Monday, December 31, 2012

I'm Grateful for 2012!



We're here again. It's the end of the year. Before I leave 2012 with the hopes of a better me in 2013, I wanna look back and see what has transpired throughout the year in my life. This year has been my most challenging one yet and 2013 would only get more challenging. Here we go:

OJT Experiences - This was the year when I had my OJT since this was a requirement for me to graduate next year (which I have successfully completed) and it was nothing short of amazing. I learned a lot of things while being on the job and had fun with my co-workers during and after office hours. It was an experience that I could never forget. Thanks for everything, RTS!

Final Days of Summer - Yes, this was also the year I posted this post series which was done on the last days before my last year in college began. They mostly consist of random stuff I did from parts of my OJT to just products of pure boredom. I may do another post series when I can. I'm just happy I was able to get this out of the door. (Click this to read the whole series!)


20th Birthday - I think I didn't put out a blog post for this one (I did on the day before) but this one's a significant moment for me simply because I've been here in this world for 2 decades! I'm happy to be one of those people who still know what a VHS or a cassette tape is, even though it's old school. Thank you to everyone who celebrated it with me and greeted me throughout that day. It was one of the happiest days of my entire life. Most of all, thank you to the Lord our God for giving me the chance to praise Your name and serve You!

To note, this is my favorite birthday picture without me EVER! I like my mom's ingenuity of getting the 19 and 1 candles for the two cakes to symbolize my 20th birthday. LOVE YOU MOM!


Thesis Completion - The reason why I couldn't post a lot is because of the research that Charles and I are doing. Thankfully, we finished our defense in October and submitted the hard copies just a few weeks back. Despite all the hardships we faced throughout this whole experience, I am grateful that this happened to me because it taught me that life isn't easy and this is a testament to everything I have done until now. Thank you to our thesis adviser, to my thesis partner, and our defense panel for making this possible. THANK YOU LORD!


Christmas 2012 - Even though this just happened last week, this Christmas was one of the most memorable ones ever! From the trip to Simala to the Christmas party to simply having dinner at the mall, it was very very memorable.

The reason why I said that it is one of the most memorable is because I barely hang out with my cousins due to our age and lifestyle differences, (no offense to my older cousins) especially this year when the only time I really communicated with them before Christmas was during my busy times and for me, it really sucked. I'm happy that I get to spend time with them during the Christmas season knowing that we still have these bonds we need to cherish.

Words and pictures could not truly express how grateful I am that 2012 is a year I will forever remember as a highlight in my life and I thank the Lord for giving me the chance to live through this year and for many more years to come!

THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES, 2012. :)

The Beauty of the Devotion to Mama Mary: A Trip to Simala


What a beautiful place. It seems like a nice haven to reflect on what's happened.
It was the day after Christmas. I've heard that there were plans to go to Simala but I never knew when. Good thing I didn't bring much when we went there though because there was no reason to. While heading there, we had lunch in Jollibee Carcar. Also, we were all eating and using our gadgets to listen to music.


When we arrived, I was stunned by how beautiful the place was. I couldn't describe how I was feeling at the time. Just the outside of it seems like a piece of artwork that was permanently installed. There I first realized just how devoted the people here are to Mama Mary and the miracle that she brought to this place.

When we went in the church, it looks like more artwork has been placed here and they all look AMAZING. The ceiling (shown in the picture on the left) tells a lot about how Mama Mary and Jesus played a vital role in what Catholics are today. I know you might think that this is like any other church you might have seen in other parts of the Philippines and the world, but this one gives a different feel than most of them.

While I was inside the church, I prayed and thanked God for what has happened to me over the past few months because honestly, those were my most challenging months so far. Maybe that's because the final stretch has yet to arrive. HAHA.

What I noticed after was this line of people that were going to see the Miraculous Mama Mary that was said to heal a lot of people. I was curious how it was like to be there, so I went in line. The line was really long, so I can tell that the miracle is true. As I was on my way, I read countless letters from people who have been healed after praying to the Miraculous Mama Mary and I was really astounded as to how our faith manifests into our lives. When I was there, I prayed to Mama Mary for everything that has happened and will happen in the future. After those moments, we went out and saw a beautiful museum full of the images of Mama Mary.


It's so nice to see people looking at these images and see how various people adore the presence of Mama Mary through them. I jokingly said when we were already outside that my aunt that was still inside was taking a hundred pictures of these. After this part, I went to the place where you could write a petition for Mama Mary and that's what I did. Shortly after, I went outside and explored the rest of the place.

