Smart introduces the Freedom Postpaid Plan

Smart Communications recently launched their newest postpaid plan offering this weekend. It’s called the Smart Freedom Plan.

The Smart Freedom Plan changes the way how postpaid plans work. It is targeted for budget-conscious people who likes the flexibility of prepaid plans. It has no fixed monthly charges, no required commitment or contract-signing, and the best part of it, hassle-free application.

The good thing about this plan is you can freely choose what talk, text, or data services (or promos/buckets) you want to use on your account and pay for it at the end of your billing cycle. Simply put, you make utang with Smart. If you don’t use your account for a month, then you don’t have an utang with Smart. Very simple, yes?

So what talk, text, and data services you can use with the Freedom Plan? A lot. Check out the table of services (promos/buckets) below.

CALL

Service Name	Keyword	Description	Price	Validity
UnliTalk 500	UNLITALK	unlimited calls to Smart	₱500.00	30 days
Trio Talk 150	TALK150	150 mins. of calls to Smart, Sun, Talk ‘N Text	₱150.00	15 days
Call to All 250	CALL250	100 mins. of calls to Smart, Globe, Sun, Talk ‘N Text, landline, U.S., Canada, Hong Kong & Singapore	₱250.00	15 days

TEXT

Service Name	Keyword	Description	Price	Validity
UnliText TRIO 200	TRITXT200	unlimited text to Smart, Sun & Talk ‘N Text	₱200.00	15 days
UnliText TRIO 350	TRITXT350	unlimited text to Smart, Sun & Talk ‘N Text	₱350.00	30 days
ALL Text 100	ALLTXT100	1000 texts to all networks + 75mb of mobile surfing	₱100.00	15 days
ALL Text 200	ALLTXT200	2000 texts to all networks + 150mb of mobile surfing	₱200.00	30 days

COMBO

Service Name	Keyword	Description	Price	Validity
Unli Call & Text Combo 400	CT400	unlimited calls & texts to Smart & Talk ‘N Text + 60 mins. to Sun	₱400.00	15 days
Unli Call & Text Combo 600	CT600	unlimited calls & texts to Smart & Talk ‘N Text + 90 mins. to Sun	₱600.00	30 days
Tri Net Combo 200	TRINET200	250 mins. of calls to Smart, Sun & Talk ‘N Text + 1000 texts to all networks + 75mb of mobile surfing	₱200.00	15 days
Tri Net Combo 400	TRINET400	500 mins. of calls to Smart, Sun & Talk ‘N Text + 2000 texts to all networks + 150mb of mobile surfing	₱400.00	30 days

DATA

Service Name	Keyword	Description	Price	Validity
UnliSurf 1000	SURF	unlimited mobile surfing	₱1000.00	30 days
Unli Blackberry Full 599	BB FULL	unlimited Blackberry services	₱599.00	30 days
Unli Blackberry Email 300	BB EMAIL	unlimited Blackberry email	₱300.00	30 days
Unli Blackberry Messenger 99	BBM ON	unlimited Blackberry Messenger + 30 mins. of calls to Smart & Talk ‘N text	₱990.00	30 days

The promos for the Freedom Plan are almost the same with the prepaid offers, unlike on the regular postpaid plans which either has fixed promos or just consumables. Just pick a promo and send in the keyword to 9990. Standard charges will apply if you are not subscribed to any promos above.

And to entice even more potential new subscribers, Smart is offering a 10% rebate for your first 6 billing cycle provided that you consume at least P300 worth of services a month and of course, that you have paid all of your previous monthly bills in full.

So, how do you apply you ask? Just visit any Smart Store and simply present a valid ID and tell them you want to apply for a free plan, no not free, Freedom Plan. Anyone can apply!

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5 Must Have Apps for Nokia Phones

Phones these days normally can download and run mobile software or simply, applications or apps. Luckily, not only those who have high-end phones can have those things. Most Nokia phones support a lot of apps and in fact, there’s even a storefront just for it. On this post, I will list the 5 apps that Nokia phone users should try.

