MacUpdate Promo: Mac App Bundle for $49.99 Only

Posted on by jane
MacUpdate is a website where Mac applications are offered at discounts for limited periods of time. Once in a while, they have a huge promo where they bundle several apps and slash prices significantly. Now is one of those times.
For only $49.99, you can get 10 highly-rated Mac applications (you get an additional app if you are one of the first 15,000 buyers). The total value of these apps at retail price is $381. Steal?
Well, I have 1Password Pro on my iPad. I had been on the lookout for a promo on the Mac version so I could sync both. The retail value of 1Password for the Mac is already $39 so getting at least 10 apps for $49.99 is already a great deal for me.
For $49.99, here’s what you get:
1. Parallels Desktop 6  for Mac – seamlessly run both Windows and Mac OS X applications side-by-side without rebooting. Requirements: Intel-based Mac, Mac OS X 10.5.2 or later. SRP: $79
2. 1Password – a password manager where you can keep not just passwords but software license keys, bank account info, credit card info, and other personal info. Requirements: Mac OS X 10.5 or later. SRP: $39

3. MacUpdate Desktop – while Software Update only updates Apple-branded apps, this one updates all apps on your Mac. REquirements: Mac OS X 10.5 or later. SRP: $10
4. DVD Remaster Pro 7 – recompresses large DVDs so they can be burned on a standard DVD or converts them so they can be watched on your video iPod, iPod Touch, iPhone, iPad Apple TV and many others. Requirements: Mac OS X 10.4 or later. SRP: $49
5. Mac DVDRipper 2 – lets you copy all your DVDs on your Mac so you can easily view them without using your optical drive. Requirements: Mac OS X 10.4 or later. SRP: $9
6. Hands Off! – monitors transfers of private information from your computer and control disk access from all applications to prevent them from obtaining confidential information. Requirements: Mac OS X 10.6.4 or later. SRP: $24
7. App Tamer – tames applications that eat up excess CPU and battery time. Requirements: Mac OS 10.5 or later. SRP: $14
8. TechTool Pro 5 – a full-featured utility program containing options for testing and repair, maintenance (including disk defragmentation), and data recovery. Requirements: Mac OS X 10.4.9 or later, DVD drive. SRP: $98
9. Civilization IV (game) – build and rule a historic empire, creating your own legacy as you guide your civilization from the dawn of man through the space age and beyond. Requirements: 1.8GHz or faster Mac, Radeon 9600 or GeForce FX 5200 or better graphics card. SRP: $19
10. A Better Finder Rename – offers a complete set of renaming options that are organized into 7 categories covering all the text, character, position, conversion and truncation features that you would expect from a file renamer. Requirements: Mac OS X 10.6 or later. SRP: $19
11. Divvy (only for first 15,000 bundle buyers) – enables you to manage your workspace. Requirements:  Mac OS X 10.5 or later. SRP: $14
When I ordered the bundle, I opted for delivery of DVDs for Civilization IV and TechTool Pro 5 (an additional $9.99) because each download is 1.8GB. MacUpdate delivers anywhere worldwide so I am expecting my DVDs soon in the mail.
Major credit cards as well as PayPal are acceptable modes of payment.
Hurry up! As of this posting, there have already been 11,117 downloads. Divvy is free only for first 15,000 buyers.
The link to the promo is HERE.

Azur: Clothing line for young men

Posted on by jane

Yes, it’s that time of the year again – Junior Prom, Senior Ball and Graduation.

Our youngest boy will be having his prom this coming weekend. Since he prefers loose jeans and shirts, we really had nothing in his wardrobe that qualified as prom material. So off to the mall we went.

After checking out the brand I thought would have a lot of possibilities, we found that colors he was inclined to were no longer available in his size. Upon looking around the area, we chanced upon a new clothing line that caught my eye – Azur.