People should come here, especially those who are devoted to Mama Mary because this is a result of our devotion to her. Thank you Lord for giving us this Earth to explore all Your wonderful creations. :)

Sunday, December 30, 2012

How We Spent Christmas Day :)



(In case you noticed, I MAY be posting a lot lately to catch up because I had the Christmas hangover. HAHA. And New Year's coming up.)

Christmas Day started later for us since we all woke up later than usual, from breakfast to bath to lunch. Since that happened, we decided to go the 2:30pm mass. The homily of the priest reminded us of what Christmas is really about. We should not forget that Jesus Christ is the center of the celebration. Also, we should always count on him not only on special occasions but in our everyday lives when problems can arise.

After the mass, the whole Maluya family gathered for a while and decided where to eat for snacks. After more talking and head-scratching, we went to Army Navy in the eBloc 2 building in IT Park.

I almost thought that one of the cars that were heading there got lost because they didn't know where eBloc 2 is. My worries were useless and everyone's there. What we did in Army Navy while waiting for food? THIS:

Cousins smiling! :)
AND THIS:

Mothers SMILING! :D
YES, vanity actually runs in the family and NO, I'm not posting ANY of their names in here for their privacy. :D When the food arrived though, it was hunger pounding time! I got a Longganisa Breakfast Burrito and a Vanilla Shake. The shake was okay although the burrito really tasted great. Actually, it was better than what I was expecting from a burrito. It had a lot of oil to go along with it though, but who cares? IT'S CHRISTMAS! HAHA.

The plain ol' shake and the great-tasting burrito! Woohoo!
After the snacks we ate, we went directly to Ayala where one of my aunts and one of my uncles were drinking coffee in McDonald's! In what seemed to be an almost boring time, we the cousins decided to go to Timezone and have fun! We were playing random games from guitar games to racing games to drum games and even the Super Trivia game there. After which, we had dinner in Food Choices where Karlo and I ate Dimsum! Too bad I don't have a picture of it, though.:(

Even though it seemed like an ordinary family reunion, that to me is the true spirit of Christmas. Spending time with the family is the most important thing to do in this season and I appreciated it even more this year because of what I've been through. 

Thank you Jesus! Thank you Lord!

Saturday, December 29, 2012

Merry Christmas!


 
(Sorry if this was a SUPER LATE post. I really got tired of using the computer that I mostly used my phone to check stuff online. More is yet to come though so watch out for it!)

I just woke up from a short-lived sleep due to that very fun Christmas party with relatives from the mother's side. Unlike the past years though, it was in this year that I realized that Christmas is really best spent with family and I wouldn't have it any other way.

We have this yearly cycle of where the party is held, and it depends on who has something new happening in their lives whether it's physical, mental, or spiritual. This year, it was decided that we would spend it here in our place in Cebu.

The party started with everyone's favorite part, FOOD! I really don't mind how much food there is on the table as long as it can be shared with family. But as they say, "The more, the merrier!" Of course it wouldn't be complete without one of the signature foods in the Philippines, the Lechon Baboy! It's just a whole pig being fried to a crisp and boy it tastes GREAT!

It always reminds me of the times when I watch the news about Christmas that no matter how many hardships that people face, there is always a way for them to celebrate Christmas.

After which, we had fun games! I actually missed these since we didn't have them last year due to the space we had (fortunately AND unfortunately, I was sick) but at least there was karaoke. 


There were two games that I really liked a lot. First, was the Gift-Wrapping Contest. It may sound like a normal contest but there were twists. It involved 3 people per team, and we were only given 2 minutes, BUT WE WERE ONLY ALLOWED TO USE ONE HAND EACH! I actually joined this game and wow it was hard! Good thing our gift won (it's the one on the left) and got P50 for this. Woohoo!

Another game only involved the dads. It was called "Shoot Your Balls". I will stab you if you thought wrong. It's basically what you see there. It's like basketball, only the basket that acts as the "ring" is on your head and you have to shoot it yourself. Laughter spread out the whole house as the dads tried their best to shoot the balls to the baskets. It really was a great game to play and to look at!

Then comes the time for gifts! First was our Manito Manita (the Filipino version of Secret Santa) with the cousins. Everyone was ecstatic with their gifts. One cousin of mine got a ballpen and was sarcastically happy with it (even though he is, a bit) and the others were happy. What's important is the thought that is put into it. I got a nice sports jacket. Hehe.

After which, we had random karaoke because we needed to pass the time before it struck at 12 midnight. After that, it was gift-giving time! Again, it's the thought that counts because it takes effort to actually think of what to buy for every relative that you can think of. I am happy that this tradition still lives on, it's amazing! It's never been about the gifts you receive, but those that you give and the bonds that we share that really matters on Christmas.

