ELECTION 2010: Poll-machine test transmission FAIL!

Transmission FAIL!

With less than a month to go before the dreaded-slash-much-anticipated 2010 presidential elections, the new automated system is still encountering glitches. Not that we're surprised because it's happened before, but this time, the problem is caused by (cue robotic voice) HUMAN ERROR!

Transmission tests in the northern municipality of Ivana, Batanes, uncovered what many have already been thinking as the weakest link in the automation chain – lack of knowledge about the system. Nope, we're not talking about the voters (the SexBomb Girls already had that covered months ago) but about the people who are tasked to run the equipment.

First-time tester Geoffrey Nanud (or Na-"noob"?) was tasked to configure and demo the Broadband Global Area Network (BGAN) that will transmit election results from the municipal hall to Smartmatic's servers in Manila.

The demo, however, turned out to be an embarrassing experience for Nanub as he took more than 3 hours to establish a satellite uplink in the wide open spaces of Batanes. Ivana election officer Rosanna Lagua expressed her concern especially since the transmission of votes is just as important as the voting itself.

In a classic case of the media becoming part of the news, an ABS-CBN satellite specialist stepped in to help Nanub configure the equipment. The specialist effortlessly fixed the problem. Ouch.

We feel bad for noob because, obviously, it's not his fault he wasn't trained properly. Too late for him, though, as he's already been OWNED on national TV.

Globe Tattoo UnliMAIL

Globe Tattoo knows no boundaries. You can be anywhere you want to be and still have the security that comes with being connected. Be it via SMS, MMS, Voice, Chat or Internet, you are wired to your world with Globe Tattoo.
Today, we introduce another way to stay connected with Globe Tattoo UnliMAIL.
Email on your phone wherever you are, whenever you want. No need for a BlackBerry or iPhone. No need for internet connection.
Here’s what you can do with UnliMAIL:
Send and receive emails from your Yahoo Mail, GMAIL, Hotmail even your office email via Outlook Web Access
Sync your Outlook Web Access calendar and contacts*
Send, view and download attachments**
Control how you want your email delivered to you - from day & time email is pushed, how often email is pushed, etc.
Get UnliMAIL today. Follow these 3 quick steps:
1. Text UNLIMAIL to 8888 or visit http://ping.fm/RNtut from your mobile phone browser.
2. Download the application onto your phone. When asked to select an access point, always choose myGlobe Connect.
3. Register to any of the UnliMAIL packages. For the UnliMAIL 3-day package, 45 pesos, text UNLIMAIL45 to 2233. For the UnliMAIL 30-day package, 190 pesos, text UNLIMAIL190 to 2233.

For more information, visit www.globe.com.ph/unlimail.


*For Symbian handsets only

**Java clients have no attachment feature although it can receive and forward attachments. Also allows users to open 100kb max attachments.

German tablet PC sets out to rival Apple's iPad

The German maker of a new tablet PC is setting out to rival Apple's iPad with the promise of even more technology such as a bigger screen, a webcam and USB ports.

It is not, however, an "iPad killer" as it has been dubbed by some blogs but an alternative to its bigger rival, Neofonie GmbH's founder and managing director Helmut Hoffer von Ankershoffen told reporters on Monday in Berlin.

Ankershoffen stressed the system's openness: Two USB ports allow users to connect all kinds of devices with the WePad, from external keyboards to data sticks.

People who want to put music on their WePad do not have to have any particular software, Ankershoffen said — a blow at Apple's devices that require particular Apple software like iTunes.

The WePad's basic version, which comes with Wi-Fi and 16-gigabyte storage, is set to cost euro449 ($600), the larger 32-gigabyte version with a fast 3G modem is euro569.

Ankershoffen claimed that given its technological superiority and greater openness, "that's a bargain compared with the iPad."

The iPad — which hit stores in the U.S. less than a month ago — is on sale there starting at $499 for the smallest version, coming with Wi-Fi and a 16 GB storage.

The WePad, with its 11.6-inch screen, is powered by an Intel chip and relies on a Linux software basis which is compatible with Google's Android and all Flash applications, Ankershoffen said.

When it hits stores starting late July, it will also boast a complete open source office package, he said.

Reporters could not test the device at the press conference.

Berlin-based Neofonie — a small company of some 180 employees — claims it already has some 20,000 people interested in signing up for a pre-order, even though orders won't be formally accepted before April 27.

Ankershoffen declined to give a sales estimate. "Not thousands, not tens of thousands but many more will be sold before the end of the year," he said.

The WePad is to be assembled by a manufacturer in Asia — which Ankershoffen refused to name — that can ramp up production capacity according to demand, he said

Neofonie casts the WePad as helping the media industry find a way to market paid content and hopes to appeal to publishers, some of whom are disgruntled with Apple's pricing policy and restrictions.

The device would allow publishers to sell their content on its platform without monopolizing the customer relationship, as Apple's iTunes or Amazon's Kindle do, the company said.

Gruner + Jahr, one of Europe's largest magazine publishers, already has a partnership with Neofonie, offering the company's flagship magazine, Stern, on the platform.

"It will be the first magazine, but others will certainly follow," Stern's deputy chief Tobias Seikel said at the press conference.

Germany's biggest publisher, Berlin-based Axel Springer AG, is in talks with Neofonie, but no cooperation is planned yet, spokesman Christian Garrels said.

"We want to offer our company's brands on several platforms with a high range," Garrels told The Associated Press.

The company's flagship daily, Bild, previously had trouble with its iPhone application because Apple censors sexually explicit content, such as the paper's daily nude photo.

Apple's iPad will go on sale in Germany at the end of April, according to the company's Web site. This would give the iPad roughly a three month lead on its German competitor.

Neofonie seems determined to face its big California rival: The company distributed tasty red apples boasting the WePad's logo at the press conference.

However, both companies have to prove that the touch screen device will not only amaze the tech-savvy early users, but will also appeal to mainstream consumers at a time when people have already a lot of Internet-connected gadgets — smart phones, laptops, e-book readers, set-top boxes and home broadband connections.

ImmortalTXT is back with Immortal text 20

For P20 you will get 75text Globe/TM at 10 text to other network
To register type IMMORTAL20 send to 8888.

5pesos maintaining balance required.

Super Surf FAQ

What is Super Surf?
Super Surf gives you unlimited access to the Internet using your Globe Tattoo Broadband USB or mobile phone.
What are the different Super Surf offers I can subscribe to?

* There are two variants to choose from:
* Super Surf 50: One-day unlimited surfing
* Super Surf 220: 5 days unlimited surfing

Who can avail of this promo?

* All Globe Tattoo Prepaid (broadband and mobile)
* All Globe Prepaid

How do I avail of this promo?

* Super Surf 50: text SUPERSURF50 to 8888
* Super Surf 220: text SUPERSURF220 to 8888

I am a Postpaid subscriber with Super Surf / Super Surf for BlackBerry. Can I register to this service?
Sorry but this service is currently available to Globe Prepaid and Globe Tattoo Prepaid subscribers only.
Can I avail of this promo through retailers via load?
This promo is currently available through text registration only
After I register, how will I know if my Super Surf is already active?
To check the status of your Super Surf subscription, send SUPERSURF STATUS to 8888.
Can I avail of this promo while roaming?
Sorry, but this promo is available only in the Philippines.
What happens if I go abroad (roaming) while subscribed to this offer?
Your mobile Internet use will be charged based on the roaming partner’s rates. Mobile operators outside the Philippines charge mobile Internet use based on volume or kilobytes transferred (upload and download).

What websites can I visit using Super Surf?
You can visit any website using Super Surf and all these will be free while the subscription is still active.
What if my Super Surf subscription expires while surfing the Internet? Will I automatically be registered to SUPERSURF again?
You will not be automatically registered to Super Surf again if you were in the middle of a browsing session when your Super Surf subscription expired. You will receive a text informing you of the expiry and you will be charged P5 for every 15 minutes of connection beyond your Super Surf subscription. You may register again to Super Surf as soon as your subscription expires.
How much prepaid balance should I maintain in order to enjoy my Super Surf promo?
Please maintain a minimum balance of PHP5 to be able to enjoy your Super Surf subscription.
When will my subscription expire?
Depending on the variant subscribed to, your subscription will end in either 24 hours after receiving the confirmation text (for the one-day variant), or 120 hours after receiving the confirmation text (for the five-day variant).
If I stop my Super Surf subscription prior to its expiry, will I get a refund for the remaining number of hours/days?
No, you will not get a refund for unused hours if you choose to unsubscribe / stop the Super Surf service prior to expiry.
How can I check if my subscription is still active?
To check your subscription status, send SUPERSURFSTATUS to 8888.
What do I text if I want to know more about the promo?
To know more about this promo, send SUPERSURFHELP to 8888.
Can I avail of other promos while I?m subscribed to Super Surf?
You may subscribe to other call and text promos as you normally would while subscribed to Super Surf.

