Monday, October 29, 2012

Acer also offering P700 gift card for Windows 8 upgrades

It seems Acer is also feeling generous for their customers holiday Windows 8 season and is now handing out gift cards to cover the Windows 8 upgrade for recent buyers.

Acer Windows 8 Offer

Customers who buy an eligible Acer notebook or desktop from October 10 to November 30, 2012 will receive a gift card worth P700, just enough for the $14.99 (approximately P630.00) Windows 8 upgrade. Just refer to the images below for the complete details.

Eligible Models

Date:         3 Nov 2004

Terms & Conditions

Acer Windows 8 Offer - Terms & Conditions

Source: Acer

Nokia Asha 309 now available in stores

Nokia Philippines just announced that the Nokia Asha 309 is now available for purchase at retail stores.

1200-nokia-asha-309_03

The Nokia Asha 309 is the newest member of their affordable touchscreen phones lineup. As with every other Asha phone, it comes with the Nokia Xpress browser which compresses data by up to 90% to help save in data costs. It has a fluid ‘swipe’ user interface which is quite similar to that of the N9, which makes navigation fast and easy. The phone will come with access to 40 EA games for free, which you save in your phone’s memory or in a microSD. The phone can take up to 32GB of memory.

The Asha 309 comes in black and white flavors and is priced at P4,790. See full press release for more.

Nokia Asha 309 Specifications and Features
3-inch capacitive LCD touchscreen with WQVGA (400x240) resolution
2 Megapixels camera
GSM / EDGE - 900/1800
64Mb internal memory
128Mb mass memory
Up to 32Gb memory using microSD
Wi-Fi
Bluetooth 3.0
1110 mAh battery capacity
Nokia S40 (Asha Touch) OS

Sunday, October 28, 2012

HP offering P1,000 gift card for eligible notebooks towards Windows 8 upgrade

Do you recently purchased an HP notebook that came preinstalled with Windows 7 and felt bummed to find out that you have to shell out $14.99 just to upgrade it to Windows 8?

HP Windows 8 Offer

Well, get happy now as HP is offering a P1,000 gift card to buyers of eligible notebooks from October 23 until November 30, 2012 to cover the amount.

If your notebook happen to belong to the eligible models listed below, just ready the following: Photocopy of End-user invoice showing the date of purchase/transaction, SR name, invoice number, end-user name and contact details (including email address), product model purchased with serial number, reseller name and branch location, the original cut-out serial number sticker, and a photocopy of end-user’s valid ID and present it to the claim point which is located at the HP Store SM Megamall and claim your gift card. You can then use it to purchase Windows 8 Pro for $14.99 (approximately P630.00) at http://windowsupgradeoffer.com/en-PH. The gift card is valid until December 31, 2013 but the $14.99 Windows 8 upgrade period is only until January 31, 2013, take note of that.

Eligible HP Notebooks
HP Envy 4-1003TU
HP Envy 4-1009TX
HP Envy 4-1047TX
HP Envy 4-1048TX
HP Envy 4-1054TX
HP Envy 4-1055TX
HP Folio 13-1001TU
HP Folio 13-1013TU
HP Pavilion G4-1204AX
HP Pavilion DM1-4012TU
HP Pavilion DM1-4209AU
HP Pavilion DM4-3001TX
HP Pavilion DM4-3107TX
HP Pavilion DV4-3106TX
HP Pavilion DV4-3107TX
HP Pavilion DV4-5012TX
HP Pavilion DV6-6157TX
HP Pavilion DV6-6168TX
HP Pavilion DV6-6c06TX
HP Pavilion DV6-7014TX
HP Pavilion G4-1214TX
HP Pavilion G4-1215TX
HP Pavilion G4-1314TX
HP Pavilion G4-1342TX
HP Pavilion G4-1345TX

Source: HP

Saturday, October 27, 2012

HTC One X Jelly Bean update now rolling out

HTC has started rolling-out the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update for the One X users.

HTC One X Jelly Bean Update 2HTC One X Jelly Bean Update

The update is now gradually rolling out to customers in Taiwan and Singapore and will be also available in other countries. The build number is 3.14.709.16 which of course brings Android 4.1.1 with it. The OTA update weighs a hefty 350Mb, so make sure you hook up to a Wi-Fi network if you have a limited data available.

