Allphones, an Australian-based mobile phone retailer, starts operations in the Philippines

A new friend of mine told me about this relatively new mobile phone retailer in the Philippines that is really unique from the other retailers. They go by the name Allphones, a company based in Australia, which only started operations in the country last April. The Philippine operations is spearheaded by TAO Corporation, a holding company founded in 1995 which focuses on supply-chain services.

What makes Allphones stand out from the other mobile phone retailers is that they offer postpaid plans at their stores. Think of BestBuy in the US. You walk into one of their stores, and you go out with a brand new phone with a postpaid plan.

They do not only focus on selling products, they are also committed to customer satisfaction. Their staff has extensive training on product knowledge, how to entertain customers, and how to give them the best aftersales service. Allphones say that they will try their best to recommend the phone that suits you best and not just push you to the ‘hot’ ones just to have sales.

Allphones’ stores also look simplistic and the ambiance is so inviting. Their store layout is very neat, with no obstructions at all on the entrance. They also have units on display which you can actually try and not just look at.

Just like what I’ve said, you can buy phones at Allphones with postpaid plans. As of the moment, they only offer Globe Postpaid plans, and they even have some exclusives! For instance, you can get the Sony Xperia Z at Allphones with a Globe Postpaid plan. If I remember correctly, it’s free at Plan 2,499 and on Plan 1,799 with a P4,800 cash-out.

UPDATE: An employee from Allphones got in touch and told us that the Sony Xperia Z is temporarily not available. We’ll update this once we have more information.

Allphones now have three retail stores in Metro Manila. The first store is located at SM Marikina, which opened just last April 30. They also have stores in SM Cubao and Starmall EDSA-Shaw. They are planning to have more than 250 stores across the country within the next two years.

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Facebook’s Pages Manager app now out for Android

If you happen to be managing a Facebook page, then we have a good news for you. Facebook recently released the Pages Manager app for Android, which should come really useful for page managers out there.

Facebook Pages Manager allows you to post status updates, share photos, and respond to your users’ posts and comments on the go. It also allows you to read and send messages if you have it enabled on your page.

And what would be an official Facebook without notifications support? Yup, you can check your pages’ new notifications too. Lastly, you can check the insights and analytics for every post you’ve made on your page. The app supports multiple pages management.

You can get the Facebook Pages Manager app from the Google Play Store.

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Accessorize your Nokia Lumia with these colorful gears!

So you’ve got a Nokia Lumia, huh? Why not accessorize that thing with these colorful gears from Nokia? Black, magenta, cyan, or white, Nokia has you covered!

With the Nokia Purity HD Stereo Headset, you can listen to music for a long period of time without having your ears feel bad. With the advanced audio driver from Monster, music can never sound better on this headphones. It includes a ControlTalk cable which can control the currently playing media - designed to work with Windows Phones. It is also made with durable scratch-resistant materials, which makes its P7,250 price tag just right.

If you’re the type of person who likes in-ear headsets, then the Nokia Purity Stereo Headset is for you. It’s the same with the Purity HD but this one has the advantage of being small and pocketable. And, as with all other in-ear type headsets, it keeps the background noise away. It sells for P3,290 but you can get it for free with every purchase of a Nokia Lumia 900.

The Nokia Stereo Headset BH-111 is a sleek wireless headset which connects to your phone using Bluetooth. It connects to a square controller which has physical buttons which in turn you can use to control basic phone and media player functions like accepting calls. It has a P1,490 price tag and comes with a variety of colors like cyan, red, black, lime green, and white.

What if you want to have a small party at say your school? A handy-dandy speaker will surely do! The Nokia Play 360° does just that. With a built-in Bluetooth radio, you can play music from any place of the room with rich bass sounds. It is fueled by a 1,020 mAh battery which can last for up to 21 hours of music playback. But wait, there’s more! Partner it with another Play 360° and you’ve got yourself a portable Dolby surround speakers! How cool is that? It’s P5,500 cool.

So after partying all night with those accessories, you’ll probably ran out of charge on your phone. The Nokia Charger DC-16 saves the day! With its capacious 2,200 mAh charge capacity, you can charge your phone for almost 2 times. And with it’s 950 mA (0.95 A), charging your phone is fast. This candybar portable power charger costs just P1,100.

So now you’ve seen a barrage of accessories, head to your nearest store to get one of these!

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iTunes Store Opens in the Philippines and Eleven Other Countries

There are reports going on right now that Apple will have a launch event this day at Hong Kong where they will announce the expansion of it’s iTunes Store to seven Asian countries. And, here’s a good news – iTunes Store is already apparently live here in the Philippines as well as the other countries stated hours before the announcement!

