Free Mac App: MacX iPad iPhone DVD Video Converter Pack

From April 20 to May 3, 2011, this $35 Mac app is FREE as an Easter giveaway.
Maybe you’re wondering if there’s a need for this since iTunes and QuickTimeX offer iOS export settings. But this application comes in handy for formats that both programs above may have a hard time recognizing. It’s a pretty nifty utility for converting video formats into those compatible with your iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. 
The download gives you two free two-in-one programs:
DVD Ripper

Just load your DVD into the Mac, select your output format (iPad, iPhone, iPod, mp4, MOV or even Music) and click “Start” to begin conversion. EASY!

Video Converter
With this second application, you can likewise convert video files into the output formats as in DVD Ripper above, with the additional output format suitable for YouTube.

Note: Since this is being given away for free, the site says that no update or technical support is provided with this version.

To download this free dual pack, go to the link HERE and use the generated license code to register your app after download. Remember, you only have till May 3, 2011 to download this for free.
HAPPY EASTER!!!

Royal Wedding Apps Flourish!

Prince William and Kate Middleton
(photo by Mario Testino)
The excitement over the upcoming royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton this April 29 has given birth to so many ‘royal’ apps – some free, some for a fee (yes, this is clearly business for some).
Even Buckingham Palace will be releasing today, April 18, its first “Royal App” by the Royal Collection. And it has a royal wedding website as well! Goes to show that the British monarchy is now adapting technology to help bring them closer to their loyal subjects. What a change from the distant, put-on-a-pedestal-to-be-admired-from-afar royal family of old.
In my other blog, Here’s To Life!, I wrote about why this royal wedding is particularly fascinating to me. And, since I own an iPad, I’m eagerly awaiting the release of the official app from Buckingham Palace. For starters, I’ve already got the FREE app, The Royal Wedding by Hello! on my iPad.
Here are some of the more interesting ones I’ve found (pls note that not all these apps may be available to Philippine users):
FREE
1. The Royal Wedding by Hello! (Hello Ltd), iPhone and iPad – So far, this is the best app I’ve seen. The UI is very clean and the info is almost comprehensive in nature.

2. Royal Wedding Video App (ITN), iPhone and Android – the video content is linked to ITN’s ‘Royal Wedding Channel’ on YouTube.
3. A Royal Wedding Celebration: William and Kate (Onteca), iOS Universal – also has impressive content on how the couple met to the guest list. There is an ‘iPad only’ version of the app but it is priced at $0.99.
PAID
1. Royal App (Royal Collection), iOS Universal and Android, expected to sell at £1.79 beginning April 18.

2. Royal Wedding Essential Guide (BlueYellow Media Ltd), iOS Universal, $0.99 – Has a wide range of content and features an interactive map using GPS showing locations relevant to the wedding. It has a lot of trivia about the couple as well as a Royal Personality Test to show which royal person has the same personality as you. Right now, this price is 50% off so I don’t know how long it will be on sale.

3. Royal Wedding Invite (Ryan Stevens), $0.99 – you have a “pretend” invite to the royal wedding.It used to be a free app but having seen its content on my iPad just now, I won’t spend to buy the app.
4. Royal Wedding – The Wills and Kate Story (Trinity Mirror Digital Media Ltd), iPhone and iPad, $1.99 – This is a hefty 183MB download because it contains video and audio narratives from James Whitaker, world’s foremost Royal Correspondent. 
One more thing, don’t fail to visit the official royal wedding site. CLICK HERE.

Public Service: ATM Schedules for Holy Week Downtime

Some banks are using the Holy Week to do maintenance work. I received email from BDO and BPI on this.

Do take note of the scheduled ATM downtime. Better, make sure you withdraw enough money to cover for your Holy Week plans.

BDO

BDO Unibank, Inc. (BDO) will undergo a nationwide systems upgrade during the Holy Week (from April 20 to April 23) to further improve its service to all valued clients.

The Bank, in an official advisory, is requesting all its clients to be guided by the following schedules:

– The use of BDO ATM cards will not be available in all ATM machines and payment terminals in retail stores from 11PM of April 22 (Friday) to 7AM of April 23 (Saturday). For BDO Dollar Account Holders, the use of ATM cards will not be available from 11PM of April 22 (Friday) to 6PM of April 23 (Saturday).

– Bills payment using ATM, Internet, Mobile Internet, Mobile and Phone Banking will not be available from 11PM of April 20 (Wednesday) to 11:59PM of April 23 (Saturday).