1. JoikuSpot Wi-Fi Hotspot

The first on my list is definitely JoikuSpot. JoikuSpot simply fills the gap that Symbian smartphones have for a long time now – absence of built-in tethering support. The application is very straightforward and easy to use. Just tap or press the Start button and you instantly have a roving Wi-Fi hotspot! Additional settings are available like setting an encryption as well as limiting data usage.

Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆
Download Link/s: Symbian

 

2. MMDA

As a person who’s living in Metro Manila, the MMDA app for Nokia is also a must-have. Using this app, you can view the current traffic situation from major thoroughfares around the Metro, such as EDSA, C5, South Luzon Expressway, Roxas Blvd. and more. Three viewing options are available, the neat and simple System view; the Map view which you can pan around, and the Line view which lists out all sections of a given route. Did I mention it’s free?

Rating: ☆☆☆☆
Download Link/s: Symbian – N9 – S40

3. iTyphoon

Well, iTyphoon is a really handy and must-have app for everyone too! Being in the Philippines which hardly gets a break from typhoons, this app will just help us check out on where’s a typhoon currently is and it’s track. You can check out information on a particular storm system, it’s location and it’s distance from your location, as well as make a preparedness list. Overall, it gets the job done. Currently, this app is only available for S40 phones.

Rating: ☆☆☆☆
Download Link/s: S40 – Windows Phone

4. CNN

I like reading news and articles on what’s happening around, and the CNN app for Nokia does just that. It’s built beautifully and presents the content in a nice way. Videos on selected articles are available for you to watch. You can also submit news reports to CNN in the iReport section. Found an interesting piece? Sharing is just a couple taps away.

Rating: ☆☆☆☆
Download Link/s: Symbian – S40 – Windows Phone

5. Cut the Rope

A must-have apps list isn’t complete without a single game on it. So here am I adding Cut the Rope. My brains just like solving each of hundred levels on this game. The music is very catchy, and Om Nom is just too cute to resist! This game is really worth the money and has a lot of replay value. Bet you can’t solve them all.

Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆
Download Link/s: Symbian

BONUS!

Gravity – The best Twitter app for Symbian

And not to be forgotten by me, the best Twitter client for Symbian that I always use when I still own the N8. Gravity is just fast, simple, and it supports other social networking services too like Facebook, foursquare, and more. The best part is it supports most Symbian devices from the likes of Nokia E71 to the likes of Nokia 808 PureView.

Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆
Download Link/s: Symbian

And that’s my list of must-have essential apps for Nokia phones. Have you taken your pick yet?

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Google Handwrite lets you search easily with your own handwriting

Google rolled-out a nifty useful feature a while ago to it’s mobile search website called Handwrite.

Handwrite uses handwriting recognition to interpret your doodles, or writings in this case, to search. Activating the new feature is done by going to the mobile search settings on Google.com. After you’ve enabled Handwrite, a toolbar will appear when you open Google again. You can immediately start scribbling down your searches! I tried it and it recognized my cursive hello word but Google suggests users to type block letters for better accuracy.

It is available for iOS devices running iOS 5 and above and for Android devices running 2.3 Gingerbread (for phones) and Ice Cream Sandwich (for tablets).

Write away!

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Philippine Airlines to use iPads for In-Flight Entertainment

Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) announced that it will use iPads for their in-flight entertainment system soon.

Soon, travelers boarding their trans-Pacific flights can use Apple iPads to enjoy in-flight entertainment options such as movies, TV shows, music, games, and even magazines and newspapers. Only flights to four destinations on North America will be covered initially, however.

The iPads to be used will be customized to include PAL’s reading materials such as their Mabuhay magazine, safety card food menu, PAL promos, as well as content from other publications. Both business and economy classes travelers can use the new device for a minimal charge, which is not yet disclosed. Philippine Airlines worked closely with Apple Inc. to use iPads on their flights, which makes PAL the first Asian airline to do so.