Globe Super Surf (UNLIMITED SURFING)

Now Globe FINALLY heard our request and now UNLIMITED SURFING IS HERE with Super Surf. Now you can surf any website you want for free and unlimited (upon subscription to super surf)


AVAILABLE IN TWO (YES TWO) VARIANT

Super Surf 50: 1 day unlimited surfing

Super Surf 220: 5 days unlimited surfing

How to REGISTER?

For Super Surf 50 - TEXT SUPERSURF50 TO 8888
For Super Surf 220 - TEXT SUPERSURF220 TO 8888

Who can avail this promo?

Globe Prepaid and Globe Tattoo (mobile and broadband)


*To check if your already Registered for Super Surf TEXT - SUPERSURF STATUS to 8888
**Maintain P5 of prepaid credit to enjoy super surf
***You can still avail other call and text promo while subscribe to Globe Super Surf


still dont have an info if this is a promo or not but for now lets just enjoy it.

Comelec ?90% ready? for automated elections

With just a month to go, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) announced Sunday it was 90 percent ready to conduct the country’s first nationwide automated balloting on May 10.

The remaining tasks involved mainly the delivery of election paraphernalia, said Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez.

He told reporters that the commission might set up a “situation room” where the progress of the delivery of ballot boxes, counting machines and other election materials would be tracked and monitored.

“We’re thinking of coming up with a monitoring facility here centrally located where we—I mean the Comelec, the administrators as well as, of course, members of the media—will be able to monitor the arrivals and the progress of the various materials that we’re transporting,” Jimenez said.

“It will be I think a very very useful tool for the public to keep informed of the progress of the election.”

Jimenez also said that the major components of the elections, such as the ballot boxes and the precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines, had been manufactured and were in the poll body's custody.

“Considering that all the major elements in conducting an election are already in place, I would say we are about 90 percent ready to conduct the elections. The fact that we’ve already started elections for the overseas absentee voting, that’s already a good sign for us,” he said.

The delivery of the ballot boxes and the PCOS machines has already begun, with the Comelec focusing first on the far-flung areas, Jimenez said.

“Over the next few weeks, we would be looking at the deliveries. That’s where we need to focus our attention, making sure that these elements arrive on time and in the proper order,” he said.

The delivery of the other election paraphernalia, such as the pens, would come at a later date.

E-passport processing time doubled

The processing time of electronic passports (e-passports) has been doubled due to a flood of applications.

Assistant Secretary Renato Villapando, head of the DFA’s Office of Consular Affairs, said regular processing has been extended from 12 to 20 days, express processing from six to 10 days.

The vacation months of March to May are the peak months for passport applications. And coupled with the desire of many Filipino to have e-passports, the DFA now receives some 4,000 applications for the travel document with an electronic chip.

“Everyone is in a hurry to travel. That’s why we have remedial measures, like the issuance of the green (machine-readable) passports for those who are in a hurry,” Villapando said.

Over the first two weeks of March when the e-passport went full blast, the DFA received at least 30,000 applications.

“These are birth pains of a new system. That’s why we adjusted the release of the passports,” Villapando said.

“To cope with the backlog,” he has ordered a 24-hour production of the e-passports in Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

Fee for regular processing of e-passport is P950, that for machine-readable passport is P500. An additional fee of P250 is charged for expedited processing.

2 voting machines malfunction in HK

Cold, damp weather blamed

Hiccups were blamed this time on the cold and damp Hong Kong weather.

On the second day of the overseas absentee voting here, the precinct count optical scan machines (PCOS) at the Bayanihan Kennedytown Center did not immediately accept the ballots from voters at Precincts 15 and 16 shortly after they reopened at 8 a.m. Sunday.

Inspection of the ballots showed no stray and ambiguous marks on the ballots that could result in their rejection by the PCOS machines.

At Precinct 16, a replacement machine was brought in after 45 minutes and worked well. But at Precinct 15, the two substitutes didn’t function, prompting technicians to reinstall the supposedly faulty equipment, which surprisingly operated without problems.

Within several hours, balloting in the two precincts went on smoothly, as it did elsewhere in the world since Saturday, when 589,000 overseas Filipinos began to cast their ballots a month before the actual polling in the Philippines.

Results from the overseas voting will be known after the May 10 balloting when the absentee votes will be counted simultaneously with those cast in the Philippines.

Officials of Smartmatic-TIM Corp. said initial findings pointed to the “combination of cold and humidity” in Hong Kong for the malfunctioning machine in Precincts 15 and 16. They expressed confidence that this would not happen in the Philippines.

The rooms where the machines were stored were “a little humid,” said Cesar Flores, president of Smartmatic Asia
, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) partner in the first nationwide automated elections in the Philippines.

Ballots expanded

The ballots, on the other hand, were placed in an air-conditioned room, which protected it from the humid weather. When they were brought outside, the “ballots expanded,” Flores said.

He said the machines had to be “acclimatized” to the varying room temperatures. “Let it warm up in an air-conditioned place.”

Henrietta de Villa, chair of the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting, said that she noticed that the ballots were slightly curled because of the moisture.

Flores said what happened in Hong Kong would not be repeated in the Philippines.

The PCOS machines are being used only in Hong Kong and Singapore, where there are a total of 127,000 voters.

In other countries, registered migrant workers will either personally cast their ballots at the nearest diplomatic post or mail ballot packets that had been sent to them.

In Hong Kong, voting is scheduled for 30 days until May 10, which exposes the machines and the ballots to varying temperatures.

Vacuum-sealed ballots

In the Philippines, the balloting will only be held for a day.

“The ballots are vacuum-sealed. They will only be opened on Election Day. You don’t have the risk of moisture getting into the ballots,” Flores said.

The weather in the Philippines is also dry and not humid like Hong Kong’s, he added.

Election Commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal said he was not alarmed by the breakdown of the machines. “We saw this happened and the backup kicked in right away,” he said.

“One good thing was that they were ready for contingency matters,” De Villa added.

Aside from the technical glitches, there were procedural complaints from voters who could not find their names in the computerized voter’s list.

De Villa said the special board of election inspectors had been directed to forward the names of these people to the Comelec to verify their delisting.

She noted similar complaints in previous elections, but that 90 percent of these voters were subsequently able to vote.

Biggest turnouts

Voting in Hong Kong on the second day went on full blast. As of noon Sunday, around 1,300 Filipinos had voted. On Saturday, 997 people voted, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

The 20 precincts at the Bayanihan Kennedytown Center, where there are 20 poll precincts for the 96,000 voters, opened at 8 a.m. Sunday and the flow of Filipino voters steadily increased shortly after.

Hong Kong Consul General Claro Cristobal said he expected the number of voters to increase, pointing out that migrant workers in Hong Kong take the day off on Sunday.

The DFA said 4,141 Filipinos voted on the first day of the overseas absentee voting.

The department’s Overseas Absentee Voting Secretariat reported that as of 11:20 a.m. Sunday Manila time, the Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong had the most number of votes cast.

The Philippine Embassy in London followed with 558 and then the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh with 266.

The other diplomatic offices with the highest turnouts were in Chicago, 242; Singapore, 218; Jeddah, 180; Berlin, 144; Madrid, 135; Bangkok, 118; and Barcelona, 117.

Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said the poll body believed that some 60 to 70 percent of the overseas voters would cast their votes by May 10.

“There is really a lot of time for them to vote,” Jimenez said.

The DFA reported on the first Filipinos to vote in its various missions aboard but did not say whom they voted for.

Migrante, an organization of overseas Filipino workers, said that voting went smoothly in many Middle East missions.

“It started well and not so much hassles,” said John Leonard Monterona, a Migrante regional coordinator.

Verify Voter Registration Through the COMELEC Online

A site that allows you voter registration verification,showing where your voting precinct is.

COMELEC Voter Registration Verfication

Just visit the COMELEC website to start searching. You’ll have to enter your full name and date of birth to get going.

This is a great tool, and it’s good to see the COMELEC make it available to the growing number of Filipino surfers. Unfortunately, apparently since not all registration have been processed, recent registrations may not appear. As the registration verifcation page states, “If you applied for registration last December 21, 22, 23, 28 and 29, 2009 your record is not yet included here.”

But for those who find that they’re not registered for the upcoming 2010 elections, the registration verification tool at least provides instructions on how to correct this error. Happy searching!