– Other transactions using Internet, Mobile Internet, Mobile and Phone Banking will not be available from 10PM of April 22 (Friday) to 6PM of April 23 (Saturday).

To avoid any inconvenience, BDO is encouraging all its clients to schedule their transactions prior to the commencement of the systems improvement.

BPI

To enable us to continuously deliver world-class service levels, we will be conducting a short maintenance activity for Express Online, Express Mobile, and Express Phone on April 17, 2011 from 2:00 AM to 5:00 AM. These transaction channels will be unavailable during this time. Thank you for your understanding.

I will try to update this post in case I hear of other banks scheduling maintenance work as well.

(Bank logos taken from their respective websites)

Send SMS within the Philippines with Gmail

Chatting using the computer has been around for some time now. This technology has allowed people to communicate without having to pick up a phone or call/text using a mobile phone. The drawback though was that both parties had to be online and both had to be on Gmail.

Now, Gmail makes it even easier to contact friends via their mobile phones. You can send FREE SMS to a friend from within your Gmail account.
I took this screencap from Gmail’s site:
(click on image to enlarge)

1. Log into your Gmail account. In the Send SMS box above Chat, enter the phone number you want to send a SMS to.

2. In the dialog box, enter Contact name of the SMS recipient and check that country and phone number are correct. Then, click Save.

3.Type your message in the chat window and hit Enter.

4.Your message will be sent to the phone number you entered.

When your contact replies to your SMS, it appears on your Chat window, which is great because your exchange is saved as chats in your Chat History, just like ordinary chats.

Any messages you send or receive from Gmail are FREE. Your contact, on a mobile phone, also gets your SMS free but the reply from phone to Gmail will be charged a regular SMS rate by the mobile provider.

This is good news for those who are online at work or at home. Best example: ME!!!

Now I need not pay SMS charges and still be able to contact my family and friends on their mobile. You can do the same from work. Well, that is if Gmail is not blocked in the office. 🙂

If you already have a Gmail account, you can log in right now and try it. If you still don’t have Gmail, create an account now.

NOTE: SMS with Gmail is available as of now only for Smart and Sun Cellular subscribers.

Read about Gmail SMS HERE.

Smart Bro’s Broadbandest Blowout is here!

Shortly after the recent Japan quake struck, our internet connection began to suffer. When I say suffer, I mean really painful, tortuous suffering. You see, we have a 3Mbps plan with this broadband company and even if I had my entire brood online, we never had serious problems with speed. As an active blogger, I could still happily surf the net for my writing tasks while keeping up with my social network contacts. My kids could still do research for their academic requirements while watching YouTube videos.

But up to this time, we are lucky to get even a 1Mbps speed constantly during the day. At night, when everyone is online, our internet speed would drop to dial-up speeds (as slow as 0.12 Mbps). I’ve not had speeds like that since maybe the early 2000’s! And to top it all, there was one day this week when our internet connection totally conked out! What was I to do?

Guess what saved the day, at least for me — my SmartBro dongle!!!

I topped up my prepaid SmartBro number with enough load and subscribed to UNLISURF50. That gave me unlimited internet connection for one whole day!

This really got me thinking that subscribing to just one broadband carrier may no longer be sufficient. There is a need for a backup carrier. The kids and I cannot afford to have the internet down because my work is primarily online and they have a lot of schoolwork online too. And truthfully, I think we will all have withdrawal symptoms if we go without the internet even for just one day. Hahaha…

Now is the time to seriously look at what could be Smart Bro’s grandest, biggest bang-for-the-bucks broadband blowout. 

Smart Bro’s Unlimited Home Broadband Plan is available for either Php 999 or Php 1995. And that’s not all. You get the following ABSOLUTELY FREE just for subscribing to either of these two plans:

1. FREE All-in-One HP Printer 
2. FREE Call & Texts with SMART Gold Lite Plan 300 for 6 months subscription
3. FREE 1-month broadband subscription

You get consistent and stable surfing speed, unlimited internet connection and all these freebies to boot!

This summer, I’m seriously going to look at these unlimited broadband plans. My kids and I have come to depend so much on internet connection that we really cannot afford to do without it on a daily basis. The kind of unexpected disaster wrought by the Japan quake tells me that it is always good to have alternatives. Smart Bro gave me the internet connection I needed when my other broadband carrier failed to deliver. I think it will continue to come to our rescue down the road.

That is a big thumbs-up for me!