Hope you guys had a Merry Christmas! I'm really looking forward to the new year because of the things that are yet to come. :)

Sunday, December 16, 2012

iOS Needs A Visual Refresh




iOS 6 launched in September 2012, but still has the same user interface as when the iPhone was first introduced in 2007.
In 2007, Apple launched the iPhone in a world where RIM reigned supreme with their line of Blackberry smartphones. It ushered in a new way of using a phone, with its Capacitive Multi-Touch display and its revolutionary user inteface. It was indeed a great innovation because even though there were touch screen devices before, never has it gone mainstream like the iPhone.

Fast forward to 2012, where Android has now reigned supreme over the iPhone in terms of market share and most high-end Android phones are now on par (if not, better) than the iPhone. Android's UI has dramatically changed since its launch with the T-Mobile G1 (HTC Dream) in 2009. iOS hasn't changed much and still looks the same. It's been increasingly noticeable that iOS is getting STALE

For that reason, iOS NEEDS a visual refresh. Apple needs to prove that they can still innovate on the software side. Whether you love them or hate them, you cannot deny the triumph of industrial design that Apple bestows upon the world. The software isn't really telling of what Apple can really do in software right now, especially with Google pulling all the stops in their iOS apps (the UI in the Google Maps iOS app is waaaaay better than the Apple Maps app).

There is a glimmer of hope though, as Jony Ive is now responsible for "Human Interface". That role, along with his current role in Industrial Design means that he could now focus the hardware and the software as a whole and how they could interact to give a great impact to the consumers. Also, they did a major shakeup which resulted in Scott Forstall and John Browett leaving, and many other Apple higher-ups getting the jobs that they left behind.


Apple, you've made the changes you need. Now show us what the "increased collaboration" can do.

Thursday, December 13, 2012

iPhone 5 is Officially HERE! First Impressions From A Current iPhone User


An iPhone 5 display unit in a Globe Store in Ayala Center Cebu.

Months after it was released in the US, the iPhone 5 will be available to customers in the Philippines, as well as more than 50 other countries on December 14. 

GLOBE and SMART are currently duking it out for the attention of the customers so that they would buy iPhone 5s from them. Tweets from news sites and telco representatives are reporting on their respective launch parties:



Here in Cebu City, where I live, I managed to get first-hand experience with the iPhone 5 since it was on display at the Globe Store in Ayala Center Cebu today. I was so ecstatic that I had to try it as soon as I saw it! Remember, these are just first impressions. This means that I only had a few minutes with the phone since it was a display unit in the store. Here we go..

Thin and Light? CERTAINLY.

The first thing I noticed when trying out the iPhone 5 is that it is really lighter! According to Apple, it only weighs 112g. It really feels very light in the hand, that if it wasn't for the thing that holds it to the podium, I might have dropped it. Good thing they went for an aluminum back this time in order for it to be more durable than the 4 and 4S.
 
It is thinner as well, I tried comparing it to my iPhone 4 and there is a noticeable difference at 7.6 mm. I could easily clamp more of the iPhone 5's screen with my hand. The industrial design is simply unmatched by any other manufacturer out there. I was truly amazed by the weight and thinness of this phone.

The 4-Inch Screen

When I saw that the iPhone 5 had a larger screen, it was a mixed bag for me. Although it would be a good thing, I wasn't so sure how the apps that are not updated would work. Good thing Apple decided to put black bars on the sides so that apps would not look weird. On the black model, it isn't obvious as the black bars match very well with the phone so it seems that the phone got taller without the increase in screen size. 

Of course, the apps that take advantage of the new 4-inch screen look amazing. Watching video and listening to music while looking at full album art is nice. While reading articles from tech sites like The Verge, I could read a lot more than I could on the iPhone 4 I have now. It's amazing how even a half-inch screen bump matters. No wonder Android's been doing it ever since.

A6 Processor = (A5 Processor x 2) = (A4 Processor x 4)

It wouldn't be a new iPhone without a speed bump. The iPhone 5 now has a dual-core A6 processor that is clocked at 1GHz (although there are times that it would clock up to 1.3GHz). This equates to more power and better performance and I have to say, it's VERY NOTICEABLE, especially when using it against the iPhone 4. Despite the larger screen, apps web pages load quicker, and Siri responds faster.

LTE is nonexistent (YET)

Unfortunately, the LTE component of the iPhone 5 is inactive here. This is a bit disappointing even though Apple has to test the LTE networks of both Globe and Smart here in the Philippines before activating this. Besides, they haven't launched their LTE networks for smartphones so it doesn't make sense to promote this with LTE unless Globe or Smart surprises us.


