Ozaki O! Photo Gear is an iPhone phone case with standard tripod screw thread hole at bottom so it can be attached to all tripod with or without a base plate.

It also comes with an anti-drop lanyard that connects to the screw thread hole. Now you can wear your iPhone 4 or 4S proud and with confidence as the lanyard has a 15kg load-bearing strength. You can wear it onto your neck like how you would wear a typical camera. With Ozaki O! Photo Gear, there’s no more worry dropping or slipping your iPhone off your hands.

Watch the demo below after the local press release.

Capture Perfect Photos With Your iPhone

Everyone loves using their iPhone as a camera to capture beautiful scenes and anything under the sun. Now that iPhone 4s has upgraded to an all-new 8MP camera and more cool photography apps are available, it has become a favorite past time of everyone. Impress your friends with fantastic photos using Ozaki O! Photo Gear for iPhone 4 and 4s.

The integration of the case and the omnipotent lock-hole is designed so that people can easily attach it to a tripod. Be worry-free as it comes with a lanyard to avoid hand slippery. This can also be ideal for your active lifestyle. Say no to blurry photos as you can now catch better scenes with faster speed. It retails at only Php 1,895.

Features:

• Connects to all tripods
• Gives your iPhone with a soft and cozy hand feel
• Prevents your iPhone against dust and damages
• Secures your iPhone with anti-drop lanyard with a 15kg load-bearing strength
• Offers complete front and back protection
• Comes in red, white, grey, yellow, and black

Ozaki is exclusively distributed in the Philippines by MSI-ECS. For more product information and other inquiries, email marketing@msi-ecs.com.ph, or call 688-3180 to 83.

Flag dispute

I’ve read many articles identifying that Windows 8 logo looks like the flag of Greece, Scotland or Finland. They’re all wrong. Let’s have a quick lesson on vexillology.

Here are the flags wrongly associated with Windows 8 logo so far:

Scotland

Finland

Greece

Scotland has a diagonal cross, not an upright cross while Finland has a blue cross on white. While the flag of Greece has a white cross on a blue square, Windows 8 logo is much closer to the flag of Shetlands Islands, a Scottish archipelago that lies north-east of mainland Great Britain.

Shetland

Even though the white cross is thicker and the hue of blue is different, it still resembles the flag uncannily.

Just in case Microsoft is copying the Shetland flag, the Shetland flag looks much better because I like the more vibrant blue color used in the flag.

Irony

This is the first modern logo of Windows  that actually looks like a Window (or window panes if you want to  be technical). The earlier versions look like wavy flags with colorful gradients. However, as you can see above it seems that the Windows 8 logo is really a flag more than ever.

Parody

Of all the colors to choose from, I don’t understand why Windows team decided to release a blue logo for Windows 8.

Just look at the parody below (click the image for a larger image)

Maybe the blue screen of death is the inspiration of the logo after all?

Redesign Fail

I don’t want to dive deep and discuss why the change of Windows 8 logo is a a failure. Just look at the coverage of Techmeme about the redesign.

While I agree that we shouldn’t argue over a logo, you can sense the general distaste of people in the blogosphere about the new logo of Windows 8.

We shouldn’t judge an operating system by its cover, and certainly not by its logo. However, the general consensus of a product logo is something that any brand manager shouldn’t ignore.

I use Windows almost everyday as much as I use Linux, Apple iOS and Google Android operating systems. For me, the redesign is a step backward. You can tell me that it is all about the metro UI and the simplicity of a logo but simple doesn’t mean generic.

Look how these suggested logo looks better IMHO while keeping certain elements in the new Windows 8 logo.

So, how will you change Windows 8 logo?

Beyond Twitterfeed

Ever since Twitterfeed had been acquired by Bitly, I didn’t search for any Twitterfeed alternatives because I was hoping there are more features that will be added afterwards.

To my disappointment, the only innovation that I saw is the integration of Bitly stats in Twitterfeed dashboard.  I can’t even recall if the acquisition came first or the integrated statistics. I tried not to use other services out of loyalty.

Unfortunately, as I create more blogs it became more tedious to keep up with Twitterfeed configuration. I became tired of the page design as it was not user-friendly. Even when using the plain list view most of the options are still buried. There has to be a better way.

