A group of young mobile app developers have launched the first Pinoy-themed game on iTunes and the Android Market. It is called SIPA or simply called street hacky sack.
This game is a must-try because it reminds us of those good old days when Filipino street games like patintero, taguan, habulan, tumbang preso and luksong tinik ruled the day. If I mention these games to my kids now, I know they will just say DUH! to me because they’re more used to video games played on handheld consoles, desktops or internet cafes.

The desire to refresh our memory with traditional Filipino games is the inspiration for the development of SIPA. As Team Butchokoy, the proponents of the game, said: “Technology has changed the way kids play now but this same technology can help us appreciate games no longer played.  SIPA brings back childhood memories and introduces this to the younger generation.  On top of this, Butchokoy, the central character plays SIPA in historic and beautiful places in the country like Rizal Park, University of the Philippines, Quiapo, Mt. Pulag.  ?.”

So guys, if you’re using an Apple product or an Android device, it is worth checking out SIPA and relive electronically what the childhood of before is like

The Apple/iPhone lovers have gotten their independent units ahead of the official iPhone 4s launch by leading telecom rivals Smart and Globe tonight. For the rest of us, the official announcement from Globe & Smart is like a manna from heaven since availing of postpaid plans will entail little cash out or no cashout at all.

The Smart iPhone 4s prices and plans were the first to get leaked. Our verdict: it’s way cheaper than the postpaid plan offered by Globe:

On the other hand, official Globe post-paid price plan amounts to the following:

Plan 1799 – with P800 consumable + 3 freebies

– P- P4800 cash out for iPhone 4s 16gb
- P10,080 for 32gb
- P15,096 for 64gb

Plan 2499 – with P1,500 consumable and 5 freebies

iPhone 4s 16GB – FREE
P4,800 cash out for 32gb
P10,080 cash out for 64gb

Plan 3799 – with P2,800 consumable and 7 freebies

iPhone 4s 16gb – FREE
iPhone 4s 32gb – FREE
iPhone 4s 64gb – P4,800 cash out

Here are the freebies to choose from for Globe postpaid:

A: 10 mins of calls & 200 SMS to Globe/TM
B: 5 mins of call & 25 SMS to other networks
C: 10 mins IDD & 10SMS to 10 international destination
D: Free Mobile surfing for 3 hours
E: Unlimited Call & Text to 1 Globe/TM number

For those of you who are curious (like me!), here’s a quick rundown of the comparison between Samsung Galaxy Note and Samsung Galaxy S2:

1. Samsung Galaxy Note has a more powerful dual core 1.4 Ghz ARM Cortex A9 processor
whereas S2 has 1.2 Ghz ARM Cortex A9 processor

2. Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen display of the Note is 5.3 inches while the S2 is 4.3 inches

3. The Note weighs at 178 grams with a thickness of .38 inches and dimensions of 5.78 x 3.26 (height + width). The Galaxy S2 is 116 grams, .33 inches thick and has H+W of 4.9 inches x 2.6 inches

They’re the same in terms of having Android 2.3 Gingerbread OS, camera resolution of 8 mp, 1GB RAM and the usual features like wi-fi capability.

Still, I would think techie users would want to buy the Galaxy Note if 1)they’re planning to upgrade their present smartphone and 2) covet the Note’s features which they can’t find anywhere else. The Samsung Galaxy Note possesses the latest in pen-input technology called the S Pen which accurately digitizes sketches, artworks and handwritten texts. And with the S Memo, there’s no more looking for paper and ballpen when you need to put down your thoughts and ideas!

This artist at the Samsung launch event was able to draw me and I liked the result. I loved the fact that this phone won’t just let you play those Angry Bird games, it will actually let you while away the time with creative pursuits like drawing and doodling. Who knows if you can create the next Hello Kitty character that will change the world just by using this phone?

The Samsung Galaxy Note approximately retails for P35,990 and will soon be offered by Smart with a special Christmas offer. Watch out for it!

