Technews

By Allan D. Francisco

EVERY MONDAY August 13, 2012

D3

Here Comes High Water, Again

t was raining so hard, nobody stayed dry. It seemed as if the heavens were weeping like a jilted lover, or a young child who couldnt find its way back home. Whatever last weeks deluge reminded you of, it sure has made its point, we are all puny and helpless before natures wrath. When the planets forces go on a rampage, all the temples, monuments, and other structures, which delude us into believing in our species achievements and greatness, fall down like a deck of cards, like castles built on sand. At the risk of sounding like a tree-hugging zealot, I guess us humans need to learn to live more in tune with our world. We need to learn to give back as much as, even more than we take. But most of all, can everybody please stop throwing all those plastic bags into our drainage system. This is especially true if youre one of Metro Manilas millions of residents. On second thought, let us all be tree-hugging zealots.

Power Up Your Smartphone With The Right Mobile Internet Plan

martphones have indeed revolutionized how people connect with each other. These days, we no longer just text or call to stay in the loop. We use Facebook, Twitter, and our favorite instant messaging sites to be connected and updated with our friends, loved ones, and social circles. Despite the growing preference for smartphones, many Filipinos are still privy to use their devices to browse the internet. For those who do, they tend to use Wi-Fi and look for places (or most of the time, coffee shops) due to fear of excessive mobile browsing charges, or billshock to those who have actually experienced it. This prompted Globe Telecom to introduce its PowerSurf Megabytes (MB) mobile surfing plans. Globe PowerSurf MB plans give subscribers bulk megabytes of mobile data, consumable per kilobyte. Since smartphones are powered by applications designed to keep users updated through push notifications such as a new e-mail, tweet, or Facebook comment, it is only but right to get a mobile internet plan to enjoy these notifications minus the fear of billshock. The beauty about using MBs in mobile surfing is that it does not look at the time you spend online, but on the activity you do or sites that you visit. Your allocated MBs are consumed depending on the MB size of your actual mobile internet activities, may it be a Facebook like, a tweet, an e-mail sent, a quick Google search, or a 3-minute video download. With a Globe PowerSurf MB plan,

Nope. Were not talking about those mobile X-ray clinics. What we have here instead is the United States governments plan to look one more time at the issue of radiation emitted by mobile phones. For its part, the U.S. Government Accountability Office conducted a yearlong review covering three interrelated concerns. These are present status of research into the effects of exposure to radio frequency by cell phones; American law covering the mobile phone industry; and coverage of public education about possible health risks. This corner loves consumer tech, including mobile phones. This doesnt mean, however, that we should not pay attention to any possible ill effects that these gadgets we love may potentially pose against us. RIMs Got a Break Struggling smartphone maker Research In Motion just got a lucky break. U.S. Judge James Ware overturned a California jurys July ruling that RIM had infringed on a patent owned by device management firm Mformation. The jury also ruled that RIM should pay $147.2 million as retroactive royalty for the millions of BlackBerry smartphones sold with the patentinfringing BlackBerry Enterprise Server technology. This corner hopes that RIMs luck would last for a while and help turn its delayed next-generation OS into a success. Heaven knows us consumers can benefit from a more varied range of choices in mobile OS other than iOS and Android. Thats all for the meantime, folks. Join me again next time as we keep on watching IT.

Apple Banishes YouTube Erstwhile partners and currently the bitterest of smartphone foes, Google and Apple, recently stepped their rivalry a notch higher. Apple recently announced its forthcoming iOS 6 mobile OS wont play host to a native YouTube app. That means iPhone owners who love YouTube videos have to watch them from within the browser. Of course, this doesnt come as much of a surprise. After all these companies are competitors, with the largest capital C you can find. Mobile Radiation

you only pay for what you actually use or consume, making mobile browsing more fun and easier on the pocket. Curious about how much KBs or MBs are consumed when you visit your favorite internet sites on mobile? Mobile surfing activities that do not include download of any image, video or sound such as Facebook posts and likes, tweets, and e-mail without attachments are generally less than 100 KB or .1 MB. On the other hand, web page views and photo uploads and downloads are within the 100 KB to 500 KB range. YouTube videos, application and music downloads, meanwhile, take more than 1MB. Pair up your smartphone with a mobile internet PowerSurf MB is plan that gives you a worry-free experience. best for smartphone Mobile Data Services. users who always want to be conPrepaid subscribers can choose nected and online without having to from the following affordable Powerworry about high data charges, since Surf plans: 20MB for P15 valid for 1 charging is not based on time spent day, 50MB for P30 also valid for 1 day, online, but on what they do and the and 100MB for P50 valid for 3 days. sites they go to when connected to Prepaid and Postpaid subscribers mobile internet. So power up your looking for plans with higher MB alsmartphone with the right mobile location and longer validity can avail internet plan with Globe PowerSurf of the following 30-day PowerSurf MB MB plans, giving you full control over variants: 50MB for only P99, 300 MB your mobile browsing usage, over for only P299, and 1GB for only P499. how long you want to be online, and To subscribe to a Globe Powermore importantly, over your mobile Surf MB plan, text Powersurf to 8888 browsing budget, empowering you to or dial *143# for free. Learn more make your own rules when it comes about Globe PowerSurf MB plans by to your digital lifestyle, said Jenny visiting http://surf.globe.com.ph. Granada-Echevarria, Head of Globe

