Beyond the Box slashes P4,000 off the Retina iPad mini price

Apple fans, look right here. If you’re in the market for a brand new iPad mini with Retina display, you better get one from Beyond the Box. Right now, until September 15, you can get as much as P4,000 off the price on the WiFi plus Cellular model. If the price off isn’t enough, they’re throwing in a free accessory as well for every purchase.

Urbanears Plattan (valued at P2,950)
Urbanears Medis (valued at P2,450)
Aiaiai Tracks (valued at P2,450)
Native Union Monocle (valued at P1,750)
SwitchEasy Cover Buddy for iPad mini (valued at P795)
Tech21 Impact Shield for iPad mini (valued at P1.400)

iPad mini with Retina display (16GB) – P23,990
iPad mini with Retina display (32GB) – P28,990
iPad mini with Retina display (64GB) – P32,990
iPad mini with Retina display (128GB) – P37,990

If you want to know more about this promo, visit Beyond the Box.

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iPhone 6 cases are already available in the Philippines

Just one of the many signs that Apple’s next smartphone, the iPhone 6, is already around the corner is this case that’s already available in Manila. The case seems to be for the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 model as it’s only a tad bigger than the iPhone 5s.

The case is remarkable slimmer, and bears the same rounded edges found on the iPod touch and iPad. The lock button has been moved to the right side so as to not make it hard for users to reach the button when locking and unlocking the phone. The bottom has lost the symmetrical pair of speaker grilles.

If all of the leaks turn out to be true, then we might see a very slim, and bigger iPhone this September 9.

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Globe is now unlocking out-of-contract iPhones

Good news to owners of Globe-issued iPhones. Globe is now offering official iPhone unlocks for eligible customers. Unlocking an iPhone allows the user to use a SIM card from another network and could be particularly useful if travelling abroad, or if the user decides to give or sell the device.

To be eligible, the device must be out of contract and that you still have an active account with Globe. The account owner where the device was originally tagged must be the one who initiate an unlock request.

Customers who need to unlock their iPhone should get in touch with Globe thru their hotline (730-1000 or 211) or live chat representatives. If eligible, a customer will be given a reference number for the unlock request and will have to wait for 5 days. Samsung devices are also supported.

We were not immediately able to verify if prepaid iPhone and Samsung devices purchased from Globe can be unlocked as well. We’ll post an update if we get more info.

Source: Globe Community Forums

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Here’s how you clear App Store update history on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch

If for some reason you want to get rid of the App Store update history on your iOS device, read on. Apple didn’t include a way to easily clear that list out by default, and I’ve never seen anyone share a way how to do that either, even thru a workaround.

So let me share you a one-step procedure on how to do just that. Simply go to Settings, then General, and then Date & Time on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch and set the date 10 days forward. If today is January 12, set it to January 22. Open App Store and head to the Updates sectioin. Voila, the history are gone! Don’t forget to revert the date back.

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Globe to offer iPad Air and iPad mini with Retina display

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.

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

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

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.

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Unlocked iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c now available in the Philippines

Beyond the Box, an Apple Premium Reseller, announced that they will be selling unlocked iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c units starting today, November 15. Previously, iPhones were originally always sold with a carrier contract — typically 2 years — or on prepaid, and thus comes with a network lock. It was the case with all generations of iPhone up to the 5, but not anymore after Apple started to offer unlocked units in April.

The iPhone 5c retails for P29,000 for the 16GB model and P34,200 for 32GB. The iPhone 5s, meanwhile, has a price tag of P34,400 for 16GB, P39,600 for 32GB, and P44,800 for the 64GB model. Unlocked models, of course, comes without contract and network lock, so you’re free to use it on any network in the Philippines or other countries. You’ll also find accessories for the iPhone 5c and 5s such as the official Apple cases in their stores.

Beyond the Box has locations in Eton Centris Walk, Lucky Chinatown, One Rockwell, Resorts World Manila, Robinson’s Ermita, and Robinson’s Galleria.

Oh, and don’t you ever say that the pricing (it is Apple that set these) are way higher than the grey market, because those units don’t come with local warranty. If your device screws up, you’re basically on your own.