Luck of all lucks, the two designers behind Azur were visiting the Crossings branch. They gamely assisted me and my son and helped him pick out his prom attire.
Now, I would have posted my son’s attire here but he’s quite shy about it so let me just go with some other pics I took from Azur.
The two designers behind Azur are Charles Cua and Melchor Guinto. They told me that they choose materials carefully to ensure the utmost comfort when these are worn. Their style is inspired from what’s fashionable in the European circuit but they tweak the designs to put in their own styles.
Melchor showed me some suits he personally designed. According to him, the collars of these suits are his personal design and he’d know if anyone else copied these.
Azur is also trying to bring back some fashion trends. Melchor told me they are trying to revive the use of suspenders (cool!). And he showed me the bowtie that they are now offering with their shirts. He says it’s not that difficult to tie. And besides, there’s YouTube daw. Hahahaha…
The bowtie…untied

Their shirts and pants are reasonably priced, to my mind. We got my son’s shirt for only P1,499. And Charles and Melchor said that that is the price of just about everything in their clothing line. For young men or for those who are just beginning to work, who want to look good but don’t want to pay hefty prices, Azur is definitely a place to check out.

Azur can be found at the Marquee Mall (Pampanga), Landmark Trinoma, Crossings EDSA Shangri-la and The Ramp Glorietta.
Check them out too at the next Fashion Week.

HiSense Launches Bluetooth Headsets

Posted on by jane

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.

Tutti Frutti: Yummy Yogurt!

Posted on by jane
I love yogurt. I have loved it for over 20 years. So when frozen yogurt became popular in the Metro, it also became a favorite with me. When a small group of my mommy blogger friends and I were invited last Feb. 17, 2011 to try Tutti Frutti frozen yogurt at SM Hypermart Pasig, I readily said YES. 
We had time to meet the franchisee, Allan Sio, who readily sat down with us to introduce us to Tutti Frutti. 
L-R: Michelle, Rone, Rowena, me, Noemi)
Allan Sio (center) holds the SM Hypermart Pasig franchise
Tutti Frutti has over 150 stores worldwide (California, Virginia, Georgia, Texas, Hawaii, Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines, Tahiti, Mexico, Hong Kong, Malaysia, etc).

It has over 50 different flavors but of course, you won’t find all those in one visit. They have 4  yogurt dispensing machines, each of which can dispense 2 separate flavors using different levers or, choose the middle lever of each machine to dispense a combination of the 2 flavors in it.

The day we visited, these were their 8 flavors:
  • Strawberry Banana
  • Vanilla
  • Strawberry
  • Death By Chocolate
  • Pomegranate
  • Cookies & Cream
  • TF Original (permanently available)
  • Taro-bly Delicious (permanently available)
You choose your size of cup, choose your flavor, and dispense as much or as little as you like. Add toppings of your choice (optional), weigh and pay. Tutti Frutti charges P20 per ounce (not counting the cup’s weight).
For diners who have no idea what these flavors are like, they have colorful tiny spoons so you can try all flavors before choosing a cupful.
Of course, I went around trying all 8 flavors. Strawberry Banana tasted good. I guess it’s because I love those 2 fruits. Death by Chocolate was a curiosity and it turns out, it tasted much like frozen Chocolait. The Taro-bly Delicious, though yummy and probably popular with kids, was a little too sweet for my taste. 
I eventually settled down with my all-time favorite — the TF Original. Then I added fresh fruits: strawberries, blueberries and mangoes. And this is the result (all 9.026 ounces of it):
Kids may want to know that aside from the usual nuts, cookies & cream, oreo, marshmallows, Tutti Frutti has mocchi toppings!
Another feature of their toppings is their premium gourmet sauces from Monin of France with choices like Dark Chocolate, White Chocolate and Caramel.
Tutti Frutti is located right across the checkout counters of SM Hypermart Pasig, very close to the Food Court.

Asian Fusion at Coco Asian Kitchen

Posted on by jane
 (UPDATE as of July 2011: This restaurant has closed down and has been replaced by another one)

Thanks to Chris, The Foodie Club had a chance to sample the menu of Coco Asian Kitchen. I thought the restaurant was a new one at Greenhills Promenade.