Much awaited 4438 is revealed!

Much awaited 4438 is revealed!

The much awaited 4438 from Globe is finally revealed after the promotional ads on TV, print ads. internet and social media. There is a short message from 4438 that is sent to Globe, Globe Tattoo and TM users. The text message arrived last April 4, 2010, around 7 am in the morning till the next day of April 5, 2010.(Complain: No message received from 4438 until now or 0 points even if they reload several times from March14, NOT YET CREDITED, O points)

According to Globe (Globe Tattoo’s Facebook fan page admin), the new loyalty program was created as a way of thanking loyal subscribers. Starting out with at least 50 establishments and brands nationwide where subscribers can get discounts, freebies, and rewards, this is just the start of greater things that await all of the Globe subscribers. Exciting and promising isn’t it?

The word “GIFT” can be formed by using your phone’s T9 or activating the dictionary while typing 4438. It’s the major hint of the early discoverers who uncovered the new loyalty program from Globe.

There’s no need to register to join, all Globe prepaid, Globe Tattoo, TM, Globe postpaid, Globe Business subscribers are automatically qualified and part of the My Rewards progam. The membership is free.


Here’s a sample computation of the earning of points in a P100 reload:

* 5 pts. or 5% rebate in the first day tenure of load.
* 6 pts. or 6% rebate for 2-3 months tenure of load.
* 10 pts or 10% rebate in the 7-9 months tenure of load.
* 11 pts. or 11% rebate for 10 months and up tenure of load.

In short, the more you load and the more you stay loyal in using Globe’s network, you’ll earn much more points!


Here’s the first message from 4438 (prepaid):

“From Globe: APRIL4 marks how Globe values YOU through the years. Ngayon, may balik na POINTS ang load mo at MORE FREEBIES para sayo! Txt REWARDS to 4438 for free.”


After the REWARDS is sent to 4438:

“My Rewards. My Globe:

Bawat reload mo, may pts ka para sa rewards. Ito po ang mga keywords na pwedeng gamitin:

1. BAL to 4438 for pts inquiry
2. ITEMS to 4438 for list of rewards]
3. DISCOUNTS to 4438 for list of benefits
4. REDEEM ITEM CODE PIN to 4438 for redemption
5. SHARE POINTS 10-DIGITMOBILE# PIN to 4438 for points transfer. P1/transfer of pts.

6. END to 4438 for deactivation of program membership

For more info, visit www.globe.com.ph/rewards”


* When BAL is selected:

“As of xx/xx/xx may xx pts kana. Alamin ang redeemable rewards ng My Rewards. My Globe, txt ITEMS to 4438.”


When ITEMS is selected:

“Eto ang mga exciting reward categories and their corresponding keywords:

* Globe Products: GLOBE
* Gadgets: GADGETS
* Shopping: SHOPPING
* PAL Miles: MILES
* Lifestyle and Entertainment: LIFESTYLE

Para makita ang items sa bawat category, text ITEM to 4438. Ex: ITEM GLOBE”


When ITEM GLOBE is selected:

“Eto ang mga exciting GLOBE PRODUCTS and their corresponding keywords na pwede mong i-redeem.

* IDDSuki 20 = IDD20 (20pts)
* IDDSuki 30 = IDD30 (30pts)
* Immortal Call = CALL15 (15pts)
* UnliTxt20 = UNLI20 (20pts)
* UnliTxt40 = UNLI40 (40pts)
* UnliTxt80 = UNLI80 (80pts)
* SuperUnli = SUPERUNLI (150pts)

To redeem, text REDEEM (kung nagregister ka ng PIN) to 4438. Ex: REDEEM UNLI20 1234.”


When ITEM GADGETS is selected:

“Eto ang mga exciting GADGETS and their corresponding keywords na pwede mong i-redeem.

* 4GB USB = USB (600pts)
* Nokia2330 = N2330 (3175pts)
* Nokia2220 = N2220 (3375pts)
* Nokia 5130 = N5130 (5200pts)
* Devant Portable DVD = DVD (5950pts)
* WOW Magic Sing Fiesta 2010 = WOW (6500pts)
* iPOD 4GB = IPOD (8150pts)
* Canon Digital Camera A490 = CAM (8400pts)
* Nintendo DSi = DS (10425pts)
* 19” LCD TV = TV (11125pts)

To redeem, text REDEEM (kung nagregister ka ng PIN) to 4438. Ex: REDEEM USB 1234.”


When ITEM SHOPPING is selected: “Eto ang mga exciting SHOPPING gift certificates and their corresponding keywords na pwede mong i-redeem.

* Jollibee GC P500 = JOLIBEE (600pts)
* Sodexo GC P500 = CG500 (600pts)
* Sodexo GC P1000 = CG1000 (1125pts)
* Sodexo GC P2000 = CG2000 (2125pts)
* Sodexo GC P3000 = CG3000 (3150pts)
* Sodexo GC P5000 = CG5000 (5150pts)
* Duty Free GC USD100 = DUTY (5150pts)

To redeem, text REDEEM (kung nagregister ka ng PIN) to 4438. Ex: REDEEM GC500 1234.”


* When ITEM MILES is selected:

“Eto ang mag PAL Miles and their corresponding keywords na pwede mong i-redeem.

* Cebu = CEB (5875pts)
* Kalibo = KAL (5875pts)
* Puerto Princessa Palawan = PPS (5875pts)
* Hong Kong = HK (10900pts)
* Macau = MCU (10900pts)
* Bangkok = BKK (14500pts)
* Singapore = SNG (14500pts)
* Tokyo = JPY (14500pts)
* Melbourne/Sydney = AUS (28900pts)
* San Francisco = SFO (43300pts)
* Los Angeles = LAX (43300pts)

To redeem, text REDEEM (kung nagregister ka ng PIN) to 4438. Ex: REDEEM CEBU 1234.”


When ITEM LIFESTYLE is selected:

“Eto ang mga LIFESTYLE Rewards and their corresponding keywords na pwede mong i-redeem.

* Ayala Cinema passes for 4 = CINEMA (600pts)
* Avilon Zoo Passes for 4 = ZOO (900pts)
* Centerstage Passes = KTV (1025pts)
* Enchanted Kingdom Passes for 3 = EK (1325pts)
* Manila Ocean Park Passes for 4 = PARK (1525pts)

To redeem, text REDEEM (kung nagregister ka ng PIN) to 4438. Ex: REDEEM PARK 1234.”


* When ITEM DISCOUNTS is selected:

“Enjoy exclusive Globe discounts and freebies fr. [from] our partners. Para makita ang partner store sa bawat category, text DISCOUNT to 4438.

Ex. DISCOUNT FOOD.

Eto ang mga categories and their corresponding keywords:

* Food = FOOD
* Shopping = SHOPPING
* Health and Beauty = HEALTH
* Lifestyle and Entertainment = LIFESTYLE ”


* When DISCOUNT FOOD is selected:

“Enjoy privileges from our food partners. Download your coupon by txtng [texting] DISCOUNT to 44388 at ipakita sa store.

Ex. DISCOUNT KFC.

Ang valid store CODES ay mga sumusunod:

* Binalot - BINALOT
* Cheesecake Etc. - CC
* Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf - CB
* Jack’s Loft - JL
* Karate Kid - KARATE
* KFC - KFC
* Little Asia - LA
* Northpark - NP

For more info hanapin ang Globe poster sa partner stores or mag-log on sa www.globe.com.ph.”


When DISCOUNT SHOPPING is selected:

Enjoy priviledges from our shopping partners. Download your coupon for free by txting [texting] DISCOUNT to 4438 at ipakita sa store.

Ex. DISCOUNT FREEGO

Ang valid store CODES ay ang mga sumusunod:

* Automaticc Center - AUTOMATIC
* Blims - BLIMS
* Chris Sports - CHRIS
* DigitalWalker - DW
* Fullybooked - FB
* Folded&Hung - FH
* Freego - FREEGO
* Ipanema - IPANEMA
* JellyBean - JB
* Soda Group - SODA
* Spoofs Ltd. - SPOOFS
* T-Shirt Project - TSHIRT
* Western Marketing - WESTERN
* WowMagicSing - WOW
* Yonex - YONEX


When DISCOUNT HEALTH is selected:

“Enjoy Privileges from our health and Beauty partners. Download your coupon for free by txtng [texting] DISCOUNT to 4438 at ipakita sa store.

Ex. DICOUNT DAVID.

