php219.95). An order comes with sauteed US Angus beef tenderloin cubes mixed with mushrooms and served with egg, buttered garlic rice, sweet-sour picked veggies (atsara), and tomatoes.

I like it, because the meat is very tender and juicy. The mixture of garlic, salt, pepper and other seasoning are just right as well. This dish is a good choice if you want to do away with the usual breakfast meals we see in other food chains.

Torch Restaurant serves breakfast menu from 7:00AM to 10:30AM everyday, which comes with complimentary bottomless house blend coffee. Hurray for coffee lovers!

Other main breakfast items that come with egg and garlic rice are the following: Fisher's Bangus (Php165.95), Homemade Corned Beef (Php189.95), Longganisa Kebab (Php165.95), Sardines (Php175.95), Torched Hamonado (Php155.95), Tocino Fingers (Php172.95), and US Angus Beef Tapa (Php186.95).

Next on the table is the Hot Italian Omelette (Php169.95). Surprise! It was a cook-our-own omelette. It comes with a hot plate, egg mixture, salt and pepper. I think it's a great idea to have customers cook their omelette, since we have different preferences - some like it well cooked, while other want it a bit wet. Plus we get to control the level of pepper and salt for taste.

The egg mixture consists of sauteed Lugo Nigi sausage in spiced arrabiatta cream with onions, red/green bell peppers and tomatoes, topped with melted cheddar cheese. Man, I love this omelette! The bell pepper has a prominent taste in this dish, but I was still able to savor the tender and juicy sausage included in the mixture. Pairing the bread (pandesal) with the omelette gets two thumbs up from me.

There are other omelettes that I would love to try next time. These are Bacon Temptation Omelette (Php179.95), Cheese Omelette (Php169.95), Fresh Garden Omelette (Php159.95), Porky Pig Omelette (Php169.95), Shrimp Omelette (Php189.95), and Steak Omelette (Php189.95).

The third item we tried out is the Hush Puppies (Php185.95/10pcs, Php99.95/5pcs). These delicious bite-sized Danish buttermilk pancakes are rolled in a yummy cinnamon sugar mixture, and served with rosemary maple syrup. The balls are moist and the cinnamon-maple syrup combination really tasted great! An order is good for sharing and can either be a dessert or an appetizer.

Apart from those that we've tried, there are still a lot of items that I want to taste next time. Being a Fusion restaurant, Torch offers a wide variety of choices from appetizers, soup, meat and seafood items to pasta, pizza, different sushi, desserts, and more.

And I heard that Torch Restaurant transforms into a bar from 10PM onwards. Coolio!

Give Torch Restaurant a try! I do hope you'd also find your comfort food here. Feel free to like TORCH on Facebook or follow them on Twitter, so you'd see updates and pictures of their new menu.

Torch Restaurant

Home Studio Bldg., 63 Connecticut St., Greenhills
San Juan City, Metro Manila, Philippines
(02) 477-3771 / (02) 502-0000

Open everyday for Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and After Dinner from 7AM onwards.
They also do Catering Services.

Coke Elects Caloy as President for Happiness

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn Ong) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 05:54:00 +0000

Correct me if I’m wrong – whenever we hear of soft drinks or soda, it is Coca-Cola / Coke that immediately comes to mind. It’s really true to me especially that I have grown up to watch Coke commercials that always leave a memorable, good impression.

Remember the commercials with the hand gesture craze “eto ang beat sabay-sabay, eto ang beat walang sablay…” and the Nikki Gil song “sana’y masabi sa awit kong ito, lahat ng ninanais nitong puso ko…”? I salute their marketing and advertising folks for coming up with such awesome ideas.

This 2012 as Coke marks its 100th year, they are once again introducing something extraordinary. They have elected a President for Happiness whose name is Caloy.

From the first time I heard about what Coke will be doing, I was wondering what Caloy will be up to. Hello, President is such a huge responsibility. And a President for Happiness – something that is intangible and dwells on a person’s emotions – is quite hard to deliver.

But Caloy took on the challenge. Apparently, his role as a President for Happiness seems to be very exciting yet challenging. Caloy’s task is to implement programs that will make Filipinos – you and me – happy. I’m sure that he is nervous about this, but nevertheless is also excited about his new position.

I heard that Caloy likes to dream and come up with big ideas. Although he is still quite unsure of what he’ll do, he already has some crazy ideas like “mag-paulan ng Coke galing sa helicopter” among others. For sure his role will not be easy, but Caloy keeps a positive outlook that he can help Filipinos to be happy.

As Caloy's first act, he directed his cabinet members to give FREE COKE to everyone. It happens February 4, 1:30-4:30pm in several participating outlets.

Check out Caloy’s “Happyologist” commercial at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQPZt35NQeo. You can also follow him at Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/PresidentforHappiness) or Twitter (https://twitter.com/#!/Coke_HappyPrez).

Memo Tube Makes Reminders Fun and Easy

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn Ong) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 08:39:00 +0000

A surprise delivery came to my office last Friday in the form of a colorful box containing the Memo Tube.

The box description saying it's a handy electronic note taker that lets me record video messages and reminders got me really excited to open it. I never knew such device existed. And for me who always writes a note on the refrigerator's door for the house helper to see the next morning, this device is surely going to be useful!

The Memo Tube comes with the unit, a USB cable that acts as the charger, a photo tray, and a User Guide booklet. The gadget itself has a magnetic back cover, which can be very convenient to attach to the fridge. The photo tray can be used as an additional accessory - basically, I can insert photos to the tray, so that I can easily identify the person I am addressing the video message to. Cool!

Light and handy, this cool electronic memo recorder has five buttons in front for power on/off, playback and pause, start/stop recording, left and right arrows to browse through the video messages. On the top front of the 1.77 inch LCD screen is the built-in video camera. At the right portion is a speaker (vertical hole) and a microphone (small circular hole).