Twitterfeed Alternatives

1. FeedBurner Socialize

Even before I used Twitter I already used Feedburner and Feedburner included Socialize option to publish your blog post to Twitter. At first it was reliable but I completely migrated to Twitterfeed when posts did not publish for several weeks. I don’t know if these bugs are still existing now.

2. Ping.fm

The jack of all trades. Some how it manages to update 50+ networks properly so if you are going to update most of the social networks and services and not just Twitter, you may want to look at this service.

3. Dlvr.it

This is what I am using now. It has user-friendly interface and it supports everything that Twitterfeed supports – Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Statusnet, except Hellotxt. In addition, it supports Tumblr, MySpace and RSS feed too.

4. WordPress Plugins

If you are using WordPress blog then you can use WordPress as  a client for Twitter. Using WordPress as a client Twitter has its merits; however, you have to keep up with the plugin updates from time to time to make sure it is working properly and free from exploits. The initial setup will also need technical skills to get started.

5. Manual Posting

Of course, you can always post your latest blog post manually using your favorite Twitter client. From time to time manually posting old posts with your comments in combination with automated Twitter post can give your Twitter more personality. If you only stick to 100% automation then you will appear like a bot to Twitter and to anyone else.

Is Twitterfeed Fading Out?

When Bitly acquired Twitterfeed on August 2011, there is a slight bump of traffic in Twitterfeed but after that, it seems to have flattened out. Bit.ly growth seems to suffer the same problem despite having the lion share in URL shortening service.

twitterfeed.com

On the other hand if you look at at dlvr.it you’ll see that the business had tremendous growth since September 2011. All traffic are estimates from Double Ad Planner.

dlvr.it

I hope to see more innovation from Twitterfeed since Bitly acquired it. At the moment I’m only leaving some of my smaller blogs in Twitterfeed but I will move to dlvr.it for my bigger blogs.

Drop your comments below and let me know what do you think of the future of Twitterfeed and Twitterfeed alternatives.

With the sudden demise of singer Whitney Houston at age 48 yesterday, the online community is once again flooded by countless tweets, Facebook wallposts and online news, as is with every celebrity deaths. And with the massive attention that Houston’s death is generating, cybercriminals are once again taking advantage.

Trend Micro Inc., a global cloud security leader, has uncovered two web threats shortly after the news broke out. According to Talampas, Trend Micro Fraud Analyst, “The first attack TrendLabs found was a clickjacking on Facebook, and the other one was a suspicious link circulating on Twitter.” TrendLabs is the global R&D and technical support center of Trend Micro.

On Facebook, the post, which has the subject, “I Cried watching this video. RIP Whitney Houston.”, come in the form of a wall post with a link to the supposed video. Once users click on the video, it leads them to a Facebook page that contains a link to the video. However, clicking the said link only leads to several other redirections until users are lead to the usual survey scam site. Upon further investigation on the domains involved, TrendLabs also found 101 more survey scam domains registered on the same IP where the domains are hosted.

On Twitter, Trend Micro has also found tweets with malicious links that also took advantage of the tag RIP Whitney Houston, which was trending worldwide on Twitter. The said tweets contain a link to a supposed particular blog dedicated to Whitney Houston. Users viewing the page are then redirected to another website, even without them having to click on anything. The succeeding page is a site that supposedly features several Whitney Houston wallpapers what the users can download. However, once they decide to download the wallpaper, a pop-up window appears asking the users to download Whitney Houston ringtones. Whatever users choose—whether to leave or stay on the page, they will be redirected to the survey site that asks for mobile numbers.

“Facebook and Twitter are great sites to get the latest news and express your views but we highly encourage users to be wary of whatever they click in there. Celebrity deaths are almost always baits used by cybercriminals to get you,” adds Talampas. Moreover, he advises, “it’s times like these when a beefed security software whose core focus is protecting your online life is key.” .”

Trend Micro™ Titanium™ Cloud Edition Maximum Security 2012, the latest security solution from Trend Micro, is based in the cloud and offers robust protection against all malicious threats, no matter how they are delivered, where they try to hide, or what connected device is in use.

A new feature in Trend Micro™ Titanium™ Cloud Edition Maximum Security 2012 is a tool that visually identifies safe and malicious links on social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. The software also offers mobile security for smartphones and tablets, including robust tools for Android devices with Trend Micro™ Mobile Security for Android™ Personal Edition and file and folder synchronization and backup through Trend Micro™ SafeSync™ online service.