According to HTC North Asia General Manager Jack Tong, the Jelly Bean update will also make it to the One S a little bit later, though the exec did not mention any specific date.

HTC One X users, have you upgraded to Android Jelly Bean yet?

UPDATE: Added direct link for the update below. As usual, flash at your own risk.

Source: HTC, XDA Developers, PocketDroid

Friday, October 26, 2012

Part deux: Alleged iPad mini pricing for the Philippines surfaces again

Five days after we published the alleged pricing of the iPad mini for the Philippines, the same tipster has sent us another photo again.

IMG_1022

The tipster went ahead and took a photo, this time, of the Philippine online Apple Store showing the same selection page as before. The alleged pricing is still the same, which starts at P16,990 for the 16GB Wi-FI model and goes for as much as P32,990 for the 64GB Wi-Fi + Cellular model. It still says it will start shipping on November. I tried accessing the link showed on the photo but it only redirected me to the iPad landing page of the online store and did not gave a ‘Page not found’ error, hinting that the URL is in fact real and not just live yet.

So, people, if the iPad mini is really going to be priced this way, would you still get one?

Rockstar announces Grand Theft Auto: Vice City for iOS & Android

Rockstar Games will be celebrating the 10th anniversary of the release of the Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.

Grand Theft Auto Vice City for iOS and Android

The company will be releasing never-before-seen artworks of the game and a new anniversary trailer as well, which will highlight the iconic scenes and music from the game. Moreover, they will be selling commemorative items at their website for a limited time, with some online giveaways giving people a chance to get some for free.

Similar to what Rockstar did with the 10th anniversary of the GTA III, they will also launch a mobile version of the Grand Theft Auto: Vice City which will be available on select iOS and Android devices. The mobile version will have the full experience as the desktop and console versions, featuring high-resolution graphics and enhancements that are unique to the iOS and Android version. It will be available later this fall.

Source: Rockstar Games

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Review: Windows Phone 8

Microsoft unveiled the Windows Phone 7 in 2010, which was a huge move away from the then-aging Windows Mobile. It was considered a big reboot of Microsoft in the mobile space. Fast forward to 2012, they ultimately did a reboot again, this time with the Windows Phone 8.

“Existing Windows Phone 7 devices won’t be able to update to Windows Phone 8.”

Windows Phone 8 breaks away with Windows Phone 7 as it did to Windows Mobile — well, at least for things under the hood. It now shares the core with Windows 8, its desktop counterpart. It can now accommodate more powerful hardware which the previous version did not do, like multi-core processor support and higher resolution screens. It also shares some of the experiences you get with Windows 8, like the modern UI design. Because of the big under-the-hood changes, existing Windows Phone 7 devices won’t be able to update to Windows Phone 8.

User Interface

“Microsoft has only made subtle UI changes.”

wp_ss_20121115_0006 wp_ss_20121115_0007

Much of the Windows Phone interface has remained the same, with some exceptions like the live tiles on the Start screen. Microsoft has added to new tile sizes here, first is the small tile which is a quarter of the default square tiles before. Most of the small tiles only include the app icons and doesn’t display live information as with the other sizes but it some apps display a badge that indicates new notifications. Next is the large tile which takes the whole width of the screen. Large tiles were present on Windows Phone 7 but were exclusive to the built-in and OEM apps — now, it supports 3rd party apps. Still, you can’t set a background photo for the Start screen and the app list which may be a deal breaker for some.

wp_ss_20121115_0008 wp_ss_20121115_0010

New color accents has been added, there’s now 20 of them, perfect if you plan on altering your phone’s look every day. Add to that the enhanced lock screen which is now livelier than ever. Apps can be used to change the look of the lock screen, for instance, I can use Bing so every day I have a new lock screen wallpaper.

WP_20121116 2 WP_20121116 3

Aside from those changes, there is nothing else to mention in this department. Microsoft has only made subtle UI changes. The rest of the OS has mostly stayed the same. They probably don’t want to sway away from what their customers has already loved, which is the simplicity of it.

Screenshots

“Aaahh finally…”

Windows Phone 8 now allows users to capture their screens with a two-click step! Just press the power button and the Start button at the same time. Aaahh finally the Texts From Dog Tumblr owner can now post his dog’s messages to him, if he uses a Windows Phone that is.