The Memo Tube is charged (about 1.2 hours) through its mini USB1.1 port at the bottom. On the right side is also a slot for an SD card up to 32GB, which allows me to store as many memos as I want. Without an SD card, though, I can still record one (1) 30-seconder video message. Not bad if I just leave one message a day.

Aside from the fact that I can directly record my messages from the Memo Tube, I can also grab an video in AVI format from my computer and transfer it through USB as well. Oh, the Memo Tube is supported in Windows and Mac operating systems, so it would definitely not be a problem.

Now that I have a Memo Tube, I'd get to save trees for the paper and writing efforts every night. I just have to record my reminder and the house help will just play it back the next morning. High tech!

Memo Tube is being sold for SRP Php1,700 at the following stores:

A3 Ace Business
ARX Computer Center
AVX
Earl Toy World
Easy PC - multiple branches
Ehome Trading
Electronics Botique - multiple branches
Microstation - multiple branches
MLY Enterprises
Softbox Solutions
Spectra
Watts Hi Fi
Xsite Mobile

Wanna Be A Recording Artist?

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn Ong) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 05:24:00 +0000

Once upon a time, a young lad came to life and got so independent that he wanted to learn many things on his own. When he was young, he did not enjoy playing toys or watching cartoons at all. His interests lie more on singing, speaking, leading, and performing. Who would have thought that this man would have a weekly space in TechNews later on? His name is Glenn Richmond Ong, yours truly.

I admit that I am a jack of many trades, but a master of none. Without bragging, I am an IT Professional, a writer, blogger, eventologist and voice-over talent all in one. In this week’s edition, I’d like to share one of my skills, which is voice acting.

For the past years, I have been recording my voice-over spiels at home using low-end devices. However, I decided to invest a bit and purchase a gadget that would greatly help me improve the quality of my recordings.

If you’re like me who wants to record spiels and songs for personal or commercial use, I would highly suggest one of my recent purchases called the M-Audio Fast Track Avid Recording Studio.

What is it all about?

Small as it may seem to be, the expertise of this audio interface is to empower us to easily record instruments and vocals just like a professional. It is able to transform our Mac or PC into a full-featured studio through the awesome combination of the M-Audio hardware and the Pro Tools SE recording software. Through this, it allows the capturing of guitars, vocals, and other instruments in pristine quality.

The M-Audio Fast Track has three controls and ports specifically for the microphone, guitar, and headphone. At the back are two line outputs, which we can connect to a speaker for voice preview sampling. What’s great about this device is that it is powered by USB, which means it no longer requires a power adapter on its own to boot up.

Why do I need it?

When recording straight to the laptop and connecting via the ‘line in’ port, the sound that comes in and out isn’t as good due to the low number bits processed by the computer’s sound card. On the contrary, an audio interface handles the inputs and outputs of the audio before it reaches the computer. This way, there is a separate “entity” that does the processing and no more conversion happens within the computer.

How do I choose what to buy?

With myriads of recording interfaces available in the market today, selecting one from the many options may be quite a challenge. These questions might help you decide: (1) Do you need Pro Tools compatibility? (2) How many Inputs and Outputs do you require? (3) Do you prefer Firewire or USB? Make sure to invest in a good microphone and its corresponding cable as well.

Are you also like me who’s into voice-over recording? What do you use?

This article is my 49^th contribution to Manila Bulletin -- one of the Philippines' leading broadsheets -- published on December 12, 2011 (Monday) in the TechNews Section. You can view the PDF version here (upper right portion).

Steve Wozniak's Open-Mindedness on Android

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn Ong) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 13:32:00 +0000

Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak proclaims his praises on Android, and wishes Apple could do what Android can do in features such as voice command and built-in navigation. This, however, does not mean he has turned his back on Apple. “Woz says he still thinks Apple’s iPhone is the best overall smartphone, but he says there are ways in which Android has leapt ahead of Apple,” reports Dan Lyons at www.thedailybeast.com.

"I used to ask Siri, 'What are the five biggest lakes in California?' and it would come back with the answer. Now it just misses. It gives me real estate listings. I used to ask, 'What are the prime numbers greater than 87?' and it would answer. Now instead of getting prime numbers, I get listings for prime rib, or prime real estate," said Wozniak.

In some ways, Wozniak and I have similar thoughts and opinions on Apple and Android. While Jobs’ Apple is easier to use, Android was able to build more capabilities and features due to its availability to many different hardware makers. Maybe we can call it selfish, but Apple has always created a wall that blocks other manufacturers or developers from gatecrashing into its hardware.

Similar to the Microsoft-Apple competition in the past where Microsoft clearly won over Mac, Wozniak notes that “Apple is using the same playbook, tying its software tightly to its own hardware. And with Android, Apple is facing the same kind of foe that it once faced in Windows.” He even added that Apple is up against a strong competitor, which might be a threat as “there’s not as big a difference – between iOS and Android – as there was between Mac and Windows.”

For consumers and mobile users, the perspective is placed on the quantity and variety of applications available, which is a huge number as compared to Android. However, when we put the light onto the application developers, most of them would comment that Apple’s bureaucratic approval process slows them down in one way or another.

On the contrary, Android developers get to create and release the programs in a shorter time. Once they do, feedback would come in and the live environment experience would tell them to immediately start working on the app’s improvements, tweaks, and updates. This might hugely be the reason why Android’s applications are quickly growing in number in such a short span of time.

Unlike Steve Jobs who hated Android operating system so much that he even vowed to destroy it until his last breath, I admire Steve Wozniak for having an open mind to use and give commendations to his first love’s competitor.