Ang valid ay ang mga sumusunod:

* American Eye - AE
* BioskinSpa - BC
* David’s Salon - DAVID
* L’Optique - LO
* Rose Pharmacy - ROSE
* Vision Express - VE “


And lastly when DISCOUNT LIFESTYLE is selected:

Enjoy priviledges from our lifestyle partners. Download your coupon for free by txting [texting] DISCOUNT to 4438 at ipakita sa store. Ex. DISCOUNT ASTORIA

Ang valid store CODES ay ang mga sumusunod:

* Astoria - ASTORIA
* Microtelinns - MICRO
* Timezone - TIMEZONE


Here’s how the rewards can be acquired or delivered:

* The redeemed Globe products will be acquired within 24 hours
* If other items are redeemed, these items will be delivered in your nominated address within 30 days.


There you have it! Just be loyal to Globe and reload (more often) and you’ll soon be able to redeem your freebie or any other rewards that Globe’s 4438 has to offer. By the way the 4438 service will be a permanent loyalty program of Globe!

For more info or questions contact Globe Customer Service Hotline at 730-1000 or see the references.


What can you say about this new loyalty program of Globe?

Smart Red Mobile Unlimited Call Text

Smart Communications’ Red Mobile has launched recently its own unlimited service that will cater mobile users using the second SIM.
The unlimited service is both available for red-to-red call and text, and also a free text messages to other mobile networks.

According to Danilo Mojica, Smart Wireless Consumer Division Head:

“Filipino mobile lifestyles are changing. A segment of mobile phone users now have second mobile subscriptions which they use for their calling circles. Backed by the nation widest network of the country’s leading wireless services provider, we are making Red Mobile services more accessible, more relevant and more affordable for the increasingly mobile Filipino.”

Denomination starts at Php 25 with 1 day validity of unlimited red-to-red call and text, plus 60 free texts to all networks. Second denomination is worth Php 125 with 7 days validity of free call and text with 300 free texts to all networks. The highest denomination is Php 500, that’s a 30 days unli call and text with 1000 free text to all other networks. The free text offer is valid until May 31, 2010.

To register, simply text UNLI25; UNLI125; UNLI500; and send to 9949. There’s no need for a Php 1 maintaining balance.

You can reload either electronically at any Smart Retailer nationwide, or convert your regular load to unlimited load.

SUN CELLULAR vs RED MOBILE - Who Has The Better Unlimited?

For those who are not aware RED MOBILE is the mobile service of Connectivity Unlimited Resources Enterprise Inc. (CURE) which is a subsidiary of SMART COMMUNICATIONS.

CURE's old mobile service was "umobile" and their operations are very small. In 2008, Smart Communications bought CURE and rebranded umobile to Red Mobile.

Red Mobile offers "UNLIMITED" call and texts Red to Red which is similar to Sun Cellular. Smart wants to compete with Sun's 24/7 Call and Text Unlimited Service thru Red Mobile.

Now, let's who has better service:

SUN has various 24/7 Call and Text Unlimited load offers like its 25, 100, 150, and 450 unlimited dominations plus they also have Text Unlimited and combo loads.

RED has the same offers with limited unlimited load offers - 25 (for 1 day), 125 (for 1 week), and 500 (30 days). Other than that they charge almost the same with Sun.

However,Red Mobile Denomination starts at Php 25 with 1 day validity of unlimited red-to-red call and text, plus 60 free texts to all networks. Second denomination is worth Php 125 with 7 days validity of free call and text with 300 free texts to all networks. The highest denomination is Php 500, that’s a 30 days unli call and text with 1000 free text to all other networks. The free text offer is valid until May 31, 2010.


SUN has improved a lot when it comes to nationwide coverage with more than 5,000 cellsites. Call quality and network traffic has been significantly improved.

RED uses the nationwidest coverage of SMART and honestly its their biggest advantage. Call quality and network traffic is at the best.

The downside however of RED has limited and expensive offers when it comes to their unlimited services. In short SUN has more value for money offers than Red. Another downside is unlimited offers are only available Red to Red. Sadly, Red's sister brand Smart and Talk N Text cannot experience Red's unlimited call and text services as compared to Globe's unlimted services were Globe and sister brand Touch Mobile can have unlimited calling and texting to each other.

Another thing, may kilala ba kayo na naka-Red? Ako wala e. Mostly Sun and Globe ang contacts.

I guess RED will appeal to many subscribers in the provinces in which Sun has no coverage yet. SUN still remains the better network for me.

Sun Flexi Load 50

The most flexible load and the first of its kind! We give you the power to choose!

Sun Flexi Load 50 offers subscribers the following benefits:



Special “Flexi Rates” for calls and texts both to Sun and to other networks

Ability to convert this load to other Sun Special Loads (e.g. Call & Text Unlimited, Call & Text Combo, etc.)

Enjoy Flexi Rates when you load Regular Load within the validity of your Flexi Load (5 days!)


PRICE P50.00

VALIDITY 5 days

FLEXI RATES

Sun-to-Sun Texts P0.25

Texts to other Networks P0.50

Sun-to-Sun Calls P0.50/min

Calls to other Networks P5.50/min

LOAD CONVERSION
Text Flexi50 to 247

Sun Broadband Wireless Plan 350 Lite

Great things come in “lite” packages! Now Sun launches the most affordable mobile broadband plan---Sun Broadband Wireless (SBW) Plan 350 Lite. It gives you the advantages of a postpaid plan, while ensuring that you stay within your budget for as low as P350 per month. It includes 45 hours of Internet, just right for the light users. And what’s more, when you use up your monthly allowance, you can top-up for more Internet hours using SBW Prepaid Loads as well as Regular loads.

Whether you are a college student on a fixed budget or an office worker needing minimal internet hours for personal use (email or social networking), SBW Plan 350 Lite gives you high-speed Internet speeds of up to 2Mbps at a very affordable package.

Get connected to the Internet anytime, anywhere you are in the Metro without worrying about escalating monthly bills! SBW service utilizes 3.5G High-Speed Packet Access (HSPA) technology on an all-IP network. The network is capable of scaling up as the demand grows. SBW network is backed by 3G/EDGE/GPRS technology so our subscribers can stay connected even in areas where 3.5G is not yet available.

With just one (1) valid ID, a completely filled-out application form, an advanced one-month fee of P350 and P888 for the SBW modem, you will immediately be entitled to Plan 350 Lite. No need to tire yourself in securing a proof of income as there is no more credit evaluation needed.

Visit The Sun Shop nearest you now and be among the first to enjoy the lightest-to-pay broadband service in the country today. You may also call the Sun hotline at 200 from your Sun mobile phone or (02) 395-8000 using your landline.

GET THE PERFECT MIX OF CALLS & TEXTS WITH THE NEW SUN UNLIMITED MIX

In life, there’s always the ideal mix that makesus feel complete. With food, ice cream, shaved ice, macapuno, ube, leche flan completes your favorite yummy halo-halo. In the movies, there’s the perfect chemistry of the lead actor with his leading lady. While in the world of fashion, tank tops and racer backs with cute flip flops is the perfect summer outfit for girls; whereas shirt and shorts with cool cap and sneakers for boys.

When it comes to prepaid load, wouldn’t it be nice to also have the perfect mix of calls, texts and other value-added services in just one load? Introducing the new Sun Unlimited Mix— the load which combines all four great mobile phone services in one! Imagine for only P25, you get to enjoy 20 texts to other networks, unlimited Sun-to-Sun texts, 360 minutes of Sun-to-Sun calls and 15 minutes of mobile Internet – all for one (1) day.

Enjoy the convenience of getting in touch with people from other networks with Sun P25 Unlimited Mix’s FREE 20 texts to other networks. No need to change SIM cards. All you need is your own cellphone powered by one Sun SIM and you’re in touch with practically anyone.

Of course, your Sun P25 Unlimited Mix is equipped with Sun Cellular’s trademark value-for-money service – 24/7 Text Unlimited. You can text all your Sun friends, classmates, family members, colleagues, clients and virtually anyone under the Sun courtesy of your unlimited Sun-to-Sun texts.


And the coolest thing about Sun P25 Unlimited Mix is that you can go online anytime you want with your 15 minutes of FREE Internet surfing. Check your email, update your status in your favorite social networking sites, and web search your school projects on the go using your Sun phone with Sun Mobile Internet. Just activate your GPRS service (text ACTIVATE to 2300) after configuring your phone settings (text SETTINGS to 2300) and you’re on the go!

Longer validity is not a problem. Enjoy the perfect 4-in-1 load product with Sun P100 Unlimited Mix which gives you 100 FREE texts to other networks and 75 minutes of Sun Mobile Internet, plus your usual Sun Call and Text Unlimited features. Loading Sun P100 Unlimited Mix actually stretches your every peso for an extended period of time.