Opening iTunes on your computer and clicking on the iTunes Store tab on the left will take you to the updated homepage which shows Music titles. With the opening of the iTunes Store in the Philippines, users can now purchase music, movies, and books and even rent movies.

Another good news is that the price matrix for the titles here in the country seems to be lower than that of in the US iTunes Store. For example, Maroon 5’s Walk the Moon album costs $6.99 in the US store, while in the PH iTunes Store it will only cost you $4.99. That also translates to lower price per song title, which is at $0.69 a pop in the PH store while it’s $1.29 in the US store. Movie titles have the same price matrix though with titles having a standard $14.99 price tag.

The opening of the iTunes Store in the country means that people who want to buy music, movies, or other contents previously not available in the PH iTunes Store can now do so without signing up for a US iTunes account. The countries included in the opening are the following: Brunei, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Vietnam. We are just waiting for Apple’s press release which should be available later today for more details.

UPPDATE: Well it seems Apple has even added a dedicated OPM (Original Pilipino Music) section on the iTunes Store. Singles costs $0.99 each. Check it out.

UPDATE 2: Apple has already posted a press release and they are actually opening the iTunes Store to a total of 12 countries today including the Philippines.

UPDATE 3: iTunes Match is also present in today’s opening. Subscriptions cost $24.99 per year.

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Nokia Asha 202 Available Now

Another entry-level phone from Nokia lands in stores! This time it's the Nokia Asha 202, which was announced on Mobile World Congress last February.

The Nokia Asha 202 is a dual-SIM touch and type phone that features the Easy Swap technology by Nokia. Easy Swap means you don't have to turn-off your phone just to change your SIM cards. I've tried it on out C2-03 and it really comes handy.

It also comes with 40 EA games for free that you can download at Nokia Store. Among the titles included are Tetris, Need for Speed The Run, Bejeweled, any many more!

Nokia Asha 202 Specifications and Features
2.4-inch LCD touch screen display with 320x240 screen resolution
2 Megapixels camera, f2.4 aperture
Dual-SIM
Up to 32 GB memory with microSD
1020mAh of battery - BL-5C
5 hrs of talk time, 25 hrs of music playback time
GSM / EDGE - 900/1800
Bluetooth 2.1
FM radio
S40 OS

The Nokia Asha 202 is now available at Nokia Stores for only P3,550.

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Nokia Lumianation in the Philippines: The Grand Launch

Yesterday night was a very amazing night for me. Why? Because I was at the very awesome event that I've ever attended in my life! Nokia held their grand launch for the four Nokia Lumia devices at the Bonifacio High Street Central.

The event was attended by people from the traditional and online media, telecom partners and distributors, as well as some people that were luckily picked from Nokia's Facebook page. The venue was designed with colorful Lumia accents with tiles pattern.

The main highlight of the event was the super wowesome 4D projection, similar to what they did in UK. Take a look.

Sorry for the low quality video. I forgot to change the resolution to 720p. Anyway, Nokia took us back in time with a short recap of their long history of innovation dating from 1998. Windows Phone and Nokia Lumia features such as the People hub and Nokia Drive were also shown off at the 4D projection at the Amphitheater building.

Nokia also gave away several Lumia devices including a 900 at the attendees. I was literally 1 number close to winning a Lumia 610. Ha!

Back to the phones, the Nokia Lumia 900 will be coming out in June with the SRP off P27,990 which also comes with a Nokia Purity Headset by Monster. The most affordable Nokia Lumia, the Lumia 610 is now available at Nokia Stores for only P10,980; the Lumia 710 on Unlimited Data Plan 1000 from Smart; the Lumia 800 on Globe on their Unli Surf Combo Plan 1799 and also available at Nokia Stores for P23,500.

Fly All Over the Country for Free with Nokia Lumia
And to celebrate the launch of the Lumia devices, Nokia has teamed up with Microsoft and Philippine Airlines for the Nokia Lumia - PAL Promo where you can win unlimited PAL flights to the top local destinations in the country such as Legaspi, Kalibo, Cebu, Tagbilaran, Davao, and Puerto Princesa!

You must be a Nokia Lumia owner to join this promo. To start, just text I CAN LUMIA <YOUR NOKIA LUMIA IMEI>/<FULL NAME>/<ADDRESS> and send it to 2600 for Globe and Smart subcribers.

All purchases made from May 18 to June 15, 2012 from Nokia, Globe, and Smart, and other participating retail stores are eligible. Travel period is from July 1, 2012 to July 1, 2013. The raffle draw will be held on June 17, 2012. 

*Terms and conditions apply.

So there you go Nokia fans! Be a part of the Lumianation now!