Strange as it may be that the major leader of the Mac followers has given adoration to Android, but it’s good for Apple to realize that Android can be a reason of their downfall, especially that the observations came from their own camp’s patron saint.

I do hope that Apple fans will be Wozniak’s who won’t always dismiss other operating systems and hardware as copycats or dying technologies. At the end of it all, we should get the phone and use the operating system that works for us – not what works for the majority of people around us.

This article is my 48^th contribution to Manila Bulletin -- one of the Philippines' leading broadsheets -- published on January 23, 2012 (Monday) in the TechNews Section. You can view the PDF version here (lower left portion).

Photo Credit: ABC Action News

Indulgence by Irene Offers Delicious Quezo De Bola Cheesecake

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn Ong) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 13:24:00 +0000

It was late last year when The Food Club started mentioning our friend Irene's uber-delicious cheesecake. I was like, "is it really that good?" To be honest, I'm not really a cake type of person. I'd eat cake if there's one available, but I certainly won't look for it. And I'm choosy with cakes -- I don't like chiffon cakes that are dry or those non-chiffon cakes, but are just darn too sweet.

After a couple of months of hearing and reading about it...

A'las, I was able to taste Irene's specialty called the Quezo De Bola (QDB) Cheesecake last Thursday. Funny because I met up with her at the gym! So as I was working out, my mind and my tummy are so much looking forward to tasting that mouthwatering cheesecake. I know, you might be thinking that my work out was a joke. But who cares, it looks yummy!

My routine every morning is to work out at the gym and to eat my breakfast at the office workstation. But this time, it wasn't my baon that I opened first; it was the QDB Cheesecake by Indulgence by Irene! Since I couldn't control myself, I immediately took it out of the box and got a small portion for my initial taste (my first bite pictured above). Dessert first before my real breakfast.

IN ALL FAIRNESS, the cheesecake tasted DELICIOUS! There's no BS, even if Irene is my friend.

Initially inspecting the cheesecake, I see the moist layers of quezo de bola (yellow) and graham crackers (brown) - they're very much siksik in ingredients. I know Irene as the person who would always be willing to pay for a food item that is delicious and with quality. She brought this principle on her creation and makes it a point that the cheesecake has no fillers, but only with quality ingredients.

Far from the usual cheesecakes around, the QDB Cheesecake has a tiny bit of salty taste, but is still mostly on the sweet side. However, Irene surely knows how to balance the sweetness level. Within a few minutes, I was able to finish half of it already, because it's not too sweet.

Lucky for my officemate Richelle, I was able to offer her a small portion for tasting. And her comment? "It's the cheesiest cheesecake I've ever tasted." She's a satisfied taster! Woohoo!

Apparently, Irene started making this awesome cheesecake as part of her love for food, cooking, and baking. Eventually, more and more friends like me got to taste it and found it to be really palatable. And so she finally decided to name her brand as Indulgence by Irene, with Quezo De Bola Cheesecake as her initial product.

Pictured on this post is the 4.5-inch QDB Cheesecake at Php200.00, while the bigger one at 9-inch is available too for Php900.00. If you're planning to order, please allow 1-2 days lead time for the 9-inch size. While there is no minimum number of orders for the 4.5-inch cheesecake, you can coordinate with Irene as she collates 5 small-sized orders per batch, so you might have to wait. The QDB Cheesecake will last for 2 weeks as long as it is refrigerated.

To date, Irene gets made-to-order cheesecakes almost everyday, but she's still happily welcoming new customers like you and me. We can order the QDB Cheesecake by contacting her at 0922-8303900 / 0917-6225800 or by 'liking' Indulgence by Irene Facebook Page. She does meet-ups at Magallanes on weekday mornings and afternoons or you can simply pick it up in Ortigas.

Indulge in Irene's QDB Cheesecake and tell me what you think. Happy dessert-eating, friends!

Celebrate the Year of the Dragon at New World Hotel's Jasmine

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn Ong) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 16:16:00 +0000

I'm Chinese by birth, but not much by practice. Yes, we do speak the language, but we rarely follow the full Chinese traditions such as celebrating Chinese New Year by eating special food. Sometimes, we do get together, but at times we totally just don't care.

When I received an invite to try out the special Chinese New Year menu of Jasmine restaurant at the New World Hotel in Makati, I immediately confirmed my attendance. I really enjoyed my dining experience there before and would gladly be back to try out a new menu.

Upon sitting down, I was told that Jasmine restaurant is having an extended, more than a week-long celebration of Chinese New Year. To welcome the year of the dragon, Jasmine offers special menus denoting affluence, prosperity and luck, for lunch (11:30AM-2:30PM) and dinner (6:00PM-10:30PM) from January 18 to 30, 2012.

11-Course Lauriat
One of the special set menu is an 11-course lauriat that includes dried oysters with sea moss, wok fried lobster fillet with Yu Ye fungus and celery, chicken and bamboo pith, prawns with broccoli, crispy scallop medallions and other mouth-watering dishes. The price of this is Php26,888 for a table of 12 persons or Php2,240++ per person.

Ultimate Treasures Feast
Apart from that, there's this special offering called the Ultimate Eighteen Treasures Feast, which is cooked and served in a wooden basin. It's my first time to see and try this type of Chinese cuisine, so upon seeing it, I immediately got curious as to what it contains and how it tastes like.

Look at the picture below, doesn't it look so delicious?

After scrutinizing it and asking my fellow blogger Richard, I learned that this whole dish contains very expensive ingredients.

The dish is popularly known as "Poon Choi" or "Big Bowl Feast" that originated from Hong Kong. It is made up of abalone, sea moss, sea cucumber, dried oyster, fish maw, prawns flower mushroom, eel fillet, roasted duck, chicken, pig knuckle, goose web, fish balls, dried squid, taro, radish, and bean curd skin, and other opulent ingredients that cannot be bought locally in the Philippines.