It’s Christmas bonus time and am sure a lot of people will be buying cellphones as a gift this Christmas. I know the feeling – I just gave a triple-SIM workhorse to my teenage boy who lost his last phone…ouch.

For mothers like me, cheap mobile phones will always be an option because we are practical. We can’t always afford the expensive cellphones from major brands because we’re watching the budget. Besides, it’s nice to go cheap when you’re just scouting for a secondary phone so it doesn’t “hurt” when it’s stolen or lost. So yes, beginning today, I’ll be featuring prices of mobile phones (not just Cherry Mobile) and if you’re a mobile phone brand, just drop me an email and we’ll also feature you.

Cherry Mobile android phones -

Candy (Android 2.2) – P3699
Candy Chat – P3699
Stellar – (Android 2.3) – P7899
Eclipse 2.2 – P4899
Cosmo -P5499
Orbit – P6499
Nova – P6899
Magnum HD – P11999
Magnum 2X (dual core) – P15899

Cherry Mobile tablets -

Cherry Pad – P3899
Cherry Pad Turbo – P6899
Supreme – P16899

Cherry Mobile dual SIM phones

C2 – P799
D11 – P999
D14 – P1299
Q20 – P1399
M12 – P1799
T2 – P1999
A5i – P1999
Z9 – P1999
T8 – P2499
M35i – P3499
W1 – P3499
D12i- P999
Q12 – P1399
D18 – P1399
D16i – P1599
F17 – P1699
F7 – P1699
T1 – P1899
D20i – P1999
M16 – P1999
Q6i – P1999
R7 – P1999
Q3 TV – P1999
M13 – P1999
M18 – P1999
Z5 – P1999
Z11 – P2299
T3 – P2299
R9 – P2399
A6 – P2499
T11 – P2499
T9 – P2799
X1 morph – P2899
M9 – P2999
X8i – P2999
S20 – P3599
T12 – P3899
W2 – P3999
X9 – P3999

There’s a P2,000 off the Note’s suggested retail price of P35,990 with a free flip cover valued at P1,450 and free 45 days of Philippine Daily Inquirer Digital Edition valued at P1,120

The Samsung Galaxy Note also comes free with a Smart Postpaid Plan 2000 plus one month FREE service fee (P2,000) and a free flip cover valued at P1,450.

To reserve the gadget online, simply go to http://www.samsung.com/ph/reserveanote/

According to the press release, the Galaxy Note is the perfect hybrid of an immensely powerful tablet and a conveniently portable smart phone in one super-device. Punctuated by the introduction of the S Pen, Samsung’s newest advancement in pen-input technology, the Galaxy Note enhances your mobile experience with stunning visuals, creative edge, and productive features.

To ensure optimum efficiency, the Galaxy Note runs on a 1.4GHz dual-core processor while the HSPA+ enables speedy network connections for smooth operation. Its larger-than-life 5.3” HD Super AMOLED full touch screen is the first among smart phones around the world, featuring a high resolution display perfect for taking photos with the 8-megapixel camera, watching HD videos, browsing the Internet, and multi-tasking with several apps on a split screen!

The most note-worthy amongst all of its features, however, is really the S Pen. The Galaxy Note brings creativity and productivity to a new horizon with this ground-breaking innovation. It accurately digitizes sketches and artworks while handwritten texts are automatically converted to digital characters through superior handwriting recognition. Coupled with an expansive screen, the S Pen presents immeasurable possibilities—from capturing big ideas, designing the next big thing, even crafting the next Picassos!

With the 1.4GHz dual core processor, HSPA+ internet speeds, the HD Super AMOLED display, 8-megapixel camera, and especially the S Pen, the Samsung Galaxy Note truly lives up to being the very first tablet-cum-smartphone in the market!

I was at Annabel’s Restaurant in Tomas Morato when Cherry Mobile launched their latest array of handsets for 2011. Take a look at the lady in the middle who is carrying the Candy Chat which is the cheapest Android model I know at P3,699. This phone already has wi-fi, qwerty keyboard and a slot for a micro-SD card.