Before I forgot, let me tell you that I spotted two Nokia 808 PureView at the event. First one is when I was being photographed, an unknown guy stood beside the photographer and also took a photo of me. My brother then whispered, "Kuya, yung ginamit na pang-picture sayo Nokia 808 PureView." The last one was when we're already leaving. Unfortunately I didn't had the chance to get a hands-on. Well, there's always next time.

More event photos below.

Just arrived at the venue. Doing some last minute set-ups.

People starting to arrive.

The Amazing Splash Wall where people get to pop small balloons filled with colorful inks.

The bar list.

The colorful stage with some giant rubik's cube. No?

The aftermath of the Amazing Splash Wall. So wonderful.

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The New iPad is Coming Soon on May 29

Look what we have here. The new iPad is set to be released here in the Philippines on the 29th this month. The new iPad is going to be available at the Apple Online Store, Apple Premium Resellers, and Globe Telecom. No news yet if Smart will also carry this on their lineup, but we'll see.

The new iPad is yet to be released in China and Indonesia. Expected pricing will be as follows:

iPad 16 GB Wi-Fi - P23,990
iPad 32 GB Wi-Fi - P28,990
iPad 64 GB Wi-Fi - P32,990
iPad 16 GB Wi-Fi + Cellular - P30,990
iPad 32 GB Wi-Fi + Cellular - P35,990
iPad 64 GB Wi-Fi + Cellular - P40,990

Via: YugaTech

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Nokia Lumia 900 to Retail for P29,777?

This just in. Mark Guim (@markguim) reports that the official SRP of the Nokia Lumia 900 is pegged at P29,777, according to Nokia Store at TriNoma.

Developing...

UPDATE: Sorry it's P29,777 NOT P27,999.

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Smart Starts Offering the iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS

In an unprecedented move, Smart has started to offer the iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS to its postpaid and prepaid subscribers.

The iPhone 4 and 3GS they are both offering is only the cheaper 8 GB variant. The two are now available on Smart on their iPhone Plans and Unlimited Data Plans. What bothers me though is that both devices has the same plan pricing! You can get one now for only zero pesos on the iPhone Plan 2499 and on Unlimited Data Plan 2000.

Another thing that was missed by Smart is the prepaid pricing of the iPhone 4. As of now, it retails for just P29,000. You can already get a 16 GB 4S with that sum of money!

Alright, enough rants for now.

UPDATE: Smart has update the plans and pricing details for the iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4. You can now get your own iPhone 3GS for only P5,000 on Unlimited Data Plan 999 or P2,000 on Unlimited Data Plan 1,500. There's still no info on the prepaid price of it. Moreover, the iPhone 4 goes for as low as P8,000 on Unlimited Data Plan 1500 or P20,000 on Unlimited Data Plan 999. They also stock an 8 GB iPhone 4 in white!

UPDATE 2: I did a bit of research on Apple's website and found out that an unlocked 8 GB iPhone 3GS sells for $375, which translates to about P16,000. Its slightly older brother - the unlocked 8 GB iPhone 4 sells for $549 which is about P23,500. So there you have it - a price comparison between Smart and Apple.

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Temple Run for Android Now Available on Google Play Store!

Run for your life! The addictive mega-hit Temple Run is now out for Android! All your friends are playing it - can you beat their high scores?!

As scheduled, the popular 'escape the monkeys' game is now available for Android devices! The game has racked up to 45 million whopping downloads on iOS! The game is very easy to play, you just need to swipe across the screen to control the character. For example to turn left or right, just swipe your finger horizontally across the screen. Likewise, slide your finger up or down to jump across the breaks or slide under the trees or fire.

Collect coins that you can use to buy power-ups and to unlock new characters.

Now what are you still doing here? Head on to Google Play Store and get it now! Let's see how far can you run.

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Samsung Galaxy Y Duos - A Dual-SIM Gingerbread for P8,990

The Samsung Galaxy Y Duos is a budget dual-SIM smartphone that runs on Android 2.3 Gingerbread OS. It is for young and practical consumers who want to manage their professional career and busy social life with affordable price.

It also provides users with multiple options to enrich their social lives. It features ChatON, Samsung’s unique cross-platform communication service that connects all mobile users into a single community. Users can also stay connected through Social Hub, which supports email, social network integration and instant messaging, displaying all of your communication in a single inbox.

Samsung Galaxy Y Duos Specifications and Features 
3.14-inch TFT LCD screen display with 320x240 (QVGA) screen resolution @ 127 ppi
Dual-SIM
3 Megapixels fixed-focus camera
832 MHz single-core processor
160 MB internal memory, 2 GB microSD included (expandable up to 32 GB)
384 MB of RAM
1,300 mAh battery capacity
GSM
3G / HSPA up to 7.2 Mbps
Wi-Fi
Bluetooth 3.0
A-GPS
Android 2.3 Gingerbread OS

The Samsung Galaxy Y Duos is only selling for an affordable price of P8,990! The power of 2 SIM cards, in one Android phone. Socialize, Work, and Play!