Poon Choi is presented in many layers of different ingredients, and is eaten layer by layer instead of stirring everything up. The basin that holds the meat and seafood remains to be warm due to the lighted candles that are situated below it.

I admit that most of the ingredients are new to me. As I was eating a piece of each ingredient, I got surprised that not all ingredients taste the same even if it is all mixed up together in one container. My favorites are the abalone, roasted duck, chicken, goose web, and fish balls, because it is so juicy and full of taste. In addition, the combined sauce coming out from all the ingredients is simply delicious! You'd be amazed how the chef managed to balance the saltiness level of all those.

Ordering Poon Choi plus a couple of deluxe appetizers, double boiled chicken soup, whelk, "Sun Moon Fish", Chinese herbs, special desserts and more will cost Php14,888 for a table of 6 persons or Php29,888 for a table of 12 persons.

I know the prices are a bit steep, but hey, it's Chinese New Year. Not only the ingredients are of good quality and some are imported, but also the food quality and taste are superb.

A La Carte Menu
If set menus are not your thing, there's always the good old favorite a la carte menu where you can select from a wide variety of choices - from dimsum, appetizers, soup, main courses, desserts, and drinks.

Wagyu Beef with Mango Roll

Steamed Gizzard

Shrimp Mousse with Vegetarian Sauce

Deep-Fried Oysters

Beef with XO Sauce

Steamed Live Garoupa with Soy Sauce

Visit Jasmine restaurant at the 2nd floor of New World Hotel, Makati anytime during lunch or dinner, but reservations are preferred especially on special occasions. To seal the lucky start of the year, a lion and dragon dance will take place on Chinese New Year's day, January 23, at 1:00PM.

Enjoy! Happy Year of the Dragon!!!

Nokia Philippines Names New GM, Intros Nokia Store Premium Contents

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn Ong) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

I'm used to being invited by Nokia Philippines for launches of their new phones and/or new products. However, their first event for 2012 was quite different. No, I'm not saying it became boring. There was the usual good food, great company and fun surprises. What's the difference, then?

New General Manager and Head of Sale
Instead of introducing just a technology or a gadget to the techie media and friends, they named the new Nokia Philippines General Manager and Head of Sales, Dharmesh Goshalia.

Called as Gosh by his colleagues, Dharmesh has had extensive experience in business development, management and marketing across retail distribution and operator business from diverse markets. With his new appointment, Nokia Philippines is looking at maintaining its market leadership in the country while continuing to innovate and keep pace with the needs of the market.

Prior to his assignment to Nokia Philippines, Gosh was General Manager of Nokia Greece and Cyprus. He has been with Nokia since 2006 and since then has significantly contributed to the success in markets such as Nigeria, Egypt, Tunisia and other countries while heading the multimedia business unit for North and West Africa.

Gosh remarks, “The mobile phone landscape in the Philippines is very dynamic and exciting, and we look forward to maintaining Nokia’s leadership position in the country. Nokia has a long-running relationship with Filipino mobile users, and enjoys a huge gap over competitors in terms of preference, driven by its strong image as a trustworthy brand, meeting customer needs and being easy to use.”

A change in leadership is always exciting. I myself am very interested as to how Gosh will be able to change the Nokia Philippines market into something bigger and better. I hope he surprises all of us through his great leadership skills. I heard he's more hands on and more fun as a boss.

Nokia Store's Premium Content
I've read through a couple of articles in the past saying the Ovi Store has been renamed to Nokia Store. However, I still see a lot of "Ovi" logos being used, especially on other blogs. During the thanksgiving lunch, though, they indeed confirmed that the name has been changed.

Aside from the name change, Nokia Philippines also revealed that they have recorded 11 million downloads per day globally. And this year, they're introducing the Nokia Store Premium contents.

Now, not only Free apps can be downloaded from Nokia Store, but Premium apps, too, with local currency prices in five denominations Php20, Php30, Php50, Php75, and Php100.

Unlike other competitors that use foreign currency and charge via credit card, Nokia Philippines has partnered with Globe Telecom by using its Automated Billing Solution to allow users to purchase an app from the store and have the amount added onto the next bill (for postpaid) or have it debited from the credits (for prepaid).

Apart from the Free and Premium apps available to both Symbian and Series 40 phones, Nokia Store also features Freemium apps that has an in-application purchase capability. By downloading these freemium apps, a user may opt to purchase the merchant's content (e.g. additional premium levels for a game) or services (e.g. magazine subscription).

Since the Premium content purchase is currently limited to Globe subscribers only, Nokia Philippines is working on having Smart jump onto the ship to offer the same service as well. Timelines are not yet clear on when Smart would be joining, but they said it's hopefully soon.

Cook and Eat-All-You-Can at Wakamatsu Yakiniku Japanese Restaurant, Cebu

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn Ong) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 12:20:00 +0000

Order, cook, and eat. This is what we always do when eating at Cebu's Wakamatsu Yakiniku Japanese Restaurant. It has been a couple of years since I have discovered this place, thanks to my Digicon friends who introduced me here. Since then, I always go back to this restaurant whenever I'm at Cebu City.

During my Cebu trip last November, I became the semi-tour guide of two friends who were first time visitors of the said province. Our flight was very early that day, so I thought maybe eating at a buffet restaurant would be a great idea to give us energy to last the whole day.

And so we did. Excited as we are, we were already there exactly 11:30AM, which is the time Wakamatsu Yakiniku opens for lunch. From the restaurant's name itself, we know that we're in for a Japanese style of grilling bite-sized meat and seafood over a flame of charcoals. Personally, I like restaurants with cook-your own food, because it gives a personal touch to the food that makes eating more worth it.