People

“You can invite iOS and Windows Phone 7 users in a room, but your Android-using friends will be left out.”

Windows Phone 8 People Hub Panorama

The People hub received one new major feature, the Rooms. Rooms allow you to share photos, calendar entries, and notes with the other members of it. For example, you can share calendars with your colleagues so you can always stay updated with the events. You can invite iOS and Windows Phone 7 users in a room, but your Android-using friends will be left out. Shared contents in a room will update as members change them. Take note that the group chat feature only works between Windows Phone 8 devices.

Camera

“I can only imagine using Instagram filters right from the camera app.”

wp_ss_20121115_0012 wp_ss_20121115_0013

The camera app has received a minor layout redesign. First is you’ll notice that the zoom bar is now gone, giving more space to the viewfinder. You can now also change the flash settings, switch between the front and primary camera, and video mode with just one tap.

wp_ss_20121115_0014 wp_ss_20121115_0015

The settings are now arranged more clearly, and require fewer taps to access them which is nice. Finally, there’s the new Lenses feature. Lenses are basically apps or applets that integrate with the camera app. One example is the Bing Vision lens, which lets you scan through text, QR codes, and other items like DVD covers to quickly find relevant information. The developers can have their own lenses too. I can only imagine using Instagram filters right from the camera app — one can always dream.

wp_ss_20121115_0041wp_ss_20121115_0042

And finally, you can now select multiple photos at the same time for deletion and sharing — a small change that will be really appreciated by the users.

Games - Xbox Live

“Users should start seeing more and more quality games at the very least.”

Xbox Games Panorama

The Games hub itself received no changes at all. It only got a minor background change which is now in line with the rebranded Xbox Live service and looks the same as the Windows 8 version. On the underside, Windows Phone 8 now supports the DirectX engine, so users should start seeing more and more quality games at the very least. Gameloft and EA has recently committed support for Windows Phone 8 and I hope, even the small indie developers will ride the train too. Additionally, Unity has also announced their support for the platform.

Internet Explorer 10

“Some websites still treat IE 10 as a second-class browser…”

wp_ss_20121115_0047 wp_ss_20121115_0053

Internet Explorer 10 on Windows Phone 8 has greatly improved.  It uses the same engine the desktop IE and rendering webpages are really fast. Switching tabs is also a breeze, since one is a separate process of its own, and because of that, if a single tab crashes it won’t bring the whole browser with it. The max number of tabs that you can open is set at 6, so I think it will help to prevent slowdowns too. The UI layout still hasn’t changed, and accessing some functions like tabs still require a bit of digging.

wp_ss_20121115_0049 wp_ss_20121115_0050

 wp_ss_20121115_0051 wp_ss_20121115_0052

Moving on, there seems to be a problem on rendering some HTML5 websites. Some websites like Twitter and Facebook still treat IE 10 as a second-class browser and does not render their respective web apps correctly, sometimes it does not load a web app at all. Microsoft is already convincing website owners to optimize their content for IE 10.

Maps

“It’s not as detailed as Google’s but not as worse as Bing Maps’ yesteryears.”

wp_ss_20121115_0061 wp_ss_20121115_0062

Microsoft has started using Nokia’s map data since earlier this year, and I can definitely say it is a huge improvement. Bing’s map data was really lacking before and the partnership with Nokia has so much changed the situation. Maps are now well detailed, especially in major cities around the country. Some places still lack road information though like in the far-flung provinces and places. Let’s just say it’s not as detailed as Google’s but not as worse as Bing Maps’ yesteryears.

wp_ss_20121115_0060 wp_ss_20121115_0063

One new welcome addition is that you can now download map data for an entire country, which is really useful especially for those who travel a lot and want to save on data roaming charges. It helps save battery life too as you don’t have to be always connected to a data service to navigate around. I had some problems when trying to search for places and getting directions though. For instance, when I tried to search for Rizal Park, it gave no results at all even it is clearly labeled on the maps. Well, for the record, I am using a pre-production device when I tried that. Let’s try it again when I get to use a final production model.

Office

Windows Phone 8 Office Hub Panorama

One of the key features of Windows Phone is the built-in Office integration. With Windows Phone 8 and the new Office 15, things just got a little better. Email attachments that are Word, Excel, or PowerPoint files will now show up in the recent section, so you don’t have to go back to a particular email just open an important document again. The UI has been slightly redesigned and now has a clearer look. Excel has added support for charts too.