When my daughter and I got there, we realized that during the last 1 or 2 movies that we caught at Promenade, the kids and I did eat at the Promenade food court and already chanced upon Coco Asian Kitchen. But we never got a chance to sample the menu offerings as we usually got to Promenade just a few minutes before show time and usually went for the stalls that offered fastfood items.

The nice thing that I noticed about Coco Asian Kitchen was its very colorful facade. It was the most eye-catching of all the other restaurants in the Promenade lobby. Secondly, I personally love Asian fusion food because my taste buds can try the spices and cooking styles from different countries without having to go to different specialty restaurants featuring just one country’s cuisine. There’s one other Asian fusion resto at the Promenade but they cater more to diners who are ready for a sit-down dinner. Coco Asian is able to serve up fusion food more quickly — great if you’re in a hurry and not ready for a sit-down meal.

I did not get to try all the food served that night but let me give you some idea of their offerings.

First up is my favorite of the night – Ube Ubod (P120, solo). Truth be told, I had already seen Ube Ubod featured on the resto’s wall but not being adventurous, I found it strange at first to see what looked like purple dumplings. The purple wrapper apparently was made of ube (yam) and tied with a string. I removed the string to expose the lumpia ubod inside. I dribbled (nah, I soaked) the lumpia in yummy peanut sauce. I’m glad that this was served up because it tasted just like Filipino lumpia ubod, a favorite of mine since ubod is the main ingredient of the Ilonggo (my province) style of lumpia. The peanut sauce, to me, clinched it. Now I know what I will be ordering often when I’m at Promenade.

Ube Ubod

My second favorite of the night is Dory ala Coco (P170, solo; P290, sharing). I’m a lover of dory fillet so it was a natural for me to go for this dish. It was breaded and deep-fried, then topped with sweet coconut-based sauce. I found the dory taste just right and soft inside despite it being breaded and fried. This was a new way of cooking dory because usually breaded items are dry, unlike this one which comes with a sauce. Crispy fried noodles came with this dish and I believe is best eaten when you crush the noodles into smaller bits, scoop up the coconut sauce and drizzle it over the noodles for flavoring. In my case though, I chose to take the dory with the rice served up.

Dory ala Coco

Oh, since I already mentioned eating rice with the dory, let me just insert it here before I go on to the other dishes. We got to try a new dish that was not yet on the menu — Seafood Fried Rice. Strips of fish and shrimps and mussels were mixed in with the fried rice which was cooked just right, not too greasy. Sliced green onions as well as lemon slices completed the dish. Next time, I’ll squeeze a bit of that lemon on the rice to see how it affects its overall flavor.

The third dish I tried was the Crispy Tilapia Fillet (P190, solo). The crispy tilapia sat on a bed of crispy noodles and came with a soy sauce dip with red hot peppers in it. This looked to me more as an appetizer or pulutan so I was just surprised that other dishes came ahead of this one. Also, while the noodles made the presentation of the tilapia look better, I felt that most diners would just gobble up the tilapia with the soy sauce and leave the noodles untouched. Maybe Coco Asian can cook up some kind of yummy sauce that can be taken with the noodles so nothing goes to waste.
Crispy Tilapia Fillet

The Cha Gio (P90), their version of Vietnamese spring rolls (someone got to one of the rolls before I got to take a pic), came with fried noodles, a couple of fried onion rings and other veggies, together with a vinegar-spiced dip. This was not bad. In fact, I like rolls dipped in vinegar. 

Cha Gio

By this time, I was already full so I was unable to try the next two dishes.

The Coco Express (P130, solo; P190, sharing) is Coco Asian’s version of Bicol Express. My palate can’t handle that kind of spice so I opted out of trying it. Maybe I’ll venture some other time.
Coco Express

The last dish brought out was the Sweet Potato Prawns (P190, solo; P360 sharing). Too bad, I wanted so much to taste this because unlike the usual breaded prawns, those spiky things you see are actually crisp potato strings. Anyway, that’s a good excuse to go back to Coco Asian and order this one.