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Smart Unveils Budget Limited Edition Data Plan 1000

Smart recently unveiled last March 9 their new upcoming Limited Edition Data Plan 1000, a postpaid service which comes with an abundance of free minutes, SMS, and lastly, mobile data.

“This is an offer which combines a best-value plan with the best smartphone deal,” said Gio Bacareza, head of Broadband Internet and Data Services at Smart.

“This is a key component of our goal to enable all Smart subscribers to have access to the Internet through their phones -- because every Filipino, for that matter, should have access to the Internet.”

The LE Data Plan 1000 comes with 500 SMS to all networks, 500 minutes of calls to Smart phone numbers, and lastly - being a data plan - it comes with 1GB worth of mobile data, all of that for an MSF of only P1,000 for 24 months.

That doesn't end there. Smart is throwing in a number of high-end smartphones that you may only avail if you sign-up for a new contract. Among the list is the Samsung Galaxy Note, Nokia N9, HTC Sensation XE, among others. You can get one of those high-end phones or tablets for a low amortization fee. Check out the full list below.

	Monthly Fee for 24 months
Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray	₱500
Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0	₱800
BlackBerry Curve 9360	₱800
Samsung Galaxy Note	₱900
Samsung Galaxy Nexus	₱900
HTC Sensation XE	₱900
HTC Evo 3D	₱900
Nokia N9	₱900
BlackBerry Bold 9790	₱900
BlackBerry Bold 9900	₱1,300

Anyway, I find the monthly fee for the BlackBerry Bold 9900 a bit high. For a comparison, you can already get a 16GB iPhone 4S for only P999 per month, on Plan 999. So that settles at P1,998 monthly fee.

You may sign-up for the Smart Limited Edition Data Plan 1000 starting on March 15. And this being a limited edition plan, it will only be available until May 15, 2012.

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Samsung Galaxy Note Studio to Showcase the Phone-Tablet Hybrid

Samsung wants you to get to know more about the Galaxy Note. The Galaxy Note combines the luxuries of a tablet and the sensibilities of a normal smartphone, thus, it is now one of the most preferred smartphones by Filipinos.

Samsung will be doing a series of events at major malls in the country where they will showcase the things that you can do with the Samsung Galaxy Note. There will be close-up hands-on and demonstrations with experts. You can also take a rest while an artist draws a caricature of yourself, which you may then view live on an HD screen.

Samsung Galaxy Note Specifications and Features
5.3-inch Super AMOLED screen display with 1280x800 (WXGA) screen resolution @ 285 ppi
8 Megapixels main camera with LED flash, 2 Megapixel front-facing camera
1080p Full HD video recording @ 30 fps
16/32 GB internal memory, expandable with microSD up to 32 GB
1 GB of RAM
2,500 mAh battery capacity
GSM
3G / HSPA+ up to 21.1 Mbps
1.4 GHz dual-core processor
Android 2.3 Gingerbread OS (upgrade to ICS available in future)
S Pen stylus

Here's the date and venue details for the Samsung Galaxy Note Studio mall events:
February 18-19 - Greenbelt
February 24-26 - Eastwood
February 25-26 - Ayala Center Cebu
March 3-4 - Nuvali
March 10-11 - Glorietta
March 16-18 - SM Mall of Asia
March 19-24 - SM Megamall

Special discounts will be available to all prospective buyers at the said venues, and not to forget, special prizes!

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Nokia Asha 302: Specs, Price, Release Date in the Philippines

Nokia just announced the new Nokia Asha 302 at MWC. The Nokia Asha 302 is the first S40 phone to support the Mail for Exchange service that will give people the ability to sync their mail, contacts, and calendars on supported exchange servers. All that in a sub 100 Euro phone.

Nokia Asha 302 Specifications and Features
2.4-inch TFT screen display with 320x240 (QVGA) screen resolution
3.2 Megapixels camera
1 GHz processor
256 MB internal memory which is expandable up to 32GB thru micro-SD
128 MB of RAM
QWERTY keyboard
1430mAh of battery - BL-5J
9 hrs of talk time, 50 hrs of music playback time
GSM / EDGE - 850/900/1800/1900
3G/HSPA - 850/900/1700-2100/1900/2100
Mail for Exchange support

The Nokia Asha 302 has started to ship since the announcement and it is now available at Nokia Stores nationwide! The suggested retail price for the Nokia Asha 302 is ₱5,290.

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Nokia Asha 300 Hits Philippine Stores

Nokia Philippines announced today the launch and availability of the Nokia Asha 300. The Asha 300 is a touch and type phone, which allows you to easily text and message your friends and family with the good ol' alphanumeric keypad, and at the same time, gives you the ability to play games with it's touch screen.