Source: Philippine Airlines

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Apple releases Mac OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion

Heads up, Mac owners! Apple just flipped the switch and released the Mac OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion at the Mac App Store!

The Mac OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion highlights more than 200 new features which includes iCloud® integration, the all new Messages app, Notification Center, system-wide Sharing, Facebook integration*, Dictation, AirPlay® Mirroring and Game Center.

“People are going to love the new features in Mountain Lion and how easy it is to download and install from the Mac App Store,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “With iCloud integration, Mountain Lion is even easier to set up, and your important information stays up to date across all your devices so you can keep editing documents, taking notes, creating reminders, and continue conversations whether you started on a Mac, iPhone or iPad.”

Additional features include the Gatekeeper which safeguards you from malwares, Power Nap which does silent activities such as updates and iCloud syncing on your Mac when in sleep mode, and features for China.

You can get Mountain Lion right now at the Mac App Store (US Link, PH link) for only $19.99 or you can request a free copy of it if you purchased a Mac between June 11, 2012 to July 25, 2012.

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HTC Desire HD will not get a taste of Ice Cream Sandwich

In the past few days, reports from the grapevine are coming out that HTC’s 2010 flagship – the HTC Desire HD – won’t get an update to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. And finally, after numerous conflicting reports, HTC stood up and just confirmed that, yes, the HTC Desire HD will NOT receive an update to ICS.

HTC cites that after an extensive testing, the current Android and HTC Sense version is deemed as the one providing the best experience for the said device.

After extensive testing, we’ve determined that the current version of HTC Sense with Android provides customers with the best experience on the HTC Desire HD. When we consider new versions of software, we weigh a number of factors, but ultimately the customer experience on the product is the deciding factor. We apologize for any confusion this change may have caused our customers.

Any HTC Desire HD owners out there? What’s your reaction regarding this development?

Source: HTC

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Major PLDT outage affects DSL subscribers

PLDT is having a major network failure nationwide this day as it’s DSL services are down in the past couple of hours.

A quick call to 171 will give you a quick advisory that PLDT is having a major network failure.

”We regret to inform you that customers of south of Metro Manila, Visayas, and Mindanao may experience difficulties in connections due to a major network failure. Our engineers are working hard to restore it as soon as possible.”

We have been having problems with our line since late last night. We’ll post an update as soon as the services are back up.

UPDATE: Services in Visayas and Mindanao has been restored but things are still problematic in Metro Manila. [7/25/2012]

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Is the Samsung SGH-i687 the first Windows Phone 8 device by Samsung?

When Microsoft previewed the Windows Phone 8 back in June, they listed 4 OEMs that will be part of it. Among those 4 is Samsung. And, what we have here is what seems to be their first Windows Phone 8 device.

That is the Samsung SGH-i687. It was revealed on Samsung’s UAProf webpage a few days ago. The UAProf mentions a few specs of the said device. First is that it will have a screen with a WVGA (800x480) resolution, so maybe we are looking at a low-end or mid-tier smartphone here. It will also have Internet Explorer 10 on board – it clearly runs on Windows Phone 8. It will support both HSPA+ and LTE, 2-in-1 4G anyone? And to end this, Object Push on its Bluetooth profiles. Yes, that is simply file transfer.

I can’t wait to see what Samsung and Microsoft has to offer on Windows Phone 8!

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Nokia Asha 305 now shipping

Nokia has announced that the affordable Nokia Asha 305 is now available in the Philippines.

The Nokia Asha 305 is one of Nokia's new feature phones with smartphone-like features. It runs on the revamped S40 operating system which is now optimized for full touchscreen devices. There are some new features introduced to it like the notifications center, a new homescreen, and the swipe UI similar to the N9. And of course, the highlight of this phone is that it has a dual SIM card slot.