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Globe wants to give you an iPhone every year on its iPhone Forever Plans

Globe Telecom today announced their new iPhone Forever Plans. The new plans allows you to sign up (or renew) a 2-year contract and get an iPhone every year for without paying anything (aside from the monthly plan, that is).

So how does the Globe iPhone Forever Plans work? Let’s say you want to get an iPhone 5s. The lowest plan for the 5s costs P1,599 a month and includes 1GB of LTE data and P601 of consumable amount, which I assume you can use to avail of combos like texts and calls. Now, on the 13th month of your contract, you can get a new iPhone (assuming that the next one is out) without paying anything and without extending your contract — as long as you trade in your old 5s that you got when you signed up. Once your 2-year contract is up, you can renew again and get another iPhone by doing the same process.

Below is the table of the iPhone Forever Plans on Globe.

iPhone Forever Plan	Plan 1599	Plan 1999	Plan 2999	Plan 5599	Plan 6999
Device	iPhone 5c (16GB)	iPhone 5s (16GB)	iPhone 5s (16GB)	iPhone 5c / iPhone 5s (32GB)	iPhone 5s (64GB)
Contract Period	2-year	2-year	2-year	2-year	2-year
Inclusions	•P601 consumable •1GB LTE data	•P601 consumable •1GB LTE data	•P101 consumable •Unlimited LTE data •Unlimited calls and SMS to Globe	- - •Unlimited LTE data •Unlimited calls and SMS to all networks •Platinum Blue	- - •Unlimited LTE data •Unlimited calls and SMS to all networks •Platinum Blue •P1,000 consumable for roaming services

Those who will sign up for Plans 5599 and Plan 6999 will get a Platinum Blue membership with perks like dedicated hotline, priority handling at Globe Business Centers, and discounts and other privileges at partner merchants and establishments.

Want to sign up already? Here’s the table of the eligible devices that you can trade in.

Device to be traded in	Upfront Payment
Tier 1: iPhone 4S, iPhone 5	-
Tier 2: iPhone 4, Samsung Galaxy S4, Samsung Galaxy Note 2, BlackBerry Q10, HTC One	P4,999
Tier 3: iPhone 3GS, Samsung Galaxy S3, BlackBerry Z10, BlackBerry Curve/Bold/Torch, Samsung Galaxy S3 mini, Nokia Lumia	P9,999
Tier 4: All other devices	P11,999
No device	P12,999

All said, the iPhone Forever Plans is only suited for those who want to get a new phone every year without breaking or renewing their contract. It would have been better though if Globe has an option wherein you can keep your current phone at a fee.

For those that prefers the normal plans, the iPhone 5c is available at Plan 999 with P800 monthly cashout while the iPhone 5s starts at P1,799 with P400 monthly cashout. Both plans come with unlimited LTE data and consumables that you can use towards combos and boosters.

The iPhone 5c and iPhone 5s will be available starting November 15.

Those who want to apply may visit Globe’s website.

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Smart to offer the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c on November 15

Smart announced earlier this morning that the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c is officially coming here in the Philippines on November 15. If you can remember, the two new smartphones from Apple were announced last September 10, thus making the upcoming launch the fastest ever to happen here. Historically, it takes around three months for Apple to bring the iPhone in the country from the date that it was announced, as are the cases with the iPhone 4S and iPhone 5.

The iPhone 5s features the new A7 64-bit chip, an improved 8-megapixel iSight camera with True Tone flash, and a fingerprint scanner for Touch ID, which lets you securely unlock your phone using your finger. The iPhone 5c, meanwhile, sports a colorful plastic design, the A6 chip, and an 8-megapixel camera. Both iPhones are still carrying a 4-inch Retina display and supports LTE networks.

Those who are interested to get an iPhone 5s or iPhone 5c from Smart may now register their interest on their website.

Source: Smart

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Globe prepares for the November 15 iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c launch (update)

UPDATE: The iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c is going to be available on Globe starting on November 15.

As the midnight unfolded, Globe has silently published its registration pages for the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c on its website as it gears for the launch of the new smartphones from Apple.

The iPhone 5s features the new A7 64-bit chip, an improved 8-megapixel iSight camera with True Tone flash, and a fingerprint scanner for Touch ID, which lets you securely unlock your phone using your finger. The iPhone 5c, meanwhile, sports a colorful plastic design, the A6 chip, and an 8-megapixel camera. Both iPhones are still carrying a 4-inch Retina display and supports LTE networks.