If you are like me, an avid internet user, and most of all, if you’ve got internet-savvy kids who will climb the wall if the internet is disrupted even for a few hours, you need to look at Smart Bro’s summer promo and avail of the cool freebies. I bet you need that HP printer like I do to replace my 3-year old HP inkjet printer.

Check out Smart Bro’s Broadbandest Blowout. This promo runs from March 4 to June 4, 2011. You can find additional details on this promo at the Smart website. Just click HERE.

Per DTI-NCR Permit No. 1871, Series of 2011.


(Note this serves as my entry to Smart Bro’s Broadbandest Blowout blogger contest.)

HiSense Launches Bluetooth Headsets

Despite the ordinance in some cities in the Metro banning the use of mobile phones while driving, I can still see so many people using their mobile phoes while on the road.

That is just one of the risks and inconveniences that bluetooth headsets are addressing. Hands-free mobile phone conversations reduce the risk of car accidents as you can keep your eyes on the road and both your hands on the steering wheel while talking.

But other than that, there are other advantages of using bluetooth headsets. You never have to miss that important call even when on a treadmill or fitness machine at the gym. For women, you could even be getting a manicure while chatting with your best friend on the phone. Or imagine yourself whipping up meals in your kitchen and still being able to talk on the phone while both hands are stirring the pan. I can think of more things you can do hands-free.

We are familiar with that other brand of Bluetooth headsets for mobile phones, Now, there’s a new line of Bluetooth headsets from HiSense, a company that started out in China in 1969 as a small radio factory but which has now grown into a multibillion-dollar global conglomerate worldwide. Their Bluetooth mobile accessories range from multipoint mono Bluetooth headsets to stereo Bluetooth headsets to solar-powered hands-free car kits and portable solar-powered chargers. Their mono headsets and car kits can actually pair up to eight mobile devices while allowing the user to connect with two phones simultaneously, even if these two are with different network carriers.

The HB200 Mini and Slim Headsets

These two slim and compact headsets feature the Multi-Point Connection, allowing the user to connect two mobile phones (even from different carriers) at the same time. A new feature of this one compared to other brands is the magnetic clip that you can use as a tie clip or, with the provided lanyard, hang it around your neck. You’ll never lose or misplace your headset. An optional ear hook is also provided. Both have 5.5 hours talk time, 150 hours standby time. SRP for both models: Php 1,950.
The HB400C Headset
This is the headset for music lovers because now you can stream your favorite music tracks in stereo sound with ease. It is wearable as a necklace, making it great for an active lifestyle. This has 6 hours of talk or play time and 160 hours standby time. SRP: Php 2,950.

The HB420S Sport
They call this the gym headset because you can answer the phone or stream music while doing your workout. It’s sweat-proof as well. The headset goes all the way around the back of the head, out of the way of your hands. This is the one I’d choose for the gym because it does away with the wires of my iPod earphones. SRP: Php 3,450.
The HB440H
I would say this is a guy kind of headset, something my boys will probably love to use. It’s stylish, hip and comfortable. Hi-Fi frequency response speakers bring clear stereo music and calls. SRP: Php 3,950.
HB650S Car Kits
Truly hands-free driving can be had with this car kit. It is echo-free and has noise reduction features that minimize background noise. It stores up to 1,000 contacts and with its Smart Text-to-Speech (TTS) feature, the caller’s name or number is automatically announced when you get an incoming call. You can charge this in 2 ways: via cigarette lighter or with the sun’s rays through its integrated solar panel. A windshield cradle and external microphone complete the car kit.
SRPs for car kits:
B600 Bluetooth hands-free – Php 2,450
HB600S Solar Bluetooth hands-free – Php 3,450
HB650 Bluetooth hands-free – Php 3,850
HB650S Solar powered Bluetooth hands-free – Php 4,850
HiSense bluetooth headsets are available at Digital Hub, Digital Walker, Astrovision, ROX, Switch, iStudio, Odyssey and Power Mac Center.

I have radio and TV on my iPad!

(Update: In a disappointing move, the latest update of Radio & TV Philippines deleted ANC from its list of TV streams without any explanations. I hope they bring this back because many of my friends bought the app precisely due to ANC content.)

I’ve had this app for some time now on my iPad and let me just say that this is one of the best $0.99 app purchases you can ever make if you’re in the Philippines or just want to have access to Philippine radio/TV.