The most high-end of the bunch is the Cherry Mobile 10.1 inch tablet priced at P16,899. It’s powered by Nvidia Tegra 2 dual core processor and runs on Android 2.2, upgradeable to a higher version.

Here’s the rest of Cherry Mobile’s new android phones lineup for 2011:

The Stellar runs on Android 2.3 Gingerbread platform. It is powered by Qualcomm 7227T 800 MHz processor and sports a 3.5” HVGA Capacitive Touch Panel. Other features include a 5.0 MP camera, Wi-Fi and GPS capabilities, and of course dual SIM function. Official price is Php7,899.

Magnum 2X is powered by NVIDIA Tegra 2 Cortex A9 Dual Core processor, each running at 1 GHz. With Android 2.2 Froyo upgradeable to Gingerbread, users get to have a solid smartphone experience– seamless multitasking between applications, accelerated web browsing and refined gameplay interface. Magnum 2X flaunts a 3.8” WVGA Capacitive Touch Panel and retails for Php15,899. It also sports a dual camera with 5.0 MP Main, portable hotspot, Wi-Fi and GPS features.

Cherry Pad and Cherry Pad Turbo are cheap Android tablets that have 7” Full Touch Screen, Wi-Fi Connectivity, 4GB internal storage and expandable micro SD card up to 32 GB.

Cherry Pad runs on an 800 MHz processor and Android 2.2 Froyo platform. Retail price is only P3,899. Cherry Pad Turbo, the higher version of Cherry Pad, is equipped with a 1.2 GHz processor and Android 2.3 Gingerbread. Watch high quality multimedia with its HDMI port or take a snapshot with its 2 MP camera. Go Turbo for only PHP 6,899.

So yes, that’s the Galaxy Note which will be made available in the Philippines mid-November. Price should be in the 30K range. The most attention-grabbing feature I see is the presence of a stylus which is rather odd in this age of touchscreens. But Samsung claims this is not just a stylus but a “digital S pen which can be used for accurate sketching and artwork, while superior handwriting recognition allows ideas to be freely captured and shared with other devices without the need to perform any additional digitization; handwritten text is accurately converted into digital characters.”

Okay, those words sound too high-tech and will likely suit those artistic, ad agency types more. But what easily impresses are the ultra-powerful 1.4 GhZ dual-core processor and the 5.3” HD Super AMOLED display. The latter will make sure that e-books, PowerPoint presentations, news apps and web-pages can be viewed comfortably with minimal scrolling or zooming. Samsung claims the 5.3” display is also the largest ever to be included in a primary mobile device and its thickness of 9.6mm makes the Galaxy Note fit comfortably in a pocket to offer true portability.

“Samsung Galaxy Note will redefine and enhance mobile communication by offering a more advanced, productive and creative user experience with its new innovative features such as S Memo, S Planner and S Choice. I’m sure our customers will enjoy our new product and fully take advantage of GALAXY Note’s many innovative features.” Those are the words of Binggoy Mauricio, Business Unit Head of SEPCO Mobile Communications Business.

Samsung Philippines had asked me to test their Smart TV back to back with their latest 3-D capable, wi-fi ready blu-ray player (model BDD5500). It was only for a record 24 hours but I realized there’s so much to enjoy in that short span of time when you have multi-tasking, do-it-all devices like what Samsung offers. The only problem was getting over the feeling of being attached to the object and wishing you’d win the lottery by Christmas

We were billetted in an Aqua Supreme Room of Hotel H2O at the Manila Ocean Park (more on this hotel in another review). The walls were eyecatching because it was designed like an aquarium with live fishes swimming right before your eyes. Our baby girl was enthralled!

Soon enough, she forgot about the corals and the fishes as she settled on the bed with the big, bright TV in front of her.There’s nothing like cartoons, super brilliant pictures and a high-definition TV to catch the attention of a one-year old.

Verdict: you’d want this TV for your family as I did! While the price tag can be steep (retail price currently stands at P300,000 or so), there are merits in splurging on a high-ticket item like the Samsung Smart TV. True that buying stocks or a car for the price make for more worthy investments, but the joy in your children’s eyes as they watch Shrek larger than life and seemingly so alive on screen? Priceless!