Wallet

“There is no practical use of the wallet app here in the Philippines… yet.”

Windows Phone 8 Wallet Panorama 2

Microsoft introduced Wallet as a new feature in Windows Phone 8. It is simply a digital collection of your credit or debit cards, bank accounts, deals, coupons, membership cards, etc. Unfortunately, there is no practical use of the wallet app here in the Philippines yet. To use the cards stored on your digital wallet for NFC-based payment terminals, you need a secure SIM card which the local carriers does not support or offer yet. Aside from that, there is currently no app for any financial institution in the Philippines. This could have been useful if we just have the right support.

Kid’s Corner

“Microsoft should change it to Guest’s Corner.”

wp_ss_20121116_0010 wp_ss_20121116_0009

Now, your kids can now finally borrow your phone without having access to your personal files, emails, and messages. This is a very simple solution to that problem. You just swipe left on the lock screen to access kid’s corner. You can add apps, games, and music that they can see on their own Start screen. As always, they can always customize their own corner too.

However, Kid’s Corner needs to evolve. Microsoft should change it to Guest’s Corner and make it work like a different user account like on Windows. You know, they can access their own email, browse the web, etc. That way, not only kids can borrow your phone, but also the other people who, well, likes to use your phone.

Other new features

There are other new features that’s included on Windows Phone 8. One of which is the Bluetooth content sharing. You can now finally share almost anything shareable that you can think of — contacts, photos, music, and documents. If your device supports NFC, you can just simply tap your phone against another one to initiate the sharing via Bluetooth.

Another addition is drag-and-drop file transfers. It works very simple. You just connect your phone to your computer and transfer files using the traditional copy and paste method. Also, Windows Phone 8 now supports microSD cards as an extra storage for your files.

The phone app also received one notable change, and it’s the ability to send USSD codes. Now you can view your Globe account balance or subscriber to text, call, or data packages using the *143# service menu. Neat.

Wrap-up

“Windows Phone 8 added no new groundbreaking features…”

Windows Phone 8 took quite some time to be released on the market and the fact that the new features that debuted on it are not that ‘new’ and can only be counted by your fingers makes me kind of disappointed. Microsoft has left out a lot of small details that should have been added on the new version, like the orientation lock, notification center, and improved multitasking, and the W-Fi sleeping issue. It would’ve made Windows Phone 8 a perfect release, but alas. Fortunately though, should Microsoft decide to bring them, it would be much easier as the OS now supports over-the-air (OTA) updates. That’s something to look forward to. Also, some big name developers on iOS and Android has still not committed to Windows Phone. Rest assured that Microsoft is already working on that issue though. To wrap it up, Windows Phone 8 added no new groundbreaking features but more of the ‘catch-up’ features. Nevertheless, it is still a good platform since it was already good when it started.

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Apple announces the iPad mini and 4th generation iPad

Several hours ago, Apple announced the long-rumored iPad mini. They have also released the 4th generation iPad.

iPad mini Philippines

iPad mini

The iPad mini features a smaller 7.9-inch display than the iPad with a 1024x768 resolution, which is the same as the iPad 2. It’s also 23% thinner than the iPad, just 7.2mm thin and 53% lighter at 0.68 pounds. Powering the iPad mini is the dual-core A5 processor, again, the same as on the iPad 2. The battery life is rated at 10 hours, which is the same as every other iPad.

iPad mini side view

More over, the iPad have a FaceTime HD camera on the front, and a 5 Megapixels iSight camera on the back. It can record full HD 1080p videos. For the second time now, Siri makes its way to the iPad — this time in the iPad mini. Lastly, it has LTE. It supports a wide array of LTE frequencies including the ones used by Smart and Globe.

The iPad mini is priced starting $329 for the 16GB Wi-Fi model and as much as $659 for the 64GB Wi-Fi + Cellular model. Pricing for the Philippines is not yet announced, though there was an alleged pricing for the country that leaked out a couple days ago.

LEAKED: Alleged iPad mini Pricing for the Philippines

iPad 4th generation

Goodbye the new iPad, hello iPad 4th generation. That’s right. In an unexpected move, Apple announced the 4th generation iPad which now includes the A6X processor, a FaceTime HD camera, an improved and expanded Wi-Fi and LTE networks support, and the Lightning connector. Pricing will remain the same but it remains unclear on when will it land in the Philippine shores. Apple also yanked the 3rd generation iPad on it’s online store, that means, yes, it’s now obsolete.