It was initially launched as Radyo Natin, developed by Rowel Atienza, but it’s been recently changed to Radio and TV Philippines. It’s a universal app so it will work on your iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad.
The app streams AM/FM radio stations (wifi and 3G) and select TV channels (wifi only) to your iPad. You can also get online Pinoy music stations, world news stations (like Voice of America) and over 100 Christmas stations on it as well. In case of an emergency I know I can always tune in to radio or TV even when out of the house, as long as I have internet connection.
This app works in multitasking or background mode so even if you switch to another app, it does not disrupt the streaming. It even plays the audio stream in sleep mode or when your screen locks. And when internet connection is interrupted, the app reconnects automatically when internet is restored.
What made this app have even more value for my money was when a recent version upgrade included the ABS-CBN news channel, ANC. I tune in often to ANC for news and to follow live Congress/Senate hearings. What is better than having this channel on the go?
You can download the app for $0.99 from your iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad by going to the App Store.

Have You Kik’d Anyone Yet?

Got an Android, iOS or Blackberry smartphone? Then you need to check out Kik Messenger, the latest viral app that allows free texting crossing all 3 platforms.
It’s FREE. It’s pretty fast (real-time). And it’s VIRAL! 
According to the Kik blog, they launched Oct. 19, 2010 with 0 users and hit 1 million in just 15 days. If that’s not viral, I don’t know what is!
I downloaded it just tonight after reading a Tech Crunch article about it being viral. Then I posted notices on my Plurk and Facebook accounts. In just a few hours, several of my friends and family have already joined my network. Here’s what the screen looks like.
(Source: Kik Blog)
I also got to text back and forth with friends using all 3 platforms and it works. Beautifully! The user interface is very simple and a new feature it has that was not present in Ping Chat which I used to use (only good among iPhone users) is that it has 3 icons that change status beside each of your posts. S = Sending. D = Delivered. R = Read. Woot!
To download Kik from your smartphone, click HERE.
Congrats to the entire Kik team. I really hope you guys can sustain the amazing exponential growth and keep downtime or lag to the barest minimum.
As for me, if Kik works as they tout it, this might just be my solution to this carrier that did away with their unlimited text promo for Christmas and New Year. Cheers!
The Kik Team celebrating the 1M crossover
(Source: Kik Blog)

Cherry Mobile Launches its Android Smartphones

My oldest son, who’s the geekiest member of our family, has long been saving up for an Android phone. For someone who has the highest expectations and standards for his next mobile phone, he has done his homework as far as mobile OS are concerned and it seems that the Android’s performance is IT for him.

On my end, I had been wanting to get a device that would allow me to take pictures and upload them on the fly wherever my blogging activities take me. While I already have a 3G iPad, the absence of a camera means I still needed to bring one. And frankly, my existing camera, which is many years old already, has seen better days. So when I got an invite to attend an Android event, I just had to see for myself what it was all about and to check its specs.

Cherry Mobile (the company that was first known for providing affordable dual SIM handsets) launched its line of Android Smartphones powered by Qualcomm: the Nova, Magnum HD and Superion which is also the first ever tablet phone in the Philippines.

The most affordable model is the Nova (SRP P11,490). Compared to other smartphones in this price range, the Nova offers a lot more, including the 5MP camera and GPS services.

Nova specs:

  • Android OS 2.1
  • Quadband GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
  • Triband UMTS 900 / 1900 / 2100
  • 3.2″ HVGA capacitive touchscreen
  • Qualcomm MSM 7227 600 MHz processor
  • 3G/HSDPA connectivity
  • Wifi
  • Bluetooth
  • GPS/AGPS
  • Google mobile services ( Gmail, Maps, Marketplace)
  • 5.0 MP camera with flash
Its midrange model is the Magnum HD (SRP P18,990). I saw this one up close and I must say it looked pretty stylish.
Magnum HD specs:
  • Android OS 2.2
  • Qualcomm 1GHz processor
  • 4.1″ WVGA capacitive touchscreen
  • ROM: 2GB / RAM: 512MB
  • Expandable micro SD up to 32GB
  • Quadband GSM/GPRS/EDGE: 850/900/1800/1900
  • 3G Triband UMTS/HSDPA: 900/1900/2100
  • Wifi: 802.11 b/g
  • GPS/AGPS
  • Bluetooth 2.0
  • Standard micro USB 2.0
  • 3.5 mm Stereo Audio jack
  • HDMI-D type
  • 720p recording
  • 5MP camera with flash (back)
  • VGA camera (front)
And their top of the line, the first tablet and mobile phone in one, is Superion (SRP P19,990). According to its Product Development Manager, Reggie Ramos, the Superion will be available in the market this week. And yes, I did ask about its battery life with wifi and Reggie told me that based on his own experience with it, the Superion with wifi on, lasted him more than a day on a full charge. Whoa!