Nokia Asha 305 Features and Specifications
3-inch TFT LCD screen with 400x240 resolution
2 Megapixels fixed-focus camera
Dual SIM
GPRS/EDGE - 900/1800
Bluetooth 2.1
FM Radio
2 GB microSD card included, expandable up to 32 GB
Accelerometer
1110 mAh battery capacity (528 hours (22 days) standby time)
Nokia S40 (Asha) OS

The Nokia Asha 305 is now available at Nokia Stores for only P3,890. You can choose from silver white, red, mid blue, and dark grey colors.

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HTC Desire C – An Android Ice Cream Sandwich Phone for P10,990

HTC’s newest entry-level phone, the HTC Desire C, is probably the phone for budget-minded consumers who are looking for a decent-spec’ed smartphone.

The HTC Desire C incorporates the Desire lineup’s youthful and curvy design from the previous years. The Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich OS running on this phone is powered by a single-core processor clocked at 600 MHz, assisted by a 512 Mb of RAM. And, as with almost all other HTC smartphones this year, the HTC Desire C carries the Beats Audio™ technology. Camwhores fret not, this has a 5 Megapixels autofocus camera.

HTC Desire C Features and Specifications
3.5-inch screen with 480x320 (HVGA) resolution
5 Megapixels autofocus camera
600 MHz single-core processor
512 Mb of RAM
4 GB internal memory, expandable with a microSD
Proximity sensor
Ambient light sensor
Accelerometer
NFC (market dependent)
HSPA - 900/2100 MHz
GSM - 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
Beats Audio™
1230 mAh battery capacity
98 grams
HTC Sense™ 4
Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich OS

The HTC Desire C is now available at HTC Concept Stores and other authorized retailers for P10,990. Colors that you can choose from are red, black, and white.

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Windows Phone 7.5 CR2 (aka Tango) update now available for Nokia Lumia 710 and 800

Heads up Nokia Lumia 710 and 800 owners, the update to Windows Phone 7.5 Commercial Release 2 which is widely know as Tango is now available for devices distributed in the Philippines.

If you happen to have either a Lumia 710 or a Lumia 800 with a product code listed below, then it’s time to connect your phone to Zune!

Nokia Lumia 710
059N6W2 – Country Variant
059P2T1 – Smart
059P2T2 – Smart

Nokia Lumia 800
059N6W8 – Country Variant
059P284 – Country Variant
059P2C0 – Country Variant
059P2H7 – Country Variant
059P2M4 – Globe
059P2S9 – Globe
059P2T0 – Globe

You can look for your phone’s product code underneath the battery (on Lumia 710) or on the SIM card tray (on Lumia 800). The whole update process takes about 20-30 minutes.

I’ve been rocking this update for about two weeks now and it brings not much changes, only the long overdue Internet Tethering, flip-to-silence in calls, and a couple of bug fixes. Windows Phone 7.5 Mango CR2 is pre-loaded on the Lumia 610 and 900.

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LG Optimus 4X HD arriving later this month

The LG Optimus 4X HD is finally set to debut in the Philippines this month.

Announced back in February at MWC, the LG Optimus 4X HD features NVidia's Tegra 3 quad-core processor which is clocked at 1.5 GHz, a 4.7-inch True HD IPS display, an 8 Megapixels auto-focus camera with a 1.3 Megapixel one on the front, and a large 2,150 mAh battery with their proprietary SiO+ technology. LG will also add an Eco Mode application thru a software update in the future which users can use to manually disable each individual core of their phone for a better control of the phone’s battery life.

It is loaded with LG’s Optimus UI 3.0 which includes QuickMemo. It allows the user to instantly doodle notes on the screen without having to leave the app they are using. LG also added the Time Catch Shot feature on the camera app, which works by letting you select the best shot among the images taken before you press the shutter key.