Four-in-one and so affordable! Can’t believe it? Then switch to Sun Cellular now and see for yourself why the new Sun Unlimited Mix is the perfect mix for you.

Sun Unlimited Mix P25 and P100 are available via Sun Xpressload. Subscribers may alsoconverttheir regular load to Sun Unlimited Mix by simply texting UMIX 25 or UMIX 100 to 247.

To know more about Sun Cellular’s products and services, visit The Sun Shop nearest you or call the Sun hotline 200 using your Sun mobile phone or (02) 395-8000 from any landline.

SMART BUDDY QUICK ACCESS SIM Load Wallet

WHAT IS LOAD WALLET?
- It is an electronic storage that holds no expiry reserve load.
- No expiry reserve load is different from regular load or call/text load because it does not expire until it is converted
- Once converted, it takes on the validity of regular airtime, or call/text offers. So USE UP ONLY WHAT YOU NEED! THE REST STAYS SAFE IN YOUR LOAD WALLET.

How to get Load Wallet?

Just text WALLET to 7532 for FREE.
How do you load your Load Wallet?

Simply purchase no expiry reserve load from any SmartLoad retailers. Available amounts are: P30, P50, P100, P150, P300 and P500.

Transfer no expiry reserve load to friend's Load Wallet

- Go to Smart Menu, click Load Wallet and press OK.

- Click Transfer, press OK.

- Enter Celfone No. and press OK.

- Enter the desired amount to be transferred, press OK.

You can transfer up to centavo value ex. P1.25. Minimum amount for transfer is P1.

Load to other Smart services like Smart Bro.

- Go to Smart Menu, click Load Wallet and press OK.

- Click Load to Smart Services, press OK.

- Enter Smart Bro No. and press OK.

- Select the desired amount to be transferred, press OK.

How do I check my Balance?

i. via menu
ii. via keyword - Text BAL to 7532.

NEW! SMART BUDDY QUICK ACCESS SIM

The new Smart Buddy Quick Access SIM is now even better because it comes with Free 2 hours consumable Internet Browsing Time (*24 hours expiration upon successful registration).


Important details to know:

*
Only new Buddy subscribers who purchase specially marked Smart Buddy Quick Access SIMs are qualified to avail of this promo.
*
Registration for this promo is required. To register, text FREEDATA and send to 4039.
*
Registration should take place within 24 hours from sim activation date.
*
One time registration only.
*
Free 2 hours consumable Internet Browsing Time will expire after 24 hours (upon successful registration).
*
Successfully registered subscriber must maintain P1 balance to enjoy the FREE 2 hours consumable internet browsing time.
*
When successfully registered subscriber has fully consumed his FREE 2 hours of internet browsing time, the standard P10 for 30 mins rate will immediately apply after.
*
Promo ends July 31, 2010.

iPhone OS 4.0 is now official with over 100 new features

The sneak peak event on iPhone OS 4.0 is now over. Steve Jobs was on stage and he promised tons of new stuff for the next-gen iPhone OS. There's multi-tasking, app folders, social gaming plus so much more.

As you'll see from this slide there are many new interesting features, but in their presentation Apple decided to concentrate on the "7 tentpole ones" - as they call them.

iPhone OS 4.0
1. Multi-tasking

Multi-tasking on the iPhone - well, how about that! It took them 3 years and three (almost four) generations of iPhones to come to that. They know they're late but Steve Jobs is promising their implementation is the best so far. And multi-tasking won't slow down or drain the battery.

The way they do it on the front-end is simple. Double tap the hardware key and the task switcher appears as a dock below whatever app is running. Oops, there goes our only shortcut key.

iPhone OS 4 iPhone OS 4 iPhone OS 4 iPhone OS 4
Multitasking

On the back-end things are different. Instead of keeping all apps running in the background, they allow apps that need multi-tasking access to 7 background services. So it's actually the services that run in the background - not the actual apps.

The background services seem more than enough to cater for the needs of various applications. They include background audio, VoIP, background location, push notifications, newly implemented local notifications, task completion and fast app switching service that takes care of returning apps to you in the way you left them even though they DIDN'T actually run in-between.

The new local notifications will allow scheduled alerts such as one from a To-Do app. Finally!

2. Folders

Next up are folders. But not the file system variety. No, sir! You're not getting a file manager on the iPhone just yet.

iPhone OS 4 iPhone OS 4 iPhone OS 4 iPhone OS 4
Folders

The new iPhone Folders will do what the Categories app does for jailbroken phones. It allows grouping of applications into meaningful categories (such as Zombie Games, for instance) so you don't have to flick through all your homescreens for some blood-splatting action.
3. Improved email

The Email app on the iPhone now will offer a common inbox for all email accounts setup on the phone. No more flicking back and forth. And corporate users will be glad they can have more than one Exchange account setup.

iPhone OS 4 iPhone OS 4 iPhone OS 4 iPhone OS 4
Improved email

Fast inbox switching is also available now along with threaded email conversations. And you can also open attachments with an application you've downloaded from the AppStore.
4. iBooks

The iBooks e-book reader you've probably seen demoed on the iPad will now be available to the iPhone as well along with the iBookStore and free copy of Winnie The Pooh (not kidding!).

iPhone OS 4 iPhone OS 4 iPhone OS 4 iPhone OS 4
iBooks
5. New features for enterprise

Targeting the enterprise clients, Apple has introduced a bunch of new stuff such as better data protection, Exchange Server 2010 support, SSL VPN support, and mobile device management.

iPhone OS 4
New features for enterprise
6. Game center

With iPhone OS 4.0 gaming will get a new social networking aspect bringing it up to speed to the Windows Phone 7's Xbox Live interconnectivity.

iPhone OS 4 iPhone OS 4 iPhone OS 4
Game center

With the new Game center you'll be able to invite friends for online multiplay, you'll be able to post scores in Leaderboards and unlock Achievements.
7. iAd mobile advertising solution

The final "tentpole" of the new iPhone OS is a new mobile advertising system for the iPhone, iPad and the iPod touch that called iAd.

iAd will allows developers to integrate ads into their apps so that they can possibly release free, ad-sponsored versions of their apps.

iPhone OS 4 iPhone OS 4 iPhone OS 4
iAd mobile advertising

With iAd users will be able to click on advertisements and check them out (even video content) from within the application they originally saw them in.

Apple will be selling the iAds and will host them as well. In return they'll be getting 40% of what the advertiser is paying. Developers get the rest.
Misc stuff

As of iPhone OS 4.0, users will be able to add a wallpaper image to the springboard itself. It's something jailbroken iPhones have had for years, but it's nice to have it out of the box as they do on the iPad.

iPhone OS 4
Setting up a wallpaper image

As we already said, there are lots of other new things such as Bluetooth keyboard support, search in SMS/MMS, tap-to-focus in video recording, Places in photos sourced from the geotagging information, web search suggestions, recent web searches list, photo rotation, workout uploads to Nike+, gift apps, etc.
Availability

The new iPhone OS 4.0 will be available this summer (along with the new iPhone we presume) but they're issuing a developer's preview today so we should hear a lot more about those new features in detail in the coming months.

The iPhone OS 4.0 will be available to the iPhone 3G and 3GS as an update. However many of the new features, INCLUDING multi-tasking won't work on the iPhone 3G. There's no word about the iPhone 2G yet.

And since the iPad is a hot topic right now - yes, it's also getting an update to iPhone OS 4.0 - however later on - in the fall.

iPad owners raise Wi-Fi issues

As Apple iPad owners around the United States play with their new machines, some are complaining about the Wi-Fi connectivity of the devices. An online Apple support page has received dozens of messages from iPad owners about erratic Wi-Fi service and so have other sites dedicated to Apple products such as MacRumors.com.

The extent of the problem was not immediately clear as many owners of Apple's new touchscreen tablet computer, which went on sale in the United States on Saturday, reported that their Wi-Fi reception was just fine.

"Wi-Fi reception seems weak with slow downloads," a message from "Dr. JB" said on the Apple support page devoted to comments about "Weak WiFi." "Anyone else having Wi-Fi issues?"

"Yes, I'm having the same issues," replied "Tangerine23."

"Same issue. Weak signal on the iPad, same spot iPhone works great. Very frustrating," said "prb44t."

"My signal keeps fluctuating from strong to weak, while my MacBookand iPhone show a consistent signal at the same location," said "Andrew79."

An iPad owner named Andy Murdock, however, said he was "not having any problems, wi-fi strength full power all over my house" and others also said they were getting a consistently strong signal.