“Our latest smart feature phone, the Nokia Asha 300, is one of Nokia’s lowest cost 3G phones,” said Dharmesh Goshalia, General Manager and Head of Sales, Nokia Philippines. “This again shows our commitment to bringing great experiences to people with different needs –from consumers to business users.”

Nokia Asha 300 Specifications and Features
Dual SIM
2.4-inch touch screen display with 320x240 (QVGA) screen resolution
5 Megapixels full focus (EDoF) camera with LED flash
140 MB internal memory which is expandable up to 32GB thru micro-SD
Alphanumeric keypad
FM radio
Generous 1110mAh of battery - BL-5J
6 hrs and 54 minutes of talk time
GSM / EDGE - 850/900/1800/1900
3G / HSPA - 850/900/1900/2100
Preloaded with Angry Birds game

The Nokia Asha 300 is now available at Nokia Stores nationwide with a suggested retail price (SRP) of P4,890.

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Samsung Launches the NX200 Compact System Camera in the Philippines: Specs, Price, Release Date

Samsung Philippines just announced their new NX200 for the local launch in the country. The NX200 is a new compact system camera that can deliver professional standard photography. Equipped with a 20.3 Megapixels APS-C CMOS sensor, a 3.0-inch AMOLED display with 640x480 resolution, and Samsung's unique i-Function lens, the NX200 will let you easily capture high quality images without the need to carry huge equipment. It is also capable of capturing full HD videos (1920x1080) at 30 frames per second.

The NX200 also features the Smart Panel, which will make taking perfect pictures simple and fuss-free, even for first-time users. An intuitive control comes from the camera’s Smart Panel featuring a Hot Key, enabling users to jump easily to key functions without the need to scroll through confusing menus to get to their desired shot.

The Samsung NX200 is now available in the Philippines for P39,990.

Premium Style Meets Professional Performance with the Samsung NX200

Capture your memorable images in the best picture quality, with the Samsung NX200

Samsung Electronics Philippines Corporation, one of the country’s leaders in digital media and digital convergence technology, finally announces the launch of the Samsung NX200, a new compact system camera that delivers professional standard photography.

The Samsung NX200 guarantees an easy experience that lets you unleash your creativity to the fullest. It features premium functions such as a 20.3 Megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor with 3.0” VGA AMOLED Display, High Speed Capture, Wide Range ISO (100-12800), Full HD movie recording and Samsung’s unique i-Function Lens. With NX200’s high-performance features built into a compact premium metallic design, you no longer have to compromise style with high quality images.

The NX200 is the perfect combination of design and professional performance, delivering DSLR quality imaging in a camera that is compact and easy to use. The camera’s 20.3 Megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor developed in-house by Samsung ensures high quality imaging and places high performance at the fingertips of all photographers. To allow for high speed capture, the NX200 achieves 100ms Advanced AF speed. With its Fast Boot and seven frames per second continuous shooting, the NX200 is the perfect tool to capture that split-second action in an instant.

In addition, the camera’s Wide Range ISO (100-12800, covering seven steps) gives life-like color and sharp details even in dark environments. To capture movement on video, the NX200 also features 1920x1080/30p (H.264) Full HD movie recording. All these are incorporated into a compact and sleek body with premium metal design, light enough to be carried anywhere. Also, the high quality images you captured can be viewed instantly in brilliant quality with its 3.0” VGA AMOLED display.

The NX200 also enables state-of-the-art usability through Samsung’s i-Function 2.0 lenses which allow the users to control a range of parameters from the lens without having to take their eyes off the shot. The NX200 is fully compatible with the wide range of nine different i-Function lenses allowing quick and easy toggling of shutter speed, aperture, EV, WB, and ISO through the ring and button on the lens. With the upgraded i-Function 2.0 on the NX200, users can also control six different Smart Filters and the intelli-Zoom function from the lens while in Lens Priority Mode. New lenses for the i-Function system include 18-200mm, 16mm, 60mm and 85mm focal lengths.

Mr. Ariel T. Arias commented: “With the NX range we have pioneered the compact system camera that allows any user to get the results that they’ve always wanted from their pictures without having to manage complicated controls or carry heavy, clunky equipment. The NX200 is the next step in providing the ambitious amateur with first-class picture quality through the combination of professional-standard features. With technology like this built into a stylish and compact body, the NX200 is the ultimate tool for achieving professional quality in a compact camera.”

He added: “The NX200 represents Samsung’s continued commitment to leading the way in making cutting-edge technology fit to the needs and knowledge of the consumer – proving technology does not need to be complicated to deliver great results, every time.”  