Superion specs:
  • Android OS 2.2
  • Quadband GSM, 850/900/1900/2100
  • Triband UMTS 900/1900/2100
  • 7″ WVGA capacitive touchscreen
  • Qualcomm MSM 7227 600 MHz processor
  • 512MB ROM, 512MB RAM
  • Expandable memory up to 32GB
  • 3G/HSDPA connectivity
  • Wifi
  • Bluetooth
  • GPS/AGPS
  • Standard mini USB 2.0
  • 3.5mm headphone jack
  • G-Sensor
  • Ambient light sensor
  • Google mobile services (Gmail, Maps, Marketplace)
  • 3MP camera with auto-focus (back)
  • VGA camera (front)
I imagine that many who were going for an iPad may take a second look at the Superion, considering how much cheaper it is and it has a camera and phone to boot (though I wonder if it will be a bit heavy to hold up to one’s ear when making calls). My only disappointment so far with its specs is that it only has a 3MP camera. I wish it had the 5MP features that the Nova and Magnum HD’s cameras have.
Meanwhile,  those who want the 5MP camera combined with a touchscreen smartphone that is so elegant it can really turn heads, would probably consider the Magnum HD. 

Google Chrome Goes Pinoy with Themes and Extensions

Chrome was launched only sometime 2008 and yet it’s now the Philippines’ 2nd most popular browser. With innovations in extensions as well as variety of themes coupled with its robust infrastructure, Chrome is truly gaining grounds in the browser war. In fact, on both my desktop and laptop computers, Chrome runs as my default browser.

Last Sept. 30, another first was introduced to the Filipino bloggers — extensions and themes done by Filipinos for Filipinos.

Themes are pretty much like your desktop wallpaper except that it carries over to the background of your browser and the colors of your tabs, buttons and bars follow the thematic colors. Extensions are small programs that you download and install. These either extend the functionality of existing applications or provide information.

Representing Google at the launch were Google Southeast Asia Head of Product Management, Andrew McGlinchey, and Google Southeast Asia Head of Marketing, Derek Callow.

(Andrew McGlinchey, left, and Derek Callow, right)

We were introduced to 3 of the 13 artists behind the Pinoy Google themes: Yabang Pinoy, AJ Dimarucot, and Corey Cruz.
(Yabang Pinoy’s Patintero theme)
(AJ Dimarucot’s Solar Eclipse theme)
Corey Cruz’s Bahay Kubo theme)
Here are 12 of the 13 themes which I screencapped from the Google Chrome themes gallery.
Next, we were briefed on different extensions developed just for the Philippine scene (click on any of the links below to install the extension you want):
1. ABS CBN News Reader extension – this will allow users to get top entertainment news and the latest video feeds
2. Ayos Dito PH extension – as the largest Filipino online marketplace for buying and selling, its extension will allow users to receive relevant buy and sell information
3. Banco de Oro extension – will allow users to get foreign exchange (FOREX) information
4. Cebu Pacific extension – will allow users to get the best rates for the day
5. Carlos Celdran extension – Who doesn’t know Carlos Celdran by now? His extension will update users on his latest adventures and tour dates.
6. MMDA extension – it will allow users to access the FAQ, the most searched category for local traffic information and Metro Manila driving tips.
7. Philippine Airlines extension – will allow users to check available flights
8. PEP extension – Philippine Entertainment Portal (PEP) will provide, via this extension, access to showbiz news such as TV interviews or sound bytes.
9. Pinoy Exchange extension – Pinoy Exchange is an online community of Filipinos around the world with a wide breadth of categories for registered members. The extension allows users to view top forum discussions.
10. SmartBro extension – allows users to get the latest news, promo updates and online help
11. GMA Breaking News – allows users to receive breaking news
Google also announced that in the works is a SmartBro/Google Chrome USB dongle which will already come with a Chrome installer. When the dongle is inserted into a computer, the Chrome icon will appear and users double-click this to access the web.
All in all, it was a fascinating evening and I am happy that the Philippines has been given a prominent place in the Chrome arena. This is just the start. I am sure that as more and more Pinoys make Chrome their default browser, there will be even more motivation on Google’s part to innovate and create more themes and extensions just for the Filipino users’ tastes.