Trend Micro products are distributed in the Philippines by MSI-ECS. For product information, pricing and availability, please contact Leo Vallente at +63 2 6883708 or lvallente@msi-ecs.com.ph.

As love is already in the air, cybercrooks are hooking in victims with a supposed Valentine’s Day theme for their Facebook profiles.

Computer security firm Trend Micro said the new attack begins with a post on affected users’ walls inviting other users to install the theme into their profiles.

“Clicking the Install button on the page will prompt the download of the malicious file, FacebookChrome.crx, which Trend Micro detects as TROJ_FOOKBACE.A. When executed, TROJ_FOOKBACE.A executes a script that is capable of displaying ads from certain websites,” Trend Micro said in a blog post.

Trend Micro noted the attack works only on Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox browsers. Once the malicious browser extension is installed, it will monitor the users’ browsing activities and redirect their page to a survey page asking them for their mobile number. Users who clicked on the post using Internet Explorer (IE) will be redirected to the same survey, without them being asked to download anything.

Trend Micro said that while there is monitoring of browser activity, TROJ_FOOKBACE.A so far does not seem to have any information theft techniques.

“It fits the criteria of a clickjacking attack more, where it automatically ‘likes’ several Facebook pages as well as automatically posts a message on the affected user’s wall,” it said.

Trend Micro protects users from this attack via Trend Micro™ Smart Protection Network™ that detects the malicious file and blocks all related malicious URLs.

Trend Micro products are distributed in the Philippines by MSI-ECS. For product information, pricing and availability, please contact +63 2 6883708 or email lvallente@msi-ecs.com.ph.

This is the first PogoPlug powered storage solution that I came across locally so if you always wish that you could buy a PogoPlug device, here’s your chance now.

There are many reasons why you want to create a private cloud storage –filesharing, backup, remote access, mobility and more.

Please note that to take advantage of these products you need the internet and supporting softwares as it is based entirely on the PogoPlug service.

CloudStation (Single Bay) 1 TB and 2 TB SRP is PhP9,270 and PhP11, 160, respectively while CloudStation Pro Duo 2TB and 4TB is PhP19,380 and PhP23,250, respectively.

Check out the press release below for details.

Buffalo Takes Your Files to Cloud 9

Buffalo Technology has launched a storage solution specially designed for smartphones and tablets. The Buffalo CloudStation provides a place to securely store and share data for all Android phones / tablets, PC’s and iPhones / iPads, allowing you to access photos, videos, music, or documents anywhere in the world.

A plug and play device, CloudStation comes with everything one needs to get started with. Installation is an easy two-step process that invites users to plug the storage device into any Wi-Fi router then access Buffalo CloudStation’s website and click ‘activate’ to register the device.

It leverages the PogoPlug streaming service for photos — indeed professional photographers will be the first to appreciate the combo of storage and uploading service that Buffalo has brought. Buffalo CloudStation does not need any software for installation.

Buffalo CloudStation enables users to decide what, where and when to share data stored on the appliance. Similar to a hard drive that operates inside the computer, Buffalo CloudStation is accessible from the pc, Mac computers as well as browser from smartphone. And with Pogoplug apps for mobile devices (Apple / Android), users are only seconds away from their valued content.

The CloudStation comes with a 3 year limited warranty and available in two models: CloudStation (Single Bay) and CloudStation Pro Duo (Two Bay). CloudStation (Single Bay) 1 TB and 2 TB SRP is PhP9,270 and PhP11, 160, respectively while CloudStation Pro Duo 2TB and 4TB is PhP19,380 and PhP23,250, respectively. Buffalo is distributed in the Philippines by MSI-ECS. For product availability, pricing and technical infos, please email marketing@msi-ecs.com.ph or call (02) 688-3180 to 83.

The talented team of PostRank is now doing projects mandated by Google and because of that, PostRank API access and top post widgets is going to disappear after April 1, 2012.

Denial.. then Acceptance

It seems like a bad April Fools’ joke to me — and I hope it is really just a joke.

However, keeping my denial aside, it seems real because the Chrome extension is not available anymore from Chrome web store. Since January 12, Google Reader extension and the Top Posts widget is no longer available. I wish there is a way to get a win-win situation out of it but it seems Google is the only one winning and the rest of the community using PostRank are all losing.