Some iPad owners speculated the problem may be related to the placement of the Wi-Fi antenna on the device while others said it could be a software bug.

Apple has a help page on Wi-Fi at support.apple.com called "Troubleshooting Wi-Fi networks and connections."

The support page provides advice for iPad users who are unable to locate a Wi-Fi network, access the Internet or report weak or low Wi-Fi signal strength.

On Monday, Apple posted a notification stating that "under certain conditions, iPad may not automatically rejoin a known Wi-Fi network after restart or waking from sleep" and provided a fix for the issue.

The California-based company said Monday it sold more than 300,000 iPads in the United States on its first day of availability on Saturday.

The model that went on sale Saturday features Wi-Fi wireless connectivity, while a model offering both Wi-Fi and 3G cellular connectivity will be released in late April.

Text blasting tapped for good, for evil

IN many ways, what is starting to happen on the Internet has been happening in the realm of mobile phones. The mobile phone penetration rate in the country was estimated to hit 75.2 percent in 2010, from only 42.7 percent in 2005, and now text-blasting is being used for everything from campaignmessages to volunteer coordination to black propaganda. And while Third Domingo of Ideas X Machina, like other media campaign experts, remains skeptical over online ads, he is a big fan of mobile campaigns, which he describes as “very, very effective.”

The effectiveness of mobile black propaganda alone could perhaps be gleaned from the reactions of Senators and presidential candidates Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino 3rd and Manuel “Manny” Villar Jr. to smear text messages aimed at them. In February, Aquino spoke out against a message saying that his nephew Joshua, a special child, was one of his advisers. Villar, meanwhile, has decried messages ranging from text scams using his name to allegations of his ties to the Arroyo administration.

As it turns out, the effectiveness of mobile political campaigns, black and otherwise, comes at a very reasonable price. According to mobile technology expert Vincent Gulinao, anyone can put together a system that can send more than 80,000 text messages a day for less than P21,000.

“You don’t need high-specification computers; you just need mid-spec PCs [personal computers], which cost only about P15,000,” he said. “Then you need GSM [Global System for Mobile Communications] modems to send the messages. I’ve used a computer with six GSM modems attached to it.”

The advent of telecommunications companies (telcos) offering mobile Internet services resulted in a precipitous drop in GSM modem prices, Gulinao added. “Three years ago, GSM modems cost about P7,000,” he notes. “Today you could buy them for less than P1,000.”

The software for automatically sending out text messages comes cheap as well, because open-source software can be downloaded freely. Moreover, said Gulinao, this can be customized for use in the system by most skilled programmers. “Any average geek, even a student, who is familiar with open source software, can do it,” he added.

Not expensive at all
The cost to run the system would not break the bank either. With the prevalence of unlimited texting promotions offered by telcos and some nifty software coding, Gulinao said that one could send out all those messages for less than P200 a day. He added that the system would not even require a campaign to hire a full-time geek to run it, as it could be used by any person with some familiarity with computers.

The most difficult part of running an extensive mobile campaign is finding phone numbers where messages can be sent. Industry insiders tell the Philippine Center For Investigative Journalism that one possible culprit could be mobile content providers, who provide text, MMS (multimedia messaging services) and other services to mobile phone users. These companies typically maintain databases with hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of phone numbers. One high-ranking executive of a mobile content provider said that while telcos maintain privacy policies with these firms, there is simply no way of knowing that a list of numbers came from a certain database once it is out in the open.

Gulinao, who has worked for several mobile content firms, said that it’s not hard to imagine such a thing could happen. In fact, he said he used to have access to spreadsheets with millions of phone numbers—and that was without leaving his workstation.

But there are other creative ways for a political campaign to get phone numbers. A range of firms from retail clothing stores to supermarkets, to credit card companies maintain databases that include their customers’ phone numbers. Sari-sari stores that sell e-load also usually list down the phone numbers of their customers in notebooks; an enterprising local campaign operative could conceivably go around neighborhood sari-sari stores buying these lists, which would provide the bonus of being able to send messages targeted to people in very specific areas.

The desperate could send out messages to random phone numbers, which is already being done today, according to Domingo. Gulinao said that adding functionality to generate random phone numbers and to store which phone numbers reply back, confirming that the number is active, is an easy addition to a text-blasting system.

A tech-savvy campaign, however, would already use its ground operatives to collect phone numbers. Some local campaigns, said Domingo, even go the extra mile, giving away SIM cards with cell phone load to voters, making sure to list down the phone numbers of these cards beforehand to tuck away in their database.

Government helpless
The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) admits that it is helpless in preventing the text-blast of unsolicited messages. Dodie Santos of the NTC’s Public Information Office said that while the agency can ask telcos to block a phone number that sends unsolicited messages, the people running the system can resume sending messages simply by buying a new SIM card. Requiring prepaid mobile phone users to register their SIM cards could solve the problem, but proposed measures to do exactly that have languished in Congress over fears that requiring registration would raise prices of SIM cards and slow down the growth of the industry.

Meanwhile, for many Filipino text messaging users, unsolicited messages have become a fact of life, a minor side effect of the benefits of telcos’ cheap SIM cards and even cheaper unlimited texting promotions. So far, it’s been a happy bargain for a text-crazy nation.

2 more Nokia phones get free Ovi Maps for life

In an effort to guide once-loyal customers back into the fold, Nokia has expanded its free Ovi Maps offering to 2 of its most popular Eseries phones, the full-QWERTY Nokia E71 and the smooth-slidin' Nokia E66.

Ovi Maps is free (for life) with any compatible unit and will come with the Drive navigation, Walk navigation, Maps and map updates, Events guides, Lonely Planet guides, and Michelin guides.

Existing E71 and E66 owners can avail themselves of the free service by following these steps:

1. Download the new Ovi Maps application from nokia.com/maps to your PC;
2. Install the application using Ovi Suite to your device; and
3. Go to applications folder and start using Ovi Maps.

We have to stress that you need to download the new Ovi Maps application or else you will be charged €9.99 (about P600).

Note that you may be asked to upgrade your firmware. To do so, simply use the Nokia PC Suite and click on "update phone software." If you purchased your unit from Globe, Smart, or Sun and you're experiencing difficulties upgrading, visit your nearest payment/service center and have them install the latest version.

If they are unable to help you, Nokia centers are also an option.

If Nokia centers are no help, go to Greenhills or to your friendly neighborhood tiangge.

If none of these work, get an iPhone.

Globe Postpaid FAQs For My Rewards My Globe (4438)

Q: What is 4438 all about?
A: 4438 is the access number used by the new loyalty program of Globe called “My Rewards. My Globe.” We’d like to let you know that any message that you will receive from this number “4438” is valid and legit.

“My Rewards. My Globe” is the new loyalty program that rewards all active Globe mobile subscribers for using and staying with Globe. Just by simply being an active Globe Mobile Subscriber, you can enjoy discounts and freebies with many partner establishments around the country.

Q: Who are qualified to join the Globe Postpaid Loyalty Program?
A: All Globe Postpaid mobile subscribers with active accounts can immediately avail of our discounts and freebies at partner establishments.

Q: I am a Landline/Broadband subscriber, am I included in the program?
A: Landline and Broadband subscribers will also be part of the program but we will be announcing its launch on a later date as we are preparing something special for this set of subscribers.

Q: Who will be eligible to earn points under the Globe Postpaid Loyalty Program?
A: Eligible Globe Postpaid Subscribers are those subscribers under Consumer account who are active and whose 2-year subscription has ended.

Q: What are the rewards that a qualified Globe subscriber can redeem?
A: Reward options range from Globe products and services like Bill Rebates, Globe services such as Tattoo sticks, Duo, handsets and Lifestyle Rewards like cool gadgets, electronic appliances and travel miles.

Aside from redeemable items, subscribers get to enjoy exclusive discounts and freebies from Globe and partner establishments.

Q: What are the discounts and freebies that I can avail of under the Globe Loyalty Program?
A: Subscribers get to enjoy exclusive discounts and freebies from Globe and partner establishments. We have partnered with various restaurants & food outlets such as Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, KFC, Little Asia; retail stores like Folded & Hung, Jelly Bean, Digital Walker, Fully Booked; hotels such as Astoria Plaza and Microtel; and other stores like David’s Salon, Automatic Center, Timezone and so many more.

Q: Are all Postpaid Subscribers eligible to these discounts and freebies?
A: Yes, these discounts and freebies are given to all Globe mobile subscribers.

