We know that this may be out-dated by all standards but we never really had the chance to do a full review of the dual-core smartphone from Cherry Mobile locally known as the Magnum 2X. Now that we have a review unit from the Philippine-based cellphone manufacturer, we thought to give it a fair airtime.
Continue Reading
Much has been said about the new iPad — stating with the “new” name, the same old design, the slightly beefed profile and the underwhelming specs. Only one thing remains and that’s the hyped up, beyond-HD display. Check out our full review of the new iPad after the break.
Continue Reading
We’ve finally got our hands on the mid-range offspring of the Nokia-Microsoft partnership, the Lumia 710. The Windows Phone powered smartphone just sits perfectly in between its entry-level sibling Lumia 610 and its high-end counterpart Lumia 800. Check out our full review after the break.
Continue Reading
LG’s newest flagship phone isn’t just any Android phone, it’s a Prada phone. And while we boys might not appreciate that little fact, the fashion-conscious crowd certainly has a taste for it. Check out our full review of the LG Prada 3.0 after the break.
Continue Reading
This year, the new flavor of Google’s mobile OS will be Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0 ICS) and majority, if not all, of the flagship handsets that will be launched this year will have it pre-installed so we thought it’s best to give you a comprehensive walkthrough on what to expect from ICS.
Continue Reading
Apple’s newest iteration of the iPhone was greeted with mixed reactions from the market. A lot has been said, both praises and disappointments, about what it should have been in the first place. Since the local launch of the iPhone 4S with Globe and Smart is just a couple of days away, let me share with you what I think of this phone. Check out our iPhone 4S review after the jump.
Continue Reading
The HTC Evo 3D separates itself from the rest of the smartphone pack by including two 5MP rear cameras to produce stereoscopic 3D images and videos. Like the high-end LED TVs we’ve seen lately, the 3D rendering is either regarded as a gimmick or the next big thing in entertainment. Check out our full review of the HTC Evo 3D after the jump.
Continue Reading
When Samsung first unveiled the Galaxy Note, I had mixed feelings with the device. It’s got the genes of an impressive smartphone but a form factor that’s inching towards the tablet category. After having over a week’s time with the Samsung Galaxy Note and I’d like to share my verdict. Check out the full review after the break.
Continue Reading
In order to increase their mobile internet subscriber-base, Smart and Globe both released a Java-based App so that even cheaper (mostly Symbian S40) phones can now access Facebook conveniently.
Continue Reading
In a blogger gathering with Smart this afternoon, they showed us the entire HTC line-up including the HTC Chacha which is initially exclusive to them for the first month. They also discussed their new tiered pricing for mobile internet called Always On.
Continue Reading
PLDT now has an overwhelming majority of the telco business in the Philippines — it owns Smart, Talk ‘N Text, Red Mobile and now Sun Cellular representing more than 70% of the subscriber base combined {see earlier story here}.
Continue Reading
A recent draft memorandum by the NTC indicates some sort of service level agreement where ISPs are required to provide a minimum guaranteed speed on subscriptions as well as allow for daily bandwidth capping on subscribers.
Continue Reading
It’s a little hard to size up a smartphone like the HTC Wildfire when you’ve been using its better sibling (HTC Desire) and given it good marks. Check out our full review of the HTC Wildfire after the jump.
Continue Reading
The Nexus One is Google’s latest self-branded smartphone. It has gone a long way since the Google G1 over a year ago. So, before you have one delivered to the Philippines, check out our Google Nexus One review first.
Continue Reading
Just realized that since all the telecom players (Sun, Smart and Globe) are now offering unlimited 3G internet and subsequently lowering the prices down, 3G is officially cheaper than DSL.
Continue Reading
Aside from the iPhone 3G, the Sony Ericsson XPeria X1 is probably one of the most highly anticipated smartphone for the year 2008. I looked into the prototyped of the XPeria X1 given to me last week to find out if it lives up to the hype.
Continue Reading
This was one of the questions asked during the afternoon session of the 2nd day at the iBlog3 — what’s slowing mobile blogging in the Philippines?
Actually, Globe Telecoms (G-Blogs) and Smart Communications (AMBlog) have already entered into mobile blogging years ago. An old friend who works for Smart’s Marketing department approached me 2 years ago asking how much we would sell PinoyBlog for. I told him it wasn’t for sale. He then asked how much (monthly retainer) do we want for it to be re-branded as a Smart property allowing us to retain editorial control while the mobile company gets access to the content. Nonetheless, Connie and I didn’t push thru with the deal as we feel it doesn’t add much value to the service we’re doing. Obviously, Smart and Globe were already looking forward to the time when moblogging will be a hit in the country. Why it did not, I’d like to share a few thoughts.
Continue Reading
J Angelo wrote at the Blog Herald that he’s had a hard time explaining what he does for a living. To most people that he talks to, blogging or problogging isn’t even a career or is still nowhere near a form of livelihood. As for me, I’d always explain it in really simple terms that 99% of the people I talk to can understand — I’m in the Publishing business.
Here’s why:
- Think of me as a one-man newspaper. When I did a talk over at Nestle Philippines, I explained that as a problogger, there’s not much difference between me and say Manila Bulletin (print) or Inquirer.net. We’re all in the publishing business. They may have dedicated writers, editors, photographers, programmers, designers and an Editor-in-Chief. But I also have a writer, editor, photographer, programmer and designer on my blog. Just so happen that I alone do all those stuff and still manage to be the Editor-in-Chief and the Sales Manager as well.
- The business model is simple and has been around for centuries — advertising. Well, online advertising may be fairly new in this part of the region but everyone’s already familiar with traditional advertising. Let’s just say that the internet or new media is a growing platform, although I think the mobile media is way ahead of it in the Philippines. So, if you get a text message from Smart or Globe to download a ringtone or wallpaper, it’s no different from seeing an ad beside a blog entry. I think SMS ads are even worse since you can’t practically control what you get and when you get it. At least in blogs, you can choose not to read them or you can go and get the desensitized RSS version. Reminds me of Manny Pacquiao‘s boxing fights and how many advertisers wanted to have their logo stitched on his pants and jacket. Will that affect Manny’s performance inside the ring?
- The compensation package are almost the same. If bloggers get paid on a per post basis, magazine contributors are also paid the same. As a matter of fact, the going rates for bloggers on a per post basis is as good as a local magazine’s rate (that’s basing from experience with writing for both.) If sites like ReviewMe or PPP suggests what kind of review bloggers can write about a product or service, you’d be surprised that magazines also require an almost similar guideline. At least with ReviewMe, they don’t have the authority to edit your blog post. Your article contributions on a magazine will surely get one.
Ms. Malou Mangahas gave me a book about the media and journalism in the Philippines and I read there that there’s no governing body for media so anyone with money can put up their own newspaper. With blogging, the start-up capitalization in the publishing business has just become close to nil.
So to my fellow grassroot probloggers, when you’re asked what you do next time, just tell them you’re in the publishing business. 
