Few features that I personally think would be a good addition are:

• Offline viewing - I don’t always have Internet connection especially when I’m out.  Since movie houses may not always change their schedules anyway, it would be cool if I can still look up on the movie schedules of a certain cinema while offline.
• A way to know if a movie has after credits - This one will be the biggest reason for me to use the app.  Most of the time, I finish the movie credits just to see if there’s a clip after credits.  Being able to know if movie has after credit clips could save me 5-10 mins of watching names roll up.
• Set an alarm for a selected movie time - This is just nice to have.  I usually buy movie tickets at least an hour before to be able to select a good seating and then look around the mall while waiting for the screening time.  I often use the default Clock app to set a reminder of the movie.
• Movie rating - This one might not be that big for all users but could help increase engagement with some users willing enough to rate a film.  If there’s a way for the app to know which movie you watched (like setting an alram for a movie), it would be a good way to get their feedback on the movie at a later time.

Here are some app screenshots.

So there you go.  Check it out on iTunes AppStore.

Join Startup Weekend. Now, yes, you’ve probably heard of Startup Weekend happening abroad – or just plain too far away. Now, thankfully, it’s coming to Manila!

It’s the perfect venue to immerse yourself in tech entrepreneurship, startup culture, teamwork, and business+hacking savvy. Get feedback on your idea or hopefully meet a co-founder or new team members. Just bring your laptop, your ideas, an open mind, name cards (if you have them), and you’re sure to get much more value out of the 54 hours at Startup Weekend than you ever could just sitting on your dream startup idea at home.

Startup Weekend Manila
October 21-23, 2011
MINT College in McKinley Hill, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.

Registration fee is P1,000 and is open to Developers, Designers, Non-technical (business, marketing & PR, and anyone with a non-technical background), and of course, Angels and VCs.

Wouldn’t you just love to be in the shoes of Skype founders Zennström and Friis? They are reaping rewards (~$1B) now, 8 years after founding Skype in 2003. What did they do right? What does it take to be able to develop a product, build a company around it, and be able to get investors and eventually sell the company? Definitely hard work and good relations… and more importantly it began with: a startup idea.

Where does your startup idea come from?

Some would say scratch your own itch. Our nagging needs and wants bring about inventions, innovations, and conveniences we experience today. Like… I don’t really read the paper IRL anymore—still, it shouldn’t be so hard to find out what’s showing at the cinemas today—so ProudCloud came up with NowShowing.ph.

Find out what kind of product or software already has multiple competitors. Maybe even something you already use. Competition can be good. For instance, there are a myriad of time tracking and invoice billing providers, and they’re able to sustain themselves—there’s already an established market. You could improve by offering an alternative that has great aesthetics, usability, and functionality. And get a niche of that market or even steal all of it.

Go out of your office, your house and keep an open discerning eye. See the world and look out for hotspots, i.e. high-density spots in dire need of an efficient solution. For example, Music CDs -> iTunes, Amazon MP3 store, etc.  (Matt Cutts)

Take some advice from incubator Y Combinator and check out 30 ideas Paul Graham like to fund. Even though he listed those in 2008, a lot of them are still opportunities—just waiting for the right entrepreneur to come along and turn the idea into a reality.

Have a notebook and pen (or smartphone) at all times, so you can jot down your little complaints about everyday life—and maybe your startup idea will come from those daily inconveniences that you usually just ignore.

To find that idea, I think it’s imperative that you get out there and talk to people—both people you already know and people you have yet to chat with. You and I could learn a lot from college friends we rarely get to see, the secretary in another department, the blogger you’ve been following (or been hating), your mom’s best friend. They could be your potential market, after all—don’t they all use Facebook or Google now? If that’s how big your company’s going to be, it would be nice to immerse with the regular (not-so-techie) folks once in a while.

One last note, don’t be afraid to run it by your peers or even at startup meetups. I know some people who want an NDA even when it’s not even a working prototype yet. To me, that’s bonkers. You’re telling that person about your “idea” because… you’re running the idea by them. Just to get their opinion. They could be a potential user or investor or advocate or even competitor. Maybe they’ll bash you or they’ll have recommendations for you. Which you’d only benefit from if you’re not so “stealth”-y.

Good luck in your search for your startup idea.

you have a wonderful opportunity coming up in the next few weeks. The Science and Technology Advisory Council (STAC) - Silicon Valley, a partnership between the private sector and the government, is holding the Luzon ON3 Pitching Competition on May 26-28, 2011 for selected startups. To be considered, you just have to submit an Executive Summary by 5pm PST on May 20, 2011 to jojo (at) plugandplaytechcenter (dot) com

What does this mean for you and your company?