Nokia introduces the Lumia 510 — the most affordable Windows Phone

Nokia recently announced the Lumia 510, obviously their most affordable Windows Phone to date.

Nokia Lumia 510

The Nokia Lumia 510 maybe the cheapest Windows Phone, but it’s no slouch. It’s running on the old but robust Windows Phone 7.5 Mango operating system, features a 4-inch display with a WVGA (800x480) resolution, a 5 Megapixels autofocus camera, 4GB of non-expandable storage and 7GB of could storage on SkyDrive. It will also have access to Nokia’s exclusive apps for their Lumia devices such as the Nokia Drive, Nokia Maps, and Camera Extras.

“With the Nokia Lumia 510 we continue to meet our commitment to bring Windows Phone to new, lower price points,” said Jo Harlow, executive vice president of Nokia Smart Devices. “People who use Windows Phone quickly realize how much more intuitive it is than other smartphone platforms, and Nokia Lumia is the best embodiment of the Windows Phone experience. With the Nokia Lumia 510 we’re looking forward to welcoming more people into the Windows Phone experience.”

The Nokia Lumia 510 will be available in red, yellow, cyan, white, and black. It will have a price tag of $199 or approximately P8,400. It’s going to be available starting November in India, China, South America, and Asia. This is really a nice smartphone for starters.

Nokia Lumia 510 Specifications and Features
4-inch screen with WVGA (800x480) resolution
Snapdragon™ S1 single-core processor
5 Megapixels autofocus camera
256MB RAM
4GB internal memory
7GB SkyDrive memory
1300 mAh battery capacity
Windows Phone 7.5 Mango OS

ASUS outs touch-powered VivoBook series with Windows 8

ASUS just announced two new notebooks belonging to their VivoBook series — the X202E and S400.

ASUS VivoBook S200 Steel Grey

The Asus VivoBooks are all full-featured notebooks with a slim form-factor and is also optimized for the mostly touch-based Windows 8 while still retaining the good ol’ keyboard. They feature 2-second instant on, 32GB of WebStorage for 3 years, and the ASUS SonicMaster audio.

The ASUS VivoBook X202E will come in two flavors: one with a third-generation Intel Core i3 processor with 4GB of RAM, and the other one having the Intel Celeron processor and 2GB of RAM. Both models will have a 1366x768 screen resolution on a 11.6-inch panel and 500GB of hard drive capacity. The Ivy Bridge model will be priced at P26,995 while the Celeron model will go for P20,995 and both will be available starting first week of November.

On the other hand, the larger ASUS VivoBook S400 will feature a third-generation Intel Core i5 processor, a 14-inch screen with the same 1366x768 resolution, a choice of 2GB or 4GB of RAM, and a 500GB of hard drive plus 24GB SSD. It’s priced P34,995 and will be coming in this November as well.

Introducing the Touch-Powered ASUS VivoBook Series
Offers customers uniquely intuitive experiences, enhanced computing and multimedia, and a highly mobile premium design

Manila, Philippines (October 23, 2012) ― ASUS VivoBook form the beginning of a series of devices in screen sizes ranging from 11.6” to 14”, all developed around natural touch as key to incredible user experiences and greater customer happiness. Optimized for Windows 8, ASUS VivoBooks showcase an attractive, durable, and very portable design. They integrate ASUS SonicMaster audio and 2-second instant on, and all models include 32GB of WebStorage cloud space for three years. ASUS VivoBooks embody a new way of offering enjoyable and intuitive notebook experiences to customers, with additional models joining the series by the end of the year.

VivoBooks add greater happiness to lives
Providing the finest touch technology for more natural and rewarding interaction, VivoBook X202E and S400 models reinforce the ASUS Customer Happiness 2.0 spirit, offering technology perfectly-tuned to create better, more enjoyable, and more rewarding lifestyles. All VivoBook Series products have been designed with stand-out aesthetics, true-to-life sound, and instinctive touch. They are ideal for the increasingly cloud-based nature of computing, supporting seamless connectivity and usage on the go while specifically aimed at making people happier through the use of technology they can rely on wherever they may be.