The iPhone 5 and iPhone 4S launched in December 2012 and 2011, respectively. This development makes it the fastest iPhone launch to ever happen in the country. Interested parties can go to Globe’s website to register. No plans and pricing details have been announce as of yet.

Source: Globe

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Smart offers the iPad mini for P999 per month with P1,500 upfront payment

Here’s a nice offer from Smart for those who want to get an iPad mini but are on tight budget. They are running a promo wherein you can get a 16GB iPad mini 3G/LTE model for just P999 per month and a one-time upfront payment of P1,500. The monthly fee consists of the Smart Bro Plan 399 with 50 hours of data connection and the P600 amortization fee. If you think you’ll go over the data allowance by accident, Smart’s ABS (anti-bill shock) feature is there to back it up. What it means is when you go over the P999 threshold on your bill (excluding the amortization), it will automatically switch to an unlimited plan. In that scenario, your bill would then be P1,599.

Do take note that the Smart Bro Plan 399 is only a 3G data plan. If you want to connect to their LTE network, you would have to subscribe to the LTE data plans which costs P50 a day, P299 a week, and P995 a month. For your average surfing needs, I believe 3G is enough. I personally easily hit 4 to 8 megabits on their 3G network. Not that bad, actually.

You can check out the list of Smart Stores where you can get an iPad mini here.

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Apple celebrates 5th anniversary of the App Store with free top apps and games

The biggest application store on earth will have its 5th birthday tomorrow. And to compliment the celebration, Apple is offering the top ‘landmark’ apps and games in the App Store for free.

Let’s do a little bit of history first. The App Store opened in July 10, 2008 with an update to iTunes on Mac and Windows. It had 500 apps available on the launch day. Five years later, it now has a mind-boggling 900,000 apps accessible within your fingertips. It has been definitely a remarkable five years for the App Store.

Anyway, on to the free apps and games. The links are available below. Just open them right from your iOS devices or on iTunes if you’re on your Mac or PC.

Barefoot World Atlas
Learn about the world, its nations and its wonders through this dazzling interactive globe
https://itunes.apple.com/app/barefoot-world-atlas/id489221652?mt=8

Day One (Journal / Diary)
Record movements every day using photos, places and words with this intuitive journal
https://itunes.apple.com/app/day-one-journal-diary/id421706526?mt=8

How to Cook Everything
Learn to cook more than 2,000 gourmet recipes using this robust kitchen companion
https://itunes.apple.com/app/how-to-cook-everything/id409936319?mt=8

Over
Help your photos stand out by adding custom captions, logos and stylish doodles
https://itunes.apple.com/app/over/id535811906?mt=8

Traktor DJ for iPhone
Mix like a pro with a DJ app that puts industry-leading features right at your fingertips
https://itunes.apple.com/app/traktor-dj-for-iphone/id625335999?mt=8

BADLAND
An Apple Design Award winner, Badland is an incredible action game with stunning graphics
https://itunes.apple.com/app/badland/id535176909?mt=8

Infinity Blade II
With smart gameplay and gorgeous graphics, this action-packed epic absolutely shines
https://itunes.apple.com/app/infinity-blade-ii/id447689011?mt=8

Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP
This elegant 8-bit adventure uses touch-based puzzles to deliver a poignant story
https://itunes.apple.com/app/superbrothers-sword-sworcery/id424912055?mt=8

Tiny Wings
This endearing classic features charming style and thrilling momentum-based gameplay
https://itunes.apple.com/app/tiny-wings/id417817520?mt=8

Where's My Water?
A simple and challenging puzzle game that features intuitive controls and a lovable mascot
https://itunes.apple.com/app/wheres-my-water/id449735650?mt=8

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Apple’s alleged budget iPhone appears in high-resolution photos and video

What are you seeing above is Apple’s alleged budget plastic iPhone. News and rumors has been circulating around for a few months already and it looks like it is really happening.

A company called Techdy claims to have got hold of what seems to be a shell for the plastic iPhone. They even went further and fit a ‘display assembly into the new budget iPhone’s rear shell’. They note that the display fits just fine with the shell of the plastic iPhone.