A Busy October For Microsoft

As the months come nearer, it looks like Microsoft is doing a lot of work for preparations and coming into action this October. They are set to release huge products that may either be a hit or miss for the software giant. Lets take a look at whats in store for us. Microsoft Mice and Keyboards Early last week, Microsoft launched its revamped hardware lineup of keyboards and mice that are meant to interact better and more easily with the upcoming Windows 8 operating system. Starting off with the Wedge Touch Mouse, this computer peripheral is small, pocketfriendly, and packs a minimalist design. Its free of cables or USB transceivers, which mean it can simply be turned on and connected to a Bluetooth-enabled laptop or tablet. It also features a BlueTrack Technology for use on any surface. Next on the list is the ultraslim Wedge Mobile Keyboard, which is a full-sized keyboard with a lightweight design. Catering towards the tablet users, this keyboard has a durable cover that doubles as a protector and a tablet stand. Its Bluetooth technology keeps wires or transceivers a thing of the past. Theres also the Sculpt Touch Mouse and Sculpt Mobile Keyboard that provide comfort matched with portability. The mouse has a four-way touch scroll strip that allows gestures with a simple finger swipe. Meanwhile, the keyboard has a curve design that helps position the hands and wrists in a natural and comfortable resting position. Both hardware items are built for travel. Lastly, the Touch Mouse is specifically designed for Windows 8, having new gesture settings to easily navigate the new interface. Specific on-screen movements will happen whether it is used with one, two or three finger swipes. Microsoft Office 2013 and Windows 8 OS Scheduled on October 26, Microsoft will be officially launching the Windows 8 operating system together with a brand new pack of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc., calling it the Office 2013. Windows 8 will see a dramatically different user interface as Microsoft employs their Metro design. It will feature a new tilebased Start screen similar to that of the Windows Phone operating system. Each tile will represent an application, and will display relevant information such as number of unread messages on the tile for an e-mail app. On the other hand, the Office 2013 will also see a new light with its flat, minimalist interface following the Windows 8 Metro design. It will have the integration of software like Skype and SkyDrive, and will work across PCs, tablets running on Windows 8, as well as Windows Phones. Microsoft Surface Tablet Receiving positive feedback during its debut last June, Microsoft Surface will also be released on the same day as the Windows 8 OS. The Surface is Microsofts bold take as it enters the tablet wars, going head to head with Apples iPad. Although nothing much has been said on the Surfaces availability, reports say that Microsoft will launch the ARM-based version of the tablet running Windows RT with the Office pre-installed. Windows RT is the light version of the Windows 8. Meanwhile, Microsoft will release the Windows 8 Pro version 90 days after. I cant wait to get my hands on the Microsoft products that will be launched! Technology is truly exciting, especially with new releases such as this. Stay tuned for more updates. Tweet me @GlennOng or email glenn@glennong.com. (Glenn Richmond Ong)

Dell debuts new 27-inch U2713HM monitor: its first AH-IPS panel

Boomer Gen

Jose Ma J Fernandez

Dells new monitor pairs a backlit LED with a 27-inch AH-IPS display. The U2713HM marks the companys first Advanced High Performance IPS panel, which cranks viewing angles up to 178 degrees and adds Dells name to a pretty exclusive list of manufacturers. The screen can output up to 2,560 x 1,440 (WQHD) resolution, with Dell promising a 37 percent reduction in energy consumption compared to the preceding U2711. If youve got HDMI, DisplayPort, VGA or DVI-D, youll likely be well-prepared for the monitor, which also has a four-port USB 3.0 hub embedded.

About The Fake Facebook Accounts

acebook has been at the receiving end of quite a bit of bad news lately. First, there was the classic mishandling of their IPO wherein potential earnings were inflated and belatedly corrected by the main issuer only just before the float and caused the get-richquick investors to get burned as the shares kept headed south. The less than sterling report on their actual earnings that came out months later only confirmed the downward spiral. Poor Facebook founders who saw their respective net worths go down by substantial percentages! Then comes the news of over 80 Million fake accounts, something many of us have suspected all along. These fake accounts were probably set up by people who seek anonymity but who wish to be able to troll Facebook to be able to look into unsuspecting persons accounts of their lives, from their waking moments to their peccadilloes! Stalking has never been easier! On the other hand, I have had strange requests to befriend people who do not put their real photos on

their profile page, who use strange names to describe themselves, and who choose to mask their identities completely. How can I befriend anyone who I know nothing about, or who tend to use avatars as profile pictures? Now, I have nothing against friends who put up Facebook accounts for their beloved pets. After all, our one and only favorite house pooch has his own Facebook page, with lots of fans and friends who have fun looking at his new photos. Heck, I even have a new friend in Instagram whose profile is all about his beloved Boston Terriers dressed up in all sorts of funny costumes. Such is the love man has for his best friend, the canine or feline variety. I have yet to see a Facebook page of a pet crocodile though. For the sake of the more innocent or non-tech savvy users of Facebook, it behooves the company to really clean up these fake accounts. Many of them, for example, pretend to be famous people, but are put up by others just to be able to troll unsuspecting others who friend one who they think is a celebrity, only to be mined for information and the

like. I have seen dozens of accounts made out in the name of celebrities, local and foreign. Facebook should put up a site that will contain the official Facebook pages of well-known celebrities. At this stage in my Facebook career, I seem to have accumulated well over three thousand friends, many of whom I casually know, others who probably share the same philosophy in life. On the other hand, I have a few friends who are diametrically at the opposite end of the spectrum of my personal beliefs, but this has not kept us from maintaining cordial Facebook friendships. This is something I make clear to anyone seeking to start a debate, especially on an issue I feel strongly about. So, my friends and I have agreed to disagree but remain friends. This, after all, is what makes Facebook a great place to socialize and meet people. Especially for old fogeys like me who are only to happy to rediscover friends last seen during our grade school or high school years. These are moments to treasure, and make the whole Facebook experience worthwhile.