Upon entrance, we were asked to remove our footwear and be seated on an elevated wooden platform. We saw a lowered table with cushioned pillows surrounding it. We sat like it's just a normal table and chair, since our legs and feet had enough space to suspend it below the table. One by one, we saw thongs, aprons, and chopsticks - our armor as we go into an eating battle.

I've always eaten at Wakamatsu Yakiniku on a lunch time. I suddenly asked myself why and thought about some reasons: (1) Food gets digested for the remaining parts of the day if buffet is eaten on a lunch time; (2) Rate is cheaper - about Php480 lunch rate as compared to Php540 dinner rate; (3) Fewer people, thus faster service; (4) It's coincidence.

I'm not sure about Dinner, but they serve this menu (pictured above) during Lunch time. Basically, we can order anything from the menu as long as we make sure to finish them before we leave. Or else, the standard buffet rule follows -- we pay double.

We started out with the Short Ribs Soup (Karubi Soup). It's made of short ribs of beef slices and egg sans the bones. The taste was a bit spicy, but is absolutely delicious. In fact, my friend ordered two bowls, because she loved it that much!

We then ordered one of their new offerings (those written in pen in the menu) - Mixed Sushi. It has about two pieces each of a variety of sushi. However, the sushi didn't seem to be fresh. It was okay, but not outstanding at all. Nevertheless, it was worth trying.

Some of our favorites are the Marinated Chicken, Angus Beef (my favorite), Scallop with Butter (pictured above), and Pork Short Ribs. We weren't able to take pictures of the orders, but the quantity of each order varies on the item being ordered. For example, the Scallops is only 3-5 pieces per order, so we got 3 orders at a time.

The meat and seafood are already marinated and seasoned with basic spices. But there are sauces at the side of the table, which we used to mix and match to have our personalized dip. The sauces are universal, so dipping any of the grilled meat is alright.

There are also drinks available, such as Iced Tea (Php60), Green Tea (Php60), Oolong Tea (Php60), Mineral Water (Php40), and Calamansi Juice (Php60). We simply got the service water, since we'll already be eating lots of food.

Dining at Wakamatsu Yakiniku includes one round of dessert. There's a choice between Kakigori (pictured above) or Ice Cream Stick. We chose the former, obviously. Its description is "A Japanese dessert made of crushed ice flavored with Mango Syrup." It lived up to what was written! *laughs* It was just crushed ice mixed with those canned mango juices. But it's okay, since we were so full by then.

As with other yakiniku restaurants, the orders might taste almost the same or similar to each other. However, it's up to you on how you'd cook it and season it with sauces.

We loved our Wakamatsu Yakiniku experience, because the food choices are delicious and the act of cooking is so much fun with friends! So much so that we were the last customers standing there. We entered 11:30 and exited 2:30. Talk about being "matakaw." Beat that!

Visit Wakamatsu Yakiniku when you're in Cebu and tell me how your experience goes. Of course, expect your face to be a bit oily, since the griller is just in front of you. Also, even if there's an exhaust sipping the smoke out of the griller, you'd still end up smelling like food.

Wakamatsu Yakiniku Japanese Restaurant

Address: 1-K Pacific Square Building, F. Cabahug St., Mabolo, Cebu City, Cebu, Philippines
Telephone Number: (032) 232-5897

Lunch Time: 11:30AM-2:30PM
Dinner Time: 5:30PM-10:30PM

Photo Credits: Annie Choi

Globe's *143# Eliminates the Need to Remember Keywords and Access Numbers

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn Ong) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 06:40:00 +0000

First disclaimer, 143 is NOT a joke. These are digits we can easily remember, just like how we easily think of the words "I love you."

If you're like me who gets stressed at trying to remember a whole lot of keywords and service numbers before being able to transact with Globe (i.e. activation and deactivation of BBMAX, getting unbilled charges, etc.), then this *143# (read as star one four three pound) is for you, just as it is for me.

What is *143#?

Globe's *143# is a user-friendly and easy-to-use self-service menu, accessible in all generations of mobile phones (i.e. Nokia 1100 to BlackBerry 9780 to iPhone 4s, etc.). This will allow us to quickly get information on promos and offers. It will also help us with basic account management and subscription transactions without the need to remember complex keywords or varying access numbers.

How to access *143#?

Available to both Postpaid and Prepaid subscribers, using this all-new *143# is very easy. Follow the three steps below. Note that the screenshot might be different if you're a prepaid subscriber.

To access the menu, you just need to dial *143# and press the call button on your phone.
Using the services and making selections is simple as well. Just enter the corresponding number of your preferred option and follow the clear directions prompted on the screen.
Once a transaction is completed, the session will automatically end and you will receive a text message to confirm the transaction

In the example above, I wanted to know my unbilled charges, but have forgotten the access number to send it to. With *143#, all I had to do was follow the instructions. In less than 2 minutes, I have the information I need already.

What can you get?
Globe Postpaid Subscribers

Retrieve information on Balances and Unbilled Charges
Promo registration, deactivation and status checking for Call, Text, Data, and International Promos
Other services like GCASH transactions, Downloads, and Share-A-Load

Globe Prepaid Subscribers

Check balance and reload account via Call card (Enter 10 Digit Call Card Number)
Promo registration, deactivation and status checking for Call, Text, Data, and Roaming Promos
Other services like GCASH transactions, Downloads, and Share-A-Load

What else do you need to know?

Accessing the menu is absolutely FREE of charge when in the Philippines.

It does not require us any maintaining balance to use the menu.
The menu is accessible even without load/credits. As long as you have signal (like doing a regular call) and using a Globe SIM card.
Postpaid subscribers with temporarily disconnected lines will not be allowed to use the menu. As long as we can do outgoing calls, we can access the menu.