“As can be seen from the images above, all the rumors about the low-cost plastic iPhone seem to be true. The budget iPhone will be made substantially from plastic (we can feel it’s actually polycarbonate material). It will have a 4” screen, like the iPhone 5, and interestingly, the budget iPhone actually has a shape that’s similar to Apple’s original iPod. When we hold the budget iPhone in our hands, the plastic chassis does not feel cheap at all. Unlike the plastic build quality of the Samsung Galaxy phones, the plastic material used on the budget iPhone feels more sturdy.”

The plastic iPhone has also appeared in leaked photos in the past few days and comes in several colors like red, green, yellow, blue, and white.

Sources: Nowhereelse.fr (1) (2), Techdy

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Globe adds the Samsung Galaxy Note 2, Nokia Lumia 820, HTC One SV, and more to its LTE lineup, now offers 9 in total

Do you want to join the LTE bandwagon but are not sure of which device to get and where? Well, it looks like Globe has the answer to that question.

A press release from Globe took us by surprise which states that they currently have the most number of available LTE smartphones in the Philippines as of yet. The recent additions to that lineup includes the HTC One, which by the way I’m currently reviewing (watch out for that!), the Nokia Lumia 820, the Samsung Galaxy Note 2, and the HTC One SV.

Android users are guaranteed of the most number of devices from Globe with its most affordable offer for the Samsung Galaxy S4 LTE at P1,599 monthly under Plan 999 with P600 monthly cashout.

Globe also sealed an exclusivity deal to be the lone carrier of the new HTC One, touted as one of the best Android smartphones in the world, available at P1,699 monthly under Plan 999 with a monthly cashout of P700.

The HTC One SV and Nokia Lumia 820 are being offered at the higher Plan 1799 monthly without cashout. Oddly enough, the Samsung Galaxy Note II LTE, another Globe-exclusive device, is available at P2,199 monthly under Plan 1799 with a P400 monthly cashout.

The HTC One SV sports a  1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 dual-core processor, supports lightning-fast LTE speeds, along with an all-day battery life, amazing camera, Beats Audio, and an ultra-sleek design that complements its breathtaking speed.

Dubbed as the most versatile Lumia, the Nokia Lumia 820 boasts of an 8.7 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss lens, 4.3-inch ClearBlack display, and removable wireless charging shells and matching headsets in vibrant colors.

The Samsung Galaxy Note II LTE features a 5.5-inch large HD display, 1.6GHz Exynos quad-core processor, and 2GB RAM.

That brings the total number of LTE smartphones being offered by Globe to 9 — seven of which are exclusive to them. This advantage should be attributed to their decision to go for the 1800MHz LTE frequency which is widely used across many countries in Europe and Asia and the fact that more device manufacturers support the said LTE frequency.

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Apple announces the iOS 7

Apple just announced the iOS 7 today at the WWDC 2013.

The iOS 7 features a whole new user interface and a slew of newly added and updated features. The new and updated features include the Control Center, Notification Center, Multitasking, Camera, Photos, AirDrop, Safari, iTunes Radio, and Siri.

Let me get some good night sleep now and for the meantime, take a more in depth look at the iOS 7 images below. You’ll appreciate them better this way.

      

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Viber releases app for Windows and Mac, updates its Android and iPhone apps

If you always fancy free call and text apps, take a good seat and look at this. Viber, a very popular app which lets people send text messages and make calls for free on their phones, has just released the Windows and Mac versions of their app!

Viber for Windows and Mac allows its users to do the basic Viber features such as making calls, send text messages, send photos, and engage in group conversations — all without any cost on your part. In addition, the Windows and Mac versions adds support for video calling, although the app notes the feature is still in beta. It also supports transferring of calls between your PC or Mac and your phone, even while the call is active.

Setting up Viber for Windows or Mac only requires two steps; first is entering your phone number and then typing the verification code sent to the Viber app on your phone. After that, all your contacts who use Viber will be synced to your PC or Mac immediately.

  

Viber also release updates to its Android and iOS apps. Viber 3.0 for Android and iOS brings support for the Windows and Mac versions, transferring of calls, online status indicator, video messages, auto-download of photos, photo captions, and more stickers.