Those are my first impressions on the iPhone 5. As an iPhone 4 user, I REALLY WANT THIS PHONE because it makes the one I have really slow. HAHA. This phone is really worth the time and money that it is spent on being made. 

Comment below for suggestions on what I should do with an iPhone 5 OR maybe find me a sponsor for one? :) Just comment below for your opinions. Til then, guys!

Saturday, December 8, 2012

Giving Android a Chance For Me



I think people are really seeing me as an Android hater because I love Apple. Don't get me wrong, I have this weird bias towards Apple maybe because I love the hardware, the software and stuff, but it really doesn't mean I have to hate competitors (maybe except Samsung).

So in order for me to give fair and unbiased thoughts about Android moving forward, I want to try it out. There are conditions I want to have though because I don't wanna have bad impressions on stuff that are not supposed to be looked upon in the first place:

1) I am going to get an Android smartphone. This is simply because Android has progressed very well in the smartphone game despite Apple's effort to hinder its growth. Although the tablets are getting better, I don't think that Android can dominate as much simply because Apple has this tried-and-true tablet ecosystem that is second to none.

2) I'm going to get a phone with the LATEST version of Android. This means getting a phone with Version 4.2 (still called Jelly Bean). I don't see the purpose of getting a phone with an older version since I would not feel the full experience that Android can offer at present. This limits my choice to the Nexus 4 so I probably would consider getting a device with Version 4.1, which leads to my next condition:

3) There will be NO BIAS in what device I pick. Yes, this means that I might get a Samsung Android device but there is no certainty to my choice. I may want to get it in 2013, so the choice of devices may change over time.

Basically, that's it. I also need help from the readers of this blog who are well-versed in the Android ecosystem. Any suggestions on what I should get? And when I get the phone, what should I do first and what apps should I get? Leave them in the comments in order for me to put them into consideration. Hoping my experience will be great!

Sunday, November 25, 2012

The Conquest is Finally Over.



After all those sleepless nights, stressful discussions, and an obstacle-filled defense, the thing in the picture above is finally finished!

I can't really say much about what happened in between since it may reveal what's inside the document, but I'm so happy that this part of my life has past and I have people to thank for making this possible. (Note: I'm keeping their identities private because I value their privacy very much.)

Thesis Adviser - She is the one responsible for pushing us to finish this successfully. I thank her for all the good advice she gave us during the whole process. I really felt lucky and grateful that she became our adviser. ^_^

Thesis Partner - It became obvious that we would be partners after finding out that the top of our class picked his cousin as his partner. My thesis partner and I got along well and agreed on everything about the thesis. I'm grateful that we became partners. No regrets at all here.

Family and Friends - Without these people, I wouldn't even be pushing myself to do this. I love these people with all my heart and I'll never let go of them.

IT'S FINALLY DONE! THANK YOU LORD ALMIGHTY! FOR WITHOUT YOU, I WILL NEVER BE.

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

How an Irrational Apple-Hater Turned Into an Apple Enthusiast


A lot has changed, but my view for technology has remained the same.

It's been a while since I posted something on this blog. My seemingly never-ending busy schedule has finally ended (at least for now), and I am on my way to finishing college. There are two things that I have to be grateful about: the fact that God, family, and friends have helped me reach where I am now, and the fact that technology is the reason why I'm even posting this.

As you may have noticed about my last few posts, I kept writing about Apple-related stuff. If the Internet actually hit on this, they would do so because they're Apple-haters (or at the very least, people who respect Apple but just doesn't like them). Unless you've been stalking me my whole life, (which I assume no one does because I'm boring when I'm alone) you would not know that I was one of those people.

Before "mobile" was even a thing, I already hated Apple. I hated their closed-system approach and their conceptual philosophy. I even hated the iPhone 3GS! (It was the first iPhone that I was actually aware of at the time.) The reasons as to why I hated them were too shallow. I was an avid Windows user, thus what it meant for me was to hate the other side. (I never really knew Linux at the time. Haha.) Maybe at that time, I forgot that I was able to use an Apple computer before. It was the first iMac, the one with the colors. The one in the house before was a green one. I was still very young at that time and I didn't really know how to use it.

Then in 2010, the iPhone 4 came out, and it arrived sometime in the September-October time frame in Cebu. Globe Telecom was still the only one selling the iPhone officially and they had a booth set up in a shopping mall here. I tried it out, and it was nice. I pondered for a moment after that, and realized as to why I was hating Apple in the first place. I never had a reason to. 