Google Empire

PostRank is just one of those social analytics company that started a very good service and became part of my workflow. I find it very useful in filtering noise in social media. In my opinion, by discontinuing what PostRank offered to the public and by removing support on what PostRank has given to the community, Google is doing a disservice to a lot of people.

I’m not sure if PostRank solely existed to get acquired. The so-called “exit strategy” by being taken by a bigger company usually results to unexpected results such as this. Now, it seems that Google is using all the data PostRank have gathered over time for their own advantage only. Everything that made the service great is now gone. I feel betrayed somehow.

There are many times that you would really doubt if Google’s mantra “Do No Evil” is true…

I’m just sad. Really sad.

Acer K330 combines both portability and excellent image quality in one package. It is not as small as pico and palmtop projector but it is lighter and smaller than standard lamp-powered projectors.  For the record, it is the first LED projector with 500 lumens of brightness. It should be bright enough to be used during  daytime.

The HD-ready 1280×800 (WXGA) native resolution with enhanced color saturation lets you enjoy 720P movies in full color.  You can also project without a PC or laptop – just use the 2GB internal memory, an SD card or a USB drive connected to the projector to project the media.

It has D-Sub and HDMI inputs and can accommodate at least two connectors so you can instantly switch from one input to another.

What’s more interesting is it supports 3D when paired with a computer supporting 120Hz output so you can enjoy 3D movies anywhere you please.  Creating your own portable home theater  is now possible without breaking the bank.

For local pricing details, see full press release below.

A Portable yet Powerful Projector by Acer

Acer debuts the Acer K330, its first LED projector with 500 ANSI lumens of brightness for projecting vivid, clear images. The new Acer K330 projector also marries portability with excellent image output. It weighs less than three pounds and provides an HD-ready 1280×800 (WXGA) resolution with enhanced color saturation for brilliant color and clarity.

The Acer K330 ensures image accuracy with improved color saturation (60 to 130 percent NTSC) and a 4000:1 contrast ratio. As a result, the Acer K330 projects high-quality images in a wide range of natural, deep colors, making it the ideal projector for presentations and data, as well as digital entertainment including movies and photos.

Users making customer presentations with the Acer K330 can leave their notebook PC back at the office. Using the Acer K330’s “Presentations to Go” function, customers can use the SD card reader or USB 2.0 port to display high-quality videos, audio as well as standard office files and presentations from an SD card or USB drive, eliminating the need to carry a computer at all times.

The new Acer K330 projector is ideal for consumers as well as businesses and educational institutions that need an advanced projector that can easily be moved around the home or office. It weighs only 2.73 pounds and measures 8.6-inches (W) by 6.6-inches (D) by 1.8-inches (H).

Its native WXGA resolution of 1280×800 and 16:10 aspect ratio can be adjusted to support a maximum 1080p (1920×1080) resolution and changed to either a 4:3 or 16:9 aspect ratio for video content from Blu-ray Discs™, DVDs and other sources. It provides 24p Film Support and can project an image ranging in size from 30 to 100 inches diagonally from 2.5 to 8.3 feet away, so it’s ideal both for a home environment as well as conference rooms and board rooms. The Acer K330 takes advantage of the latest technologies. When paired with a computer supporting 120Hz output and 3D software along with 3D glasses, the Acer K330 can project 3D content to give entertainment an incredible boost. In addition, presenters may connect the Acer K330 wirelessly to a laptop, tablet or smart phone through an optional USB Wi-Fi dongle.

Acer K330 retails at Php 34,900. Acer is distributed in the Philippines by MSI-ECS. For product information, pricing and availability, please contact Dimple Condes at dcondes@msi-ecs.com.ph or +63 2 6883912.

I enjoy 5.1 surround for over a decade already so it’s hard to switch back to 2.1. The good news is — not everyone wants to buy 5.1 or 7.1 anyway — specially if you’re on a budget.  Besides, if you will buy this mainly for playing games you don’t really need 5.1 channels to enjoy the majority of games on PC or otherwise. Virtual surround technology is now available in most sound cards, even the built-in ones, and it gives you the experience to enjoy surround sound without the need for a physical surround system.

What’s in the Package?

The 4-piece set is composed of 2 satellite speakers, a sub-woofer and a controller.

Inside the package you’ll find 2-channel RCA cable to 3.5mm audio cable. This connects the controller to the PC audio output. There’s also a 3.5mm audio cable that connects the mic output of the controller to the PC mic input. Basically, it serves as an extension so you can connect your mic in front of the controller. Great for quick and easy access online chat for your gaming buddies.

