Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Globe posts P7.8 billion revenues in broadband business

Globe Telecom, through its broadband brand Tattoo, maintained its leadership in the Philippine broadband industry with its flagship on-the-go and home broadband services after posting double-digit increases in both revenues and subscriber base as of end-September 2013.

Broadband revenues leapt 22% from P6.3 billion to P7.8 billion year-on-year, the highest in the industry, on the back of the market’s positive response to Tattoo’s wide portfolio of wireless and wired broadband products that were made more affordable and relevant to subscribers. Tattoo closed the first nine months of the year with 1.9 million broadband subscribers, up by 15% from last year’s 1.6 million, with both wired and wireless subscriber bases registering growths of 17% and 14% respectively.

“We are happy to sustain momentum of our broadband business with game-changing offers that provide fast internet connectivity, may it be mobile or at home broadband services,” said Gilbert Simpao, Head of Broadband Business at Globe. “As we’re starting to reap the benefits of our new modern network, we will remain focused on finding new ways to delight our customers and provide them with new broadband innovations.”

Robust growth in the broadband business resulted from aggressive acquisitions campaigns, attractive pricing offers and product bundles. This positive response and sustained growth was a product of the company’s continued push to expand its product portfolio and its awareness of the customers’ evolving and increasing demands for nomadic and home broadband services such as the more affordable Tattoo Prepaid 4G SuperStick at P1995 alongside Tattoo Postpaid’s more personalized and consumable plans with increased surfing speeds now up to 42 Mbps delivered by the telco’s growing and expanding Long Term Evolution (LTE) network.

The Tattoo Prepaid LTE devices were also launched with the mobile Wi-Fi variant at the forefront as it doubles as a powerbank with 3000mAh capacity. LTE Postpaid plans are also offered starting at Plan 1299 which comes with a free LTE dongle or, for a one-time fee of P2,000, upgrade to a mobile Wi-Fi device.

True to its customer-focused strategy, Tattoo introduced its first rewards program called Tattoo+ Rewards, where qualified subscribers earn rewards points and freebies by subscribing, loading and using Tattoo services. Tattoo also launched the revolutionary Tablet Revolution bannering the most affordable tablet bundles where subscribers get three free devices -- Skyworth S73 tablet or a Cloudpad 705W, a Blackberry Curve 9220 and the country’s fastest broadband Wi-Fi stick which can power up to 10 devices, all starting only at Plan 1298. Other Tattoo tablet bundles are also made available with varying numbers of free browsing hours starting at Plan 598.

Tattoo Home Broadband also offered its enhanced product bundles with high-speed internet, free landline, and free unlimited landline to mobile (Globe and TM) call services. Broadband bundles were unveiled such as Plan 1099 at 1 Mbps, Plan 1299 at 2 Mbps, Plan 1599 at 3 Mbps, Plan 2299 at 5 Mbps, Plan 3999 at 10 Mbps and Plan 4999 at 15 Mbps. Meanwhile, internet-only plans that connect at 3 and 5 Mbps were made available at Plan 999 and 1999 respectively, both with unlimited internet access.

To date, over 80% of the network is already on 4G HSPA+ providing faster mobile browsing experience for customers, complementing the pilot LTE deployments in key business districts. Nearly 900 Long Term Evolution (LTE) sites in key cities and holiday destinations are now operational. At the same time, Globe continues to enhance its Service Quality with the continuing optimization and capacity upgrade of its modern network.

Friday, December 27, 2013

Globe giving customers free Tattoo Mobile Wi-Fi with every prepaid tablet bundle

Tattoo Prepaid Mobile WiFi

Whether it is a well-deserved reward for a hardworking year that was or as a special gift for a loved one, Tattoo, the country’s most reliable mobile broadband, gives you the best prepaid value tablet bundle offers of the season!

You may just be able to check a wish off your list with Tattoo’s unbeaten prepaid tablet bundles! Save as much as P2845 with these new offers that carry a great selection of affordable tablets starting at P4995 for a CloudPad 705W or a SkyWorth S73 and P6995 for a SkyWorth S82. All these new bundles now come with a FREE Tattoo Mobile Wi-Fi that allows you to connect up to 10 devices with speeds of up to 7.2mbps!

“As Tattoo’s offers evolve with the needs of our customers, we continue to create different bundles that would satisfy the desire to always be on trend. And with the surge of quality and reasonably priced tablets, we saw the opportunity to provide these latest gadgets to our subscribers through some of the best value offers available in the market today” said Globe Vice President for Tattoo Nomadic Broadband Business Dong Ronquillo.

Tattoo also gives you more reasons to enjoy the holidays with a wonderful freebie to kick start your mobile broadband connection by texting FREE1 to 8888 for 1 free surfing hour good for a day.