LG Optimus 4X HD P880 Features and Specifications
4.7” True HD IPS Display @ 313 ppi
1.5GHz NVidia Tegra 3 Quad Core
2,150 mAh SiO+ Battery
Quick Memo
Media Plex
1 GB of  RAM
16 GB internal memory, microSD up to 64 GB
8 Megapixels auto-focus camera with LED flash, 1.3 Megapixel front-facing
Bluetooth 4.0 HS+
USB 2.0 HS
HDMI (MHL – Mobile High Definition Link)
A-GPS
NFC
Wi-Fi
Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich OS

The LG Optimus 4X HD will land on the 3rd week of July and will sell for P27,990.

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Samsung GALAXY Tab 2 7.0 now available, price starts at just P12,990

Heads up Samsung fans! If you are currently looking for an affordable tablet and can’t wait no more for Google’s Nexus 7 to land here, then look no other than Samsung’s GALAXY Tab 2 7.0!

The Samsung GALAXY Tab 2 7.0 has a 7-inch WSVGA (1024x600) screen, a 1 GHz dual-core processor which may seem outdated compared to this year’s tablet standards. It runs on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich but it will be probably (or should be – no info has been announced yet) updated to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean in the future. As with the other GALAXY Tab 2’s, this is equipped with a 3 Megapixels main shooter and a VGA one on the front.

The Samsung GALAXY Tab 2 7.0 is now available in the Philippines for only P12,990.

Samsung GALAXY Tab 2 7.0 Specifications and Features
7-inch PLS TFT screen with 1024x600 (WSVGA) resolution @ 170ppi
1 GHz dual-core processor
1 GB of RAM
8 / 16 / 32 GB of storage, microSD card support for up to 32 GB
3 Megapixels primary camera, VGA front-facing
HSPA+ 850/900/1900/2100 up to 21 Mbps (optional, separate model)
Bluetooth 3.0
USB 2.0 Host
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
Wi-Fi Direct
Accelerometer
Digital Compass
Proximity Sensor
A-GPS
Glonass
4,000 mAh of battery capacity
Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich OS

Samsung Philippines also announced the availability of the other GALAXY Tab 2 models – the Samsung GALAXY Tab 2 7.0 3G which retails for P16,990 and the Samsung GALAXY Tab 2 10.1 3G which retails for P22,990. Not bad for the pricing of these tablets eh? Now the waiting game for the Jelly Bean update starts. We’ll keep you posted about that!

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Someone at Nokia has leaked the Lumia 801

This is just a quick post. Apparently, someone at the Nokia Support Discussions forum 'leaked' the supposed successor to the Lumia 800, the Lumia 801. The leak was revealed in a post for the announcement of the Nokia Network Setup app for Windows Phone.



This is just not a simple typo error as it explicitly lists 5 Lumia devices when there are only 4 right now.

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Cebu Pacific to offer in-flight Wi-Fi with OnAir

This is a good news to frequent travelers out there who always fly with Cebu Pacific.

Cebu Pacific will start to implement in-flight Wi-Fi on their A330 fleet by Q3 2013. The low-cost carrier will partner with OnAir to offer internet connection on it’s long-haul international flights, which makes them the first LCC to roll-out this kind of service in South East Asia.

“Cebu Pacific’s focus on social media makes inflight connectivity an obvious option, both so that passengers can stay connected throughout their journey, and so the airline can continue reaching its passengers,” said Ian Dawkins, CEO of OnAir. OnAir uses Inmarsat’s SwiftBroadband network, which can only have a maximum speed of 432kbps – so don’t get your hopes high yet of making FaceTime calls while you’re high up above.

If you are scratching your head and wondering how in-flight internet connection works, here’s a quick explanation. Users would connect to a Wi-Fi network on-board or thru wired Ethernet. Data requests would be then processed by the server on the plane, transmit it to the ground via satellite, and relay it to the infrastructure on the ground which also processes the payment made by the customers as well as handle the traffic.

No info has been made available at this time on how much the service would cost. Cebu Pacific will also have the option to roll this out to their A320 short-haul aircrafts in the next phase.

Source/s: OnAir, Cebu Pacific
Via: Digital Spidey

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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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