Q: How do I avail of these discounts and freebies?
A: Simply go to participating partner establishments and text the merchant keyword that may be seen on posters/standees to 4438. You will receive a mobile coupon which you need to show the cashier/store personnel so you can avail of the discount or freebie. The store personnel/cashier will delete the message/mobile coupon after your transaction. Downloading of the mobile coupon is free of charge for the first three months of the Program.

Globe Prepaid Mechanics For My Rewards My Globe

Now – active Globe prepaid subscribers may enjoy exciting rewards and more by simply using and being with Globe!

- Earn points every time you reload
- The longer you stay on Globe, the more points you get
- Enjoy freebies and discounts because you’re on Globe

A. General Mechanics

How to Join
• Lahat ng active Globe prepaid subscribers ay kasali sa My Rewards. My Globe.
• No registration required.
• Libre ang membership sa program.

Program Duration
• Ang My Rewards. My Globe. ay isang permanenteng programa handog ng Globe na mag-sisimula sa April 4, 2010

How to Earn Points
• May libreng points na makukuha bawat reload
• Mas madaming libreng points kapag tumatagal sa Globe

How to Redeem Points
• Pwedeng gamitin ang points para mag-redeem ng mga exciting rewards
• Just text REDEEM ITEM CODE to 4438 for free

Rewards delivery
• Matatanggap ang redeemed Globe products within 24 hours
• Kapag ibang items ang iyong ire-redeem, ito ay i-dedeliver sa inyong nominated address within 30 days

How to Check your Available Points
• Pwedeng malaman kung may sapat na points ka para mag-redeem ng reward via text
• Text BAL to 4438 for free

How to Share Points
• Pwedeng mag-share ng points sa pamilya at kaibigan na naka-Globe/Tattoo/TM para makakuha ng mas malaking reward
• Just txt SHARE AMT 09XXXXXXXXX to 4438
• Php 1/transaction
• Hanggang 5 transactions/day

My Rewards. My Globe. Catalogues

1. Rewards
• Para malaman kung ano ang mga rewards na pwedeng i-redeem gamit ang points: Simply txt ITEMS to 4438 for free
• May pagpipilian kang mga Globe products at iba pang exciting rewards sa aming catalogue

2. Discounts & Freebies
• May discounts at freebies sa aming partner stores para sa members ng My Rewards. My Globe. without any reload or points needed
• Mag-download lang ng mobile coupon at ipakita sa aming partner stores
• To download a mobile coupon, just txt DISCOUNT STORE CODE to 4438 for free
• Para sa kumpletong listahan ng aming partner stores, just txt DISCOUNTS to 4438 for free


You can text REWARDS to 4438 for free information anytime!

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visit http://ping.fm/8l4Jp

Filipino internet users most engaged in social media: survey

Filipino internet users are the most engaged in social networking online, a leading online audience measurement service said Wednesday.

In a press statement, comScore said the Philippines has the highest social networking usage in the Asia-Pacificregion with more than 90% of its entire Web population visiting a social networking site during the month of February 2010, followed by Australia (89.6% penetration) and Indonesia (88.6% penetration).

"Social networkers in the Philippines also showed the highest level of engagement on social networking sites averaging 5.5 hours per visitor in February, with visitors frequenting the social networking category an average of 26 times during the month," the comScore statement said citing its latest report on social networking activity in the region.

"Strong engagement was also exhibited by Internet users in Indonesia (5.4 hours per visitor and 22 visits per visitor), Australia (3.8 hours per visitor and 20 visits per visitor) and Malaysia (nearly 3.8 hours per visitor and 22 visits per visitor)," the statement added.

Seven Asia-Pacific markets where Facebook is No. 1:

* Australia
* Indonesia
* Malaysia
* Philippines
* Singapore
* New Zealand
* Hong Kong
* Vietnam

Source: comScore

On average, 50.8 % of the total online population in the region visited a social networking site in February 2010, equivalent to a total of 240.3 million visitors.

Facebook.com, meanwhile is the top social networking site 7 Asia-Pacific markets, including the Philippines.

"Local players led in Japan (Mixi.jp) and South Korea (CyWorld), while Google-owned Orkut ranked as the top social networking site in India and Yahoo!’s Wretch.cc led in Taiwan," the statement said.

"While social networking continues to be one of the most popular and fastest growing Web activities in the world, its dynamics in the Asia-Pacific region exhibit significantly more individual market differentiation than in other global regions," comScore executive vice president for Asia Pacific Will Hodgman said.

"In some markets, such as the Philippines, Australia and Indonesia, social networking is one of the most popular Web activities reaching nearly 90 percent of the entire Internet population, while other markets report less PC-based social networking penetration, which can often be attributed to the high propensity to engage in social networking via mobile devices in these markets," it added.

comScore, Inc. is a global leader in measuring the digital world and preferred source of digital marketing intelligence.

The report is based on data from comScore's World Metrix service.

The countries included in the report are Philippines, Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, New Zealand, Taiwan, Hong Kong, India, South Korea, Vietnam, and Japan.

Apple: Multitasking coming to the iPhone

One of the biggest criticisms leveled at the iPhone and the iPad — that it can't run third-party apps in the background — will be fixed at last (partially, anyway), with a little help from iPhone software 4.0, Steve Jobs announced Thursday. The major OS revision will arrive this summer for the iPhone, while iPad users will have to wait until the fall.

The new iPhone software will pack in more than 100 new features, Jobs promised, including (besides multitasking) a unified email inbox, support for Apple's new iBookstore, a social gaming network, a series of interface enhancements (such as app folders and wallpapers for the home screen) and — yep, it was bound to happen — a new, Apple-controlled mobile ad framework, with Apple set to keep a generous 40 percent of future ad revenue for itself.

Without further ado, then, let's get down to the nitty-gritty:

Multitasking
Here's how it'll work: If you're running an app on the iPhone — anything from the core Mail app to, say, a game like Tap Tap Revenge — you just double-click the Home key to pull up a small window shade at the bottom of the screen, which can show four apps at a time (just swipe to scroll through more running apps). Tap an app in the new multitasking "dock" and you'll switch to the app, with the first app's state saved in the background.

So, will all these apps actually be running in the background? Well, no (if they did, they'd slow iPhone performance to a crawl and eat up battery life, Jobs said). That said, Apple will be allowing a few selected processes to run in the background, including music, VOIP, and location-based apps.

For example, Pandora will still play music while you're browsing on Safari (you can even pause Pandora or skip tracks using the iPhone's "lock" control bar), you'll be able to answer and maintain VOIP calls (think Skype and the like) while you're working in other apps, and location-aware apps like Loopt will be able to track your location in the background via cell-tower triangulation. (An icon will appear in the iPhone's top status bar to warn you if a background app is tracking your location; you'll also get to tweak a series of new location-based privacy settings).

Universal e-mail inbox
Here's a feature that's been a long time in coming. Currently, iPhone users checking multiple email accounts have had to switch back and forth between those accounts to see their respective in boxes (a process that takes several more clicks than it should). With iPhone OS 4.0, however, users will at last get a single, unified in box, just like BlackBerry users have enjoyed since ... well, forever. You'll also be able to "fast switch" between accounts, sort messages by thread, and open attachments with a third-part app (nice). Also, good news for Exchange users: No longer will you be restricted to a single Exchange account.

Home screen enhancements
You know how the iPhone won't allow you to select wallpaper for the home screen? (That's the home screen with all your app icons, not the lock screen with the digital clock and the "slide to unlock" thingy). That's all set to change once iPhone OS 4.0 comes out. You'll also be able to create "folder" icons that contain a series of apps — say, for all your games — effectively boosting the number of apps that can be displayed on the iPhone's home screen from 180 to more than 2,100.

Social gaming network
The Xbox 360 has Xbox Live, the PS3 has the PlayStation Network, and now the iPhone will have Game Center, a new social gaming system that'll let you earn achievements, invite pals to your personal gaming network, compare top scores on leaderboards, and square off with other players via matchmaking. Third-party developers who've already set up their own social gaming networks for the iPhone (such as Gameloft and OpenFeint) aren't gonna like this one bit.

A word from our sponsors
Plenty of iPhone apps already feature in-app advertisements, but Steve Jobs (unsurprisingly) thinks Apple can do it better — thus, iAd, a framework for dynamic new in-app, HTML5-powered ads that "deliver interaction and emotion" (I know, I know). Jobs showed off a series of demos, including a full-motion app for Pixar's "Toy Story 3" (shocker!), a Nike ad that lets you design your own shoe, and a Target ad that lets you set up your dorm room. Ads won't pull users out of a running app, Jobs promised, and you'll also be able to play videos, games, download wallpaper, and view maps from within the ad itself. Last but not least: Apple says it'll split ad revenue with advertisers 60-40, with Apple keeping the 40-percent cut. Look who just got into the advertising business.