This was the turning point. I wasn't a convert yet, but I was sure I liked the iPhone 4. In the  observation of my surroundings, it was the iPhone that many Filipinos bought at the time. I was completely surprised. I now know that Apple was already at the forefront of mobile devices. 

A proof of my hatred still lingering was my hatred for the iPad. I unabashedly said that it's just "a bigger iPhone". Again, I didn't know why I hated it as long as I did.

Then 2011 came. My mom got an iPhone 4, a WHITE one. It took Apple a long time to produce the white model, which they fixed when they launched the 4S. By that time, I was already engrossed with what Apple's doing. When the 4S came out, I was a bit disappointed and thought about why Apple did such a strategy knowing people expected a new design? I found out about the 2-year cycle when they release a new design then the one after that is just upgraded internals plus new features. I found it interesting as to how it would play out. 37 MILLION iPhones in one quarter. INSANE.

Ever since that day, I became an Apple follower and enthusiast. I now wanted the Apple equivalent of what device I need in my lifestyle (except my laptop though; I like the Mac now, but Windows is still my preference) and it feels different. Right now, not much has changed. I want the iPhone 5 right now simply because I feel that the 4 is slow for me after updating to iOS 6, and that larger screen helps a lot.

Being an Apple enthusiast doesn't mean I agree in everything that Apple does. To those haters who think that iOS is getting old, CONGRATULATIONS! I agree with them because I feel that the more I use it, the more I feel that more of the UI elements are getting old. And the Settings would feel confusing if you weren't used to it already. There are things in Android I want in iOS  like quick settings, or more interaction with notifications. It's the smoothness of the operating system that keeps me from switching until now even though the performance was slower.

There, I said all I can say about my long journey. And to those who'll ask, "Do you hate Android?", I say:

"NO, I JUST DON'T LIKE SAMSUNG."

Keep an eye out for an explanation on why I just don't like Samsung. (I'll get hate just for this last part. I'm sure of it. HAHA.)

Friday, September 28, 2012

Dear Philippines: Do Not Buy an iPhone 4S (Yet)!


Source: technobuffalo.com
As you may have heard and seen now, the iPhone 5 has been released in the US and 30 more countries, with 22 of them just released today. This means that the 2 previous generations of the iPhone has their prices cut off, with the 4S now costs $99 and the 4 is now FREE (based on US prices, on a 2-year contract with a wireless carrier).

It also means that the price of the 4S that the local telcos are pretty inconsistent with the ones in the US. There are even tech-savvy Filipinos who realize this and either shell out tons of cash to get the latest right away or wait for it to arrive here.

It has come to my attention that the telcos are still pushing to sell the 4S at the same price as it was before the iPhone 5 came out and there are people who actually buy it. Sure there are promos to lower that price but not everyone can avail such.

From a fellow Filipino, I advise you to NOT get the 4S until the telcos announce the iPhone 5. If you feel that there isn't much difference, you can just get the 4S at a cheaper price (depends if the telco will still offer it). I sincerely don't want anyone to regret their purchase.

Friday, September 14, 2012

The iPhone 5 is Still A Great Smartphone


apple.com

After months and months of speculation, Apple finally launches the iPhone 5. The thing is, bloggers have been putting out rumors about this product so much that by the time that it was announced, some people were underwhelmed. I can't blame them because all the rumors that pointed to this were true. To be honest, I was really hoping that Tim Cook and Co. would surprise me but unfortunately everything was predictable.


But this doesn't mean that it isn't a great smartphone. It still has iOS, the EASIEST-to-use mobile operating system ever despite the competition heating up with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and Windows Phone 8. And with iOS 6, new features were still introduced like the new Maps application and the Panorama mode. I gotta say though, Apple has to step up in the user interface if it wants the iPhone to last for generations.



Also, two of the biggest features that the iPhone really needed are now here in the iPhone 5, and they're both fours. One is 4G LTE, the fastest cellular network available. This means that you can surf the web, download apps, and stream HD movies with blazing-fast speeds! With the iPhone 5, LTE could go mainstream AND HOPEFULLY, will not slow everyone else's data connection down. The other one is the 4-inch screen, which is a big change in itself since the iPhone has been carrying a 3.5-inch screen since its inception in 2007. Apple obviously understands about the comfort of holding a phone with one hand and just made the phone taller and not wider so that no one will be alienated with holding it.


Apple just wants to make sure that average people would enjoy the iPhone 5 even though there were changes to be made. This phone may not please everyone, but it will be one of the reasons why the smartphone market will continue to grow. 