Sweet Potato Prawns

Our sumptuous dinner was capped with a selection from Bubble Tea Boy which was in the same area as Coco Asian Kitchen. The powders they use to make these milk teas come from Japan, which is why the names of most of their drinks are in Japanese. As a health conscious person, I opted for Green Tea Latte (I think it costs about P80 for a large cup) as my first Bubble Tea choice and I actually loved it because the green tea flavor came out very well. Next time though, I will try it without the pearls. I like my milk teas smooth so I need not chew.

Green Tea Latte

We were served other dishes as well but it was on the other side of our VERRRRYYY long table. These were Tom Yum Soup (P90) and Goat Kaldereta (P260).

On the whole, I was happy to find that Coco Asian Kitchen was a place where I could have good Asian fusion food without having to wait very long. Having a foretaste of all these dishes have given me a list of “must tries” for another time. And what made our evening even better was the company of The Club.
The Club (photo courtesy of Foodie Manila)

You can find Coco Asian Kitchen at the Ground Floor of the Promenade, Greenhills Shopping Center, San Juan City.

Share Krispy Kreme Hearts this Valentine’s Day

Posted on by jane

Valentine’s Day will be extra special for me and the family.

We received a box of Krispy Kreme and for once, they are NOT round but heart-shaped Valentine’s Treats. My box has the zigzag-shaped hearts but they have two more designs — scallops and a heart within a heart design. The doughnuts (topped with milk or white chocolate) may look different on the outside but inside, it’s the same favorite doughnut with its trademark melt-in-your-mouth dough.

These heart treats are only available for a limited time – only until February 14, 2011. So this weekend, head out to the nearest Krispy Kreme branch near you and get a box – make that two – and share Krispy Kreme hearts with your special someone or with the family.

This Yogini is LOUD!

Posted on by jane

LOUD to me doesn’t mean that your voice is necessarily loud because that only reflects the physical aspect. I believe being LOUD also means that you are able to influence someone in some way — hopefully for the better.

In 2006, I got into yoga. At first, it was just all about me and my practice. But as I fell in love with it, I realized that yoga is not just for one’s self but is something to be shared with others. At first, I did not know where to begin. But I had the chance to organize a free yoga class for bloggers in 2007 for a group of blogger friends. Here’s our class pic below.

Bloggers pose after a yoga class with Teacher Pio

At around that time, I also decided to open my yoga blog, The Yogini from Manila, where I tried to be a resource point for those wanting to explore yoga by providing a list of studios in the Philippines. Through this yoga blog, I am able to shout out LOUD the benefits of yoga. Through it, I became friends with yoga teachers here and abroad. I’ve heard from readers looking for studios, asking how they can start yoga, seeking advice on anything from yoga styles to yoga wear, and many more.

Now, I have extended my being LOUD to Facebook by opening The Yogini from Manila Facebook page. Here, I can interact more with my contacts since I check Facebook often. It allows me to share LOUDly my love for yoga, even if I do not teach.
Several of my blogger friends now do yoga and continue to try it. This makes me so happy because I know yoga can make them healthier, maybe even slimmer. One thing’s for sure, they become more active since bloggers oftentimes lead sedentary lives in front of the computer. Isn’t that LOUD enough?

Contest: Havaianas All Summer: Race to Hawaii

Posted on by jane

Just a few more months to go and it will be summer and you know what that means.

Well, as a mother, it means I don’t need to stress out over car schedules bringing kids to/from school or buying school supplies or even just making sure they do homework before chatting with friends online.

But for a lot of us that also means lots of sun, the beach, beach games, Boracay, and your favorite flipflops.

Havaianas is helping make summer a year-round celebration of happiness and kindness among us Pinoys by launching a nationwide contest, “All Summer: Race to Hawaii”.