Try something new this season. Step up and join the Tattoo Tablet Revolution. Know more about Tattoo’s latest deals and visit tattoo.globe.com.ph, call 730-1010 or visit a Globe store near you.

Monday, December 23, 2013

Ride-hailing service Uber is now in Manila, Philippines, rates start at P40

Uber Manila Promo Code Philippines Fare Rates Pricing

Uber, an app which lets you request a private car with only a few taps and pay via credit or debit cards, has silently announced that it is now testing the service in Metro Manila. The company says on its blog that a limited number of Uber Black cars are available in Makati and Bonifacio Global City in Taguig for the duration of testing.

The app, which is available for iPhone and Android, works in the same way as other taxi-hailing apps — you launch the app, search for cars available around your current location, and enter your booking details. For an Uber Black car, which could be a Toyota Altis, a Ford Focus, or a Hyundai Sonata, the rates start at P90, and goes up by P12.92 for every kilometer plus P2.10 for every minute of your trip.

An error in Uber's app and website showed that the rates are in US dollar, and is still not fixed as of posting. A PR person from Uber told Mister Jonjon that "all our rides are priced in the Philippine Peso."

UPDATE: The pricing error has been already fixed.

Uber Manila Promo Code Philippines Fare Rates Pricing

Other cars include the low-cost UberX, the Uber SUV which seats up to 6, and the Uber LUX which lets you arrive at your destination in a high-end vehicle. On some cities, an Uber Taxi is also available.

BONUS: Get P300 credits on Uber when you use promo code 'uberloaded' when you sign up. Click this link to sign up now.

With the arrival of Uber, other taxi-booking apps like GrabTaxi and EasyTaxi now face more competition. Having its own rates, and seemingly higher at that, can Uber compete head to head with other services? Let's find out in the sample calculation below.

Uber vs. GrabTaxi / EasyTaxi vs. Ordinary Taxi

The normal rates for an ordinary taxi in the metro start at. P40, which includes the first 500 meters. You are then charged P3.50 for every 300 meters (P1.167 for 100 meters), and P3.50 for every 2 minutes (P1.75 per minute) the car is idle. A 20-kilometer ride on a taxi will cost you P267.565, and that's without any stops. If you're stuck in heavy traffic for a total of 10 minutes, it will be P285.065.

Now, both GrabTaxi and EasyTaxi charge a P70 booking fee on top of the normal taxi rates. A 20-kilometer ride with no stops will be P337.565. It becomes P355.065 if you slowed down or stopped for 10 minutes. Both apps use vehicles of their partner taxi companies.

Again, Uber charges P90 for booking, P12.92 for every kilometer (P1.292 for 100 meters), and P2.10 for ever minute when the vehicle is traveling at 18 kilometers an hour and below. So a 20-kilometer trip using Uber will cost you P348.40 — or P369.40 if you dip below the minimum speed limit for a total of 10 minutes.

That makes Uber's rates only a little more expensive than GrabTaxi and EasyTaxi. So, what do you think?

Friday, December 13, 2013

Globe restores 90% of 2G and 88% of 3G services in Visayas

Around 90% of Globe’s 2G and 88% of their 3G cell towers in Visayas have already been restored, according to their latest update. This is following their fast-tracked repairs for the affected network infrastructures in the region, particularly in Leyte, Samar, and Biliran. They are also expediting the restoration of a relay site in Eastern Samar, which will provide cellular coverage in the entire province once completed.

Other areas where cellular services have been restored include Abuyog, Mahaplag, Julita, MacArthur, and Suhi in Leyte, Culaba in Biliran, San Isidro, Las Navas, and Biri in Northern Samar, Balete, Batan, Cuartero and Dumalag in Aklan, Cabiga and Tagapul-an  in Western Samar, Dolores in Eastern Samar, Jamindan in Capiz, and Odlot in North Cebu.

Start your Christmas countdown with these 12 apps for Nokia Lumia smartphones

Nokia 12 Apps of Christmas Visual

The holidays are always filled with celebrations – feasts with family, parties with friends, and an endless string of other social gatherings. It is the time of the year when everyone deserves to kickback, relax, and spend time with the people they care most about.

With the rapidly growing number of apps available on the Windows Phone Apps+Games Store, you can find the perfect app that will make even the usual  ‘partridge in a pear tree’ more alive and festive.

Holiday Photos & Selfies
To capture precious holiday moments, download Christmas 2013; a free photography app that helps create personalized Christmas cards for sharing on your preferred social network. Nokia Cinemagraph, a magical blend of photo and movie-like animation, creates pictures that seem almost alive. It animates an area of your picture with enchanting results. The popular Instagram is now also available for Windows Phone 8 users in BETA version. Customize your favorite Christmas photo with the custom built filter effects to transform your special moments into works of art.