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Apology + New Rules for FIVE-TRIPLE-ZERO


UPDATE: iPhone 5 post is now up!

As you may have noticed, nothing really happened to the FIVE-TRIPLE-ZERO contest. I am DEEPLY SORRY for that. It's not that I don't wanna give stuff away, it's just that I've been busy for the past few months as I was doing my research project with my partner and I didn't want too much distraction. I'm actually lucky to even post this to say my apologies.

That said, I am gonna make it up to you guys by posting the new rules for the said contest:

1) Read the iPhone 5 post - Yes, it's that time again. Instead of posting my impressions on it, I am going to rant about why the iPhone 5 is still a great smartphone despite the underwhelming reactions of 57% of Americans. I'm hoping this will be a good read for you guys.

2) Comment on that post - Not just any random comment, I want a reaction to my post. I don't mind if it's negative to the point that you think I'm just an Apple fanboy or positive in a sense that  it does make sense and they're gonna sell millions of them anyways. I just wanna hear true sentiments guys.

Still deciding on the prize though. If you wanna get a clue to what it may be, go to my Twitter to find out. The deadline would be the end of October.

Sorry for not informing you guys anything. I really hope you understand my situation and will be back to post more once this busy-ness fades away.

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Sept. 12 + Apple: What to Expect, What to Do and NOT Do


theverge.com

As the invite that Apple gave to people says, It's almost here.

After months of rambling rumors, leaks, videos, and pictures, we are now about to find out what Apple has in store for us. I have this list of what to expect from this event, what to do, and NOT to do in preparation for this event. Read on as I don't want you to do anything dumb as we draw near to this.

What to Expect (and not expect):

The next iPhone - iPhone 5, or whatever they're calling it, the signs are all pointing to the next iPhone being launched in this event. Expected features include LTE, a bigger screen, a smaller dock connector, and more.

New iPods - It's been a while since there have been design changes on the iPod lineup. They deserve a much needed refresh as it is rumored that there will be new ones coming side-by-side with the new iPhone. This includes a 4-inch screen iPod touch, and a redesigned iPod nano that may have iOS design features. Here's to hoping for cheaper "gateway drugs" to Apple products.

iPad mini (?) - This elusive device has been in the rumor mill for quite some time and although it is rumored to launch on this event, signs point to October for the launch event of this to put the spotlight on the iPhone.

More goodies from iOS 6 - I've been testing out iOS 6 lately, and I have to say that the bag of tricks they have are few. As an iPhone user, I sincerely hope that what they showed in WWDC last June was all that it could do. There should be that one reason to buy any new iOS device.

What to Do (and NOT to Do):

Ask if your carrier supports 4G LTE - Smartphones these days now carry 4G LTE, at least in the US and some parts of the world. A way to check that is by looking at the specs of the New iPad HERE, then check the frequency that your carrier uses for 4G LTE. If they match, there is a good chance that the new iPhone will support it.

Don't lose hope though, as there is no final specs on the new iPhone, things can change.

DON'T BUY AN iPHONE RIGHT NOW - By now, I think you've realized this one. Just in case you didn't get it, THERE IS NO REASON FOR YOU TO BUY ONE NOW unless you're on a budget and you REALLY REALLY need it. Or just be patient and look out for September 12 (September 13 Manila time) to check if the new one's worth it. 


Here you go. I hope I've helped you in at least the basic details on the event. If you want to follow the coverage, check out The Verge and other tech sites for detailed coverage.

Apple, please don't disappoint me.


Monday, August 13, 2012

The Best Decade Yet...



“You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.”
- Steve Jobs (Stanford Commencement Exercises, June 2005)

I gotta say, I can relate to that quote above because I realized that everything that happened to me in the past helped shape me to who I am today. All those actions, whether good or bad, had led me to this. A lot has happened over that decade as all the changes in my life happened there. Also within those past ten years is the roller coaster ride in high school and college.

I am very happy to be a graduate of Cebu City National Science High School because all the life lessons I missed out during my first decade of existence. It's insane. The spirit of not giving up was built through the Scouting experiences I had. The talents I had also flourished when I was part of the Glee Club. All the bonds I had during high school were strong and most of them still hold up to this day. Thanks batchmates for the one of the best experiences I had!

Then, there was this insight I had during my last year in high school that programming is the path I've chosen because of this unusual interest in it. It felt weird at first, but I realized that this is it. So I wanted to take BSIT for college, but during the enrollment phase, the "woman over there"  convinced me to take BS Computer Science. And since my laziness activated during 4th year high school, I went to the University of San Carlos.