Design principles
To achieve the attractive VivoBook look, ASUS designers opted for a slim and light form factor across the entire series. The all-glass screen offers a more elegant and immersive appearance, while the chassis uses durable yet artful metal to maintain consistency with fellow ASUS innovations such as ZENBOOK, incorporating the same tapered design. At the same time, VivoBooks have their own distinct feel, encouraging customers to use and carry them with pride. They have been fashioned to be as comfortable to carry as a book, with all edges rounded and smoothed for a reassuring feel. VivoBook is available in a selection of vibrant colors.

All about intuitive touch
From a technology and engineering standpoint, the primary purpose of VivoBook is to provide completely intuitive touch experiences optimized for Windows 8. Touch is much more than just a feature: it is the very essence of the VivoBook experience. All models employ highly responsive multi-point touch panels, and the larger touchpads likewise encourage smooth haptic input, incorporating ASUS Smart Gesture technology. The compact VivoBook uses a touchpad sized for 14” notebooks, giving customers more input space. Combined, these guarantee fully-satisfying user experiences based on touch.

Living sound with SonicMaster
True to their name, VivoBooks deliver lifelike experiences in every way. For audio, they are equipped with exclusive ASUS SonicMaster technology, generating powerful sound with wider range, deeper bass, and clearer vocals. VivoBooks improve multimedia, benefitting from the hardware and software optimization experience of ASUS audio engineering, with the addition of Technical Grammy-winning MaxxAudio sound processing tools. Once more, the X202E receives upsized hardware. Although 11.6” in size, its speakers were designed for 14” to 15” models, resulting in more powerful and immersive sound than that offered by much bulkier standard notebooks. 

Made for the cloud and incredibly responsive
True 2-second instant on resume from sleep mode gives customers near-instantaneous access to Windows 8 even after prolonged periods away from devices, removing the need for lengthy waits as the system reboots. Battery efficiency lengthens standby time to 15 days on VivoBook. This seamless experience integrates well into a cloud-centric design, as VivoBooks have been created with cloud computing in mind. All models include 32GB of ASUS WebStorage space at no charge for three years.

Local Availability
The ASUS VivoBook X202E will be initially available in the Philippines by 1st week of November in two configurations. One with an Intel Core i3 Processor for SRP Php26,995 and one with Intel Celeron Processor for Php 20,995. While the S400 will available for SRP Php35,995 this coming November as well.

Specifications

Model

ASUS VivoBook X202E

ASUS VivoBook X202E

ASUS VivoBook S400

Processor

Intel® Core™ i3 Ivy Bridge

Intel® ULV Celeron® 847

Intel® Core™ i5 Ivy Bridge Ultrabook Processor

Operating system

Windows 8

Windows 8

Windows 8

Display

11.6" 16:9 HD (1366 x 768) LED backlit

11.6" 16:9 HD (1366 x 768) LED backlit

14" 16:9 HD (1366 x 768) LED backlit

Graphics

Intel HD Graphics

Intel HD Graphics

Intel HD Graphics

Memory

4GB 1333MHz DDR3 RAM

2GB 1333MHz DDR3 RAM

1600MHz DDR3 up to 8GB (onboard 2GB/4GB + 1 DIMM)

Hard drive

500GB, 5400rpm

500GB, 5400rpm

500GB 5400rpm + 24GB SSD (cache)

Optical drive

N/A

N/A

N/A

Dimensions

30.3cm x 20.0cm x 21.7mm

30.3cm x 20.0cm x 21.7mm

33.9cm x 23.9cm x 21mm

Weight

1.40Kg (with 38W/h polymer battery)

1.40Kg (with 38W/h polymer battery)

1.8Kg (with 44W/h polymer battery)

SRP

Php 26,995

Php 20,995

Php 35,995

Product specifications and features may change without prior notice. Check www.asus.com for further details.

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Get free Epson LabelWorks Printers

Epson, a world leader in digital imaging solutions and also an established OEM stationery label printer maker, will give away their stylish and well-designed LabelWorks label printers to customers who will buy a set of LabelWorks tape cartridges.

Epson LabelWorks Printers Promo

From October 12 to November 30 this year, customers who buy five (5) tape cartridges will get the Epson LW-300; customers who will purchase seven (7) tape cartridges will receive the Epson LW-400, while a purchase of 9 tape cartridges will get the Epson LW-900P for free.