For now, it is only available to Globe prepaid and postpaid subscribers. TM subscribers will also get the same feature sometime in 2012.
When roaming, the menu is STILL accessible anywhere in the world as long as we're using Globe SIM and roaming with a Globe partner. In addition, take note of the following:

Accessing the menu is FREE of charge even when roaming. However, prevailing roaming SMS rates may apply if we are roaming in countries that charge incoming messages.

If we get disconnected at some point, we can call *143# again and resume where we left off within the three minutes grace period.
A time-out duration has been set on the menu, where the session automatically closes after a set period of inactivity. This helps prevent incidences of anyone trying to hog the call/sms bandwidth over the menu.

Since I learned about *143#, it has been effortless for me to do simple inquiries and service modifications. I really love Globe, because they think of how to improve the experience of customers. They might not be the best company, but they surely strive hard to provide what can better the experience of their subscribers.

Today, I know for sure that this tool might not be perfect, but I'm assured that they are continuously studying it and hopefully developing more modules for us.

Since dialing *143# works like a normal call, I was a bit worried that this might clog the network. I'm glad that Globe has thoroughly considered the capacity and will be ready to expand it, should the need arise. Also, since *143# operates under the same business rules as before, the same guidelines against spamming/abuse/fair-use will still apply.

I am very excited on what's more to come with *143# and Globe customer service per se. I will surely keep you guys updated on any word I get.

Globe Intros Three New Customer Service Channels to Subscribers

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn Ong) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 03:54:00 +0000

I have been a Globe subscriber all my life, since SMS started more than a decade ago. Since then, it has always been the case that I dial their hotline 730-1000 in any landline or their 211 number via mobile before I am able to ask for help on my Globe concerns.

However, due to the changing times and the on-the-go lifestyle of consumers, Globe wanted to give its subscribers the flexibility of how to reach them for customer support. Currently, we can reach them thru Facebook, Twitter, Email, and Hotline. But just recently, they have introduced three more customer service options - Web Chat, Yahoo Messenger Chat, and SMS.

Through these multiple channels, we can now ask for help wherever we are, whether we have a phone or not, while we're online at home/office or on the road. Let me list them down:

Web Chat

Some of us might say, "oh this is not new!" Yes, you're right. I remember seeing this feature in Globe's website before, but they have previously pulled it out for enhancements.

Now that it's back, it's even better. It now has a more user-friendly interface and a self-help functionality. Add to that an improved system performance that gives better customer experience.

We just need to head on to Globe's website (www.globe.com.ph) and click on the Talk2GLOBE tab on the menu. From there, we can choose to chat with a support specialist where options will be available to us in an instant.

What's good about this feature is that we no longer have to sign in or have an account in order to get support. And even if we get disconnected, but gets reconnected within 2 minutes, the same agent will chat with us - as long as we don't close the window.

If we're given a ticket number prior to disconnection, we can just enter it by clicking on Agent.

Yahoo Messenger (YM) Chat

This is really new! If you're like me who's always connected to Yahoo Messenger via mobile phone (thanks to BBMAX) or iPad (thanks to Tattoo MiFi), we don't have to go to Globe's website for support anymore. Globe has leveraged on this popular chat software to provide support to millions of subscribers.

Simply add Talk2GlobeChat as YM buddy, and we can get help there. Unlike Web Chat, though, where options will instantly be available upon opening of chat window, we need to type in any word for the menu to be presented to us.

SMS Help

Undoubtedly, the Philippines is the text capital of Southeast Asia or even the world! With our mobile phones always at hand, we can request for and find self-help wherever we are - as long as there's signal, of course.

Just text HELP to 1234 for FREE and a reply of the menu will be sent to us. Be patient in selecting the keywords one after another, as Globe has placed several category levels to assist us to the specific concern we are looking for.

The three new channels will cater to all after-sales concerns of Globe subscribers. Replies are real-time and available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

In my opinion, nothing beats talking to a customer service representative personally via phone. However, if we are asked to wait for several minutes already, using the Web Chat, YM Chat, and SMS Help can be faster, especially that Globe agents are assigned to a maximum of four customers each for chat and SMS. Don't worry, Globe did a study on the 4:1 ratio and found it to be ideal.

Other Customer Service Channels

Facebook

Globe Telecom Facebook Page

We can also go directly to the Talk2GLOBE tab, so we can fill up a form, which goes directly to the support team for support fulfillment. Responses will be sent to the email address we have identified.

Twitter

@Talk2Globe

Email

talk@globetel.com.ph

Talk2Globe Hotline

Five New BlackBerry 7 Smartphones Available in the Philippines on January 13

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn Ong) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 08:37:00 +0000

Research in Motion (RIM) has launched new BlackBerry 7 smartphones -- BlackBerry Bold 9790, BlackBerry Curve 9380, BlackBerry Torch 9810, BlackBerry Torch 9860, and Pure White BlackBerry Bold 9900 -- and is said to be available in authorized distributors by January 13, 2012.

Hosted by the bubbly Rovilson Fernandez, the launching was held at The Establishment, Fort today, January 10, 2012. People from traditional and digital media were present during the said launch.

For more details on the specs, prices, and descriptions, please see below.

BlackBerry Bold 9790 - Touch and Type

SRP: Php22,890.00

This model almost has the same power and features as that of a BlackBerry Bold 9900. The difference of this to the latter is that it is cheaper, smaller, thinner, and lighter.

It has a Touch Display and a Keyboard, which gives users the combination of touch and type. What I like about this as compared to the 9900 is the camera's autofocus functionality, which is absent in the 9900.

Bold 9790 Specifications

110 x 60 x 11.4 mm
107g
480x360 capacitive touchscreen, 2.45 inches
8GB internal memory, expandable to 32GB via microSD
768MB RAM, Marvel Tavor MG1 1 GHz Processor
WiFi, Bluetooth, NFC
5 MP, 2592x1944 pixels, autofocus, LED flash
BlackBerry OS 7.0

BlackBerry Curve 9380 - All Touch

SRP: Php16,990.00

This is the first touch screen smartphone in the Curve family.