The Samsung Smart TV’s prime asset is letting you connect to the web. It was nice to know that I could Facebook and blog my way out of this posh TV. But since we were with our baby girl, we watched cartoons all day. Here is the amazing side view, the thinnest I’ve seen of the new generation TVs.

The QWERTY remote control was a neat touch, useful for when you want to type and search for any of Samsung’s innovative TV apps (yes, there’s such a thing!)

At one point, hubby inserted an audio CD in the blu-ray player and out played Christmas songs. Aside from giving the enviable 3D viewing experience, the Samsung Smart TV is capable of rendering robust 3D sounds that makes you feel like you’re in the big cinema.

I let my daughter experience watching TV with 3D active glasses for a few seconds just to give her an idea of the whole experience. 3D really gives viewing a whole dimension. With this at home, I will never want to go out for movies again. And with the Smart TV, 2D movies can be converted to 3D but you can turn off the feature too in case your eyes aren’t up to it.

Popcorn and 3D movies…they go together.

With Smart TV, a TV is an idiot box no more. I figure that if you own this TV, you’d have to spend some time to explore and familiarize yourself with many of its features. Amazing how you can surf the web, make Skype calls, search for TV shows, download apps, blog and tweet while still watching teevee.

No doubt the future of TV has arrived and we certainly feel glad to immerse ourselves in the experience. Smart TV for the win!:D

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I wonder how many people will be getting gadgets this Christmas but am sure the young-at-heart out there won’t mind getting one of these. This is what I’d call The eye candy – the stylish Samsung Series 3 305U1A notebook in attractive colors: black, silver, blue, pink & purple . Retail price is around 23 thousand pesos.

We’ve had the chance to see this new line of notebooks during a chocolate-themed affair at Chocolate Fire a few weeks ago. Glad to know it’s not just alluring but a powerhouse in one compact body as well.Most impressive is the slim bezel display that’s as thin as a finger and its official weight of 1.2 kg. makes it very portable indeed.

Here are the other specifications of the Series 3 305U1A Notebook:

- latest AMD Fusion processor with Windows Basic allows users to create rich media content, play intensive games, or multitask with applications like Microsoft Office.

- 11.6″ HD LED display provides vivid images and colors on the screen, even when outdoors

- extensive battery life of up to 8 hours. Samsung’s intelligent charging technology, PowerPlus, keeps up to 80% battery capacity for up to 1,000 recharges – 3x longer than a typical battery.

- Fast Start technology provides instant on!

- Other add-ons: a 4-in-1 card reader, Bluetooth V3.0 High Speed and a range of USB and HDMI ports

I had a close look at the Xperia Play which was launched by Sony Ericsson Philippines yesterday at the official price of P19,990. Gamers are of course excited as this phone is the first one to be Playstation-certified. Translated: this means one can have the excitement of engaging in Playstation games at a superior quality for mobile.

If you purchase this phone (perfect for your gaming-addicted loved ones this Christmas!) it will come preloaded with the following games: Bruce Lee, Crash Bandicoot, FIFA 2010, Madden NFL 11, Star Battalion, and The SIMS 3.

The Xperia play runs on Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) although there are reports that all Sony Ericsson Xperia phones shall soon receive an update to the latest Android version, Ice Cream Sandwich.

Being an Android phone, owners of the Xperia Play can easily download games from the vast Android market.Soem of the titles that Xperia owners will get first dibs on are Lode Runner and Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light. Users can also find pre-loaded games from Sony Computer Entertainment and other leading game publishers.

Other specifications of Sony Ericsson’s latest gaming phone are a 5.1-megapixel camera with auto focus and geo-tagging, Google™ Services, sound recorder, Noise Shield, Sony Ericsson Music Player and 1 Ghz Snapdragon processor.

I wonder how the battery power of this phone is though, considering it’s graphics-heavy. Our advice would be to browse the online reviews first and try before you buy. Good thing this toy comes with a free car charger so you’ll get all charged up for endless bouts of gaming