This is your chance to take your company to the next level—if this sounds like something you’re ready for. To get that Silicon Valley injection since the prize is Silicon Valley exposure which you really just can’t quite get by just staying here.

From all the applicants who submit an executive summary, 25 companies will be selected to participate on May 26-28, 2011. From that event, the top 10 startups will be invited to a National Competition on July 30, 2011, where you’ll be competing against the winners from the Visayas and Mindanao ON3 held last March:

• Segworks Technologies
• PicLyf
• RAD Green Solutions
• Easy Clinic Software
• SpellDial

And the finalists for the National Competition will be vying for some truly awesome opportunities:

• A 3-month Silicon Valley immersion and funding mission at Plug and Play Tech Center in Silicon Valley
• Introduction to at least 5 top-tier Venture Capitalists and angel investors in Silicon Valley
• Participation at one of Plug and Play’s EXPO Series
• Participation at Plug and Play’s 3-day Silicon Valley Entrepreneurship Academy

Your Next Steps

Download and print the event details (pdf)

Brainstorm and prepare your executive summary, if you don’t have one yet. Test and refine if you do have one already.

Email your executive summary to Jojo Flores at jojo (at) plugandplaytechcenter (dot) com

So protect your email inbox and head on over to FrugalPanda.PH, a group buying site aggregator, the latest brainchild of the men behind BoughtStuff. Their company, Sinefunc, launched the site in late March 2011. I’m subscribed to a few deal sites, but now FrugalPanda is my goto when I feel like buying a new coupon.

To date, Frugal Panda collates deals from Buyanihan, Cleverbuy, Cashcashpinoy, Twangoo, Metrodeal, Ensogo, Groupon, Dealgrocer, Dealspot, and Localroam.

So, if you don’t have the time to sort thru deal site emails or even visiting these sites one by one to see, FrugalPanda should be your next stop. From there, you can conveniently sort thru the deals from various deal sites, according to category: Health & Beauty, Fun activities, Travel, and Food.

You can also subscribe via RSS and all the deals will show up in your RSS Reader! How fun is that?!

Now what I can’t wait for is to be able to sort by city because personally, I’m only comfortable in Makati, Mandaluyong. Sometimes even Alabang and Paranaque. I know a bunch of my techie friends stay in QC and could maximize the deals there.

What’s Next for Group Buying Sites?

I believe there’s still room for even more group buying sites. I just hope we can all easily monitor them and find out when they’re up. And that more Filipinos get used to buying their coupons online. Eventually, maybe FrugalPanda or other deal site aggregators could be sustained with referral fees.  And these sites should be able to gather intelligence about the buyers to come up with even more viable offers that are win-win-win.

Have you already tried buying from these group buying sites? Do you use deal site aggregators? Or do you only subscribe to your favorite deal sites?

The event was held at the 4th floor of Trinoma near the cinemas. It coincided with the launch of the exhibit of Ambassadors of the Philippine Brand. You’d see the exhibit of illustrations done by various artists—and you could still the exhibit at Trinoma until May 12.

The evening started with cocktails (a light dinner, really, yum!) catered by Via Mare (or was it Cibo?) with music by Electronica Manila. A brief speech and more networking.

Brian Tenorio brilliantly explained the purpose of the event, which is part of Design Filipino. How Filipinos and foreigners across the world know about Filipino personages in boxing (Manny Pacquiao), fashion and beauty (Angel Aquino, Venus Raj), arts (Charice Pempengco), and selected others. These talented folks represent our Philippine brand to the world…

... and the ambassador for the Philippine Technology scene has yet to be known. Will it be you?

More photos by Micro.ph/one

Can I just say… out of my oh-so-many run-ins with celebrities, this is only the 2nd time I was starstruck… by Angel Aquino’s beauty. Ganda niya! (First was with Washington Sycip

Of course, photos taken on Mr. JP’s iPhone.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011, 6-9pm at the Trinoma 4/F Lobby. Registration info here.

That’s tonight! 7pm at Bo’s BHS. Sign up or why dont’ you just drop by to say hi

Also in the works are preparations for Startup Demo Days on May 14, 2011 (Saturday). (That’s also JP’s birthday!). I can post updates here and you can also join the Philippine Tech Startups Meetup group.