Food & Fit
The holidays have also become a reason for a lot of us to indulge a little more; an excuse to help ourselves to another slice of cake, another glass of wine, or an extra hour of sleep. However, it is good to have a treat once in awhile. With these apps, you can worry less about getting off track with your goals and enjoy the holiday festivities.

Spice up your Christmas menu and learn new food preparation tips through Allrecipes. It delivers thousands of top rated quick and easy recipes that will definitely be a hit among friends and family. Alcometer lets you determine your blood alcohol level easily. It helps you revel responsibly throughout the holidays with the alcohol content, the glass size, and the time of taking drinks being completely customizable. Keep the extra pounds from all the delectable dishes off with the help of MyFitnessPal. It is Windows Phone 8’s fastest and easiest way to count calories.

Gifts & Games
In this time of giving, browse through the largest selection of gifts and purchase your dream Nokia Lumia device, the new and affordable Nokia Asha phones or other nice presents through Amazon Mobile. AE City Jump – Christmas is an adventure game set across the city. Various bonus levels, bright graphics, and smooth gameplay make it challenging and fun for everyone. Among kids, Christmas Hunt is a favorite. It is a simple game in which users help Santa and his reindeer find Christmas items across twelve different Christmas hunt pages.

Staying Connected
Show loved ones here and abroad that you care by staying connected with them. Download Skype and make free Skype to Skype video and voice calls as well as send instant messages to friends and family around the world. Send free messages, pictures, audio notes, and video messages to loved ones through WhatsApp. Explore new places and make new memories with friends and family with HERE Maps, which shows the smartest way across town even without going online.

Make your Christmas merrier and download these free apps now from the Windows Phone Store.

Globe to offer iPad Air and iPad mini with Retina display

Globe Telecom iPad Air iPad mini with Retina display Postpaid Plans Philippines

As expected, Globe announced on Monday, December 9 that they will be carrying the cellular versions of the iPad Air and iPad mini with Retina display on their postpaid plans starting on December 19. The iPads will be available with unlimited LTE data, though the pricing for those plans haven’t been revealed yet.

The iPad Air features a new design, similar to that of the iPad mini. It is 20% thinner at only 7.5mm, 28% lighter at just one pound, and still can go for up to 10-hour of video playback time. The iPad mini with Retina display, on the other hand, now packs a higher-resolution display, just like the Air. Both models have the new A7 CPU with M7 motion-coprocessor, 2x faster Wi-Fi, and improved LTE with support for even more bands as well as MIMO.

Those who are interested in the iPad Air and iPad mini with Retina display may register their interest on Globe’s website, here and here.

LG’s Nexus 5 exclusively arrives on Smart

IMG_0636

Google’s latest pure-, well, Google device, the Nexus 5 by LG, has arrived in the Philippines. The Android KitKat-packing smartphone is exclusively available on Smart. You can get the Nexus 5 without any upfront cash-out starting at Unlimited Data Plan 1500 on a 30-month contract. It includes unlimited LTE data, 120 SMS, and 60 minutes of calls to all networks. If you feel that a 30-month tie up is too long, you can opt to pay P6,000 and settle for the normal 24-month contract.

The Nexus 5 is also available on All-In Plan 1800 with no cash-out on 30-months, or for P3,500 on 24-month contract. Those who prefer to go the no-strings-attached way can get it for P22,500 on prepaid.

The Google Nexus 5 features a 5-inch full HD 1080p display, a 2.26GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 CPU, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of storage, 4G LTE, and an 8-megapixel camera with OIS. It is the first smartphone to run on Android 4.4 KitKat out-of-the-box.

Source: Smart

Sunday, December 8, 2013

My life is a lie! Prank your friends and win a Crumpler bag for you and him

Crumpler Hack and Prank

People of the internet, beware! A lot of social media accounts are going to be hacked this Christmas season. Yes, that’s right. Crumpler is currently running a very funny contest wherein you will have to post something humorous on one of your friends’ Facebook or Twitter accounts.

You can post something like “I was told that I was adopted. My whole life is a big lie!” or “I pooped in my pants earlier… Ugh.” It’s really up to you as to what you will post on their accounts and how you will do that (Maybe you can borrow their phone…). The funnier, the better!

And just in case your friend gets mad at you after those postings, don’t worry. Crumpler will give away a bag for you and your friend! “Hey, here. Please take my peace offering.” LOL!

Crumpler will give away a pair of bags every week for the whole month of December. So if you want to get going, check out the mechanics on their website.

iPad Air and iPad mini with Retina display launching on December 19 in the Philippines

iPad mini with Retina display Philippines

On December 4, we reported that the iPad Air is going to be available today, December 8 — which obviously didn’t happen. According to our source, the new release date at Apple Authorized Resellers in the Philippines is now pegged on the 3rd week of the month, specifically, on December 19 or 20. Apple and its channel partners should have an official announcement by tomorrow.