Other enhancements
Expect the iBookstore to come to the iPhone with OS 4.0, along with a series of enterprise enhancements (in-app encryption, wireless app deployment for an entire workforce, etc.) and support for Bluetooth keyboards.

Which iPhones/the iPad will be compatible with OS 4.0?
The iPhone 3GS and the third-generation iPod Touch will be fully compatible with the new OS, multitasking and all, Jobs said. If you have the iPhone 3G or the second-gen iPod Touch, they will run "many things" in OS 4.0, but multitasking won't be one of them. Finally, the iPad will also be getting all the new OS 4.0 features — including multitasking — but not until this fall. Jobs didn't mention the original iPhone or iPod Touch, nor did he mention a fee for iPod Touch users wishing to upgrade (as we've seen in the past).

What we didn't get
No Flash support (just "no," Jobs reportedly said). No status-bar notifications for new email or SMS messages (which already exist on WebOS and Android phones). And no mention at all of an iPhone for Verizon.

So, what do you think: Happy with the new features? Has Apple fixed the iPhone's/iPad's multitasking problem at last, or think there's still work to be done?

My Rewards, My Globe

Now – active Globe prepaid subscribers may enjoy exciting rewards and more by simply using and being with Globe!

* Earn points every time you reload
* The longer you stay on Globe, the more points you get
* Enjoy freebies and discounts because you’re on Globe

A. General Mechanics

How to Join

* Lahat ng active Globe prepaid subscribers ay kasali sa My Rewards. My Globe.
* No registration required.
* Libre ang membership sa program.

Program Duration

* Ang My Rewards. My Globe. ay isang permanenteng programa handog ng Globe na mag-sisimula sa April 4, 2010

How to Earn Points

* May libreng points na makukuha bawat reload
* Mas madaming libreng points kapag tumatagal sa Globe

How to Redeem Points

* Pwedeng gamitin ang points para mag-redeem ng mga exciting rewards
* Just text REDEEM ITEM CODE to 4438 for free

Rewards delivery

* Matatanggap ang redeemed Globe products within 24 hours
* Kapag ibang items ang iyong ire-redeem, ito ay i-dedeliver sa inyong nominated address within 30 days

How to Check your Available Points

* Pwedeng malaman kung may sapat na points ka para mag-redeem ng reward via text
* Text BAL to 4438 for free

How to Share Points

* Pwedeng mag-share ng points sa pamilya at kaibigan na naka-Globe/Tattoo/TM para makakuha ng mas malaking reward
* Just txt SHARE AMT 09XXXXXXXXX to 4438
* Php 1/transaction
* Hanggang 5 transactions/day

B. My Rewards. My Globe. Catalogues

1. Rewards

* Para malaman kung ano ang mga rewards na pwedeng i-redeem gamit ang points: Simply txt ITEMS to 4438 for free
* May pagpipilian kang mga Globe products at iba pang exciting rewards sa aming catalogue

2. Discounts & Freebies

* May discounts at freebies sa aming partner stores para sa members ng My Rewards. My Globe. without any reload or points needed
* Mag-download lang ng mobile coupon at ipakita sa aming partner stores
* To download a mobile coupon, just txt DISCOUNT STORE CODE to 4438 for free
* Para sa kumpletong listahan ng aming partner stores, just txt DISCOUNTS to 4438 for free

You can text REWARDS to 4438 for free information anytime!

Globe's 4438 Points Reward System

According to Globe CHAT,to get the equivalent point, just multiply the amount reloaded to 5%.

Smart MyTV Service gets Suspended

Last April 1, Smart’s digital mobile TV was suspended indefinitely as its permit to broadcast has expired. It has been close to 3 years since Smart MyTV was launched back in July 2007.

Smart has not yet officially announced the service cancellation but mobile subscribers are already receiving text messages early this week.

Apparently, Smart MyTV has been running on a demo permit (likely from the NTC) which expired last March 31, 2010. It’s not yet sure if Smart has applied for extension of this permit but for the last 3 years, subscribers have been getting the service for free.

Fingerprint Bankless Transaction System

Most of the time, I'm always engage to day dreaming. Since I'm a person that wants everything efficient, I always think of immediate revolutionary solutions that would replace the current system that I'm dissatisfied with.

I'm one of the proud supporters of cashless transactions. Be it debit, prepaid or credit card, so long as you're not bringing in cash, I'm with you. I believe that it's more secure to bring your cards with you wherever you are than bring your cash. Unlike with cold cash, when someone robbed your things, you're money is still secure. If they don't know your PIN or can't imitate your signature, your cards are no use to them.

This is the very reason why I keep on forcing my school to accept cards when paying for our tuition fees. Also, I also bloggged about the mCash cards that revolutionized the MRT ticketing system in Metro Manila. These are just few of the examples that I'm really with cashless transactions. It mirrors technological advancement and efficient systems.

So taking all of these into consideration, I realized that we could still further enhance this cashless system technology. How?



Since I'm very addicted online, I also do most of my banking transactions online. When paying for my phone, electric and other utility bills, I just use the payment system of my bank to pay them without hassles. That's very much convenient. With this in mind, I tried consolidating the two hassle-free transactions. Why not coming up with a fingerprint bankless transaction system?

What do I mean with fingerprint bankless transaction system?

Debit, prepaid and credit cards are still quite a hassle. What if you forgot to bring your cards? So you don't have any options of buying something?

Fingerprint Bankless Transaction System (FBTS) simply means utilizing our fingers in accessing our bank accounts. Banking companies can produce fingerprint-operated facilities(similar to ATM and card merchandise facilities but can detect fingerprints for account access) that could be used on different merchandises and ATM booths for their customers to access their bank accounts.

So, how does it work?

First, we, the customers, should register on our banks to use this service. When registering, we are accepting the rules of the banks prior to the usage of the Fingerprint Bankless Transaction System. With this, the bank will be integrating the recorded fingerprints of our thumb - both right and left - (this is going to be our primary fingerprint records) along with our other fingerprints as secondary records.

After doing so, we can access accounts anywhere with the use of fingers when paying for our bills, shopping, traveling and eating out. As long as there are fingerprint-operated facilities, we can always transact with our own fingers.

What About the Security of our Accounts?

Like the use of our cards - debit, prepaid or credit cards - we, the account holders, are responsible for any inappropriate usage of the accounts. In times of accident like skin burns over our fingers which will definitely affect our fingerprints, we can still use our cards or, our secondary fingerprints.

The use of Fingerprint Bankless Transaction System does not necessarily means to eliminate the use of cards which are also considered bankless transactions. But somehow, using FBTS will help add another way to conveniently transact without having a cold cash with you or withdrawing directly over-the-counter of your bank.

The FBTS is also similar with another high-end technological innovation in terms of attendance tracking for corporate usage. With ClockSpot, an online time clock, you can clock in and out anywhere with the use of any internet-capable devices such as your computer, laptop, notebook or mobile phones. It also serves as an online timesheet where you can track your attendance such as incurred absences and tardiness. With this service, you can even calculate your payroll and job costs!
The world is really running in fact pace. We need to follow the advancements and accept the new things that technology is giving us. In anyways, these new technologies are made to serve us and for us to live more convenient, comfortable and efficient.

Globe 4438 Secret Decoded

Globe Telecom is running a campaign for the SMS short code 4438 and it has been well-promoted with print ads, TV commercials and social media campaigns.

The Globe 4438 is set to be revealed on April 4, 2010 but an inside info gave us a tip to de-code this secret.

Globe 4438 is a rewards system for subscribers and has the following mechanics:

* ITEMS to 4438 for list of rewards

Globe Products: GLOBE
Immortal Call 15 = 15 points
UNLITXT20 = 20 pts
UNLITXT40 = 40 pts
UNLITXT80 = 80 pts
SuperUNLI = 120 pts
* To redeem, text REDEEM to 4438

Gadgets: GADGETS
Shopping: SHOPPING
PAL Miles: MILES
Lifestyle and Enterntainment: LIFESTYLE

To view items for each category, text “ITEM to 4438″.
* Send “DISCOUNTS” to 4438 for list of benefits

Food: FOOD
Shopping: SHOPPING
Health and Beauty: HEALTH
Lifestyle and Entertainment: LIFESTYLE
* To view items in the category, text ITEM to 4438

REDEEM ITEM CODE PIN to 4438 for redemption
* SHARE POINTS 10-DIGITMOBILE# PIN for point transfer
* BAL to 4438 for points inquiry.

This rewards system aims to increase customer retention and service loyalty among subscribers.