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Apple starts selling unlocked iPhone 5 in the Philippines

It’s been a long time coming, but now Apple has finally decided to sell unlocked iPhone 5 units in the Philippines. Long before, iPhones were only sold thru carriers like Globe, which offered the iPhone 3G as its first in 2008. Smart have since joined Globe in 2011 at the launch of the iPhone 4S.

Anyway, enough of that. The real news is here. The iPhone 5 can now be availed with no strings between you and the carriers attached. The unlocked iPhone 5 have a retail price of P33,600 for the 16GB model, P38,780 for the 32GB model, and P43,950 for the 64GB model.

The 16GB iPhone 4S and the 8GB iPhone 4 also joins the aforementioned device too. Both will retail for P28,425 and P19,415 respectively. Quite expensive for old generation devices I know, but hey, it’s Apple we’re talking about here.

The unlocked iPhone 5, iPhone 4S, and iPhone 4 are now available at Apple Resellers like Beyond the Box, Digital Hub, or Digital Walker.

Beyond the Box locations:
Eton Centris Walk
Lucky Chinatown
One Rockwell
Resorts World Manila
Robinson’s Ermita
Robinson’s Galleria

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MacBook lineup gets huge price drops

Apple announced last week the price drop across all MacBook models along with slightly updated processors.

Some models got a significant drop in retail price, such as the MacBook Air which got as much as P8,000 off of it’s previous price, the MacBook Pro which is now cheaper by up to P3,000. The MacBook Pro with Retina display received the biggest drop in price, with savings of as much as a whopping P18,000! You can check out the new full pricing matrix below.

MacBook Air
11″ MacBook Air / 1.7Ghz i5 / 4GB Ram / 64 GB Flash / Intel HD4000 – from 47,990 to P46,990
11″ MacBook Air / 1.7Ghz i5 / 4GB Ram / 128 GB Flash / Intel HD4000 – from 52,990 to P50,990
13″ MacBook Air / 1.8Ghz i5 / 4GB Ram / 128 GB Flash/ Intel HD4000 – from 57,990 to P55,990
13″ MacBook Air / 1.8Ghz i5 / 4GB Ram / 256 GB Flash / Intel HD4000 – from 72,990 to P64,990

MacBook Pro
13″ MacBook Pro / 2.5 Ghz dual core i5 / 4GB Ram / 500 GB / Intel HD4000 – from 57,990 to P55,990
13″ MacBook Pro / 2.9 Ghz dual core i7 / 8GB Ram / 750 GB / Intel HD4000 – from 72,990 to P69,990
15″ MacBook Pro / 2.3 Ghz quad core i7 / 4GB Ram / 500 GB / GeForce GT 650M 512MB – from 87,990 to P84,990

MacBook Pro with Retina Display
13″ MacBook Pro with Retina display / 2.5 Ghz dual core i5 / 8GB Ram / 128GB SSD / Intel HD4000 – from 82,990 to P69,990
13″ MacBook Pro with Retina display / 2.5 Ghz dual core i5 / 8GB Ram / 256GB SSD / Intel HD4000 – from 97,990 to P79,990
15″ MacBook Pro with Retina display / 2.3 Ghz quad core i7 / 8GB Ram / 256GB SSD / GeForce GT650M 1GB - from 107,990 to P102,990
15″ MacBook Pro with Retina display / 2.6 Ghz quad core i7 / 8GB Ram / 512GB SSD / GeForce GT650M 1GB – from 137,990 to P130,990

The MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and MacBook Pro with Retina display are available direct from Apple Online Store and Apple Resellers like Digital Hub and Beyond the Box.

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128GB iPad goes on sale, will set you back P38,990 for Wi-Fi model and P44,990 for Cellular model

As expected, Apple made the just released 128GB 4th-generation iPad available today.

Apple announced the 4th-generation iPad with a larger 128GB storage capacity last week. The 128GB iPad is well suited for the people like professionals who stores, consumes, and deals with large files like music, photos, and videos.

The 128GB iPad is priced P38,990 for the Wi-Fi model and P44,990 for the Wi-Fi + Cellular model. It is now available at the Philippine Apple Online Store and should be also out at Apple Resellers shortly.

Source: Apple

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