Globe rolls out prepaid LTE SIM cards

Hello to all my readers. I’ve been quite busy in the past few months and didn’t post anything new since September. But there’s this news that I think is worth posting. So, Globe just announced that prepaid LTE SIM cards are now (finally) available. And we’re not talking about the Tattoo Prepaid LTE SIM cards that were out since September 2012 – what they have now is the...

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Nokia Lumia 530 Dual SIM lands for P4,990

Nokia’s (now Microsoft Mobile) most affordable Windows Phone device to date, the Lumia 530 Dual SIM, has been released in the Philippines. The Lumia 530 features a 4-inch LCD display, 4Gb storage, a 5-megapixel camera, and comes with the latest features of the Windows Phone 8.1 and Lumia Cyan such as the Word Flow keyboard and Action Center. If you think the internal memory...

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Samsung announces the Galaxy Note Edge

Samsung has just revealed the Galaxy Note Edge at the IFA 2014 in Berlin. The Samsung Galaxy Note Edge features a curved edge screen that was demoed by the Korean company in the past. Samsung Galaxy Note Edge Features and Specifications 5.6-inch Quad HD (2560x1440) Super AMOLED display 2.7GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 quad-core processor 3GB RAM 32/64GB internal...

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Samsung’s first metal smartphone is arriving in the Philippines

The first Samsung smartphone to pack a metal body is soon arriving in the Philippines. We recently spotted the Samsung Galaxy Alpha with model number SM-G850F over SamMobile’s firmware listing website. According to the initial firmware available, it is possible that the Galaxy Alpha will only be available unlocked at retail stores. The Samsung Galaxy Alpha was announced...

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Digital technologies for education highlight DigiTech Manila confab

The first ever DigiTech Manila Conference and Expo, slated on Sept. 19 and 20, at the SMX Convention Center, Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City, will feature the various facets in digital technology for children, schools, libraries, and for the ICT industry. Digital learning enthusiasts are invited to take advantage and update themselves on gadgets, high-tech services, and...

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Xiaomi to sell Mi 5200mAh and 10400mAh power banks on August 29

Xiaomi, the Chinese tech company that makes and sells affordable smartphones and other devices at affordable prices, will soon make their popular Mi power banks available in the Philippines. The Mi power banks, which comes in 5200mAh and 10400mAh variants, comes with high-quality battery cells either from LG or Samsung. The sleek power banks sports an aluminum casing making...

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Google Play carrier billing comes to Globe

At the first day of Globe Telecom’s Digital Lifestyle Expo at the SM Megamall, the company announced that carrier billing for the Google Play Store is finally coming. With carrier billing, anyone using an Android smartphone on Globe will now be able to buy apps, games, and even rent or purchase movies and have it paid thru their plan or deducted from their prepaid credits...

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Of restrictions and competition

Ever wonder why telecom services in the Philippines are shitty? Look no further. Here's the only answer, straight from the horse's mouth. The 2015 AEC does not pose a threat to the Philippine telco industry. "The effect on telco is minimal because it is regulated. It would require licenses, and entry to this market will require partnerships," Cu said. "So we expect very little, immediate impact on us," he added. What Mr. Ernest Cu is trying to say is that the odds of us having a new telecom company in the country is low. Because first,...

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

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

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iPhone 6 cases are already available in the Philippines

Just one of the many signs that Apple’s next smartphone, the iPhone 6, is already around the corner is this case that’s already available in Manila. The case seems to be for the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 model as it’s only a tad bigger than the iPhone 5s. The case is remarkable slimmer, and bears the same rounded edges found on the iPod touch and iPad. The lock button has been...

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Globe is now unlocking out-of-contract iPhones

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

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Samsung Galaxy K Zoom lands for P24,990

It’s not the Galaxy S5 Zoom. It seems as if Samsung doesn’t want to pollute the name of their flagship smartphone. And so they called the successor to the Galaxy S4 Zoom the Galaxy K Zoom. The Samsung Galaxy K Zoom follows the same principle as its predecessor. It’s a smartphone with a bulging camera sensor at the back, which makes it a viable replacement for point-and-shoots....