100 two-member teams (65 from Metro Manila, 35 from the provinces)  will compete in a fun, elimination round at the NBC Tent, Global City. The provincial teams get all-expense paid trips to Manila for the competition.

20 teams who pass the elimination rounds will be flown to Boracay for the final round. Again, airfare and accommodations will be taken care of by Havaianas. The team with the best time in all the summer tasks win an all-expense paid trip for two to sunny Hawaii.

Who Can Join?

You need to be a Philippine resident, 18 years old and above, fit to travel and engage in physical activities and must hold a valid passport to qualify for this contest.

Any single-receipt purchase of two (2) Havaianas pairs from any participating Havaianas retailers from February 4, 2011 to March 27, 2011 will merit one (1) Race to Hawaii scratch card, which contains a unique code that the participant can use to register in the www.havaianassummer.com website. Participants have until March 28, 2011, 11:59PM to register or add codes.

Get ready for a Hawaiian summer getaway with a friend or special someone. This will be one summer you won’t ever forget. Let Havaianas treat you to a well-deserved vacation.

For additional contest details and mechanics, visit the Havaianas Always Summer website.

I have radio and TV on my iPad!

Posted on by jane

(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.

Meeting Ana Julaton – WBO World Champion

Posted on by jane
WBO Champion and Pinay Ana Julaton

She’s of pure Filipino stock (she traces her roots to Pozorrubio, Pangasinan).

She’s gorgeous in person – tall, svelte, and ultra feminine in long tresses.
And that boxing champion belt around her belt is the real thing – she’s the reigning WBO world champion in the super-bantamweight division. And her coach is none other than THE Freddie Roach (Manny Pacquiao’s trainer)!
Her name is ANA “The Hurricane” JULATON.
I personally was interested in meeting her. I must confess this was the first time I was hearing about her because I really am not a boxing aficionado (least of all women’s boxing). But it intrigued me that a Pinay was making a name for herself in a realm normally associated with men.

Truth be told, I expected a manly female boxer with huge leg and arm muscles and a face that was more masculine than feminine. I think my reference was the female wrestlers I’d catch on TV every so often. But the moment I saw Ana, I was dumbfounded. In front of me was a beautiful (and I am not exaggerating), long-haired, feminine lady in a sleeveless blouse over maong pants and high heels. Her figure was more appropriate for a catwalk and she really looked fit and toned. And with a constant, radiant smile, she just made an awesome first impression on me.

I got to throw the first question at her: Why boxing?

And she explained that she was really into a lot of martial arts, including taekwondo, and when she tried boxing, she just naturally fell in love with it.

Here are some pictures I took of her. See for yourselves what the combination of beauty, brains AND brawn looks like…

Ana first visited the country last July 2010 after winning the vacant SBO 122-pound title belt with a split decision over Mexican Maria Elena Villalobos in Ontario, Canada. In that visit, she was able to meet Pres. Aquino at Malacanang, where she personally presented him with the Everlast gloves she used in winning the WBO super-bantamweight title.
Ana will defend her WBO title this coming February 25 at the Craneway Pavilion, Point Richmond, California against a tough and skillful veteran, Francesca Alcanter, who has a boxing record of 18-9-1. The fight, set over 10 rounds, has been dubbed “The Return of the Hurricane” (so titled because Ana is known as ‘The Hurricane’).
A native of San Francisco, California, Ana owns a record of 7-2-1. Despite a few fights to her name, it is truly proof of her boxing talent that she has already defeated female boxers with more boxing fights and longer fighting experiences under their belts. She begins her training with Freddie Roach next week at the famed Wild Card gym.
This fight will be telecast LIVE on TV5 and its soon-to-be-launched Aksyon TV UHF Channel 41, the Kapatid network’s sports and news channel.
Let’s all support our kababayan, Ana, on Feb. 25. Here’s another Pinay that all of us can truly be proud of.