Still, no pricing and release date has been announced for both iPads. The iPad Air could see its pricing starting at around P23,990 while the iPad mini could start at around P16,000 to P18,000. Our source also confirmed to use that Globe will offer the iPad Air and iPad mini with Retina display as well with their data plans. As was the case last year, Smart most likely join the party as well, though our source cannot confirm this yet.

The iPad Air features a new design, similar to that of the iPad mini. It is 20% thinner at only 7.5mm, 28% lighter at just one pound, and still can go for up to 10-hour of video playback time. The iPad mini with Retina display, on the other hand, now packs a higher-resolution display, just like the Air. Both models have the new A7 CPU with M7 motion-coprocessor, 2x faster Wi-Fi, and improved LTE with support for even more bands as well as MIMO.

Friday, December 6, 2013

Nokia Asha 502 now available in stores for P4,800

nokia_asha_502_ds_group

Nokia recently announced that the Asha 502 Dual SIM is now available at retail stores in the Philippines for P4,800. The Asha 502, a new addition to the Finnish company’s low-end smartphone line, features a clever new design called dual-shot. The phone itself is made of brightly colored body enclosed in a clear transparent shell, which makes it look as if the phone is wrapped in ice. It is a nice touch and makes the phone look more appealing to the eyes.

The Nokia Asha 502 is one of the first Asha devices (along with the Asha 503) to pack a 5-megapixel camera with LED flash. It comes with built-in photo filters and editing capability so you can further enhance your photos according to your liking. It is also Easy Swap dual SIM capable, as with most Asha devices, and even lets you switch SIM cards when the phone is turned on.

Nokia Asha 502 Specifications and Features
3-inch display with QVGA resolution
5-megapixel camera with LED flash
GSM 900/1800 MHz
Bluetooth 3.0
Dual SIM
1010mAh battery
4GB microSD memory, expandable up to 32GB

The Nokia Asha 502 comes in black, white, yellow, green, cyan, and red and retails for P4,800. It comes with a 4GB microSD card out-of-the-box, though it can take cards of up to 32GB in capacity.

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

iPad Air to be available in the Philippines on December 8 (update)

iPad Air Price Release Date Philippines

Apple greatest and latest 9.7-inch tablet, the iPad Air, is arriving in the Philippines on December 8, according to our anonymous source. The supposed release date — which falls on a Sunday — is for Apple Resellers in the country. There is also a chance that the iPad Air could be available in stores as early as Friday, December 6. The pricing hasn’t been announced yet, though if Apple follows its previous pricing for the iPad, the 16GB Wi-Fi model would start at P23,990.

It’s smaller 7.9-inch counterpart, the iPad mini with Retina display, however, is not yet coming. It could follow after a few weeks, though there is really no information about it at this time.

The iPad Air features a new design, similar to that of the iPad mini. It is 20% thinner at only 7.5mm, 28% lighter at just one pound, and still can go for up to 10-hour of video playback time, which is normally how Apple rates battery life. It packs the new A7 CPU with M7 motion-coprocessor, 2x faster Wi-Fi, and improved LTE with support for even more bands as well as MIMO. The display stays the same at 2048x1536, equating to 264ppi.

UPDATE: The release date has been moved to 3rd week of December.

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

LG’s 55-inch curved OLED TV arriving in first week of December

LG Curved OLED TV Philippines

The world’s first ever curved OLED television, made by LG, is set to be released in the Philippines in the first week of December. The 55-inch EA9800 model is specifically the one that is slated to be launched in the country. At only 4.3mm thick (should I say thin), it is as thick as the size of three credit cards, and one-fourth of conventional TVs. If that’s not enough to blow your mind, it is thinner than most flagship smartphones today (the thinnest smartphone is at around 6mm). Come to think of it. The LG OLED TV weighs at less than 17 kilograms.

A carbon fiber-reinforced plastic back is used to further strengthen the unit, and transparent speakers are embedded along the crystal-like stand. LG’s WRGB tech adds white sub-pixel in addition to the traditional red-green-blue setup to enhance colors and contrast. It also features a wide-angle display and includes the Smart TV capabilities and Cinema 3D features such as 2D to 3D conversion.

LG Curved OLED TV Philippines 2

"LG is looking forward to launching the world’s first Curved OLED TV in the Philippines," said Hoony Bae, LG Electronics Philippines Vice President for Home Entertainment division. "Being a progressive country, the local market will surely enjoy getting a feel of the next generation TV technology, allowing optimal TV viewing experience, comfort, and entertainment. LG will continue to establish innovations like this that will ultimately benefit the consumer."

LG Curved OLED TV Side Philippines

The LG Curved OLED TV EA9800 will retail for P499,990.