I never thought that this chapter of my life would bring about more change to my life. Right now, I realized how stupid I was in terms of the matters of love. I also realized that all those experiences in Datalogics Society was amazing. I love those tough times and fun experiences and hopefully the friendships made during that time will last for a LONG time. 

To all the people that have been with me through the 2nd decade of my life, THANK YOU VERY MUCH for the friendship and I hope it'll last through the next decade and beyond! I love you all and I will forever be grateful. :D

Thursday, August 9, 2012

Food Trip: Dimsum!



Another day, another food trip. And yes, that is one good meal right there.

It all started when my grandmother told me it was the day that she usually goes out for relaxation purposes and she wouldn't be cooking lunch. I took advantage of that and went to one of the places I really wanted to go for lunch: Dimsum Break.

I was so surprised to find out that there was a Dimsum Break in the new mall that Gaisano Capital put up near our place. It's big, but the mall part seems small. It's actually a mall and a condominium, so you can tell by now that the big part is the latter. I'm still happy though that I could eat a meal like this after SO LONG. Hahahaha. My cousin would surely love this news when he comes here for vacation.

So, I got the usual stuff: Steamed rice, spring roll, and siomai. Sadly, they ran out of Quail's Egg siomai (my all-time favorite siomai), so I got the mushroom one instead. I can't believe that over the years, the taste hasn't changed one bit. This is the reason why I am happy with the taste of the food in Dimsum Break (and sister restaurants Ding Qua Qua and Harbour City). I personally think that the soup-like substance in the steamed rice was a bit lacking. I wish they could put more again like the good old days. The prices went up too. Last I checked, it was still P52. Now it's 10 pesos more. The quality is unrivalled as of today though which made a happy camper!

The spring roll and the siomai still taste the same. I love it! Still disgusted with them running out of Quail's Egg though. Oh well, it happens.

Can't believe I posted two "Food Trip" posts in one setting! Hope to do so with the next thing I'm planning. Until then!

Food Trip: Twister Fries!




Today, I am starting a new blog series about food. Yes, food. I'm actually trying to do this with the dictation feature in OS X which is Mountain Lion. (With editing, of course.) Never mind, I got tired with it after a while. Sheesh, typing feels so much better.


Anyway, on to the food! Yes, if you follow my Instagram feed (@iamlianixx), you know how much I loooove food. Ohh yes, there are full of pictures of food in there. Hehe. Every year, McDonald's brings out their famous Twister Fries! 

It still has their signature "french fries taste", but it's more fried and they obviously twisted it. I honestly like the taste, but the quantity ALWAYS wants me to come back for more. All in all, McDonald's still makes me fall in love with these fries! Hopefully they could put MORE fries for the same price or cheaper! :D

More to come soon. :)

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Random.



Yeah. At first, I wanted to start a post series on completely random ideas that pop out from my head. Then it occurred to me, "Why don't I do a separate blog about that?". Sure it's a hassle to post left and right between the Random blog and this blog but it's alright. I wanna do it. First post of Random coming up soon. The post you see there is my introductory post. Hehe. I'll post one every Friday. Hope you enjoy that as much as this one! :)


UPDATE: I completely forgot! If you wanna read the blog, click "Random" right up in the menu bar for convenience. :) Sorry guys!

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Thoughts on Apple's WWDC 2012



(This is the first post where you comment and get a chance to win an iPod shuffle or an 8GB USB flash drive! Comment here! :D)


(All pictures here: Copyright © 2012 Apple Inc.)


Let me start by saying this: I used to hate Apple. I would rant that an iPad is just a "giant iPhone" and even said that the iPhone was a gimmick and only a few people would actually buy this due to its price. As usual, I would bash the Macs for being the most expensive computers ever made. Well, that was the old me. The me that used to hate Apple has now turned into an Apple user. What can I say? I fell in love with the mobile devices.


It all started with an iPod touch. Introduced in 2007 months after the release of the original iPhone, it would be a device that has the best of what the iPhone can do except of the phone capabilities. I owned a first-gen iPod touch and I was still contented with the content I had with it. Since then, I followed Apple's announcements, news, and even posted opinions here in my blog about what Apple and its competitors are doing.


In this post though, I will focus on Apple's WWDC 2012 keynote presentation last Monday (Tuesday, Manila time) and put out my unbiased opinion on what Apple has in store for us over the course of the next few months.


By the way, I'm sorry if this was overdue, but I had to finish my "Final Days of Summer" and OJT Series in order for me to do this complete reaction to this event and all the new stuff they released.