Effortless creativity

One of the key ways in which Samsung’s NX200 stands out is by making it easy for users to realize their own creativity through a range of fun and easy-to-use features and settings. The camera features ten different Smart Filter effects, six of which can be easily accessed through the i-Function lens, allowing the user to capture a uniquely creative image of their object without having to take their eyes off it in order to change the filter. The new NX200 also includes Magic Frame technology, which enables the user to encapsulate their pictures with thirteen different frames, from magazine covers to holiday themes for fun sharing of images with family and friends.

Professional standards made simple

With its Smart Panel, the NX200 makes taking perfect pictures simple and fuss-free, even for first-time users. An intuitive control comes from the camera’s Smart Panel featuring a Hot Key, enabling users to jump easily to key functions without the need to scroll through confusing menus to get to their desired shot.

Expanding horizons

The NX200 enables users to capture even more from their experiences by using exciting new features and cutting-edge Samsung technology. The new Panorama function means that users can take lengthened shots of large or wide objects or turn the image into a 3D scene, bringing the object to life. To capture even more of the moment for posterity, Samsung has also added the Sound Picture function to the NX200, so that a snippet of sound can be recorded to accompany a still image to add even more memories to a photograph.

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Official! Premium Contents Now Available on Nokia Store in the Philippines

We just received the official press release regarding the paid (premium) contents availability on Nokia Store here in the Philippines.

You may now buy premium apps just by using your prepaid credits or be charged on your phone bill. For now, the operator billing is only available for Globe subscribers, but it should be available for Smart users soon. The Nokia Store currently racks up to 11 million downloads daily. Some of the most downloaded apps and games in the Philippines are Facebook Chat, Skype, Adventure of Ted, and eBuddy. There are also 3 publishers from the Philippines who already have more than 1 million downloads at the store. Those are Y&R Philippines, MRM Studios, and Octacore Games.

Nokia Store offers Filipinos opportunity to purchase premium apps

Currently an exclusive offer to Globe subscribers

Nokia, the global leader in mobile communications, marks another milestone as it partners with Globe Telecom to make its premium apps available for purchase for Globe subscribers.

Using the telco’s automated billing system, Globe subscribers using Nokia mobile phones and smartphones can now purchase premium games, apps, and other content from the Nokia Store much easier because costs will be charged to their postpaid phone bill or prepaid load account.

“Nokia Store provides consumers with mobile content and applications from some of the most recognized developers and publishers around the world. We are focused on having the right apps with the right quality to enhance the experience on Nokia mobile phones and smartphones. Free apps were a hit with consumers but others wanted more and we are excited to have found a partner in Globe, the first local operator to offer premium apps to its subscribers," said Dharmesh Goshalia, general manager and head of sales, Nokia Philippines.

Glenn Estrella, Head for Digital Media of Globe Telecom explains further, “With the integration of the Nokia Store into our secure billing system interface, we are able to provide our subscribers a convenient and worry-free way to purchase premium content like apps, games, ringtones, productivity tools, movie trailers and more from the Nokia Store without the need for credit card or direct cash payments. The cost for apps purchased from the store will be charged to their postpaid phone bill or from their prepaid credits.”

This exciting development is expected to further strengthen Nokia’s position as a trustworthy brand that meets consumer needs, provides practical and convenient services, and enables a powerful mobile experience.

To get started, Globe subscribers simply need to visit store.nokia.mobi from their device browser. They will be prompted to download the Nokia Store application. Once registered, they can start downloading great content and applications for a wide range of Nokia devices from mobile phones to smartphones.

To date, Nokia Store is seeing strong growth with more than 11 million global downloads per day. This milestone is a result of the increased demand for mobile content and the growing number of new apps and partner developers, complemented by new consumers signing up for Nokia Store.

In the Philippines, some of the most popular applications downloaded for 2011 were Facebook Chat, an application that allows users to chat with their Facebook friends on their mobile; Skype, which allows users to call or text for free to families or friends abroad; AdventureOfTed, an exciting game that will make you jump, run and kick the enemies to bring Ted safely home; and eBuddy Messenger, a chat app that allows you to talk with your friends on MSN, Facebook, Yahoo!, GTalk and more.

The Nokia Store is also gaining significant momentum for software developers here and abroad. More than 177 developers have achieved over 1 million downloads via Nokia Store, with 3 coming from the Philippines. These top three local app developers are Y&R Philippines, who published the Ovi Theme-spirations phone themes, Music Mix and WatchNow among others; MRM Studios, publisher of top-quality phone themes, ringtones, karaoke music and other multimedia content, and Octacore Games, developer of popular and top downloaded paid games The Tallest Ice Cream, Pharaoh’s Tomb and Nice Fruits.

With the local implementation of the Nokia Store automatic billing solution, Nokia continues to pursue its commitment of providing user-friendly, affordable devices and more importantly, in providing mobile content and innovative services.