Still coming with the social-networking applications (Facebook, Twitter, Yahoo Messenger, etc) alongside BlackBerry Messenger (BBM), this compact and stylish handset also features a 5MP camera with flash and video recording. If you've been eyeing for the Torch, now you have a cheaper alternative.

Curve 9380 Specifications

109 x 60 x 11.2 mm
98g
360x480 capacitive touchscreen, 3.2 inches
512MB internal memory, expandable to 32GB via microSD
512MB RAM, 806 MHz Processor
WiFi, Bluetooth, NFC
5 MP, 2592x1944 pixels, LED flash
BlackBerry OS 7.0

BlackBerry Torch 9810 - Touch with Slide-Out Keyboard

SRP: Php28,590.00

The Torch 9810 is the upgraded version of the Torch 9800.

It is faster and more fluid with high performance hardware features and of course carries the new BlackBerry OS 7.

With this new model, surfing the web and navigating the phone will be an ease because of its big screen. Sending an SMS can be done via on-screen keyboard or actual keypad for faster typing.

Torch 9810 Specifications

111 x 62 x 14.6 mm
161g
480x640 capacitive touchscreen, 3.2 inches
8GB internal memory, expandable to 32GB via microSD
768MB RAM, 1.2 GHz Processor
WiFi, Bluetooth
5 MP, 2592x1944 pixels, autofocus, LED flash
BlackBerry OS 7.0

BlackBerry Torch 9860 - All Touch

SRP: Php24,690.00

For the Torch series lovers who don't like the slide-out keyboard that the Torch 9800 has, RIM has launched Torch 9860 with an all touch interface.

It has a spectacular 3.7" display, the largest ever on a BlackBerry smartphone. This model delivers the highly refined, real-time communication and collaboration experience loved by millions of BlackBerry smartphone users around the world.

Torch 9860 Specifications

120 x 62 x 11.5 mm
135g
480x800 capacitive touchscreen, 3.7 inches
4GB internal memory, expandable to 32GB via microSD
768MB RAM, 1.2 GHz Processor
WiFi, Bluetooth
5 MP, 2592x1944 pixels, autofocus
BlackBerry OS 7.0

BlackBerry Bold 9900 (Pure White)

SRP: Php31,690.00

The Bold 9900 per se is not new, but its availability in Pure White color might be of interest to those wanting to be different from the rest of the Black Bold 9900 owners.

Just like other smartphones, Black and White are the staple colors that RIM is looking at, at least for the Bold 9900. Read through our BlackBerry 9900 article written previously.

Tech Companies: Who's In and Who's Out this 2012?

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn Ong) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 07:13:00 +0000

Technology and the companies owning it are moving forward to make it better each year. For those who can’t go with the flow, they’re doomed to be forgotten; those who can, succeed and earn billions of bucks. Such is life – either you keep up with the changing times or be easily forgotten in a single failure even after being the leader for several years.

As we say hello to the big year 2012, join me as I look at some of the tech companies from a consumer’s perspective.

HP is once again in its stabilization state, especially with its new CEO Meg Whitman. Though the company is stable per se, its strategies for the technologies used are under transformation. I hope they don’t make mistakes anymore such as the introduction and immediate pull out of the Slate.

Google has an exciting year ahead as it continues to grow rapidly and transform the technological landscape. Over the last year, it has introduced Google Plus among others, which the public greatly embraced. This year, we look forward to what new things it will launch and how it will utilize Android and Motorola to bring continued growth towards the company.

RIM is really struggling to stay alive. The sales of BlackBerry smartphones may be high in Asian countries, but it is not the case in other regions. In 2011, its value as a company has reportedly gone very low – shockingly low, in fact. Will they do something “WOW” this year? I hope so.

Samsung has been successful so far in making a buzz from all its products, especially with its smartphones. Throughout 2011, it has launched several products to fit different market segments. It is still not par from Apple and Google, but we’ll see what happens.

Nokia is still in the game, but not as big time as it used to be. The Nokia brand continues to be strong in the Philippines as a cellphone brand, but not so much as a smartphone maker. But now that it has partnered with Microsoft and has recently launched new smartphone units, will their brand be able to keep up?

Apple has shown so much innovation throughout the past years, upping the smartphone leadership with an ease. Now that Steve Jobs has passed, the company is in a transitional state. It might be able to manage its spot on top, but will definitely face struggles and slowdowns at some points.

Globe must work on and prove what it has launched last November – to build a bigger, faster and modern network, which will ensure us Filipinos are connected all the time. Its network modernization program will hugely impact the mobile experience of its subscribers. Will they be able to attend to their promises?

Smart continues its battle with Globe by offering great deals and promos to maintain its leadership in the telco industry as the one with biggest subscriber base. Now that Smart and Sun are starting to offer plans as a result of its merger, it will be a defining year to see what may happen to the telco wars.

What may happen in 2012 is everybody’s ball game. The tech industry is generally strong and vibrant, but companies need to work hard to maintain its ball on the winning side of the fence; else, it might fall. This year will be exciting!

This article is my 47^th contribution to Manila Bulletin -- one of the Philippines' leading broadsheets -- published on January 09, 2012 (Monday) in the TechNews Section. You can view the PDF version here.

What Globe Can Do to Make Anti-Bill Shock Really Anti-Shocking

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn Ong) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 14:55:00 +0000

Ever since the iPhone came out, there has been endless complaints and horror stories of subscribers getting shocked at their bills. It's not because of the calls and texts, but due to unknown data usage caused by wrong configuration and/or background applications using mobile data network.