The satellites are magnetically shielded 3″ cones and they deliver 9 watts (RMS) output each. It has a boxy hourglass shape and it has a hole at the back so you can hang it on the wall if you wish. The wire is hardwired at the back of the speaker and it connects to the controller with a male RCA connector. I am pleased because it can produce full mid-range sounds. Even if without dedicated tweeter speakers, the satellites produce clear high frequencies as well.

Genius SW-G2.1 1250 has a powerful sub-woofer as well. It delivers 20 watts (RMS) output and uses a 5.25 drive unit in a very rigid MDF board cabinet. The lowest frequency it can produce is rated at 58 Hz only but its bass is deep and solid. There is a slight distortion if the bass is driven too much specially when you use a custom equalizer. However, after using  a “flat” setting (usually the default setting), I didn’t hear the distortion anymore even if I’ve set the bass to the maximum. So, to avoid the slight bass distortion at full volume, either adjust the bass level using an equalizer (flatten it or don’t bump the bass level) or lower the bass level using the bass dial.

What makes this gaming speaker special is the controller. It is not just a separate control box. Usually most inexpensive 2.1 system puts the amplifier inside the sub-woofer cabinet but Genius SW-G2.1 1250 also houses a class AB amplifier inside the controller so it is bigger than usual.  It has a dedicated bass dial and a big volume control which serves as the on switch also. There’s also a  mic input and headphones output at the front panel and at the back you’ll find the a standard 3.5mm auxiliary input that you can use for your MP3 player and video game console.

Verdict

I’m really surprised that these speakers are loud enough to fill a room of about 25 sq. meters. I played StarCraft II in full volume and even my neighbors can hear me nuke Zerglings. I can feel every explosions and ricochet clearly yet the subtle ambient background music do not drown or fade in the background. It really surpassed my expectations. I can easily ditch my entry-level 5.1 speakers with these speakers. The key here is the class AB amplifier inside the controller which is responsible for the high quality sound.

In summary, it delivers crisp full range sound and a solid bass. The separate controller gives you easy access to dedicated bass and master volume control and it also has an auxiliary input for a second device. It has one of best price to performance ratio for 2.1 speakers in the market now.

The SRP is not released yet when I got this but tentatively it is around P2500. Internationally, this is available for about $50, street price For the specs alone, it is a steal already. For local inquires, you may contact Ed Zurbano at marketing@msi-ecs.com.ph or you may call 688-3181.

Below is my unboxing video of Genius SW-G2.1 1250 2.1 Gaming Speakers.

All of that was done remotely but if you are interested to buy one here in the Philippines, you’re in luck because Dell PowerEdge R710 is  now available locally.

Dell PowerEdge R710 has enhanced virtualization capabilities, improved energy efficiency and innovative system management tools. If you are familiar with the naming convention, you’ll know immediately what R710 offers. R means that it is rack-mountable, 7 means it has 2 sockets, 1 for Generation 11, and 0 means it has Intel processor.

Instead of regurgitating the product specs, I will just link the product brochure here.

For some reason Dell makes this seemingly normal rack-mountable server look sexy and masculine. Just look at the picture!

Here is the press-release from MSI-ECS, the local distributor of R710.

Dell Introduces a Virtualization Powerhouse

The Dell™ PowerEdge™ R710 rack server is designed to be the building block of today’s virtualized enterprise. Engineered in response to input from IT professionals, it is the next-generation 2U rack server created to address any virtualized business application efficiently. The R710 features the high-performing Intel® Xeon® processor 5500 series, a large memory capacity and I/O (input/output) bandwidth, and streamlined deployment with hypervisors from VMware®, Citrix® and Microsoft®, which help build a foundation for virtualization.

Virtualized I/O-intensive applications require a large pool of resources that scale effectively. IT managers must balance performance while trying to maintain current power envelopes. The Dell end-to-end solutions help customers build an efficient enterprise.

Reduce operating costs and energy usage with Dell Active Power Controller and with Intel Intelligent Power Technology, which proactively put your server into lower power states when demand decreases. Control cost without sacrificing performance — with industry-standard, efficient enterprise solutions from Dell.

Dell™ PowerEdge™ R710 is distributed by MSI-ECS. For product information and availability, please contact Kat Cac at kcac@msi-ecs.com.ph or +63-2688-3906.