The Epson LabelWorks printers are ideal for homes, small offices home offices (SOHO), and small and medium businesses (SMB) for labeling anything from household items, scrapbooks, school books to stationery items, archival files and documents. They can also be used to print on cable wraps and iron-ons that are part of the large variety of media Epson offers for the Epson LabelWorks printers. Industries like logistics, manufacturing, and building management will also benefit from the ability of the Epson LW-400 and LW-900P to print barcodes for tracking inventories.

“One of the fun things our customers can do with our label printers is the creative use of tape cartridges.  We want to encourage our customers to try the varied label media available to them and unleash their creativity,” said Epson Head of Product Management Noelle Gonzalez.

Participating shops for this promo include: Fujitsu (SM Megamall), Silicon Valley (SM Manila), PC Corner (Park Square and Gilmore), and PC Chain (Viramall and SM North).

Sunday, October 21, 2012

Alleged iPad mini pricing for the Philippines leaks

Take this thing with a truck of salts — what you’re looking at is Apple’s alleged pricing of the upcoming iPad mini for the Philippines.

iPad mini Price Philippines

The leak came in the form of a screenshot of the Philippine online Apple Store showing the selection page for the iPad mini.

The pricing starts at P16,990 for the 16GB Wi-Fi model and ends up at P32,990 for the 64GB Wi-Fi + Cellular model. It is worth mentioning that the page mentions a 4G LTE inclusion on the cellular model, just like that of the iPhone 5. The iPhone 5 supports the LTE bands 1, 3, and 5.

Finally, the screenshot says the iPad mini is set to ship on November, which is very unlikely.

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Hands-on with the upcoming Samsung GALAXY Camera

Samsung also launched the Samsung GALAXY Camera last night and I had a chance to try it out real quick, as in super quick!

DSC08183

The Samsung GALAXY Camera is an Android-powered digital compact camera that boasts of a 16 Megapixels BSI CMOS sensor with a 21x optical zoom. It makes capturing photos easy with the Smart Pro feature that lets anyone choose pre-defined modes or scenes without the need to change the settings. What’s more is that it runs on the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean complete with the Google Play Store access and other Android features. It has a 4.8-inch HD Super Clear LCD screen for your viewing pleasure, runs on a 1.4GHz quad-core processor, and to top it, a 3G/4G/Wi-Fi/Bluetooth connectivity! Yes, you can send text messages directly from your camera. How about taking a food shot and upload it straight to your Instagram account on 3G?

Speaking about the camera, it really is not just a joke. It looks real and serious. I mean, Samsung did not just slapped a 16 Megapixels camera on an Android device, it looks more of a digital compact camera that runs Android. It’s hard to explain. I only had a few minutes with the device just enough for taking photos of it and some quick tour of the interface. So, I think, you should enjoy more photos below while I wait and try to get a review unit. It’s hard to speak for a device that you haven’t tested.

Anyway, the Samsung GALAXY Camera will be available in the Philippines starting November, just a few weeks away, with a price tag of P23,990.

Samsung GALAXY Camera Specifications and Features
16.3 effective megapixel 1/2.3" BSI CMOS
F2.8, 23 mm, 21x Optical Zoom Lens
OIS
4.77-inch (4.8) HD Super Clear LCD screen @ 308ppi
4G, 3G (HSPA+ 21Mbps)
1.4GHz Quad-Core processor
8GB + memory slot : micro SDSC, micro SDHC, micro SDXC
Image format: JPEG 16M, 14M, 12M Wide, 10M, 5M, 3M, 2M Wide, 1M
MP4 (Video: MPEG4, AVC/H.264, Audio: AAC)
Full HD 1920x1080 30fps
Slow motion Video 768x512(WVGA) 120fps
HDMI 1.4
Smart Pro : 10 modes (Macro, Rich Tone, Action Freeze, Waterfall Trace, Light Trace, Beautiful Sunset, Blue Sky, Natural Green, Silhouette, Vivid Fireworks)
Voice Control, Slow Motion Video, S Planner, S Suggest
AllShare Play, Family Story, Drop box
Wi-Fi a/b/g/n, Wi-Fi HT40
GPS/GLONASS
Bluetooth® 4.0
1,650 mAh battery capacity
Android 4.1 Jelly Bean OS

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