Here are the three things that highlighted this year's keynote:


MacBook Pro with Retina Display



I gotta say, I was surprised that they actually did this. Rumors spread around that there would be Retina displays throughout the whole MacBook line but never I expected that at least one of them would really get that significant upgrade. So, here it is, the new king of the MacBooks. This beast has a lot going for it, so here are the base and the maximum specs:

  • 15.4" Retina Display with a 2880x1800 resolution
  • 2.3GHz 3rd generation quad-core Intel Core i7 processor with 6MB shared L3 cache (Turbo Boost up to 3.3GHz) (processor up to 2.7 GHz with Turbo Boost up to 3.7GHz)
  • 8GB of 1600MHz DDR3L onboard memory (up to 16GB of 1600MHz DDR3L onboard memory)
  • 256GB flash storage (up to 768GB)
  • Intel HD Graphics 4000 and NVIDIA GeForce GT650M with 1GB of GDDR5 memory
  • 720p Facetime HD camera
  • Connection ports: Magsafe 2 port, 2 USB 3.0/2.0 ports, 2 Thunderbolt ports, HDMI port, 3.5mm headphone jack, SDXC card slot
  • 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi networking
  • Backlit keyboard
  • 7 hours battery life
Honestly, I can't believe they shoved all this into a laptop that's 0.71" thin and weighs 4.46 pounds! The design is simply well-thought and Apple clearly applied what they've learned over the years. Although the lack of an ethernet port is a worry since this is mostly aimed at professionals, there's a Thunderbolt to Gigabit Ethernet adapter so I hope this wouldn't be much of an issue. Overall, this notebook gives more compelling reasons for people to buy this, although a big turn-off would be its price: it starts at $2199. :( Still, I would recommend this to anyone who can shelve off a LOT of money. Moving on...




OS X Mountain Lion




Yes, yes. After a year with the Lion, we get another update which is Mountain Lion. This update focuses more on how the Mac can connect with your Apple mobile devices even better. This update includes Notification Center, which was carried over from iOS and implements it in the same way, Game Center, also from iOS which supports cross-platform gaming over Macs and iOS devices (which I think is cool), and AirPlay Mirroring, where with the help of an Apple TV, you can stream whatever's on the screen of your Mac to your TV.


To me, this feels like Lion with a few good updates and improvements that people will enjoy and I'm sure that $19.99 price would convince all the current Mac users to upgrade. Moreso, the new buyers of Macs will get this for FREE. It's coming this July.



iOS 6




This may be considered the highlight for users of Apple's famous iPhone and iPad, and the iPod touch. iOS 6 brings more to the table as they bring another package of features which help boost their usability and benefits the user. Here are some of the highlight features of the new major software update:


Maps - The most-rumored new feature of iOS 6, the Maps application has now been revamped and gone are any references of Google Maps. Everything in the new Maps is now made by Apple (since they bought a lot of mapping technology companies) and has now new features. The iPhone can now do turn-by-turn navigation, a feature that has long been in the Android ecosystem for a long time. Another feature is Flyover, where it displays 3D satellite images of major cities, which looks amazing. Other features include Traffic, which notifies users of realtime traffic.


Siri - Siri is now smarter in iOS 6. It can now show you sports scores and info, movie times, restaurant reservations, powers the turn-by-turn navigation in Maps, can accept Tweet requests and Facebook posts, and launch apps. It's becoming a more useful personal assistant.


Facebook - Speaking of Facebook posts, Facebook is now integrated into iOS. You can now post Photos, web pages, and more to Facebook using the same functionality done with Twitter. You can now also "Like" apps and more.


Passbook - Passbook is where you can store your virtual gift cards, membership cards, airline and movie tickets, and even sports games tickets in one single place. It even notifies you if you're nearby the certain place where that pass is needed.

Other features include Phone improvements with Remind Me Later or Reply With Message, Safari enhancements with Offline Reading List and Full Screen Landscape mode, Shared Photo Streams where you can share certain photos with friends including comments and likes, FaceTime over Cellular, Pull to Refresh and VIP Inbox in Mail, and Guided Access for easy use of the iPhone and iPad with Single App mode.


Software enhancements are great but I wish there was even more. A UI redesign would be nice, but I think they're either holding it off for the next iPhone or not doing it at all, which is sad. I still like the enhancements they bring to the 4th generation iPod touch, iPhone 3GS and later, and iPad 2 & iPad 3rd Gen. Sad to see the original iPad go as well. Times have changed though.




Overall, Apple's WWDC 2012 stayed in the tradition of new things. The new hardware was a surprise, but the software improvements fell a little bit flat for me. I hope that we will see a shocking Fall as Apple strikes back against the Android army. Best wishes, Apple.