About Nokia
Nokia is a global leader in mobile communications whose products have become an integral part of the lives of people around the world. Every day, more than 1.3 billion people use their Nokia to capture and share experiences, access information, find their way or simply to speak to one another. Nokia’s technological and design innovations have made its brand one of the most recognized in the world. For more information, visit http://www.nokia.com.ph.

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Nokia Philippines Starts the New Year With a New General Manager

Dharmesh Goshalia, General Manager and Head of Sales Nokia Philippines

Nokia Philippines started the 2012 with a thanksgiving party for media members and bloggers and other people last Thursday. Aside from the lunch, some fun games, talks about the Nokia Store and the other recently launched devices such as the Nokia Asha 200 and Asha 303, they also announced the new General Manager for the company, Dharmesh Goshalia, which really is the main highlight of the event.

They also discussed the recent change to the Nokia Store here in the Philippines, in which mobile phone users can now access and purchase premium contents, for the first time since the store opened in 2009. The Nokia Store is now seeing about 11 million global downloads daily. Price points in Nokia Store are in Philippine Peso (PHP), from P20, P30, P50, P75, P100, P150 to as much as P600 and P750! You can purchase apps hassle free thanks to Nokia's carrier billing that is available in many countries around the world now. At the moment Globe is the only network supporting the payment processing at Nokia Store, although Smart should be supported soon.

You can read the full press release below.

Nokia Philippines welcomes new General Manager

Nokia recently announced the appointment of Dharmesh Goshalia as General Manager of its Philippine office.  He will also handle the position of Head of Sales at the company.

As the new General Manager of Nokia Philippines, Goshalia or Gosh to colleagues brings with him formidable experience in business development, management and marketing across retail distribution and operator business from diverse markets.  Under his management, Nokia Philippines is looking at maintaining its market leadership in the country while continuing to innovate and keep pace with the needs of the market.

With his appointment, Gosh sets his sights on bringing his strong leadership and strategic decision-making skills to continue to drive Nokia’s success in the country.  “The mobile phone landscape in the Philippines is very dynamic and exciting, and we look forward to maintaining Nokia’s leadership position in the country.  Nokia has a long-running relationship with Filipino mobile users, and enjoys a huge gap over competitors in terms of preference, driven by its strong image as a trustworthy brand, meeting customer needs and being easy to use,” said Gosh.

According to Gosh, 2012 is another exciting year for Nokia as it delivers aspirational products that offer choice for consumers, with differentiation on quality and value for money.  “I’m excited to be at the center of all these amazing developments and look forward to further strengthening Nokia’s relationship with Filipino consumers and steer the company to achieve further success here,” added Gosh.

To date, Nokia continues to change the game in the smartphone business as it gears up to build a winning ecosystem with Microsoft.  The Nokia Lumia 800, Nokia Lumia 710 and Nokia Lumia 900 – all Windows Phone devices, have had good reception in the select markets that they’ve been introduced to.  Not to be left behind are the Symbian Belle devices like the Nokia 700 and Nokia 701 and the uniquely designed Nokia N9. 

In mobile phones, Nokia continues its drive to connect the next billion people to the Internet, introducing last year great devices and rich services to fulfill this commitment.  Among these devices are four Dual SIM handsets – the Nokia 101, Nokia X1-01, Nokia C2-00 and Nokia C2-03 and the more recent Asha range of QWERTY mobile phones, the Nokia Asha 303 and Nokia Asha 200 (also a Dual SIM phone), which blur the line between smartphones and feature phones.  Connecting to the Web and sharing with contacts has been made easier and more fun.  This will be backed up by more efficient services, like the Nokia Browser and Nokia Maps for Series 40, which both have been earning raves since last year.

With a very busy year ahead, Gosh is all geared up to face the challenges of his new position.  Gosh has been in the telecom industry for over 16 years – six of which has been spent with Nokia.  During those years, he has achieved building and reinforcing teams regardless of race and culture with his strong management skills and affinity for business cultures.  His experiences across Europe, Middle East and Africa have now led him to Asia, where he will easily adapt into diversity and cultural differences.      

Prior to his assignment to Nokia Philippines, Gosh was General Manager of Nokia Greece and Cyprus.  Coming onboard Nokia in 2006, Gosh has significantly contributed to the success in markets such as Nigeria, Egypt, Tunisia and other countries while heading the multimedia business unit for North and West Africa. 

Gosh has worked with Ericsson South Africa and Sweden, Protek Flagship South Africa and India and Smartcom Mobile Communication, among others where he has left a trail of success with people and business.

The Johannesburg-raised Gosh went to Rand Afrikaans University, where he finished Psychology in 1989. 