Thank goodness the anti-bill shock is here! So Globe recently came out with a Php999 bill cap that aims to help users avoid bill shock. This is for postpaid subscribers registered to any of the PowerSurf plans, who doesn't need to worry about exceeding their allocated megabytes (MBs) by stopping succeeding charges when it reaches Php999.

Postpaid PowerSurf is a mobile internet plan that gives Globe Postpaid subscribers MBs of mobile data, consumable per kilobyte (kb) and valid for 30 days. The plan is available in three variants: PowerSurf 99 (50MB), PowerSurf 299 (300MB) and PowerSurf 499 (1 GB). With the P999 bill cap, subscribers will not be charged above P999 each month for excess usage regardless of their PowerSurf plan subscription.

This means that for as long as a postpaid subscriber is registered to any PowerSurf plan, they don’t need to monitor their usage strictly because they can be confident that they will never pay more than P999 for data use even if they exceed their respective plan’s MB limit.

Activate Globe Postpaid PowerSurf by visiting any Globe Store, calling the Globe Hotline at 730-1000 or texting POWERSURF 99 / POWERSURF 299 / POWERSURF 499 to 8888. For more information on Globe Mobile Internet, text SURF to 8888 or visit www.globe.com.ph/surf.

This may be beneficial for those who have the money to spend to pay Php999 a month on top of their SMS and call usage. However, what happens to those who are on a budget and would want to really just pay for what they have subscribed on to?

Can Globe do the bill cap as soon as the subscribed allocated megabytes have been used up by the subscriber? Can they send an SMS asking for a confirmation of the user to continue the data charges until it reaches the cap of Php999?

Example: I am subscribed to PowerSurf 499, which gives me an allocation of 1 GB for 30 days. Since I have been surfing continuously, my 1 GB has been fully used up on day 25. What happens? Globe should temporarily not allow me to surf anymore and instead would send me an SMS asking if I want to continue the usage of my data service. When I confirm 'YES' then my data charges continue until I reach Php999, before the bill is capped.

But you say, "It's a hassle. What if I'm surfing for an important thing and it suddenly stops loading?" Well, that's when you should know that you can't have it all. In every thing, there are pros and cons. At that point, maybe you can rethink of subscribing to unlimited data plan instead - say Php599 for unlimited BlackBerry surfing, BBM, Twitter, Facebook, and IM or other unlimited plans that Globe offers.

Tips for the 19th Travel Tour Expo 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn Ong) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 07:43:00 +0000

Even before the new year entered, our airlines have been offering seat sales here and there. However, I always want to get deals as a package, because it sometimes equates to cheaper rates even though I get additional miscellaneous expenses during the trip.

Last year was the first time I attended a travel expo. I have been told that travel packages are a steal there, so I was very excited to check it out. This year is a new story. I don't have any concrete plans of traveling to a specific country or local destination, but I'll be checking out the 19th Travel Tour Expo 2012 happening this February 17-19, 2012 at the SMX Convention Center Hall 1, 2, 3 and 4.

With the theme "One Stop Shop to the World," here's what you need to know about the expo:

Opening Hours:

February 17 & 18 (Friday & Saturday) - 10AM to 9PM
February 19 (Sunday) - 10AM to 7PM

Note: Ticket booths close 30 minutes before end of show hours.

Entrance Fee:

General Admission - Php50.00/day
Senior Citizen - Php20.00/day

Accompanying Events:

Entertainment and Presentations from exhibitors, such as dances, film showing, etc,
Raffles and Games
More surprises

Lessons I've learned from last year's visit to the expo:

Don't be late. Even though doors open at 10AM, people are already starting to line up as early as 9AM. By the time I arrived at 9:30AM, the lines are no longer that short. Factor in parking as well. If you want to park at the basement of SMX, you need to come early.
Know the right line. Since I arrived seeing many lines already, I immediately went to fall in line. Later did I realize that the line I was following is already headed towards the entrance. And I don't have entrance tickets yet. Fortunately, the lady in front of me was kind enough to save me a space till I came back.
Bring a bag and pen. As with any fair, you'd be handed with lots of brochures and paraphernalia for you to have a reference. If you are not yet so sure on what to purchase, I suggest to get materials in the morning, take a break, then go back for the actual purchase. Besides, the entrance fee is valid for a day.
Tag a friend along. Once the door opens, people will be rushing to the different booths already. Expect to line up, even when you just want to inquire. I suggest to bring a friend or a family member with you. This allows one to line up at a booth, while the other one roams around for the next booth. Just SMS or call each other, so you won't have to be together when purchasing packages.
Ready the details. If you're like me who's very tensed especially when you know there are a lot of people lined up and waiting after me, I would highly encourage you to list down the full names, birthdays (for airfares) and contact numbers of your travel buddies, as well as dates of travel. This enables you to quickly copy them upon your purchase.
Be wary with belongings. Since this travel expo is expecting a lot of attendees, make sure you keep an eye on your belongings. Last year's data records 472 booths, 255 exhibitors, and a whopping 68,000 visitors. If we divide the number of visitors in 3 days, that would be about 22,660+ members per day.
Prepare cash or credit card. Not all exhibitors will accept credit cards, so might as well prepare cash too. There are numerous ATMs around SM MOA, so you don't have to worry.
Plan your destinations. Below is a list of exhibitors as of November 29. You can check it out and plan ahead on which booth and/or destination you plan to prioritize, so you can immediately head on to them once you enter the halls.

19TTE Exhibitors List_as of 29Nov2011_4pm

Remember that some of the airfare promos and tour packages are exclusively offered onsite for the duration of the travel expo. Good luck on your visit and I hope you get home with great travel packages to make your 2012 an exciting year. Don't forget to enjoy the experience as well!

For more information, visit the 19th Travel Tour Expo 2012 website.

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