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Initial Impressions: Xiaomi Mi 3

Bang for your Buck is an understatement Xiaomi has finally reached Philippine shores and it’s leading with its best foot forward – the Mi 3 smartphone. The flagship has been welcomed with much gusto – selling a whopping 3,000 units within just two hours during its debut flash sale at Lazada Philippines last 26 June. After playing around with it for a few days, I got a first-hand...

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Nokia Lumia 630 Dual SIM goes on sale

Android-powered Nokia XL now also available at retail stores. Microsoft Mobile’s (formerly Nokia) first Windows Phone 8.1-powered smartphone, the Nokia Lumia 630 Dual SIM, is now finally on sale in the Philippines. It was officially launched in the country a couple weeks ago. Featuring a dual SIM capability, a first in a Windows Phone handset, the Lumia 630 caters to people...

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Samsung’s curved ultra high-definition (UHD) TV arrives in the Philippines

“This year will be a big year for entertainment”, says Chung Lyong Lee, Samsung Electronics Philippines Corporation (SEPCO) President and Managing Director. The leader in innovation and design once again outdoes itself in its latest TV model release: World’s First Curved Ultra High-Definition (UHD) TV.  This newest lineup from Samsung is geared towards fulfilling the...

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Globe to offer 15GB of data for P2,499 on new GoSurf plans; P2 per MB overage

Starting next week, Globe will replace its PowerSurf postpaid and prepaid data plans with the new GoSurf data plans. This comes after their fair usage policy generated negative reactions from their subscribers, mostly from those who are on contracts. The previously-unlimited P999 monthly plan will now only give you 5GB of data, with a P2 per-MB overage charge when you exceed...

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Samsung Galaxy S5 arriving on April 11 for P34,990; also coming to Smart and Globe

If there’s one smartphone manufacturer who’s a master in releasing flagship devices globally in one fell swoop, it would be Samsung. Almost every year since the Galaxy S3, the Korean company has been announcing and shipping their flagship smartphone in span of weeks across many countries all at the same time. The Galaxy S5 is no exception. Come April 11, the Samsung Galaxy...

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Nokia X meets Pinoys at X Races

Thousands of excited Nokia fans together with intrigued mobile phone users took the fastlane to Android apps as they joined “Nokia X Races”, the public launch of the new Nokia X, last March 29 at the SM By the Bay. Attendees both young and old experienced the power of Nokia X, and saw how the best of Nokia, Microsoft, and Android came together in the awesome device. They...

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Snapdragon 800-powered Samsung Galaxy Tab PRO 8.4 launches for P18,990

Galaxy Note PRO 12.2 for P36,990… Are 8-inch tablets your thing? If so, check this one out from Samsung. It’s their new Galaxy Tab PRO 8.4 — an 8.4-inch tablet powered by the powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor — that was launched yesterday in the Philippines. The Galaxy Tab PRO 8.4 sports a 2560x1600 (WQXGA) high-resolution display that is just so crystal-clear....

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Coca-Cola brings Spotify to the Philippines (updated)

UPDATE: An earlier version of this article stated that Spotify Premium costs P129 a month. We got that information from Spotify’s website, but we were told that it is apparently just a placeholder. The pricing for Spotify Premium hasn’t been announced as of yet. We regret the error. After years of waiting, Spotify is finally expanding into the Philippines today by letting...

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The first Android phone by Nokia, the Nokia X, goes on sale in the Philippines

Fifteen days. That’s the number of days Nokia took to bring their first ever Android smartphone in the Philippines from the global announcement. You read that right, the Nokia X is now available in the country! You may be wondering, what’s Nokia X? It is technically the first smartphone by the Finnish company to run on Android — Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean to be exact. It...

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Price of fast home internet in the Philippines is going down

The beginning of 2014 has been through a rocky start — at least on the side of the networks. Globe started to strictly enforce its fair-use policy for mobile data connections which garnered a lot of mixed, mostly negative reactions from their subscribers. They should work that out. Anyway, the main reason I wrote this post is to share an interesting development on home...

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

If for some reason you want to get rid of the App Store update history on your iOS device, read on. Apple didn’t include a way to easily clear that list out by default, and I’ve never seen anyone share a way how to do that either, even thru a workaround. So let me share you a one-step procedure on how to do just that. Simply go to Settings, then General, and then Date &...

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