About Nokia
Nokia is a global leader in mobile communications whose products have become an integral part of the lives of people around the world.  Every day, more than 1.3 billion people use their Nokia to capture and share experiences, access information, find their way or simply to speak to one another.  Nokia’s technological and design innovations have made its brand one of the most recognized in the world.  For more information, visit http://www.nokia.com.ph.

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Get Your Free Facebook Business Cards From Moo

Okay, so here's a sweet stuff from Facebook. Have you upgraded your profile to the new Facebook Timeline yet? If not, then click here and follow the instructions there to get Timeline because I will show you how to get your Facebook business cards, for free!

Got timeline now? Okay. Here's how to get those cards. Enter http://facebook.com/yourfacebookusernamehere/info on your browser. If your username is neilrossgoco, then you should enter http://facebook.com/neilrossgoco/info. Now click the little tiny icon on the Contact Info box.

Now you will be taken to Moo to design and submit your order for free. Only the first box with 50 cards is free.

UPDATE: This is completely free, provided that you will choose the standard shipping option. I just ordered mine today and the shipping estimates is on February 14. Quite a long wait but hey, this is free! You can also choose the express shipping via DHL with a tracking for an additional £30 or something.

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Calling All Student Mobile App Developers

It's now early in the morning and I'm just writing this post about Nokia's Xtreme Java: National Inter-School Mobile App Development Challenge as I won't have any more time tomorrow to get this published.

Anyways, De La Salle University has collaborated with Nokia Philippines to organize this competition for the college students out there that will compete in this challenge. They need to form a team with 2-3 members each, along with their mentor. They should develop a game or location-based application and get that published on Nokia Store.


One winner for each Xtreme Java App Category will receive a Nokia Asha 303 plus P20,000 cash. Nokia will be also giving away special prices for the participants of this great app competition. The first 10 apps to be published will receive a Nokia C3-00 each! And the first five (5) individuals with minimum 3 apps published will each win a Nokia 500, P10,000 cash, and a Nokia Achiever Certification.

For more information about the Xtreme Java challenge, please visit http://netcentric.dlsu.edu.ph/xtremejava or read the full press release below.

Nokia challenges student mobile app developers

Do you have a unique app idea waiting to be developed? Join the Xtreme Java: National Inter-School Mobile App Development Challenge and have your creations published on Nokia mobile phones and win your share of cash and prizes worth P150,000!

Xtreme Java is a mobile app development competition among universities and colleges in the Philippines organized by De La Salle University, in collaboration with Nokia. It allows college-level students, in teams of 2-3 members with 1 mentor, to develop and publish their own utility game and location-based applications and receive great prizes.

Join the Xtreme Java Training and Kick-Off on January 14, 2011 from 9am – 5pm at Room 1103, Br. Andrew Gonzalez Hall, De La Salle University, 2401 Taft Ave., Manila.  Get an overview on Java ME, Game API, performance guidelines and Java security, learn how to develop and deploy Java ME applications and get an introduction on the Touch & Type UI.

If you miss the Kick-Off, you can still register at http://netcentric.dlsu.edu.ph/xtremejava until February 15, 2012.  Each college/university represented by mentors will be given a Nokia Store publisher account FREE of charge. You can choose to develop different applications following these 3 categories: Utility / Productivity Applications, Games, and Location-Based Applications.

To complete your registration, publish your Java app to Nokia Store and then submit the content ID until April 11, 2012. Apps submitted must be published on or before April 30, 2012.

One (1) winner for each Xtreme Java App Category will receive a Nokia Asha 303 plus P 20,000 cash!

What’s more, Nokia will be giving away special prices for the participants of this great app competition. The first ten (10) apps to be published will receive a Nokia C3-00 each! And the first five (5) individuals with minimum 3 apps published will each win a Nokia 500, P10,000 cash, and a Nokia Achiever Certification.

Participants should use the Nokia SDK for Java for the app development. It must support and successfully run on at least one Nokia Touch and Type and/or QWERTY device: Nokia X3-02, Nokia C3-01, Nokia C2-02, Nokia C2-03, Nokia Asha 303, Nokia C3-00 and Nokia X2-01.

Contestants can visit the Nokia Mobile Lab at Nokia Philippines office or NetCentric Laboratory at De La Salle University, College of Computer Studies to test their application. For more information about the Xtreme Java challenge, check out http://netcentric.dlsu.edu.ph/xtremejava.
   
About Nokia
Nokia is a global leader in mobile communications whose products have become an integral part of the lives of people around the world.  Every day, more than 1.3 billion people use their Nokia to capture and share experiences, access information, find their way or simply to speak to one another.  Nokia’s technological and design innovations have made its brand one of the most recognized in the world.  For more information, visit http://www.nokia.com.ph.

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